Statement of Purpose

           In December of 2011, as I graduated from Temple’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, I felt a great amount of joy and pride in the achievement of my bachelor’s degree in Sports Management.  While being in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management with a concentration in Sport, I was able to research and explore the sports industry. As I was required to complete a 600 hour, 10 credit full-time internship along with a 3 credit research project, I took the initiative to explore an unfamiliar place to me. I decided to approach Arizona State University about inquiring an internship that was not yet a position. They accepted my offer to be an intern in the Athletic Equipment Department and  it was there that I was able to take what I learned in the classroom and apply it to the sports industry. The purpose of my research project was to show the need for a full-time intern in the athletic equipment department at Arizona State. After months of thorough research I was able to present my results to the ASU Athletic Department, not just as an academic project but as a true proposal. This project was my proudest achievement at Temple and it allowed me to see how much I enjoy doing research that ultimately will benefit others.

            Recently I have become a Graduate Extern for the Athletic Equipment Department at Temple University.  Since I was lucky enough to find a job I love in the industry that I studied during my undergrad I felt it was time to pursue another passion of mine, poetry. The Master of Liberal Arts program was the perfect fit for me. I believe that poetry is created through any type of inspiration. The idea that I can take so many different classes and learn about a wide variety of topics and issues will only open up my world to more inspiration. This well rounded view should one day help me to achieve my ultimate goal of one day publishing a book of poetry. Taking Studies of American Material Culture class is giving me the opportunity to explore an area that I have never studied before. I am extremely excited to research about the history of an object from Drexel University's Historic Costume Collection and to work with people who’s passion is in American material culture to help create an exhibit to be on display for all to see.  There is no question in my mind that engaging in this class and working with passionate people will be a huge asset through the journey of my poetry inspirations.