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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
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OutlineIntroductions
Structure:1.Planning2.Strategies3.Prewriting4.Drafting5.Revising
Generalwritingadviceaboutfellowshipwriting
Raiseyourhandtoaskquestions
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PlanningTIMELINE
§spring
§earlysummer
§August
§September
§October&November
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PlanningTHINGS TO CONSIDER
1.Thisisnotyourcollegeadmissionsessay.
2.NooutsidefeedbackisallowedforRhodesandMitchellapplications.
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PlanningYOUR GOAL
Topersuade youraudience toawardyouthescholarship
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PlanningYOUR GOAL
Topersuadeyouraudiencetoawardyouthescholarship
YOUR THESIS
Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.
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Strategies1.PLANNING YOUR DOCUMENTS
Notethestructureoftheapplication.Whatdocumentsareyoubeingaskedtosubmit?
Planhowyouwilltellyourstoryacrossmultipledocuments(orperhapsonlyone).
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
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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.”
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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.”
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Strategies1.PLANNING YOUR DOCUMENTS (MOTIVATING ACADEMIC PROGRAM)
“TheNationalHighwaySafetyAdministrationestimatesthat25percentofalltrafficaccidentscanbeattributedtodriverdistraction.Thistestifiestothefactthatofalloftheinformationthatentersoureyesatanygivenmoment,onlyafractionentersourawareness.Whatneuralmechanismsunderliethisphenomenon?Iwanttostudyhowthebraincreatessubjectivevisualawareness...”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
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Strategies2.TAILORING TO THE SCHOLARSHIP
Scholarshipslookfordifferentthingsintheircandidates
Rhodes:“Candidateswillalsoberequiredtoshowintegrityofcharacter,interestinandrespectfortheirfellowbeings,theabilitytolead,andtheenergytousetheirtalentstothefull.ApplicantsshouldbeabletodemonstratethevigorwhichwillenableRhodesScholarstomakeaneffectivecontributiontotheworldaroundthem.”
Marshall:“TheSelectorswilllookforcandidateswhohavethepotentialtoexcelasscholars,asleadersandascontributorstoimprovedUK-USunderstanding.Assessmentwillbebasedonacademicmerit,leadershippotentialandambassadorialpotential.”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
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Strategies3.MAKING YOUR CASE
Yourexperienceisyourevidencefortheclaimsyoumakeaboutyourself.
“Ateight,IscouredtheplaygroundsofNorthCarolinaforsharks’teeth.Attwenty-one,IpassmysummersonarchaeologicalsitesinEuropehuntingthetracespeopleleftovereight-thousandyearsago.IdonotremembereverconsciouslythinkingthatIwantedtobeanarchaeologist.Nevertheless,Ihavebeenabsorbedintoafieldthatletsmeexercisemypassions:forthewrittenword,forteachingandexploringtheworldaroundme,aswellastheworldthatoncewas.”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
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Strategies3.MAKING YOUR CASE
Yourexperienceisyourevidencefortheclaimsyoumakeaboutyourself.
“VolunteerworkcataloguingtheBabedh-Draskeletalcollectionandindependentresearchexploringmetabolicdiseases’effectsontheskullusingCTimagingtechnologyhavetaughtmetherealityofprofessionalresearch.”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
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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
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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
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Strategies5.STANDING OUT
Transcendcliché.
Prewritingexercise:1. WhataretheclichésofapersonwhowouldapplytotheprogramI
am?2. InwhatwaystoIembodythoseclichés?3. InwhatwaysdoIdefythem?
Don’tstretch.Thenuancedtruthaboutyouwillalwaystranscendthecliché.
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
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Strategies5.STANDING OUT
“Myfirstappreciationofthebrainasanorganofawarenesswassopowerfultomebecauseitgavemeawaytoapproach,scientifically,thesameproblemwithwhichShakespearewasgrappling:whatdoesitmeantobeahumanbeing?Thebookshelvesinmychildhoodhomearenotfullofneurosciencetextbooks,butofplays,gatheredovertheyearsbymyonce-actorparents.ThisiswhatIwasraisedon;Icomefromhumanitiesstock...ItwasnotuntilmyfirstyearatYalethatIrealizedIcoulddrawonmypassionforscienceaswellasculturetoengageabroaderpublicsphere.”
“Mybackground,mycharacter,andmyfuturegoalsmakemeanexcellentfitfortheprogramIamproposing.”
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PrewritingWRITING EXERCISE (PART 1)
Describeanacademicprogramyoumightapplyto.(2mins.)
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PrewritingWRITING EXERCISE (PART 2)Yourbackground Yourcharacter Yourfuturegoals Things otherscan say
aboutyou
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DraftingOutlinefirst!Choosetheelementsfromyourgridyou’dliketoincludeinyourstatementandhowyouwanttoarrangethem.
Considerhowtheshapeofyourstoryaffectsthemeaningofitsparts.
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DraftingReadthefirstparagraphofthesamplestatement(pages5-7ofyourpacket)
Labeltheparagraphasyouwrite:
B:background
C:character
F:futuregoals
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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
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RevisingSTYLE GOAL
Beclear,vivid,anddirect.
Don’ttrytoimpressanyonewithcomplexsentencesorfancyvocabulary.
Don’tusedisciplinaryjargon.
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RevisingTEST THE STYLE YOURSELF
1. Expressactionswithverbs
2. Limit“tobe”verbs(is,are,was,were)
3. Limituseofadjectivesandadverbs
4. Beconcise
5. Proofread!
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Final MotivationAPPLYING IS GOOD FOR YOU!
Practicetalkingaboutyourself.
Avaluableopportunitytoreflectonwhatmakesyouhappiest.
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Final ReflectionPleasewriteone(ormore)thingsyou’restillwonderingaboutonthelastpageofyourpacket.