Personal Statement
My entire career demonstrates
a commitment to public service and a passion for
working with social justice issues. There is nothing more important than
community engagement and being a part of finding
solutions toward civic and global improvements. After a
handful of different jobs here and there, I started off
my public sector career working with the homeless- on the
streets and in shelters in Seattle, Washington. In 2005,
I moved to San Francisco, California and continued
working as a social servant. For six years I strived to
improve services, collaborate effectively with other
nonprofits and government agencies, contribute as a
dynamic team member, and establish myself as a leader in
the community.
For
the last two years, as I pursued my MPA, I have worked
to expand my experiences in the public sector. At the
office of a local elected official, I had the
opportunity to see how local government works on the
political side. I analyzed public codes and legislation,
gathered detailed background information on complex
policy directions, prepared briefs, contributed to the
monthly newsletter, and performed community outreach
activities. At my internship with the San Francisco
Department of Public Works, I contribute to
communications and public affairs activities. I work to
increase public awareness of Public Works initiatives
through innovative communications methods, such as
updated web content, social networking outreach, and
electronic newsletters. In addition, I worked part-time
for SFSU as a Research Assistant, performing research on
governance topics, annotating current
peer-reviewed journal articles, and running searches for
relevant research for faculty.
I am hoping that the skills
and knowledge gained from my work in the MPA program
will expand my opportunities for involvement in
big-picture public sector issues and build on a career
of seeking better public policy solutions.