February 8, 2002

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

KU nominates four students for 2002 Truman Scholarship competition

LAWRENCE -- Four University of Kansas students have been nominated to compete for a 2002 Truman Scholarship. The national scholarships provide up to $30,000 for undergraduate and graduate study.

KU's nominees are Peter J. Freund, Olathe; Rebekah L. Moses, Great Bend; Maureen A. Perry, Eden Prairie, Minn.; and Derek T. Teeter, Oakley.

Applications from nearly 600 candidates are being reviewed by a selection committee for the Truman Foundation in Washington, D.C. Approximately 200 nominees will be named finalists on Feb. 12. Those 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 David Adkins, serving in the Kansas House of Representatives from Leawood. Adkins was the first KU student to receive a Truman Scholarship in 1981.

KU's 2002 nominees are:

 • Peter J. Freund, junior majoring political science, is the son of Jim and Kelley Freund, 1404 E. Cambridge, Olathe. Freund plans graduate work in international relations. His long-range career goals are focused on internationalizing education in the United States and abroad to contribute to intercultural understanding and improve international relations. He is a graduate of Maranatha Academy in Shawnee and of Johnson County Community College in Overland Park. Since leaving high school, he has spent a year teaching English in China, worked as campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun, Topeka, and worked as an aide for U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, Topeka. His policy essay is addressed to U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden, Del., Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair. Freund proposes reorganization of the State Department's jurisdiction of New Independent States in Central Asia.

 • Rebekah Lynn Moses, senior, majoring in political science, Spanish and international studies. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Moses, 2526 Broadway, Great Bend. She is a Great Bend High School graduate and has attended Barton County Community College and the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico. 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. 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.

 • Maureen Andrea Perry, junior majoring in theatre and in linguistics. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Perry, 11193 Burr Ridge Lane, Eden Prairie, Minn. She is a graduate of Benilde-St. Margaret's High School, St. Louis Park, Minn., and has attended the University of Newcastle in Australia. She plans to earn a master's degree in international affairs and work for a nonprofit organization focusing on global human rights and population issues. She has worked as a canvasser for the Sierra Club and the Human Rights Campaign in Minneapolis. Perry also addressed her policy proposal to U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair. She proposes measures to strengthen U.S. commitments to family planning agencies and programs worldwide.

 • 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, 720 Price Ave., Oakley. He is a graduate of Colby High School and has attended Colby Community College. His career goals include 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 also 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.

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.