Sample Personal Statement Essay for Syracuse University
Media is the most powerful tool of communication that increases the awareness and presents the real situation of society – at least this is how the rest of the world defines media’s role in society. In my country, ___________, the official media policy states that the press should be a tool to educate the masses, propagate government views, and promote national unity. This definition has restricted the role of Saudi media to show what is really happening in the country. Saudi Arabia remains to have one of the most repressive media environments in the world. No independent media is present as the government censors local and international journalists or journalists censor themselves for fear of reprisals. While many turn to the Internet to express political opinions or expose government wrongdoings, still the government is able to easily monitor and block websites that propagate ideas and ideals that are against them.
As a history teacher, I taught students about media and government; as a master’s degree student of communication in the U.S., I have been exposed to independent, free media environments. The educator and mother in me desires that my students and children grow up in a society where they can freely express their ideas without fear and access information that are reflective of what’s happening around them. This big goal remains my primary motivation for advancing my education in the field of communication so that I can go back to teaching – only this time my subject of expertise will not be history but media and communications.
Apart from teaching, I have also spent a bulk of my time volunteering and writing. I previously worked in the department of supervision and public relations and volunteered with a social work team under the same ministry. After which I worked at the ministry of social affairs in the orphan care center. Working in government made me realize the true state of some of the underserved in my nation. It also enhanced my interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills. I continue to channel my realizations and communicate my ideas through writing. I used to keep a news journal and write novels when I was younger. Today I contribute articles to social media networks and produce academic writing. My master’s degree in Organizational Communication at Bowie State University has enabled to conduct graduate-level research. I explored and wrote papers about leadership personalities such as __________________, media companies like Samsung Galaxy and Nile International Channel, and government agencies like the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Fulfilling my professional and academic goals thus far has led me to the next step in my career, which is the pursuance of a doctoral degree. I would like to gain the greatest level of competence in the communications field, with teaching as the end goal in my mind. I am applying to Syracuse University’s three-year mass communications Ph.D. program because I recognize the Newhouse School’s reputation as one of the nation’s top schools of communication that prepares students for leadership roles in an ever-changing media landscape. I want to get a high quality education for myself as much as I aim to provide top quality education to my students. I would also like to get a taste of the innovative programs and top-of-the-line facilities and technologies to increase my exposure in a communications-focused academic program that works, which I can introduce to the curriculum and instruction in my future school. I would like to deepen my knowledge of research, utilizing theoretical and methodological approaches to explore Saudi public communications like media and public relations, and their subsequent effects in society particularly the underserved in our country. More critical in my continuing practice of teaching, I would like be educated on how I can effectively teach media and communication subjects and help develop the next journalists, public relations professionals, and media practitioners against the backdrop of censorship. I hope Syracuse University accepts my application so I can take the final step in my academic journey.