Citadel cadet selected as finalist for prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship

Cadet Andrew Palmer, ’25, has been selected as a finalist for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Palmer, a triple major in Political Science, German and History at The Citadel, currently serves as a cadet sergeant major in the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Next year, he will serve as the commander of 2^nd Battalion.

He was one of five finalists for Virginia and one of the 191 finalists nationwide from 136 institutions.

Palmer, a rising senior from Alexandria, Virginia, plans to pursue a combined Master and Doctorate of Philosophy in International Relations at Oxford.

“Being named a Truman Scholarship finalist has been one of the greatest honors of my academic career,” said Palmer. “The opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. and speak with both past scholars and current finalists allowed me to think at a deeper level about my own academic interests. I am grateful that I had the chance to meet some other amazing students and discuss our passions for public service.”

Palmer has interned for Congressman Jack Bergman; Paul Bristow, member of Parliament for Peterborough; Rob Largan, member of Parliament for High Peak; and the Institute of Economic Affairs. Last year, he led a team of six cadets to Rwanda where they built four trails and five bridges near the capital of Kigali. In his free time, Palmer volunteers with First Tee Greater Charleston as an assistant golf coach and is a member of The Citadel Hurling team where he serves as the assistant captain. He earned an Air Force ROTC four-year scholarship and hopes to become a pilot in the Air Force Reserve.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation was created by Congress in 1975 as a living memorial to President Truman. The foundation has a mission to select and support the next generation of public service leaders, and the award has become one of the most prestigious national scholarships in the United States.

Annually, candidates for the Truman Scholarship go through a rigorous, multi-stage selection process. Truman Scholars must demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector and academic excellence. Each Truman Scholar will receive funding for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling and special internship and fellowship opportunities within the federal government. Finalists for the 2024 Truman Scholarship will be announced in mid-April.