Vicki Stocking 8/30/2021 Exploration Summer 2021: End of Summer Essay Due September 24, 2021 Submit essays to Summer (summer@robertsonscholars.org) According to the calendar, Summer 2021 has ended, but we have a lot to talk about The Robertson Exploration Summer is based on elements essential to leadership development—curiosity, questioning, analysis, searching You spent months last fall and spring developing a summer project based on these ideas Exploration is also closely connected to classic models of identity development We ask questions and try new things as a way to figure out who we are and how we best want to grow Leadership—and identity and self-knowledge—don’t just happen You make them happen, and Exploration Summer is a productive context for this In an essay, reflect on your Exploration Summer and how you grew in terms of leadership Consider the following: • Discuss what you learned about exploration and leadership through your participation in Exploration Summer 2021 What did exploration mean for you? Were you able to “explore” in the ways you’d hoped—and were you able to explore in ways you hadn’t expected? • What did you learn about yourself through Exploration Summer? We will come back to this when we work on Launch Summer Think about the varied roles you play What did you learn about yourself as a student, a researcher, a collaborator, a community worker? • In the proposal process, you chose two of the four Program Values and described how you would target each during Exploration Summer Reflect on the two you chose and describe how Exploration was connected to each during the Summer The Values are: (1) Purposeful leadership (2) Intellectual curiosity (3) Collaborative spirit (4) Strength of character • Discuss the role(s) your Exploration Mentor played in your Summer Was your Mentor as involved as you had hoped? Are there ways your Mentor did not meet your expectations? What lessons can you apply to working effectively with a Launch Summer Coach? • How will you move forward from Exploration Summer? Discuss connections among Summer 2021 and your academic, professional, and/or extracurricular plans If you are planning to apply for a Launch Summer and/or a post-grad Summer with deferred funds, you may consider those implications, as well A few comments: • This is the first full reflection you’ve written after a Robertson Summer, so give us good work Your essay will be made available to our staff and leadership, and we enjoy this kind of reading! • Please submit 5-7 double-spaced pages If you have deliverables—statistical analysis, research results, photographs —include some of those, as well • Many Scholars find that these essays are helpful when applying for internships, fellowships, etc Finally: Your Exploration Mentor will expect you to send a copy of this essay If you prefer not to share with your Mentor, discuss with Vicki We look forward to receiving your Exploration Summer Essay by September 24 T 919.668.3371 | F 919.668.2192 | stocking@robertsonscholars.org | A250 Warehouse, 7, Floor | 90753, Box 90753, Durham, NC 27708 T 919.668.1438 | F 919.668.2192 | selection@robertsonscholars.org | A250 SmithSmith Warehouse, Bay 7,Bay Floor | Box Durham, NC 27708