Artwork by
Dennis Murphy

For the students, by the students

CAFNR's presence at Tap Day
Natalie Scherer, Corner Post Staff

April 26, 2004 - Several CAFNR students were recognized at Tap Day ceremonies on Francis Quadrangle. Along with being a finalist in the prestigious Truman Scholarship Foundation, Kristen Durham, along with a few other CAFNR students were tapped. Claire McClintic, Kelsey Thompson, Lesley Lehenbauer and Kristen Durham were all tapped into the Omicron Delta Kappa society.

In order to be chosen to be a member of being the secret societies and to be "tapped" you must excel in scholarship, athletics, campus or community service, Journalism, public relations, speech and the mass media and creative and performing arts.

"I'm really looking forward to taking advantage of the social and service-oriented aspects of membership in ODK," Durham said. "I will have the opportunity to give back to our university and community while getting to know exceptional students from all walks of campus life."

Recently, the Truman Scholarship Foundation awarded 70 college students the prominent Truman Scholar title along with a $26,000 scholarship. Congress established the foundation in 1975 as a memorial to the nation's 33rd president and developed the Truman scholarship to financially assist excellent college students pursuing professional and graduate degrees.

These scholarships are awarded to college juniors who display exceptional leadership potential and a dedication to careers in government, advocacy, education or other public segments.

One of those finalists was CAFNR's own Kristen Durham. Kristen went through many steps while being involved in the Truman Scholarship Foundation.

These steps included:
A paper application to MU. Then, the selected MU applicants received an interview with panel of Mizzou faculty and staff. Next, selected MU applicants from the interview can submit paper application to the Truman Scholarship Foundation. Next, the selected finalists received an interview. From the interview the winners are chosen.

Although Kristen did not receive top honors from the Truman Foundation, she was the first CAFNR student to make it this far.

Kristen has advice to future applicants of the Scholarship foundation: "Have a proven past in public service and a sincere desire to serve in the future, recognize and develop your uniqueness and know yourself and know what you will need to do in order to become/remain an effective part of society" Durham said.

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