The following essay is written by an applicant who got accepted to top graduate programs in public administration (MPA). Variations of this personal statement got accepted at Columbia’s SIPA school, Harvard’s Kennedy School, and NUS (National University of Singapore). Read this essay to understand what a top personal statement in public administration should look like.

Related Personal Statement: Sample Public Policy Personal Statement (MPP)

Here is the example personal statement for MPA

Being part of the top Bureaucracy in Brazil, I have realized the importance of public administration and policymaking in serving the public better. Moreover, through my experiences as the head of town municipal administration, I have learned that robust policymaking is far too significant to overlook. Well-directed policies have always reaped great benefits – such as those by Enrique Penalosa, mayor of Bogota, who implemented several successful public policy initiatives.

Inspired by Penalosa’s bold measures, I initiated several sustainable administrative initiatives while serving as Commissioner in Pico Do Calcado, a small resort at Serra do Caparaó. Pico Do Calcado’s proximity to two major fault lines made it highly susceptible to high-intensity earthquakes. Yet, to my astonishment, no statistics or detailed evacuation plans were available from the Town Administration. Upon my inquiry, I discovered that a nearly dormant project aimed at the town’s Multi Risk Hazard Assessment was lingering. In collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), UNDP initiated it several years ago.

As the head of civil administration, I immediately grasped the opportunity, called in a meeting involving all the stakeholders, and expedited the project. The local community was involved in the process and was made aware of the importance of the project. I led all pertinent government departments to work fervently towards the project objectives. I also directed them to incorporate the component of micro-zonation and evacuation strategies for the project to be more meaningful and relevant.

The entire project took 14 months to complete. By the end, we had established a Municipal Disaster Management Centre within Commissioner’s Office. In addition, we devised a comprehensive evacuation plan for the entire city, advertised locally.

Alongside this, I imparted training to highly vulnerable members of society, such as children, women, and the elderly. I sent separate teams to schools and colleges to train students and sensitize the common citizens. Moreover, I also demarcated different areas of the city based on their susceptibility to hazards, including flash floods, landslides, snow, etc.

Furthermore, I also organized awareness seminars to inform people how to mitigate such disasters by making simple changes to their building designs. I then shared the most crucial information with the Federal Government, which used it to formulate a detailed master plan of the city.

Pico Do Calcado, the constituency of the Chief Minister himself, had always attracted special attention from the day this Government was sworn in. Various development schemes were initiated, and infrastructure projects were undertaken perpetually. These projects were required to uplift the area and the welfare of the people. But I realized there was a lack of proper planning and a shortage of prioritization. This desultory development posed a serious threat to the existing vulnerable environment of Pico Do Calcado.

I started taking up this matter during the Steering Committee meetings and persuaded the members to declare Pico Do Calcado an environmentally sensitive area. Having done this, I impressed upon an otherwise weary Forest Department to protect the forest land from the ills of the ongoing development. Seeing a lack of action on their part, I, without waiting any further, carried out a complete boundary of the forest land and handed over its possession to the Forest Department. My efforts were later recognized through a letter of appreciation from Secretary Forest.

Being a Public Servant and a public administration practitioner, I still have over 28 years of public service left. After putting in 5 years of service, I believe the time is ripe for me to get a formal education in the art of administration and management with a focus on development and related issues. Like other developing countries, Brazil is beset with financial mismanagement, distorted visions of education and health, and poorly laid infrastructure and communication networks. Ailing development priorities have led to a state heavily dependent on international aid. However, its marginalized population, widely portrayed as a drain on scarce resources, has the potential to be turned into an asset if the issues of bad governance are addressed through sincere policy review.

My future career plan is to continue public service with an enlightened mind that leaves indelible marks on the fabric of society. In ten years, I see myself as a Secretary to the Government, heading a department. The skill set acquired during my stay at Harvard will help me utilize my knowledge to successfully carry out government initiatives. In addition, I will be able to give advice based on my education and my own practical experience gained while working in different positions within the Government, which will help formulate policy frameworks.