KU student Nora Jennings named finalist for Truman scholarship
LAWRENCE — Nora Jennings, a University of Kansas junior in chemical engineering from St. Louis, has been named a finalist for a 2026 Harry S. Truman Scholarship.
The prestigious national awards, which provide up to $30,000 for graduate study, are given to college juniors for leadership in public service. They are highly competitive, with only about 60 Truman Scholars named nationwide each year.
Criteria for the nominations include an extensive record of university and community service, commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit and advocacy sectors, demonstrated communication skills, a high probability of becoming a “change agent” and a strong academic record with likely acceptance to the graduate school of the candidate’s choice.
The KU nomination process is coordinated by the Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships. Students interested in applying for the Truman scholarship in future years are encouraged to contact curf@ku.edu. CURF can nominate a limited number of students each year, with the next application cycle beginning in fall 2026.
Scholars receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government.
Since 1981, 20 KU students have become Truman Scholars. Samuel Steuart was the most recent KU student to receive the honor in 2019.
Congress established the Truman Scholarship Foundation in 1975 as the federal memorial to President Harry S. Truman. A national selection committee reviewed applications from nearly 800 nominees for the Truman Foundation. Jennings was among 198 finalists who were selected from 136 institutions. She traveled to Kansas City for an interview with the foundation’s regional review panels.
The scholarship recipients will be announced in late April.
More about Nora Jennings
Jennings, from St. Louis, is the daughter of Brian Jennings and Melissa Qualls and a graduate of Webster Groves High School. She is majoring in chemical engineering with a concentration in material science and a minor in creative writing. Jennings aspires to earn a doctorate in materials engineering to pursue further research with solar technology at the National Lab of the Rockies (NLR). This was inspired by a previous internship at NLR, where she obtained hands-on experience with solar research. She has also worked in the community as the founder and executive director of a 501(c) nonprofit, the Solar for All Association. She has previously served as the campus director for the Millennium Fellowship, a peer mentor for Common Cause through the University Honors Program and the mentor-mentee chair for the Society of Women Engineers. She is currently involved with the Chan research group and the Self Engineering Leadership Fellowship, and she works as a resident assistant. Jennings is also a member of multiple honor societies, including Phi Kappa Phi, Tau Beta Pi and the Mortar Board National Honors Society.