Proposal/ Scholarship Research and Writing. Carol Brodie Proposal Development Manager University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Transcription

1 Proposal/ Scholarship Research and Writing Carol Brodie Proposal Development Manager University of Nevada, Las Vegas

2 What this workshop is about Finding the right scholarship or fellowship includes demo and practice time What to look for when reading the application guidelines How to write an effective project description How to write an effective biographical sketch Requesting Letters of Recommendation Financial aspects of the scholarship/fellowship

3 Finding the Right Funding Fit

4 Definitions What is a scholarship? Payment made to support a student's education Merit based, and/or based on a characteristic of the student (generally demographic) Offered by schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, communities, religious groups, and professional and social organizations. Does not have to be repaid

5 Definitions What is a grant? How does it differ from a scholarship? Similar to scholarships in that they don t have to be repaid Federal, state or school E.g., Pell Grants, TEACH, UNCF grants For the purposes of this workshop, we ll use Scholarships the guidance applies to both

6 Definitions What is a fellowship? Short-term opportunities lasting from a few months to several years Focus on the professional development of the fellow Sponsored by a specific association or organization seeking to expand leadership in their field Fellowship programs can be designed to support a range of activities including: graduate study in a specific field research to advance work on a particular issue training and reflection to support the fellow's growth opportunities to further explore a particular field of work

7 Finding Scholarships Your school s Financial Aid office, e.g., Your school s Graduate College, e.g., US Department of Education s careeronestop y.asp Scholarships.com FastWeb.com College Board s Fund Finder: ScholarshipExperts.com

8 Finding the Right Fellowship Fellowships database by Cornell NSF Graduate Fellowships Fulbright NASA Space Technology Research Fellowships (NSTRF) - for Grad students NASA Postdoctoral Program EPA Fellowships Graduate and Undergraduate Students Department of Energy, Office of Science Graduate Fellowships List provided by NIH many health related student and postdoc opportunities =6201&org=DGE&from=home ives_nstrf.html edoctoral-graduate.aspx

9 Finding the Right Fellowship through the Grants Resource Center

10 More Tools for Searching Foundation Center s Online Directory (some schools ask at your Library) Ask your Library what other tools they have Grant Forward InfoEd s SPIN Community of Science PIVOT Foundation Center s Grants for Individuals - findfunders/fundingsources/ gtio.html

11 Application Guidelines Each potential sponsor issues guidelines for submission. Some are more complicated than others, but each clearly spells out what they are looking for in your application. In addition to the solicitation guidelines, most federal and many state agencies have published materials related to their general requirements. You will see references to these materials in the solicitation. Pay attention to these!

12 Application Guidelines Watch the page limits Pay attention to the required formatting Font size Margins Table and Figures Pay attention to required segments you have to write: Essay for scholarships Fellowship Project Description (often limited to two pages) Your biosketch Others

13 Sample Application Guidelines

14 How to control it all? Create a checklist Create a timeline calendar Application Guidelines Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Dec Complete 1 st draft description/essay Dec Obtain professor nomination Complete 2 nd draft description/essay Dec Jan Complete CV Jan Jan Apply! Deadline 11:59 PM PST

15 Application Guidelines - Checklist Deadline January 15, :59 PM Pacific Time Eligibility Must have completed your first year as a Ph.D. candidate Major in: Computer Science Computer Engineering System Architecture Electrical Engineering, or A related field. Must hold an active membership in a research team Must be enrolled as a full-time Ph.D. student during the academic year of the award. Format 1 margins 12 point Times New Roman No URLs Required Application Contents One to two pages description of research Curriculum Vitae including contact information (no page length specified) Professor nomination form

16 Application Guidelines Don t wait until the last minute!

17 Writing the Description/Essay Start with a great title emphasize RESULTS 10 words or less! Fill at least 2/3 of the maximum word/page count. For scholarships, work from your life. Write like you talk Avoid repetition make a point, and then move on. Use anecdotes and stories to provide examples If allowed, and if there s room, use graphics/tables they break up the text.

18 Writing the Description/Essay Think about who is going to read your application, and write for them. If your readers do not think you understand the application requirements, or you don t make your description/essay interesting, they re not going to read it! Make it easy on their eyes.

19 Writing the Description/Essay Reviewers could be: Expert in your field. Technical readers, not necessarily in your field of expertise. Financial and legal advisors. Government officials. Your audience sees thousands of proposals They quickly know what is genuine and what is not. They want you to cut to the chase rather than create elaborate explanations. They want you to answer their questions very specifically.

20 Writing the Description/Essay Writing suggestions Set a topic sentence into every paragraph. If not at the beginning of the paragraph, use bolding, underlining, italics Convey confidence and enthusiasm for project. Avoid ambivalent language, such as might, could, hope Check the details Compliance to requested information In-text citations and references Conformance to style Grammar and punctuation Equations, figures, and tables Know when to stop!

21 Essays for Scholarships Paint a picture of you as a person, student, and scholarship winner Connect your life at school to your life Make it from the heart, and personal but don t provide too much detail Discuss your goals Have a theme or connecting concept throughout Don t use slang or casual tones Address any weaknesses e.g., bad grades and show you ve addressed them

22 How to Write an Effective Bio Some will ask for a resume-type format, others will ask for a CV Career Office on campus do they help with resumes/bios? Federal agencies may have a required format, e.g., NSF & NIH Some specifically ask you to write a narrative about yourself Your education Your experiences Why you are interested in this research Tip: Create a general resume, and then modify it appropriately to the scholarship/fellowship for which you are applying Tip: Create a LinkedIn account and make sure the information there is top notch, impressive, and accurate!

23 Effective Bios For fellowships, show that you have the knowledge, ability and time to conduct the work. Students show extracurricular activities honors, prizes, scholarships, offices held, community service Focus on those elements that support your essay, field of study, and goals

24 Letters of Recommendation for Fellowships There is generally very specific information that needs to be provided follow the instructions! Generally no more than 2 pages Write it for your recommender, ask them to put it on their letterhead Often defines who writes letters; however, if able to choose, choose those who are very familiar with your work.

25 Letters of Recommendation for Scholarships Choose people who know you well Meet or call them early in the process give them a draft essay and application, information on the scholarship Letters from those who taught you in high school are not recommended Letters from non-academics should stress your leadership qualities, volunteer and service contributions

26 General Tips Don t apply for scholarships/fellowships that require a fee for application. Select the right field, if there is a dropdown menu Submit application early if possible! Double check the eligibility criteria Proofread! Ask someone else to do so as well. If needed for scholarship, complete the FAFSA. Letters of Rec REQUEST THEM EARLY. Obtain multiple copies and have each signed in ink Save copies of essays/descriptions for re-use Keep an updated biosketch

27 Financial Aspects of Fellowships A fellowship is considered similar to a grant and must go through your university s Office of Sponsored Programs Fellowships generally allow for: Living Stipend (taxable) Tuition Support - paid directly to the fellow s academic institution. It is your responsibility to ensure their tuition obligations are paid in full each term (might be taxable) Research Allowance for lab supplies and other research expenses, journal subscriptions, textbooks, computer and peripherals, scientific meeting expenses (could be taxable)

28 Financial Aspects of Scholarships A scholarship is tax-free if: You are a full-time or part-time candidate for a degree The award covers tuition and fees. The award covers fees, books, supplies and equipment required for your courses. The award is tax-free only as long as you use it for the purposes outlined above. Your scholarship is taxed if it was used to cover any of the following: Room and board Travel Research Clerical help Fees, Books, Supplies and Equipment (Not required for the course or attendance) If your award covered both tuition and room and board, the amount you use for tuition is tax-free. However, the amount you used for room and board is taxable.

29 Thank you! Questions?