I have always been very interested in current events and international issues.  Ever since I was very young, I would watch CNN and the nightly news with my mom.  In high school, I was pretty passive.  I would see horrible things happening in the news, but never thought I would have the power to change any of these events or outcomes.  During my time in college, I realized that not only do I have the ability to make a positive impact on the world, but also that this is one of my main goals in life. 

My first chance to make a difference came when I had the opportunity to run a political campaign at USC.  This took me completely out of my comfort zone but allowed me to fight for things that I was extremely passionate about.  With this experience, I found out what an impact I could actually make.  I influenced people on campus, which spread throughout the city and the state, and ultimately, spread to the national campaign. 

My experiences abroad enforced my goal of making a positive impact.  When I was in Madrid, Spain was still suffering from the 2008 financial crisis.  The impact of this crisis was clear.  There were large numbers of homeless people and beggars in the streets and on the subways. Pickpocketing was at an all time high.  It is easy to sit on the sidelines and ignore the problems in the world.  When I walked past these homeless people, I felt a calling.  I had a feeling I could help at least one of these people somehow during my life. 

Finally, my International Business 444 course titled “Business in Africa” has solidified some of my goals in life.  Everyone knows that Africa has had many problems developing over the years and much of the continent is extremely poor.  In this course, I have explored the possible business opportunities in Africa and how companies in developed countries can create sustainable businesses in Africa.  I have learned that not everything can be solved through aid, but teaching Africans how to run businesses creates markets that can become fully developed.  Through this class, I have learned that I can improve African lives by doing little things like exporting a particular product there.  I learned these concepts in a book titled “Bright Lights, No City.”  An American entrepreneur risks his financial stability and creates a successful battery business in Ghana, improving the lives of many Africans.

Ultimately, my experiences in and out of the classroom have taught me that I want to make a positive difference in the world.  They have also taught me that I have the ability to foster change through big or small things.  Every little thing achieved can lead to bigger and better possibilities. 

My artifacts include an agenda from Ready for Hillary, the political campaign I worked on.  It shows the main purposes that the organization served.  I worked towards these goals everyday with small tasks.  These small tasks had a huge impact on the national campaign.  The second artifact is a short passage from the book “Bright Lights, No City” after the author receives a poor quality product from a manufacturer in China.  The author tells the story of his brother and how he started a business in Africa to help boost economic development.  The manufacturer claims that the product is appropriate for Africa, and the owner of the business shares his feelings about Africa, why there is a need for change there, how his business is helping, and why the product is not acceptable for Africa.