510 likes | 646 Vues
National Scholarships. Pathways to the Public Good. Presented by the Office of Honors Programs & Academic Scholarships, Texas A&M University. What is a National Scholarship?. A national or international competition Very prestigious The $$ is not the major benefit
E N D
National Scholarships Pathways to the Public Good Presented by the Office of Honors Programs & Academic Scholarships, Texas A&M University
What is a National Scholarship? • A national or international competition • Very prestigious • The $$ is not the major benefit • Lifetime recognition & connections • Offers an incredible experience
Commonalities of National Scholarships • Highly competitive (~5% selected) • Application process is a serious time commitment (100+ hours) • Are a life-changing, career-making event
Why Compete? • Learn about yourself • Formulate your personal vision • Become a better leader • Sometimes we win…
Recent TAMU Successes • Since 1991: 34 Goldwater Scholars • Since 1998: 5 Marshall Scholars • Since 1997: 14 Truman Finalists • Since 1998: 6 Udall Scholars
National Scholarships Coordinator • Publicizes scholarship opportunities • Coordinates application process • Advises preparation of applications • Provides instruction in interview strategy • Organizes selection committees • Coaches, challenges, pushes • Mentor, therapist, and scapegoat
Application Processes • Direct application • Institutional Endorsement
Direct Application • Most national scholarships • Student may apply directly • Notify NSC • University support to expect: • help with written applications • interview preparation (if applicable)
Institutional Endorsement • Few national scholarships (most prestigious) • Internal preliminary application process • Limited nominations • Complete oversight through process • University recognition
DIRECT NSF Graduate Fellowship Gates-Cambridge James Madison Soros Fellowship for New Americans INSTITUTIONAL Rhodes & Marshall Fulbright Goldwater Truman Jack Kent Cooke NSEP Examples
Institutional Process • Attend workshop & review official guidelines • Prepare preliminary application • Submit preliminary application (TAMU deadline usually 3 to 7 months in advance of official deadline) • Attend selection interview (if applicable) • University nominations announced (not official until final applications submitted)
Institutional Process • Measured progress • submit drafts of written application • attend mock-interviews as scheduled • Responsibility • institutional nominations are limited • applicant is a representative of TAMU
Am I the Ideal Applicant? • No such thing • Scholarships value different traits • Not just about grades Don’t ask: “Am I the Ideal Candidate?” Do ask: “What is MY Ideal Scholarship?”
The Ideal Scholarship • Represents your values • Reinforces your existing plans • Helps you achieve your goals • Encourages future achievement • Rewards your natural behavior
Getting Serious • Grades … • do matter, but not decisive • don’t shoot for low-end eligibility • strong candidates generally sit at the top end of a large grade scale (3.7+) • A strong GPR is just the beginning…
Getting Serious • Strive for a balance of academic, social, athletic, and other co-curricular activities • Strong National Scholarship candidates are competitive applicants for graduate or professional school
Undergraduate Research • Consider regardless of major • Develop relationships with faculty • Honors classes & Honors Course Contracts • Register for independent study • usually 485-, 285-, 497- listings • Seek research programs • University Undergraduate Research Fellows • Undergraduate Research Scholars • Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) • Visit http://ugr.tamu.edu – Office of Undergraduate Research
Community & Public Service • Don’t overextend yourself • Choose your service projects carefully • where possible, link to future career • Choose long-term over short-term • 1 to 2 service activities over three years is preferable to 10 different 1-day community projects • Commitment is critical • Don’t be afraid to serve beyond the campus community
Community & Public Service • Think on a national or international level • Be creative (literally)
Internships & Work Experience • Be strategic • choose positions related to your long-term career or education goals • Consider a variety of options • Research opportunities early • Public Policy Internship Program http://www.tamu.edu/ppip/ • Office of Undergraduate Research http://ugr.tamu.edu • TAMU Career Center http://careercenter.tamu.edu/
Leadership • Scholarship foundations want leaders • Leadership should be visionary • Don’t overextend yourself • Reconsider “leadership” • Don’t be a PLACE HOLDER! • be dissatisfied with the status quo • be creative • find your niche and aim high • be an agent of change
International Awareness • Seize opportunities for study abroad • TAMU Study Abroad Office http://studyabroad.tamu.edu/ • Engage in language study • Language Learning Institute http://lli.tamu.edu • Seek applicable scholarships • Rotary Ambassadorial • NSEP Undergraduate Study Abroad • Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant • TAMU Study Abroad Scholarships • Honors Study Abroad Stipend
Intangibles • Cultural Sophistication • An Interdisciplinary Mindset • An Entrepreneur’s Approach to Life • Intellectual Curiosity • High Esteem for Scholarship • Altruism
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships • Up to $7500 for jr. & sr. years • GPA of at least 3.5 • Major will lead to graduate study in math, natural sciences, or engineering • Helpful to have done research or to have ideas that will lead to research • Campus Deadline ~ Early October
Morris K. Udall • Up to $5000 for jr. & sr. years • Demonstrated commitment to careers related to the environment • Native Americans committed to tribal public policy or health care • Wide range of fields • Campus Deadline ~ Early January
US DOE Biological and Environmental Research Global Change Education Program • Undergraduate and graduate training in global change research activities • Continued support for sophomores through post-doc
NOAA Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program • Provides $8,000 for junior and senior years • 10-week paid internship • Apply as sophomore Note - not in handout
US DHS Undergraduate Scholarships and Graduate Fellowships • Students pursuing basic science and technology innovations relevant to DHS mission • Physical, mathematical, computer and information, life, and social sciences, psychology, selected humanities, and engineering
Microsoft Scholarships • To encourage students to pursue careers in computer software and related technical disciplines • Four types of scholarships • General Scholarship • Women’s Scholarship • Underrepresented Minority Scholarship • Scholarships for Students with Disabilities
Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Fellowships • Cost-of-education allowance and personal stipend ($25K) • Seniors applying to graduate school • Attention given to “areas of interest” • Willing to “morally commit to make their skills available to the United States in time of national emergency”
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships • Support of ~8000 graduate students • Fields relevant to national defense needs • Portable fellowships
Science@NASA Higher Education Programs • NASA Earth System Science Fellowship Program • Graduate fellowship for MS or PhD in Earth System Science • To ensure training of interdisciplinary scientists
Lucent Technologies-Bell Laboratories Graduate Research Fellowships • To increase the numbers of minorities and women in science, math, engineering, and technology • Fellowship and development experience on-site at Lucent Technologies Bell Labs
National Physical Science Consortium Graduate Fellowships • Ph.D.-track fellowship in physical sciences and related engineering fields • Emphasis on recruitment of underrepresented minorities and women • Max duration of 6 years; total stipend could exceed $200,000
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships • Offers recognition and support for three years of graduate study • Approximately 1,000 awarded annually • Open to mathematical, physical, biological, engineering, behavioral, and social sciences, and to research-based PhD degrees in science education.
Graduate Education for Minorities (GEM) Fellowship Program • Underrepresented minorities • MS or PhD in engineering, physical science, or natural science • Paid summer internships and graduate financial assistance
Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship • Provides financial support for women pursuing Ph.D/doctoral degrees in aerospace-related sciences and aerospace-related engineering • $6000
Josephine de Káráman Fellowships • One-year award for seniors ($8,000) or PhD candidates ($16,000). • Manifested exceptional ability and seriousness of purpose
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation • Graduate awards up to $50,000 • Focused on outstanding students with unmet financial need
Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans • Maintenance grant of $20,000 • Tuition grant of ½ of tuition cost • Applicants must be resident alien, naturalized citizen, or child of two naturalized citizens
Harry S. Truman Scholarship • For graduate study leading to a career in public service • Includes numerous leadership seminars • Requires institutional nomination • Apply in junior year
Mitchell Scholarship • Graduate study in Ireland or Northern Ireland • Pays all tuition, fees, and travel • Requires institutional nomination
Marshall Scholarship • For graduate study in the UK • Pays all tuition, fees, travel • Open to any field • Requires institutional nomination
Rhodes Scholarship • Post-graduate study at Oxford University • Pays all tuition, fees, and travel • Requires institutional nomination
Gates-Cambridge Scholarship • Graduate study at Cambridge University • Pays all tuition, fees, and travel • Does not require institutional nomination • Applicant must first be admitted to Cambridge
Churchill Scholarships • Graduate study at Cambridge University • Pays all tuition and fees • For study in Mathematics, Engineering, and Sciences • Invitational Scholarship; requires institutional nomination
The Next Step… Research, Respond, Reflect • Follow your interests • Be passionate • Get involved • Be an agent of change • Question • Take advantage of opportunities • Develop a vision of yourself