A 27 year old female of Mexican heritage, I was was raised in the troubled environment of South Central Los Angeles. This early environment was a spur to me to take advantage of all the opportunities open to me personally and to try to help others to do the same, it also engendered a desire to help others generally. I feel strongly that exposure by the less privileged to those who share their background but have succeeded in life is of particular assistance in persuading them that ‘all things are possible’ is not merely a high sounding but abstract phrase but a truth that will change their own lives if they will allow it.

 I believe that Social Work offers me the best opportunity to fulfill my goal to help others, and thus to benefit society as a whole, in a direct and practical way. This is not merely a career choice to me but a vocation and it is one about which I am totally committed and passionate. I am considered to be mature, self-motivated, compassionate, empathetic, independently minded and to possess excellent communication skills. I am fluent in both English and Spanish and I have undertaken a significant amount of voluntary work in my life involving, for example, helping seniors and teenagers with ‘special needs’ in undertaking various leisure activities. I have also escorted veterans who are confined to wheelchairs, as a volunteer. I derived a great deal of satisfaction and pleasure from helping others in this way and believe that I provided a service of real benefit to those I assisted.

 During my time at the XXXX University, I was a member of Alpha Kappa Delta, the Honor Society for sociologists. In order to qualify for membership, it was necessary to achieve a Grade Point Average of at least 3.3 which I exceeded with a GPA of 3.45. The Society’s declared purpose is ‘To investigate humanity for the purpose of service’, one which I wholeheartedly share. The society is particularly active in community service and I took a full part in these activities.

 I have also been employed as a Primary Intervention Program Aide which involved assisting students, up to third grade, who were experiencing school adjustment difficulties. The primary objective in this work was to bond positively with the children on an individual basis in order to improve their perception of themselves and thereby create an ability to succeed in school. I believe that I was able to assist many children to achieve this goal and enable them to get ‘on track’ to a successful school career. I greatly enjoyed my work with children and it was acknowledged by my superiors that I relate exceptionally well with them.

 I served with the Californian Army National Guard from 2000 to 2009 and was on active service in Europe from October 2004 to February 2006, attaining the rank of sergeant. During my service I undertook a wide variety of duties requiring effective planning, meeting strict deadlines, the necessity to function effectively as a member of a team and ultimately to demonstrate effective leadership and decisiveness in my capacity as a non-commissioned officer.  Military life provided me with training and discipline which has enhanced my ability to relate well to people of all backgrounds, to focus, to strive unswervingly towards my goals and not to accept ‘second best’.  I believe that these attributes will be of great advantage to me in pursuing the rigorous demands of the MSW program.  

 In addition to an exposure to other cultures during my upbringing in Los Angeles, I have seen active National Guard service in Germany, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro. I also travelled to Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Greece, Honduras and Mexico during periods of Rest and Recreation.  These experiences have left me with a curiosity about, and an interest in, cultural variety and an understanding of the effects of culture on individuals and the need to take cultural background into account in relating effectively with others.  

 It was during my active service with the National Guard that I developed a profound and special interest in the welfare of those serving and also of fellow veterans, and their families and consequently military social work is the field in which I am keen to specialize.

 In addition to relevant work and volunteer activity, the program I undertook to obtain my Bachelor’s degree at California University State, Fullerton provides an excellent basis for the Master’s program. The courses completed were: Theories of Social Behavior, Developmental Psychology, Sociology of Education, Sociology of Families, Sociology of Social Interaction and Sociology of Communications. I qualified for the Dean’s list in 2008 and 2009.

 I am a caring person and my goal is to contribute to the well-being of others, to help people to function more effectively, to assist in bringing about beneficial social changes, in short -  to ‘make a difference’ in those communities where I shall work.  It has been necessary in my life for me to be able to relate well to people of all kinds of backgrounds, from the ‘marginalized’ to highly qualified professionals and ‘all stops between’. I feel that this facility provides an enormous advantage to anyone hoping to make a successful career in this field.

 The XXXX MSW Program’s heavy emphasis on field education makes it particularly appealing to me and by far the ‘best fit’ for my purposes. I am aware that Social Work is one of few disciplines where it is possible to excel in theory and to thoroughly fail in its practical application.  The constant testing and proving of theories and of oneself in real situations is vital in this field and I am certain that I can excel in both theory and practice and can provide useful input into Social Work research.

 I hope to be able to undertake at least part of this field work amongst service personnel and/or veterans, and their families and I would like to participate in research in the areas of military social work and veteran services. My ultimate goal is to become a commissioned Behavioral Sciences Officer in the Californian Army National Guard and the program is the ‘key’ to realizing this ambition.

 I am aware of the prestigious reputation and high standing of the XXXX School of Social Work and of the Master’s program. I know therefore that there will be very many well qualified applicants. However in addition to my passion for my subject, my proven personal qualities, academic qualifications and highly relevant work and volunteer activity I believe that the additional varied life experiences and life-skills gained through my service in the National Guard will enable me to make a unique contribution to my class and the Social Work academic community.

 Thank you for considering my application.