Jesse Michael Bailey of Spring, Texas, a junior at the University of Rochester, has been awarded a prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship.
Bailey is one of 77 college students nationwide who received the highly competitive award. He was selected from a pool of 609 candidates nominated by 307 colleges and universities.
Established by Congress in 1975, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships for college students to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or elsewhere in public service. Students undergo a rigorous and highly competitive application process and must show an impressive record of leadership and service both on- and off-campus.
Bailey is majoring in three areas of study at the University of Rochester: African and African-American Studies, political science, and history. Currently, he is spending the semester studying abroad in London, where he is an intern in the House of Commons.
On campus, Bailey has served as a class officer and on several advisory committees and participated in several leadership programs. He is the recipient of the Eli and Mildred Sokol Prize for outstanding sophomore male leadership and the Alice DeSimone Student Life Award.
During the summer of 2003, Bailey participated in the Rochester Urban Fellows program, in which students work with government agencies or nonprofit groups to increase their knowledge and awareness of urban issues. Bailey worked in the city of Rochester’s Bureau of Neighborhood Initiatives and continued to intern in that office in the fall. He also has interned in the office of U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter.
The Truman Scholarship will provide Bailey $26,000 for graduate studies. He plans to pursue a joint graduate degree in law and community and regional planning.