Web surveys of scholarship recipients and comparison applicant-only group

National OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

Evaluation Support Services

Request for Clearance
Supporting Statement and
Data Collection Instruments


Attachment B: Web Survey Contact Letters


Project Officer: Meka Laster

April 10, 2015

Attachment B.1
Pre-Invitation Email (scholarship recipient)

Subject Line: Invitation to Participate in a NOAA Survey

Dear [Name],

I am writing to invite you to take part in an important study sponsored by the Office of Education (OEd) here at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). I urge you, as a recipient of the (name of scholarship program), to participate in this effort by completing a brief online survey (no more than 25 minutes) that asks about your experiences as a scholarship recipient as well as your career pathways.

Insight Policy Research (Insight) and IMPAQ International (IMPAQ) have partnered with NOAA to evaluate the Educational Partnership Program and the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program. Your participation is critical to the success of this evaluation, so please take time from your busy schedule to assist us in better understanding the impact of these programs as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Within a week, you should receive an email from IMPAQ with a link to the survey.

In the meantime, we at NOAA OEd have our own alumni network. We would appreciate your help in updating your current employment and contact information in our database. Your information will be kept private, and the information you provide will not be shared with outside vendors. You can access the update form at the link below.

NOAA Office of Education Voluntary Alumni Update System (VAUS) at https://oedwebapps.iso.noaa.gov/studentstracker/vaus

Should you have any questions about this evaluation, feel free to contact me at [email protected]. I thank you in advance for taking part in this evaluation, which will help to support future NOAA scholarship recipients.

Sincerely,

Marlene Kaplan

Deputy Director of Education

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Attachment B.2
Pre-Invitation Email (comparison group)

Subject Line: Invitation to Participate in a NOAA Survey

Dear [Name],

I am writing to invite you to take part in an important study sponsored by the Office of Education (OEd) here at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). I urge you, as someone who has expressed an interest in a NOAA mission-related career, to participate in this effort by completing a brief online survey (10­–15 minutes) that asks about your career pathways and any scholarships you may have received.

Insight Policy Research(Insight) and IMPAQ International (IMPAQ) have partnered with NOAA to explore NOAA-related career trajectories. Your participation is critical to the success of this evaluation, so please take time from your busy schedule to assist us in better understanding your experiences in NOAA mission-related fields as well as your career trajectory. Within a week, you should receive an email from IMPAQ with a link to the survey.

Should you have any questions about this evaluation, feel free to contact me at [email protected]. I thank you in advance for taking part in this evaluation, which will help to support future NOAA scholarship recipients.

Sincerely,

Marlene Kaplan

Deputy Director of Education

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Attachment B.3
Invitation Email (scholarship recipient)

Subject Line: Link to the NOAA Scholarship Program Survey

Dear [Name],

You recently received an email urging you to participate in an evaluation of the Educational Partnership Program (EPP) and the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program (HUSP). This evaluation is being carried out for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Education (OEd) by Insight Policy Research and IMPAQ International. As we explained, one key component of this evaluation is an online survey of all scholarship recipients that asks about your educational and career choices and your views on how receiving the scholarship may have affected your academic and career pathways. The survey will take less than 25 minutes.

(Your participation, while critical to our success, is entirely voluntary. Rest assured that your answers will be kept confidential and that the data will be reported only in summary form and will be maintained in a highly secure manner.)

Below, please find the instructions for accessing and completing the survey online.

To complete the survey, please go to www.StartupQuestSurvey.com

Please use [TOKEN] to enter the survey.

We ask that you respond by [Deadline Date].

If you would prefer to take the survey over the phone or do not have access to a computer, please call [phone number] to arrange for a telephone survey.

Thank you in advance for your time and effort. Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] or to call [phone number] if you need help accessing or navigating the survey.

Sincerely,

John Wendt

Manager of Technical Survey Operations

IMPAQ International

Attachment B.4
Invitation Email (comparison group)

Subject Line: Link to the NOAA Program Survey

Dear [Name],

You recently received an email asking for your participation in an evaluation for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Office of Education (OEd). Insight Policy Research and IMPAQ International have partnered with NOAA to conduct this research. As was indicated, a key component of this study is a brief online survey tracking the career trajectory of individuals that have expressed an interest in NOAA mission-related fields. The survey will ask questions about your educational and career choices. Your participation is extremely important to our success, and the survey should take less than 15 minutes to complete.

(Your participation, while critical to our success, is entirely voluntary. Rest assured that your answers will be kept confidential, and that the data will only be reported in summary form and will be maintained in a highly secure manner.)

Below please find the instructions for accessing and completing the survey online.

To complete the survey, please go to www.StartupQuestSurvey.com

Please use [TOKEN] to enter the survey.

We ask that you respond by [Deadline Date].

If you would prefer to take the survey over the phone or do not have access to a computer, please call [phone number] to arrange for a telephone survey.

Thank you in advance for your time and effort. Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] or to call [phone number] if you need help accessing or navigating the survey.

Sincerely,

John Wendt

Manager of Technical Survey Operations

IMPAQ International

Attachment B.5
Reminder Email (for recipient or comparison group nonrespondents)

Subject Line: REMINDER – NOAA Program Survey

Dear [Name],

This is a quick reminder to please go online and complete the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Scholarship Program survey.

You are receiving this email because your survey responses have not been submitted!

Please remember to hit “submit” to complete your survey.

NOAA is very interested in your educational and career trajectories in NOAA mission-related fields. Your responses are very important to ensuring that NOAA’s Office of Education successfully meets its long-term goals.

To complete the survey, please go to www.StartupQuestSurvey.com

Please use [TOKEN] to enter the survey.

Thank you in advance for your time and effort and for submitting your responses on or before [Deadline Date]. Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] or to call [phone number] if you have any questions or concerns regarding the survey.

Sincerely,

John Wendt

Manager of Technical Survey Operations

IMPAQ International

Attachment B.6
Thank-You Email (scholarship recipients)

Dear [Name],

On behalf of NOAA, we would like to thank you very much for your time in completing the NOAA Scholarship Program survey. Your responses are very important to us.

Additionally, the Office of Education at NOAA has its own alumni network. We would appreciate your help in updating your current employment and contact information in our database. Your information will be kept private, and the information you provide will not be shared with outside vendors. You can access the update form at the link below.

NOAA Office of Education Voluntary Alumni Update System (VAUS) at https://oedwebapps.iso.noaa.gov/studentstracker/vaus

Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] or to call [phone number] if you have any questions or concerns regarding the NOAA Scholarship Program survey.

Sincerely,

John Wendt

Manager of Technical Survey Operations

IMPAQ International

Attachment B.7
Thank you email (Comparison Group)

Dear [NAME]:

On behalf of NOAA, we would like to thank you very much for your time in completing the NOAA Scholarship Program survey. Your responses are very important to us.

Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] or to call [phone number] if you have any questions or concerns regarding the NOAA Scholarship Program survey.

Sincerely,

John Wendt

Manager of Technical Survey Operations

IMPAQ International