How to Craft Your Essay for the SEIU Local 116 Scholarship

Brainstorming Across the Four Buckets

To structure your thoughts, divide your brainstorming into four material buckets:

• Background: Consider your personal history, including family, education, and any challenges you have faced. What experiences have shaped your desire to pursue further education?
• Achievements: Identify key accomplishments in your academic and personal life. Use specific metrics or outcomes to illustrate your impact, such as projects completed, leadership roles held, or community service hours logged.
• The Gap: Reflect on what you currently lack that makes further study essential. What skills or knowledge do you hope to gain at Southwestern Illinois College that will help you achieve your career goals?
• Personality: Think about what makes you unique. Include humanizing details that reveal your values, interests, and motivations. This could be a hobby, a volunteer experience, or a personal philosophy.

Outline Your Essay

With your brainstorming complete, create an outline that organizes your thoughts logically. Start with an engaging introduction that draws the reader in with a specific moment or story from your life. Follow this with sections that delve into each of the four buckets, ensuring each paragraph focuses on one main idea. Conclude with a reflection on how the scholarship will help you achieve your goals and contribute to your community.

Drafting Voice and Style

As you draft, maintain an active voice and be specific in your language. Avoid vague statements and clichés; instead, focus on clear, impactful writing. Each paragraph should transition smoothly to the next, creating a cohesive narrative. Remember to reflect on your experiences and articulate why they matter. This will help answer the “So what?” question that the committee may have.

Revision and “So What?”

After completing your draft, take a break before revising. Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and impact. Ensure that each section contributes to your overall narrative and that you effectively communicate your motivations and aspirations. Ask yourself if your essay answers the question of why you deserve this scholarship and how it will help you make a difference.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Be mindful of several common pitfalls:

• Avoid starting with clichés or generic statements. Instead, open with a specific moment that illustrates your journey.
• Steer clear of vague language and empty superlatives. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your achievements.
• Do not invent facts or embellish your experiences. Authenticity is key to building trust with the committee.
• Ensure your essay is well-structured, with one main idea per paragraph and logical transitions.