UTEP Junior Honored as 2006 Truman Scholar.

The Harry S. Truman Foundation announced this week that UTEP junior Danielle Escontrias has been selected as a 2006 Truman Scholar. Escontrias will receive $30,000 from the prestigious national scholarship program to pay for graduate study.

Escontrias is one of 75 students across the country and one of three in Texas to receive the award this year. She is the second UTEP student in two years selected as a Truman Scholar. UTEP senior Ruben J. Vogt was last year’s recipient.

The Truman Scholarship is awarded to college juniors who demonstrate outstanding leadership and who plan on pursuing careers in government or non-profit sectors.

Escontrias, a political science major in UTEP’s Law School Preparation Institute, has dedicated her time to community service while working toward her degree. She is a member of the University Democrats, a Young People for the American Way Fellow and a recipient of the Philip T. Cole Memorial Scholarship.

“These candidates go head-to-head with national students. We’re nominating very strong candidates and we’re headed down a good path, because we’ve won two in a row. This is a huge accomplishment for Danielle and UTEP,” University President Diana Natalicio said.

Truman Scholars must be nominated by their university and be under the guidance of a faculty representative during the application process. Nearly 600 students from 311 U.S. colleges and universities applied for the 2006 scholarship.

Escontrias was required to write a policy proposal as part of the application process. Her proposal was on immigration reform, a topic she plans to work on in her future as an immigration lawyer.

“I worked really hard throughout this process, but the competition was very stiff and I was incredibly impressed with the other highly qualified candidates. I am honored to represent the foundation and UTEP,” said Escontrias.

Dr. Robert Webking, a political science professor at UTEP, helped Escontrias through the difficult application process and was impressed with her dedication.

“She works very hard to learn in the best and most open-minded way. Few people in my experience combine her openness to complex learning with her determination to make a difference in the world,” Webking said.

Along with the $30,000 cash award, she will receive priority admission and supplemental funding at various premier graduate institutions, career and graduate school counseling, leadership training and internship opportunities with the federal government.