SPRINGFIELD, Mo., April 18, 2025 – Drury University junior Zachary Stockton (Topeka, Kan.) was named on Friday as a 2025 Truman Scholarship recipient, becoming the first student in Drury history to be so honored. As a result, he will receive a $30,000 postgraduate scholarship.
Stockton is the first student at a southwest Missouri college or university to be named a Truman Scholar since 1999, and is one of just three 2025 recipients from Missouri. Drury endorsed Stockton through its office of National Scholarships.
“In a university full of high-achieving students, Zachary Stockton’s commitment to excellence in the classroom, diversity of intellectual acumen, and engagement on matters of public service, campus life, and compassion for all, stands apart,” Drury University President Dr. Jeff Frederick said. “He has a passion for life and exploration, which equips him for a bright future where he will impact and improve our society and country. We are so proud of Zachary being named a Truman Scholar and can’t wait to cheer him on as he continues to grow and reach for the stars.”
Stockton is an English and Writing major who earlier this month was named as a Critical Language Scholarship Award winner by the U.S. State Department. He works to foster housing humanity and fight poverty, his single greatest issue. He is active on campus as a member of SAAB, BUIC, The Mirror, and the English honorary. Off campus, he devotes his time to the Springfield Tenants Union (STUN) as a communications writer and journalist. He is the author and producer of several creative works relating to social justice and housing.
“It is an honor beyond words to be Drury’s first Truman Scholar,” Stockton said. “I’m so blessed and thankful to have a village of encouraging people in my corner, and none of this would be possible without them. I often say that one of the best decisions I’ve ever made was returning to college at Drury University. And the success I’ve had since coming here reflects all the strengths of our university. The faculty, staff, students, and administration here want to see you succeed, and they put every effort into guiding you towards achieving your dreams. My dream is to make a difference. I am so grateful for every experience and person who has supported me along the way.”
As part of his Truman Scholarship application, his policy proposal to Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) addressed the need for federal mandates protecting housing applicants from revealing their HUD subsidies, as some states have already instituted. For his graduate studies, Stockton chose New York University’s M.A. in Public Management and Community Advocacy, with a specialization in Inequality Studies. Stockton recently attended an anti-poverty summit fully paid for by Empower Missouri, and has also helped organize a Grocery Brigade to help deliver food to the elderly and/or disabled tenants of the HUD-subsidized Jenny Lind Hall.
About the Truman Scholarship
Named for Missouri native and the 33rd United States President Harry S. Truman, the Truman Scholarship is widely recognized as the premier graduate scholarship for students interested in public service. The Truman Scholarship was established by an act of Congress in 1975. Truman Scholars are chosen for demonstrating outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence.
A total of 54 students from 49 U.S. colleges and universities were selected as 2025 Truman Scholars. The selection process began with a total of 743 applications from 288 institutions of higher learning.
Truman Scholars are required to work in public service for three of the seven years following completion of a Foundation-funded graduate degree program as a condition of receiving funding.
This year’s 54 recipients brings the total number of Truman Scholars to just under 3,700 since 1977. Prominent Truman Scholars in government service include United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch (Colo., 1987), U.S. Senators Chris Coons (Del., 1983) and Andy Kim (N.J., 2003), U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo (R.I., 2009), Dusty Johnson (S.D., 1998),and Greg Stanton (Ariz., 1990), and former White House National Security Advisors Susan Rice (D.C., 1984) and Jake Sullivan (Minn., 1997).
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Media Contact: Cris Belvin, Director of University Communications & Media Relations | (417) 873-7392 | gbelvin@drury.edu
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