FIRST-EVER UAF STUDENT NAMED TRUMAN FELLOW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 1997
Fairbanks, Alaska - Dante Maria Chase Foster, a junior at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, has been named a 1997 Truman Scholar, the first time a UAF student has earned the $30,000 national scholarship award. Foster, a double-degree student in biosciences and English, competed among 717 candidates nominated by 369 of the nation's colleges and universities for the honor. She is the only Alaska college representative among the field of 69 Truman Scholars for 1997.
This year marks the silver anniversary of the Truman Scholarship Foundation, established by Congress to assist outstanding college students interested in pursuing careers in public service or the government. Candidates write public policy position papers as a part of the application process. Foster's statement called for a federal policy to standardize methods of identifying potential and actual domestic violence victims through clinical intervention.
This is just one facet, she said, of expanding health services into something more than just emergency assistance.
Foster, 22, has hundreds of hours of medical service training under her belt. For the past three years she has served as a medic for the Fairbanks North Star Borough. She has also worked as a summer intern at a clinic in Nayarit, Mexico.
Since 1993, Foster has been a member of the Fairbanks Ski Patrol and was recently named assistant director of the organization. When she's not "running under the reds" of an emergency service vehicle, Foster spends her time running through notes for her next class. Foster has consistently been honored for achievements while at UAF, being named to either the Chancellor's or Dean's List since she began her studies at UAF in 1993.
Foster's Truman Scholarship provides a total of $30,000 - $3,000 for her senior year at UAF and $27,000 to assist with graduate study. Fifteen regional selection panels- each typically composed of three to four states- generally elect one scholar from each state and one or two at-large scholars from each region.
UAF had an unprecedented two Truman Scholar national finalists this year - Foster and Erik Girvan, a political science major. Both competed in regional finals last month. This year's class of Truman Scholars will meet May 25 for a week-long leadership development program at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo.
"We have not experienced this level of success in the past,
and the national Truman competition becomes harder for each year,"
said Karen Erickson, political science assistant professor and
Truman Scholar faculty representative. "UAF has never had
a Truman Scholar. I am convinced that we can succeed if we continue
to offer a sound curriculum and work closely with our students."
CONTACT: UAF Political Science Assistant Professor Karen Erickson,
(907) 474-6503, or Jillian Swope,
University Relations, (907) 474-7778.
UAF News releases available electronically at:
http://www.uaf.edu/univrel/media/index.html
JCS/4-11-97/97-073