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Graduate School Application Essay

1426 Words6 Pages

Makibaka, huwag matakot. For some: a mantra utilized by Filipino grassroots organization, for many, foreign jargon with unknown phlegmatic meaning. For myself, it serves as a reminder to choose the arduous path, and to take nothing easy. Being an only child from a first generation immigrant family from the Philippines, my parents expected nothing but phenomenal academic results in high hopes to acquire a good job for myself; more specifically, a one-worded career: something they can easily boast about within the family circle, with little to no need of an explanation. Doctor. Engineer. Teacher. Informing them that I was applying to graduate school, these were some of the fields they were hoping for me to say. Instead, they received a mouthful …show more content…

Psychology and the matter of “self” captivated me and allowed me to realize that all experiences are subjective and that it is impossible to remove the "self" from any situation. I also chose to supplement my major with RRS because I believe that it is imperative to realize how institutional legislations and past communal struggles still impact present day life. Alongside my usual 13-19 units a semester and part time job of three years as an academic coach, I was able to heavily contribute to two campus organizations: Asian Student Union (ASU) and Circle K International (CKI). I served as a solo internship coordinator for my entire junior year for ASU, teaching a group of 10-15 college students a semester about the struggles of the community. Here, I created two 10-week program curricula, hosted hands-on workshops, kept track of intern progress reports to present to the Asian American Studies Department faculty, handled administrative duties, and fostered an environment for my interns to be comfortable to learn about themselves. As an active member in CKI, I dedicated approximately 200 hours of volunteer work to organizations around the Bay Area. I eventually found myself graduating a semester early and working another part time job as a school lead for a technology based reading curriculum start up company. Each of these stages in academia has contributed to my understanding of the world, my …show more content…

I want to hone my work ethic and develop my intellectual understanding. Through the material and classes provided by this program, my hope is to fill the many gaps in my own knowledge about the education system. In the distant future, I plan to continue my studies in educational psychology to learn more about an individual’s psyche in relation to educational settings. I believe that by familiarizing myself more in the pedagogies, policies, and conceptual underpinnings of the education system, I can segue naturally into educational psychology. In totality, I long to be in a field where I am able to gain insight on how to ensure that every individual has a fair and equitable opportunity to get the chances that I received – regardless of the intersectional groups they may belong to or the psychological battles they may endure. I aspire for all students to understand that they should not be afraid of struggling because in the long haul, it culminates a more conscientious, empathetic and strong-willed future

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Participating in library study sessions with friends and peers has not only strengthened my understanding of course material but has also promoted a culture of shared learning, where ideas are exchanged, and knowledge is co-constructed. Engaging in campus ministries, such as the Homeless Ministries and Worship Praise Team by serving as a praise team leader and performer for various worship services, has deepened my understanding of the importance of service and developed a sense of empathy and compassion in my personal & spiritual growth. Collaborating with others in these contexts has provided me with a sense of purpose and fulfillment while fostering a continuous cycle of learning throughout my academic

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These experiences led to service opportunities focused on team-based service and advocacy. I collaborated with individuals to sustain a tutoring program at my local Boys and Girls Club of America and started joining community-based organizations such as Kiwanis International. As time progressed, service participation throughout my undergraduate experience contributed to my desire to serve as an AmeriCorps volunteer. As an undergraduate, I took advantage of opportunities to mentor first-generation science majors and obtained the role as a resident assistant for the Civics and Service Living-Learning community.

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Dear Rossier School of Education Faculty, Throughout my education I was not expected to succeed, english being my second language and attending low socioeconomic schools in the city of Santa Ana I was deemed to dropout of school like the majority of children before me. I rarely remember having a student-teacher relationship with an educator throughout my education, and as I succeeded academically my teachers were surprised but nothing more than surprised. Then there were the teachers that made all the difference, teachers that went above and beyond and left an everlasting impact on how I view education, and essentially what made achieving a higher education possible. With the guidance of teachers, instructors and school faculty I was admitted to the University of California Irvine which was not only an accomplishment and a dream of mine but an accomplishment for my family. My journey through education is still the reality of many children attending low socioeconomic schools and/or public schools today, Just like the amazing mentors I had throughout my education, I want to make a difference alongside of them by creating positive and supporting

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Just as with many of my previous academic moments it continued the drive I had already had. While my education continued to teach me valuable lessons and give me hands on experience I began to gain a stronger sense rooted in development and the protection of others by hopefully continuing my education at Loyola University Chicago in the Masters of Social Work/Masters of Arts in Social Justice Program which would give me the opportunity to not only eventually become a social worker with the Department of Social Services (DSS), with a school, or a guardian ad litem but to do that work effectively with the chance that would be afforded to me of an academic background steeped in social work as well as social justice teachings. This program in particular continues the undergraduate work and furthers my education on my path to my

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Furthermore, I believe I owe it to future patients, employers and fellow professionals to have the largest knowledge base and most readily accessible skills possible and to utilize the unique experiences I have been granted. I have managed, throughout busy class schedules and often full-time work, to be volunteering on a long mission to Peru to work with children, mentor as a Middle School Youth minister, a Spanish and ASL medical translator in clinics 300% below the poverty line, and a Patient Care Technician in the Emergency Room and eventually the NICU per invitation from the Senior Staff of the Women and Children's Center. I have enjoyed the vitality of these diverse settings as well as growing in empathy while working with people from very unique backgrounds and family needs. I also volunteer as an on-call counselor for a crisis family support center as a primary advisor for two single mothers who require translation services. Attending Samford University, I was selected from Freshman year forward

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One proud accomplishment is planning and hosting our Annual Lunar New Year’s celebration at the University of Iowa Memorial Union. With attendance of over 600 individuals from the state of Iowa, we worked to raise over $4000 dollars to our philosophy in less than 6 months. A few other student organizations that I have been a part of are the Asian American Student Union and Organization for the Active Support of International Students. In addition to leadership within the University, I am actively involved in a nonprofit organization called the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of the Midwest 501(3). Over the past 3 years I have held roles as an Iowa State Representative, Hospitality Director for a flagship conference, and Family leader for a flagship

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While simultaneously balancing work and school, I developed a greater sense of my abilities. I not only grew as an individual; but also gained character and knowledge. I can successfully state I have completed one year with a cumulative GPA of […]. Furthermore, I continue to participate in extra circular activities in my free time. For instance, I have held the position of assistant secretary of the business club, and have participated in the math and psychology clubs at Three Rivers Community College.

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this sense of self-advocacy which ​​​​​​​i have intertwined in my own education is invaluable to a college student who has to handle schoolwork by

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My time as an undergraduate solidified the idea that I do belong in the higher education realm; the work and effort put into the program dispelled my initial fears that I was not capable of the critical thinking, study habits, and overall academic discipline needed to succeed. The program also assisted me in realizing that Information Systems would not be suited for my professional and personal long-term goals. With an emphasis on computer programming, I was able to envision a future with a solid job, but not a meaningful career. As my responsibilities in Veteran Services grew from paperwork to engagement, fund raising, and program administration

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The professors are continuously enriching me with their knowledge and lessons as well as the workers at the Lawrence Dining hall. Going into my sophomore year, I become more involved. West Chester University is liked and respected everywhere, and I wanted to continue this tradition. I joined a club on campus called Student Outreach in Urban Schools (S.O.U.S) . This club opened my eyes to how much you can make a difference in someone’s life.

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Therefore, I want nothing more than to make them proud. I plan to set career goals now that will prepare me for a successful and productive future. As a college graduate, I 'll be able to pursue my career in information technology. Furthermore, I’ll have the chance to follow my passion to

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Transitions are hard, and I have empathy for those experiencing loneliness in turbulent times. I actively volunteer for Launch; it is a non profit that works to prepare senior girls for their transition into college. It focuses on safety, self worth, and preparation. This summer I worked on their premier event as the publicity co-chair and assistant social media campaign manager. Launch tasked me with creating logos and planning marketing campaigns for a targeted audience on social media.

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My motto in life is, “Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself”. Although my life has included many pros and cons, I have always found ways to push through complications and allow myself to grow as a person. In the early juncture of my life, playing piano, basketball and video games were my major hobbies. I took piano lessons until the end of secondary school and discovered playing piano to be a fantastic stress reliever in times of need, as well as a resource to inspire creativity.

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It is been a while since I wrote my last personal statement for my graduate school application. I am not a quick decision maker most of the time, but interestingly I made the decision to join CFRM without much pondering. It does not mean I did think about the resource and effort I have to pay as a part-time student. It is because I know many people regret not doing it during the early stage of their career.

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I have made it my mission to help students acquire these resources no matter their socioeconomic situation. As a first-generation student I had to push myself to learn how to deal with time management, planning, and navigating through my college career. Working with my students I have developed a sentimental yet powerful sense of pride about education. I know that working with students is a task that is not to be taken lightly. It is full of challenges, frustrations, and responsibilities.

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