Personal Statement
Graduates from USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism join 300,000 USC Annenberg alumni from around the world and I desire to be a part of those scholars. Broadcast journalism has been my passion since the age of fourteen when I learned that the journalism/communications field could lead to a wonderful sports reporting career. As an English major and a member of the Maroon Tiger, Tiger TV, and the Sports Journalism Program at Morehouse College, I have been able to receive great experience in the journalism field. However, I believe that the Annenberg School will add greatly to my knowledge in journalism.
My inspiration in becoming one of the many outstanding products of Annenberg is directly due to my dogged determination to overcome harsh obstacles that would cease the matriculation for the average college student. Coming from a low socioeconomic background as the son of hearing impaired mother, I have to support myself with the majority of the funds needed to continue my education. Balancing two jobs while being a fulltime student has been a tough task, but I have shown the intestinal fortitude to prevail through the obstacles. Whether it is affording books or other expenses needed to achieve a higher education, neither has kept me from maintaining a 3.0 grade point average. I am determined to be the first college graduate in my family and being a role model for my relatives is my driving force.
Developing this mission statement is very important to me because I am driven to uplift the youth in my community with my life mission. As a leader, it is imperative that I share my knowledge with children who live in gang infested communities, live in dysfunctional homes, have self-esteem issues, and educational shortcomings. Mentoring the children and relaying to them that I too have dealt with similar struggles as a youth gives them hope. I will continue to use my educational tools in order to illustrate the route to success for those who admire my persistence, will, and dedication to provide for my family. Receiving a master’s degree from this respected institution will allow for me to transfer what I learn over to the children that I mentor.
In terms of careers I know that alumni have gone on to work for magnificent companies such as the Huffington Post, NYTimes.com, Los Angeles Daily Journal, and the Orange County Register; I envision myself joining them. My goals are to become a prolific writer/broadcaster for a newspaper or TV network and to build small journalism schools in the inner city. The program will be a foundation for youth and high school students, specifically focusing on athletics. In the curriculum the students will create personal blogs to develop the basic formats for articles and they will gain hands-on experience by covering youth leagues and high school sports. By developing my skills at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, I will use this to achieve my goal of changing lives one person at a time.
