I plan to earn the MPA Degree and hope to do so at XXXX University, learning all that I can about administrative management and policy analysis, the skills needed to make informed public policy decisions. While I was born and raised in the USA, my family is from Yemen. I study my country of origin closely and daydream of going there one day and helping once it is safe to do so. Currently the airport is closed, and the country is engulfed in a brutal civil war with no end in sight.
Throughout my career, I have worked to expand healthcare for members of minority groups in the USA, access to public benefits and free legal services within hospitals. I have been employed by non-profit groups as well as local government. The XXXX School of Public Policy at XXXX University is my first choice among MPA Programs for several reasons, especially the ongoing research work being conducted by the social policy team.
I worked in healthcare for four years, all the way through my undergraduate studies, immersed in medical and clinical health research. After graduation, I became increasingly engaged with the non-profit sector and local government. Co-founder and president of a student organization, I served as a research assistant for two professors and secured a bioinformatics research position at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which equipped me with the technical and analytical skills necessary for successful problem solving.
Alongside my professor and clinical research professor, Dr. XXXX, I investigated the genomic correlations to HPV cancer. We co-authored a paper “X” in the journal Cancer Research. Just a few blocks away from the affluent Upper East Side neighborhood where the medical school was located, poorer communities faced much higher risks of developing cancer. We conducted community health studies that examined the impact of socioeconomics on cancer risk, and I learned that class, race, and migrancy are driving factors of cancer development and disease. At this point, I became extremely interested in the connection between healthcare delivery and social justice issues – in the context of public policy development processes and measures. A double-major in economics and history, I completed research assistantships in both fields.
After I graduated, I became a Legal Fellow and Paralegal Intern at XXXX Health and Housing, part of the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), facilitating access to housing, healthcare, and public benefits. At Heritage Health, I assisted clients with access to affordable housing, mental health services, and public benefits under the tutelage of General Counsel.
Representing clients in housing court and applying for healthcare and TANF, I learned how factors such as shelter, employment, race, and social stigma impact one’s ability to access health insurance and public resources. At the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), I worked with immigrant and refugee clients on matters including citizenship, access to healthcare, and social services.
After a year’s experience in the nonprofit sector, I became an AmeriCorps service member in the Commissioner’s Office of the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), an agency of the New York City Mayor’s Office, where I was promoted to serve as a committee member for the Government Alliance for Racial Equity (a consortium of city agencies examining equity in the provision of service). My direct public service experience analyzing and advocating for the needs of NYC’s diverse populations has prepared me for excellence at the _____ School.
Unlike many traditional Yemeni families, my siblings and I were raised by a single mom, who worked and went to college full-time to make a better life for us. When I went to college, I worked two jobs while studying to afford educational and personal expenses. While all of it was a struggle, I was always aware of the fact that I was still greatly blessed to be given opportunities that so many people do not have. I would ideally like to work within a congressional committee or non-government organization on social policy issues such as healthcare, educational attainment, and immigration. I believe a strong investment in our community will have long-term economic and social returns. After working on issues of race and equity on the GARE report, I moved into the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) to learn about policy measures protecting immigrants and refugees. This is my current position, evaluating data to strengthen and expand the delivery of legal services, facilitating access to healthcare, public benefits, and providing advice with respect to applying for citizenship.
The XXXX School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University is the ideal institution to support my academic pursuits since the program’s central focus is on Healthcare, Social Policy, and Public Finance – which dovetails perfectly with my ow research interests. Studying under Professor Rigby would be a special honor; I had the great privilege of communicating with her about capstone research projects. I hope very much to become a valued asset to the social policy team’s endeavors to analyze issues of poverty and immigration because of my on-the-ground community and government service perspective that informs my judgment of policymaking. My discussion with students in the social policy track and well as my recent visit to the school in October has also very much reinforced my keen desire to begin your program.
I studied Arabic intensely in Jordan for six months at the Qasid Institute and at the same time was a volunteer soccer coach and outreach intern with Right to Play, a non-profit organization that builds play areas and facilitates access to healthcare and food for refugee children. Here in America, I have volunteered extensively in hospitals, especially St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital and non-profits such as Right to Play and the New York Legal Assistance Group. I hope to continue to distinguish myself as a volunteer, in Arabic as well as English.
Thank you for considering my application to Public Policy and Administration at XXXX.
MPA Personal Statement of Purpose Sample