Christopher J. Duckenfield Scholars Program
Study Abroad at Oxford
Program Dates: Summer 2025
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.
Questions?
For more information about the program, please contact Melissa Hawkins.
How To Apply
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.
Late and/or hand written applications are not accepted.
A complete application consists of:
- Your personal information
- A curriculum vitae
- Two essays
- A personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
The Letters of Recommendation must be emailed by the recommenders (not the student) to Garrett Fontenot.
DO NOT SUBMIT ADDITIONAL MATERIALS WITH THIS APPLICATION.
Applications selected as finalists for the Christopher J. Duckenfield Scholars Program will be called for interviews in late January.
Supporting Materials
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. Your C.V. should be no more than two pages. You will upload your C.V. into the application.
Your 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
- Extra-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 similar to this is required to apply to the Rhodes Scholarship 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 whom 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?
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 indicated on the application form.
