How can I help prepare our country for the changes necessary to become a sustainable society in a global climate of change through the cooperation of public policy, private citizens, and corporate business? Answering this question is one of the key reasons I seek a law degree from the University of #######.
As an undergraduate at Texas Christian University, I have become an example of the university’s mission to create ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community. I take a strong interest in the ethics associated with the effects that individuals, businesses, and governments have on the environment and the marginalized groups of people who are directly affected by public policies and business practices that poison and degrade the environment and natural resources that we depend on in this country and around the globe. From this interest, I have also developed my own ideas about what it means to be a citizen in the global community. Not only do I believe that government and public policy need to prepare for the changes already taking place in a globalizing economy and culture, but corporate business and private citizens have a responsibility to the global community as well.
Most importantly, I believe that the business practices and government policies that affect the environment, the people, and the natural resources of this country and the world are going to face serious challenges in my lifetime, and I desire to be an instrument of change and progress in order that future generations may enjoy a sustainable society with the same or better quality of life as previous generations.
One of the key reasons I am attracted to the University of ###### Law School is its vision of vigorous pursuit of ideas, critical analysis, and civic engagement in an open, sustainable society. The personal mission and beliefs that I have expressed to you, combined with my strengths in character, leadership, and commitment to service would make me a successful law student and valuable addition to the Class of 2013.
If there is one characteristic that I exemplify, it is dedication. This is demonstrated in my passion for my work, my loyalty, dependability, and determination. I am not afraid to do what others will not. I consistently take the extra step, whether it be by taking the lead on class projects, enrolling in challenging courses that require outside time commitments, or exceeding what is expected of me at work and in professional relationships. In one semester, I lead a team of my peers in developing a corporate citizenship campaign and presented our work at the headquarters of the largest corporation in the world, ExxonMobil. My team’s proposal was chosen by the executives at ExxonMobil as the winning campaign in a class competition. That same semester, I also developed a plan for funding and sponsorship for a local nonprofit, worked as a research assistant at a law firm, and studied for my Law School Admissions Test along with my regular class load and part-time job as a nanny.
Not only do I work hard, but I also balance my intense class and work schedule with fun activities with friends and projects I enjoy. While looking for a unique summer internship, I found a hobby I love and turned it into a service project with my best friend. At H.O.P.E. Farm I learned how to take care of a community garden on-the-job, often from the students I was supposed to be teaching. I read books, researched other gardens, and talked to master gardeners, but it never surprised me when the kids who played and worked in the garden knew a secret that I didn’t - like when the thin, green blades I thought were weeds turned out to be onions. It was a rookie mistake but the kids didn’t care. And we all had a good laugh when a broken sprinkler head tried to drown me.
In the end, we learned from each other. I gave H.O.P.E. Farm a strategic plan to expand their garden’s capabilities and creative ways to use it’s yields in-house and in the community, and they helped me find my green thumb. In the meantime, my roommate and I spent the summer harvesting herbs, fruits, and vegetables from several community gardens and donating the crops to Refugee Services of Tarrant County, where they were distributed to refugee families in the area. We had a blast hanging out together in the gardens - it was by far the most fun I’ve had getting a tan without a pool!
As a student at the University of ######## Law School, I look forward to learning more about the impact of laws and policies on sociopolitical and commercial dimensions of sustainability. Participating in research at the Center for Energy & Environmental Security and working on the ####### Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy would be a great use of my strengths in research and communication and allow me to work with professors and peer to contribute to the vision of the university’s vision of critical analysis and civic engagement in a sustainable society.
My time at TCU has taught me to think as a global citizen and helped me find a passion for the challenges faced by communities of all shapes and sizes. To me a community is a group of people connected by similar interests, needs, resources, geography or other likeness. As our society continues to evolve and encompass the global community, it will face challenges that require creative solutions from all parts of society. A degree from the University of ####### Law School would prepare me to meet those challenges by promoting progress in the public and corporate policies regarding the environment, domestic and international resources.
Previous Personal Statements:
Since I am applying to law school, it was only a matter of time before I had to write the dreaded personal statements. At first, the idea of trying to compact my character, history, accomplishments, and goals into two double-spaced pages nearly sent me running for the hills. But as I finally sat down to brainstorm about myself, I found the whole process rather therapeutic. So, if you're interested, here is an excerpt from my general personal statement. It may give you a sense of who I am, how I got here, and where I plan to go...
How did I get here? When did I go from a teenager wanting to design homes to a young adult seeking to be an agent of social change? As I near graduation and consider how I can best move forward, I have found myself reflecting on how I have come to this point in my life. I have examined the choices and turning points that have made me into a determined, passionate young woman. What I have realized is that the last four years have been a series of self-discoveries that have not only made me into a person I am proud to be, but make me desire to do even better.
I began my undergraduate career at Texas Christian University as an interior design major. I loved using my creativity to design environments that affected the way people lived, worked, and related to each other. However, I found that designing spaces was not the best use of my talents. In short, I did not have the technical ability necessary of a designer. Though I still enjoy reading design blogs and decorating as a hobby, I know that my love for interior design was really in the problem-solving that came along with a space in need of organization and writing about the way my design would make people feel. A professor once told me I was seriously lacking in artistic ability, but my written explanation of a design drew an impeccable picture in her head.
Not long after this, I decided I needed a different path. I changed my major to Advertising/Public Relations, also called Strategic Communications. I have found Public Relations to be an area that really plays to my strengths. It provides diverse opportunities to use my problem-solving and leadership skills, demands strong writing ability, and focuses on relating to people – much more interesting than relating to sofas and tile patterns. My interest in Sociology compliments my new major and has given me insight and understanding of how people from different areas in a society relate to each other and their environment. By luck, or perhaps fate, I ended up in a Sociology class that would change the way I looked at my surroundings: Contemporary Topics in Sociology: Social Justice & Environmental Sustainability. After learning about environmentalism as an issue of social importance and urgency, I knew I had to work to inform, influence, and change the way that our society views the environment.
Throughout my education and work experiences, I have had opportunities to advance my new mission. I worked on a class project that involved creatively implementing a set of portable solar panels that had recently been purchased by the university. I became President of the Society of Sustainability at TCU – working to raise awareness of sustainability issues in student’s personal lives and in our campus community. Then, last summer I had an internship running a community garden for a non-profit organization in Fort Worth. During my internship I had an opportunity to expand on the capabilities of a valuable resource for a social institution that the neighborhood depends on as a safe haven for their young boys. While caring for the garden at H.O.P.E. Farm I taught the boys not only about the responsibility and dedication that goes into caring for a garden, but also the potential that lies within their small garden – and within themselves – to make positive changes in their community.
Recently, I have found a passion for Corporate Social Responsibility. My capstone course at TCU centered around a project with ExxonMobil in which I lead a team of my peers in developing a Public Relations campaign for one of ExxonMobil’s largest CSR initiatives - supporting math and science education. I also worked on an in-class project to connect a local non-profit benefitting the homeless with resources in the community, as well as local and national corporate sponsors. My interest in Corporate Social Responsibility has given me a unique insight into how corporations impact their local and global communities, including the health of social institutions and natural environments. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to work on both sides of the issues - on behalf of public interests and environmental protection, as well in the corporate arena where outdated policies are rapidly requiring innovation.
Recently, I have found a passion for Corporate Social Responsibility. My capstone course at TCU centered around a project with ExxonMobil in which I lead a team of my peers in developing a Public Relations campaign for one of ExxonMobil’s largest CSR initiatives - supporting math and science education. I also worked on an in-class project to connect a local non-profit benefitting the homeless with resources in the community, as well as local and national corporate sponsors. My interest in Corporate Social Responsibility has given me a unique insight into how corporations impact their local and global communities, including the health of social institutions and natural environments. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to work on both sides of the issues - on behalf of public interests and environmental protection, as well in the corporate arena where outdated policies are rapidly requiring innovation.
I believe that my mission to work for change in society and the environment would be greatly enhanced by a law degree from ***. My strong determination and leadership qualities, as well as my analytical thinking, writing, and creative problem-solving skills make me suitable for the study of law. The opportunities to challenge myself and participate in student organizations and journals at *** would enhance these skills and give me the tools I need to meet my personal goals and be an instrument of social change.
