Expanding Knowledge to The Human World: Pro Humanitate: College Admission Essay Sample

Music has played an important role in the developement of my esteem and character. When I was in middle school band, I can remember my teacher making our class do breathing exercises, playing tests, and scales over and over in order for us to improve our playing. When I first began to play the flute, I remember being out of breath and dizzy after practicing. Soon, that feeling went away as I began to become more comfortable with my playing. I would never have been able to learn about music if it wasn't for the education received from my band directors, music minister, and flute teacher. All of these people provided me with musical knowledge and skill.

I find that music is an education that can be felt by everyone. I have found myself playing in handbell choirs whose mission is to reach people through the music. For example, I was able to see elderly people in a nursing home who are unable to help themselves or think for themselves show emotion as we played simple holiday songs on the handbells. These emotions, both happiness and sentimentality, touched their entire family. Because of their response, our musical education was used as outreach to help others receive comfort in even a small way.

I also learned what it meant to be a music teacher. I took on the challenge of giving a little girl flute lessons. I was excited about teaching her something that has touched my own life, but nervous at the same time. It was very difficult for her to focus on learning, and I did have to push her. The frustration that I felt when she was not playing led me to believe that this was my own fault. I went back to the persistence that those teachers I have had in my past have taken when dealing with my own education. Althought it is not an achievement which involves compensation, I was able to touch this little girl's life by introducing her to music. Her happiness spread through her family, and I felt very grateful for helping her. It was disappointing at first to see little improvement in her playing, and it made me realize how hard my own music teachers must work. But as the number of lessons increased, so did her progression into learning notes and music. I began to understand the amount of cooperation and patience that my own educators have had to take when nurturing me, and it made me develop a new approach and appreciation for teachers.

Pro Humanitate states that there is more to the education process then acquiring knowledge and skills. Education is still an important factor in Pro Humanitate and serves an important and necessary function in life, but Pro Humanitate gives education a broader purpose and altitude which includes a deeper meaning and direction. Using the intellectual, social, and spiritual values that are learned in different types of education, Pro Humanitate encourages taking what is learned and looking beyond the immediate and mundane to the greater questions of life and vocation. Learning is an important part of life; but without using one's talents or gifts, it is wasted. Connecting information into the improvement of society is what is special about Pro Humanitate. Education is not limited to an institution. It is rather a lifelong process transcending formal education. Pro Humanitate is a lifelong commitment which is a rewarding privilege of gaining that education.

The goal of Pro Humanitate in my own life is to take knowledge that I have acquired through education, privileges, and life experiences, and incorporate that into helping humanity, whether by doing something large or something small. My musical skills that I have learned through the institutions of school and church have led me into working with others. I hope in the future I can use my skills in not only a career, but also for the betterment of others.