Points to Ponder

							Writing Proposals

  Fellowship Advising
  Denison University
   Gilpatrick Center
It’s never too soon to get an
         early start!
        5 Steps of Preparation
   Have a plan for goals 15 years in the future and
    work backward from them
   Get advice from professors, career services, alums
   Cultivate references by getting to know professors
    well
   Use your summers for internships, research, study
    abroad
   Start now
 Scholarship and fellowship
applications ask you to write
      several essays.
      Before you write Essays
   Prepare a CV (curriculum vitae)
   An academic resume
   Keep it up to date
 The most common essays
requested are the Course of
Study or Research Proposal
and the Personal Statement
The Course of Study or
  Research Proposal
Start with What you Plan to
            Do
            Some Examples
   I propose to conduct research on the effects
    of acid rain on crayfish in Ohio.
   I plan to study the Chinese Language at
    Fudon University in Shangai.
   My research question is “How does comic
    book art affect off Broadway productions of
    comedies?”
   I propose to teach English in Bangladesh.
   I plan to make a comparison of Suda’s
    treatment of Catholicism to that of Jonson.
   I propose to investigate how voting rights
    for women influenced politics in the 1920’s.
   My research question is “What is the
    psychological impact of DNA research on
    the religious lives of death row inmates?”
    Understand the fellowship!
   Who created the fellowship?
   What is the focus?
   What activities does it support?
Let’s consider the Fulbright
Fellowship as an example.
 The United States Congress created the
program in 1946, immediately after World
    War II. Senator J. William Fulbright,
sponsor of the legislation, saw it as a step
toward building international cooperation.
 The Fulbright Program aims to increase
mutual understanding between the people
 of the United States and other countries,
     through the exchange of persons,
           knowledge, and skills.
Fulbright Fellowships provide
 one full year of support for
 Teaching English as a second language

 University Study

 Research

 Creative writing or art and performance.
  The Key steps in
developing a proposal
  Think about what
 you want to do that
 excites you and that
is consistent with the
     goals of the
      fellowship.
Think about how you will
accomplish your project.
Get some feedback from
  others on your idea, a
faculty mentor or advisor.
    Talk to the staff in
Gilpatrick; that’s what we
            do.
          Proposal Structure
   What are you going to do?
   Why does it need to be done?
   Why does it need to be done there?
   Why should they think you can do it?
   Why should they fund this project?
   How are you going to accomplish the
    project?
   What resources have you investigated?
                Teaching
   Requires interest in teaching and
    working with younger students.
   A project that can be addressed in your
    free time.
   Competence in the host country’s
    language.
   A desire to improve your language
    competency, learn more about the
    culture and be a positive representative
    of the United States.
           Research and Study
   An exciting yet realistic plan of study or research
    that is tractable in a year.
   State your hypothesis, research design & methods.
   Demonstrate knowledge of the field and evidence of
    previous successful research projects.
   Knowledge of the resources and literature required
    for the project.
   Contact with the institution or laboratory where you
    hope to work. Show you are familiar with their work.
   Obtain correspondence indicating you would be
    welcome to study or work there.
   Knowledge of, or a plan to learn, the host country’s
    language.
 Creative/Performance
 Proposals require all of
     the above and
documented evidence of
       your artistic
     achievements.
The Personal Statement
  Personal statements are
really intellectual biographies
 Your personal statement
should look at your past to
 show the committee you
   can complete your
    proposed project
      successfully.
It should also show how your
 proposal fits with your future
 academic and career plans.
 It should establish a link
between what you’ve done
 and what you want to do.
    Give the scholarship
committee pragmatic details
 when discussing your past
        experience.
What have you already done
to prepare you for what you
        want to do?
If you want to teach abroad,
  what teaching experience
       have you had?
If you want to do research,
    what summer scholar
   awards, senior honors
  research, etc. have you
           done?
 If you want to earn a
graduate degree, show
    how your work at
 Denison will help you
        do that.
Do not simply repeat
your curriculum vitae
     or resume.
   Use your past
 experience to help
  make your case.
Establishing the link between
 the proposed project and
     your future career.
 Give a best case scenario of
     what you want to do
professionally and in graduate
           school.
How does it fit with or grow out
of what you want to do during
      your scholarship?
Don’t be narrowly careerist:

Most scholarships are
concerned about moral
character, about contributing
to the community. Address
these issues.
Don’t engage in sweeping
statements about changing the
world.

Be as specific as possible.
You must do all this briefly
      and clearly.
On the use of language.
Use topic sentences; don’t bury
 the good stuff, get it up front.
Always look for something that
shows how distinctive you and
     your proposal are.
 Avoid passive voice, “This
project will be carried out….”
 Use declarative sentences
and don’t be afraid to say “I.”
 Avoid connectors unless
absolutely necessary, e.g.,
   however, yet, thus.
Write in short, crisp sentences,
and avoid unnecessary jargon.
    A good rule is:
One idea, one sentence.
 Avoid trite phrases and tired
imagery, “Thinking outside the
 box.” or “I am well-rounded.”
Learn about the country you
       plan to live in.
          They already know:
   You’re intelligent.
   You’re eager to experience other cultures.
   Learning new cultures and languages is a
    great thing.
   You want to help people.
   You are perceptive
Show, don’t tell!
   Tell me and I may forget.
   Show me and I will remember.
   Involve me and I will understand.
                   Some Examples
    I am passionate about helping the homeless. Over the past few years I have
    shown strong leadership in this field. I am a member of several student
    organizations and many other students look to me for leadership. My future
    career will be devoted to ways to alleviate hunger among those who are
    struggling financially.
                                         or

          When I arrived on campus, I was surprised at how much food was being
    thrown away every day after meals, so I asked the office of student affairs
    what I could do to make it possible to donate the extra food to someone who
    needed it. I talked with a local homeless shelter and found out what legal
    restrictions there might be. After finding out what food we could donate to the
    shelter, I found volunteers to pack the food and others to drive a van to the
    shelter.
    I have chosen to major in education because of my strong interest in our
    education system. I plan to work on education policy as my career. I want to
    improve the educational opportunities for underprivileged children of all ages,
    especially in urban settings.

                                        or

          After taking a course in the U.S. Education system, I met with some of
    my fellow students and we decided to offer our services as tutors in the local
    city school district. I contacted the principal of a local elementary school and
    arranged to meet and discuss how our group could help local students. For the
    past year we have gone to the school two afternoons each week to work on
    math and reading with students who need help.
   For my career I want to do cancer research. This is a disease that affects
    millions of people , yet at this time there are many cancers that have no cure
    and some for which treatment may only prolong life for short periods. I have
    chosen to major in biology with the plan to attend graduate school/medical
    school so that I will acquire the necessary skills for doing the kind of research
    that will lead to better treatments and even cures for various cancers.

                                         or

          Having seen my uncle suffer with and die from cancer and having
    known many others affected by this disease, I sought out and applied for a
    position as research assistant in a cancer research lab at Ohio State University
    between my senior year in high school and my first year at college. Under the
    guidance of Professor Smith, I developed skills necessary for preparing cell
    samples to be processed in the lab and to analyze results in the context of
    current literature in the field. Now, as a bio-chemistry major in college, I am
    adding to my research background with Professor Allen and preparing for a
    Ph.D. at a university such as Ohio State leading to a career in cancer research.
Happy Writing!
                 Contacts
   krone@denison.edu Gilpatrick Director
   grabski@denison.edu Gilpatrick Asso Dir
   sunkle@denison.edu Gilpatrick Admin
   ocs@denison.edu Off campus study
   writingctr@denison.edu Writing center