Two Juniors Receive Truman Scholarship

Two Harvard juniors were among a group of 80 students nationwide who received Truman Scholarships awarding up to $30,000 from the Harry Truman Scholarship Foundation.

Supinda Bunyavanich '99 and Michael K. Titelbaum '99 were notified over spring break via e-mail that they had won the scholarship competition. This year, Harvard and Radcliffe nominated eight students, from which five students were selected as national finalists.

The foundation's $30,000 grant consists of $3,000 for the senior year of undergraduate education and $27,000 for graduate studies.

Titelbaum, a philosophy concentrator who lives in Pforzheimer House, said he was delighted with the award.

"The process was very rewarding, and I've learned a great deal about myself and my goals," he said.

Bunyanavich, a Quincy House resident, is an Environmental Science and Public Policy concentrator. She is in Costa Rica and could not be reached for comment last night.

Paul A. Bohlmann, director of fellowships at the Office of Career Services (OCS), said he was proud of Bunyavanich and Titelbaum.

"They both are nice, talented people and it's a neat thing that they are able to win such an award," Bohlmann said. "It's very hard to do."

Bohlmann also said it is especially hard to win this award coming from Harvard because there is such a competitive pool at the beginning of the process.

According to its Web site, The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships to college students who have outstanding leadership potential, plan to pursue careers in government or elsewhere in public service and wish to attend graduate school to help prepare for their careers.

At Harvard, students must be nominated by their houses or departments to enter the application process. Nominees must then complete an extensive application, along with several interviews. national finalists are selected from this level.

Truman scholars are invited to attend a leadership workshop. Bohlmann noted that Truman scholars also gain future access to high-profile internships in Washington, D.C.

According to its Web site, the foundation recognizes their selected scholars as future "change agents" with passion, intellect and leadership potential.

Titelbaum's past public service experience includes teaching in a high school service program and two years of participation in Partners for Empowering Neighborhoods (PEN) at Harvard. He is also the current president of the Perspective and has worked on that publication for three years.

The Truman Scholarship, Titelbaum said, will help him pursue a career in educational administration.

"I've been interested in teaching and workingin education for most of my life, and am thrilledthat the foundation is willing to support my plansand give me an opportunity to fulfill them,"Titelbaum said

"I've been interested in teaching and workingin education for most of my life, and am thrilledthat the foundation is willing to support my plansand give me an opportunity to fulfill them,"Titelbaum said