Truman Scholarship
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is the premier graduate fellowship in the United States for those planning to pursue careers as public service leaders. Each year, the Truman Scholarship Foundation grants awards to 60 college juniors who are committed to public service careers and who have demonstrated leadership potential, academic excellence, and a commitment to public service. Truman Scholars receive a $30,000 scholarship for graduate school, participate in a week-long leadership training, and have the opportunity to apply for a host of other leadership and public service opportunities reserved for Scholars. The Foundation defines public service careers as “employment in: government at any level, the uniformed services, public interest organizations, non-governmental research and/or educational organizations, public and private schools, and public service oriented non-profit organizations such as those whose primary purposes are to help needy or disadvantaged persons or to protect the environment.”
Deadlines
Declare Intent to Apply:
September 27 at 5pm ET
Pre-Application:
November 8 at 5pm ET
Selection of Nominees:
Late November
Final Application:
February 4, 2025
by 11:59 pm
National Finalist Interviews:
March through mid-April
Advice and Guidance
The Truman application is a lengthy, time-consuming and competitive process. This section includes a number of items designed to help prepare the best application possible. Applicants should take care to assess advice given for their own situation as no two applicants are alike and blanket advice rarely works for everyone.
Writing Effectively
Readers have very little time with your materials – between 12 and 15 minutes for each application. Successful applications do not make the readers do extra work and clearly convey not only the achievements of the applicant, but also something of their personality and goals.
Frequently Asked Questions for Applicants
A list of Frequently Asked Questions ranging from questions about the scholarship to eligibility requirements.
- US Citizens, US National residents of American Samoa, or expecting their citizenship by the date of the award
- Currently enrolled in the penultimate (junior) year of school (for candidates graduating in four years or more) or in their final year of school (for candidates graduating in three years or fewer)
- Nominated by either their current institution of study or their former institution of study for transfer or community college applicants
- Planning to attend graduate school in pursuit of a career in public service.
- Pursuing any major likely to lead to a public service career
- Any age
- Interested in any graduate degree other than the MBA
- Considering either domestic or international programs for their graduate education
Wake Forest may only nominate four students for the Truman Scholarship each year. Interested applicants must submit a pre-application to the Selection Committee, who will determine which students move forward as nominees each year.
Students who are interested in seeking a WFU nomination should reach out to Dr. Hana Brown (brownhe@wfu.edu). Once you have expressed your intent to apply, Dr. Brown will create a login for you so that you can access the Truman application.
For the pre-application, students will complete the following portions of the online application:
- Everything through and including Question 9
- Any ONE of Questions 11-13
- Question 14
- In the policy proposal section, write (1) a brief description of the policy proposal topic you might focus on, should you win a nomination and (2) list the names of three possible references (please note, we won’t be contacting your references; we simply want a sense of who you might ask for a letter should you win a nomination)
For general questions, please contact Dr. Hana Brown, WFU Faculty Director for the Truman Scholarship, at brownhe@wfu.edu. Students can also sign up for her office hours at brownhe.youcanbook.me. She is also more than happy to set up appointments outside that time frame. Students can email her with their availability.
For more detailed information, check out the information session below or the Truman Scholarship website.
Information Sessions
Upcoming Info Sessions
TBD Spring Semester
Previously Recorded Info Sessions
Past Wake Forest Recipients
View List of Recipients
- Tal Feldman, 2022
- Sarah Rudasil, 2016
- J’Taime Lyons, 2012
- Elizabeth “Liz” Lundeen, 2006
- Anjali Garg, 2004
- Jennifer Harris, 2003
- Lindsay Littlefield, 2002
- Jessica Posner, 2000
- Jennifer Bumgarner, 1998
- Megan Reif, 1995
- Lori Fuller, 1994
- L. Patrick Auld, 1990
- Edward “Ted” Bilich, 1984
- Susan Darnell Rector, 1979
- Michael Riley, 1979
- Neil Rector, 1978
- Jeanne Whitman, 1977
Tal Feldman Named a 2022 Truman Scholar
Junior Tal Feldman, who is majoring in economics and mathematics, has been named a 2022 Truman Scholar.
Sarah Rudasill Named a 2016 Truman Scholar
Sarah Rudasill, a junior from New Oxford, Pa., has been named a 2016 Harry S. Truman Scholar.
J’Taime Lyons Named 2012 Truman Scholar
Wake Forest junior J’Taime Lyons of Whitakers, N.C., is among a distinguished group of undergraduate students nationwide who have been named 2012 Truman Scholars by the Washington-based Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation.