Truman Scholarship

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation

The federal memorial to our thirty-third President awards merit-based scholarships to college students who plan to pursue careers in government or elsewhere in public service. Truman Scholars receive up to $30,000 for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities, and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government.

Institutional Nomination

The Truman Scholarship does not accept direct applications; students must be nominated by Temple University’s Truman Scholarship Committee.  Please see below for application instructions for nomination.

Campus Deadline

November 15 annually

Eligibility

Each nominee for the Truman Scholarship must be: a full-time junior-level student; nominated by the Truman Scholarship Committee at his or her institution; in the upper quarter of his or her class; and a United States citizen or a United States national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Resident aliens (green card holders) are not eligible.

Selection Criteria

A good candidate for the Truman Scholarship meets the above eligibility requirements and also: has an extensive record of public and community service; has outstanding leadership potential and communication skills; and is committed to a career in government or elsewhere in public service, as defined by the Foundation. 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.

Campus Application Instructions and Checklist

The Truman scholarship requires institutional nomination. Applications made directly to the awarding body will not be considered. Interested candidates are encouraged to meet with Barbara Gorka, Director of Fellowships Advising, well before the November 15 internal deadline.

Submit the following application components by November 15.

1. Campus Waiver and Agreement

2. Truman Scholarship Application

To access the application, you must first meet with the Director of Fellowships Advising, Barbara Gorka (barbara.gorka@temple.edu). Complete the online application and submit your draft by the campus deadline. We recommend that you prepare your short essay responses and your policy memo in Word, and then cut and paste when you are ready to submit. You can find a sample application here. Before you begin to write, review the Truman Notes to Candidates and Personal Statement Tips. Note that although you are answering a series of short essays (Items 7-9 and 11-14), these should read together as one narrative. This means that you need a consistent story line that threads together your interests, experiences, and goals. The application also includes a Policy Proposal. Draft a policy that addresses the significant societal issue you presented in question 9 of the application. Present your proposal in the form of a memo to the government official who you feel has the most direct authority to resolve the issue. Include three sections: Problem Statement, Proposed Solution, Major Obstacles or Implementation Challenges. Provide statistical data to put the issue in context and to support your recommendations. Cite major sources (these references or footnotes do not count against the word limit). Maximum 500 words. (Here are good Policy Proposal Tips.)

3. Transcripts

Submit to Barbara.gorka@temple.edu an unofficial copy of your Temple transcript or academic record. If you earned transfer credit for work at a previous institution, summer school, or study abroad (on a non-Temple program), please provide an unofficial transcript as well. If you are selected for nomination, you will need to submit an official transcript that includes your fall grades.

4. At least three Letters of Recommendation

Your references should provide letters of support to Barbara Gorka in Fellowships Advising (barbara.gorka@temple.edu) as PDFs by the campus deadline. Each of the letters should address one of the Truman selection criteria, but it is acceptable for a letter to discuss more than one of the criteria. Let your letter writers know which of the criteria they should focus on, and encourage them to review these guidelines from the Truman Foundation. Three criteria: (1) Leadership Abilities and Potential: This letter should confirm the experience described in Question 7 of the online application (specific example of your leadership). The letter writer need not have witnessed the example first hand, but he or she should be able to discuss the example and how it fits within the context of the student's leadership. (2) Commitment to a Career in Public Service: This letter should confirm the experience described in Question 8 (recent, satisfying public service activity). The letter writer need not have witnessed the activity first hand, but he or she should be able to discuss the example and how it fits within the context the student's commitment to a career in public service. (3) Intellect and Prospects for Continuing Academic Success: This letter should discuss the student's overall academic background in context of the student's future plans for career and graduate school (Questions 11 to 13 of application). It is recommended, though not required, that the writer have taught the student at some point.

We encourage students to submit more than three letters for the campus deadline. The committee will select which three support the nominee’s candidacy most effectively.

Campus Contact

Barbara Gorka

Director, Scholar Development and Fellowships Advising

Email: barbara.gorka@temple.edu
Phone: 215-204-0708

Visit the Truman Scholarship site

Scholar Development and Fellowships Advising