AUSTIN, Texas—The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation has announced the names of winners of this year’s scholarships, including Alexandra Chirinos, a junior at The University of Texas at Austin.
Chirinos, a student in Plan II, Business Honors and Finance, is a native of Mexico and attended school in Corpus Christi, Texas. Though she did not speak English until the age of 11, Chirinos has been instrumental in establishing the first Texas chapter of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, has participated in several public service and internship programs and has served as a mentor to elementary school students. Her current project is to establish a mentoring program for children who do not speak English, and she plans to pursue a career advocating women’s rights, in particular those of women immigrants.
The 64 scholars were selected from among 590 candidates nominated by 287 colleges and universities. Each scholarship provides $30,000 — $3,000 for the senior year and $27,000 for two or three years of graduate study. 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. Recipients must be U.S. citizens, have outstanding leadership potential and communication skills, be in the top quarter of their class and be committed to careers in government or the not-for-profit sector.
The Truman Scholarship Foundation was established by Congress in 1975 as the federal memorial to the nation’s 33rd president. The foundation awards scholarships for college students to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or elsewhere in public service. The activities of the foundation are supported by a special trust fund in the U.S. Treasury. There have been 2,163 Truman Scholars elected since the first awards were made in 1977.
