Annotated Application
Essays
(compiled with the input and advice of the leadership of the Truman Scholarship Foundation)
Application essay questions number seven through nine and number
fifteen are cited by the Foundation as those that most frequently
cause applicants difficulty.
The Truman Foundation has selected a number
of sample essay responses for each of these “problem questions.”
Each of these sample responses appears below alongside the Foundation’s
explanation of why each is considered a satisfactory or unsatisfactory
response.
Essay Question #7:
Describe an example of your leadership.
Satisfactory
responses
Unsatisfactory
responses
Essay Question #8:
Describe your most satisfying public service
activity.
Satisfactory
responses
Unsatisfactory
responses
Essay Question #9:
Describe the problems or needs of society you
want to address when you enter public service.
Satisfactory
responses
Unsatisfactory
responses
Essay Question #12:
Describe the graduate education program you
intend to pursue if you receive a Truman Scholarship.
Satisfactory
responses
Unsatisfactory
responses
Essay Question #15:
What additional personal information do you
wish to share with the Truman Scholarship Foundation?
Satisfactory
responses
Unsatisfactory
responses
Sample Essay Responses
Essay
Question #7: Describe an example of your leadership.
Satisfactory
responses
Sample #1
Good description of the problem and the actions taken and
roles played by the writer. Cites the increase in volunteers.
One hopes the volunteers had impact.
After volunteering with COMPASS (Cultivating
of Minds in Primary and Secondary Schools) during my freshman
year, I returned the next fall to find that the organization
no longer existed. The student leaders who ran the COMPASS program,
which grants college students the opportunity to work with public
school students throughout Chicago, had abandoned it. Over the
next quarter, I joined with former fellow volunteers to restart
COMPASS and was elected vice-president. Being a student group
leader, I soon discovered was not as easy as it had seemed.
Reestablishing contacts with teachers and regaining their trust
in our program demanded perseverance and patience. Publicizing
the return of COMPASS on a campus of 8,000 students required
weeks of planning and execution. We posted flyers, placed advertisements
about COMPASS in the school newspaper, and typed numerous e-mails.
That winter, the new COMPASS welcomed over 50 new and returning
volunteers at its first organizational meeting in ten months.
To complement our steadily growing volunteer program, I organized
a lecture series about public education in America with a focus
on Chicago public school reform to help inform our volunteers
about developments in educational policy that affected the schools
in which they worked. In continuing our tradition of offering
information along with a high-quality volunteering experience,
COMPASS is hosting a lecture and workshop series with Dr. George
Farkas this February. Dr. Farkas, a critical contributor to
the America Reads initiative, will work with student group leaders
on modifying programs to have more tangible and lasting benefits.
As president my duties have multiplied but I have still remained
a volunteer tutor and a dedicated student group leader. COMPASS
has been a great test of my leadership potential, my patience
and my diligence. Through it all, however, I feel that I played
an integral part in rebuilding a program that once was down
to three members and now sends over one hundred volunteers into
Chicago public schools every week throughout the year.
Sample
#2
Describes program and particular role played. Also conveys
the meaning of this experience to the writer.
What could a Chinese-American college girl from
the suburban Midwest possibly have in common with a bunch of
southern African-American 'tweens? A shared summer of learning
and hard work! For seven weeks, I taught oral history techniques
and African-American history (with a special emphasis on class
issues) to a classroom of 11-14 years olds for the Community
Stories Program at the Center for Documentary Studies, Duke
University in Durham, North Carolina. The summer program concluded
in a published anthology of the students' oral history interviews
of Durham life during Jim Crow segregation followed by students'
reflections on their past and present communities.
As a Community Stories Intern, I designed the curriculum and
student research with two co-teachers for our 200+ page publication
and also acted as the main classroom disciplinarian. I also
laid out the text in one week and organized the first-ever Community
Stories Talent Show to introduce the personalities behind four
Community Stories classrooms. In the teacher's role, I balanced
the forthrightness and critical thinking required for administrative
responsibilities with the flexibility and patience needed to
support students' diverse capacities and interests. Teaching,
as a leadership experience, challenged me more than anything
else I've ever done. If I failed, the expense would not be just
a ruined prom or a botched poetry reading - it would contribute
to Shantel's apathy towards her hometown roots, Sean's rejection
of a potential college education, Josh's internalization of
adults' negative criticisms, and more opportunities slammed
shut in the mind's eyes of all of my students.
Sample
#3
Nice description of what the candidate did. Sustained example
of leadership. Wish the writer had "told" how much
participation increased.
"_______, I need your help. There's little
enthusiasm or participation at the Baptist Student Union, and
this campus and its community needs what we can offer..."
Of course, I couldn't decline my friend Jason's challenge to
make the BSU a light for new, bewildered freshmen, needy members
of the community, or anyone else seeking spiritual nourishment.
When Jason didn't return for our sophomore year, though, I suddenly
was faced with an exciting, but scary opportunity. Discouragement
was the biggest battle I had to fight. I started "Friday
Night Live" to stimulate discussion on issues college students
often confront such as stress and relationships. Yet, despite
mass advertising and other "plugs" for the program,
attendance was poor. Frustrated, I thought about quitting, but
I simply couldn't abandon the dream. The key lesson was realizing
that change doesn't happen all at once, but often in small increments.
I saw that even one new person becoming involved was an achievement.
As new faces began to appear, I encouraged them to stay active
by giving them roles in various programs. Through delegating
such responsibilities, new members quickly became active supporters,
and the BSU came to life. It has been a year since our campaign
to reach the campus and community began, and participation and
enthusiasm have both increased. The BSU has begun to take a
more active role in the community as last October it collected
canned food for one of ______'s poorest sections. Although there
is still a lot to accomplish, the vision of broader service
is steadily becoming reality.
back to top
Unsatisfactory
responses
Sample
#1
No evidence of persuading a group of people to act constructively.
Responsive to an individual's needs, but does not show initiative,
action, impact.
As an orientation leader, I was awarded the
opportunity to play an active role in the initial experiences
of new students at _____________. While the position required
activities such as monitoring placement tests and assisting
with class registration, I reveled in the opportunity to answer
students and parents questions about the college experience.
While I was required to sit on parent panels and present flip
chart presentations, I enjoyed the one-on-one experiences. During
one of the orientation sessions, a new student and I started
talking about how he was afraid that he was going to be surrounded
by a bunch of pot-smoking, binge-drinking, and not-studying
classmates. A first-generation college student, his only "real"
experience with college came from a campus tour. The rest of
his knowledge about college life came from watching "Animal
House" and other stereotypical media images. I enjoyed
being able to serve as an individual that could show him that
college was not about those things, but was about studying,
meeting new people, learning new things, and enjoying new experiences.
I emphasized that there was partying in college; but, you did
not have to participate or be looked down upon if you did not
"party". I recommended that he join a couple of clubs
in the fall and meet people with similar interests. When I walked
by him on campus in the fall, I said "hi" and proceeded
on my way. That Tuesday, at my student government meeting, he
was sworn in as a representative-at-large. I do not know if
it took talking to me to begin to change his perception or if
some other individual may have provided the same information.
However, I enjoy knowing my one-on-one interaction might have
made a difference-perhaps even more than my flip chart and skit
presentations to 1200 freshmen regarding the same issues.
Sample
#2
Too many examples presented. Not clear what changed, if
anything.
I waged my election campaign for Student Senate
from overseas last spring. Never before had a student attempted
such a thing, but I found it to be a brilliant strategy: if
an opponent engaged in mudslinging, I never had to listen to
it! True, not knowing the results of the election until 3 in
the morning after the election (because of the time change)
was a little nerve-wracking, but the results made the wait worthwhile.
I was one of the rare students who ran (and won) as an Independent.
I have set myself apart in Senate by demonstrating my capacity
to stand alone on issues without losing the support of members
of the majority. One recent incident illustrates this ability
well. A bill advocating the investigation and implementation
of a new computerized enrollment system came before the Senate.
At first, I was the only one to question to the bill. "How
much will it cost?" I asked. The framers of the bill did
not have cost estimates or a survey of student opinion regarding
the new technology. I proposed amending the bill to mandate
research of the computerized system, but not its immediate implementation.
By explaining my argument logically, I won support and the bill
passed with my amendment. Additionally, the chairmen who proposed
the bill invited me to be a part of the research process. The
changes that I aim to bring about in the Senate are twofold:
first, I attempt to improve the legislation that we pass, and
second, I work to improve the way in which the Senate itself
operates. Another of my goals is to change the Senate's relationship
to the rest of the University community. I have reached out
this year to student organizations which had never before been
contacted by a member of the Senate. As a member of the Senate
Academic Committee, I am responsible for resolving student allegations
of unfair examination policies. I have had notable success in
bringing students and faculty to mutually satisfactory compromises,
mostly due to a diplomatic approach that is non-confrontational
and shows genuine concern for the positions of both parties.
Sample
#3
Not clear that getting 300 signatures was a big accomplishment.
Last paragraph does not necessarily suggest any impact. Potentially
good example but not well-handled to show major differences
on the campus.
Having recognized the Student Activist Union
as a potentially empowering compliment [sic] to my coursework
in social problems, I decided to get involved by talking to
various student groups and academic departments to help raise
fund to bring Dr. Owen Wiwa to speak at ________. As I learned
about the execution of his brother, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and the horrors
of the collusion betwen [sic] Sanni Abacha's current military
dictatorship and the Royal Dutch Shell Company, I realized that
the situation in Ogoniland combined significant issues of environment,
race, political freedom, and corporate accountability. Following
Dr. Wiwa's visit and independent research efforts, I organized
a "Nigerian Concerns" group by soliciting members
of the Student Activist Union and the campus chapter of Amnesty
International to mobilize against the corporate and political
policies of global racism and environmental destruction. In
weekly meetings, we planned a series of public events to make
the issue more visible and to stimulate student interest. We
also designed a made hundreds of buttons reading "Nigerian
Blood Shed for Shell Oil", which we distributed at the
campus Earth Day celebration. Having successfully targeted students,
we then distributed buttons and an easy to read fact sheet to
faculty mailboxes. In my mind, this campaign was a great success
as we received almost 300 signatures on our petitions to President
Clinton and the President of Shell Oil, U.S., and many backpacks
around campus can still be seen sporting our buttons. This year,
I have been elected as co-chair of Student Activist Union, one
of the largest campus organizations, with a membership of approximately
140 students. While my efforts have necessarily expanded to
include other issues, I have continued to promote awareness
of the economic, environmental, and political situation in Nigeria.
back to top
Essay
Question #8: Describe your most satisfying public service activity.
Satisfactory
responses
Sample
#1
Well written. Personal. Helps reveal why the candidate wants
to go into this field.
Working with disabled children during the first
two summers after graduation was probably one of the best decisions
I made because of what it taught me about myself. Prior to working
at the Jewish Community Center, I was convinced that I had no
capacity for people with disabilities. I never volunteered through
my school for the Special Olympics or any other activity involving
disabled persons. I thought that those who worked with disabled
children did so out of "good-heartedness" and pity.
Little did I know what would happen to me in those two summers.
The first summer, I worked with an autistic girl, Claire. I
pushed Claire beyond her previous limits, and helped her improve
her verbal ability dramatically. My inexperience generated persistence
and creativity on my part; I did not accept Claire's self-imposed
limits. Claire, in turn, persisted to reach inside me and help
me discover the parts of myself that loved working with her.
The next summer, I worked in the Special Needs division of the
camp. Working in this camp was especially challenging because
the range of disabilities forced me to be ever alert. One moment
I would have to understand the dynamics of feeding Adam, a 19
year old with a neurological degenerative disease. At the same
time, I would answer the questions of Elisabeth, a 12 year old
who had slight mental retardation and was legally blind. The
philosophy of this camp was to help the teens help themselves;
to increase their ability to live self-sufficiently. Activities
ranged from learning how to take the bus to art therapy and
occupational therapy. People often ask me if working with these
teens is depressing. Honestly, I have yet to experience such
loving, open relationships as the ones I developed with these
children. Camp, for them, is a source of happiness, and for
me, a source of strength. Whether in Central Asia or America,
the strength of children drives me to want to protect their
rights in policy and the law.
Sample
#2
Carefully presented. Shows sustained effort and personal
growth.
Last spring, I tutored high school drop-outs
at the Youth Resource Development Center in _________ twice
a week. Coming from a small town, I was originally intimidated
by ________'s reputation for crime and concerned about my abilities
to work with a group of teens I saw as very different from myself.
Nevertheless, it was something I wanted to do, so I made the
commitment and boarded the bus. The program was billed as promoting
job skills and preparing students to take a high school equivalency
exam. I helped with everything from cleaning up the back yard
of the center, to math review, to reading and writing skills
and resume preparation. The more time I spent with the students,
the more I looked forward to seeing them. I began to think of
my experience in quite a different way from when I had begun.
These teens were no longer the "city drop-outs" so
different from myself, but were instead people from whom I was
continuously learning. They were smart and funny and kind, and
I was grateful to have them in my life. Going to the center
became an important complement to my academics. In my view of
an 'academic citizen,' people involved in academia should use
their research and theorising to create knowledge for the public
good. In keeping with these values, I introduced students at
the YRDC to my studies in environmental racism through a prepared
discussion. I was able to share my analytical skills in a way
that fostered independent and confident thinking. Working at
the center was rewarding because the students appreciated my
help so much, and inciteful [sic] because of all that they taught
me. As one student said, "You don't always need a telescope
to look at the stars." The experience was significant because
it solidified for me one of my goals in life: to become an academic
citizen.
Sample
#3
Nice setting of the situation. Makes the reader want to
meet the writer.
The South Side of Chicago is well known for
its dangerous housing projects, street violence, and economic
devastation. First-year students arriving at _______________
are warned by more experienced colleagues not to venture past
the campus let alone explore Hyde Park's neighboring communities.
Although I heeded this advice, I was crushed - I thought of
college as a homecoming. My grandparents' 1950s apartment is
still there on 53rd St. across from Mr. G's supermarket (of
course they knew the original Mr. G) and so is the 59th St.
train platform where my father proposed to my mother. I was
only five years old when we moved to __________. I came back
to Hyde Park to stake my own claim in the area that so vividly
colors almost four generations of family history. Luckily, within
my first year I found a group of students who felt, as I did,
a genuine desire to be a contributing part of the neighborhood.
Together we labored for two years to restore a charter lapsed
some thirty years to the campus chapter of Alpha Phi Omega,
a national co-ed service fraternity. Through service projects
in partnership with community organizations we have built new
connections between the University and the neighborhood. Projects
are diverse, from serving at congregate meals to participating
in neighborhood cleanups to group tutoring, but each active
member puts in a minimum of twenty-five hours of service each
quarter. We have grown from a petitioning group of twenty students
to a full chapter with over fifty members and a new pledge class
activated each quarter. Our initiatives have even inspired the
university to bolster its own community service center, offering
students myriad opportunities to be a good neighbors. Most importantly,
it is through working with students and other residents of the
neighborhood that I have come to feel true solidarity with the
community and the singular knowing that I am home.
back to top
Unsatisfactory
responses
Sample
#1
Too much on PEAS, not enough on the candidate's involvement
and why it was "most satisfying."
"[The]Program in Ecological Agriculture
and Society" (PEAS) is a facet of the Garden City Harvest
Project, which is a collaborative effort on the part of the
University of ________, local non-profit groups, and health
and social services agencies to promote self-sufficiency and
sustainable agriculture through organic community gardens. The
program is designed to produce food for needy families in ___________.
PEAS is the portion of Garden City Harvest that is directly
linked with the university. Logistically, PEAS involved weekly
lectures on the social, political, and economic factors of our
food system. In addition, we, as students, made a six-hour commitment
to physical labor on the farm, constructing tables, building
fence, mixing soils, and planting, transplanting, and managing
crops. In addition to the personal satisfaction I experienced
from my participation, the Garden City Harvest Project has provided
a paradigmatic framework for solutions to problems that concern
me. First, it has been a collaborative and interdisciplinary
effort from the project's beginning. The variety of organizational
agents, the combination of scholarly study and hands-on labor,
and the theoretical linking of environmental issues with poverty
and distributive injustice combine to respond to the holistic
nature of these problems with a solid, workable solution. Second,
Garden City Harvest demonstrates the success of focusing a multitude
of perspectives within the context of a local community. The
program organizers were concerned with the dependence created
by importing ninety percent of the city's food supply and with
forecasted social policy reform. As a result, they organized
a program calling for the community to come together, practice
sustainable, agriculture, and help forty needy families, thereby
creating a concrete spirit of goodwill and charity.
Sample
#2
First sentence has no impact and second sentence suggests
this was not voluntary. Poor start. Generally, good ending.
About a year ago, I boarded a plane for Northern
California. I was headed there to work in two nursery schools
as part of my community service requirement for graduation.
At the nursery schools, I assisted the teachers anyway I could.
This included, but is not limited to such things as playground
supervision, help with crafts, storytelling, and snack preparing.
The whole experience lasted only a few weeks, so in the beginning
I did not expect to get close to the children. I was sure wrong!
I became close to them and they opened up to me...sitting in
my lap for storytelling, wanting me to see their art projects,
and even drawing things from me. The innocence and sweet nature
of the children made me realize that not only was I helping
them, but that they were helping me....helping me see the world
as a place not just filled with crime and violence.
Sample
#3
Too much narrative, not enough reflection on why this was
"most satisfying." Writer comes across as being more
satisfied at being "right" than serving.
I was asked to attend a meeting to discuss the
possibility of putting "Bills For Ordinance" on computer
diskettes when filing them with City Council each Thursday morning
and presenting same to Council. Having the bills on diskette
would allow the City Council staff to set up the City Council
agenda for Monday nights more quickly and also place this information
on the Internet. Representatives from five offices deliberated
for nearly three hours. Their main concern was "loss of
control". They felt having their ordinance on computer
diskettes would give other agencies the opportunity to change
them. Under a cloud of frustration, I sat through the entire
meeting without saying a word. The meeting ended in a stalemate.
It was up to the director to make the final decision. He said
he would let everyone know his decision in a couple of days.
As the meeting ended, the director of the meeting asked me to
stay after. He asked why I hadn't said anything during the meeting.
I said, "MY continuing concern is the inability of these
agencies to cooperate with one another. We just wasted three
hours discussing a matter of distrust. Putting the ordinances
on diskette would take about an extra 30 seconds of time, but
would literally save hours of work." The director sat for
a moment, rocking back and forth in his chair and then chuckled
as he retorted "You have just settled this debate without
uttering a word. That's a first! Thank you."
back to top
Essay
Question #9: Describe the problems or needs of society you want
to address when you enter public service.
Satisfactory
responses
Sample
#1
Well written. Specific data provided. Good explanation of
problem and conveys candidate's interest and passion.
Although global health statistics such as life
expectancy and infant mortality have improved during the last
one hundred years, the world currently faces the most unacceptable
health disparities of the century. The poor are disproportionately
burdened by disease. Indeed, the World Heath Organization (WHO)
has listed extreme poverty as the world's leading killer and
greatest cause of poor health and suffering. Individuals in
poor countries carry 90% of the world's burden of disease as
measured by WHO. Yet these countries have only 10% of the world's
health dollars to spend, and annual expenditures on health are
as low as $6 per person (WHO). Poverty is the main reason why
children do not receive vaccinations, why the sick cannot obtain
curative drugs or other treatments, and why the poor do not
have access to food or clean water. Every year more than ten
million children in the world die before their fifth birthday,
and a majority of these lives could have been saved for just
a few cents per child (WHO). These discouraging health outcomes
are also found in the United States. African American men living
in Harlem, for instance, have a life expectancy equivalent to
men living in rural Bangladesh. In both locations, infections
and violence are the leading causes of death in young adults.
As an advocate for the poor, I hope to alleviate unnecessary
suffering in the United States and other nations by formulating
pro-poor health strategies that will ensure adequate health
to all people. Building upon my background in public health
and anthropology, I want to understand how poverty, inequality,
development programs, growth, and globalization directly and
indirectly shape the health of individuals and populations.
Sample
#2
Specific data presented. Magnitude of the problem nicely
defined.
Children in extreme poverty in the developing
world face conditions hardly imaginable. More than 12.5 million
children under five die each year in developing countries; 9
million of them from causes for which inexpensive solutions
exist (UNICEF: The State of the World's Children 1997). Approximately
34,000 children under five die each day from hunger and preventable
diseases - 24 every minute (Bread for the World Institute: Hunger
1997). Over 500 million children are vulnerable to micronutrient
deficiencies, the single greatest preventable cause of physical
and mental retardation (OMNI). Over 95 million children under
the age of 15 are estimated to be working to help their families
make a living. Another 95 million are estimated to be homeless
or destitute street children (United Nations 1996: Eradication
of Poverty). Hunger and nutrition, health, child labor, and
in general issues affecting children in extreme poverty constitute
the central focus of my career. Taken together they diminish
the developing world's capacity to uplift itself and constitute
a moral affront. Children deserve adequate food, medical care,
and education and a childhood free from war and labor at too
young an age. One hundred and eighty-seven countries adopted
these principles in the International Convention on the Rights
of the Child (UNICEF: The Year in Review 1997). The challenge
of my generation shall bee implementing these ideas and building
a world in which no child is left behind.
Sample
#3
Good explanation of the problem. Data source identified.
In 1996, the top twenty percent of the population
received nearly fifty percent of the nation's income, averaging
over $125,000 per year. The bottom fifth of the population received
4.2 percent, averaging less than $11,500 (Economic Policy Institute
1998). A decline in the value of the minimum wage, a weaker
and smaller unionized workforce, and fewer high-paying manufacturing
jobs; and growth in low-wage, service sector, temporary and
part-time work all contribute to widening income inequality
in the U.S. Many of the poor work but without benefits or job
security. Welfare reform moves thousands off the rolls, while
training programs lead to the worst jobs. Over-represented at
the bottom are people of color, single mothers, and their children.
A decline in the well-being of low income people is on the horizon.
Without resources, individuals forgo medical care, engage in
risky activities to generate income, and stay in abusive relationships.
Those with the lowest incomes choose between lesser evils regularly,
and those with slightly more stay one crisis from the bottom.
Social mobility is limited to cycling between destitute and
seriously struggling, with few resources and many obstacles
to competing in the market. Through my work in sociology, public
health, and public policy, I hope to develop multi-dimensional,
pre-crisis approaches to the medical, psychological, and subsistence
problems concentrated in low-income communities.
back to top
Unsatisfactory
responses
Sample
#1
No data. Too much attention to what the candidate wants
to do and a recipe for change (the question does not ask for
solutions).
Our nation has yet to fulfill its promised vision
of equal opportunity for all citizens. Every day, as domestic
violence occurs and our full resources are not used to end this
problem, we deny opportunities to the victims. The abused live
in fear, cannot fully succeed at work, and are often withdrawn
from society. They fail to realize their true potential since
dignity and safety are lost. Children, as innocent onlookers,
are put at a disadvantage when they are caught up in an abusive
home. Many times, they grow in anger repeating the violence
they witness. The cycle of domestic violence begins again for
a new generation. I believe that government is responsible to
its citizens and that government is the great actor by which
social improvement is achieved. Rather than focusing on tracking
polls and selective domestic interests, our leaders should focus
the energy and resources of government on the problem of domestic
violence. I would like to work toward utilizing the powers of
government to provide more protection for victims, counseling
services for abusers, and increased awareness of the problem
among citizens. If we accept domestic violence as an impossible
problem, more of the abused will be lost because there are too
few shelters, too few laws, or too few counselors. The abused
must be given an opportunity to start life with safety and happiness.
Sample
#2
Vague. Not clear what candidate wants to do. No data.
I have always known that I want to help people.
The various careers that I have considered throughout the years
have a unifying theme: helping, treating, and listening to people.
However, I do not want to help a small portion of the people
in society, I want to do work that will affect a larger population.
Through work with legislation and public policy I can accomplish
this. My internship this past summer with the Divisions of Developmental
Disabilities taught me that although great strides have been
taken in order to incorporate individuals with developmental
disabilities and other disabilities into the community more
fully, there are still hurdles that need to be overcome. There
continue to be too many people in our society who look upon
people with disabilities negatively. These people do not understand
that the individuals they are ridiculing are not too unlike
themselves. The individuals with disabilities can work, own
their own residences, and attend community activities just like
the rest of society. The negative attitudes are major obstacles
that need to be addressed and conquered. However, I don not
want to focus my attention solely on developmental disabilities.
There are an unfortunate number of people who need assistance
and support in our communities. I would like to keep my helping
options open throughout my career in order to assist various
types of people. By working in the big picture of the problems
of society there will be potential to attack these problems
head on.
Sample
#3
Limited data and no source provided. Unclear candidate understands
the issues. Poor definition of problem.
From the ecological stresses to the impending
Social Security crisis, unmanaged population growth threatens
the nation. Currently, the United states grows annually in population
by 1%. Total fertility rate remains above the replacement rate
of 2.0 -- developed nations typically sit below this threshold
- with immigration maintaining one third of the population increase.
This growth pattern demands attention. And since the resultant
ecological changes will catalyze social and political changes,
there must be a greater cooperation between legislation and
the sciences. Food supply, urban management (the majority of
the wold's population is moving to cities), and biodiversity
loss are particular areas of concern. But whether from principle
or practicality, words like "bioregionalism," "ecocentrism,"
and "evolutionary psychology" must soon incorporate
into American slang.
back to top
Essay
Question #12: Describe the graduate education program you intend
to pursue if you receive a Truman Scholarship.
Satisfactory
responses
Sample
#1
Good justification for joint program. Would like to see
a little more about the programs and the geographic area(s)
of interest.
I intend to enter a four-year joint program,
earning a Master of International Affairs (MIA) and a law degree
(JD). While a joint degree program is undoubtedly rigorous,
I believe both degrees are necessary to provide the tools for
strengthening national and international legal structures. While
the choice of a law degree may seem obvious, equally important
is the more general knowledge of international relations as
the larger framework within which human rights violations take
place and cooperation for their protection is possible. In addition,
outsiders may act as catalysts in building up national legal
systems, but to be truly effective they must also possess a
deep appreciation of the complicated cultural and political
context in which they operate. It is a common requirement of
MIA programs that students focus on one region of the world
to develop just such an appreciation. With training that combines
legal knowledge, advocacy skills, and an in-depth understanding
of the complexities of international affairs, I would be well
equipped to affect the sort of change necessary for the long-term
protection of human rights throughout the world. Columbia University,
with its enduring commitment to the study of human rights and
its ideal location in the city of New York, is the best choice
for the program I have described. Both the School of International
and Public Affairs (SIPA) and the School of Law offer a human
rights concentration, while the SIPA's unique Regional Institutes
provide the additional opportunity for expertise in one geographic
area. Columbia also sponsors numerous human rights programs
such as lecture series and summer internships through the Center
for the Study of Human Rights and the Center for Public Interest
Law. Beyond the university, New York itself provides a vast
array of opportunities: the United Nations and the offices of
most major human rights organizations are just a short distance
away. Among leading universities, Columbia offers unparalleled
resources and support for training in human rights activism.
Sample #2
Good program specifics. Program makes sense for candidate.
Presented well.
I plan to pursue a doctoral degree in Interdisciplinary
Ecology from the University of Florida. The curriculum, provided
by 48 participating departments, would allow me to select a
broad, integrated study program in my multiple areas of interest.
Since students are hosted by one of these departments, I would
seek entrance through the Sociology Department. The program
requires courses in advanced principles of ecology and a focused
study of a particular ecosystem. Students and their advisors
develop a course plan consisting of 90 credit hours in natural
and social sciences. I have identified several natural science
courses in ecosystem management that I would be eager to take.
My main focus will be in the university's specialized studies,
which include the use of community analysis, Geographical Information
Systems, advanced environmental planning and design, and environmental
health. In the social sciences, I am interested in studying
environmental policy, environmental economics and benefit-cost
analysis. The doctoral program requires a minor focused on a
recognized discipline. I would pursue a sociology minor, focusing
on courses in metropolitan growth and development, urban ecology,
social inequality, collective behavior and movements, and studies
of organizational and political structures.
Sample #3
Good justification for JD. Well researched. Specific.
Through my work with housing and homeless advocacy
groups, I have met several activists who found that they were
unable to have the kind of impact on issues that affect the
homeless and marginally housed because they lacked a law degree.
Consequently, I have been inspired to pursue a degree in law
so that I will have the experience to organize homeless people
and low-income tenants, advise them of their rights, represent
them in negotiations and court if necessary, and co-author legislation
on the local, state, and national levels that will extend housing
as a right for all people. I am particularly interested in attending
Northeastern University because of its focus on social justice
law. I have been very impressed with the resources of their
Urban Law and Public policy Institute, especially their philosophy
of collaboration and support of community organizations based
on the model of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, a
grass-roots urban renewal program in Roxbury that was designed
and implemented by Roxbury residents, not by the Boston Housing
Authority. Ultimately, I am open to considering any law school
with a strong social action law program. New York University
Law School's Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy has a strong
emphasis on urban housing law, and Harvard Law School runs a
Tenant Advocacy project that aids low income tenants in fighting
evictions. It is important to me to be at in institution that
emphasizes the role law can play in fighting for social justice
and that attracts a student body with an interest in public
service. My colleague from the Massachusetts Coalition for the
Homeless has been satisfied with Northeastern for this reason.
Furthermore, the Co-op program at Northeastern will allow me
to spend 50% of my last two years gaining direct legal experience
while making a real impact by working with community organizations
and activist groups. Without the experience of collaborating
with community members, a law degree will not be useful in effecting
real social change.
Sample #4
Specific. Direct, to the point.
I plan on building upon my background in sociology
and education throughout the remainder of college and far into
my graduate studies. I am planning on pursuing a joint BA/MA
degree in sociology in my senior year of undergraduate studies
and using this degree as a starting point for further combined
study of sociology and education. I intend to pursue a Doctor
of Education degree (Ed.D.) with a strong focus on the sociology
of education. A program like Columbia's Sociology and Education
doctoral program at Teachers College would equip me with a thorough
understanding of education in a sociological perspective. Classes
like "Social stratification and education," "Gender
and inequality: The role of the school." and "School
improvement in the inner city: A sociological view" would
provide a vast sociological understanding of education. Stanford's
Graduate School of Education offers a similar Ed.D. degree in
the sociology of education in its Social Sciences: Policy and
Educational Practice (SSPEP) program. An Ed.D. degree combining
education with sociology would increase my understanding of
actual processes of education and the critical societal factors
that are inextricably linked to the institution of education.
The combination would start me on my lifework of changing the
experience of education for many Americans.
back to top
Unsatisfactory
responses
Sample
#1
No specifics on courses or concentrations.
If I receive a Truman Scholarship, I plan to
pursue a Masters Degree in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson
School at Princeton University or a Masters Degree in Public
Administration from Cornell University or Columbia University.
These three schools all offer excellent MPA programs that will
prepare me for work in the public policy sector. As a graduate
student at any one of these schools, I will not only enjoy an
excellent education, I will also receive a number of chances
for summer internships within the federal government. Any such
opportunity to gain experience in areas of public policy that
interest me, such as improving government efficiency and streamlining
the bureaucratic structure, will no doubt prove invaluable in
the years to come. At ________ I am currently pursuing a Bachelor
of Science in both Military History and Systems Engineering,
two disciplines that will substantively prepare me for an MPA
and my intended are of public policy.
Sample #2
First paragraph is inappropriate. Woodrow Wilson is "School
of Public and International Affairs." No specifics on studies.
The oldest piece of clothing I own is a gray
Harvard college sweatshirt, purchased at The Coop during a family
vacation in the summer of 1987. VERITAS, the burgundy and white
logo proclaims. At the age of 10, my first inquiry into Latin
focused on deciphering this word, a word that, once revealed,
seemed stronger to me than hate or death or war: the word TRUTH.
I have since come to understand that discovering truth is an
elusive ideal. I believe that the most important element in
the search for truth and knowledge is a diversity of opinions.
The graduate education programs I hope to pursue with the assistance
of a Truman Scholarship would incorporate a mix of viewpoints
through varied experiences and courses of instruction. I hope
to attend an institution with a strong tradition of developing
students for careers in public service. I am particularly interested
in the Woodrow Wilson School of Law and Diplomacy at Princeton,
the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University,
The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown
University , or the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard
University. I will pursue a program of study which culminates
in a Masters Degree in Public Affairs/Policy, Public Administration,
or Foreign Service. I also expect that my chosen graduate education
program will include opportunities to interact with scholars
and thinkers in the fields of International Relations and Public
Policy. Speakers, forums, and public debates as well as internship
program offerings and field observations are important factors
in my choice of graduate programs. I will also seek out guidance
in preparation for the Foreign Service Examination, as well
as further opportunities to study abroad as a graduate student.
Sample #3
States "extensive research" but does not share
any specifics. Does not offer criteria used to evaluate programs.
No options considered.
After extensive research regarding universities
that offer graduate degrees in sustainable griculture and related
topics I have isolated Wye College of the University of London
as my primary choice for graduate studies. I wish to pursue
a Doctor of Philosophy in the Environment Department. The Doctorate
of Philosophy Program can be completed in three years with full-time
registration. I wish to concentrate my study in the areas of
biodiversity studies, landscape and habitat restoration, and
management of soil and water resources. Additionally, I would
study subjects in international aspects of environmental change
and sustainability, the ramifications of agri-environmental
policies, rural planning, and sustainable agriculture practices.
A possible focus of my research is the conservation and promotion
of heirloom crop varieties of traditional communities.
back to top
Essay
Question #15: What additional personal information do you wish
to share with the Truman Scholarship Foundation?
Satisfactory
responses
Sample
#1
Captures the candidate's commitment and energy. Nice framing
of experiences--provides a helpful context for the reader.
I am an unbridled idealist. Frequently my family
and friends ask me, with exasperation, through what lens I am
viewing the world. I admit that my idealism is somewhat misplaced.
I have never lived outside urban centers, and the realities
of these "concrete jungles" are harsh. Behind my childhood
in San Francisco, beyond the breathtaking hilltop views, and
intricate architecture, there is a reality of homelessness,
drug addiction, and crime. I faced these sufferings daily as
a bright-eyed young girl, a teenager, and then, rather than
leaving the reality behind and attending a traditional college
life on a pleasant campus, I came to New York City. Before,
urban decay and its victims were tucked behind a veil of aesthetic
beauty. In New York there is no veil, and reality is up close
and personal. I cannot take full credit for planting the seeds
of my ideals alone. My parents always assured me that there
could be something better for desolate people, and they supported
my endeavors when I took the task on myself. My mother has imparted
to me more than once that "People are not really that different.
We all survive on the same basic things: love and respect."
Holding this belief close to me, I have not let the harshness
of reality, even the harshness of New York City, harden me or
fade my ideals. I grapple daily to reconcile the idealism that
I found nestled in the hillsides of San Francisco and in the
hearts of people around me with realism; a sense of what is
within arms reach and how to utilize limited resources. My idealism
is my energy, it focuses my passion. It is my belief that there
is a goodness in all people, but that it might take some work,
encouragement, and realism to find it.
Sample
#2
Well written, personal. Provides glimpse into another dimension
of candidate.
Mindy and I were born on the same day. I arrived
five minutes earlier, but for as long as I remember she has
been there. I always had a friend, someone to play with, confide
in, even sleep with. Together we braved the first day of school.
We were twins. Twins, but not identical. I played flag football
as she cheered on the sidelines. She studied classical piano,
while I practiced electric guitar. I yawned through her ballet
recitals; she reluctantly attended my tae kwon do meets. She
was the pretty one, but she was also shy, easily hurt. I wanted
to protect her. In the sixth grade, and older boy razzed her.
Mindy cried. I put him in a headlock and kneed his forehead.
I got a stomach punch and two days in detention, but he didn't
tease her again. At fifteen she found her first boyfriend--a
nineteen-year-old dropout who reeked of stale beer and marijuana.
One month after our sixteenth birthday, she said matter-of-factly:
"I'm pregnant. Happy Birthday...I guess." I was stunned.
We hugged each other and cried. I could no longer protect her.
I graduated high school valedictorian and captain of my basketball
team. Mindy dropped out of school, had the baby, and worked
as a fry cook and cashier. We inhabit separate worlds. My worries--earning
a "B," not having a date for Saturday night--recede
when she calls to tell me her electricity has been cut or that
her daughter, Britney, has been taken away from her. When I
phoned my parents in Germany last year, excited to be a Truman
nominee, I found she had called only a few minutes earlier to
tell them she had been beaten again. I love Mindy more than
anyone else in the world. I see her when I look into the eyes
of every young woman that I try to help--my sorority sisters,
Edna and Maria at the Neighborhood Legal Clinic, even some of
the defendants at the Probation Office. Mindy loves me too.
Some months ago she called to tell me that she was pregnant
again. She wanted to name the baby "______," after
me. "Maybe she'll be like you," she said.
Sample
#3
Honest, powerful, straight forward. Well written.
I grew up in a multiracial, multicultural, trilingual
family of adopted and blood-related, native and immigrant, urban
and rural, middle and working class people. I was a "gifted"
child, won art contests, and was elected to student government.
Family problems perhaps, led me to drop out, to crime, and to
polydrug addiction. I tried to run away repeatedly but returned
worse off than ever, hiding the proof under long sleeves while
working the graveyard shift at a massage parlor. I survived
the bad days because a community of urban Black cowboys, a prominent
African American reverend, and my dogs, among others, watched
over me. Through travel abroad, I saw problems like mine, but
bigger. Through the punk rock and reggae subcultures, I saw
social criticism through art. At 20, I decided to get involved
with community issues, which certainly saved my life. Learning
about the size and scope of social ills, experiencing collective
action, and finding a positive role make my own problems seem
smaller. Opportunities opened up. My work in emergency medicine
and research, contact with student activists, and exposure to
education as a vehicle for social change drew me back to school
in earnest in 1993. Unfortunately, huge losses accompanied my
transformation. My brother always said he would not see 26 and
didn't; I'm still unsure whether his case was a biological anomaly,
an egregious case of malpractice, or a confirmation of black
male life expectancy rates. Many loved ones are dead, incarcerated,
or otherwise lost. And when I thought the worse was over, I
acquired a chronic back injury while working as a paramedic.
On campus, I chuckle silently, in nervous awe of the fact that
I am actually here. I am granted time away, "up there"
in the university and am given immeasurable support, because
people know I'm here to increase my effectiveness. I bring a
commitment to keeping real people from becoming points around
a regression line, to assuming that changing lives is the reason
for measuring them, and to representing those who will never
enter the university as anything but janitors, food servers,
or research subjects.
back to top
Unsatisfactory
responses
Sample
#1
Too much on family, not enough on the candidate.
"Before I die," Granny declared three
years ago on Christmas morning, "I gotta teach you girls
how to POLKA!" And with that, my grandmother began to lead
my sister, then me, spinning around the kitchen in a whirl of
pajama-clad splendor. The smell of warm povitica bread and Granny's
voice singing "Roll out the Barrel!" rounded out the
scene. It is through moments like these that I begin to understand
my roots. My family does not fervently embrace its ethnic heritage.
One cousin who attempted to trace our family lineage back to
its European roots must half jokingly that "our ancestors
seemed to shift their nationality every time a war shifted the
borders." All we know, it seems, is that my great-great
grandparents, who immigrated here to the Great Plains, were
eager to shed their past in the pursuit of becoming Americans.
The events of 1997 have pushed my family to define exactly what
"being an American" means. In September 1997, two
months after I returned from spending six months in France,
my parents left the city where I had lived my entire life. They
will spend the next two years in Frankfurt, Germany, while my
father completes a work assignment. Meanwhile, my sister and
I have become parents to our parents, who rely on our support
and advice in the difficult adjustment to living abroad. It
has fallen to us to maintain the family home, pay the bills,
and care for our grandmother, who has aged far beyond her polka-dancing
days. My parents are experiencing (as I did when I arrived in
France) the initially unnerving sensation of being suspended
between two homes. One home is the physical structure where
you keep your toothbrush and your bathtub. The other is Home
... it is the one whose address is etched in your psyche. Unlike
my parents, I decided after three weeks of living in a foreign
country that I wanted to make a career out of being away from
Home. This is far from a desire to escape the city of my birth
and the country of my citizenship. On the contrary, I am learning
in my travels to love my country more. As my mother remarked,
"I never realized how much I like living in the United
States until I wasn't living there anymore." Generations
ago, my ancestors immigrated to America. I am eager to traverse
the Atlantic in the opposite direction. The difference is that
I, unlike my ancestors, will not forget my Home.
Sample
#2
Scattered. Hard to follow and find the focus. Nothing compelling.
Opening sentence adds nothing.
I fully understand that there are many qualified
nominees for this scholarship. It has been a privilege filling
out this scholarship for your consideration. The past two and
a half years of college have been fantastic. I have gained a
love for learning no matter what the class I am taking. I have
not made all A's, but I am just as proud of any of the B's I
have made because I earned them and worked hard for them. Going
on active duty in the Marines is something I look forward to.
I have wanted to serve in the military since I was about 16
years old. For me, it is my way of giving back for the sacrifices
so many have made for me. My Great-Grandfather, Grandfather,
and Father were all drafted in World War I, World War II, and
in Vietnam. I have never had any pressure from any of these
to serve, (actually it concerns them greatly), but it is the
right thing for me to do. From working with people of literally
all walks of life, I have learned that everyone has something
to contribute. My parents are hard-working people, not at all
wealthy, but very successful because of who they are and how
they have lived their lives. My Father is a pastor who has instilled
in me Christian principles, these guide my life and decisions.
From him I learned that a relationship with Christ is something
that happens on the days between church services, something
many people, even ministers, have forgotten today. He is a man
who "practiced what he preached." Because I have never
seen him be dishonest in business dealings, I have the courage
to want to be that honest in life as well. Everything I have
written down in the way of plans was already in place before
I even knew I had been nominated for this scholarship and I
thank you for even considering my nominee information sheet.
Sample
#3
Not enough here. Sounds more like a post-card to home at
the end of the trip. Too much a "snapshot" and not
enough a portrait of the candidate.
I studied abroad in Heidelberg, Germany for
the Fall 1997 semester. It was truly one of the most amazing
experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to travel through
Europe and visit many historic and beautiful places. Walking
through the Sistine Chapel, I marveled at being able to witness
a masterpiece created so many years ago. Hiking in the Alps,
I was awestruck by the pure beauty of nature. When I look back
on these memories via my scrapbook, I realize how lucky I was
to have the opportunity to study abroad for a semester. As it
was my first real time away from home, I was able to not only
grow as an individual and focus on my life goals, but I was
also able to appreciate at a deeper level the loving and supportive
family I had left behind in California.
back to top
back to Truman Resources
Truman Resources
