Two Fulbright Students Named Truman Finalists

Elena Hampton-Stover, an honors social work and African studies major from Fayetteville, and Shayne Henry, an honors political science and international relations major from Broken Arrow, Okla., were both named as 2009 Truman Scholar finalists by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. Both students are juniors in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

"These students are not only outstanding academically, they are also both committed to careers in public service." said Chancellor G. David Gearhart. "That they were chosen as finalists for this incredibly competitive recognition speaks volumes about them and the faculty who supported them.”

Elena Hampton-Stover is a Chancellor’s Scholar and African-American Studies Scholar. She is a member of the Social Work Action Group and served as a team leader for a women’s group in Dangriga, Belize. The team was responsible for creating a disaster preparedness plan, which was implemented when tropical storm Arthur hit the area. Hampton-Stover is interested in child welfare in the U.S. and plans to attend the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis for graduate school.

Shayne Henry is an Honors College Fellow and recipient of the Humanity in Action Fellowship. He is a co-founder of the Roosevelt Institute at the University of Arkansas, a student political think tank. He was the co-creator of Human Rights Awareness Week which included information sessions, concerts, documentary film screenings and advocacy work. He hopes to attend the University of Virginia School of Law and later work for an organization like the Human Rights Council.

This year 630 students from universities and colleges across the country were nominated for the Truman Scholarship, on the basis of leadership potential, intellectual ability and likelihood of "making a difference." From that group, 200 finalists were chosen, and then 60 Truman Scholars were selected.

“The Truman Scholarship application is the most demanding of all the competitive scholarships for a student to complete,” said Suzanne McCray, University of Arkansas Truman faculty representative and dean of admissions. “Applicants spend 35-50 hours describing service and leadership experiences and outlining a policy proposal that addresses a problem in society. Writing the policy proposal requires faculty support and hours of research. Professors Janine Parry, Javier Reyes, Steve Sheppard, Hoyt Purvis, Kameri Christy-McMullin, Charles Robinson and several others were instrumental in the success of these students.”

The Truman Scholarship Foundation was established by Congress in 1975 as the federal memorial to the 33rd U.S. president. The foundation awards scholarships for college students to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or elsewhere in public service. There have been 2,330 Truman Scholars selected since the first awards were made in 1977.