Harlan Scholar one of 58 U.S. college students to be named Truman Scholar

University of Louisville junior Amanda Allen is one of just 58 U.S. college students who have been named a 2015 Truman Scholar, a prominent award that provides graduate education for public service-minded scholars and is valued at $30,000.

Allen is the only college student in Kentucky to earn the award.

Given by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, the prize recognizes high-achieving college juniors with a record of outstanding leadership and community involvement who want to pursue a career in public service.

“Amanda is a superstar in every way,” said UofL President James Ramsey. “She is a leader on campus, the epitome of a well-rounded student and another example of the outstanding students who are excelling at UofL and winning prestigious scholarships. We’re proud of her.”

Allen, a political science and communication double major who will graduate in May 2016, will use the scholarship to pursue graduate degrees in law and education. She is a Louisville native and received both the Porter and Harlan scholarships when she graduated from duPont Manual High School in 2012.

Eleven UofL students have been Truman Scholars since 1977, the year the national program was launched. Before Allen, UofL’s most recent Truman Scholar was alumnus Evan Shepherd, an academic and football superstar from Hopkins County who won the prize in 2013 and is now studying law at New York University.