Scholarship Essay Entry – Andrew B.

I grew up in Edmonton during the school year, and in the country during the summer. In the city I developed a passion for music, and learned to appreciate the power of details and the immortality of something truly good. Out in the country I learned a work ethic that can be summed up in one phrase: Work until the job is done, and do it right the first time. When I apply these lessons to university, I study determinedly and am committed to follow my education wherever it takes me.

I am a political science major and a sociology minor entering the third year of a Bachelor of Arts Degree. In political science, I have found an outlet for my passion for helping others. The opportunities provided by a political science degree will allow me to have an authentic impact on the lives of real people. The consequences of politics can be historic; from Medicare in Canada to the Patriot Act in the United States, politics shape and direct a society for better or for worse. If a government fails to adequately fund public services like education and healthcare, students feel the sting of tuition increases and the sick feel the strain of closed hospital beds. It is therefore crucial that people with the right motivations have authority in governance, because whenever a nation goes off course only its citizens suffer.

This past year I have joined the Heart of the City Piano Program, where I taught inner-city youth to play piano at their schools. I enjoyed building a rapport with my students, as well as using my position to mentor some kids and teach them music they can feel proud playing. This fall I will be joining the Aboriginal Arts Council at the University of Alberta, and I hope to gain experience working in an administration and coordinating events and programs. I look forward to being in the center of Aboriginal affairs on campus, and to perhaps even meet real actors in Aboriginal politics in Alberta.

Through studying political science, I hope to enjoy a career either as a provincial politician, a diplomat, or as a lawyer. Whether in a court of law or on the world stage, with the right education I can be a legitimate voice for the people our government is meant to serve. If I can bring my strong work ethic and moral character to the service of the Canadian public, I can consider my life a success. Fairness, altruism, reasonableness and respect are the details of a good citizen – and are the motivations of a good leader. These motives are my own, and fuel my ambition to promote liberty, self-respect, and equitable opportunity for generations of Canadians to come.