Published on
Updated on
Story and photo by Logan Jackson
Toward the end of his freshman year at Mizzou, Caleb Simpson received an unexpected email from the Office of Global and National Fellowships; he had been anonymously recommended for an introductory meeting with the office.
“I was definitely intrigued by the email,” said Simpson, an agribusiness management major from Bolivar, Missouri, who is also pursuing the Honors College Certificate. “I had never really considered that applying for high-profile scholarships or fellowships would be something that could be up my alley. Since I wasn’t heavily engaged in undergraduate research, I didn’t think they really were for me, either. That ended up being my own misconceived perception of these incredible opportunities. After working with the Office of Global and National Fellowships, my entire perspective changed. I hope to share with other students coming from rural America that there are fellowships within their reach that fit their interests.”
Simpson, who is now a junior, has worked closely with the office for just more than a year on a few different fellowship applications. His hard work paid off recently, as he was named a finalist for the prestigious Truman Scholarship. A competitive national award, the Truman Scholarship identifies aspiring leaders who are in their junior year of college. The distinguished award is designed to recognize and reward students who are committed to careers in public service. This year, there are 198 finalists from a pool of 781 applicants.
“I couldn’t really contain my shock that I had been named a finalist,” Simpson said. “It was certainly something that I was hoping for but wasn’t expecting. I was elated and very honored to even be in consideration for the scholarship. The process has been a whirlwind, and I’m excited for the next steps.”
Simpson will participate in his final interview with a Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation regional review panel on March 23, in Kansas City, Missouri.
The heart of the Truman Scholarship – public service – is something that Simpson has been devoted to during his time as a Tiger, especially related to agriculture. He spent his freshman year as a state vice president for the Missouri FFA, where he traveled throughout the state to serve the 27,000-plus members of the organization in a variety of ways. He followed that work up with an internship in Washington, D.C. Simpson’s efforts there allowed him to get his first in-depth look at how policy can effect change on a larger scale.
Simpson built on that opportunity through an internship with the Missouri Farm Bureau in Jefferson City, Missouri, that had him bring those big ideas from Washington, D.C. to smaller Missouri communities.
“When I came to Mizzou, I knew that I was going to pursue opportunities tied to agriculture,” Simpson said. “These hands-on experiences really opened my eyes to how expansive those opportunities are and made me realize that I truly am interested in making change through policy. Having the chance to talk with local legislators and apply my love for local politics in this way has been incredibly rewarding.”
Simpson’s internship in Washington, D.C. is where he truly learned how powerful the Truman Scholarship could be.
“I connected with so many people while there and one of the individuals was a former state FFA officer from Kansas who was also a Truman Scholar,” Simpson said. “She exhibited how a student could build leadership skills and relationships through the program and ultimately bring those back to your own community. I was very intrigued by that and knew the scholarship was something I would want to pursue.”
While Simpson has had numerous important learning experiences outside of Mizzou, he has also been very involved on campus. He serves on the executive board for Omicron Delta Kappa and is a member of Mizzou CEL’s CLIP program. Early last year, Simpson founded a campus organization, the Mizzou Water Improvement Project, to advocate for certain campus water quality goals. He’s been incredibly active in the Honors College as well.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without my experiences in the Honors College,” Simpson said. “The college was one of the things that really made me feel at home when I first came to Mizzou. It has been encouraging to be surrounded by so many other students who are passionate about pursuing their academic goals.”
Fellowships are life-changing opportunities for students. However, there are sometimes costs involved in competing for these awards. Truman Scholarship finalist interviews, for instance, happen over two days, requiring students to travel to their interview site and spend a night in a hotel. By donating to the Fellowships Student Support Fund, your money will help students pursue these tremendous opportunities regardless of their financial means.