Three Ohio University juniors are competing with 206 other students nationwide for the Truman Scholarship.
Annie Valente, a biological science major and president of Circle K, Sarah Sexton, a pre-law major and member on the Athens City Council, and Lindsey Nelson, a magazine journalism major and city editor at The Post, were the three OU finalists and the only three from the school who applied.
The scholarship, which awards $30,000 to students who plan to attend graduate school to pursue careers in the government or public services, is given to 70-75 finalists out of the 209 selected nationwide.
The prospect of receiving money for grad school bills is an incentive for students to apply, Sexton said. I plan on going to law school
which qualifies for the scholarship and that has a really hefty price tag she said.
While it would be nice to have an OU student receive the scholarship, having three students from the same university be finalists is an incredible accomplishment, and one that OU has never seen before, said Ann Brown, director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards.
One student in the past decade won the award, Brown said, although OU averages one finalist a year.
The three students will attend interviews in Cincinnati on March 11. The interviewers are regional members of the Truman Scholarship Foundation.
The interviews are an exciting yet daunting step in the application process, Nelson said.
I heard the interviews were really intense and that the interviewers throw things at you out of the blue that you would never have thought they would ask you
she said.
In addition to the 20-minute interviews, the finalists have to design a policy proposal, Sexton said. The finalists also have to be prepared to do follow-up interviews if the foundation members need to talk to one for further insight on a student.
The Truman Scholarship Foundation looks for applicants that have strong commitment to community service, intellectual capability and leadership potential, Valente said.
The ONCA walks students through the application process by setting up an initial screening in which the office selects the nominees from OU, reviews the initial applications, brainstorms the policy proposals and sets up mock interviews, Brown said.
The ONCA also helps students complete their work on time, Nelson said.
The (ONCA) is really an essential part of the application process
Nelson said. You kind of need someone to prod you along to make sure you are getting your work done.
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Lindsey Nelson, left, a junior magazine journalism major from North Canton, Annie Valente, center, a junior biological sciences major from Solon, and Sarah Sexton, a junior political science major, are finalists for the Truman Scholarship for public servi
