Penn In Washington Program Application Report

Through the University of Pennsylvania I plan on joining the College of Arts and Sciences and pursuing a major in political science. I want to examine the different aspects of my major such as government, international politics, and social policy while having a focus on international relations.

A long- time personal goal of mine is to go back to my homeland in the Philippines to solve the poverty crises that still engulfs most of the country and some of my own family. This goal inspired me in high school to look into other developing countries and nations being oppressed such as Cuba, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. This led me to research the possible solutions to extreme poverty and the factors that contributed to it. My interests focused on specifically how the U.S. government could help aid developing nations while looking into what the implications of U.S. foreign aid could mean towards other countries.
I believe that this unique program can give me the chance to continue my goals while immersing myself in the dynamic political world of Washington. With the expansive internship opportunities available through the program I also look forward to engaging with Penn alumni, different leaders in government, and other political science students. To me the interaction aspect is what makes this program unique. Engaging with others is the most effective way I learn and it brings my ideas and thoughts to a higher level while being outside of a classroom. Communicating with different leaders and learning about the environment in D.C. will help me continue my interests in U.S. foreign policy and discover new goals in my major. I enjoy surrounding myself with people who challenge me intellectually and push me to discover new experiences inside and outside of the