PERSONAL STATEMENT The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. Desire is the key to motivation, but its determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek. Joseph Ofori Acheampong who is from Mampong in the Ashanti region was raised by a single parenthood. He always had the passion to work as a lecturer and in the public sector and researcher in nongovernmental institutions. The mother who was a single parent trader in onions since the husband marry another wife, has been the sole motivation of this young man. Since my mother was uneducated, I was the one managing her affairs through cost- benefit for her business decision and dealing with customers and she always compliments me of the good policies and decisions. As results of my hard work in managing her affairs transparently, she moved from petty trading to retailer in onion. Further, as said by Benjamin Franklin that, ‘being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn’’. Also, he said “an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” This quotes and compliment from my mother also added to my desire to work as a lecturer in the field of public policy in my home country, policy analyst and researcher in financial, governmental and nongovernmental institutions. This career plan will enable me to take the challenge of finding innovative and sustainable methods or solutions to improve upon the public sector and administrative inefficiency issues such as lack of coherence between numerous service providing agencies and regulatory bodies, poor public sector policies which undermine the under-privilege and minority, selection and recruitment from applicant pool based on patronage system confronting Ghana and Africa at large. This has been a great impediment to development in Ghana. I was made a research assistant and a teaching assistant in my own department after my undergraduate studies in the department of political science due to my immense and adept knowledge in the courses. My academic performances from junior secondary school have consistently been on the ascendancy up to the university level. This evidenced in my grades obtained each semester and my final grade point which earned me Second Class upper division. My undergraduate subjects have given strong conceptual understanding. This couple with ingenuity will enable me to fit into any challenging academic arena or institution such as Zhejiang Normal University.

Due to my passion to impact life, during my undergraduate studies in the University of Ghana, I engaged myself in a lot of volunteering and professional activities; a member of the Young Professional Networks which we meet as Chartered Accountant, Economist and policy analyst to discuss the way forward for Africa. It has a membership of almost across thirty African countries. Also, I was an athlete for Mensah Sarbah Hall in the University of Ghana during the inter-halls games, a member of the Political Science Association Electoral Committee and Parliament member of the political science association, a member of the Website committee and Business and Sponsorship Committee for the National Union of Presbyterian Students( University of Ghana Local), an executive for Kingdom Minstrels( University of Ghana), a committee member of the Student Representative Council( University of Ghana), and an Alumni Coordinator for the National Union of Presbyterian Students( UG Local). Moreover, I also went on missions during my undergraduate level of study at the end of each semester to preach the gospel and to impact the knowledge acquired to people living in the rural and remote areas.

In conclusion, I would like to add that the essence of University education lies in the synergetic relationship between the student and his department. I feel that graduate study at Zhejiang Normal University will be the most logical extension of my academic pursuits and a major step towards achieving objectives. I would be grateful to you if I am accorded the opportunity to pursue my graduate studies with financial assistance and scholarship at your institution and am able to justify your faith in me. Attaining these scholarship after the studies will enable me to render altruistic service and give back solidly to society to impact life's. Further, counting on consideration for the graduate program and scholarship or graduate assistantship.