Office works for student recognition

Fulbright. Rhodes. Goldwater.

Most students are familiar with these big-name scholarships but don’t understand how much work goes into applying for them.

The Office of Fellowships and Scholar Programs aims to help students understand and maneuver through the process of applying for national competitions. The Office of Fellowships and Scholarships Programs is a fairly new office.

It was established in 1994 to provide “innovative initiatives for exceptional students,” according to its mission statement.

To date, including the 2008-2009 academic year, University of South Carolina students have won 37 national awards and more than $550,000 for advanced academic study.

Each year, more than 60 faculty and staff members serve on University scholarship committees and provide individual guidance and support to national scholarship applicants.

Third-year religious studies and history student Erik Grayson was among the prestigious group of scholarship and fellowship winners last year. He received an award from the Fund for Theological Education (FTE).

“I spent a fair amount of time on the application,” Grayson said. “It was not something I wanted to throw together at the last minute, being that it represented not only me personally, but was an indicator of my career potential.”

Since the award Grayson received was given through a religiously-affiliated organization, he felt that it was “extremely important to clearly convey who you are and what you stand for...to say that, for example, I am a Christian is not enough. You need to explain what that means to you. For me, I had to clearly explain that to me, faith is all about healing.”

Third-year economics student Tammy Hsu received a Critical Languages scholarship from the United States Department of State last year. Winning the scholarship allowed Hsu the opportunity to study in Cairo, Egypt, for two months over the summer. The opportunity to take an all-expense paid trip with a government program was motivation for Hsu to complete her application.

“I spent about five days working on my application after some serious discussions with Margaret [Perkins] in the OFSP office,” Hsu said. “There were several essays and [the advisors at ] the OFSP were very helpful.”

The office will sponsor a series of scholarship workshops during the fall semester in order to expose undergraduate and graduate students to opportunities for grants and fellowships in every field of study as well as study abroad programs.

Students are encouraged to attend the workshop for the scholarship or scholarships that interest them most. Attending a workshop is the first step in applying for a national award.

“We encourage students to come in and meet with an advisor so that we can get to know their academic and professional goals and help identify the appropriate competition for them,” said Jennifer B. Collins, an administrative assistant in the Office of Fellowships and Scholar Programs.

Grayson’s advice for students interested in applying for national fellowships and scholarships?

“You want to not only answer the questions, but do so in a way that gives a very unique insight into what defines you. If you can clearly do this, then you will be well on your way to earning the funding or travel [opportunity] that will enable you to further that passion.”

Hsu offers similar advice.

“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and brag a little,” she said. “And don’t hesitate to apply even if you think everyone else is more qualified. Chances are that other applicants feel the same way you do.”

For more information on the scholarship workshops, contact the Office of Fellowships and Scholar Programs by phone at 777-0958, on the web at www.sc.edu/ofsp, or by visiting Legare College 220.