Crafting Your Essay for the Charles McGee Leadership Award

Brainstorming Across the Four Buckets

To create a well-rounded essay, explore the following material buckets:

• Background: Identify key moments or experiences that shaped your understanding of leadership. Think about your family, education, and community influences.
• Achievements: List specific accomplishments that demonstrate your leadership skills. Use metrics and outcomes to provide context, such as projects led, initiatives started, or groups organized.
• The Gap: Reflect on areas where you seek growth. What skills or knowledge do you hope to gain through further study at Stetson? How will this scholarship help bridge that gap?
• Personality: Infuse your essay with personal anecdotes that reveal your values and character. Share moments that showcase your resilience, empathy, or commitment to making a difference.

Creating an Outline

Organize your thoughts into a coherent structure. A suggested outline could be:

1. Introduction: Start with a compelling moment or story that captures your leadership journey.
2. Body Paragraphs: Dedicate one paragraph to each bucket, ensuring each section flows logically to the next.
3. Conclusion: Reflect on how the scholarship will empower you to further develop your leadership potential and contribute to your community.

Drafting Voice and Style

Use an active voice to convey your experiences and insights. Be specific—avoid vague statements and instead provide concrete examples. Each paragraph should focus on a single idea, with transitions that enhance the logical flow of your narrative. Remember to answer the “So what?” question in each section, reflecting on the significance of your experiences.

Revision and “So What?”

After drafting, take a step back and review your essay for clarity and impact. Ensure that each section contributes to a cohesive narrative about your leadership journey. Ask yourself: What insights have I gained? How do these experiences shape my future goals? This reflection will strengthen your essay's message.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Be mindful of the following mistakes:

• Avoid cliché openers and filler phrases that do not add value to your narrative.
• Steer clear of vague expressions of passion without evidence; instead, ground your enthusiasm in specific experiences.
• Do not use passive voice when an active subject exists; clarity is key in competitive writing.
• Ensure all facts and experiences presented are genuine and verifiable.