The following personal statement is written by an applicant who was accepted to top graduate Environmental Sustainability and Energy Management programs. Variations of this personal statement got accepted at Yale and Duke. Read this personal statement to get inspiration and understand what a top essay should look like.

You might be interested in reading this Sample Statement of Purpose in Energy and Environment Management.

Sample Personal Statement Environmental Sustainability and Energy Management

As I look down memory lane, these last seven years have shaped me decisively. Today I stand proud, independent and an educated woman who never gave up on herself. Sleep became secondary to meeting the client’s deadlines. Physical pain and a hectic study routine became trivial in front of maintaining good grades. Enjoyment and leisure time became second in front of fulfilling my parents’ dream of enabling me to pursue higher studies. Today, all sacrifices are indeed yet gratefully validated.

Reality struck us when we became victims of Hurricane Katrina. The consequences were and still to date are devastating for my family. My father used to have a healthy, buzzing business in the heart of the city of New Orleans. A split-second moment brought everything to a halt. Everything that followed has been playing catch up in terms of finances. Amongst these solutions, even with a hefty heart, I was to be drawn from school as school was a colossal expensive regardless of the 50% scholarship I had secured. I could see the pain in my parent’s eyes and had to convert their shame into pride. It was time to act!

In the male-dominated society we breed in, males are mostly expected to cater burdening financial needs of their household. On our end, circumstances compelled my mother to step outside the domestic environment and take up teaching. Despite my father’s earnest reluctance, I decided to give home tuition to continue my education and meet the unkind practical demanding world. My resolve then and to date has become to take each day as it comes and contribute the best I can give.

With sheer hard work, I managed to secure a seat at Tulane University. I was ranked among the top 20% of the class. Times were tough; days seemed long; however, I put in my best with each firm footing and could maintain a 3.5 GPA every semester. Under the supervision of Dr Sheena Gabriel, Associate Professor, I was selected in a class of 50 to represent Tulane as a keynote speaker and corresponding author at the 5th International Symposium on Prospects of Biodiesel. Furthermore, I was selected by Dr Gabriel as an Undergraduate Research in the Production of Biodiesel.

Later, seeing my potential in me, Dr Gabriel appointed me as his Undergraduate Researcher to produce biodiesel from sludge with its byproduct as phosphates that can be utilized as fertilizer. In the last semester, my final year project was on Salinity Gradient Solar Pond, the first pilot scale plant ever researched at Tulane. I soon began seeing my future role as an environmental engineer in Energy. Having scored an A in the thesis report and intensely interested in Energy, I decided to embark on my journey in renewable energy systems. I eventually found my calling, and I am excited to invest in my knowledge for the same.

Following my passion as a renewable energy expert, I am currently employed at a Renewable Energy Scottish-based firm, Vestas Energy, as Team Leader – Technical. Ironically, being the only girl in the technical department, I have learnt that woman’s empowerment and equality in the workforce are very important. It is only after coming into the field I can understand the market dynamics of Energy and have been able to grasp the concepts of solar energy and why it is imperative for the world to utilize this alternative.

My current trajectory and career path at Vestas involve Energy Conservation and Audit Program. I represent Vestas Energy for energy audit and conservation of many Colleges and Universities overseeing an area greater than 200,000 sq feet. The roles also complemented with Alternate Energy Development Board for making Vestas Energy an Independent Power Provider with its location in Albany, NY.

To spread awareness, I am the head speaker and organizer of the Vestas Energy Awareness Program, for which we conduct free-of-cost training for universities and corporations regarding Renewable Energy. 

Considering my interest in Energy, I believe there is still a knowledge gap in my skill set. During my tenure with Energy Department, we were informed that GIZ had to conduct the energy conservation and management plan since there was insufficient expertise. This made me realize that even if Energy Department appointed us, many hurdles came our way. The shortfalls need to be addressed, so my short-term goal is to serve Energy Department right after completing my Masters’ Studies. For the first time in our history, an Energy Conservation Program has been implemented on a federal scale.

After I graduate, having understood environmental and Energy management, large-scale government projects under the umbrella of ECA can be undertaken by bridging the gap between Private Sector & Public. In the long haul, working in Energy Department for about five years and studying the market’s energy dynamics, I would like to pursue my PhD and teach.

I believe I can only make a larger impact by imparting my knowledge to the students having studied while simultaneously bridging the gap between the private sector and academic area by providing technical expertise to industrial experts.

Yale offers one of the very few competitive scholarship programs and has objectives that streamline with mine. I want to return to Vestas and contribute with the generous feeling of satisfaction in serving my country. Having studied in the Louise S. McGehee School, where people from various nationalities and religions were grouped, I have a keen interest in working under a diverse body of people, exchanging ideas and, through networking, bringing development opportunities back home.

Yale provides opportunities, and I want to learn the latest renewable energy management technologies. What fantasizes me even more is working where the world’s largest Salinity Gradient Solar Pond is not only functional but also can provide megawatts of Energy. Thus, Yale is a chance to pay back my parents for their relentless hard work and to finally fulfil my dream of pursuing higher studies, regardless of the financial constraints one has.