MATTHEW HILL - A senior with a triple major in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, (both Arts and Sciences and Legal Communication). Matt applied for both the Marshall and the Rhodes. Matt wants to pursue a Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry in the UK, and eventually wants to head up his own research lab working to create new pharmaceuticals. Matt received the Goldwater Scholarship last year, as well as an NSF-REU Fellowship, and the Jeanette-Grasselli Research Grant.

ROBERT MCDONIE - Bobby is majoring in English (College of Arts and Sciences, but with the Honors Tutorial program), and wants to pursue a graduate degree in English Literature with a focus on Queer Studies. Bobby has been an RA for three years and has been very active in the GLBT community, including conducting extensive Safe Zone workshops. He wants to pursue his Ph.D. and teach at the college level, but he also is committed to being actively engaged in community building and advocacy. Bobby applied for both the Rhodes and the Marshall.

KATHERINE SMITH - Katherine is a senior HTC student majoring in English with a minor in Economics. She intends to go to law school and pursue a career in public interest law, specializing in women's issues, particularly welfare reform. Selected as a Truman Scholar last year, Katherine is currently president of Student Senate. Katherine applied for both the Marshall and the Rhodes and hopes to study social policy in the United Kingdom.

MICHAEL SPENCER - Michael received his BSS degree from Ohio University in 2001, majoring in Cultural Studies with a concentration in African American Studies and English. He is currently enrolled in the MAIA program majoring in Communication and Development Studies. Michael has been an active leader in many groups, particularly in the African American community on campus. He applied for the Rhodes and hopes to pursue a degree in Development Studies at Oxford.

Attention: Students interested in the BARRY M. GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP or the HARRY S. TRUMAN SCHOLARSHIP, be sure to read over this pre-application information.

Step 1: Begin to investigate the web sites and any written material, and begin to think about your application. Start here:

Step 2 (optional): We encourage you to come and have a preliminary conversation about your interests, goals and plans with Ann Brown at the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards. You'll be working closely with her during this process, and this first meeting can be very helpful as you develop your application materials. To make an appointment, e-mail her at browna@ohio.edu, or call 597-1632. When you come to talk with her, bring a current DARS and a current resume.

Step 3: Submit the following pre-application materials to the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards no later than Monday, October 28, 2002. The materials to include in your packet are:

Step 4: Once we have received everyone's materials we will distribute them to selected faculty members for review. We will then have each of you come for a personal interview—probably lasting around ½ hour. This is intended to be a learning experience—faculty will be exploring with you your interests and goals, asking for more details, and suggesting ways in which you could strengthen your application. It should be fun and interesting. If we feel an applicant has no chance whatsoever in the competition we will inform him/her of this, but for the most part we would like all of you to begin to develop full application(s) for the award(s) you are interested in pursuing. We want everyone to benefit from this process, and it takes time to develop a “mature” application.

Step 5: After we conduct these interviews you will work with Ann Brown and faculty mentors to refine your application materials—this is where the work begins! But also the fun. You will write and rewrite and rewrite again your materials, ideally producing a first class application in the process. Our goal is to have you present yourselves to best advantage, and to create the most persuasive and compelling application that we can. This work will take place over the rest of this quarter and winter break—either in person or via phone and e-mail.

Step 6: When you return to campus in the winter, we will again review your application materials and provide you with feedback. We will select the applications that we will endorse as an institution, so it is to your benefit to work on these during the summer (we can only endorse the strongest applications, but I am optimistic that with this new process that we will have MANY strong applications). Applications for these awards are due in late January and early February.

Step 7: We will also begin to conduct mock interviews—the initial ones to help you refine your applications, and, as the process proceeds, we will conduct more in-depth and intense interviews to prepare you for “the real thing”.

Ann Brown, Office of Nationally Competitive Awards, 35 Park Place, 593-2725 or 593-2725 or through e-mail browna@ohio.edu

The ONCA E-News is a publication of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards. Any questions, comments or suggestions should be addressed to Cara Lewis at cara.lewis@ohio.edu. Questions concerning awards or award information should be addressed to Ann Brown, Director, Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at browna@ohiou.edu or by phone at 593-2725. More information is available on our web site at www.ohiou.edu/onca.

ONCA E-News Editor: Cara Lewis