Project Description

I was not awarded the J.P. Eckert Fellowship

Published: July 29, 2013

I said in my last post I would write openly about my accomplishments as well as my failures and disappointments. Well, it didn’t take long for me to run face first into some disappointment. Today, I found out I wasn’t awarded the J.P. Eckert Fellowship I applied for.

What is the J.P. Eckert Fellowship?

The J.P. Eckert Fellowship is a $10,000 fellowship awarded to five grad students pursuing degrees in one of the five “computer technology” programs at Penn. More specifically, it’s a fellowship awarded by the university and reserved for first year master’s students who are also U.S. citizens who are also pursuing degrees in Computer and Information Science, Computer and Information Technology, Computer Graphics and Game Technology, Embedded Systems, or Robotics. That’s me!

To apply, besides my contact info and intended program of study, all I needed to provide was my undergraduate GPA and a brief essay about why I wanted the fellowship. Easy enough.

I poured some of my heart into a short and thoughtful essay, I submitted my application, I waited, I waited some more, and… I wasn’t awarded the fellowship. I did not pass Go. I was not awarded $10,000. I’m bummed out. Of course I’m bummed out. $10,000 would’ve been a huge help! Penn is crazy expensive, and I’ll have to take out lots of loans to pay for grad school. Having to borrow $10,000 less would’ve been a huge boost to my confidence about my money situation.

Bummed: Slang, to be rather depressed about a certain issue or problem.

I’m bummed, but I’ll get over it.

In the grand scheme of things, considering the lifetime earning potential of someone with a master’s degree doing computer stuff, $10,000 is probably not an enormous sum of money. Even if it was, not being awarded this fellowship doesn’t change my path. I made a decision to study computer graphics at Penn before I knew the fellowship existed, and a fellowship rejection doesn’t reverse that decision.

My essay

For the curious, here’s the essay I submitted with my fellowship application:

Since I was ten years old, I have been fascinated by the technical feats of computer-animated films. Filmgoers frequently describe their cinema-going experiences as magical. For me, that magic has always existed in the tools that enable artists to breathe life into digital productions. This childhood wonder along with the interdependence of art and science present in computer graphics is what first inspired me to pursue its study in graduate school, and apply to the University of Pennsylvania’s Computer Graphics and Game Technology Master’s Program. This program is unlike any other because it is specifically tailored to prepare students for the unique challenges found in interdisciplinary technical positions, such as those in computer animation, visual effects, and interactive entertainment. More than anything, I want a career in computer graphics. Specifically, I want to work at Pixar Animation Studios, and create software that helps transform Pixar’s enchanting ideas into enchanting films. I know that an education at Penn will give me the skills I need to realize my dream.

I am applying for the J.P. Eckert Fellowship because $10,000 towards my tuition and fees for the 2013-2014 academic year will allow me to spend fewer hours working, and grant me more time to pursue intellectual challenges. Penn’s Center for Human Modeling and Simulation has a rich history of contribution through research, including pioneering work in computer graphics that continues to shape the discipline. Research has been highly influential on my undergraduate education, and I hope to pursue new research ideas in graduate school by becoming an active member of Penn’s research community. Becoming an Eckert Fellowship recipient will allow me to explore unpaid or time-consuming research opportunities that would be impossible for me to pursue without the $10,000 award given to fellowship recipients.

Additionally, I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and have never lived outside the Midwest. Moving to Philadelphia, a city with amazing history and unparalleled diversity, is equally as exciting to me as attending graduate school at Penn. Becoming an Eckert Fellowship recipient will give me more time to enjoy my new surroundings, foster meaningful friendships, and discover what makes Philadelphia one of the greatest cities in the country.

Penn attracts the highest quality students, so I know all those applying for this fellowship are deserving. However, I truly believe you will not find a more passionate, ambitious, or excited student in this year’s incoming class than me. With or without the Eckert Fellowship, I am confident I will be successful at Penn. I have a passion for computer graphics, and nothing excites me more than the prospect of learning in an environment where my passion is matched by all those around me. I want the work I do to be innovative and groundbreaking, and I know the challenges I encounter at Penn will help elevate my work to the highest level possible.

Thank you for providing this opportunity to new U.S.-based students in the CIS/MSE, MCIT, CGGT, EMBS, and Robotics graduate programs at the University of Pennsylvania. The J.P. Eckert Fellowship will certainly change the lives of the awarded students. It is an honor to be considered for such a prestigious award.

Cheers.

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Image credit: Ales Krives