Two University of Pennsylvania juniors, Annah Chollet and Camilo Duran, have received Harry S. Truman Scholarships, a merit-based award of as much as $30,000 for graduate or professional school to prepare for careers in public service.
Chollet and Duran, both in the College of Arts and Sciences, are among 62 Truman Scholars selected this year from 773 candidates nominated by 316 colleges and universities. They are the 28th and 29th Truman Scholars from Penn since the first awards in 1977. This is the third consecutive year that two Penn students have received the scholarship.
Annah Chollet, from Boston, is pursuing a double major in gender, sexuality, and women’s studies and biological basis of behavior with a concentration in health and disability, and a minor in chemistry. With a dual passion for health care and criminal justice reform, she advocates for the wellness of both the students at Penn and the women at Riverside Correctional Facility, Philadelphia’s all-female jail. She has an interest in obstetrical, gynecological, and psychiatric care. On campus, she is president of Project LETS, and is part of the Bloomers Band, singing and playing the guitar with the all-female comedy troupe. She plans to pursue a joint medical degree and a master’s in public policy with the goal of working at the intersection of policy and practice, increasing access to high-quality primary and preventative care, particularly for the prison population.
Camilo (Cam) Duran, from Maiden, North Carolina, is pursuing a major in philosophy, politics and economics with a concentration in public policy and governance, and a minor in urban studies. At Penn he is a Civic Scholar and a Wharton Public Policy Research Scholar. As a representative in Penn’s Undergraduate Assembly, he is on the equity and inclusion committee where he works to support the needs of marginalized students. He is part of the Cipactli Latinx Honor Society and is a co-chair for FGLIQ, the student organization for queer, first-generation, low-income students. Duran has interned with Philadelphia City Councilmember Helen Gym, and now interns with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office in the Conviction Integrity and Special Investigations Unit. Motivated by his experiences growing up with an incarcerated parent, he is passionate about addressing criminal justice issues, particularly the resource gap for exonerees attempting to reenter society. He plans to pursue a joint degree in law and a master’s in social policy.
The students applied to the Harry S. Truman Scholarship program with assistance from Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
In addition to funding, Truman Scholars also receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some graduate institutions, leadership training, and special internship opportunities within the federal government.
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation was created by Congress in 1975 to be the nation’s living memorial to President Truman. The foundation has a mission to select and support the next generation of public service leaders.
