Thursday, February 14, 2002

Contact: Barbara Schowen or Sue Lorenz, KU honors program, (785) 864-4225; or Mary Jane Dunlap, University Relations, (785) 864-8853.

Two KU students advance to final round in 2002 Truman Scholarship competition

LAWRENCE -- Two University of Kansas students nominated to compete for a 2002 Truman Scholarship have advanced to the final round of competition. The national scholarships provide up to $30,000 for undergraduate and graduate study.

KUØs finalists are Rebekah L. Moses, Great Bend senior, and Derek T. Teeter, Oakley senior.

The Truman Foundation in Washington, D.C., named approximately 200 finalists from more than 600 nominees on Feb. 12. Finalists will compete for 75 to 80 scholarships that will be awarded in March 2002.

Regional panels interview the finalists and make recommendations for the 75 to 80 scholarships available nationally. Truman scholars are chosen on the basis of leadership potential, intellectual ability and the likelihood of "making a difference." Candidates must be planning careers in public service and must propose a solution to a public policy issue as part of their application.

Since 1981, 15 KU students have become Truman scholars. Congress established the Truman Scholarship Foundation in 1975, and it awarded the first scholarships in 1977.

Previous KU Truman scholars include state Sen. David Adkins, R-Leawood. Adkins was the first KU student to receive a Truman Scholarship in 1981.

KU's 2002 finalists are:

 • Rebekah Lynn Moses, senior, majoring in political science, Spanish and international studies. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Moses, Great Bend. Moses plans a career in law specializing in immigration law. She serves as a tutor and volunteer with the Migrant Farm Workers Project and as a translator and clerical assistant with the Legal Aide immigration division in Missouri. Her policy essay is addressed to Tina de la Rosa, director of the Kansas Advisory Committee on Hispanic Affairs. Moses proposes combating discrimination against Mexican/Hispanic immigrants through the arts. She is a Great Bend High School graduate and has attended Barton County Community College and the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico.

 • Derek Todd Teeter, senior majoring in political science and international studies with a concentration in Latin American studies. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Teeter, Oakley. He plans to pursue a master's degree in public policy and a law degree. Teeter would like to serve in the U.S. Department of Justice, specializing in major crimes prosecution. Last summer he completed a public administration internship in Oakley.

Teeter addresses his policy essay to Sen. Joseph Biden, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair. Teeter proposes raising the minimum age for execution to 18 in all 50 states. He is a graduate of Oakley High School and has attended Colby Community College.

Winners will be announced by the Harry S Truman Foundation, Washington, D.C., in late March and early April. As many as 80 scholarships may be awarded for 2002, with at least one given in each of the 50 states.

Winners receive up to $3,000 for their senior year and up to $27,000 for three years of graduate study. To compete, candidates must be full-time students in the upper fourth of their class and have grade-point averages of at least 3.0. They also must be U.S. citizens or nationals.