Kinnidy Coley is NC A&T's 2019 Truman Scholarship Finalist

Kinnidy ColeyApril 10, 2019 | Alsace Gallop

Kinnidy Coley, a junior majoring in animal science at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, has been selected as one of the country’s 2019 Finalists for the renowned Truman Scholarship, which invests in the potential of individuals committed to public service leadership.

 
Coley, 21, of Raleigh, North Carolina, is one of the 199 juniors from 143 colleges and universities selected in February based on their demonstrated leadership, public service, and academic achievement.  She is NC A&T’s first documented Truman Finalist.
 
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation was established in 1975 as a living memorial to the nation’s 33rd president and invests in the education and professional development of undergraduate Americans.  In addition to up to $30,000 for graduate education, Truman Scholars are offered summer internships in Washington D.C., mentoring opportunities, and placement in public service jobs.
 
If selected, Coley will use her merit award to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services next summer and then earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with a track in mixed practice veterinary medicine.  She then would like to work to enhance domestic and global food security through both research and practical policy solutions.
 
This year’s Finalist pool was chosen from 840 applications endorsed by 346 institutions.  Coley interviewed in early March in Washington, D.C., with one of 16 independent regional review panels comprised of established public service and industry leaders.  The class of 2019 Truman Scholars is expected to have between 50 and 65 individuals and will be announced later this month. 
 
NC A&T students applied for the campus nomination for endorsement through the Extraordinary Opportunities process established by Alsace Gallop, NC A&T’s National Scholarships and Fellowships Coordinator, and were recommended for endorsement by the 2018-19 NC A&T Truman Scholarship campus selection committee:
 
  • Karen Hornsby, Department of Liberal Studies, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
  • Margaret Kanipes, Department of Chemistry, College of Science and Technology
  • Shona Morgan, Department of Management, College of Business and Economics
  • Comfort Okpala, Department of Leadership Studies and Adult Education, College of Education
 
Three outstanding juniors were endorsed this year: DeShawn Blanding, Coley, and Allison Gilmore.
 
Coley came to NC A&T as a member of the University Honors Program (UHP). She was selected as a sophomore to serve as a Land O’Lakes Inc. Global Food Challenge Emerging Leader, and has been selected as a Supply Chain Purina R&D Intern with the company this summer.  She has also been a Chicago Council Next Generation Delegate, a recent North Carolina State University Food Animal Scholar, and current Vice President and Historian of the NC A&T chapter of the American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association (APVMA).  Coley joined APVMA as a first-year student, and her engagement, vision, and initiative have led to increased opportunities for her peers, including an upcoming Pre-Vet Field Day that will bring several veterinary schools to campus.  Her collegiate honors include serving as a UHP Ambassador, induction into the Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society, and multiple semesters on the Dean’s List.
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Photography credit: Yvonne Halley/University Relations
 
About NC A&T Extraordinary Opportunities:
The National Scholarships and Fellowships Coordinator helps NC A&T's undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni learn of and apply for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships, regardless of University Honors Program membership or current scholarship status. These extraordinary opportunities are external to NC A&T and they span a wide range of experiences. Many of the awards are connected to undergraduate and graduate degree programs and internships, international programs and activities, language programs, and independent projects and research.