SAMPLE1:PERSONALSTATEMENT(500wordsmax)

MyNamehere
CarolE.MacphersonScholarshipPersonalStatement
Datehere

DearScholarshipSelectionCommittee:

IhavelovedtravelingandreadingaboutotherculturessinceIwasalittlegirl.
Sittingonthefloorofourfamilykitchenandreadingaboutpeoplewholivedallover
theglobeaswellaslivingforayearinArgentina,instilledinmearespectfor
diversityandaburningdesiretobeanadvocateforthoseunderservedonthis
planet.Thisgoalhasbeenmyreasonforpastformalandinformalstudies,anda
degreeinxyzwillprovidemethefinaltoolsIwillneedtomeetthechallengesIwill
face,andtobethestrongadvocateIwouldliketobe.TheCarolE.Macpherson
ScholarshipwouldhelpmegreatlyasIworktowardmygoal.Belowpleasefindmy
personalstatementusingthesectionsyouhaverequested.

EducationandProfessionalGoals
Myplanistocompletemyundergraduatedegreeinxyz,andpursueacareeras
anadvocateforcleanandhealthyenvironmentswhilelivinginAfricaorSouth
America.Iamcurrentlyconductingresearchonwomen,water,healthandlawto
addtotheexistinginformationabouttheroleofwomeninpreservingand
protectingfreshwaterresources.Inthepasttenyears,Icompletedaninternshipin
EthiopiaandinUganda,learnedabouttheUnitedNations,andhonedmy
organizational,advocacyandculturalskills.Ineededtotakeabreakfromcollege
whilemychildrenwereyoung,butamnowreenergizedtoreturntoschoolto
completethedegree,andgaintheknowledgeandskillsIneedtopursuemydream.

Responsibilities/Characteristics
Followingmyinternship,Imarried,hadachildandlivedforoneyearinUganda.
Now,Iamasinglemotherofthreewonderfulchildren(ages8,6,and5).Ilovemy
children,andamgladtobearolemodelforthemofawomanwhocontinuestoher
educationandfollowsherdreams.

RelevantExperience
Duringmybreakfromcollege,Ibecamemoreinvolvedinmycommunityby
mentoringandvolunteeringatorganizationssuchasBigBrothers&BigSisters,
VolunteersofAmerica,TheAmericanSocietyforthePreventionofCrueltyto
Animals(ASPCA),WomenLeadersforaBetterTomorrow,andatahomeless
sheltersandsoupkitchen.Inaddition,Iworkedatxyzforthreeyears,wheremy
passionforthisfieldcontinuedtogrow.

FinancialNeed
Asasingleparentwithinconsistentchildsupport,theCarolE.Macpherson
scholarshipwouldbeofgreatassistanceinsupportingmygoaltofinishmydegree.

Iworkatabc,25hoursaweek,andhavechosentonotworkfulltimetoavoidday
carecostsandtobetheretoprovideguidanceformychildrenafterschool.

TheCarolE.MacphersonScholarshipprovidesachanceforpeoplewhoare
strugglingtoreturntoschool,tobecometheexceptionandsucceed.Ihopeto
becomeoneofthosespecialpeopleanditiswithgreathonorandappreciationthatI
submitthisapplicationforyourconsideration.

Sincerely,

MySignature
MyName
MyAddress
Phone
Email


SAMPLE2:PERSONALSTATEMENT(500wordsmax)
MyNamehere
CarolE.MacphersonScholarshipPersonalStatement
Datehere

DearScholarshipSelectionCommittee:

RelevantExperience
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania in a town with a population of less than
300,theonlypeopleIknewwhohadbeentocollegeweremyteachers.Manyofthe
oldergirlsgotpregnantanddroppedoutofschoolbythe10thgrade.Therewereno
otherrolemodelsintermsofacademicaspirationsorcareeroptions.Despitethis
fact, for as long as I can remember, I dreamed of going to college. I developed a
fascinationwithAnthropologyfromreadingtheNationalGeographicmagazinesmy
grandmother had, and started learning about Anthropology programs. I knew my
parents could not afford to help me with college and we knew nothing about
financial aid. Still, I felt in my heart that if I worked hard, got good grades and
stayedfocused,Iwouldfindawaytomakemydreamareality.

By10thgradeIhadthehighestGPAinmyclass,hadwonseveralstatewide
academiccompetitionsandateacherofferedtoassistmeinapplyingtocollegesand
to write my recommendation letters. I sent away for catalogues, but by the end of
that summer I was in love and pregnant. Then my entire world began to unravel.
Though my older exhusband had a full time job, he also had a budding drinking
problem.Iwouldrathernotsharethetraumaticdetailsofourmarriage,itisenough
tosaythatafter5yearsofabuseIescapedwithmylifeandmythreechildren.

Responsibilities/Characteristics
Since that time, I have been waging custody battles and supporting our
children completely on my own, as their father is unable to pay consistent child
support. I also completed my GED, attended two terms of community college and
have been accepted into the University of Minnesotas Anthropology program.
ThoughIhavetakenawindingpath,IamfinallywhereIalwayswantedtobewith
theadditionofthreechildrenIloveandwouldnottradetheworldfor.

EducationandProfessionalGoals
MycareerplansaretocompleteaBAinAnthropologyandthencontinueon
towardaPh.D.IhaveplanneditsothatbythetimeIneedtoconductfieldresearch
mygirlswillbeoldenoughtolivewithmyparents,whohaveofferedtoassistwith
childcare for extended periods. My area of specialization is the study of women
healersthroughtheages,fromwitchcraftandfeminineshamanismtocontemporary
folkmedicine.Itismyhopethatthroughfutureresearch,myfindingsmayoneday
lead to breakthroughs in modern medical practices and an increased respect for a
more feminine and holistic view of healing in todays world. On a more personal
levelIwanttoprovidetherolemodelformygirlsIneverhad.


FinancialNeed
Asasinglemother,whocanonlyworkamaximumof20hours/weekwhile
in college, the assistance this scholarship offers would be invaluable as I work
towardmakingmydreamsareality.

Thankyouforyourconsideration.

Sincerely,

MySignature
MyName
MyAddress
Phone
Email