Are Any Of These Nationally Competitive Awards For You?
Incoming Freshman, Check These Awards Out!
Dr. Jenny Hyest is the Director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at the University of Cincinnati.
When Dr. Hyest was as an undergrad, she didn’t event know that these kinds of awards were available to college students.
She believes these kinds of opportunities can be really transformative for a student.
So, Incoming Freshman, while it may seem a “little too soon”,
It is a good idea to learn about the various competitive awards and,
For the ones that you want to try for,
Make it part of your college planning calendar!
Types of Awards
Dr. Hyest divides the nationally competitive awards into Pre Baccalaureate and Post Baccalaureate opportunities - meaning an opportunity that they can apply for and have while still pursuing a bachelor's degree, and others that can be held once a student graduates.
1.Pre Baccalaureate
Here are some notable awards you can apply and hold while still in college.
Goldwater Scholarship
The goal of the Goldwater Scholarship is to identify and support undergraduate researchers in the natural sciences, math or engineering. Students apply in their sophomore or junior years and use the scholarship in the junior and/or senior years.
So, you may want to start UG Research by the end of your Freshman year.
Check out my podcast with Dr. John Mateja, President of the Goldwater Scholarship Foundation, for more information.
Truman Scholarship
Truman Scholarship provides funding for graduate school for change agents that want to pursue careers in public service. Applications have to made in the Junior or Senior year.
Listen to my podcast to learn how Adam Elzarka became a Truman Scholar.
Language Scholarships
If you want to study a Critical Need Language, there are the Critical Language Scholarship and Boren Awards that will allow you to go abroad to have a cultural immersion experience and study the language.
For more, listen to my podcast with Adam Elzarka, Boren Scholar from the University of Cincinnati.
2.Post Baccalaureate
Fulbright
There are two types of Fulbright Grants.
One is study Research so that you would be conducting a research project of your own design and your host community under the supervision of an affiliate and in some cases pursue graduate study with a supportive Fulbright.
The other grant type is the English Teaching Assistant grant (ETA). And in that case, you spend 10 months placed in a school in one of the 160 countries where English is being taught. And you are there as the fluent English speech speaker to assist that instructor.
You should start working on your application materials the summer between your junior and senior year.
There are number of Fulbright Scholars I have talked to in the last couple of years. I would suggest you check out the podcast with Reid Furubayashi of Claremonth McKenna.
Rhodes, Mitchell & Marshall Scholarships
Lastly, there are just so many different opportunities if you want to go to the UK after you finish your undergraduate studies to pursue a graduate degree. The Rhodes Scholarships, Mitchell Scholarships and Marshall Scholarships support graduate studies in the UK.
These applications tend to be quite rigorous so, you may want to start the process in summer before your senior year.
To learn more, check out Grace Fox’s experience with the Rhodes application.
Next: What Should You Do?
Once you get to campus, see if your college has an Office for Nationally Competitive Awards.
If there is one, familiarize yourself with the it various services and the awards they support.
Finally, it really comes down to your question of what your goals are, what you want to achieve, and then find an award that’s a good fit for you.
All the Best!
On With The Podcast!
In this podcast, Jenny Hyest shares her background, her role as Director, The Various Awards, The Importance of Awards, How they help students with the awards applications process, and Advice for High Schoolers.
Hi-Fives from the Podcast are:
Role at U of Cincinnati
Why is an Awards Office Important?
Types of Awards
Helping Students
Advice for High Schoolers
Listen to the Podcast with Jenny Hyest of U of Cincinnati on Nationally Competitive Awards. (49-Minute Listen).
Have a Great Week.
Venkat