Graduate Student Submits USDA Predoctoral Fellowship

Katy Kesler

I submitted my first USDA grant for a predoctoral fellowship for my proposed PhD project using zinc to enhance lymphocyte functions relevant to vaccination in dairy calves. If awarded, this grant will provide me funding for the next 3 years of my PhD and allow me to participate in personal growth opportunities such as an international experience in London, UK studying zinc redox biology. This experience gave me the opportunity to improve my written communication skills, grantsmanship, and the importance of comma placement (although my advisor might argue that I still have a long road ahead on this...). I have been working tirelessly (that’s a lie, I am very tired) on this grant for months and am anxiously awaiting a response from the USDA. While I appreciate everything I learned in the writing process, I am excited to get back to the bench!
 
In reflection, I have some advice for future grant writers about the writing process.

1. Don’t give up! Writing is hard but the first and last drafts are always the hardest.
2. Try editing back to front! Often times in the later stages of editing you have memorized so much of the text that you begin to skip over details and miss things but starting at the end and working your way towards the beginning can help.
3. Write every day, even if it’s only 1 sentence. It takes a lot of effort to get into the writing mindset once you’re there don’t lose it!
4. Find what motivates you and use it! For me it was having a bucket of candy close by (which is why I now have to spend all of my free time at the gym).