For the last ten years of my life, I have dedicated myself to the goal of helping my country, Slovakia, to advance in its integration with Europe. I was raised in Slovakia. My big break in life came early, at the age of 17, when I went to the United States and spent my last year of High School in Georgia. I went on to complete two years of college there as well, graduating from Gainesville College with my Associate of Arts Degree. I graduated as third in my class, earning a Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award. Now 35, to this day, I sometimes hear a slight southern accent in my pronunciation of certain words in English.

 I went on to earn my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from XXXX University in Bratislava, and then an MBA from the University of XXXX in Pennsylvania, where I managed to keep an almost perfect GPA. I also served as a tutor for business courses while in college in Slovakia. My graduate studies at the XXXX University were focused on our integration with the European Union, with a specialization in International Economics and International Trade. For over a decade, I have cultivated an advanced interest in international law and economics. More recently, I have become increasingly interested in a broad range of issues that are more or less global and historical, rather than local and immediate; still, international economics is the area that captures my attention intellectually and professionally.

 I am especially interested in researching ongoing attempts to redefine the role and function of the state in our new global environment. I am particularly intrigued by trends concerning the evolving parameters of the creation and distribution of the wealth in the 21st century, resulting in almost entirely novel forms of economic and social environments that extend across the globe. I am very excited by what I see as ongoing paradigm transformations in how we critically analyze state institutions.

 I look forward to immersing myself in new understandings of the state's role within our globally interconnected civilization, where each part is defined in its relationship to the whole. I want to explore new state paradigms that entail preconditions for the avoidance of further polarization of wealth both between and within nation-states. Being able to fully immerse myself for the next few years in studying our newly emergent interconnectedness as nation-states, and the ramifications that this has for public policy development; this will be my greatest joy. I want to become part of the search for new patterns of creating and distributing wealth that will help us to foster more stable social environments both on global and national levels.

 Ten years from now, I would like to be a professor at a University and to teach classes that critically examine globalization and how this concept is intricately related to a myriad of challenging issues in economics. I hope to focus on the critical analysis of both theoretical and practical models of wealth redistribution and to enhance my teaching skills with additional pedagogical practice and exposure.

 I speak and write Italian, although my English is much better. My professional experience is probably the most vital part of my application.  I now have ten years of professional experience in programming and project management on behalf of Slovak government institutions. In the first half of my career, I was actively engaged in the process of Slovakia’s accession to the European Union, including the process of harmonization of the Slovak legislation to the European Union Law. Later, I was responsible, for example, for the coordination and preparation of structural funds for the Slovak Republic for the period comprised of 2004-2006 and 2007-2013. I was actively engaged in the negotiation process headed by the European Commission related to the new European legislation on structural funds for the period 2007-2013. My most outstanding professional achievement so far has been the fact that I was deeply involved in the preparation of two primary Slovak documents, the National Development Plan and the National Strategic Reference Framework, which defined the strategy for social and economic developments in the Slovak Republic for the periods 2004 - 2006 and 2007 – 2013.

 Another four years of my career were devoted to projects financed by the Official Slovak Development Assistance Fund. I administered projects mainly in Western Balkan countries. Projects were focused on promoting civil society, capacity building, the support of multiethnic communities, and social development. Thus, I have been developing insight into the variety of challenges presented to both Third, as well as Second World (Slovakia) economies. I have prepared development projects for disabled survivors of land mines, helping them to set up their own businesses, in drying fruits and vegetables. The project significantly improved the socio-economic conditions of one of the most vulnerable groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a result, I feel that I am a candidate with an extensive background in the formulation, implementation, and monitoring of large programs and projects. Thus, I will have the kind of background that will enable me to excel in your program.

 I have spent significant amounts of time in almost all of the Balkan states, for example, in addition to nearly all of Europe. I have completed two internships, one for the European Commission, XXXX Regional Policy (2 months), and the other for the XXXX Centre for Local Development, Trento, Italy (9 months). I feel that I have developed a solid academic foundation, and I am a hard worker when it comes to my studies. I have a deep and versatile interest in world economics and especially poverty reduction strategies.

 I look forward to your program to develop an extensive knowledge of development obstacles and challenges for Third World economies. Towards this end, I hope to make numerous, firm friendships with colleagues from developing nations who are also studying in your program. I am sensitive to the needs of others, and I am as enthusiastic as I am optimistic. The most significant contribution that I might be able to make to society would be to share the knowledge and experiences that I am acquiring with others. I look forward to influencing young people, and in this way, contributing to progressive thinking, not only in my country but in the international academic community. Your doctoral program in international law and economics at XXXX University is my first choice to complete my education and attain a terminal degree in my field. I especially admire the fact that you encourage your doctoral students to go abroad to carry out research. I look forward to contributing to the diversity of your academic community and assure you that I will give my all to your program.