Personal Statement: Inspired Ambition

Inspired Ambition

As a child I had great admiration for my father’s profession and I wanted to be like him. My dad is a military doctor. Growing up, my mother and I would occasionally visit the military hospital. During our visits, I observed in admiration his interactions with his colleagues and the respect he wielded from junior officers. I also admired his military regalia and medical attire, and I longed to dress in similar outfits. Furthermore, I developed a desire to help the sick as I witnessed my mother and father (a laboratory technician and doctor respectively) work to nurture the sick back to health. Seeing the gratification both of my parents had in their jobs, inspired me to want to pursue a career in medicine. However,
as I grew older, my perceptions changed. I realized in high school that I was proficient in the sciences except for Biology. Without a good background in Biology, I knew I could not become a medical doctor.

In high school, the teachers used to organize trips to different locations in the country. On one of these trips, my class visited an airport in Douala, Cameroon. We were given a tour of the airport, an airplane and we even had the opportunity to go into the pilot’s cockpit. I was amazed at the complexity of the aircraft when I saw the many buttons in the cockpit. I wanted to know more. I became interested in studying something related to aerospace. I began to inquire from friends and family, and research what steps I needed to take to become an Aeronautical engineer. At the time, there wasn’t an aerospace engineering program at the university in my province in Cameroon. So after high school, I studied Physics instead and completed a Bachelor of Science in Physics. When I moved to the United States a few years ago, I recognized that I had the opportunity of fulfilling my dreams of becoming an Aerospace engineer. So I am pursuing a degree in Aerospace engineering at Montgomery College.

I want to become an Aeronautical engineer because of my passion for the profession, my love for flying and the rewards of the field engineering.
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Aerospace engineers design, test, and supervise the manufacture of aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles. . . Aerospace engineers develop new technologies for use in aviation, defense systems . . . They may also specialize in a particular type of aerospace product, such as commercial aircraft, military fighter jets, helicopters, spacecraft, or missiles and rockets and, may become experts in aerodynamics, thermodynamics . . .” (US Government). The idea of flying, building fighter jets, helicopters, spacecrafts or missiles has great appeal to me. Given my proficiency in physics and mathematics, I feel equipped to accomplish this goal. I passed both Physics and Mathematics in the General Certificate of Education at the Advanced Level. In addition, I am a member of the America Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) which provides useful career information and I am a member of the honors society Phi Theta Kappa. My cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.15 for my three semesters spent at Montgomery College serves as evidence of my focus and dedication to completing my degree. I am also part of the honors program (Calculus
I).

My goals are to complete the associate degree program at Montgomery College then transfer into a four year college (University of Maryland, College Park) for a bachelor’s degree. Afterwards, I would like to earn a master degree in aeronautical engineering and business administration. In addition, I shall also take flight courses and obtain a pilot’s license to fly both commercial and military crafts. My academic dream is to obtain a PhD in aeronautical engineering and work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). I expect the process of accomplishing each of these goals to be challenging but I believe in the ability to dream big and then pursue these dreams to completion by taking a single step at a time.

In fact, I am not new to challenges. As an African (Cameroonian) immigrant, it has been challenging to integrate to the U.S. society, adapt to the difference in cultures while working and schooling. Presently, I hold two jobs while studying in order to pay my bills. It has not been easy and I thank God for the grace to excel in my studies. If I am granted this internship, it will aid to give me hands on experience on my field of studies. I also love to participate in leadership opportunities such as joining the student government and other organizations which might be profitable to my future career and endeavors.

I hope that my drive to accomplish my goals would inspire others to do the same. I would like to mentor youths who might be interested in a similar field or who are from a disadvantaged background by joining an organization such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America. I also aspire to start a charity in Cameroon to support high school students to pursue careers in engineering and science. I am also confident that a doctoral degree in engineering would give me an appropriate platform to encourage the creation of engineering programs in universities in Cameroon. I would like to help youths to understand that most of limitations we face in accomplishing our goals are from within. If we learn not to procrastinate, work hard, focus and strive to do what is right, we can achieve the ideas we conceive. I applaud organizations which positively motivate students in the sciences and engineering. Positive reinforcement trumps negative criticisms and is important when it comes to guiding and shaping the ideas of the young.

I would be extremely grateful if you would consider me as a candidate for this internship. This internship would greatly aid in my educational pursuits. I know that with determination, hard work, diligence and faith, I can accomplish my goals.