Christopher J. Duckenfield Scholars Program

St. Peter's Summer School at Magdalen College, Oxford, England
Date of Program:  July 3 - August 7, 2021

Oxford Univ., Clemson University, Clemson Honors, Honors College

The Christopher J. Duckenfield Scholars Program was established by his family and friends to honor his memory. Dr. Duckenfield, at Clemson University for 26 years, last served as Clemson's Vice Provost for Computing and Information Technology. Fittingly enough, he was also an alumnus of St. Peter's College, Oxford.

The Duckenfield Scholars Program is designed to identify and enable one or two members of the Honors College, who demonstrate extraordinary talent, motivation, commitment, and ability to attend St. Peter's Summer School at Magdalen College, Oxford University, each summer. The five-week summer school program immerses students in an unparalleled and challenging educational experience provided by Oxford professors from St. Peter’s College in one of three areas: Environmental Studies, English, and Medieval Studies.

Students will also have multiple experiences to appreciate another culture and broaden their global perspectives.

  • Application Instructions

    Application to the program is open to currently enrolled Clemson University Honors College students who have been at Clemson for at least one full year at the time of their application.  Priority will be given to those who have a least one year remaining before graduation.

    Applications must be submitted no later than Friday, January 22, 2021. Late and/or hand written applications will not be accepted.

    A complete application consists of:

    • A Curriculum Vitae
    • Your Personal Information
    • Two  Essays
    • Two Letters of Recommendation

    The Letters of Recommendation must be emailed by the recommenders (not the student) to Melissa Hawkins

    DO NOT SUBMIT ADDITIONAL MATERIALS WITH THIS APPLICATION.

    Applicants selected as finalists for the Christopher J. Duckenfield Scholars Program will be called for interviews in early February.

    For more information about the program you may contact Marty Duckenfield, CUB Productions, or Melissa Hawkins, Clemson University Honors College.

  • Instructions for Curriculum Vitae

    A curriculum vitae (or C.V. for short) is an academic resume. It is a concise summary of information about your achievements and activities, with emphasis on the scholarly and educational aspects of your life.

    Under each category of your c.v. you should list the most recent items first and then go back in time. Be sure to include dates. Do not repeat items previously listed. Although styles and formats vary, please use the following format for the purposes of this application. Your C.V. may not exceed 2 pages. There is a  "Submit C.V." button at the bottom of this application. Click the button and an email will open, attach your C.V. document in the email and send the email.

    The C.V. will contain the following categories:

    • Personal - name, local and permanent addresses, phone, email
    • Education - schools attended and dates, GPS, AP and other special courses
    • Work Experience - full and part-time jobs, dates, duties
    • Service Activities - what you did and when
    • Honors and Awards - scholarships and special recognitions
    • Exra-Curricular Activities - sports, clubs, student government, etc.
  • Instructions for Personal Statement

    Unlike a resume, which provides information about yourself, a personal statement is an essay that offers understanding of the kind of person you are and of the life you live. It should be the product of deep, thoughtful reflection on who you are, how you got to be the way your are, and where you think you are headed in the future, not just in college or in your chosen career field, but in life itself. A personal statement is required by the Rhodes and most other prestigious fellowships as part of the application itself. It is also a required element of many graduate school applications.

    Think about how you would answer questions such as these: What fascinates you and why? What are you passionate about? To who do you feel obliged, and why? When facing moral choices, where do you "draw the line"? What do you like and dislike about yourself? What people, books, and experiences have shaped your life (note: people other thanyour family, books other than the Bible, and those experiences other than faith experiences)?

    These questions are just examples of the kinds of themes you might want to address in your personal statement. In other words, you should not view this as a fill-in-the-blanks exercise. There is no standard format or preferred style to follow in writing a personal statement. The essay should be prepared specifically for this competition, and should bear the imprint of your individuality. Be imaginative, expressive, honest - and above all, be yourself. However, please remember not to exceed the space provided on the application form.

  • Informational Sessions

    Two informational sessions will be held this year: November 11th at 4pm EST and November 12th at 5pm EST.

2021 Duckenfield Scholars application and recommendation letters due January 22, 2021.

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