Personal Statement
My road to and through the MPA program was divergent. Our first presentation in each class starts with an introduction. I tell about my grandmother that passed away when she was 99. If I make it as far as she did, then I have passed the midway point. In the first half I have almost completed one career. The completion of the MPA starts me on my second career path.
It has taken a little longer for me than most, but I just keep moving forward. I restarted school at the local community college after an intermission of 17 years just to learn what a microcomputer was and how to use PC/DOS. For the next few years I took different classes every semester and finally transferred to SFSU as a junior as a Labor Studies major. I graduated with my BA in January 2005. It took me a little longer than most. When spring semester of 2005 started and I wasn’t in class (the first time since 1992), and I went looking for the next step in higher education. Since I have been a federal employee for more than 30 years, public administration seemed a natural.
I initially planned on retiring and going into the non-profit area, and while I am not ruling that out I have since been considering pursuing a different position with another federal agency. I am a skilled craftsperson (pipefitter/plumber) and it is time to leave those tools behind and pick up my new tools and put them to use. Perhaps I can use my experience in the field to work in the enforcement division with the Dept of Labor. I am still thinking my way through that possibility.
