Applying to graduate school can be a challenge and writing the statement of purpose (SoP) and/or personal statement (PS) can be even harder. In this session we'll explore the SoP and PS by discussing the common structure and what readers expect to see. Attendees will also engage in some guided brainstorming to start thinking about how their experiences, motivation, and fit to program can be communicated in their SoP/PS.

Panelists/Presenter(s): Erin Todey, Assistant Director & Writing Consultant, University Honors Program, Iowa State University

Erin Todey (she/her) is the Assistant Director of the University Honors Program at Iowa State University. She earned her BA in French & International Studies and her MA in Applied Linguistics. Erin has taught a range of composition, linguistics, and academic writing courses in different domestic and international higher education contexts. Her research interests center on how discourse analysis methodologies can be meaningfully used in teaching academic writing, especially to support historically marginalized (e.g., first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented) students writing high-stakes, self-promotional genres, such as the statement of purpose for graduate school.