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Madison Beckner

UHON 2000

ODea

28 September 2017

Personal Statement

Beginning my sophomore year at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga I found

myself free of certain anxieties that come along with starting college. Anxieties that range from

simple things such as will I be able to find the right lecture hall? or will I get along with my

roommates? to larger burdens, things like, what will be my major? or what are my post-

graduate plans?. While I have overcome must of these worries, I am well aware that my current

plans could change at any moment. I spent most of freshman year trying to form a solid plan, that

way I can spend the next three years with all of my energy focused on one specific goal. I was

successful for the most part, I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do in life. I hope to work

at a non-profit dedicated to fighting for human rights. How I will make that happen is what I

hope to accomplish by the end of my sophomore year. I purposely left my goal somewhat vague

to give me some wiggle room. I know I want to work with human rights, but how? Lobbying?

Organizing rallies? Working to provide specific services? I also have a passion for film making,

so is there any way to merge these two goals? These are some of the things I hope to address this

year, and I have already taken steps to do so. I am currently serving as a teachers assistant for a

film making course offered on campus. This will give me experience with professionals in this

field that can help me decide to pursue film making in the professional arena or merely keep it as

a hobby. After this semester, I will also be finished with the general education course required by

the university. This means I can spend the Spring semester taking coursework related to my
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goals, giving me a way to explore this career option before entering the work force. This year I

am motivated to lock-down my career choice and explore opportunities related to this path. I also

hope to find more concrete steps that will help me go where I know I want to go. I hope to go

from a broad, overview of my future to a specific plan with a diffident direction on how to get

there.

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