University of Texas at Austin student awarded $30,000 Truman Scholarship

March 29, 2006

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AUSTIN, Texas—The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation has awarded Manasi Deshpande, an honors student majoring in Plan II, economics and mathematics at The University of Texas at Austin, a $30,000 scholarship to pursue her graduate degree. The scholarship winners were announced Tuesday, March 28, in Washington D.C. This is the ninth consecutive year that a University of Texas at Austin student has been awarded a Truman Scholarship.

The Truman Scholarship Foundation honors college juniors from across the country who have tremendous leadership potential and who want to enter careers in government, nonprofit, education or other public service fields. In addition to providing financial support, the Truman Scholarship offers leadership training, mentoring programs and contact with former governors, congress people, advocates and other public servants. Truman Scholars are required to work in public service for three of the seven years following completion of a foundation-funded graduate degree program.

Deshpande is co-chair of the Students for a Sustainable Campus and also won an undergraduate research award, which allowed her to conduct a study on campus accessibility for students with disabilities. In fulfilling her public service requirement for the scholarship, Deshpande plans to examine how economic principles can help protect the environment. Upon graduation from the university, Deshpande will pursue a joint graduate degree in economics and law.

For more information contact: Tracy Harwell, College of Liberal Arts, 512-471-2404.