Contact: Maridith Geuder
Mississippi State is among five universities and colleges being honored for producing Harry S. Truman National Scholars.
The Starkville institution is the only one in the South recognized by the Washington, D.C.-based Truman Scholarship Foundation for "sustained success" in helping students both to win the $30,000 competitive awards and to prepare for public service careers.
Congress established the foundation in 1975 as the official federal memorial to America's 33rd president. Usually drawing some 800 nominees, the scholarships support graduate study for 75 individuals with demonstrated leadership potential and a desire to serve the public.
Since 1980, Mississippi State has produced 14 Truman Scholars. These include senior Brad Sweet of Cleveland, a 1998 selection who also is Student Association president.
Other Truman Honor Institutions include Columbia University, Dartmouth College, University of Chicago, and Claremont McKenna College. The awards committee considered nearly 500 institutions that have produced scholars over the past two decades.
Among recent MSU scholars is Jonathan Amacker of Columbia, a 1994 selection now working in the office of Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore. Others include 1996 scholar Henry Christrup of Cape Fair, Mo., and 1993 scholar Amanda Stamps of Long Beach, both attending law school at Yale and Georgetown universities, respectively.
Mississippi State has been successful in nurturing Truman scholars because of the quality of its students, says political scientist Christopher M. Duncan, the university's coordinator of distinguished external scholarships.
"When you begin with students like Brad Sweet, Henry Christrup, Amanda Stamps, and Jonathan Amacker, you're 90 percent of the way there," he said.
Duncan also credits the efforts of longtime Truman campus coordinator Stephen D. Shaffer of political science, as well as an interdisciplinary faculty committee that helps each candidate prepare for the interview process.
The average Truman candidate will have a 3.85 grade-point average (out of 4.0) and a proven grasp of various public policy issues, Duncan said.