Statement of Purpose: Self and Society

Self and society could be said to be counter-images to each other but at the same time this has me postulating a more dialectic approach about whether self and society could not be viewed within the same light, within the same framework, and within the same relationship to one another. The commonality between the two in order to find those interwoven threads both share with one another is what I will attempt to show. This is important because society, in shaping the individual and how that same individual is in need of learning social responsibility in order to realize the role they play within that society, requires a person to look beyond one’s own self-needs and personal desires. Veterans of the armed forces have done this. With that being said, from a societal perspective it could be understood as such, but I find myself asking, who shapes society if not for the individual?

Ten years in the army taught me one thing and one thing well, how to survive. Even with the service-connected disability I have now, I still persevere, but I have noticed that the methods and techniques used to do this were derived from a selfish sense within me. This kept me first and others second, with me now and you later. Back as a member of society, I realized that the ways of overcoming adversity did not bring to bear the desired results once sought for. The taking that was necessary in order to allow myself to survive, had to be converted into giving, and adaptations with the new circumstances and situations into sharing. My adjustment back into civilian life took some time. Even my aspirations for graduate school would not even be possible if it were not for the Department of Veteran Affairs. It only makes sense to me to want to return back i...

... middle of paper ...

...s for which I intend to serve and to myself. Competence, a value of the social work profession states this

Besides the fact that I will need a Masters of Social Work degree for the purposes of becoming licensed in the profession of social work, a Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California will allow me the in-depth and specific training I am looking for with a sub-concentration in ‘Military Social Work and Veteran Services.’ With my life-experience and history within the armed services I can make contributions to the knowledge base of the social work profession and especially to our military veterans and service members. I am looking forward to this

Thank you very much for this opportunity and I look forward to being a graduate student in the School of Social Work and a member of the family at the University of Southern California.