To Whom It May Concern,

 

Hello my name is Parris Whittingham and I am a student at SUNY Purchase College in New York. This will be my forth year in university. Ironically, I did not think college was the place for me until I had the good fortune of receiving a scholarship by AFS to study abroad in Brazil (for one year) during my senior year of high school. Although I was a bit ambivalent at first, by the year’s end, I had acquired Portuguese as a second language and made a host of international friends. Living in Brazil I witnessed firsthand the influence that education and opportunity play in shaping the lives and career paths of young people. I decided then that unlike most of my friends in Harlem … I was going to college.

 

The last three years have opened me up to experiences I never dreamed of. To date I have been awarded the American Dream Scholarship by the United Negro College Fund and The Richard B. Fisher Fellowship. Being in college has given me the freedom to study subjects outside of the Theater Conservatory of which I am a member including: marketing; money and banking; arts management; and poetry. These courses (specifically money and banking) have helped to support my interest in global world studies and the international divide.

This summer, with the help of the Harlem Children’s Zone (an outstanding group that I have worked with and for since age 15), I was able to intern as a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley. As a Financial Control Group summer analyst, I was bestowed with the task of familiarising myself with the Project Management Office. By the end of the ten-week programme, I was able to facilitate a presentation on the project life cycle and the planning phase of a project. During my time at Morgan Stanley I attended a wonderful talkback session about the “Chinese Super-cycle” led by economist Stephen Roach. Around this time, I was also given a copy of Project Management Magazine [PMI Today, the PMI Global Congress 2007 Asia] that featured keynote speaker Chandran Nair.

 

Upon reading the article, I was impressed with the way Mr Nair discussed some of the issues facing many regions throughout Asia. He humanised what is often theorised or plotted on an obscure graph. His words were not harsh but rather ominous; a caution of what is to come if we are not vigilant and accountable to our decisions. I was deeply moved. Moments later I found myself “Googling” the Global Institute For Tomorrow and writing my personal feedback on the contact page of the website. I wanted to help in whatever capacity my skills could be of use (photography, writing, research … anything). To my surprise and joy, Chandran wrote me back, personally, less than twelve hours later. A few emails later, he asked me: “Have you ever been to Asia?” I was speechless. Then came the official invitation to the Global Young Leaders Programme in Beijing … I gasped in excitement and cheered …then I remembered it was four in the morning and I most likely had awakened my whole building.

 

Travel, cultural understanding, the arts and most recently business are the crux of my educational development. This year, I have decided to leave the Theater Conservatory and finish up my college career with a focus on arts, media and emerging markets. This concentration will be comprised largely of independent studies as well as core classes in history and new media. The Global Young Leaders Programme would be my first independent study and it would serve as the framework for many of the projects I produce this semester and in my senior project. Ultimately, my goal is to create art and media (a website, documentary, research papers and photographs) that is informed by my findings. If the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, then I had better get moving while I still have time. For this reason, I am seeking sponsorship and support.

 

Sincerely,

Parris Whittingham