Mississippi State student named Truman Scholar

Jonathan Amacker is congratulated by President Donald Zacharias for being named the university's 13th Harry S Truman Scholar.

The junior economics and political science major became the 13th Mississippi State student in the past 15 years to receive the national scholastic honor.

Established in 1975 by Congress as the official memorial to the nation's 33rd chief executive, the Truman Scholar program provides up to $30,000 for students with demonstrated interest in public service careers. In addition to one for each of the 50 states, the Truman Scholarship Foundation of Washington, D.C., also makes 32 at-large selections.

Mississippi State continues to rank with such schools as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California at Berkeley in the total number of Truman Scholars. Last year, political science major Amanda L. Stamps of Long Beach was the state's Truman Scholar.

Amacker is a President's Scholar and a member of the University Honors Program for academic achievers.

Active in the College Republicans, he has worked in campaigns for governor and president, as well as various campus elections.

Dr. Steve Shaffer, coordinator of the university's Truman Scholar program, said Amacker's long-range goals involve work in the state Department of Economic and Community Development or as an economic adviser at the gubernatorial or congressional level. He plans to pursue a master's degree in public policy, with emphasis on regional economics.