Revised 05/20
New Application Essay Question Examples
How To Answer Essay Questions Or Prompts
We at the Caleb Scholars Program want to make sure that you are supported during this
application process. Therefore, we are presenting some information about essay
questions/prompts in general to help guide you and are providing specific example essays for
our application’s essay questions.
In responding to essay questions/prompts, it is always important to understand and note what
a question is asking directly and indirectly. This is true in our scholarship’s application materials
as well as in other writing prompts you may encounter, such as job and scholarship applications
and essay questions on exams.
Here are some tips that will help you effectively answer essay questions/prompts:
● Always read questions/prompts carefully and underline (circle, highlight, etc.) what
specifically is being asked. Oftentimes, essay questions have multiple components.
● Think about what the “big picture” understanding that your essay is supposed to
convey. Consider the purpose of the organization, job, or class, and what they may be
trying to get at with their questions.
○ For example, Caleb Scholars Program is specifically interested in supporting
students who will advocate for and help marine conservation issues in their
chosen profession. Essays should answer the prompt and should give the Caleb
Scholars Steering Committee a sense of how you in your chosen profession will
help with conservation efforts.
● Make sure that all components you’ve identified (specific questions in prompts and “big
picture”) are covered in your essay.
● Use language directly from the prompt to help set up your answer and to help situate
your readers.
● Use specific examples to help support and contextualize your answers.
● Make sure to proofread your essay. If you have time, wait a few hours (or longer) after
you’ve “completed” your essay and then re-read it to catch errors or places where your
sentences or organization may be confusing. If you are able, read your essay aloud to
catch awkward places in your writing.
● It is important that you respect word limits if they are given and follow all other
instructions.
Revised 05/20
Example Essays For Caleb Scholars Program New Application Essay Prompts
In these example essays, highlighting and underlining are used to demonstrate where the
specific components of prompts are answered. The use of highlighting indicates where in the
essays each part of the prompt (highlighted in a coordinating color) are answered. The use of
underlining signals where the “big picture” unasked question—how will your education benefit
marine conservation efforts—is answered. Do not include highlighting or underlining in your
essays.
New Application Essay Questions
Provide a 100-300 word response for each of the following three essay questions. Please type
your responses and attach to your signed application.
Prompt 1
What does the concept of marine conservation mean to you and how do you think it impacts
people’s lives? What do you think are the most pressing marine conservation issues in your
area?
Example Essay 1 (299 words):
For me, the concept of marine conservation means acting in a way that shows how important
our waters and the life they contain are to sustaining our Inuit heritage. For example,
subsistence is an important part of our heritage and marine conservation has always been a
part of our traditional practices because we were taught to use as much of an animal as
possible and not waste. As a student, I am learning about my chosen profession (rural
development) and I am excited to learn more about how I can bring marine conservation issues
to the table as a professional in my community. Marine conservation impacts people’s lives
because our land and our waters and our people are connected. Without the resources from
the sea, our ancestors would not have had important materials for survival such as marine
mammals and fish for food, seal skins for clothing, and walrus skins for boats. These items are
still useful for trading and support and connect our coastal communities and inland
communities.
I think that the most pressing marine conservation issue in my area (Kotzebue) is the use of
ports. Each summer, barges deliver goods like boats, trucks, and construction materials to our
communities and it is important that our communities have these types of resources. However,
it is also important that our natural resources are not harmed by these activities. For example,
water quality near these ports need to be monitored to make sure our beaches, fish, and other
resources are not permanently harmed. I believe that my educational path (rural development)
along with my personal commitment to marine conservation will benefit our community
Revised 05/20
though making sure that issues of conservation, especially as it relates to our subsistence way
of life, are always an important part of any discussion of development.
Prompt 2
In what ways have you noticed cultural values and traditional knowledge impacting your life
as a leader? Who or what has inspired you to pursue an education related to marine
conservation?
Example Essay 2 (297 words):
I have noticed that cultural values, such as the Iñupiat Values, have impacted my life as a
leader. I believe our values are a great set of guidelines in how to behave and interact with
others and the environment in a respectful and culturally appropriate manner. For example, I
was always taught to respect Elders because they have a lot of experience. I think about that
when I interact with my professors—though they might not necessarily be “Elders” in the
traditional sense—they have a lot of valuable experience that I could learn from. I don’t have to
agree with everything they teach, but I should at least consider it and try to learn from it.
Similarly, the traditional knowledge I’ve learned from my Elders at home has impacted my life. I
was fortunate to learn about our animals and plants and how they offer themselves to us as
sustenance. This is the most precious gift and should not be taken for granted. This means that
we should never be wasteful with the resources and should always take the time to prepare
during and after subsistence activities so we can make the most out of what we are gifted by
the land and sea.
I’ve been inspired to pursue an education in rural development by my aana who always taught
me that our subsistence activities were important and should be protected. She taught me that
my opportunity to get a college education was a privilege that was hard earned by ancestors
and community and should be used to help our community. I will use my education in rural
development to help protect our subsistence activities and marine resources by making sure
that any future development project I work on will consider potential impacts on subsistence
and natural resources.
Prompt 3
What kind of work would you like to pursue once you have finished your degree? How do you
think that work will impact marine conservation?
Example Essay 3 (259 words):
I would like to pursue a career in the cargo industry once I finish my degree in rural
development. Our communities rely on cargo shipments to exchange resources with other
Revised 05/20
communities and cargo will likely remain a stable industry in our community and so is a good
career choice. There have been plans to make a deep water port south of Kotzebue for years,
and a lot of the issues related to this port is about what impacts it might have on our marine
ecosystem and the lands needed for road access to the port. I believe that having someone like
myself who is from our community and who has our best interests—economically and
culturally—at heart is important. As a professional, I will be someone who both understands
the economic need for the port as well as takes seriously the risks associated with the port.
A career in the cargo industry might not exactly line up with marine conservation in obvious
ways. However, as I explained in my example, the marine shipping industry has impacts on our
marine environment and so is related directly with marine conservation issues. As a cargo
professional, I will have the opportunity to raise concerns and advocate for sustainable
practices, even if they take more work on the short-term. The long-term goals of environmental
stewardship and sustainability should be a concern for organizations and corporations using our
waters to conduct their business. In my career in the cargo industry, I will advocate for
environmentally sustainable practices which will have an impact on marine conservation.
An academic program of Kawerak, Inc.
with major financial support from the
Oak Foundation.
