Gradschool application - - Personal Statement Example

For this reason, I have been a student of nursing and I am in my final semester towards graduation. Lately, I fired up to get involved in dealing with autistic members of the society especially back in my home country, China. Prof. Sun, a scientist in human genetics and lecturer at Cornell University inspired me a great deal when I met him the summer before last semester. I had gone back to China when I met him and he opened my eyes wider about autism in our country. He said that the autistic population in China is greater than those suffering from DM.

He is in fact working tirelessly to form an organization for populations with autism. According to him, there is inadequate knowledge and educators - even to those already in the medical profession - to specifically cater for this special group of people. There is a dire need of special care systems in China for the autistic as compared to the professional systems available in the United States in the areas of evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, discharge and education. China, Prof. Sun told me, does not have even a single licensed speech pathologist.

The case is urgent! Coincidentally, in the same summer, I met my childhood friend who we attended the same elementary school. His case also inflamed me immensely. Other classmates always laughed at him just because he was quiet and was thought retarded – contrary to my opinion. This boy could not respond against what others said and hence, he was transferred to a school for the mentally retarded. When I met him this year, he was brighter, married and with a stable employment. Though still quiet and cool, he could speak more coherently than before.

He told me that his mother never believed that he was retarded and thus, she looked for a language specialist all over the country until they landed into the hands of a Holland private-speech pathologist based in Shanghai. That was a three days’ journey from our hometown and my friend was only 16 at the time. He was diagnosed with apraxia – a neurological disorder that affects or delays speech in children. After a three months treatment in Shanghai, they went back home to continue with the treatment therapy independently and he remarkably improved.

He was able to finish his high school education and better still, got a job. Unfortunately, the private-speech pathologist with time exhausted his resources and left China and thus private practice in Shanghai shut down for lack of funds. I wish to help millions of people too once I am through with my master’s degree program. My admission and studies at the Teachers College, Colombia University will enable me to fill this void. Fortunately, with Prof. Sun spearheading formation of an official organization for the autistic, I will have a better ground to utilize my knowledge, skills and passion to the satisfaction of many.

The professor seeks to build autistic therapy centers in big hospitals situated in the major cities in China and is looking for voluntary educators and other professionals to help in establishing the foundation. I am also working towards being a model speaker because this profession requires the practitioners to be good examples to their clients in speaking. My desire is to be at the frontline in offering such humanitarian aid. Why do I choose this teacher’s college in the midst of many others?

I am fondly fascinated by the