2025 Announcements

A message from our Executive Secretary, Dr. Terry Babcock Lumish, to all registered Advisors.

Dear colleague,

Welcome to the 2025 Truman Scholarship competition! You may now register applicants from your dashboard page, with all applications due no later than Tuesday, February 4, 2025.

We continue to look for promising Americans from every state, plus DC and the US territories, making commitments to careers in public service, broadly defined. 

Consistent with our recent years’ messaging and annual cohorts, there is no one-size-fits-all Truman Scholar. We see stellar applicants working in traditional political and policy roles – the campaign volunteer, the campus reformer, the military or nonprofit leader, the community activist – but we also welcome applicants pursuing meaningful change via science, technology, the arts, and other innovative avenues.

In addition to planning a career in public service, candidates should be college juniors, US citizens, and have a demonstrated record of leadership and service.

We will kick off the 2025 application cycle with an Open House on Wednesday, September 25 at @ 2:00 pm ET.  This session will include a number of recent Scholars discussing their application experiences as well as an overview of our program and selection criteria.  The Open House is suitable for potential and current nominees as well as advisors.  It would also be a good introduction for institutions just starting their Truman process.  Feel free to distribute the Zoom link broadly:  

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85226240356?pwd=6NWVvAa96sqXRLpBei0sMBgWDtkn2V.1

We will also have the following regular webinars:

• advisors only on Wednesday, October 23 @ 2:00 pm ET;
• candidates (advisors welcome) on Wednesday, December 4 @ 2:00 pm ET; and
• office hours (open to all) on Thursday, January 23 @ 2:00 pm ET.

Information about the webinars will be available on your dashboard page. We will also post recordings there the day after a webinar takes place. The “Apply” section of the Truman website offers a great deal of information, including sample responses and an FAQ.

Should you have questions about our program, the online application, or the likely competitiveness of individual candidates, you are welcome to contact Deputy Executive Secretary Tara Yglesias.

Thank you for identifying and supporting our nation's future leaders. We appreciate you.

Yours in service,

Dr. Terry Babcock-Lumish (she/her)

Executive Secretary

Summer Institute:

Early in the application candidates are asked whether they plan to participate in the 2026 Summer Institute program. While this question does not require an in-depth response, these few sentences are the first opportunity to communicate directly with the readers. Applicants should take care to respond fully and with specifics. It does not matter whether the applicant plans to attend Summer Institute, but it does matter that they are able to articulate their plans for the summer after graduation. Applicants planning to attend Summer Institute should select one or two public service internship opportunities and explain how they plan to take advantage of those experiences. They are not confined to the list of internships in the Meet Our Scholars section of the website. Applicants not planning to attend should explain why and, ideally, connect that activity to their overall public service journey.

Limited Leadership & Service Opportunities:

Applicants who feel they have had limited leadership & service opportunities due to situations outside their control (e.g. health conditions, family obligations, food or housing insecurity) may include that information in their application if they believe it might be helpful to assessing their candidacy. Applicants can provide additional information - either in the supporting letters or their materials - to ensure we adequately understand their circumstances.  
 
Applicants should work directly with Advisors and letter writers to ensure these variations are adequately covered in their materials. Straightforward pieces of information (e.g. the applicant has family obligations that make volunteer work difficult) can best be conveyed in the nominating letter - thus allowing the applicant the ability to discuss other items in their application if they wish.  

Leaves of Absence:

Students who have elected to take a leave of absence may still be nominated so long as the institution is willing to do so.  Please determine if the leave of absence will result in a change to the student's graduation date and adjust the timing of the application accordingly.  Students who are graduating in three (or fewer) years would apply in their final year.

Civil Disobedience:

We have had several inquiries regarding what impact arrest or citation for civil disobedience might have on a Truman application. We have had a number of applicants and Scholars involved in protest activities - we have also had a number of applicants and Scholars who have had arrests and convictions on other matters.  We do not consider such things a barrier to application - indeed in some situations such activities have been integral to an applicant's journey in public service.  Discussion of such matters in application materials is subject to many considerations.  Advisors should contact Tara Yglesias for guidance.

Policy Proposals during Political Transitions:

During periods of political transition, it may be difficult to determine to whom to address the policy proposal. Readers and interviewers will be reminded that the early February deadline may fall before many federal, state, and local governments have personnel in place for all offices. Applicants can address the proposal to the incumbent office holder, the proposed office holder or the incoming office holder.  It is helpful to indicate "incumbent" or "incoming" where appropriate.  If making additional assumptions (e.g. assuming funding levels or administration priorities), that information should be conveyed within the policy proposal or in a note along with works cited.

Applicants should be aware of any changes in personnel, priorities or policy if selected for interview.  Finalists should be able to discuss how changing administrations impact their policy proposal.