Personal Statement
My education began at the State University of New York at Oswego where I double-majored in Psychology and Criminal Justice. From there I decided to attend graduate school and major in Public Administration so that I could learn how to combine my interest in helping others with new skills in administration.
During my graduate education at San Francisco State University, my studies have been diverse, ranging from financial management to urban planning. My elective emphasis was Urban Administration, which allowed me to focus in on solutions to urban problems, an interest of mine. Graduate school has provided me with extensive writing skills, greatly improved my oral communication skills and has provided me with vast knowledge in areas such as management, finance, and diversity.
I have work experience in both the public (2.5 yrs.) and private sector (2 yrs.). My experience ranges from office work to field work and from supervised to completely independent. During college I worked for 1.5 years as an Integration Specialist for ARISE, a nonprofit organization that provides one-on-one counseling for the disabled. This job was an absolutely amazing opportunity for me. It taught me discipline as I worked independently in the field. It also gave me confidence in my ability and patience when working with children.
I also worked for Dr. Leigh Bacher, Professor of Psychology at SUNY Oswego, as a Research Assistant for one year. This job was minimally supervised since I mostly worked alone in the lab performing coding, researching, recruiting participants, and maintaining files for Dr. Bacher. This job taught me how to work in a laboratory setting, take direction from someone else and meet deadlines.
My private sector experience has been obtained at Off The Record Research, LLC, a private financial research firm that sells information to hedge funds and mutual funds. I have worked there as a Human Resources and Administrative Assistant for two years. This job has provided me with work experience in a traditional office setting while also extensively increasing my technological and interpersonal communication skills.
My education and work experience have made me well qualified for a management position. I am currently in search of a job where I can use my academic and technological skill while still having a hand in helping others. My two primary areas of interest are human resources and nonprofit companies that work directly with children and/or disadvantaged populations.
NOTE: From March-May 2008 I will be volunteering for Books for Love, a nonprofit located in São Paulo, Brazil. While there, I can be reached by email and I will also regularly check my voicemails.