Statement of Purpose
The summer following the completion of undergraduate studies, I began working at Miles College, a small historically black college in Fairfield, Alabama. As a recent graduate, it was ironic and disappointing for me to be on a campus as an administrative assistant in the Division of Communications. Despite my best preparation efforts of securing employment and applying for an International MBA Program to continue along the path of International Business, I found myself back home in Birmingham, Alabama revising my plans. Yet, the vibrancy and optimism of future ambitions present among college students was a comfort and reminiscent of my own undergraduate journey. My work with students, who had not realized their potential to be successful and thrive in the Communications field, lead to my desire to become a career counselor. Personally, I learned the value of flexibility because this experience was not a part of my plan; nonetheless, it proved to be critical to my overall development.
Completing the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs in 2005 was a major accomplishment and shaped my professional and personal outlook. For nine months, I completed rigorous rotating internships with a governmental agency, political campaign, non-profit organization, labor union and a business. Gaining broad work experience opened the door to new career possibilities and deepened my commitment to the field of education, primarily experiential education. The experiential structure of Coro enabled me to learn by directly applying new leadership tools to work projects. Facilitation, coaching, and learner-focused programs were all skills that I continued to explore after completing Coro and led me to my current work as a Program Specialist for the National Conference for Community & Justice (NCCJ) of Alabama.
NCCJ is a non-profit organization committed to promoting understanding and respect for all people through advocacy, conflict resolution and education. One of our major programs is a two-day diversity workshop for college or high school students, during which we take 25 students and five educators to an off-campus location to discuss interpersonal issues within the university or school. Many students have uncertain expectations and are apprehensive about the program. My role is to create a safe environment for them to be free to express themselves and communicate about difficult issues that are infrequently addressed. By the end of the training, students and teachers feel connected, unified and ready to return to their respective campus to present personal stories of injustice for students and faculty as a vehicle for dialogue. I am often surprised by the various emotions and themes that come up for participants during the training, such as unresolved issues with family and friends. Therefore, as the facilitator I have to be ready to walk the group through difficult conversations. Whenever students share thoughts they hold dear, I take pride in knowing that it was my leadership that enabled them to disclose such personal information. Active listening, questioning, inquiry and feedback are competencies that I draw upon to assure students that our program is their process to build relationships. Being in this work keeps me in constant self-reflective space and curious to learn.
The ability to create work-integrated learning environments has been a valuable lesson for me. I have the responsibility of managing NCCJ’s internship program, which entails developing projects for three interns. The program is based on experiential learning principles and projects are a combination of writing assignments, site visits and administrative task. It is my intent for students to complete the internship with enhanced academic and work-place skills and a basic understanding of the role of non-profits in our society.
Also during my tenure with NCCJ, I have trained undergraduates and recent graduates who have identified social justice as a concern. As a trainer, I have learned how to help individuals use their experiences to deliver interactive and personalized sessions on topics such as privilege, gender equity and social responsibility. I envision my skill set to be transferable to a career in higher education administration. In addition to career services, areas such as multi cultural affairs, student leadership development and academic advising complement my experience and interests.
Applying to the Master of Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education (HALE) Program at Michigan State University is the next step along the path to becoming a higher education career counselor. HALE’s focus on experiential and transformational learning is a match with my professional interests. Regarding hands-on experience, the Career Center, Office of International Studies & Programs and Michigan Center for Career and Technical Education, piqued my interest for possible graduate assistantships. Under the direction of instructors such as Professor John Dirkx, I will gain a better understanding of the influence of theoretical concepts to current practice.
After completing the Program, my desire is to work at a small liberal arts college similar to my alma mater, Dillard University. My long-term career goal is to establish a college and career mentoring organization that would assist high school students who are preparing for college and college students who are developing career plans.