Rotary Peace Centers staff provide you with tips on what to include in your resume and how to write an ideal essay for the 2016 application. During the webinar you will be shown examples of what successful essays and resumes look like and will be given advice on how to submit the best application possible. View the recording: https://vimeo.com/125070337

1. Essay and Resume Building Tips
15 April 2015
Hosts: Kat O’Brien, Rotary Peace Centers Relationships Supervisor
Sarah Cunningham, Rotary Peace Centers Marketing and Recruitment Specialist
Rotary Peace Fellowship Application

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Goals for this webinar
• Familiarize yourself with what
successful essays and resumes look
like
• Review resumes and learn tips for
creating a strong “Rotary resume”
• Learn how to write ideal essays for the
application
• Question and Answer

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Types of Resumes
• Chronological: List education / relevant work
experience in reverse chronological order (most
recent to past).
• Functional: Focus on group experience by particular
skills areas and then list work history.
• Combination: A combination of chronological and
functional

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Resume Tips
Qualifications Summary: At the top of your resume put a short qualifications statement
that highlights your experiences relevant to the Rotary Peace Fellowship.
Conflict Resolution Practitioner with over five years
experience conducting mediation, training and
facilitation in the US and Latin America. Trained over
500 people in basic mediation techniques in over 10
countries. Specialization includes: youth and conflict,
community-based processes. VA certified mediator
and fluent in English and Spanish.

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Resume Tips
Quantify your Experience: Be concrete in what your responsibilities
were and what you accomplished in your previous positions.
– Example: Worked at XYZ Conflict Resolution Organization, managed budget and
conducted training.
– Reframe to: Worked at the XYZ Conflict Resolution Organization, organized and
managed a $400,000 project. Successfully wrote grant proposals totaling over
$50,000 from X source. Conducted over 20 trainings in basic conflict resolution
techniques with high school students and teachers, reaching over 500 people.
Tailor: Ensure that you tailor your resume and essays
to address the skills, leadership experiences, and
knowledge you have that relate to the mission of
Rotary and the Rotary Peace Centers.
– Highlight a few key experiences that show your skills and
motivation to apply for the fellowship
– Tell a compelling story of why your experience qualifies
you to be selected as a fellow

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Resume Tips
• Proven dedication to service and development
• Proven leadership skills
• Examples: Volunteer work or special projects
Qualifications
• Education and global learning
• Record of professional development
• Examples: Undergraduate degree, Training courses
Skills
• Clear explanation of relevant work experience
• Gives exact dates from previous positions held
• Examples: Community Environmental Organizer,
5/2013 – 12/2014
Experience
What should you be emphasizing?

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Chronological Resume Review
Includes a summary of
qualifications
Includes buzzwords, for
example: cultural experience,
training, coordination
Does not include exact dates
of work
Does not include quantitative
language
Grammatically correct and
tailored to fellowship

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Functional Resume
Includes exact dates of
work experience
Grammatically correct and
tailored to fellowship
Includes buzzwords, for
example: law, sex
trafficking, workshop,
development
Does not include
quantitative language

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Resume
Includes exact dates of
work experience
Grammatically correct
and tailored to
fellowship
Includes buzzwords, for
example: development,
cross-cultural
communication
Includes quantitative
language
Includes a summary
of qualifications

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The Ideal Essay
The
ideal
essay
Honest
Clearly
answers
question
Grammatically
correct
Organized
Important aspects to remember:
Will your essay make the reader feel
something?
Are you directly stating why you are the
best candidate for the program your are
applying to?
Did you put effort into writing the essay?

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Essay Tips: Worksheet
• Write your essays and have your local Rotarians review them prior to submission of the
online application – you can use the application worksheet as a guide!
Why is this important?
Use a copy of your worksheet
before submitting their
applications online.
Taking this step first will allow
you to review your work before
you submit your application
and seek advice from your
Rotarian contacts.
Once you submit your
application online, you cannot
make changes to it!

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Review: Application Essay Questions
1. All applicants: What significant events in your life, including professional and volunteer experience, have influenced
your desire to work in the field of peace and conflict resolution? Include a summary of your principal interests and
activities as they relate to your career goals.
2. All applicants: How have you taken on leadership roles during your academic and/or professional life? How have
these leadership skills enhanced your community-oriented and/or service-oriented work?
3a. Professional development certificate applicants only: Please describe in detail how the professional
development certificate will benefit you and contribute to your career goals. What do you expect to learn from the course
that you will apply to your work?
3b. Master’s degree applicants only: Please highlight your previous academic success, motivation, and interests in
your chosen academic field. How does your academic training prepare you for this fellowship? If necessary, please
explain any academic shortcomings.
4. Master’s degree applicants only: Please provide a detailed statement of intent articulating your interest in a
Rotary Peace Fellowship. Describe your proposed area of concentration and explain why you have chosen the centers
you rank first and second, including the specific course of study at those institutions. Explain in detail how graduating
from a Rotary Peace Center university relates to your career objectives, how your career objectives support world
understanding and peace, and why your skills and background will enable you to contribute to The Rotary Foundation’s
mission.

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Sample Essay
Since 2009 I have been developing programs aimed at harnessing the potential of exchange alumni as goodwill ambassadors
. Exchange alumni are crucial to peacebuilding: they are the globally‐minded, culturally empathetic leaders of tomorrow.
My journey began when a cultural exchange nonprofit I volunteered with, AFS‐USA, named me to a national committee task
ed with starting their alumni network. I faced a major challenge: how could I inspire alumni in an impactful, visible, and local
way? My solution was to work with alumni around the country to plan, lead, and promote volunteer projects for Global Yout
h Service Day. Concurrently, I interned at the Office of Alumni Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, where I observed and
implemented programs to help exchange alumni realize their full potential for leadership in their home communities.
Passionate about bringing exchange programs full circle, I started dialogue at Greenheart
International on the importance of alumni engagement. I implemented the
company’s first alumni program in my department, which is now their international
model. The program incentivizes alumni to volunteer in their home country after
their exchange by providing access to a global volunteer network, project
planning resources, and monetary grants to implement sustainable development
projects in their communities. In May 2014 I represented Greenheart International
at a national summit to establish best practices for engaging exchange alumni worldwide.

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Resources
For future applicants:
Application Worksheets (Master’s & Certificate)
Application FAQs
Tips to improve your application
Recommendation Forms
Fellowship Guides (Master’s and Certificate)
Visit www.rotary.org/en/peace-fellowships to access resources
Application Checklist Video
Contact Information:
General Inquiries:
Rotarypeacecenters@rotary.org

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Thank you
Contact Information:
General Inquiries
Rotarypeacecenters@rotary.org
Graphics Created by Claire Jones, Till Teenck, Jardson
A., Katie Westbrook, Jessica Lock, iconoci from the
Noun Project
Application
Available Online
1 December
Application due
to District
31 May
Endorsed applications
due to The Rotary
Foundation
1 July
Application
Selection Results
November
Questions?