SUCCESS STORY

Yana Voynova
Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute 2016

Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute for Youth (или BFTF накратко) е уникална обменна програма на Държавния департамент на САЩ, която събира ученици от Европа и Америка на едно място, за да се запознаят с американската култура и политика и да научат за многообразието от възможности и предизвикателства в социалните общности. Учениците получават ценни знания в сферата на социалното предприемачество, лидерството и изготвянето на проекти, както и много практичести умения за реализирането на проектите и заемането на лидерски позиции в бъдеще. 

Екипната работа в програмата дава възможност на участниците да опознаят различни култури, разбирания и ценности; да работят заедно в решаването на важни проблеми; да научат повече за свободата на словото и силата на изразяването, за ролята на медиите и за въздействието на всяко едно действие върху общността. Развиват се умения за говорене, презентиране, дeбатиране, водене на преговори и критическо мислене и се създават безценни контакти, партньорства и приятелства за цял живот. 

Application essay

There is a story in my family folklore. I must have been four or five, when someone asked me what I want to be one day, and my answer was, “I want to be a fairy with a magic wand and wings, only I don’t know when the fairy elections will be.” This is also the earliest example I can think of illustrating my belief and interest in governance and democratic processes.

In my early teen years, I became aware of the two pillars of my personal ethics and aspirations: study hard to fulfill my potential and discover the joys of academic work, and commit to development and community work. I have already achieved some academic accomplishments at a national level. I have been awarded twice one of the 1000 national high school scholarships awarded annually in Bulgaria based on merit, I have received honors at several competitions in physics, history and Italian and English languages. I feel prepared academically for success in postsecondary education.

I have also discovered my heart lies in human interactions and active citizenship. I started volunteering first in my church, then in the Interact club at my school, then with different NGO initiatives. In 2014 I was selected as a volunteer to be part of the team presenting Sofia’s candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2019 before the international jury. I also initiated and organized several projects, among which “Kids Helping Kids” to assist children with disabilities and a citywide high school campaign “Combat Human Trafficking”. Since 2015 I run digital literacy courses for senior citizens as a volunteer. These are rewarding opportunities to give back to the community and to explore the great impact it can make when individuals work together to solve problems.

I plan to pursue an education and career pathway in an area I find personal meaning and relevance in. It could be international development, public affairs, or European studies. These are different career destinations but they have a lot in common: good governance bringing tangible improvements in people’s lives. Another common feature is that – unlike law or architecture - there is no set route to career success. I appreciate that because it offers me an opportunity to be more flexible, to try fieldwork, voluntary and short-term assignments.

I’d love to design a career in the European institutions, international organizations or a think-tank, researching procedures to coordinate policies, managing relations with non-member states, researching or drafting policy proposals, negotiating with internal and external stakeholders. I am drawn to such organizations by their public purposes, the multicultural teams, the encouraged mobility between different jobs, the flexible working conditions. 

Participation in the summer exchange program would be a marvelous opportunity to gain knowledge and practice what I have learned in an international setting, adopting a global perspective, with like-minded peers. I believe the program will help me get a more detailed view of the path I want to follow afterwards and join an international youth community to last well beyond the summer.

Disclaimer

The text is published in its original and unedited version.