Latest news with #TrumanScholarship
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UND undergraduate receives Truman Scholarship
Apr. 19—GRAND FORKS — A UND junior is one of the honorees in the 2025 class of Truman Scholars. Greyson Orne, a junior studying unmanned aircraft systems operations and political science, is one of the 54 honorees for this year's Truman Scholarship. The federally-funded program, established by Congress in 1975, offers $30,000 in graduate studies funding for students studying in a public-service oriented field. The scholarship is named in honor of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States. UND President Andy Armacost and Provost Eric Link surprised Orne with the news during class last week, per a university press release. He is the 15th UND student to receive a Truman Scholarship since the award was established, per Political Science Professor Mark Jendrysik, who served as Orne's adviser. "A lot of people are going to meet Greyson and say, 'We're going to invest in this young man, and make sure he succeeds beyond his wildest dreams,'" read a statement attributed to Jendrysik. Orne intends to pursue a law degree focused on aviation policy, according to his bio on the Truman Scholarship Foundation's website.
Forbes
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
The Truman Scholars For 2025 Have Been Named
The 2025 cohort of Truman Scholars was announced Friday by former Arizona Governor and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, President of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. This year's group includes 54 students from 49 U.S. colleges and universities selected to receive what is widely regarded as one of the most coveted graduate scholarships for aspiring public service leaders in the United States. Each year about 60 Truman Scholars are selected from hundreds of college juniors who go through a multi-stage selection process, requiring a nomination by their undergraduate colleges, selection as a finalist by a Truman Finalist Selection Committee, and an interview with one of the regional review panels that make the final choices. Candidates may major in any subject likely to lead to a public service career, and they can pursue any graduate degree, other than the MBA. Nominees are evaluated on the basis of academic success and leadership accomplishments, as well as the likelihood of becoming public service leaders. This year 743 candidates were nominated by 288 colleges and universities. The finalist selection committee then selected 201 students from 137 universities and colleges for interviews with the Foundation's regional review panels. 'Resourceful, patriotic leaders, today's Truman Scholars would make President Truman proud,' said Dr. Terry Babcock-Lumish, the Foundation's Executive Secretary, in the news release. 'Rising to meet their moments in this century as he did his in the 20th century, they are dedicated public servants who do not shy from challenge.' The 2025 cohort includes: You can see all the scholars here. The highly prestigious Truman Scholarship was created by an act of Congress in 1975 soon after President Harry S. Truman passed away. It was established as a living memorial to Truman, and for nearly 50 years Truman Scholarships have reflected the legacy of the 33rd President by supporting and inspiring Americans from diverse backgrounds to enter public service. As a condition of a Truman award, scholars must work in public service for three of the seven years following completion of a Foundation-funded graduate degree program. They're also required to file annual reports with the Foundation in order to maintain their scholarship funding. The Foundation defines public service as employment in government at any level, uniformed services, public-interest organizations, nongovernmental research and/or educational organizations, public and private schools, and public service-oriented nonprofit organizations. The stipend is up to $30,000 toward a public service graduate degree, but some institutions make arrangements to add supplemental funding of their own. In addition, scholars receive leadership training, career counseling, and special internship and fellowship opportunities within the federal government. The Scholars also take part in the Truman Scholars Leadership Week, held at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. As in the past, several of this year's scholars are students of color, first-generation college students, and immigrants to the United States. This year's cohort includes students studying for public service in a wide range of areas, including public health, criminal justice, education, national security, veterans affairs, gerontology, rural development, housing policy and cybersecurity. Also represented are political activists, veterans of the armed services, aspiring journalists, former White House interns, published researchers, and founders of non-profit organizations. Consistent with the aims of the Truman program, the Scholars' fields of study span a broad array of interests, illustrated by these few examples: The 54 awardees join a community of 3,618 Truman Scholars named since the first awards in 1977. Included in that group are such noteworthy figures as U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch (1987), Senator Chris Coons (1983), Representative Dusty Johnson (1998), Representative Andy Kim (2003), Representative Greg Stanton (1990), White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice (1984), National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (1997), former Arizona Governor and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano (1977), former Secretary of Education John King (1995), and Fair Fight founder Stacey Abrams (1994).
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Push yourself to do more,' says Ellie Hart, who was named Truman Scholarship finalist at USD
Apr. 4—VERMILLION — Ellie Hart is a busy student at the University of South Dakota. The Mitchell High School graduate fills her time pursuing a political science major and a minor in Spanish while also being a part of the honors program and serving as the newly-elected vice-president of the Student Government Association and the president of the Panhellenic Council. Somewhere, Hart also found time to apply for a Truman Scholarship, a prestigious, federally-funded scholarship for college juniors who demonstrate outstanding leadership potential and a commitment to public service, while also providing up to $30,000 for graduate education. She was named a finalist for the scholarship in March and will find out if she is a recipient later this month. Also joining her as a finalist at USD is Tea native Taylor Van Emmerik. Hart and Van Emmerick are the two finalists from South Dakota. "I was overjoyed, honestly," Hart told the Mitchell Republic about being selected as a finalist. "I had put so many hours of work into my application — probably over 50 hours minimum. I was definitely hopeful, but you just never know." Truman Scholarships, named for former president Harry S. Truman, are part of a competitive program wherein applicants must first be nominated by their undergraduate institution. They must then complete a comprehensive application including essays, a policy proposal as well as secure three letters of recommendation, with a deadline typically in early February. The nominating school, in this case USD, can nominate four students for the scholarship per year, and with eight students showing interest on campus this year, officials at the school had to whittle down the applicant pool. Hart made that cut and continued on with the application process. After being named a finalist, another interview followed. This stage of the process is meant to be a challenge for the applicants. "It was definitely an intimidating process. The goal of the interviewers is to make it one of the most difficult interviews of your life," Hart said. "They definitely push back on your statements and really push you to think in a different way. I found it to be a great experience, but it was definitely intimidating." Hart was grateful for the ongoing support she has received from staff, faculty and fellow students throughout the process. Though originally unsure if she wanted to stay in-state for her college experience, Hart said the school, which both of her parents also attended, has proved to be the perfect landing spot. She said growing up in Mitchell played an integral role in her development leading up to her studies at USD. "I loved Mitchell High School. I felt like I had really amazing teachers not only at MHS but at L.B. Williams, as well. Great teachers and a lot of people who supported me," Hart said. "But I never thought I would go quite this route." Hart plans to eventually pursue a Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health degree and is passionate about using legal advocacy and policy to address systemic issues. She is committed to creating change through public service and continuing her work to advocate for the public good, according to her Truman Scholarship candidate profile at USD. The $30,000 in graduate study funding provided by a Truman Scholarship would certainly be useful in the pursuit of her goals, but the scholarship is as much a symbol of dedication and hard work as it is a monetary windfall, Hart said. That makes simply being named a finalist for the scholarship a success. Being a recipient of the scholarship is to be part of rare company. In 2025, 743 applicants from 288 institutions from around the country competed for Truman Scholarships. Only 201 students from 137 schools were named finalists. About 50 or 60 official recipients are named every year. "To me, bigger than that and more important is that it is a community of people that you are now a part of. They are truly the best servants that are a part of this group, so smart and dedicated to service. It's just an amazing community," Hart said. "The scholarship also requires so much that being a Truman Scholar, people know the amount of effort you have put into the process. More than just being an honor, it's a mark of hard work and service." In addition to her work with the Student Government Association and the Panhellenic Council, Hart is also involved in Days for Girls, a club she founded at USD. She serves as the co-president of the political science honor society Pi Sigma Alpha, and has contributed to USD through roles as a student representative on the ICARE team and as the vice president of parade for Dakota Days. Her passion for service can make for a challenging schedule, but Hart has embraced it all and said up-and-coming high school students can find the same satisfaction and success she has by challenging themselves. Doing that will only strengthen them and prepare them for the obstacles that arise in everyday life and high school, as well as college. "I think the biggest thing is to do things that make you uncomfortable. Push yourself to do more," Hart said. "That's where I feel I grew the most over my college experience. That's where I've had the most fun and the most growth." Previous Truman Scholarship finalists from Mitchell include Caleb Swanson, who was named both a finalist and a recipient in 2023.
