National Scholarships

Presented by the Office of Honors Programs & Academic Scholarships, Texas A&M University

Pathways to the Public Good

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

1. Attend workshop & review official guidelines

2. Prepare preliminary application

3. Submit preliminary application (TAMU deadline usually 3 to 7 months in advance of official

deadline)

4. Attend selection interview (if applicable)

5. 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

UndergraduateApplied Science and

Engineering Scholarships

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

GraduateApplied Science and

Engineering Scholarships

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

Open-field Scholarships

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

Honors Program http://honors.tamu.edu

Office of Undergraduate Research http://ugr.tamu.edu

Office of Proposal Developmenthttp://opd.tamu.edu

Study Abroad Programshttp://studyabroad.tamu.edu

TAMU Career Centerhttp://careercenter.tamu.edu/

ACAD 101 ~ 845 – 1957 kemox@tamu.edu