SAMPLE SOP FOR CHICAGO HARRIS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY-Selected Candidate
A staggering 3 million people, including me, commute daily in Mumbai’s suburban trains, yet conditions in these trains are hardly humane. Every day I pass through Asia’s largest slum, where living conditions are worst. During monsoons I see water flooding in homes, where basic hygiene is a distant dream. Farmers commit suicide due to debts as small as $50 and deaths by starvation are not uncommon even today. The question that I often ask myself is why? Why is India unable to provide the basic necessities of life to its citizens? What role does policy play in eradicating poverty? My first-hand experience of understanding of policy issues happened in 2005, when I witnessed the living conditions of a slum where my domestic help Anita lives. I was appalled by her standard of living and her husband who was not allotted a bed even in a government hospital suffering from kidney ailment. Since, liberalization of India’s economy, tremendous wealth has been created; however, it has yet to reach people like Anita. What surprises me is that these people constitute the majority of democracy and yet such apathy continues where they are trapped in vicious circle of socio-economic backwardness inspired by vote bank politics.
Based on 2008 World Bank data, the poverty headcount ratio is alarmingly high in various regions: 47.5% in Sub-Saharan Africa, 36% in South Asia, 14.3% in East Asia and the Pacific, compared to a mere 0.5% in Europe and Central Asia. This stark contrast serves as my primary motivation to take proactive steps. I am driven to establish my own long-term policy think tank aimed at addressing these pressing issues. Currently, I’m spearheading a campaign focused on objectively analyzing the policies of past governments at different levels in India. What sets this campaign apart is its reliance solely on factual information, allowing readers to form their own opinions based on an unbiased understanding of the facts. As part of this initiative, I plan to traverse the entirety of India, working closely with locals to grasp the intricacies of local issues. This approach not only fosters greater collaboration between different states but also enables the adoption of finer policy points. My team has already made significant progress in producing reports on Population, Education, and Awareness in India. I’m presently seeking a sponsor to join forces with us for a two-month road campaign starting this March. The timing is crucial as India will be heading into elections in 2014, offering a strategic opportunity to make a meaningful impact. My ultimate goal is to expand this initiative to the point where we consult governments on critical policy matters. Lyndon B. Johnson’s emphasis on education could prove instrumental in achieving this ambition. The resources available, including a distinguished faculty and a robust alumni network, position this institution as an ideal platform for realizing my aspirations. I’d like to specifically acknowledge Professor Catherine Weaver, whose work deeply resonates with me. It would be an honor to collaborate with her on her research endeavors. Her publication, “Hypocrisy Trap: The World Bank and the Poverty of Reform,” provided invaluable insights. Looking ahead, my career ambition propels me towards completing graduate studies and working closely with organizations like the World Bank and United Nations. This path offers a global perspective on policy frameworks in action, setting the stage for the pursuit of my professional aspirations
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The decision to pursue post-graduation in public policy has been taken after considerable self evaluation of my professional ambitions. I chose Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani for my undergraduate studies, one of the most reputed engineering colleges in the country. Not the one to be easily swayed by mass opinion I chose to enrol in Msc. (Tech) Finance rather than conventional engineering. The program not only offered right blend of analytical engineering tools with strong foundation in principles of Economics and Finance but also allowed flexibility of electives across departments. Along with sound statistical and financial background, I got adequate exposure in Public Administration and Politics through coursework.
As my junior year in college drew to a close, I was presented with the opportunity to take on the role of External Finance Chair for a research project at Chemnitz Technical University in Germany, focusing on International Trade and Finance. However, I chose to volunteer with Samarthan, a non-profit organization based in Bhopal, India. During my time at Samarthan, my responsibilities ranged from teaching to analyzing income data and identifying trends in unemployment. Through my research, I uncovered a significant finding: the level of education directly correlated with employment prospects, yet migrants received lower wages compared to local workers in similar positions. Moreover, locals had a higher likelihood of securing employment compared to migrants, who also faced social marginalization. This eye-opening experience underscored the profound consequences of policy shortcomings in the long run. Persistently neglecting a specific demographic would inevitably lead to the emergence of a dissatisfied populace, potentially disrupting the delicate social equilibrium. This realization reinforced the importance of inclusive and well-considered policies to foster a more equitable and harmonious society.
To further my understanding of economics and finance, I joined Credit Suisse as an Investment Banking analyst. Here, I developed a deeper perspective on functioning of global markets and impact of policies not only on industries but the whole nation and its stakeholder. It also gave me an opportunity to interact with industry stalwarts, during one of my training in London. My job has taught me to identify root causes and given me confidence to take decisive actions within tight deadlines. I believe these two takeaways from my work experience would come in really handy for my policy think tank. Lot of efforts and resources are wasted tackling sideline issues without identifying the main problem and delay in execution of policy initiatives.
I strongly believe my real life experiences and diverse work stints would add lot of diversity to the incoming class. Given opportunity I will leverage the Lyndon B. Johnson’s program to increase the circle of positive impact, continuously challenge myself to take up additional responsibilities and utilize my skills to innovate and reach out to bring a measurable, change in society.
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