Monday, December 28, 2009

Scholarship Spotlight: Microsoft Scholarships

Amount of the Scholarship: Depends on the scholarship

Deadline: February 1st

Criteria:

  • Displayed interest in the software industry
  • Commitment to leadership
  • Financial need
  • Full time student
  • Satisfactory progress toward an undergraduate degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline such as electrical engineering, math, or physics—and that you demonstrate an interest in computer science.
  • Maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average out of a possible 4.0
  • Quality of application

Additional Information: https://careers.microsoft.com/careers/en/us/collegescholarship.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/college/ss_overview.mspx/
http://www.microsoft.com/college/ss_reqs.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/college/ss_howtoapply.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/

Contact:
1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052
Phone: (425) 882-8080
Email: scholars@microsoft.com.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Scholarship Spotlight: A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship

A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship

Amount of scholarship: $1,500 per year

Deadline: March 31

$1,500 scholarships awarded to full-time undergraduate students who have demonstrated their commitments to building communities. Each scholarship will be for $1,500 per academic year, prorated and awarded at the beginning of each academic term (for example, semester or quarter). Recipients may re-apply each year for up to four years, provided they continue to meet the requirements of the award.

Requirements
Recipients must be admitted or enrolled in a full-time undergraduate program of study in an accredited four-year college or university in the United States. They must maintain good academic standing and make progress toward a degree. The Charnon Scholarship Review Committee will decide whether applicants fulfill the requirements of the award. The selection committee looks for candidates who value tolerance, compassion and respect for all people in their communities, and who have demonstrated their commitments to these values by their actions.

Applications must be postmarked by March 31st for the academic year beginning in August or September. Recipients will be notified of their award in early August, and a profile of the recipient will be posted on The Center website.

In addition to the application form, you need to submit a 2-4 page essay (typed, double-spaced) explaining how community service experiences have shaped your life and how you will use your college educations to build communities in a manner consistent with Pat Charnon's values of compassion, tolerance, generosity and respect. An official transcript from your high school or college and three letters of reference are also required.

Additional Information:
http://www.cesresources.org/charnon.html#become
http://www.cesresources.org/apply.html
http://www.cesresources.org/Application.pdf

Contact:
A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship
The Center for Education Solutions
Box 208
San Francisco, California 94104-0208

Monday, December 7, 2009

Scholarship Spotlight

Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics

The Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest is an annual competition designed to challenge college students to analyze the urgent ethical issues confronting them in today's complex world. Students are encouraged to write thought-provoking personal essays that raise questions, single out issues and are rational arguments for ethical action.

Amount of the Scholarship:
First Prize - $ 5,000
Second Prize - $ 2,500
Third Prize - $ 1,500
Two Honorable Mentions - $ 500 each

Deadline: January 8, 2010

Requirements:
Students are eligible to enter the 2010 contest if:1)They are registered undergraduate full-time juniors or seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States during the fall 2009 semester, or 2)They fulfill the guideline requirements and are studying abroad during the 2009-2010 school year, as long as they are registered as full-time juniors or seniors at their home schools in the U.S., or 3)They are international or non-citizen students who fill the guideline requirements and are attending schools in the U.S.

Essay:
The Foundation receives many inquiries regarding what students may write about in their essays. The topics provided by the Foundation each year are merely suggested topics - students may feel free to write about any topic as long as it pertains to ethics.

Faculty Sponsor:
Students entering the contest are required to have a Faculty Sponsor review their essay and sign the Entry Form. Faculty members should only endorse thought-provoking, well-written essays that fall within the contest guidelines. Any interested professor at the student's school may act as a Faculty Sponsor.

Additional Information:
http://www.eliewieselfoundation.org/prizeinethics.aspx
http://www.eliewieselfoundation.org/information.aspx

Contact:
The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity
555 Madison Avenue
20th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Fax: 212-490-6006
Tel: 212-490-7788

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Creating Your Brand Statement: Putting it all together

In previous posts about the importance of a personal brand, we concentrated on how to create a personal brand using web tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Now it’s time to create your own personal brand statement. A brand statement will help your cover letter or resume stand out from thousands of others! In the next several blog postings, I will share information with you taken from leading personal branding expert and career advancement coach, Robert Allen Paul, and his “Company Of One” presentation at Buena Vista University. I would recommend his valuable message to every student. (Part I: Your Brand Part II: Core Competencies Part III: Brand Attributes Part IV: Brand Identity Part V: Brand Promise
Part VI: Brand Vision Part VII: Brand Loyalty + Brand Equity Part VIII: Brand Statement); Part IX: Putting It All Together:

Putting it all together…
If you want to create a cover letter that actually compels prospective employers to open and review your resume, you can apply the principles you’ve learned, incorporate the brand components you’ve developed, and try something like this:

Dear Mr. Roberts:

You don’t know me. We’ve never met. But your niece, Jenny Jenson, thinks we should. As a junior at Acme University, I’ve begun exploring career opportunities and requesting informational interviews. Jenny really respects your experience, so I’m reaching out to request your guidance.

Over the past twenty years, I’ve developed a talent for concise, critical thinking. I’m inquisitive, strategic and self-motivated, so I believe I can offer the right company an opportunity to maximize project results with a minimum of supervision.

My objective is to eventually earn a role as the chief marketing analyst for a category-leading packaged goods company. Jenny and I think that sounds a lot like Central Foods, so I’m wondering: Am I on the right track?

If you could spare thirty minutes anytime on March 9 or 10, I would sincerely appreciate it. Unless I hear from you beforehand, I’ll call during the week of February 27 to discover your interest.

Thank you for your consideration.

In case you haven’t realized it yet, Robert Allen Paul’s “Company Of One” is not just another “you can be whoever you want to be and succeed” program. It’s a “you can be exactly who you are and succeed” program. It doesn’t take a genius. It doesn’t take a marketing degree. All it takes is a clear understanding of who you really are, what you really do, how you do it differently from everyone else, and the benefits of that difference to your customers.

You are already unique. You are already a power to be reckoned with.

You are a Company Of One.

Robert Allen Paul has graciously shared his contact information with me to post in this blog. If you would like more information, or sample letters, send an email (linked below), and mention my name, Denise Beebe. You can also purchase his book, or the e-version of his book that contains a workbook through his website, linked above.

Robert Allan Paul
PresidentCOO, Inc
8242 Turtle Creek Boulevard
Minneapolis, MN 55375
612.636.4554
Robert@CoOfOne.com