Dazhao’s Dream to serve America

Everyone in communist China knows about the United States.    At a very early age, I knew about the home of the free and the greatest democracy in the world.  When I had a chance to emigrate, my mind was already made up to see the beauty of this land and see our unique heritage.  Now, an American Citizen, I wish to participate in this Nation becoming a community leader, maybe a police chief or a mayor.

At the College of DuPage, I had the opportunity to serve on the Student Leadership Council.   We voted on many issues impacting the student body.  Imagine me, an immigrant from a one party government actually voting!  We helped a few people in small ways, yet, we saw seemingly small acts of leadership really affect people’s lives.     Recently, while watching the HBO mini-series on the life of President John Adams, it struck me how John Adams was an ordinary man who desired to do what was right and to help people.    He did not give in to the easy way and just kept working for justice.  He built a nation step by step. When watching a historic movie like this, I always put myself into the place of the character. What if it were me? What if the riotous people of Boston were against me, would I still do what is right?    He left his family in Boston and went to work in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.   It was hard on his family.    It was hard traveling by horse 319 miles each way. Good work is hard. John Adams started out life as a British subject.  I can identify with him. I started out life as a Chinese subject.  He worked with people of other colonies he did not know.   I work with people from other cultures also.    He made a difference, and I will make one also. And now, I have been patrolling the campus of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a student patrol officer.    My business is helping people and making sure people make smart decisions. When John Adams, the delegate from Massachusetts, nominated George Washington to be the commander of the army, Colonel Washington said that he was not equal to it, and that he did not deserve the honor.   But he said that if appointed he would serve to the best of his abilities.   You see I am already in public office and feel the duty to serve the citizens of my country to the best of my abilities.     And that means going to the best graduate program I can afford.   I humbly ask you to aid me to fund my graduate school expense, as John Adams believed in Colonel Washington. That is how history is made.