T HE T RUMAN S CHOLARSHIP Campus Information Session: 4 November 2014

The Truman Scholarship:  Recognizes juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or elsewhere in the public service; and  Provides them with financial support for graduate/professional school study, leadership training, and fellowship with other students who are committed to making a difference through public service.

Truman Scholars Receive:  Up to $30,000 for graduate/professional school study  Priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions  Leadership training  Career and graduate school counseling  Special internship opportunities within the federal government including Truman-Albright Fellows Prgm and others.  8 week summer institute in DC after college graduation

Are You a Potential Truman Scholar?  Do you want to be a "change agent,” improving the ways in which government agencies, nonprofit organizations, or educational institutions serve the public?  Are there conditions in our society or the environment that trouble you?  Do you want/need to earn a master's degree, a doctorate, or a professional degree (e.g., law, medicine, Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Health, Master of Social Work, Master of Education, Master of Public Policy)?

Are You a Truman Scholar, con’t COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ACADEMIC RECORD  Do you participate extensively in two or more of the following sets of activities:  Student government and/or campus-based extracurricular activities;  Community service-related activities;  Government internships, commissions or boards, advocacy or interest groups, nonpartisan political activities, or military/ROTC;  Partisan political activities and campaigns  Are you involved with organizations or activities related to your career interests?  GPA is less important than engagement & promise as indicators of potential for continued success.

The Application Career Vision Personal Character -istics Resume Items

 Items 2-6 (College/HS Activities; Public/Community/Civic Service Activities; Part- time/Full-Time Jobs & Nongovernmental Internships; Awards/Scholarships/Honors/Presentations etc.)  Transcripts  Alert the Foundation to any unusual circumstances that have limited your activities or affected your grades. Note such restrictions in Item 15.

Personal Characteristics  Use Items 7-11 and to reveal your values, interests, and motivation for a career as a “change agent” in public service.  Item 15 is of extreme importance—it allows for personality and context to give the application more meaning as a whole. Write about significant dimensions of yourselves or explanations of your commitment to careers in public service not been covered elsewhere in the application.

Leadership Example (Item 7)  Describe an example of your leadership  Choose an example from college  Reflect upon your leadership  “Leadership Abilities & Potential” LOR must confirm the example used

Public Service Example (Item 8)  Describe a recent particularly satisfying public service activity  Must be different from the Leadership Activity (Item 7)  LOR will discuss your public service activities but does not need to be directly tied to your example

Career Vision (Items: , Policy Proposal)  Item 9: Problems/Needs of Society You Wish to Address  Item 10: 3 Most Significant Courses  Item 12: Grad/Prof School Plans  Item 13: 1 st Professional Job After Grad/Prof School  Item 14: Professional Job 5-7 Years Later  Policy Proposal: Relates to Item 9

Question 9 & Policy Proposal  Prepare a convincing Policy Proposal. You will have limited space to examine a significant policy issue or problem that is in your currently intended area of public service as described in Item 9.  Your Proposal memo needs to define the problem, lay out your proposed solution, and identify major obstacles to the implementation of your solution.  Provide statistical data to put the issue in context and to support your recommendations. Cite major sources.

Career Trajectory (Items 10 & 12-14)  3 most significant courses in preparation for your career (Item 10)  Graduate/Professional School Aspirations (Item 12)  Propose a detailed plan for study in Item 11. Name the graduate institutions of greatest interest that are likely to accept you.  First professional job (Item 13)  Mid-career job (Item 14)

Policy Proposal  Address to appropriate governmental official  Use statistical data to define the problem.  Choose sources carefully.  Use persuasive, credible data to explain your position.  Make your recommendations specific, clear, and understandable.  Handle obstacles fairly. Capture briefly the legitimacy of the opposition.  Do not provide “response” to the obstacles identified.

3 Letters of Recommendation  Leadership Potential & Abilities  Directly tied to response in Item 7 (Leadership)  Commitment to a Career in Public Service  Intellect & Prospects for Continuing Academic Success ***  LORs are sent directly to Dean Goldberg as WORD attachments, on letterhead, signed.  Dean Goldberg is responsible for uploading LORs to the applications.

LOR: Leadership Potential/Abilities  LOR must confirm and elaborate upon the leadership example used (Item 7).  LOR should address your personal characteristics (confidence, persuasiveness, diligence, conviction, vitality, poise, etc.) and how those characteristics contribute to your success as a leader (past, present, future). LOR may also reference other instances of your leadership (Resume Items 2-5).  Discuss leadership example with recommender—ensure that what you say & what recommender says are consonant with one another.

LOR: Commitment to Public Service Career  LOR should discuss a significant contribution made by you through 1or more public service, community service or government-related activities  LOR should address your values, interests, goals, &/or ambitions which represent commitment to a career in public service.  LOR is NOT directly tied to the public service example used in your application. The LOR may include the work you did (Item 8 & Resume Items 2- 5).

LOR: Intellectual Prospects/Con’t Success  LOR should discuss your intelligence, academic performance, analytical abilities, and other characteristics which will contribute to the applicant’s success in graduate/professional school and beyond.  Share with recommender your career plans (as articulated in Items 12-14). You may also want to provide recommender with list of awards & honors, publications & presentations, etc.

Apply!  Request Access to Application & Receive Application ID (  Complete Application On-line through  LORs submitted as attachments to  Request official transcripts from Registrar’s Office (have sent to Dean Goldberg)  CAMPUS DEADLINE: 18 December 2014  Official Deadline: 3 February 2015

Frequent Reasons for Non-Advancement  Lack of substantial &/or sustained record of service  Proposing an inappropriate degree/s that will allow applicant to address the problems identified in Item 9 and for achieving the position/s identified in Items 12 & 14  No/weak aspiration to a position/s that will enable the application to affect policies or to change programs  No/weak evidence of leadership  Overall disconnect between individual responses & desired future – application doesn’t cohere/lacks conviction

Rating Form  Public Service (Items 2-4, 8, LORs) [0 – 3 pts]  Leadership (Items 2-4, 7, LORs) [0 – 3 pts]  Appropriateness of proposed grad study plans (Items 3, 6, 10, , transcript, Policy Prop, LORs) [0 – 3 pts]  Quality of application, consistency of responses, good picture of applicant & motivations for public service career [0 – 2 pts]  Bonus [0 – 1 pt]

How Selection Panels “Read”  Recognize that grades are less important than leadership/public service record  Transcript (types of courses taken) is more important than GPA  Seek finalists with extensive record of campus & community/public service  Probability of becoming a “change agent”  Recognize that few applicants are strong in all areas. Gaps in application selection criteria are acceptable IF there is a record of campus & community service and a commitment to a career in public service/advocacy.

Campus Selection & Beyond  LC is permitted to nominate up to 4 candidates.  We will work extensively with those nominated prior to official submission in early February.  National selection done at regional level (Finalist posted 27 Feb).  Regional finalists are invited for interview (5 March - 11April).  Numbers: Approx. 600 nominees, 200 finalists, & awards  Awardees must attend Truman Scholarship Leadership Week  Awardees must work in public service relevant job for 3 yrs (within 7 yrs following completion of Truman funding)