Being an international student from China, I have already learned how it is crucial to develop strong and clear educational goals and apply personal skills. After my graduation from the University of Washington with the Media and Communication degree and practice at several Chinese and American companies, I come to the conclusion that my recently gained qualifications are not enough to do what I actually dream about. I know how to work in a culturally diverse team, interact with people, adjust to changes, and find solutions to various problems. However, I also realize that interpersonal relationships play an important role today. When people ask for services or choose products, they may demonstrate various attitudes and quality expectations. Therefore, communication or interactions should be improved by effective management. That is my primary goal – to become a skilled project manager who is exactly aware of how to work in a timely manner, understands what determines high-quality products and services, and is ready to take responsibility for every detail in a working process.
As a member of the Chinese Student Association, I participated in several university-based projects and programs. Our task was to motivate and inspire new international students to become a part of the American culture without forgetting their roots and traditions. We aimed to learn how to adapt to new conditions and support students’ intentions to become a worthwhile part of society. Personally, I face several situations when the demands of one student did not fit the expectations of the rest of the university population. Therefore, I tried to find out many appropriate ways to decrease conflicts and choose an alternative. Still, my negotiating and risk estimation skills were not as good as they could be at the end of the chosen program. Though I was able to achieve good results, the time and efforts spent were solid. I want to use this program as a chance to organize projects and help people in their intentions to facilitate their lives and discover the benefits.
One of the reasons why I have to apply to this program is the necessity to change my major and develop good qualities in project management. I want to help people, and the creation of new ideas is a significant step forward. I know that much time and knowledge are required to organize and develop projects. Such details as risk management, cost-effectiveness, negotiation, conflict resolution, presentation, and evaluation cannot be ignored. In the future, I also see myself as a leader of a company or a department that focuses on quality improvement and service accessibility to all people despite their gender, age, cultural preferences, and nationalities. This program is my chance to learn how to combine ethical demands, social responsibilities, critical thinking, and decision-making and achieve positive results. I cannot say that I have poor or zero knowledge in project management. However, my personally gained skills will never be compared to the skills and information that I can learn being a part of this Master of Project Management program.
In general, I believe that my application and admission to this program is a solid foundation for my future career. Though I am not sure if I continue my career in China or the United States, I truly believe that the project management sector turns out to be one of the greatest and the best properly developed international business directions with millions of people being involved in it. I dream to be a part of this progress, and this program is the first key I should not lose.