How to Write the Eastern Washington University Essays 2025-2026
Eastern Washington University has two essays for Honors Program applicants. They both ask about values and goals, and are both required for Honors program applications.
As a preface to the prompts, the university includes this introduction:
“At Eastern Washington University, the Honors Program, a community of scholars, focused on developing and empowering students to become leaders in using their intellectual passions to generate innovatively and socially just solutions to the local, regional, and global challenges of the 21st century.
To be considered for this opportunity please take a moment to answer the essays below.”
Eastern Washington University Supplemental Essay Prompts
Honors Program Applicants
Prompt 1: The Honors mission states that “Honors students will develop competencies and attitudes for leadership in civic responsibility, community engagement, and social justice.” How does this mission relate to your personal goals? How have you worked toward those goals? (200 words)
Prompt 2: In relation to the Honors mission and core values, what two short-term or long-term goals are most important for you to achieve as an Honors student? How do you plan to achieve them? (200 words)
Prompt 1
The Honors mission states that “Honors students will develop competencies and attitudes for leadership in civic responsibility, community engagement, and social justice.” How does this mission relate to your personal goals? How have you worked toward those goals? (200 words)
Eastern Washington University’s Honors program emphasizes leadership, civic responsibility, community engagement, and social justice. The prompt asks how this mission aligns with your personal goals and what you’ve done to work toward those goals. You’ll need to reflect on your experiences related to leadership and community involvement and demonstrate a clear alignment between your values and the Honors program’s mission.
Before you write your response, consider these questions to guide your thinking:
- What personal goals do you have related to leadership, civic responsibility, or social justice?
- Have you participated in any activities that involved community engagement, volunteering, or advocacy?
- How do you hope to continue contributing to these areas in college and beyond?
- How does the Honors program’s mission inspire or motivate you?
A good response will show alignment with the Honors program’s mission. Highlight how your personal goals align with leadership, community engagement, and social justice. Also provide concrete examples. Share specific experiences where you’ve demonstrated leadership or civic engagement.
Be sure to express that you’re forward-thinking—explain how you plan to continue working toward these goals at EWU. Finally, be concise and reflective. You have a maximum of 200 words, so make sure to focus on key points without being too broad.
Here are some hypothetical students to show you different ways this essay might take shape:
- Riya, aspiring immigration lawyer: Growing up translating documents for her parents and neighbors, Riya saw how difficult navigating the immigration system could be. Volunteering with a nonprofit deepened her commitment to reform policy, aligning her goals with the Honors mission of justice and civic responsibility.
- Maya, STEM + equity advocate: She started a coding club for girls at her high school after noticing most STEM spaces nearby lacked diversity. Her personal mission is to fight inequities in tech education, which directly ties to social justice and leadership.
- Alejandro, environmental activist: He led a school-wide composting initiative and partnered with the city to expand recycling programs. His goal is to pursue sustainable urban planning, which shows both civic responsibility and community engagement.
Let’s take a look at good and bad example responses to give you an idea of the things you should and shouldn’t do in your response.
Good example
“Eastern Washington University’s Honors mission directly aligns with my personal goals of promoting equity and creating positive change in my community.
Throughout high school, I’ve been dedicated to civic engagement, leading my school’s environmental club and organizing community clean-up events. These experiences taught me the importance of collective action and the power of leadership in making tangible differences. Additionally, I’ve volunteered with local organizations that support underprivileged families, where I’ve seen firsthand the impact of social justice initiatives.
At EWU, I hope to continue advocating for environmental sustainability and work with fellow students to address issues such as income inequality and educational access. The Honors program’s focus on civic responsibility and leadership will provide the perfect platform to further develop my skills and make a lasting impact. I am eager to grow as a leader and contribute to the ongoing pursuit of justice and equality.”
Why this works:
- Direct connection to the Honors mission: The student’s focus on equity, leadership, and civic engagement directly ties into the program’s goals.
- Specific examples: The response includes examples of leadership and community involvement, demonstrating how the student has already worked toward these goals.
- Forward-thinking: The student explains how they will continue these efforts at EWU, showing a proactive approach to personal and social development.
Bad example
“I want to be a leader who changes the world. Civic responsibility and social justice are very important to me, which is why I’ve always participated in community service. For example, I’ve volunteered at the food bank, helped clean up parks, and tutored kids at my school. These experiences have taught me about giving back to the community and how important it is to be engaged.
In the future, I hope to continue these efforts in college by joining service organizations and taking on leadership positions. I believe the Honors mission perfectly aligns with what I want to do because I am very passionate about making a difference. Social justice is something I’ve always valued, and I plan to always stand up for what is right.”
Why this doesn’t work: Generic, no vivid details, too many broad phrases (“make a difference”), no clear personal mission, could apply to almost any student.
Here are some common mistakes you’ll want to avoid making in your response:
- Being too abstract: Just saying “I want to be a leader who cares about social justice” without proof won’t work.
- Résumé-dumping: Listing 10 clubs or activities is weaker than focusing on one or two with depth.
- Overused narratives: Avoid generic “volunteering at a soup kitchen taught me empathy” unless you can share a fresh, deeply personal angle.
- Not connecting past and future: Make sure to bridge your experiences with your long-term goals.
Prompt 2
In relation to the Honors mission and core values, what two short-term or long-term goals are most important for you to achieve as an Honors student? How do you plan to achieve them? (200 words)
This prompt asks you to identify two goals that align with Eastern Washington University’s Honors mission and core values, which include leadership, civic responsibility, community engagement, and social justice. The admissions team wants to see how your ambitions fit within the framework of the Honors program and whether you have a clear plan for your growth.
Think about these questions to help you plan out your response:
- What personal or academic goals do you have that connect to leadership, community involvement, or social justice?
- How will the resources and opportunities in the Honors program help you achieve these goals?
- What skills or experiences do you want to gain during your time at EWU?
- What actions will you take to pursue these goals, and how will you stay committed?
A good response should identify two clear goals. Make sure your goals are specific and related to the Honors mission and core values. Try to establish a balance between the goals. Pick two distinct but complementary goals (e.g., one short-term during college, one long-term after). Show a personal connection to the goals—explain why these goals are important to you.
Provide a realistic action plan. To do this, you should outline concrete steps you’ll take to achieve your goals, such as joining certain clubs, pursuing internships, or engaging in community service. Be forward-looking and demonstrate that you have a proactive and thoughtful plan for personal growth.
Here are some hypothetical student examples to show you how different students could approach this response:
- Mariana, a pre-med student passionate about healthcare inequities in her rural hometown, sets a short-term goal of conducting research on rural telemedicine through Honors faculty mentorship, and a long-term goal of advocating for healthcare policy reform.
- Ethan, a computer science student fascinated by AI ethics, wants to take Honors seminars on philosophy and technology to broaden his perspective (short-term), and ultimately hopes to design AI systems that prioritize fairness and inclusivity (long-term).
- Layla, an environmental studies student who runs her high school’s sustainability club, hopes to lead an Honors service project on campus sustainability (short-term) and later work in environmental law (long-term).
Here are good and bad example responses, along with explanations of why they’re effective and ineffective, respectively.
Good example
“One of my short-term goals as an Honors student is to develop my leadership skills by organizing community service projects focused on environmental sustainability. I plan to join and take on a leadership role in the EWU ECOeagles Club, where I can work with others to organize clean-up initiatives, tree-planting events, and educational workshops. These experiences will help me build the organizational and communication skills needed to lead effectively.
A long-term goal is to advocate for social justice by promoting equitable access to education. I aim to partner with local schools through the Honors program’s civic engagement initiatives, creating mentorship programs for underprivileged students.
By working directly with the community and developing these mentorship opportunities, I hope to make a lasting impact on educational equity. I believe that these goals align with the Honors program’s mission and will help me grow into a more effective leader and advocate for social justice.”
Why this works:
- Specific goals: The student identifies a short-term goal (leadership in sustainability) and a long-term goal (advocacy for educational equity).
- Concrete action plan: The response outlines specific steps to achieve each goal, such as joining a club and developing a mentorship program.
- Connection to the Honors mission: Both goals tie directly into the program’s values of leadership, civic responsibility, and social justice.
Bad example
“As an Honors student, my first goal is to get good grades in all my classes. I plan to do this by working hard, studying, and going to office hours. Another goal I have is to be successful in life and get a good job. I will accomplish this by taking advantage of all the opportunities the Honors program provides, such as classes, professors, and extracurriculars. These experiences will prepare me to make a difference in the world.”
Why this doesn’t work: Too vague, generic goals (good grades, good job), no personal connection, no specific Honors resources, no clear plan.
Here are some mistakes you’ll want to avoid making in your response:
- Being vague: “I want to learn a lot in college and then get a good job.”
- Listing goals without connection: Two random goals that don’t fit together or with Honors.
- Ignoring the plan: If you don’t explain how you’ll achieve the goals, the essay feels empty.
- Overly generic resources: “The library,” “the professors,” etc.—instead, show genuine intentionality.
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