Becoming Competitive for National Scholarships and Fellowships

1. Becoming Competitivefor National Scholarshipsand Fellowships Presented by the Undergraduate Fellowships Office Laura Clippard Laura.Clippard@mtsu.edu 898-5464

2. Basic Steps Keep track of all your activities and the dates. Record your specific leadership roles-how did you make a difference? Ask advisors, faculty and even other students about ways to get involved, including study abroad, volunteering, research, etc. Keep up your grades.

3. Why Apply? Financial benefits Academic benefits Professional benefits Personal benefits

4. Common Goal with Varied Expectations The common goal of all of these scholarships and fellowships is recognizing excellence. They vary in terms of eligibility requirements, application procedures, and expectations for successful candidates.

5. Do You Have the Right Frame of Mind? It is important to keep in mind that all of these prestigious scholarships and fellowships are investments in excellence from which much is expected of the recipient. They are not rewards for good work done in the past. You have to have all of that, but you also have to show promise of continued excellence.

6. What is a Personal Statement? A personal statement is an essay, usually consisting of 500 to 1,000 words, which offers understanding of the kind of person you are and the life you want to live. It should be the product of deep reflection on who you are, how you got to be the way you are, and where you think you’re heading—not just in college or in your chosen career field, but in life itself.

7. Letters of Recommendation References should know you well. References should be able to make comments on your work habits and personal qualities. References should be able to list concrete evidence of your talents and back up superlatives with specific examples. Give at least a month’s notice to letter writers. Give each letter writer a resume, information on your goals, and academic passions.

8. Standing Out Leadership is more than just a list of activities—more does not equal better. How have you made a difference? Are your activities connected to your career goal and interests? Choose wisely & pursue passionately. Specific, innovative, meaningful.

9. Grades Do Count! Most scholarships want at least a 3.25 GPA or even higher because they want academic excellence. Typically, most successful applicants have GPAs of 3.7 and higher. Some scholarships review more for leadership. Check out requirements before you begin an application.

10. Well Rounded Students Review committees for these scholarships tend to be unimpressed with "bookworms.” They want to see ample evidence of: Lateral thinkers—thinkers capable of discerning connections among diverse strands of knowledge. Risk-takers—people who enjoy learning about subjects beyond their comfort zones. World citizens—people with a broad understanding of national and international events, sensitivity to cultural differences, and a genuine commitment to making a difference in their lifetime.

11. Completing an Application They want to know: Who are YOU? Listing too many activities in an essay can confuse them. There should be an invisible theme. Your answers and essays should be connected. Depth is more important than numbers.

12. Skills Needed Time management. Writing. Professional experiences. Campus involvement. Excellent references. Ability to know your own strengths. Many applicants start months or years in advance depending on scholarships.

13. Benefits of Applying • Personal Growth • Ability to receive feedback. • Specialized experiences sharpen skills, improve chances of success. • Learn importance of prioritizing; managing time and handling stress.

14. Essays Be prepared to have at least 6-10 revisions. Read before your begin. Don’t just write about your hard life. What have you done with it? Don’t insult the readers. Have your essay proofed by a professional (faculty, UFO office, etc).

15. Undergraduate Research Center The Undergraduate Research Center is an organization that promotes and supports research at the undergraduate level for students and faculty members who mentor them in scholarly and creative activities. An interdisciplinary, campus-wide Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (URSCA) initiative was implemented at MTSU in 2004. This program provides financial support to encourage students to get involved in research and creative projects at all points in their undergraduate careers.

16. Undergraduate Research Center Proposal deadline for the 2012-2013 academic year is: • Early October for Spring and Summer Awards • Early March for Summer and Fall Awards For more information, see their Web site at: http://www.mtsu.edu/urc/ The Honors College has the largest and most comprehensive list of journals for student publications. Please view our Web site at: http://frank.mtsu.edu/~hcevents/journals.html

17. Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program A program of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Administered by the Council of American Oversees Research Centers (CAORC) and American Councils for International Education

18. 13 Target Languages Beginning, intermediate or advanced level: Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Turkish, Urdu. Advanced beginning, intermediate or advanced level: Arabic, Persian. Intermediate or advanced level: Chinese, Japanese, Russian.

19. Program Structure Academic Program • 7-10 week fully-funded summer programs • 20 hrs/week formal language learning • Peer language partners • Language-only guidelines Cultural Engagement • Home-stays or roommates • Cultural activities with language-learning component • Roundtables, guest speakers • Student-driven projects

20. Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program • Offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. • Such international study is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.

21. Gillman Eligibility Requirements • Gilman scholarship is open to all U.S. citizen undergraduates, in good academic standing, who meet the criteria listed below: • Is receiving a Federal Pell Grant or will be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of his/her study abroad. • Is applying/has been accepted into a program eligible for credit by the student's institution of higher education in the U.S. • Is studying abroad for at least four weeks in one country. • Is studying abroad in any country except Cuba or a country on the U.S. Department of State's current Travel Warning list.

22. What Is the U.S. StudentFulbright Program? The U.S. Government’s flagship educational and cultural exchange program. Focus on recent U.S. college/ university graduates, artists, and young professionals. Study, research, or teaching assistantship opportunities.

23. The Basics What is a U.S. Student Fulbright Grant? An award to support self-designed study or research in 150 countries; English language teaching assistantships in over 40 countries. Who should apply? Highly-motivated, open-minded individuals Those who can contribute to and benefit from cultural exchange. Students should read country requirements before beginning. Many countries require that you acquire your own affiliation. Campus interview is required. Campus Deadline is in September. You should start application the spring before.

24. Grant Benefits Roundtrip airfare. Monthly stipend (for room, board, incidental costs). Health insurance. Benefits may also include (varies by country): Dependent support. Research allowance. Tuition. Language lessons. Enhancement activities. (Caleb Kim – South Korea)

25. Must be junior by hours to apply. $30,000 scholarships to college students who wish to attend graduate school. For students interested in careers in government or elsewhere in public service (non-profit organization or educational organizations).

26. Eligibility for Truman A Truman scholarship nominee must be: A junior pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution; Nominated by the Truman Scholarship Faculty Representative at his or her respective institution; In the upper quarter of his or her class; A United States citizen, permanent resident or a United States national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Resident aliens (green card holders) are not eligible; Career goals involve being a “change agent” in nonprofit, education or government agency; Plan to pursue master’s, Ph.D., or professional degree.

27. Eligibility for Truman (continued) A good candidate for the Truman Scholarship also: Has an extensive record of public and community service; Has an outstanding leadership potential and communication skills; and Committed to careers in government or elsewhere in public service, as defined by the Foundation. Campus Deadline: December 1, 2009

28. The Rhodes Scholarship 32 U.S. scholarships to study at Oxford for graduate degree. Various programs; establish why one wants to study at Oxford; not just a study abroad experience. Application due in early October. Must be under age 25 and have completed bachelor’s degree before study would commence. www.rhodesscholar.org

29. Campus Deadline: December 1, 2009 For sophomores and juniors. Scholars receive up to $7,500 to cover tuition, fees, books and room and board expenses. Must want have career research goal in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering. Previous research experience needed. Candidates cannot apply directly but must be nominated.

30. Udall Scholarship Campus Deadline: December 1, 2009 $5000 for one year Applicants must be sophomores or juniors, pursuing a bachelor’s or associate’s degree; Have a college grade-point average of at least a “B” or the equivalent; Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident; Be committed to a career related to the environment, OR committed to a career in tribal public policy or Native American health care (only Native Americans and Alaska Natives are eligible to apply in tribal public policy or Native American health care).

31. Marshall Scholarships Up to 40 young Americans are selected each year to study at graduate level in the United Kingdom. High ability; leadership potential to act as ambassadors between two countries. Personal & academic fulfillment across disciplines. Deadline in early October. www.marshallscholarship.org

32. Competition Don’t take it personally if you don’t win. It does not mean you did something wrong. UK Fulbright had 425 applications and nine winners (2.1%). University can only nominate a certain number of students.

33. Value in the Process Many applications ask questions that you may not have thought about before. Increases intellectual development, insight, and presentation skills. Makes you think about your long term goals and plans. Strengthens writing skills and relationships with professors. Personal growth is important to your future success whatever path you choose.

34. Life is a Journey,Not a Destination • Few athletes ever make it to the Olympics, but hundreds become better at their sport while training for the Olympics. • Part of the success is in the journey, the dream, and the effort.

35. Websites/Resources Undergraduate Fellowships Office list of scholarships: http://www.mtsu.edu/honors/ufo/ufo2.shtml Click on “Complete list of all fellowships available”. NAFA website: http://www.nafadvisors.org/scholarships.htm Timeline handout Short UFO handout