r/StatementOfPurpose

My only goal after my high school graduation was to continue going where my curiosity led me. That decision steered me into moving internationally to pursue my bachelor’s in biotechnology at the [University] before it led me to Tampa where I began working as a Research Assistant at [institution]. Unlike my peers, I never had a solid plan from the very beginning, yet the right opportunities continued to find me while I found more and more passion with every day that I was met with something new. One of these opportunities included becoming a lead Immunology lab and lecture Teacher’s Assistant under the supervision of Professor [Name] who, despite not being a Principal Investigator himself, ignited research questions within me unlike any other class or lab had before. I was a Teacher’s Assistant for a majority of my undergraduate career; it shaped me into an individual who is both well-versed in the field of immunology and adept in asking the important questions when it came to science. I believe that my unique experience being a TA set me up for success and immediately distinguished me from peers when stepping into the workplace after graduation.

Another opportunity that found me is my current position as a research assistant under the supervision of Dr. [Name]. Becoming a part of the [Institution] has opened my eyes to the endless possibilities that getting educated at [Institution] could offer me. Being surrounded by the greatest minds of our generation and people who I thought of as celebrities, such as Dr. [Really cool scientist], taught me the value of countless hours I spent working late at the lab and reading hundreds of research papers surrounding my projects. Being recognized by such people and having the privilege of asking them questions while discussing science makes me both proud of my understanding of my field as well as inspired never to stop learning. During my time as a research assistant so far, I have learned countless lab techniques including cell culture, flow cytometry, antibody staining, CRISPR-Cas9, and neutralization assays, amongst many others. My current research has three main focuses, one being analyzing different conformations of CCR5 on different CD4+ T-cell subsets, another being using ChIP sequencing to find the CCR5 enhancer in memory T-cells, and the last being a shared project with a coworker which involves finding neutralizing antibodies against HIV using a microneutralization assay. I am also writing a literature review about CCR5, viewing it as a protein with fluid mechanics and emphasizing its plasticity which sometimes allows viral into the cell. Though I am still early in my career as a research assistant, I am proud of the progress I have made so far, and I look forward to future successes and learning opportunities in this part of my career as I learn more about who I am as a future researcher and professional.

As I continue to work hard on my research, I hope that the next opportunity to find me will be the privilege to do my masters in the field that chose me and honed my curiosity into something I can use. Molecular and cell biology are the basis of all my interest; there would be no understanding of immunology, microbiology, or virology without understanding the molecular mechanics of the cell first, which is why I believe this is the right program for me. I believe that the [institution] is the right place for me because it was the first to give me the tools to move forward in my field and indulge in the research questions that have been brewing inside me since my years as an undergraduate. From the connections I have made with PIs here to the opportunities I see post-graduation, I believe that [institution] is the best match for me when it comes to my career aspirations as well as the progress of my research. I believe that my curiosity led me to [institution] for a reason, and I would be honored to be able to venture into this next stage of my scientific discovery here in an environment that I know inspires my dedication and desire more meaningful impact. 

If I could get some people to give me some feedback on my SOP, I would greatly appreciate it. The school doesn't give you much to work with so I modeled mine after some questions and examples a friend gave me. I need some more eyes on it so I can make it better.

I'm certain that it's not perfect and could easily be cleaned up or expanded on in certain areas. It comes in at almost one page and three quarters of the second.

I have been a voracious reader from the time I learned how to read. I truly struggled with reading at first and did not see the appeal. Once I finally got through that struggle, I found myself reading almost anything I could get my hands on. Whether that be a magazine article or a biography, I just loved to read.

My favorite genres are historical romances, particularly anything by Susanna Kearsley, and Urban Fantasy. My favorite urban fantasy authors have to be Patricia Briggs and Illona Andrews. I find myself returning to their series frequently. I also have a deep love of Greek Mythology, I always come back to it and learn something new when I do, even if it’s just revisiting my favorite myths.

The library was my favorite haunt and my safe place growing up. I was a bit of an outcast with my fellow students and so books became my best friends. I was the girl known to always have a book in hand and knew more about books than I did about what was considered common knowledge among my peers. The librarians were always happy to steer me to new recommendations or just let me hunt through the shelves of books that didn’t see as much attention because they weren’t on the Accelerated Reading system. In fifth grade, I created a lot of AR tests for the books I’d read, which gave the students more options on books that would earn them AR points.

When I worked as a sub for the elementary schools, one of my favorite things was getting to read to the children and help them with their reading in turn. I continued to help students with reading when I became an aide at a high school. Having the classics accessible to kids in a format they enjoyed and were familiar with was a joy. I saw many students become fans of Shakespeare and other classic authors through the high school library’s expanding collection of classics told in Graphic Novel formats. It was something I could discuss with them and often did.

I have wanted to be a librarian since I was a child, to give back to the community and help inquisitive children like the librarians I knew helped me. I’m excited to further explore the position of Children’s/Young Adult librarian and learn what that looks like in our ever changing world.

With _, I got a sense of welcome and ease when I was researching their Master of Library and Information Sciences. The website was well laid out, and information was easy to find. They listed the different tracks and a short description. I got the opportunity to go to the in-person information session and felt that all of my questions were being seriously considered and answered as well as laying out what was required and that each student would be assigned a supervisor in the field they were interested in pursuing.

The school encourages students to attend the ALA and TLA conferences, which is something I enjoyed learning about. A chance for students to go to the conferences and both mingle and learn about what’s new or upcoming in the world of libraries sounds like an exciting opportunity. Be that new ways to engage people and encourage them to read or new technologies that might help librarians and patrons alike in the future.

I look forward to learning the foundations of librarianship and am very interested in the Art of Storytelling, as I love to read aloud and tell stories through different mediums. During my undergrad I got the chance to tell the same story through multiple mediums, first as a short story, then through an assignment to create a three act structure for a feature film, and finally as a choose your own adventure via Twine.