Personal Purpose to Participate in Graduate Assistantship

I have always been intrigued by the corporate world—the elegant dress code, diligent workers and professional working environment—so I did not hesitate at any opportunity to develop skills relevant to this world. I have always been intrigued by the corporate world—the elegant dress code, diligent workers and professional working environment—so I did not hesitate at any opportunity to develop skills relevant to this world. But the question remained: how do I integrate this passion with my academic background in Psychology? The answer manifested in my fourth year after taking a course in “Industrial Psychology”. I gained a significant appreciation of the role of psychology in matching individuals to specific jobs and quite naturally began to ruminate the possibility of pursuing a career in this field. The following academic semester, I took the additional course in “Organizational Psychology” knowing very well what I wanted to achieve: better insight into how working conditions optimize an individual’s well-being in organizational settings. Having obtained my bachelor’s degree, the next logical step is to find myself in a postgraduate program. From my search, I discovered that the Master of Science program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Angelo State University, one of the best in the USA, will prepare me to embark on a lifelong journey of consulting for reputable organizations and becoming a researcher.

I feel adequately prepared for graduate studies in I-O Psychology; taking relevant coursework and engaging in internships with telecommunication and utility service providing organizations. In 2019, I undertook a research project that explored the influence of an undergraduate’s personality on their eating habit. Through this project, I acquired skills in reviewing literature, on-field data collection of over 200 students and statistical data analysis. I have actively participated in campus extracurricular activities, coordinating the Women’s commission of Akuafo Hall—a housing facility of University of Ghana (UG)—where I oversaw the timely completion of projects targeted at empowering women and serving as the Editor of Akuafo Hall’s Whisper Magazine.

At present, I am a Teaching Assistant at the Department of Psychology, UG. My main duties include organizing tutorials for undergraduate students, invigilating examinations and grading of student performances. Beyond teaching, I often volunteer at the Pan-African Doctoral Academy, UG in the capacity of a front desk person and work closely with Dr Collins Badu Agyemang, an I-O Psychologist, performing administrative tasks. My personal goals have been refined: to optimize the well-being of employees in organizations by manipulating their working conditions and environments. I believe ASU’s program in I-O Psychology will provide me with state-of-the-art resources to not only excel in graduate school but to achieve my goals.

Alongside my regular duties, I am reading around my research interests on how workplace eating habits, types of meals consumed, and lunch breaks can be used to promote well-being and job performance of workers and reduce burnout. I hope to use eclectic methodologies to unravel this research question. I would welcome the opportunity to work with Drs. Sangeeta Singg and Cheryl Stenmark whose interests I have gleaned closely aligns with mine and expertise will catalyze my success.

In conclusion, I wish to be considered for Graduate Assistantship as it will help me finance the cost of my education towards the attainment of my academic and professional goals. Thanks for taking the time to review my application, and I look forward to starting postgraduate studies at ASU come fall.