Diversity Statement first draft
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:14 am
Diversity Statement
At first, employment in multiple jobs as a 16 year old was necessitated by the financial hardship of my parents’ divorce. At the time, I was going to a catholic high school and if I wanted to continue my enrollment that meant I would have to shoulder a hefty chunk of my tuition. My first job was the typical retail job at a sporting goods store. But work has been more than just a means to a paycheck; it largely informed who I am and the diversity I will bring to your institution.
Since that first job, I have worked as a Best Buy computer associate, a member of the Geek Squad, a network engineer, driver and salesmen for an exotic car company, a waiter, a public advocate for higher education, a residential advisor at my university, a Johnson and Johnson Information Technology Intern, a Johnson and Johnson Operations Compliance Co-Op, an assistant project manager to the deployment of a warehouse management system in Memphis, Tennessee, a policy intern on Capitol Hill and a student.
Each of these employment opportunities have exposed me to some of the most fascinating and sometimes raw experiences of vastly different industries. It has required me to broaden my perspectives and my understandings about various processes, and standards to effectively overcome challenges. Since my first job, I have solved very interesting problems. Some problems were simple tasks such as fitting a certain amount of merchandise into a limited space or setting up a wireless network. Other problems involved more complexity such as planning the logistics for delivering ten $150,000 six hundred and forty horsepower investments to a showroom floor or reconciling a production cycle to adhere to FDA regulations on the shipment of controlled substances.
Despite the assumption that work at an early age is unfortunate or, in my case, bizarre, I see it as a blessing. I have acquired in depth exposure to a number of industries at a relatively young age. Furthermore, this process has not only helped vet out a number of industries I would never like to work in again, it has solidified my choice to pursue a career in law. From retail, to car sales, to public advocacy and pharmaceuticals, I have found that I am an excellent troubleshooter and that by actually working in these fields, I have learned much about the ways in which regulations and laws affect various businesses. But I have also realized that diversity emerges from the most unlikely of circumstances. For others, it may be the adversities of life, or their cultures, but for me, it has largely been informed by my work.
Let me know what you think...
At first, employment in multiple jobs as a 16 year old was necessitated by the financial hardship of my parents’ divorce. At the time, I was going to a catholic high school and if I wanted to continue my enrollment that meant I would have to shoulder a hefty chunk of my tuition. My first job was the typical retail job at a sporting goods store. But work has been more than just a means to a paycheck; it largely informed who I am and the diversity I will bring to your institution.
Since that first job, I have worked as a Best Buy computer associate, a member of the Geek Squad, a network engineer, driver and salesmen for an exotic car company, a waiter, a public advocate for higher education, a residential advisor at my university, a Johnson and Johnson Information Technology Intern, a Johnson and Johnson Operations Compliance Co-Op, an assistant project manager to the deployment of a warehouse management system in Memphis, Tennessee, a policy intern on Capitol Hill and a student.
Each of these employment opportunities have exposed me to some of the most fascinating and sometimes raw experiences of vastly different industries. It has required me to broaden my perspectives and my understandings about various processes, and standards to effectively overcome challenges. Since my first job, I have solved very interesting problems. Some problems were simple tasks such as fitting a certain amount of merchandise into a limited space or setting up a wireless network. Other problems involved more complexity such as planning the logistics for delivering ten $150,000 six hundred and forty horsepower investments to a showroom floor or reconciling a production cycle to adhere to FDA regulations on the shipment of controlled substances.
Despite the assumption that work at an early age is unfortunate or, in my case, bizarre, I see it as a blessing. I have acquired in depth exposure to a number of industries at a relatively young age. Furthermore, this process has not only helped vet out a number of industries I would never like to work in again, it has solidified my choice to pursue a career in law. From retail, to car sales, to public advocacy and pharmaceuticals, I have found that I am an excellent troubleshooter and that by actually working in these fields, I have learned much about the ways in which regulations and laws affect various businesses. But I have also realized that diversity emerges from the most unlikely of circumstances. For others, it may be the adversities of life, or their cultures, but for me, it has largely been informed by my work.
Let me know what you think...
