Personal Statement. Taylor Davidson

I am applying for a business degree at Shanghai University. I have a few reasons for choosing business as well as a few reasons for choosing Shanghai University. All of these reasons will be discussed in this personal statement and I hope to effectively convey myself. I have a recently acquired love for business. I say recently acquired because despite opting to choose business studies as a study subject in high school, I was never able to see the practicality of the information I was learning, and thus, did not have great passion towards the subject. However, after having taken some time after school, in order to properly decide what I would be doing with the rest of my life, I have developed a great love and passion for the business environment and everything that comes with it. Now that I have, seemingly by fate, immersed myself in the business environment, I have now seen how theory can be practically related and applied into everyday business experiences. Since I finished high school in 2013 I have spent my time deeply involved in self-education and learning, from first-hand experience, the ins and outs of the business environment and what it means to be successful in this field.

For the past nine months I have been growing into a very successful sales position whereby I work for in sales and marketing with a large property developer in my native country, South Africa. The point I am at now, is that I am ready to give up this position in order to study at the prestigious and well respected Shanghai University. I would like to take on a more worldly approach to business, with Shanghai University being the perfect platform to do so. From what I have heard of SHU is that it is a highly cosmopolitan University, drawing people from all over the world. For me, Shanghai University is perfect because of this and many other reasons such as: I will have the opportunity to learn one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, Mandarin. I will be given information regarding Chinese economics and business concepts as well as worldly economics and business concepts. I hope to be a worthy asset to the already incredible Shanghai University. I would love to be given the opportunity to bring my passion to the University and be of positive impact to the overall facility in whatever way I could. As far as future plans are concerned, I have always considered myself “A change agent” and have always looked for a way to make a positive impact on as many people as possible given the world of disharmony we live in. The idea of making a difference to the world is one that has had me spending hours in contemplation and deep in thought on what is the best way to do this. Ideas ranging from Psychology, social work to environmentalism and conservation work to education and politics. These ideas are all more than worthy causes, however as it applies to me, I have not been able to find a better way for me to make a difference than is business. Is it not the large businesses in the world that have the most influence? Would positive change in the world’s business environment not make a large impact on all of the concepts and ideas that business overlaps? This is then my idea of my future, to spend four years at Shanghai University, equipping myself with as much information on my chosen quarry as possible. From there, as it seems now, I would like to return to my native country, South Africa, and make use of my acquired skills in business and language to help facilitate the growing relationship between China and the world’s developing economies, especially in Africa. My highest goal would be to live as self-employed, eventually running my own company from a high moral stand point, professionalism and fairness to every stakeholder. I would also like to use whatever business influence I may have to encourage others to do the same and support various projects to which I see value for mankind and nature alike.