AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State senior Amber Herman was named a Truman Scholar by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation Mar. 27.
Herman, who is majoring in public service and administration in agriculture, is currently studying in Uganda. She received e-mail notification of the award last week from Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy.
"I am honored to represent our university as a Truman Scholar," said Herman in an e-mail from Uganda. "Winning Truman is validating in that I know that someone is willing to invest in my future so I can continue to passionately address the issues of rural poverty and youth empowerment, without worrying about how to pay for my education."
Truman Scholars are awarded $30,000 for graduate school. Scholars also 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, according to the Truman Foundation Web site.
The Truman Scholarship is awarded to students who have exceptional leadership potential and are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or elsewhere in public service.
Herman is one of 75 Truman Scholars named this year. The award, which was announced by Madeleine Albright, president of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, may change Herman's future plans.
"Before winning Truman, I felt that there were schools that were out of my reach for graduate school," she said. "Now, I feel like my options are limitless."
Herman is in Uganda to study and undertake research on the support networks of young farmers.
Herman's trip to Africa is her third international experience since coming to Iowa State. In 2003 she taught in Kenya. Last July, she addressed agriculture issues and food aid at the G8 Summit in Scotland.
Being so involved may be one of the reasons she was awarded the Truman Scholarship, according to Ricki Shine, administrative director of Iowa State's Honors Program.
"She is incredibly experienced and has developed a great insight into her specialty," said Shine. "That is what may have set her apart from the other applicants."
Iowa State's Christopher Deal was also among this year's finalists. There were 598 applicants for the honor nationwide.