What is the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship?
The Knight-Hennessy Scholarship provides up to three years of funding for any graduate degree at Stanford University, as well as community support and leadership development. As you might have guessed, it is a highly competitive scholarship. However, if you are applying to a graduate program at Stanford, it is extremely worthwhile to review the eligibility requirements to become a Knight-Hennessy Scholar and consider applying!
Map out a schedule, and start early.
To be eligible for the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, you must be accepted (at the same time) to a Stanford graduate program. This is no easy feat! What this means is that you will need to complete the (detailed) scholarship application at the same time you complete the Stanford program application. To complicate things further, the deadline for Knight-Hennessy is often earlier than the regular Stanford graduate program deadlines. Therefore, it is very important to start working on the scholarship application earlier than you would start on most other graduate applications to ensure that you finish in time for the early October deadline. One way to ensure that you stay on track is by using a spreadsheet in which you list the materials needed to complete the application, and actively map out when you need to have your first draft completed, then your second draft, and so on. With so many components to juggle, organization is key, and having a plan in place will prevent you from struggling at the last moment.
Use the Knight-Hennessy application to become a better graduate school applicant.
The Knight-Hennessy application includes questions about your research interests, your future goals, and how you plan to make a difference in the world. Sound familiar? These types of questions appear frequently in graduate applications. View the Knight-Hennessy as a chance to explore what you want to do professionally while in school and after. This introspection will not only make you a better scholarship candidate but will also be incredibly important for your graduate school applications. If you view the application process as a chance to really hone in on your deepest interests and uncover why you want a graduate degree, it will not be time wasted, regardless of whether you ultimately win the scholarship.
Decide on how you plan to change the world.
The goal of the Knight-Hennessy scholarship is to support innovative students who plan to make a difference (and have already started to!). It is not enough to be a great student or have impressive experiences; you need to demonstrate that you have a specific, achievable vision for bettering the world. Think about what you have worked on that is nearest and dearest to your heart. When you imagine your future, consider both what you want to do and whom you want to serve through your work. Maybe you plan to be a doctor who develops solutions to aid in preventative medicine. Maybe you will be a lawyer who stands up to corruption. In addition to focusing on your personal goals, your application should highlight the ways in which you intend to use your life to have a positive impact.
Have a clear personal story.
The Knight-Hennessy Scholarship asks you to describe your research and future goals, and then connect them to your personal story. They want to really understand your personal values and goals, and how you have become the person you are.
The long essay question for the Knight-Hennessey scholarship is “Connect the dots. How have the influences in your life shaped you?” You have 600 words for your response, which needs to be a lot more personal than what you want your research to focus on!
To decide how to tell this story, I suggest brainstorming important moments in your professional and personal development. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- When and how did I first learn about the graduate field I am about to enter? (The answer to this could be anything from a life-changing undergrad class to games you used to play as a kid.)
- Why do I care about this area of study? How does it connect to the way I think, my personal history, the people I care about, or the community I want to serve?
- Who helped me succeed along the way? And how do I intend to pay it forward in my work?
Don’t do it alone.
Applying for the Knight-Hennessy scholarship is not something to attempt without support, whether that is from a mentor, colleague, classmate, friend, or consultant service. At Accepted, we have many highly qualified and dedicated individuals who can help you manage the application process and revise the essays that are key to a strong application. The only way to create a thoughtful and competitive application is through multiple drafts, lots of thinking, and even more editing. Before you begin the process, consider who might be able to support you and how. For example, a friend might help you decide which personal stories to include, a professor might write you a letter of recommendation and help you focus on your research interests, and a writing professional or colleague could help you communicate your ideas clearly. This will all be very beneficial during the application process.
Vanessa Febo has ten years of experience teaching academic and professional writing at UCLA, with a special certification in teaching writing techniques. She has drawn on this expertise to guide clients to placements at top institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, and USC. Before joining Accepted, Vanessa coached UCLA students through the application process for graduate programs, major grants, fellowships, and scholarships, including the Fulbright, Stanford Knight-Hennessey, and the Ford Foundation Fellowship. Additionally, Vanessa has extensive experience successfully guiding clients through applications for a diverse range of programs, including those in business, humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields. Want Vanessa to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!
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