Mary Gates Endowment for Students

A reading committee evaluates every application against the selection criteria, with interviews for those who advance, over about an eight- week review period. 

Review process

• All complete and eligible applications are read and discussed by a committee of UW faculty and staff members and evaluated against the selection criteria. 
• Applicants who advance to the next phase are invited for an interview; you must participate in an interview in order to be considered for the scholarship.
• The full review process takes roughly eight weeks; you can follow your status through the online application, and both you and your mentor are notified of the final decision by email.

Listed below are the review criteria the committee uses when reading applications. There are four general criteria. These are the factors reviewers weigh, though they understand you may not have room in your essay to address every point equally.

Selection Criteria

Characteristics of the applicant

Preparation, motivation, and your mentor's assessment.

• Preparation — adequate preparation for the proposed work, and your potential for success.
• Motivation — sincere interest, enthusiasm, and commitment to the project or leadership experience.
• Your mentor's overall assessment of your abilities, your potential for learning, and your ability to lead the project.

Context

A clear, feasible project that fits you and that you're committed to.

• Project — the purpose and goals are clear, and the steps for achieving them are explained.
• Purpose and impact — you explain the need for the project and the ways it, or its proposed outcomes, will affect others.
• Feasibility — the project is achievable given its scope, timeline, and the resources available.
• Fit — the project makes sense for you, and the essay articulates the unique role you'll play.
• Commitment to the project — the essay conveys how and why you're involved in this particular effort at this particular time.

Leadership

How you understand leadership, and how the project develops it.

• Leadership — you define your own understanding of leadership.
• Project–leadership connection — you explain how the project is a leadership project, including how it will shape your leadership practice or understanding.
• Collaboration — you articulate who you're working with and the role each person plays, where applicable, particularly if you're part of a group or team.
• Mentor — you and your mentor both describe how you'll work together on your project and leadership goals.

Reflection, growth, and impact

Tracking your learning, naming your challenges, and looking ahead.

• Reflection — you explain how you'll keep track of, and eventually evaluate, what you're learning.
• Challenges — you name the challenges you face in becoming a better leader and the ways you'll approach the journey.
• Longer-term impact — you discuss the potential effects on your future goals and aspirations.
• Impact of the award — the difference the financial support makes to your engagement with the project, and the impact of being named a Mary Gates Scholar.