PERSONAL STATEMENT
As I mentioned in my introduction, my name is Cristian Avalos, and I am currently a Senior at the University of Illinois, at Urbana-Champaign studying Sport Management. To many people's surprise, I originally enrolled at Dickinson College as a Freshman, pursuing a degree in International Business & Management. I chose to attend Dickinson College because I received a scholarship to study and play my favorite sport of soccer at a prestigious institution on the East coast; however, after transferring from Dickinson, I finally decided to pursue my true passion of working in the sports industry.
​
Throughout the entirety of my life, sports have always provided me with joy and satisfaction. From playing my first soccer game at the age of 5 to continuing my soccer career here on the Illinois Men's Club Soccer team, sports have always been an integral part of my life. For this reason, I decided to pursue a degree that could help others receive the same pleasure and happiness that I experience every time I attend a sporting event, compete and participate in soccer, baseball, and basketball, and support my favorite professional sports franchise. I believe that sports has the ability to not only bring smiles to people's faces but also bring people together, uniting communities all around the world.
Just as one of my role models, Nelson Mandela, once said, "Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers." Through sport, I aim to change the world just as he did even if it is just a little step at a time.
​
Lastly, I have always found myself to be an individual driven by motivation, determination, and commitment. In essence, I always strive to finish what I have started. I am not a person to let failure to deter me from succeeding in everything I do. In addition, I am a very outgoing and extroverted individual, constantly interacting and communicating with others on a daily basis. I am also a quick learner and am willing to contribute in any way possible. Through my experiences, I have built long-lasting relationships, established life-long friends, acquired vital skills, improved my strengths, minimized my weaknesses, and have become a better overall individual in all that I do. I could not be more thankful for all of that I have experienced and cannot contain my excitement for what the future holds.
​
​
