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CLASS OF 1964 JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL AWARD 2015 The purpose of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award is to encourage wellqualified students to enter careers in government or other public service fields.
The Class of 1964 urges graduating Cornellians to consider careers in public
service and invites them to apply.
This $12,000 award endeavors to further President Kennedy's intense interest in
realizing the leadership potential of America's youth, as evidenced by the
creation of such programs as the Peace Corps and the White House Summer
Seminar. Throughout his presidency, Kennedy sought to bring together the
intellectual power of the country's college and university scholars with the
practical skills of politicians and statesmen in the service of national leadership.
The Cornell Class of 1964 feels that the United States will remain strong only if it
is ably led, that our leadership must be constantly rejuvenated, and that the
solutions to our nation's problems require the practical application of the
knowledge and analytical abilities derived from a college education.
With this purpose in mind, the Class of 1964 established the John F. Kennedy
Memorial Award, to be bestowed annually upon a graduating senior from any of
Cornell's undergraduate schools and colleges, based on the following criteria:
1. A commitment to making a significant contribution to the pubic
through a career in government or other form of public service;
2. Potential for such contributions as demonstrated by past
experience in public service either on or off campus;
3. Academic achievement.
The award is intended to help the recipient get started in a career where
remuneration may be low and slow to accumulate.
To some college graduates, “politics” is a dirty word, “foreign service” is
dangerous and uncomfortable, and “patriotism” is equated to misguided
chauvinism. To some, a college education is a steppingstone to a potentially
lucrative career. For often justifiable reasons, many college graduates choose to
remain in academia or to enter into traditional private sector employment. Thus,
there remains a critical need for intelligent and dedicated college graduates
devoted to addressing the public good, and helping to solve such pervasive
problems as hatred, fear, prejudice, injustice, poverty, ill health, and the
degradation of our natural resources.
Please visit the Class of 1964 website at
http://www.cornell1964.org/jfk_award.html to learn more about the John F
Kennedy Memorial Award and to hear from past recipients. Applications are
available online at http://psc.cornell.edu and are also available in hard copy at
the Public Service Center. They are due by email to the PSC at
jfk64award@cornell.edu no later than 9am on April 6, 2015.
Only complete applications, including letters of recommendation, which are
received by the due date, will be considered. Please consult the FAQ at the end
of this document for answers to most of your questions, or contact the PSC at
cupsc@cornell.edu or (607) 255-1148 for more information.
The award will be bestowed at the PSC's year-end awards event on May 4,
2015.
JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL AWARD
Name:
Email:
_______________________________________ ______________________________
School Address:
Cell Phone:
_______________________________________ ______________________________
Home Address:
Home Phone:
_______________________________________ ______________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
College:
Advisor:
____________________________________ ________________________________
Major:
__________________________________________
Cumulative Average:
Cumulative Average
In Major:
_____________________________________ ________________________________
Average Last Two Terms:
________________________________
Please list other awards for which you have applied or intend to apply, and the dates by
which you will be notified of the outcome
Please attach the following:
--A copy of your transcript through Fall 2014
--Your essays on the following three topics:
1. In a brief paragraph (200-500 words), state your present
career goal and your reasons for choosing it. Be sure to
indicate how your work will benefit the public, how it will be
of particular value to you, and specifically how you propose
to us the award funds.
2. List the activities in which you have participated both on and
off the Cornell campus, particularly those that involved public
service. Briefly describe the contribution you made in each.
3. Describe the phase of life at Cornell from which you have
gained the most, and explain why.
Print out the two recommendation forms in this packet and give them to your
referees, with a request that they submit their recommendation no later than April
6, 2015 by emailing them to jfk64award@cornell.edu
One recommendation should come from someone who is qualified to
attest to your academic achievements. Please identify this
individual____________________________________
One recommendation should come from another person, who can speak
to your character, goals and experience in public service. Please identify this
individual__________________________
Note: Applicants are responsible for soliciting references early in the
application process and for following up with referees. Missing letters of
recommendation will render the application incomplete and ineligible.
☐ By checking this box, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, all the
information included in this application is true. This certification serves as my
personal signature.
Name: ________________________________________ Date: ______________
JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL AWARD ESSAY #1
In a brief paragraph (200-500 words), state your present career goal
and your reasons for choosing it. Be sure to indicate how your work
will benefit the public, how it will be of particular value to you, and
specifically how you propose to use the award funds.
JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL AWARD ESSAY #2
List the activities in which you have participated both on and off the
Cornell campus, particularly those that involved public service.
Briefly describe the contribution you made in each.
JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL AWARD ESSAY #3
Describe the phase of life at Cornell from which you have gained the
most, and explain why.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS RECOMMENDATION
CONFIDENTIAL RECOMMENDATION FORM
JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL AWARD
Please complete this form and email it with your letter of recommendation to
arrive no later than 9am April 6, 2015 to jfk64award@cornell.edu with the subject
line: “[Student's name] Recommendation for JFK Award.”
__________________________________________________, in the Department of
_____________________________ is applying for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award.
Please
evaluate the applicant’s academic achievements with respect to the enclosed statement of
purpose.
☐By checking this box, I certify that this recommendation is true, of my own writing, and will
serve
as my personal signature.
Name: __________________________________________
Date:___________________________
Department: ________________________________________________________
Phone: _____________________________________
Email:____________________________
The Class of 1964 thanks you for your help in identifying the next winner of this
prestigious award.
CHARACTER, GOALS, AND PUBLIC SERVICE
RECOMMENDATION
CONFIDENTIAL RECOMMENDATION FORM
JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL AWARD
Please complete this form and email it with your letter of recommendation to
arrive no later than 9am April 6, 2015 to jfk64award@cornell.edu with the subject
line: “[Student's name] Recommendation for JFK Award.”
_________________________________________________, in the Department of
_____________________________ is applying for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award.
Please evaluate the applicant’s character, goals and commitment to public service with respect to
the enclosed statement of purpose.
☐By checking this box, I certify that this recommendation is true, of my own writing, and will
serve
as my personal signature.
Name: __________________________________________
Date:___________________________
Department: ________________________________________________________
Phone: _____________________________________
Email:____________________________
The Class of 1964 thanks you for your help in identifying the next winner of this
prestigious award.
CLASS OF 1964
JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL AWARD
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q I graduated in (December or )January. Am I eligible to apply?
A Yes, you are eligible. Your application should include a description of your
activities during the Spring term.
Q Owing to study abroad or other approved absence from the University, I will
not graduate until (December or) January. Am I eligible to apply?
A As long as you are considered as a member of the 2015 class when you
graduate, you are eligible. Your application should include a description of your
activities during your absence from campus.
Q Are international students eligible to apply?
A Yes and no. International students on J-visas, which reflect home-country or
US Government sponsorship and include a two-year home residency
requirement on completion of the academic program, are not eligible. Other
international students should identify their visa status and any scholarships they
may hold, with information on post-graduation terms and conditions. Applicants
should describe how their plans address the award's mission, to serve the public
interest. There is an extra burden of persuasion on students planning to leave
the U.S. after graduation.
Q My plans include work overseas. Am I eligible to apply?
A Yes. Many past winners have had careers in international organizations, with
the U.S. Foreign Service, with non-profits working overseas, and in other
institutions entailing research and work outside the U.S.
Q I have an unusual major. Am I eligible to apply?
A Any student, any study. The award is open to graduating seniors in all
Schools, Departments and Majors. See the booklet, The JFK Memorial Award,
the History and Grantees, available for consultation in the Public Service Center
and in the University library, for examples of past winners.
Q Is the award need-based?
A No. A student's financial status is not taken into account in evaluating
applications. What does matter is the likely value-added of the award to each
applicant. The JFK award is intended to facilitate entry into a public service
career where remuneration is low or slow to accumulate. Student loans or the
prospect of high-cost graduate study do not constitute a compelling argument for
the award in themselves. The applicant's past activities and convincing evidence
of commitment to a feasible path toward public service are what count.