|
Statement of Purpose Form Al Dunkleman February 14, 2000 Graduate
School Application Essay It is my desire to use my life experiences and
sociological understanding to help “lift others up” in North Carolina,
especially those from the isolated mountain regions.
With my diverse background, strong communication skills and
empathic personality, I believe that I possess the abilities and have the
desire to improve the lives of others.
Ultimately, I would like to teach sociology at the community
college level. I am looking
to the ECU graduate program in sociology to equip me with the sociological
knowledge, research methods and analysis skills necessary to realize my
goals. In addition to teaching, I have a strong interest in
furthering my research on success. Twelve
years ago I began a diligent search for the “secret of success.”
After reading over one-hundred success and self-development books,
I became increasingly disillusioned with the ideology of success. I am presently revisiting my interest in
“success” from a sociological perspective.
For my senior project in sociology, I am doing a content analysis
of the leading success and self-improvement books.
The purpose of the study is to examine the process of ideological
legitimation regarding mobility. This
research project will compare the actual process of mobility with the
“talk” about mobility contained in the success literature.
From this data set I hope to dispel some of the myths about success
and to eventually create a more realistic portrayal of the mobility
process.
After completing my masters degree in sociology, I plan to pursue
teaching on the community college level in Western North Carolina.
I am attracted to the community college system for three reasons:
1) many community colleges are located in more rural areas,
2) community colleges attract a greater number of nontraditional
students, and, 3) community
colleges provide a conducive environment for first generation college
students to break into the arena of higher education.
These same three reasons also parallel my own life experience: 1) I spent most of my life in rural areas,
2) I entered the community college system as a thirty-six year old,
and, 3) the community college
system allowed me a second chance at life and an opportunity to realize my
potential. Besides my educational experiences at the Art
Institute of Pittsburgh, Virginia Highlands Community College, The
University of Virginia at Wise, and the University of North Carolina at
Wilmington, many other factors have stimulated my interest in sociology. Nine years of corporate consulting allowed me the
opportunity to better comprehend the world of business.
Working closely with executives from Sprint, Beecham Laboratories,
Baxter Pharmaseal and Bristol Regional Medical Center, provided me
first-hand knowledge of the corporate environment. Over twenty-years of teaching a variety of subjects
in several different settings has spurred my interest in teaching and
education. Some of these
teaching experiences have included work as an Educational
Specialist for Educational Talent Search at Virginia Highlands
Community College, Spanish
Instructor for the Epic Gifted & Talented Program at Greendale
Elementary School in Abingdon, Virginia, and
Photography Instructor for Upward Bound at Appalachian State
University in Boone, North Carolina. I have also served as a Youth and Family Minister for fourteen-years, and as a Social
Worker Assistant with Agape of North
Carolina for the past two years. I want to devote my education, my experience and my
energy toward improving the quality of life of our youth, especially those
who reside in our mountain counties.
Ultimately, I envision creating a textbook, personal workbook and
video series to teach young people the reality about upward mobility and
success in America. By the
year 2005, I hope to see college students enrolling in my course, SOC
399--The Sociology of Success.
|