Writing Essays for National Fellowships - Yale … Powerpoint... · Writing Essays for National...

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.