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Luke Magyar isn’t one to back down from a challenge.
The third-year student came to the University of Chicago after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years. Currently a political science major who is also working toward a master’s in international relations, Magyar exited the armed forces only to rededicate himself to helping former service members. Thanks in part to that work, he has now been selected by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation as one of 54 recipients to earn the award in 2025.
“It’s definitely an honor and life-changing opportunity,” said Magyar. “Being awarded the scholarship just reaffirms my decision and desire to go into and continue my public service work.”
The Truman scholarship, which has been awarded annually since being established by Congress in 1975, provides access to funding for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and special internship and fellowship opportunities within the federal government.
Since 2023, Magyar has worked for the Corioli Institute—a nonprofit dedicated to reintegrating formerly armed actors primarily overseas but also in the U.S. into civilian life—as their director of advocacy and outreach. The Truman scholarship will allow him to focus even more on his public service efforts.
“Luke has dedicated his energies and gifts to improving the lives of veterans from allied forces who do not receive the support they deserve,” said Arthur Salvo, interim director and assistant dean of national fellowships at UChicago. “His record of leadership in advancing this cause and his clear devotion to public service make him an ideal candidate for the Truman scholarship.”
Magyar’s drive to provide resources and support to armed service members can be attributed to the relationships that he formed while overseas. Even though he traded in his uniform for civilian clothes, he still has a desire to work toward one common goal.
“The strongest relationships that I’ve formed in life have been the ones with my fellow service members,” he said. “Continuing to work with those kinds of people and making those relationships with those who are dedicated to helping is what keeps me going in the public service field.”
Magyar hasn’t limited himself to armed forces members who served under the U.S. flag. He has also dedicated a significant amount of time to interviewing and otherwise working with members of the Afghan Special Forces that have relocated to the U.S. While these veterans fought alongside U.S. soldiers, they fled Afghanistan in 2021 with no clear path to long-term safety.
The interviews that Magyar conducted helped spearhead the Corioli Institute’s advocacy for the Afghan Adjustment Act—legislation that would help them achieve citizenship, reunite families and provide other resources as they integrate into society.
“I got the opportunity to sit down with over 25 former Afghan Special Forces members and just talk to them and hear their stories,” Magyar said. “We talked about their time serving, as well as what they did after their government fell. Getting to hear those stories made me understand how we had a lot of shared values without having been to the area during my time in the military.”
Another group that Magyar sought to help after their time serving were those who fought for Ukraine during the ongoing war with Russia. He traveled alone to the region and talked to soldiers from rural areas who had just returned home from combat. After more than a dozen interviews, Magyar was able to contribute to a holistic policy paper on the reintegration and inclusion of these veterans in the country.
He also assisted in programs for soldiers that were suffering through mental health and substance abuse issues and conducted group discussions that would be able to carry on after he left the area. For Magyar, making sure they got the aid they required after millions of their compatriots were thrust into unexpected conflict became an urgent need.
“More than anything, we just talked with them,” said Magyar. “It’s not about trying to push them in any direction but more of having a conversation and asking what they need or figuring out what shortfalls they might run into when trying to reintegrate. Even in the U.S. it’s not perfect, so it’s important to apply lessons that have been learned in the context of their situation.”
The idea to work with soldiers from different countries came directly out of the work Magyar has been doing at the Corioli Institute.
His experience with Corioli began when he came to UChicago, and he believes that an opportunity such as the Truman scholarship would not have been possible without the organization. More than anything, Magyar is thankful Corioli provided him an avenue to make an impact with a cause that has meaning to him.
“The U.S. has a decent veteran reintegration system, but that is not the norm by any stretch of the imagination,” said Magyar. “What we want to do is to identify this population that we know has a wealth of potential and experience and see what they need to exit an armed forces role and become another productive member of society.”
Magyar plans on taking a break from school before pursuing a master’s of public policy. His goal after earning the degree is to make an impact with the U.S. State Department.
“I think the State Department would be perfect for me,” he said. “I would be able to work on post-conflict situations as my core area of interest, but focus on things from a strategic and national security point of view at the same time.”
In the meantime, Magyar will keep working to help veterans as they navigate the often-long road back to civilian life.
“Across veteran groups there is a desire to contribute, to do something productive. They have had to adapt and overcome and now want to contribute in a new and meaningful way.”
Magyar was supported by the College’s Office of National Fellowships, which guides candidates through rigorous application processes and interview preparation for nationally competitive awards, like Truman. The National Fellowships team helps students identify and articulate how their unique talents and distinctive paths prepare them to realize a better world.
—A version of this story was originally published on the University of Chicago College website.
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