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University announces 2024 Truman scholarship nominees
LAWRENCE — Three outstanding University Honors students have been selected as the University of Kansas nominees for Harry S. Truman Scholarships. The prestigious national awards, which provide up to $30,000 for graduate study, are given to college juniors for leadership in public service. KU nominated students from Gardner, Manhattan and Olathe.
2024 class of University Scholars announced
LAWRENCE — The 43rd class of University Scholars and their faculty mentors were recently recognized during a reception hosted by the University of Kansas Honors Program. The new cohort includes students from Lenexa, Manhattan, Norton, Olathe, Overland Park, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Topeka.
Full stories below.
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Contact: Erin Wolfram, Academic Success, 785-864-2308, [email protected]
University announces 2024 Truman scholarship nominees
LAWRENCE — Three outstanding University Honors students have been selected as the University of Kansas nominees for Harry S. Truman Scholarships.
The prestigious national awards, which provide up to $30,000 for graduate study, are given to college juniors for leadership in public service. They are highly competitive, with only about 60 Truman Scholars named nationwide each year.
This year’s KU nominees:
DaNae Estabine, a junior in psychology minoring in philosophy
Grant Misse, a junior in environmental studies and music composition
Emily Ward, a junior in anthropology and political science minoring in Spanish
Criteria for the nominations include an extensive record of campus and community service, commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit and advocacy sectors, communication skills and a high probability of becoming a “change agent,” and a strong academic record with likely acceptance to the graduate school of the candidate’s choice.
The campus nomination process is coordinated by the Office of Fellowships, a unit of Academic Success. Students interested in applying for the Truman Scholarship in future years are encouraged to contact the office ([email protected]), which can nominate a limited number of students each year. The next application cycle will begin in fall 2024.
Scholars receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government.
Since 1981, 20 KU students have become Truman Scholars. Samuel Steuart was the most recent KU student to receive the honor in 2019.
Congress established the Truman Scholarship Foundation in 1975 as the federal memorial to President Harry S. Truman. A national selection committee reviews applications from more than 800 nominees for the Truman Foundation. Approximately 200 students will be named finalists in late February and be invited to participate in regional interviews in March and early April. The scholarship recipients will be announced in late April.
More information about KU’s nominees is below:
DaNae Estabine, from Olathe, is the daughter of Jean and Kristy Estabine and a graduate of Olathe East High School. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology and minoring in philosophy with plans of earning a joint juris doctor/doctorate in psychology and becoming a prosecutor in the state of Kansas. Estabine was named a Multicultural Scholars Program scholar as a sophomore and was selected for KU’s Legal Education Accelerated Degree (LEAD) program. Her freshman year she served as a senator in KU’s Student Senate, held the government relations director position as a sophomore and currently is the student body vice president. In summer 2023, Estabine interned for U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, and she now interns in the Statehouse for Kansas State Rep. Barbara Ballard. Outside of KU, Estabine volunteers her time as the director of the Johnson County Fair Pie Contest, an Olathe Fishing Derby board member and a Lawrence Mothers of Pre-Schoolers (MOPS) volunteer. Additionally, she is a substitute teacher in the Lawrence School District.
Grant Misse, from Gardner, is the son of Brett and Kourtney Misse and a graduate of Gardner-Edgerton High School. Misse is double majoring in environmental studies and music composition. He aspires to earn a master’s degree in public and nonprofit management and return to northeast Kansas to start a nonprofit and eventually influence policy related to sustainable agriculture and food systems at the government level. Currently, Misse works to promote environmental initiatives as the leadership/recruitment outreach lead for the Sunrise Movement and as the committee lead/founder of 2040 Vision KU. Additionally, he works at the Center for Community Outreach as the managing director. He continues to volunteer for the program Music Mentors, for which he previously served as a program coordinator, and is inspired by the nonprofit work he takes part in through this role. Misse is also the president of the New Music Guild and a member of the Glee Club.
Emily Ward, from Manhattan, is the daughter of Jeffrey and Michele Ward and a graduate of Manhattan High School. Ward is majoring in anthropology and political science and minoring in Spanish. She plans to pursue a doctorate in anthropology with a concentration in biological anthropology and become a forensic anthropologist. She currently works in the anthropological genomics lab under Jennifer Raff. In summer 2022, she interned at Riley County Historical Museum and has served as a volunteer for the Dia de los Muertos Festival, the Edinburg Filipino Festival and Haunting Humanities. Ward is a KU student ambassador, a University Scholar, the president of Honors Community Advocates and a Dole Center of Politics Student Advisory Board member. She also plays the cello in the KU Symphony orchestra.
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Contact: Dustin Vann, University Honors Program, [email protected]
2024 class of University Scholars announced
LAWRENCE — The 43rd class of University Scholars and their faculty mentors were recognized during a reception hosted by the University of Kansas Honors Program on Feb. 6 at the Nunemaker Center. Attendees celebrated with refreshments and heard remarks from Sarah Crawford-Parker, University Honors Program director and Paul Scott, professor of French, who both reflected on the program and the opportunities it presents each cohort.
Since 1982, the University Scholars Program has recognized and encouraged sophomores who demonstrate intellectual achievement and curiosity. Selected students receive a scholarship, are assigned a faculty mentor to support their academic endeavors and engage with a topic of contemporary interest as part of an interdisciplinary seminar course.
This spring’s seminar, “Imagined Futures,” is taught by Scott, the Jeffrey B. Weinberg Honors Faculty Fellow. The course invites students to examine the ways short stories, films and work in other mediums illustrate how most human pursuits are focused on future outcomes and possibilities.
Fittingly, Scott sees great potential for the seminar, which is already underway.
“Students in this seminar will become familiar with not only ways of envisioning the future but will also recognize – and reap the benefits – of doing so,” Scott said. “The seminar is a wonderful forum for discussion, sharing, sometimes disagreeing and always learning from each other as students hone analytic skills that can be applied to other topics and fields.”
The 2024 University Scholars are listed below alphabetically with major, hometown and faculty mentor:
Nawal Basra, sophomore in behavioral neuroscience from Overland Park, mentored by Elizabeth MacGonagle, associate professor of history and African & African-American studies.
Hannah Bunch, sophomore in mechanical engineering from Overland Park, mentored by Katie Batza, chair and associate professor of women, gender & sexuality studies.
Lauren D’Souza, sophomore in computer science from Overland Park, mentored by Thom Allen, honors program associate director and assistant professor of practice in urban planning.
Connor Engelsman, sophomore in classics from Norton, mentored by Yvonnes Chen, professor of journalism & mass communications.
Michelle Gasparre, sophomore in microbiology from Overland Park, mentored by Nilou Vakil, associate professor of architecture & design.
Tej Gumaste, sophomore in computer science from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, mentored by James Blakemore, associate professor of chemistry.
Bhavya Gupta, sophomore in microbiology from Overland Park, mentored by Mary Klayder, associate director of undergraduate studies and senior lecturer in English.
Jasneet Kaur, sophomore in pre-business from Olathe, mentored by Tracey LaPierre, director of undergraduate studies and associate professor of sociology.
Kristopher Long, sophomore in political science from Manhattan, mentored by Ray Mizumura-Pence, associate teaching professor of American studies.
Alexa Magstadt, sophomore in molecular, cellular & developmental biology from Shawnee, mentored by Kyla Camarda, associate professor of chemical & petroleum engineering.
Daniel Mirakian, sophomore in accounting from Olathe, mentored by Nathan Wood, associate professor of history.
Jiyoon Park, sophomore in environmental studies from Topeka, mentored by Patricia Gaston, Lacy C. Haynes Professor of Journalism.
Jillian Parsons, sophomore in political science from Overland Park, mentored by Sarah Crawford-Parker, honors program director and associate teaching professor of museum studies.
Rita Pham, sophomore in East Asian languages & cultures from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, mentored by Najarian Peters, associate professor of law.
Eden Shimekt, sophomore in human biology from Lenexa, mentored by Mary Klayder, lecturer, Department of English.
Anjali Singh, sophomore in human biology from Sedgwick, mentored by Dave Tell, professor of communication studies.
Xochitlh Vargas, sophomore in visual arts from Tulsa, Oklahoma, mentored by Darren Canady, professor of English.
Monique Vieux, sophomore in mechanical engineering from Naples, Italy, mentored by Stephanie Zelnick, professor of clarinet.
Elizabeth Viguerie, sophomore in biochemistry from Belleville, Illinois, mentored by Amy Leyerzapf, senior lecturer in leadership studies.
Created to recognize and encourage academically talented and motivated sophomores, the University Scholars Program was founded under the leadership of retired U.S. 10th Circuit Chief Judge Deanell Tacha, then KU’s vice chancellor for academic affairs, along with longtime University Honors Program director Francis Heller, the Roy A. Roberts Distinguished Professor of Law and Political Science.
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