Getting a nudge from an admired faculty member or staff mentor leads many students to consider applying for a nationally competitive award. Please consider referring any student that you have enjoyed working with and stands out in your mind, regardless of whether they have the highest GPA or earned the best grade in your class. Some qualities that are important to look for in potential applicants are: high engagement with course material, ability to make exciting or unexpected connections, a strong academic record, and involvement with the campus and community. These may be students who you recognize as having untapped potential that need an extra push to even consider themselves as strong candidates for competitive external awards. Recommending these students to our office might be the nudge they need to get them moving in the direction of realizing their potential.
Thoughtful and relevant letters of recommendation are a crucial part of a student's application for a nationally competitive award. After the student's own personal statement and essays, the recommendation letters are the most influential part of their application, so your role as a letter writer is fundamental. Below are some resources and information to help you write an effective recommendation letter that is tailored to the student and the award they are applying for. If you have questions or need additional resources, please email McLain Hymer at mhymer@umkc.edu.
Online Handbook for Writing Recommendation Letters
Advice from Yale Fellowships and Funding
