Claire Kendig, biology and international studies junior, was among 65 students nationwide to receive a $30,000 award from the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation.
The scholarship is given to students who exhibit exceptional leadership skills and dedication to public service. The scholarship funds graduate studies for receipients.
To qualify for the scholarship, Kendig completed an extensive application process and wrote a 500-word policy proposal about how to improve the international efforts of the Peace Corps.
Kendig, a Shreveport native, said she is honored to receive such a prestigious scholarship.
“I went to the Web site, and I saw that the link was up right before class at 3 p.m. yesterday,” she said. “I clicked on it, and there I was. I was really excited. I made my friend look with me to make sure my name was really there.”
Kendig said she plans to attend medical school and pursue a degree in tropical public health after she graduates from the University. She said she aspires to work with Doctors Without Borders, an international humanitarian organization that provides medical care in countries burdened with military conflicts and natural disasters.
Kendig saw Doctors Without Borders working firsthand in the Democratic Republic of Congo this past summer. She spent three months in the war-torn country teaching English to young girls at an orphanage.
“They are on the front line, and they’re really making a difference,” she said. “I was really inspired that they were really getting things done.”
—-Contact Angelle Barbazon at [email protected].