National
Truman Scholarships
The Truman Scholarships pay for graduate school plus summer internships for students who are “agents of change.” Applications are submitted in the junior year. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, show outstanding leadership potential and communication skills, and demonstrate commitment to careers in government or the not-for-profit sector. They must be in the top quarter of their college class; as a practical matter at Iowa, they must have GPAs of 3.65 or higher. They also must evidence sustained service and strong potential for “making a difference” through public service.
Congress established the Truman Scholarship Foundation in 1975 as a federal memorial to the thirty-third U.S. president. The foundation awards scholarships for college students to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or elsewhere in public service. The activities of the foundation are supported by a special trust fund in the U.S. Treasury. There have been nearly three thousand Truman Scholars selected since the first awards were made in 1977.
Each Truman Scholarship provides a large stipend for graduate study. Scholars receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions. They earn leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government.
The University of Iowa may nominate four students each year, with approximately sixty-five Truman Scholars named nationally. For its success in practicing Truman principles and preparing Truman candidates, the University of Iowa became a Truman Foundation Honor Institution in 2009. Applications are due to the foundation in early February, so interested students should contact the Honors Scholarship Director by the preceding October.
Majoring in Political Science and International Studies, Meredith DeBoom became a Truman Scholar in 2008. In 2009, she has been followed by Rachel Nathanson in Economics and Geography.
“Participating in the Truman Scholar interview process provided me with a unique opportunity to explore the world of public policy. Designing the policy proposal was an exciting process that forced me to look at pressing issues in a new light. As a finalist, I met individuals with a firm commitment to developing innovative solutions for the issues our country struggles with the most.” — Laura Westercamp, 2005 finalist.