To College and Beyond by Saroya

To College and Beyond by Saroya - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

Attorney. Politician. Advocate. These are all words I hope to embody in the future. My desire to have a career through which I can have a positive community impact is what motivates me. In order for these aspirations to become a reality, I must first get the educational background to sufficiently prepare me with the knowledge and experience for my career, which is why getting through college is my next big educational goal.
Soon, I will be attending the University of Chicago, where I plan on double majoring in Political Science and Public Policy with a minor in Human Rights. These majors and minors will set me up for success with my ultimate career goal, which is to do policy work for human rights. A dream job of mine would be to serve on the United Nations Human Rights Council, where I would draw from my politics and policy educational background to address human rights violations across the world, write policy that will hold violators accountable, and ensure better implementation of human rights globally.
My interest in going into the political realm is fueled by my desire to positively impact the world through policy. Growing up in Chicago my whole life, I have been able to observe the inequality that plagues our city. In realizing that our city’s inequity stemmed from systematic policymaking that deliberately put certain communities at a disadvantage, I was influenced to get involved with politics and policy, since I believe it is the best way to change those unjust policies. In order to do so, it is important that I have a strong educational foundation for the rest of my political work to rest on because, in order to be an effective politician and policymaker, I must learn about the inner workings of political institutions. As a Latina and as a woman, I understand that there are many obstacles in my path to success in this career. However, I also know that there are ways to break down these barriers and uplift underrepresented women, which is what I hope to do in my future.
College is a formative experience that will aid in the development of my identity and direction of my career aspirations. It is important to me that I attend college because it is a place where I can specialize in my interest in politics – learning about the political realm, the workings of the government, and understanding power from both domestic and international perspectives. Not only that, but I can continue to challenge myself with rigorous academics that go beyond just my majors and minors of interest. Through a variety of classes, I will prepare myself with all the necessary skills to succeed in my future job and in life.
It is also important to me that I achieve my goal of getting through college because it is a new space where I can continue to pursue my passions and meet new people, with both similar and different interests who I can learn from. Getting through college will allow me to learn a more global perspective, gain new experiences and understanding, pursue my passions, and engage with unique individuals that have a diversity of experiences I am eager to learn from – which is why I cannot wait to see where my college experience will take me.