Three Truman Scholarship Finalists Named

Third-years Sadie Keller, Kieran Minor, and Meg Parker have been named finalists for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the premier graduate scholarship for aspiring public service leaders in the United States. The students were selected based on their records of leadership, public service, and academic achievement.

“Being named a Truman Scholarship Finalist is an enormous achievement,” says Director of Fellowships and Awards, Nick Petzak. “Every institution of higher education in the U.S. is invited to nominate up to four juniors with exemplary records. The application itself is among the most demanding for undergraduate fellowships competitions, requiring months of work to summarize experiences and present a detailed, data-driven, and coherent 10-15 year plan for becoming a  ‘change agent.’”

Each new Truman Scholar receives up to $30,000 for graduate study. Scholars also receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government.

The Truman Foundation was created by Congress in 1975 as the living memorial to President Truman and the Presidential Memorial to Public Service. The Foundation’s mission is premised on the belief that a better future relies on attracting to public service the commitment and sound judgment of bright, outstanding Americans.

This year, the Foundation reviewed 756 applications from 313 institutions. The Truman Finalist Selection Committee chose 194 students from 137 institutions. Finalists will be interviewed by the Foundation's Regional Review Panels between March 2 and April 6, and the 2018 Truman Scholars will be announced by 9 p.m. EST on April 20, 2018.