Personal Statement
Engineering has always been a journey of personal evolution for me. One of things that drew me so strongly to the sciences as a whole was the ever-changing, ever-improving search for answers. When I discovered Purdue’s dual degree program, I immediately found myself intrigued. I knew that enrolling in such a program would enhance my education, and provide new avenues for career expansion in the future; I knew that the program at Purdue would provide me with knowledge, skills, and connections that it would be difficult to attain elsewhere. The program itself seemed to be tailor-made to fit my interests, particularly in electrical engineering.
My previous academic achievements make me a good candidate for this particular program, as I just recently graduated from Liberty University with a major in electrical engineering and a minor in mathematics. My educational experience in mathematics has proven to be extremely important in my engineering and my managerial work experience. Understanding the mathematical concepts underlying many of the engineering concepts has helped me to excel in my studies. I am hoping that admission to the Purdue program will help me integrate business knowledge with engineering skills, allowing me to properly lead a team of engineers through projects of varying sizes. Although I do hope to work for a large corporation or company as a project manager for a time, my long-term goal is to build a successful business, a goal that I believe will be much easier to reach with the education I could obtain from Purdue. I hope that the educational experiences offered in the engineering program at Purdue will enrich my knowledge and understanding in such a way that I can achieve my long-term dream of founding my own business.
Expanding my knowledge and continuing my education is one of my primary short-term goals. The thirst for a better understanding of the vast breadth of information that is available about both engineering and business has prompted me to seek out a Master’s program that suits my academic achievements to date as well as my personal learning style. The program at Purdue fits all the qualities of my ideal Master’s program, and even provides some opportunities that go above and beyond. I have continued to seek out educational opportunities outside of my engineering program, and will continue to do so to ensure that I become as well-rounded as possible as both an engineer and a businessperson.
In addition to what I hope to achieve from the Purdue program, I have many qualities that I believe will be a boon to the Purdue engineering program. My background is somewhat unique-- I am Venezuelan-born, and my family still resides in Venezuela. As a result, I am exceedingly independent, having formed connections and built a life for myself in the United States without nearby familial support. I have successfully navigated the issues that come with moving abroad and overcome many cultural incongruities, and I feel that this makes me an excellent candidate for any engineering program, as they are often very culturally diverse. My ability to navigate culturally-complex situations has served me very well in the past. I believe that a strong work ethic and good problem-solving skills can only take an individual so far; an ability to work effectively in groups is fundamental to success as an engineer and a businessperson.
