University students and the University itself were both honored at a reception Monday at the Gateway Alumni Center.
About 400 honor roll and scholarship award-winning freshmen were welcomed to the University by Vice Provost Craig Swan and President Mark Yudof.
“We are here today to honor your past accomplishments and to challenge you to continue on the path of academic excellence,” Swan said to the freshmen.
The freshmen also witnessed an award given to Yudof by Dr. Louis Blair, executive secretary to the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. The University received the Truman Foundation Honor Institutional Award because of its devotion to student candidates of the Truman scholarship.
The Truman Foundation, Yudof said, presented the institutional award to the University because of its “long line of Truman scholars.”
The award ceremony was held in conjunction with the freshmen reception to bring awareness to the University’s scholarship opportunities.
“These are our potential pool, probably, of the next generation of Truman scholars and other major scholarships,” said Linda Ellinger, associate to the executive vice president and provost.
The Truman Scholarship, a federal memorial to the former president, is awarded to students with excellent leadership who strive to use their skills in government and nonprofit institutions in order to “change the way public institutions do business,” Blair said.
The University received the award for its commitment to “promote and encourage people to go forth and change the world,” he added.
This was the fourth year the award was given to colleges and universities across the nation.
Rachel Paulose, a 1993 scholarship recipient, spoke to the freshmen, reassuring them of their success at the University if they “make a good-faith effort.” She encouraged them to take advantage of the University’s commitment to promoting the Truman scholarship.
“I’m tremendously grateful for the continuing influence of the Truman scholarship on my life,” said Paulose, now an assistant attorney at the U.S. attorney general’s office.
“I hope you all continue to strive for excellence,” Yudof said. “We have a lot of confidence in you.”