My decision to attend NYU New York is based on a number of factors - first and foremost, I love the diversity of the city. New York City is one of the best cities in the world, and by far the best place I have ever lived (I have lived here for nearly a decade by now). I love the people, the range of things you can do here, and the unique mishmash of cultures and customs that makes New York City great. I also appreciate the opportunities for economic education and career development I can get at New York City; since I will be able to benefit from the university's diversity, I will be able to learn from a great number of perspectives from all around the world in one place.
Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences.
In the summer of 2012, I was given the opportunity to teach elementary school students in an English learning class. In the community, many adults suffered from illiteracy, and so this inability to educate their children left them without the tools they needed to succeed. To that end, I volunteered to help; I started these classes after I received one too many requests for parents to help them fill out work applications and read their mail - I wanted to make sure their children benefited from a strong education. I started a social media website called Every1canbeheard.com, which is an academic mentoring system for youths and adults alike, allowing them to continue their education as needed. This is a particular passion project of mine, as I want to expand it as much as possible to make sure as many people as possible receive a good and thorough education.
NYU's global network provides students with hundreds of academic areas of interest for students to cultivate their intellectual curiosity and to help achieve their career goals. Whether you are entirely undecided about your academic plans or you have a definitive program of study in mind, what are your own academic interests? Feel free to share any thoughts on any particular programs or how you might explore those interests at NYU on any of our campuses.
In terms of my academic interests, I am particularly fond of the Business program, due to the field of finance and economics programs that NYU currently offers. Of special interest to me is the Economic Theory Major; this seems to fit precisely the kind of work I want to go into. I want to formally study economic reasoning, and expand my analytical knowledge of economics. I admittedly feel intimidated by the level of abstraction that often goes into economic theory at times, but I look at this as a challenge; my goal is to take the knowledge I acquire through this economic theory program and contribute to new theories of economics that can allow for more equitable interactions between people. I firmly believe that the level of poverty and economic instability that exists today is unacceptable, and can be addressed through thorough examination of economic systems and the way we do business. No one should have to go hungry, or experience abject poverty; there are far too many opportunities for profit and economic growth to allow that. With that in mind, I believe that study of economic theory can contribute to solving these rampant problems; I wish to be a part of that study.
What intrigues you? Tell us about one work of art, scientific achievement, piece of literature, method of communication, or place in the world (a film, book, performance, website, event, location, etc.), and explain its significance to you.
Admittedly, my fascination with a particular place started with my home - my country of origin, Sierra Leone, is of special interest to me. The civil war that took place in my country in the 1990s tore the nation and its people apart; warring factions, child armies, poverty and more led to almost half our nation becoming refugees, and many thousands of people being killed over petty resources. Looking back on my home now that I have experienced a better life, I am endlessly wondering what I can do to make sure that doesn't happen anywhere in the world, as well as what causes these kinds of conditions in the first place. I have seen the desperate measures people turn to when faced with poverty and starvation - because of this, I am more determined than ever to study economic theory. I am fascinated by my country of Sierra Leone, but not necessarily for its wonders (which it does possess). I want to use the experience and knowledge I gain from an education in economic theory, so that I can see that all people of all nations can prosper.
