Phi Sigma Pi Personal Statement

From a young age, my father would constantly repeat two sayings to me. The first was the saying “Be careful!” The second was a phrase that continues to resonate with me: “Be a leader, not a follower.” Throughout my life and undergraduate education, I have tried to follow this mantra for my own wellbeing but also for the wellbeing of others. My parents stressed the importance of quality leadership and cultural competency from a young age. However, my personal understanding of the importance of leadership truly began during my junior year of high school, when I was a Rotary International Exchange student to Poland and acted as a student ambassador for my country. This was my first experience representing my native country, language, and culture, and grew to understand the importance of strong leadership while effectively listening and working with other student
leaders and representatives from around the world.
I returned from my exchange year in Poland and went on to pursue my undergraduate degree in Linguistics at the University of Pittsburgh.
During my time as an undergraduate student, I was an active member of the Phi Sigma Pi Honors Society and acted as a leader in the Pitt student community. I was an active voice for the fraternity and served on the scholarship committee, the career and professional development committee, and the service committee. As a member of the Phi Sigma Pi, I was able to give back to the Pittsburgh community by volunteering at the humane society, participating in service events on campus, helping with philanthropy events, as well as volunteering at Jubilee Soup Kitchen. A second leadership role that I held on campus was that of a peer educator at the Stress Free Zone. This leadership role provided me with the opportunity to promote the health and wellbeing of students on campus by advocating the space, educating students on Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Techniques (MBSR) and working with my team of other fellow peer educators on outreach events and other promotional
activities.
Whether I hold a formal leadership position or not, I strive to motivate others by bringing energetic optimism and support to those around me. In my everyday life, as well as in my experience being a peer educator for the Stress Free Zone and acting as an advocate for my fraternity, I try to help others as much as possible by applying the skills I have and using creative problem solving strategies to work through difficult situations. I believe that every individual has unique strengths and that identifying and reminding someone of their strengths can help motivate them and ultimately build a stronger team.
During time on campus, I participated in two research projects in the areas of cultural and linguistic diversity. The first project was a research study looking at the linguistic difference between minority groups in Turkey and the implications that ideologies have on language and social identity formation. I also participated in an internship with Magee Women’s Research Institute, where I performed research on patient-provider healthcare communication. This research opened my eyes to the complexities and difficulties around communication in healthcare settings and the importance of further research in the field in order to promote better communication between individuals of difficult cultural backgrounds and identities.
It is my desire to pursue career as a cultural consultant or diversity and inclusion manager. I believe that globalization occurring in our world today has enhanced our understanding of other cultural groups in the world but has also posed many challenges for global leaders today. In the fall I will go on to pursue a Master’s degree in Global Communications at the American University of Paris, and it is my desire to use my leadership skills and education in a career that utilizes the power of language to build a global community.