It is my pleasure state my interest and apply for a Chinese Government Scholarship, to study a complete my Master’s studies BackgroundI completed my undergraduate studies in Banking ; Finance at the College of The Bahamas (“COB”), now University of The Bahamas, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.08 in December 2014. My program focused specifically on Private Banking and Trust Administration and consisted of courses in Statistics, Trust Administration, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Investment, Accounting and Corporate Finance, through which I gained profound knowledge in these areas. In my final year, I conducted research regarding the relationship between Job Satisfaction and Ethical Decision Making using. While engaged in full-time studies at COB, I also took up leadership roles in the College of The Bahamas Union of Students at my college where I served as Secretary on the Board, as well as Senator for the School of Business while also working full time as a Teller at Scotiabank (Bahamas) Limited. My duties as a Teller consisted of performing foreign exchange transactions, wire transfers, bill payments, bank drafts, deposits, withdrawals, and providing excellent customer service while using applied knowledge of Anti-money laundering policies and relevant banking laws.After completion of my undergraduate studies, I obtained a job at the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (“Commission”), which is the regulatory body for the securities industry in The Bahamas, in June 2015. I was initially employed as an Administrative Assistant within the Inspections Department.
However, due to my excellent work ethic, positive attitude and eagerness to expand my technical knowledge, I received two (2) promotions and I am now a currently a Senior Officer in the Inspections Department, responsible for planning and leading onsite examinations of Commission registrants. During my tenor at the Commission, I have also been selected to attend international training at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington DC, USA, in 2017 with a specific focus on market oversight and enforcement of securities regulations. My profound interest in securities markets and compliance also allowed me to be selected to participate in the upcoming International Organization of Securities Commissions (“IOSCO”) training in Madrid, Spain as well as assist with the IOSCO assessment of The Bahamas. In addition to this, I successfully sat the Series 7 (General Securities Broker) examination issued by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) in 2016. This examination focused on topics such as equity securities, debt securities, mutual funds, securities regulations, option trading and margin trading.
In February 2017, I obtained the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (“CAMS”) designation, which is a compliance/anti-money laundering designation issued by the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (“ACAMS”).Reasons for Applying for a Master’s Degree in FinanceMy current goals are to have a strong foundation in finance and develop international business management skills which will progress my career in finance. Moreover, I wish to take on future management roles as well as successfully sit the Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”) examination whereby I would be a part of the further shaping of the financial industry of my country.
To achieve my career goals, it is imperative that I become more knowledgeable of current developments and techniques in finance, financial markets, and financial applications as well as acquire hands-on experience of financial analysis. Obtaining a Master’s Degree will provide me with theoretical understanding, and managerial decision-making and research skills which will enable me to develop an expertise in the core areas of finance.While my employment at the Commission has allowed me to gain significant exposure within the financial industry through hands-on training and participation in international conferences, I feel the need to gain more technical knowledge to equip myself with a better understanding of the financial industry.
Moreover, as my job requires me to work with highly skilled and knowledgeable industry professionals and conduct assessments of each registrant’s systems, processes and procedures for compliance with securities legislation, I wish to leverage my existing skills with the knowledge of finance and management that I would receive through my completion of a Master’s Degree in Finance. Further to this, as I am now working in a supervisory capacity, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Finance would equip me for functioning in a management role and providing sound guidance to other staff.My interest, however, goes deeper than the aforementioned reasons as I have a keen interest in the global financial industry and understand the importance of gaining technical knowledge of the industry. For this reason, I deem it important to equip myself with the knowledge required to compete and sustain myself in the global environment. Why do I want to study in China?I have chosen to pursue master’s studies in China because it is indeed a global leader economically and has a reputation for its high scholastic standards which results in the quality education provided by its universities. After conducting research on China’s graduate programs, I am certain that China cannot only offer me the quality education I need to achieve my goal, but also a keen understanding of the global economy as China is a member of G-20, FATF, and IOSCO, in addition to being the largest exporter globally.
As someone whose interest is in finance, China being a force to reckon in trade, provides the perfect environment for the study and research as a Masters student in the field of Business. I am eager to learn about the business practices conducted in China, as well as the opportunity to meet others with the same goals as I can use insight gained from my studies as well as from each individual I meet to acquire invaluable transferable skills which I can tailor and apply in my country. Moreover, I am a firm believer that to be successful in today’s economy, one must have international exposure.In addition to the aforementioned reasons, I am also interested in immersing myself in China’s diverse and rich culture as well as a chance to learn one of the most widely used languages in Asia, mandarin. As the Chinese presence is increasing in the Bahamas, learning mandarin would accelerate me on the path to success and would further enhance Chinese Bahamian relations.While I have the option of paying for a Master’s degree out of pocket while working, I prefer to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone and learn about a profound new culture which is why I believe the Chinese Government Scholarship represents a unique opportunity for me to open my eyes wider at the world, and to develop my self-confidence and independence.
Study GoalsI would like to continue my academic career by pursuing a postgraduate degree at either of the following universities:• University of International Business and Economics – Masters in Finance starting 1 September 2018• Nanchang University – Masters of Business Administration starting 1 September 2018• Beijing Foreign Studies University – Masters in Finance starting 6 September 2018My choice of these universities is motivated by the high academic standards and potential of the faculty that can train me. This master program with up-to-date developments and all trends and changes in the industry will definitely enhance my scope of research and equip me with a comprehensive understanding of business.Among many topics, I am primarily interested in International Financial Markets ; Investments, Operations Management, Strategic Management, and International Trade Practice. And as a future business leader, I am required to have expert knowledge in these areas.
I am certain that the work required by my prospective university will equip me with the necessary knowledge and skills. At the end of all my Master’s degree course, I plan to help improve the corporate governance application in my country’s business environment as well as to assist with the tailoring of financial legislation through my newly imparted knowledge of finance.Although this will be very challenging, I believe I possess the necessary skills and determination to prove myself a worthy candidate if the privilege to pursue this Master’s program is bestowed upon me. Thank you for your consideration and time, and I am looking forward to hearing from you.
