Help needed for Truman application
Nov. 15th, 2004 12:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greybetaIf you missed the memo, I may be nominated by my university for a Truman Scholarship. Blah blah public service, be a g-man (Anime explanation lady says "g-man" is d2's term for a government man).
So...I need help. And lots of it. What I tell myself sounds good to me, but I'm pretty sure that I need make it more forceful. For question #12 (about my graduate school program), you can view a list of "satisfactory" and "unsatisfactory" responses here, so you know what you're looking for. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
12. Describe the graduate education program if you intend to pursue if you receive a Truman Scholarship.
My first choice of graduate school is Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. I plan to apply for the graduate history program, with a focus on Southeast Asian graduate studies. Because my parents were refugees in the Vietnam War, I am interested in specializing in Vietnamese history. Since the five-year doctorate program at Cornell requires proficiency in two languages other than English, I intend to learn Vietnamese and French. Even though my parents speak to me in our native tongue all the time, I have rather weak grasp of the Vietnamese language. French would be a new experience for me, but I took Spanish in high school so I have some familiarity with studying a Romantic language. As a former French colony, Vietnam has been the subject of study for many French scholars. By improving my language skills and learning more about my past, I will prepare myself to give an expert opinion on foreign policy in that region of the world.
13. What do you hope to do and what position do you hope to have upon completing your graduate studies?
Upon receiving my doctoral degree in history from Cornell, I plan to work as a history professor at a small private university. I would love to be the Southeast Asian specialist in that university’s history department.
14. What do you hope to do and what position do you hope to have five to seven years later?
After a few years of becoming familiar with my community, I plan on getting involved in local politics. I want begin at the base level, learning how elections and campaigns work. I will work my way up to become a foreign policy advisor for Southeast Asia.
So...I need help. And lots of it. What I tell myself sounds good to me, but I'm pretty sure that I need make it more forceful. For question #12 (about my graduate school program), you can view a list of "satisfactory" and "unsatisfactory" responses here, so you know what you're looking for. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
12. Describe the graduate education program if you intend to pursue if you receive a Truman Scholarship.
My first choice of graduate school is Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. I plan to apply for the graduate history program, with a focus on Southeast Asian graduate studies. Because my parents were refugees in the Vietnam War, I am interested in specializing in Vietnamese history. Since the five-year doctorate program at Cornell requires proficiency in two languages other than English, I intend to learn Vietnamese and French. Even though my parents speak to me in our native tongue all the time, I have rather weak grasp of the Vietnamese language. French would be a new experience for me, but I took Spanish in high school so I have some familiarity with studying a Romantic language. As a former French colony, Vietnam has been the subject of study for many French scholars. By improving my language skills and learning more about my past, I will prepare myself to give an expert opinion on foreign policy in that region of the world.
13. What do you hope to do and what position do you hope to have upon completing your graduate studies?
Upon receiving my doctoral degree in history from Cornell, I plan to work as a history professor at a small private university. I would love to be the Southeast Asian specialist in that university’s history department.
14. What do you hope to do and what position do you hope to have five to seven years later?
After a few years of becoming familiar with my community, I plan on getting involved in local politics. I want begin at the base level, learning how elections and campaigns work. I will work my way up to become a foreign policy advisor for Southeast Asia.
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no subject
Date: 2004-11-15 06:30 pm (UTC)As far as 13 and 14 go, I'm not sure how much detail is required but if you need more perhaps you could go into a little more detail about being a southeast asian specialist. I like the idea of becoming a foreign policy advisor in #14, but it's going to take a lot of work and (cough,cough) motivation.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-15 07:45 pm (UTC)