Truman Overview | Inter/National Fellowships

What is the Truman Scholarship?

Internal Deadline:

November 8, 2023 at 12:00 PM

Contact the Office of Fellowships for support at least one month before this deadline.

The Truman Scholarship Foundation awards up to $30,000 toward graduate school expenses to college juniors with demonstrated leadership potential who aspire to a career in public service. In addition to receiving funding, winners participate in the Foundation’s scholar enrichment programing.

Immediately following their junior year of college, scholars attend a mandatory Truman Scholars Leadership Week in Missouri. During the week, scholars attend seminars and workshops with distinguished Truman alumni and other public service leaders; work on community service projects at local Kansas City nonprofits; learn about different paths to public service; conduct a group policy project; and begin to prepare for their graduate school education.

Additionally, following their graduation, scholars are invited to participate in a ten-week long Summer Institute in Washington, DC, where they undertake internships with government agencies and nonprofit organizations. During their time in DC, scholars join in seminars and workshops, attend meetings with Washington policymakers and Truman alumni, and have opportunities for community building among their cohort. Following the Summer Institute, scholars may elect to stay on in Washington, DC for a full year through the Truman-Albright Fellows Program. For this program, scholars are placed in public service jobs mostly within the federal government.

Award Details

Who is eligible?

Applicants must:

be full-time juniors (or seniors who will complete their undergraduate degree in three years). Applicants during the academic year 2022-2023 will need to be graduating sometime between December 2023 and August 2024.
be U.S. citizens, US National residents of American Samoa, or expecting their citizenship by the date of the award
intend to pursue a graduate degree in any discipline (it need NOT be politics or history) in the US or abroad.
have a commitment to pursuing a career in public service (.org, .gov., .mil, .edu, and the like).
possess a record of public/community service, show outstanding leadership potential, and possess strong communication skills.

*Note: Scholars are required to work in public service for three of the seven years following completion of a Foundation funded graduate degree program as a condition of receiving funding. The Scholarship may be deferred for up to four years.

Does this application require endorsement by the college?

Yes. The Truman Foundation invites all institutions to endorse four applicants each year (with three additional spots for transfer students). All AC applications will be reviewed by the Faculty Committee on Student Fellowships and some or all will be interviewed. Following this review, all applicants will be notified of the endorsement decision. Endorsed candidates will revise their applications before final submission to Truman.

Who from Amherst has won this award?

Since 2012, six Amherst students have been selected as Truman Scholars and many more as finalists. As you think about your own Truman candidacy, read applications from some of our recent winners.

Gabriel Echarte '23
Dakota Foster '18
Pierre Joseph '15
Bess Hanish '13
Khan Shoieb '13
Nathan Nash ’12

What is the Truman Scholarship’s history and mission?

The Harry S Truman Scholarship is the official federal memorial to the 33^rd president of the United States. President Truman often spoke about the importance of promoting young leaders, and envisioned a program that would encourage educated citizenship and political responsibility. Therefore, after his death in 1972, a bill for this memorial was proposed and authorized to allow the Foundation to “award scholarships to persons who demonstrate outstanding potential for and who plan to pursue a career in public service,” and to conduct a nationwide competition to select Truman scholars. Since 1978, each year hundreds of college juniors have competed for roughly 60 awards.

The Foundation defines public service as employment in government at any level, uniformed services, public-interest organizations, non-governmental research and/or educational organizations, public and private schools, and public service-oriented nonprofit organizations such as those whose primary purposes are to help needy or disadvantaged persons or to protect the environment. The Truman Scholarship is committed to encouraging future “change agents” in America. Many of those chosen as scholars go on to serve in public office as public defenders, leaders of non-profit organizations, and educators.

A woman writing on paper in front of a computer

How do I apply?

Carefully read the Truman Scholarship Application Steps page for detailed guidance on the application itself and the steps you should take to prepare a competitive application.

Visit Truman Foundation Application Steps

Information for Recommenders

Each of the three recommendation letters for a Truman candidate focuses on one of three qualities – leadership, service, or academic achievement. Please ask the candidate which letter you are being asked to write and note this focus in the first paragraph. The prompt for each letter is as follows:

Leadership - Please confirm the candidate's leadership example in the application essay. Address the candidate’s personal characteristics (confidence, persuasiveness, diligence, conviction, vitality, poise, and so forth) which you feel contribute to the candidate’s leadership abilities.

Commitment to a career in public service: Please discuss the candidate’s suitability with particular emphasis on commitment to a career in public service. Address in particular the public service activity the candidate has highlighted in the application essay. Please address the candidate’s values, interests, goals, and/or ambitions which represent commitment to a career in government or elsewhere in the public service.

Intellect and prospects for continuing academic success: Discuss the candidate's suitability with particular emphasis on academic scholarship, intellectual capabilities, and prospects for success in graduate school, and if possible, for the program highlighted in the application. Discuss the candidate’s intelligence, academic performance, analytical abilities, and other characteristics which you think contribute to further academic success.

You may find helpful these Suggestions for Writers of Recommendation Letters.

Format and submission: Please type your letter on institutional letterhead (virtual is fine), including your contact information, and sign it (electronic signature is fine). Then send the pdf via email attachment to Eric Myers at ermyers@amherst.edu by November 8, 2023. He will upload your letter to the Truman Scholarship online application system.

Have questions? Please contact us.

Christine Overstreet, Director of Fellowships
212 Converse Hall
413-542-2536
coverstreet@amherst.edu

Physical address: 100 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst, MA 01002

Mailing Address: AC #2214, PO Box 5000, Amherst, MA 01002

Office of Fellowships Truman Overview