As I reflect on my career, a common thread emerges: a passion for and commitment to social justice and advocacy. While I have been fortunate to exercise this passion in my current position, I look forward to further developing my ability to serve others in a policy or program development and management position at a nonprofit. With this goal in mind, I will enroll in a social work policy and administration masters program in Fall 2017. I seek a Mensa Foundation Scholarship to help make this dream a reality.

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, I was fortunate enough to receive two job offers in 2012: one from a private immigration law firm and one from the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC). The private firm primarily represented businesses on immigration matters. NIJC is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring human rights protections and access to justice for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers through direct legal services, policy reform, impact litigation and public education. Despite the fact that the private firm offered a higher salary, I accepted the NIJC position because their mission more closely aligned with my dedication to social justice and public service. I served as a paralegal under NIJC’s Immigrant Children’s Project and eventually transferred to my current position on the Immigrant Legal Defense Project and coordinating our Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Pro Bono Project. I was granted accreditation through the Board of Immigration Appeals, which has given me the pleasure and challenge of representing clients before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on applications and interviews for visas, permanent residency and citizenship. My direct casework and pro bono case management allows me to inform our policy team on systemic issues. They then advocate with the government for more just treatment of our clients' applications. Seeing the broader impact reached through policy changes, I feel compelled to become more involved at the policy level. Realizing that colleagues with advanced degrees are better able to advocate for policy improvements, I have decided to seek a graduate degree.

The interdisciplinary nature of a social work policy and administration degree will allow for flexibility in my career. My short-term professional goals include continuing to support immigrant and other under-served populations in a policy or program development and management position at an urban nonprofit. In the long-term, I see myself informing policy in a lasting, positive manner. I feel I am too early in my career to know if this will be through a nonprofit organization, agency or the government; however the leadership training I will receive through the graduate program I choose will create in me a capable candidate for all three.

The programs I applied to are full-time, two-year programs located in large cities. They offer a foundation of study in social work, policy and administration, and two field placements. In the field placements, I will put into practice the lessons covered in the classroom. The university’s career services and alumni networks will surely help me reach my professional goals upon graduation.

My more than four years of experience in the human services field led me to seek my masters in social work. I know that the coursework and field placements will allow me to become an even better advocate and reach my career goals.