My services have spanned the fields of information technology; enterprise architecture; business process re-engineering (BPR); web and database development; and training and communication. My various clients have included the World Bank, IBM, AARP, Medicaid, Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Labor -- a virtual Who's Who of major national and international organizations. One of my most recent tasks was a Treasury Department EMPO contract, where I was responsible for the operations and support of the Department of the Treasury Enterprise Architecture Management System (TEAMS).
All of these various efforts have given me vast breadth and depth of insight into how government and non-governmental forms of bureaucracy operate. Combined with higher-level study of managerial and technical theory, I believe I could make an invaluable commitment to the world, working for a service organization of my own design.
The reason I have chosen to focus so much on serving the government and other organizations devoted to bettering the lives of people in my community is because of my desire to feel a part of something greater than myself. Furthermore, my work, although demanding, is only part of my life. Volunteer work has also defined the course of my existence. In the past year alone I volunteered for the Washington Humane Society, the Children's Law Center, DC Green Festival, taught English for Language ETC, and have built playgrounds for KaBoom! I am also associated with AmeriCorps Alums as a policy liaison and its Reserve Corps; a member of the Association of Enterprise Architects DC Chapter; a Red Cross Disaster Response Team member; and part of the Business and Professional Woman's Foundation. I am a committee member of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA),...
They must strive to dispense compassion in the most efficient way possible. Not only have I been a member of these organizations, I have also acted as a leader and often had to make hard choices as a leader.
Leadership of nonprofits and government agencies is all about making choices with scarce resources. My technical insight, demonstrated compassion, and leadership ability can all coalesce, provided that Capella University gives me the intellectual tools to create synergy between these various spheres of my life.
Being a part of a learning community is one of the most exciting things about being a student. At Capella, I could continue to learn about life in the government, business, and not-for-profit sectors through my work, yet contextualize what I learned in light of the insights I received in the online classroom. Also, I would be able to engage in virtual communication with students from all over the country and the world. As an individual with an international background, being exposed to a wide variety of experiences is an essential part of my envisioned PhD experience.
Given my demonstrable comfort in technology, I also believe that I can be a great asset to the virtual classroom of Capella. Whether engaging in chat or email with my fellow students or using the knowledge I have gained from my life, merged with what I have learned from my professors, I know I will be able to write papers that are challenging and engaging. And in my one-to-one interactions I believe that I could enhance the educational experience of others, as well as further my education at Capella.
