While I was born in New York, I spent every summer growing up in Croatia, my parents being the lucky ones who escaped from our homeland during the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia. My relatives from Vukovar had to flee their homes which were later destroyed. They were considered "displaced persons" and had to live in camps before finally being settled in another part of the country. As a result, I am a young man with a great deal of sensitivity to questions of social conflict. I express my frustrations, desires, and dreams for greater social harmony through IT. I am intimately involved with the development of communal online identities and social functions, in my case in particular, Croatians in the Diaspora.
The greatest contribution that I might be able to make to society would be to promote global harmony. I am interested in pursuing a Master of Science in Information Systems from Pace University. This degree would solidify what I have already learned and give me further confidence in pursuing goals. I would do great in your program since I have an ardent desire to learn more to achieve higher goals. A master's degree would be the logical next step for me considering my career path so far.
I have lived in the NYC area all my life. I grew up in a suburb and for the past 10 years I have lived in Queens. My parents immigrated to the US from Croatia (which at the time was part of Yugoslavia).
After completing my undergraduate degree in Communications with a concentration in film and television in 1995, I backpacked throughout Europe and ended up working in Zagreb, Croatia. I worked for a non-profit organization called the Croatian Information Center. This organization organized and sponsored cultural events throughout the country. This job gave me the opportunity to see and learn about the country and people firsthand. While I had vacationed there in the past during the summer, living and working there gave me a unique experience that I would not have been able to experience otherwise. The experience also strengthened my already fluent knowledge of the language. Among many responsibilities I assumed while working there, one was videotaping these sponsored events and producing programs that were broadcast via satellite to North America. I videotaped these cultural events which included traditional folk dancing and speeches and dissertations by local and foreign scholars and historians. This was all done on a simple editing machine attached to a computer which I learned to use to help me with my editing responsibilities (using it for displaying tests and simple graphics on the videos).
Since the organization I worked at was heavily tied to Croatian diaspora around the world, internet communications were vital to communicate. The internet also allowed me to communicate easily with friends and family around the world as well as reading current news from back home. I quickly grasped the new tool we had, and I quickly became the unofficial local computer expert. I found helping people use the computer rewarding and realized this was a role I was extremely comfortable with.
Returning to the United States in 1999, I started working at website design company. During this time, I built and configured and maintained the servers hosting the websites as well as creating the content which included knowledge of HTML, graphic editing, and databases. I eventually moved on to supporting hardware and applications in a corporate environment for companies like Verizon Communications, United Health Care, and my current employer Consolidated Edison, one of the largest energy companies in the United States.
Everything I have learned has been through books, manuals, researching on the internet, and my peers. Throughout my career I have come in contact and worked with many knowledgeable people in varied roles. This work experience has been invaluable, but a degree would solidify all of what I have learned. My commitment to my career has brought me here. I have strong troubleshooting skills and a genuine curiosity of how technology works.
I see computers, the internet, and technology as great tools for people to learn and communicate. Obtaining my MS in Computer Science would allow me to pursue the future path on which I am on.
Since April of 2007 I have been a Systems Analyst at ConEdison. I provide desktop support for mechanics out in the fields as well as management employees. I provide end users with the tools and software they need to complete their jobs quickly and efficiently. ConEd is an excellent environment for working in IT. A master's degree in information systems from Pace would really help me to continue providing excellent IT support to ConEd. With more knowledge of the field acquired from the degree I will be able to make better decisions on the career path I would like to choose.
I have most of my family in Croatia. Everyone was affected by the war. (is it "effected by" or "affected by?") As a result of the war many people had to postpone school, the economy was terrible, and some people were forced to move. The diaspora is important to me. As a first-generation Croatian in NY, I am unique because of the way I was brought up and my travels to my parent’s birthplace. I see things with a unique perspective that is broader than people whose parents didn't expose them to another culture that is rich in old world values and traditions. I feel like I enjoy the best of both worlds (old and new).
MS CSIS Computer Science Statement Information Systems
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