The following is a sample of a successful Gilman follow-on proposal submission. The student who wrote this proposal was awarded a Gilman scholarship for his summer internship in Brazil. Following the proposal, I give a brief discussion of what I feel to be the strong points of this document.
My proposed project to promote the Gilman Scholarship would be through the Opportunity Scholars Program. The Opportunity Scholars Program provides financial assistance, mentors, internships, service learning projects and networking opportunities to students who require financial assistance, are the first to attend college in their immediate family and/or come from a population or group that is under-represented at the university level. Students who are involved in the Opportunity Scholars Program are required to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA during their attendance at the University of Utah. I am a participant in the Opportunity Scholars Program, and as such I have a personal connection with the other members of the group and will be able to arrange my project through this connection.
I will coordinate with the director of the program to set up a presentation that I can give during one of the monthly mandatory meetings. My goals during this meeting will be to convey to my fellow students the importance of gaining internship experience during college. I will help the students of the Opportunity Scholars Program to understand the importance of networking through an internship, and to understand how this will lead to future job placement.
In order to enrich my presentation and to be sure that I am providing sound information to my peers, I will coordinate with the head of the international internships for the Hinckley Institute of Politics. I will invite her to the meeting so that she can explain the opportunities in various countries offered through Hinckley Institute of Politics and so that she can demonstrate what these internships can do for students’ resumes.
I will also coordinate with my adviser in the Center for Learning Abroad, and invite her to visit as well. I will ask her to explain the unique experiences offered by studying abroad and to elaborate on the ways study abroad can add to the university experience. I will ask her to share with students on how they can fund such an experience, through available scholarships or loans. I want the students in my Program to understand that going abroad is available to everyone, and the different outlook you will have when you return.
I will present to my fellow students via PowerPoint and will provide statistical evidence about students who receive job offers post-graduation, having done an internship during their time at the university versus those who did not participate in an internship. The PowerPoint presentation will convey my experience abroad and will help me to demonstrate the networking opportunities presented to me through my internship. I will make the students aware of the steps I took to make this internship happen, instilling in the fellow participants in my program that going abroad is possible. Being a student from a similar background will allow these students to see that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.
Discussion:
Here are a few key aspects which made this proposal a strong contender for the Gilman scholarship:
- Student has a strong connection with a group on campus, and proposes his project in associate with that group. He clearly states and explains his connection. This makes his project seem both feasible and relevant.
- This proposal makes clear that the student has thought about how he will carry out his project and with whom he will need to coordinate to make it happen.
- Proposal is brief and succinct, but is not without passion or interest. Upon reading this proposal, the reader can tell that the student has planned a practical project, but also that the student has a vested interest in the project, and that he cares about its successful completion.
Scholarship Sojourn 