Truman Scholarship

The Truman Scholarship seeks juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education, or elsewhere in the public service. The scholarship supports graduate or professional study, leadership training, and fellowship with other scholars who are committed to making a difference through public service.

Campus Deadline: Friday, October 20, 2023, 3:00 p.m. PST  **SUBMIT EARLY: This is a strict deadline.**

Advisor: Jessica Reynoso (jreynos2@stanford.edu). To schedule an appointment with Jessica or the other members of the Cardinal Careers Team, please select the "Public Service and Social Impact" category on Handshake.

Truman Scholarship Overview

• $30,000 for the Scholar's graduate studies toward a public service-related degree, open to many fields of study
• Programming 
  • Truman Scholars Leadership Week (mandatory for Scholars)
    • May 21-26, 2024
  • Summer Institute (10-week program immediately after college graduation)
  • Truman Albright Fellows 
  • Democracy Fellows 
  • Governance Fellows
• Mentoring 
• Hiring authority (Schedule A)

Eligibility

• Nomination by Stanford through the Haas Center for Public Service.
• U.S. citizen or a U.S. national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands by the date of the award.
• Full-time Junior expecting to receive the bachelor's degree between December 2024 and August 2025.
  • If you expect to earn your degree between December 2025 and August 2026, you will be eligible to apply next year. 
• Minimum GPA of 3.6.
• Commitment to a public service career. 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.
• Strong record of leadership and public service.
• Able to attend the Truman Scholars Leadership Week from May 21-26, 2024. 
• Available for a Stanford interview, if shortlisted, in November 2023.  

Application

The following steps must be completed for an application to be considered for campus nomination:

1. Complete the Truman Scholarship Candidate Registration form to acquire your unique login for the Truman application portal.

2. Complete the online application on the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation website. 
3. Request three letters of recommendation, one for each of the selection criteria:
   •  Leadership Abilities and Potential
   • Commitment to a Career in Public Service
   • Intellect and Prospects for Continuing Academic Success. 
4. Submit the following materials to the Truman Advisor, Jessica Reynoso (jreynos2@stanford.edu), by the campus deadline, Friday, October 20, 2023, 3:00 p.m. PST:
   • Unofficial Stanford transcript;
   • Other official college transcript(s), if you are a transfer student;
   • A pdf of your online application;
   • A longer, annotated resume that provides rich details for the experiences/achievements that you list; 
   • Three letters of recommendation. Please have your recommenders submit their letters through the Truman Scholarship Recommendation Letter Submission form. Letters may be sent directly from the recommender to Jessica Reynoso (jreynos2@stanford.edu);
   • Signed Truman Scholarship Nomination Permission Form and Waiver.

Note: Late applications will NOT be accepted without prior approval.

Nomination Process

Candidates must be nominated through Stanford to be considered for the Truman Scholarship.  A committee of Haas-affiliated staff and faculty will review applications to shortlist candidates for interviews, and select up to four campus nominees. Campus nominees will work with advisors in preparation for the regional interviews in March.

Nomination Process 2024 Timeline

• October 20, 2023: Students submit their application materials to the Truman Advisor.
• October 23-30, 2023: The Reading Committee reviews applications to determine the top candidates. 
• November 1-8, 2023: The Nomination Committee reviews applications to determine who will be interviewed. 
• November 16-17, 2023: The Nomination Committee interviews the top candidates to determine the nominees.
• November 2023–February 2024: Nominees revise applications.
• February 6, 2024: Nominees submit their applications to the Truman Foundation. 

Additional Resources

Review the advice and resources below for additional guidance. If you have any questions about the application or nomination process, schedule a one-on-one advising appointment with a member of the Cardinal Careers Team– Jessica Reynoso, Juaquín Sims or Ben Weissman– on Handshake by selecting the "Public Service and Social Impact" category.

• Consult with your faculty mentors on the application and with Academic Advising staff who have experience with the Truman Scholarship. 
• Read sample application essays from Stanford Truman Scholars in an advising session with the Cardinal Careers Team.
• Review the sample application to help prepare for the online submission.

• Review the Truman Scholarship FAQ.

• Review the Tips for Soliciting Letters of Recommendation and confer with the Truman Advisor before finalizing your choices for recommendations. 
• Review the "Letters of Recommendation" webpage on the Truman Foundation website for additional information and advice. 
• Subscribe to the Cardinal Careers Newsletter for announcements about the Truman Scholarship and other opportunities.
• Review information on how to request your electronic transcript from Stanford.
• Schedule an appointment with a tutor at the Hume Center for Writing and Speaking to revise your essays and prepare for interviews.