Please submit a personal statement not to exceed the equivalent of one, double-spaced page. The
statement should include your thoughts on the following topic: As part of a Jesuit institution, the
program is built on the Ignatian values of Cura Personal is, (personal concern for the individual), Magis
(striving toward excellence, seeking the greater good), women and men for and with others (promoting
justice, serving communities), and contemplation-in-action (mindfulness, critical self-reflection, and
ethical decision making). How do these values fit with your educational and professional goals?
Ignatian values of Cura Personal
- Through my life I have been taught and come to understand that we must be willing to help those in
need. My parents instilled the importance of this when I was younger explaining that we must be willing
to help those who are in need or less fortunate, because we may need their help at some point in our
life. I started to fully understand this through youth group experience, when I was allowed the
opportunity to build three houses for habitat for humanity. When I was able to meet the individuals who
I had help build a house for and see the true appreciation and gratitude I began to understand how
much of an impact I had helped make in their life with just a little bit of help. Through my college
experience, this understanding was evermore increased when I was privileged enough to take part in a
medical mission trip to Guatemala. Through this trip we traveled to several very secluded villages high in
the mountains to provide much needed assistance that the villagers would otherwise would not have
received what we may consider basic care. The individuals in these villages had very little, if any, basic
medical availability, as well as lack of basic things that we take for granted, like fresh water and latrines.
In each of these villages we provided basic dental, medical, and educational care to as many of the
villagers as possible. We also built two to four latrines per village. This trip truly touched my life and I
will never forget my experiences there, as well has helped me realize that we are not here to just strive
for personal gain but to help those around us along the way. As a physical therapist I will be entrusted to
provide the best care that I can provide to my patients. As I have seen through my shadowing
experiences, a physical therapist is not only connected to their patients, they also find joy from the
achievements or progress of their patients as well as grief from the setback or failures. Through my
experiences I have been able to shadow sever great physical therapist and experience both
achievements and failures of their patients. Seeing both of these situations I was able to understand
that as a physical therapist I will have a connection to my patients and that I must help them to achieve
as much as possible.
Magis
As a student I strive toward excellence working hard in class and in study and putting in full effort into
the work that I do. Through my high school and college career I have not only been a driven student,
taking classes that have not only challenged myself but have allowed me to pursue the path of becoming
a Physical therapist, I have also been highly involved in extracurricular activities and athletics. Through
high school I was a 4 sport athlete participating in football, track, wrestling, baseball, and I chose to
continue my athletics into college where I have been on the varsity wrestling squad for four years. I have
chosen to stay highly involved I school and with activities outside of school to strive toward my full
potential in all aspects of life. I have also found that being involved in sport and other activities requires
myself to hold higher standard not only in those activities but in academia as well.
women and men for and with others
As I have already mentioned I have choses and still chose to be very involved with organizations that
serve the community. As a physical therapist I will be allowed the opportunity to serve the community
by helping individuals achieve their fullest contribution to the community. As a physical therapist I will
help my patients recover from injuries or surgeries which will in turn allow them to return to their
position in the community, which they would likely not be able to return to without proper
rehabilitation.
contemplation-in-action
Through my life I have had to make many decisions, as we all do. Many of these decisions have affected
where I am at today in my life and where I have yet to go on my life’s journey. In high school I had to
make many tough decisions such as, do I want to go out and part with some of my friends and risk the
consequences that could affect my future, or when choosing the classes I was to take would I take the
easy classes and slide by or would I honor classes and get a head start on my college career. In both of
these situations I chose to take the hard choice and pass up partying with friend and I took the hard
classes to work toward my future instead of making the then present easier. Although I may not have
accepted it then I can now look back and say that those decisions helped me in the long run and help me
every day with decisions that I make. Some of these decisions have been easy and some have been
more difficult, but I have found that if I weigh the options and consider the outcomes that I am able to
make good out of some tough situations. Through my college experience I have had to make many
decisions, some of which have greatly made an impact on my life such as choosing to go on the medical
mission trip that I mentioned earlier. Through all of my experiences I have found that sometimes the
easy decision is not the right decisions and that when I have had to work for something that the end
result is much more appreciated.
Describe any personal events or life circumstances that have impacted your academic performance in
such a way that your record may not adequately reflect your potential for success in the program.
X
At Creighton University, we are committed to building a diverse educational community with students of
varying talents, abilities, experiences, opinions, and backgrounds. How would you contribute to this
diversity?
I am a small town Nebraska boy, born and raised in Hebron, with a population of 1500. Being from a
small town has allowed me to understand the importance of relationships with those around you. I have
grown up expecting to know almost every single person that I see when I am in town. This may not seem
like a big deal but, with this I have learned the importance in treating those around you with respect and
the importance of lending a helping hand.
One talent that may set me apart from others is that I consider myself a decent horsemen. I have been
involved with 4-H since I was young and one of my first projects was riding horses. I chose to continue
this all through my 4-H career and was able to become well versed in almost anything to do with a
horse. I went to state in judging, I can ride a horse in anything from barrels and poles to showmanship, I
can trim my horse’s hooves, and last but not least I was allowed the opportunity to train my own horse
from a cult to being able to ride in competition. For anyone who has ever had the opportunity to work
with a horse that isn’t broke to be ridden, they know very well that it is not only a very testing challenge
both physically and mentally, but it is also something that requires a huge amount of commitment. With
my cult I went riding every night for hours upon hours trying to allow him to become comfortable with a
saddle and a rider on his back. I am proud to say that after all of my hard work and time dedicated that I
was able to rime him for my final two years of 4-H and that my sisters are currently riding him in 4-H.
I have been wrestling since around the age of 6. I have been immersed in this sport, and many others
like football, track, baseball, and basketball. From youth sport on into my college career where I have
continued to wrestle for four years, I have had my fair share of grueling practices and competitions
which have taught me valuable lessons not only in sport but in life. One of the biggest lessons that I have
come to understand, is work ethic. Through my experiences I have come to understand that sometimes
in order to achieve your dreams and aspirations you may have to endure some pain or do something
that you would not prefer. I will never forget my high school coach explaining this very simply when he
said, “If you really want the prize that bad you must be willing to hurt for it.” At the time I may not have
appreciated the full meaning of this but I have come to realize that that can be put into many other
situations in life. This work ethic that I have been taught will not only drive me to reach my dreams, it
will also push me to do my best in all aspects of life.