Writing Essays for National Fellowships REBEKAH WESTPHAL Director of Fellowship Programs Center for International and Professional Experience RYAN WEPLER Assistant Writing Center Director Center for Teaching and Learning
Writing Essays for National FellowshipsREBEKAHWESTPHALDirector o f Fe l lowsh ip ProgramsCenter for Internat iona l and Profess iona l Exper ience
RYANWEPLERAss i stant Wr i t ing Center D i rectorCenter for Teach ing and Learn ing
OutlineIntroductions
Structure:1.Planning2.Strategies3.Prewriting4.Drafting5.Revising
Generalwritingadviceaboutfellowshipwriting
Raiseyourhandtoaskquestions
PlanningTIMELINE
§spring
§earlysummer
§August
§September
§October&November
PlanningTHINGS TO CONSIDER
1.Thisisnotyourcollegeadmissionsessay.
2.NooutsidefeedbackisallowedforRhodesandMitchellapplications.
PlanningYOUR GOAL
Topersuade youraudience toawardyouthescholarship
PlanningYOUR GOAL
Topersuadeyouraudiencetoawardyouthescholarship
YOUR THESIS
Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.
Strategies1.PLANNING YOUR DOCUMENTS
Notethestructureoftheapplication.Whatdocumentsareyoubeingaskedtosubmit?
Planhowyouwilltellyourstoryacrossmultipledocuments(orperhapsonlyone).
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
Strategies1.PLANNING YOUR DOCUMENTS
• Rhodes – personalstatement(1000words)• Marshall – personalstatement(1000words),proposedacademicprogramme (500words),ambassadorialreflectionon“US-UKspecialrelationship”(500words)
• Mitchell – personalstatement(1000words)• Fulbright – personalstatement(onepage),statementofgrantpurpose(twopages)• Gates – personalstatement(3000characters,~500words)• Churchill – personalstatement(twopages),proposedprogramofstudy(onepage)• Schwartzman – personalstatement(750words),leadershipessay(750words),currentaffairsessay(500words),videointroduction(1minute)
• Beineke – personalstatement(1000words)• Truman – PolicyProposal(500words),14-questionapplication(includesleadershipstatement[2000characters],publicservicestatement[1700characters],&proposedacademicprogram[2000characters)
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
Strategies1.PLANNING YOUR DOCUMENTS (ACADEMIC PROGRAM)
Motive – whythesubjectisworthyofstudy&whyyouwanttostudyit.
Descriptionofprogram– programrequirements;keyfaculty&theirareasofexpertise
Yourexperience– howexperienceinthisfieldhaspreparedyourknowledge,yourcuriosity,yourpassion
Programfit(andwhyUK)– whythisisalogicalnextstepgivenyourexperience&futuregoals
2nd choiceprogram– oneshortparagraphattheend
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
Strategies1.PLANNING YOUR DOCUMENTS (MOTIVATING ACADEMIC PROGRAM)
“TheNationalHighwaySafetyAdministrationestimatesthat25percentofalltrafficaccidentscanbeattributedtodriverdistraction.Thistestifiestothefactthatofalloftheinformationthatentersoureyesatanygivenmoment,onlyafractionentersourawareness.Whatneuralmechanismsunderliethisphenomenon?Iwanttostudyhowthebraincreatessubjectivevisualawareness...”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
Strategies2.TAILORING TO THE SCHOLARSHIP
Scholarshipslookfordifferentthingsintheircandidates
Rhodes:“Candidateswillalsoberequiredtoshowintegrityofcharacter,interestinandrespectfortheirfellowbeings,theabilitytolead,andtheenergytousetheirtalentstothefull.ApplicantsshouldbeabletodemonstratethevigorwhichwillenableRhodesScholarstomakeaneffectivecontributiontotheworldaroundthem.”
Marshall:“TheSelectorswilllookforcandidateswhohavethepotentialtoexcelasscholars,asleadersandascontributorstoimprovedUK-USunderstanding.Assessmentwillbebasedonacademicmerit,leadershippotentialandambassadorialpotential.”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
Strategies3.MAKING YOUR CASE
Yourexperienceisyourevidencefortheclaimsyoumakeaboutyourself.
“Ateight,IscouredtheplaygroundsofNorthCarolinaforsharks’teeth.Attwenty-one,IpassmysummersonarchaeologicalsitesinEuropehuntingthetracespeopleleftovereight-thousandyearsago.IdonotremembereverconsciouslythinkingthatIwantedtobeanarchaeologist.Nevertheless,Ihavebeenabsorbedintoafieldthatletsmeexercisemypassions:forthewrittenword,forteachingandexploringtheworldaroundme,aswellastheworldthatoncewas.”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
Strategies3.MAKING YOUR CASE
Yourexperienceisyourevidencefortheclaimsyoumakeaboutyourself.
“VolunteerworkcataloguingtheBabedh-Draskeletalcollectionandindependentresearchexploringmetabolicdiseases’effectsontheskullusingCTimagingtechnologyhavetaughtmetherealityofprofessionalresearch.”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
Strategies4.CONSIDERING YOUR AUDIENCE
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
RhodesInterviewPanel• PaulDodyk – lawyeratCravath,Swaine,andMoore• GeorgeDavid(Host/Chair)– recentlyretiredCEOfromUnitedTech• DougEakeley (myleadinterviewer)– lawyeratLowensteinSandler• MurrayBiggs– Professor(Drama/Theater)atYaleUniversity• PeterDawkins– retired,ranforNJSenate,HeismanTrophyWinner• DanielleSered – lawyeratCommonJustice• Dr.AnnaWess – pediatricianatPhiladelphiaChildren’sHospital• CharlesConn– WardenofRhodesHouse
Strategies4.CONSIDERING YOUR AUDIENCE
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
MarshallInterviewPanel• ProfessorBrianERoberts– ProfessorofGov’tandEconomicsUT-Austin• ProfessorDavidAlexander – Physics&AstronomyDepartmentRiceU• ProfessorVirginiaAnderson– UofColoradoDepartmentofHistory• AndrewMillar– ConsulGeneralHouston• AuroraLosada – AssistantManagingEditorHoustonChronicle• Deisy Verdinez – CommunicationsOfficer BritishConsulateGeneralHouston
Strategies5.STANDING OUT
Transcendcliché.
Prewritingexercise:1. WhataretheclichésofapersonwhowouldapplytotheprogramI
am?2. InwhatwaystoIembodythoseclichés?3. InwhatwaysdoIdefythem?
Don’tstretch.Thenuancedtruthaboutyouwillalwaystranscendthecliché.
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
Strategies5.STANDING OUT
“Myfirstappreciationofthebrainasanorganofawarenesswassopowerfultomebecauseitgavemeawaytoapproach,scientifically,thesameproblemwithwhichShakespearewasgrappling:whatdoesitmeantobeahumanbeing?Thebookshelvesinmychildhoodhomearenotfullofneurosciencetextbooks,butofplays,gatheredovertheyearsbymyonce-actorparents.ThisiswhatIwasraisedon;Icomefromhumanitiesstock...ItwasnotuntilmyfirstyearatYalethatIrealizedIcoulddrawonmypassionforscienceaswellasculturetoengageabroaderpublicsphere.”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
PrewritingWRITING EXERCISE (PART 1)
Describeanacademicprogramyoumightapplyto.(2mins.)
PrewritingWRITING EXERCISE (PART 2)Yourbackground Yourcharacter Yourfuturegoals Things otherscan say
aboutyou
DraftingOutlinefirst!Choosetheelementsfromyourgridyou’dliketoincludeinyourstatementandhowyouwanttoarrangethem.
Considerhowtheshapeofyourstoryaffectsthemeaningofitsparts.
DraftingReadthefirstparagraphofthesamplestatement(pages5-7ofyourpacket)
Labeltheparagraphasyouwrite:
B:background
C:character
F:futuregoals
DraftingYourbackground Yourcharacter Yourfuturegoals
• WGSSmajor• Roosevelt internship(anti-
povertythinktank)• WorkwithNewOrleansPublic
Defender’sOffice• Realworldunderstandingof
poverty• Workinelectoralpolitics• Socialjusticeactivism• FellowshipdirectorforSNAP-
PAC• Writingtutor• OnlinepublicationsinSalon &
TheNation• Heavyinvolvementintheater
• Commitment tosocialjustice• Followsthroughonbeliefs• Empathetic• Optimistic• Goodlistener• Learnsfromexperience• Willingtogetherhandsdirty• Publicpolicynerd• Believesinthepowerof
advocatingfortheneedy
• Policymaker inUSgov’tagency• Challengeinstitutionalized
inequality• Welfare,education,andhousing
reforms• Breakcyclesofpoverty&
increasesocialmobility• Increaseautonomyandqualityof
lifeforpoorAmericans
RevisingSTYLE GOAL
Beclear,vivid,anddirect.
Don’ttrytoimpressanyonewithcomplexsentencesorfancyvocabulary.
Don’tusedisciplinaryjargon.
RevisingTEST THE STYLE YOURSELF
1. Expressactionswithverbs
2. Limit“tobe”verbs(is,are,was,were)
3. Limituseofadjectivesandadverbs
4. Beconcise
5. Proofread!
Final MotivationAPPLYING IS GOOD FOR YOU!
Practicetalkingaboutyourself.
Avaluableopportunitytoreflectonwhatmakesyouhappiest.
Final ReflectionPleasewriteone(ormore)thingsyou’restillwonderingaboutonthelastpageofyourpacket.