Personal Statement Example:
Home for me is the small, picturesque city of Victoria, British Columbia.
Growing up, my relative liberty and affluence were largely unapparent
to me. My concepts of inequality and injustice informed by trivial
unfairness such as when my twin sister received the larger slice of cake.
Despite my comfortable upbringing, I possessed, from very early on, a
strong curiosity and eagerness to understand the people and the world
around me. This happened at first through language, later through
travel, and today in my current work as a youth education advocate for
refugees.
From childhood I evolved from an exclusive twin talker, to an English-
speaking chatterbox, to a fluent French speaker and dabbler in Spanish,
Latin, and Bulgarian. As an undergraduate majoring in French and
Linguistics, I was thrilled to explore the bilingual nature of my Canadian
identity and to be able to engage with an increasing number of people
globally. Throughout my studies, I worked with international ESL
students, further nourishing my cultural and linguistic curiosities, as
well as the nascent teacher in me, who was to mature further as I took
on roles as a private French tutor and university tutorial instructor.
Additional time spent volunteering at a local immigrant and refugee
centre allowed me to better comprehend the depths of diversity and
adversity, justice and injustice, in my own community and the world.
These experiences, compounded by my natural curiosity, inspired me to
undertake more global pursuits upon graduating, first as an
international humanitarian volunteer in Senegal, and then as an NGO
staffer in Mexico, Ghana, and Fiji in the years to follow.
My post-graduate travels and professional work not only helped
consolidate my undergraduate experiences, but also led to great
personal and professional growth as a teacher, student, advocate,
collaborator, manager, and leader. These experiences on the ground
served as an invaluable contribution to my evolving understanding of
equality, justice and their counterparts and both fuelled and fed my
innate curiosity in ways not possible in a classroom. Whether listening
to the stories of hardship of urban families in Guadalajara, establishing
unique educational programming in rural Fiji, or monitoring teams
documenting human rights abuses in Ghana, I was reminded again and
again that justice is not a given, and that strong advocates are needed
to help give voice and strength to those who are so often silenced or
ignored.
Importantly, these years abroad served as my initial exposure to
international human rights in context and eventually inspired my
pursuit of a Masters degree. Balancing the demanding schedule of
graduate school and part time work, conducting in-depth education
and policy research, participating in rigorous debate, and interacting
with strong and diverse ideological and political viewpoints were all
challenging but enriching experiences. These challenges colluded over a
short 16-month period to strengthen my own values and beliefs,
ultimately solidifying my decision to pursue a legal education and
career.
My experiences since graduate school as a human rights worker,
leadership and problem solving instructor for young women, and
education advocate for refugee families have further reinforced my
beliefs in the importance of human rights and education, the potential
of the law to protect and strengthen these institutions, and my desire
to act as an empathetic, socially conscious advocate in these contexts
through a legal career.
While small, idyllic Victoria will always be home, my notions of justice
and equality originally born there have evolved greatly over the years.
Victoria serves as a symbol and reminder of my unearned privilege, a
privilege that continues to motivate me to advocate for justice and
equality for others less fortunately situated. But it is further afield,
across Canada and abroad, where I hope to apply a legal education in
the field of international human rights law, a field in which the
University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law would train me distinctively
through its International Human Rights Program, clinic opportunities,
and global internship options.
My personal and professional experiences as an academic, teacher,
expatriate, mentor, and leader have equipped me with the initiative,
passion, competency, and commitment necessary to succeed in law
school. I believe strongly that a University of Toronto legal education in
particular, with its rich course offerings, distinguished and supportive
faculty and ideal location will equip me with the additional tools and
resources necessary to pursue my professional goals. But most
importantly, a University of Toronto legal education will formally and
uniquely prepare me to help others effectively seek and find justice in
the truest and fullest sense of the word.