May 12, 2017

New York State of Opportunity

Empire State Development
Dear Internship Selection Committee:

My name is Kenzo Tsuru and I am a third-year student studying Science and Technology Studies with a
concentration in Pre-Law at Tandon and a cross school minor in psychology at the College of Arts and Science.
I am interested in interning for the Office of Chief of State. I believe that I am qualified for this position since
my active interest in government, technical background, and collaboration skills.

My interest in government has long preceded my college career. As a child, I had a deep fascination with the
history of the United States and our progress since then. I pursued AP classes within social studies to sate this
fascination and I was the secretary for my high schools Model United Nations club at my high school. I helped
establish a foundation for the future of the organization. Unfortunately, my time with them was cut short
because of athletic extracurricular activities and academics. I began to study mechanical engineering at NYU
but realized after two years that my passion was not invested on science and technology but how those fields
can impact societies and cultures. It is my belief that the exclusion of science from politics only damages the
federal infrastructure of our future. We believe science to be an objective field independent of the world
surrounding it, but it is important to note that politics affect all research fields. These technologies can further
improve the lives of the disenfranchised by providing better access to healthcare, education, and housing.

I believe that my technical background would be able to provide a novel perspective within the political
community. Politicians typically have a degree within politics or law providing these individuals with a
thorough understanding of the infrastructure of this government but many do not have the knowledge
pertaining to the technology now on the market. It takes someone with a basic understanding of these
products to be able to determine the potential harm. For example, how could predictive algorithms influence
the healthcare industry if doctors and nurses were able to predict the number of patients coming and the
diseases they are infected with? Would they begin by treating the women and children? Or would they
prioritize wealthy individuals while marginalizing the disenfranchised?

Although not related to the political field, I have held multiple jobs where teamwork was essential. I worked
within the service industry at McDonalds and Movie Tavern where I oversaw bussing, expediting and taking
orders, as well as delivering them. At these locations, I learned how to be patient with both the client and the
job while improving my communication skills. These skills continued to develop with my position as a
supervisor for the Admissions Ambassadors program with NYUs Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Some
of the responsibilities under this role include facilitating both large and small scale events for the university,
addressing questions from prospective students/families, and manage and coordinate a team of 150+
ambassadors while assisting a team of admissions counselors and assistants.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I appreciate this opportunity to apply for the intern position under
Office of Chief of Staff and I believe that my skills and abilities make me a good addition to the team. I hope
that I can meet in person to further explain my qualifications. I can be reached at 404-433-1554 or at
kat433@nyu.edu. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Kenzo Tsuru