Your personal brand is a representation of your work that tells your professional story. Taking time to reflect on and develop your personal brand can help employers, review committees, and graduate schools know who you are, what you do, and what you value. The resources below will introduce you to personal brand and help you begin to develop a personal brand statement. 

Materials designed by Amy Cicchino, Layli Miron, Megan Haskins, and Lauren Schlosser

This handout explains what personal brand is and why it matters

• Defining Personal Brand Handout Word Document  

• Defining Personal Brand Handout PDF 

Once you’ve reviewed the Personal Brand Handout above, use this worksheet to help you begin drafting your personal brand statement 

• Personal Brand Statement Worksheet Word Document  

• Personal Brand Statement Worksheet PDF 

This handout moves to a larger scale, aiding in the creation of mission and vision statements focused towards student organizations

• Writing Mission and Vision Statements Word Document

• Writing Mission and Vision Statements PDF

This worksheet helps faculty and staff consider their professional brand and develop a brand statement 

• Creating a Professional Personal Brand for Faculty and Staff Word Document 

• Creating a Professional Personal Brand for Faculty and Staff PDF 

Personal statements are often part of the application process for prestigious scholarships and graduate or professional school applications. Use these resources to identify your goals and the expectations of your audience so that you can craft an effective personal statement. If you are applying for a Fulbright grant, please also see our resources specific to Fulbright.  

Materials designed by Katharine Brown, Emily Cosgrove, Annie Small, and James Truman  

This toolkit introduces personal statements and offers step for producing an effective personal statement 

• Personal Statements Toolkit Handout Word Document  

• Personal Statements Toolkit Handout PDF 

This worksheet will guide you in analyzing an example personal statement 

• Personal Statement Example Activity Worksheet Word Document 

• Personal Statement Example Activity Worksheet PDF 

These open response questions will help you brainstorm and pre-write for your personal statement 

• Getting Started on Your Personal Statement Worksheet Word Document 

• Getting Started on Your Personal Statement Worksheet PDF 

Once you have brainstormed, this worksheet will help you outline your personal statement 

• Outline Your Personal Statement Worksheet Word Document 

• Outline Your Personal Statement Worksheet PDF 

This worksheet will help you reflect and self-assess a personal statement draft to consider opportunities for revision 

• “Author’s Note”: Crafting Powerful Personal Statements Word Document 

• “Author’s Note”: Crafting Powerful Personal Statements PDF 

Writing an application for a Fulbright is a particular writing situation. To meet the expectations of this audience and context, you need to adjust your writing strategies based on the Fulbright organization and its mission. Written components include the Abstract, Host Country Engagement, Plans upon Return, Statement of Grant Purpose, and Personal Statement. If you would like additional information on the Fulbright process as an Auburn student, please contact the Honors College. 

Materials designed by Amy Cicchino and Annie Small  

Personal Statements 

This handout provides an overview for the Fulbright personal statement 

• Fulbright Personal Statement Overview Handout Word Document  

• Fulbright Personal Statement Overview Handout PDF  

This brief handout has brainstorming questions to help you start your Fulbright personal statement draft 

• Brainstorming Questions: Fulbright Personal Statement Handout Word Document  

• Brainstorming Questions: Fulbright Personal Statement Handout PDF 

This worksheet has open response questions that can help you consider your personal brand in your personal statement 

• Reflective Writing Prompts: Fulbright Personal Statement Handout Word Document  

• Reflective Writing Prompts: Fulbright Personal Statement Handout PDF 

Once you have a draft, this worksheet will help you peer review or self-assess your personal statement to identify potential areas for revision 

• Fulbright Personal Statement Peer Review Worksheet Word Document  

• Fulbright Personal Statement Peer Review Worksheet PDF 

Statement of Grant Purpose 

This handout provides an overview for the Fulbright Statement of Grant Purpose and includes prompts to help you begin your Statement of Grant Purpose draft 

• Fulbright Statement of Grant Purpose Overview Handout Word Document  

• Fulbright Statement of Grant Purpose Overview Handout PDF 

Once you have a draft, this worksheet will help you peer review or self-assess your Statement of Grant Purpose to identify potential areas for revision 

• Fulbright Statement of Grant Purpose Peer Review Worksheet Word Document  

• Fulbright Statement of Grant Purpose Peer Review Worksheet PDF 

Open Responses 

In addition to the formal written documents, Fulbright applicants have to complete three open response prompts: the abstract, host country engagement, and plans upon return. This handout provides an overview for these open responses and prompts to help you begin drafting them 

• Fulbright Open Responses Overview Handout Word Document  

• Fulbright Open Responses Overview Handout PDF 

Once you have a draft, this worksheet will help you peer review or self-assess your open response sections to identify potential areas for revision 

• Fulbright Open Response Peer Review Worksheet Word Document  

• Fulbright Open Response Peer Review Worksheet PDF 

Before you begin making your ePortfolio, consider who your audience is, what your professional goals for the ePortfolio are, and how you can create a personal brand that helps achieve those goals with that audience. Creating a personal brand will help you develop a coherent story with a consistent message. Once you know the personal brand you would like to communicate, draft your About Me section and work themes from your personal brand into the reflective writing that accompanies your artifacts. 

Materials designed by Trea Archie, Heather Stuart, and Megan Haskins.

This worksheet will help you begin thinking about your audience and goals for your ePortfolio 

• Know Your Audience Worksheet Word Document

• Know Your Audience Worksheet PDF

This handout explains what personal brand is and why it matters

• Defining Personal Brand Handout Word Document

• Defining Personal Brand Handout PDF 

Once you’ve reviewed the Personal Brand Handout above, use this worksheet to help you begin drafting your personal brand statement 

• Personal Brand Statement Worksheet Word Document  

• Personal Brand Statement Worksheet PDF 

The About Me section of your ePortfolio is where you communicate your personal brand and identity to your audience. This worksheet will help you draft that About Me section

• About Me Resources Worksheet Word Document  

• About Me Resources Worksheet PDF 

Be sure to check out our other resources on personal brand.