Georgetown junior and The Hoya columnist Sebastian Johnson (COL ’10) was among 60 students across the country recently chosen to be a recipient of the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship.
The scholarship, which provides a $30,000 grant for graduate school, selects students that exemplify leadership potential and are committed to careers in government and public service, according to its Web site.
Johnson, Georgetown’s 20th Truman Scholar and sixth winner in four years, said he is committed to providing educational opportunities for all children. He said was inspired by his mother’s career as a teacher to work for social justice and was exposed to the problems in the nation’s education system as a student member of the Montgomery County Board of Education. Johnson is currently the regional director of Our Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring access to education for all Americans, according to a university press release.
“I hope to spend my career helping low-income residents build stronger communities and better schools through planning and education policy,” Johnson said in an e-mail. “Learning more about disparities in the education system got me interested in focusing on community building and urban planning as a way to solve some pressing social justice issues.”
John Glavin, university fellowship secretary and professor in the department of English, compared Johnson to President Obama in his nomination letter. He praised Johnson’s accomplishments and emphasizes the prestige of such an award.
“He has a wisdom far more mature and seasoned than one is accustomed to see even in the most highly talented undergraduates. . When I talk to Sebastian Johnson, I feel I am talking to a peer,” Glavin said in an e-mail. “When you talk about someone who wins a Truman, you are talking about accomplishments and personalities that are literally extraordinary.”
Chester Gillis, dean of the College, said that this scholarship attests to the university’s commitment to instilling vision, creativity and service.
“[Johnson] is someone who has taken full advantage of his Georgetown education and who inspires others to do likewise. Surely he came to Georgetown with innate skills but his education in the College both challenged him and refined his many talents and to share them generously,” Gillis said in an e-mail.
According to a Truman Scholarship press release, this year’s 60 Truman Scholars were selected from 55 colleges and universities nationwide. Nominated students submit applications which are reviewed by a selection panel that typically includes a university president, a federal judge, a distinguished public servant and a past scholarship winner, according to the scholarship Web site.
– Hoya Staff writer Avni Mehta contributed to this report.
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