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Preparing Successful Applications for Major Fellowships
I. Planning Ahead
Find a coach:
- Athletes, musicians, etc. all depend on experienced mentors
who provide encouragment, criticism and guidance. Students pursuing
major fellowships need similar support. Find someone who can help
you explore your strengths and weaknesses, reveal your passions
and dreams and select experiences to help you demonstrate who
you are.
- Think strategically about yourself.
- Choose experiences, courses and activities that build on each
other. Be planful in choosing between various options for how
you will be engaged with the college and the community.
Practice speaking on you own behalf:
One of the more challeneging aspects of competing for major awards
is often the need to be your own best spokesperson.
- Keep a journal of activities, accyou have a good set of concrete
examples to use when describing who you are and what you have
accomplished.
- Listen to how other people talk about themselves. What seems
like bragging? What seemes effective?
II. Letters of Reccomendation
You will be asked to provide letters from individuals who know
you in a variety of ways. it takes time and strategic thinking to
develop relationships with faculty, staff, and others from outside
the College who can write these letters.
Examples of What Letter Writers are Asked to Discuss:
Truman Scholarship (3 letters)
- Please address the candidate's personal characteristics (confidence,
persuasiveness, diligence, conviction, vitality, poise, and so
forth) which you feel contribute to the candidate's leadership
abilities
- Describe a significant contribution made by the candidate through
one or more public service, community or goverment-related activities.
Please also address the candidate's values, interests, goals,
and/or ambitions that represent commitment to a career in goverment
or elsewhere in public service.
- Discuss the candidate's intelligence, academic performance,
analytical abilities abd other characteristics which you think
contribute to success in graduate school.
Watson Fellowship (2 letters)
"In selecting Watson Fellows, we are most concerned with holistically
identifying individuals who demonstrate strong ethical character,
intelligence, imagination, vision, and leadership potential. In
addition to you comments on the candidate's character, intellect,
integrity, and promise, we would appreciate your candid assessment
of the proposed project; the candidate's capacity to undertake it
with independence, cultural sensitivity, and resourcefulness; and
the probability of the candidate deriving genuine benefit from it."
Rhodes Scholarship (5 to 8 letters, 4 of which must be
from faculty)
Critical Selection Criteria:
- Proven intellectual and academic achievement of a high standard
- Integrity of character
- Interest in and respect for their fellow beings
- Ability to lead
- The energy to use their talents to the full (must demonstrate
"physical vigor")
Faculty should provide a detailed assessment of the candidate's
academic qualifications athough assessment of the other qualities
is helpful.
Strategies for Cultivating Relationships
- Take more than one class from the same professor. Talk to that
person outside of class about your plans, goals, current activities,
etc. Suggest they keep a file of your interactions with you for
future reference.
- Think about your strengths. What activities have you been engaged
in that will demonstrate these characteristics? Who will be able
to attest to them? Ask people to make a record in their files
about their work with you while it is still fresh in their minds.
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