The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation has selected Patrick Reimherr, a senior in economics and the U’s student body president, as one of 65 students from more than 280 colleges nationwide to receive a $30,000 scholarship award for public service.
“The Truman Scholarship is the most competitive undergraduate scholarship available in this very specialized field of public service,” said Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics and a 1999 Truman scholar.
Jowers helped Reimherr through the extensive application process both this year and in 2008. Reimherr said the extra year gave him time to reflect on his goals.
“The application in general really tests you,” Reimherr said. “It’s very important to just know yourself, because it shows in the application.”
Applicants are required to submit a proposal for how they would solve a public problem if they had any resource available. Reimherr addressed campaign finance and the public funding of congressional elections.
“I worked the equivalent to six hours of course work,” he said.
Reimherr said he does not consider himself to be the best interviewer, but that he participated in a number of mock interviews with U faculty to prepare. Reimherr said the U and the Hinckley Institute offered him many resources to complete his application and prepare for
the interview process.
“I don’t think I won the award,” he said. “The U and its help were able to help me win it.”
Ingrid Price, a U student who won the Truman Scholarship last year, said the scholarship certifies that students are committed to public service and pragmatic solutions.
Price said the least important part of the scholarship for her is the $30,000 award, which can only be applied to graduate education.
“The scholarship puts you in touch with people, past Truman scholars who are active in public service and peers interested in similar issues,” said Price, who will be attending a master’s program in international relations at Cambridge University in the fall.
Reimherr is not currently applying for graduate programs, but he is looking into two-year service programs or working in Washington, D.C. He would like to someday earn a master’s in public policy and a doctorate in American politics.
Through the scholarship and Truman Foundation, Price has been able to meet a mentor.
“One woman in particular who has helped me shape what I want to do after school focuses on international law and refugee issues, which is exactly what I want to address,” she said.
The Truman Foundation has selected a U student every year for the past three years to receive the award. Prior to that, only five Utahns received the honor in 11 years and only one represented the U.
Jowers said because of the rigorous application process in recent years, the Hinckley Institute has recruited freshmen and sophomores, rather than juniors who are interested in pursuing the scholarship.