Giving Our Students A Boost in the Nationally Competitive Scholarship Award Process

by Deidre Moloney, Coordinator for Postgraduate Scholarships & Fellowships

The Postgraduate Fellowships and Scholarships program supports Mason’s most accomplished students: those who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and excellent leadership skills, completed significant research projects, and developed a global perspective.  Since the program was established in mid-2005, several Mason students have received major awards and recognition.  One student was named a Truman Finalist, another was awarded a Fulbright, three received NSEP/David Boren undergraduate scholarships.  Other recipients obtained a Pickering award and a Virginia Governor's Fellowship.  The application process encourages all students to clarify their academic and professional goals and to develop their written and oral presentation skills.

To assist scholarship applicants writing personal statements, my office has worked with the University Writing Center to provide specialized training for three graduate tutors who study the characteristics of successful personal statements and are then designated as "experts" in this area. In addition to working with students applying for nationally competitive fellowships, such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, and Jack Kent Cook awards, the tutors also develop and present a series of workshops on writing personal statements. We’re pleased to say that several writing center undergraduate peer tutors have applied for nationally competitive fellowships, including Alex Antram, an Anthropology and Religious Studies Major, who received campus endorsements for both the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships.

The postgraduate fellowship and scholarships program website offers comprehensive information for Mason students and faculty, including a list of fellowship, scholarship, and related opportunities.  The writing center’s personal statement workshops are open to all students, with dates advertised on the writing center website. Students writing personal statements for any kind of opportunity may want to make appointments with this year’s personal statement tutors, Wade Fletcher, Rachael Lyon, and Tara Williams. 

Some Tips for Faculty on Writing Effective Letters of Recommendation

• Ask students to provide details on the fellowship and its selection criteria, a transcript, resume, and a summary of their qualifications and relevant course work and research.  If you cannot strongly endorse their candidacy, please gently decline their request.  Without enthusiastic and detailed letters of recommendation, they will not be seriously considered for a nationally competitive award.
  
• Highlight specific examples of a student’s strengths.   Discuss the student's research papers or projects, contributions to class discussions, study abroad or internship experiences, and relevant professional or community involvement.  You might evaluate their future graduate plans and/or project proposal.  Simply summarizing the student’s grades is less helpful than placing that in perspective: "Sarah Simpson is among the top five majors that I have taught in my decade as a faculty member at George Mason University."
  
• Effective letters for high achieving undergraduates range between one full page and two pages, on institutional letterhead. 

For useful advice on helping students achieve their professional goals, see:

Schall, Joe. Writing Personal Statements and Scholarship Application Essays : A Student Handbook.  Also by Schall: Writing Recommendation Letters: A Faculty Handbook. Eden Paririe, Mn: Outernet Publishing, 2005.