Social entrepreneurship is an emerging field in which passionate people driven by a desire to change the world design, launch and lead businesses that solve social problems. This course I will participate in this summer specifically looks at how innovative people in China and the United States use business approaches to addresses different issues such as poverty, environmental concerns, migrant education, caring for an aging population etc.  In addition to classroom learning, I will participate in engaged-learning activities with the Dandelion School, a middle school in Beijing that serves the city's large and expanding migrant population. By volunteering at the school, I hope gain first-hand knowledge of how one venture is attempting to address one of China's greatest social problems: migrant education.

Studying abroad in Beijing will enhance my education and allow me to reach back into my community, where higher education let alone a General Education Diploma is impractical, and inspire others to change their reality. By being a first generation college student, my studying abroad example will prove that these opportunities are available for hardworkers  no matter their background.

This social entrepreneurship program affords me the opportunity to go beyond domestic concerns and my own experiences. It allows me to gain wisdom and first hand insight into a myriad of issues affecting people throughout the globe in a non-traditional college setting. This interactive learning experience will allow me to engage in a different style of learning and a new educational system. I relish the opportunity to sit with passionate, driven people compelled to seek a means to change the world via knowledge.

Professionally, I hope to use my degree in Radio-Television-Film to educate the public on social issues and promote change. Studying abroad will provide an authentic perspective others may not have. The social entrepreneurship program in Beijing is uniquely positioned to tie into what I hope to incorporate into my film career post-graduation. My short films, and documentaries will enlighten my community of global, social, and political issues and challenge others to think critically on how they can become more socially responsible.      

My participation in the social entrepreneurship program will allow me to immerse myself in a completely different way of life, and become better educated about the world and cultures around me. Studying in a different country will give me a first-hand experience of the various needs of humanity and offer different methods to address these social problems. I hope that this experience in Beijing, along with my expertise in filmmaking, will equip me with the tools to take this world by storm.