Foundation Scholarships grant opportunities to all students

 The Truman State University Foundation Scholarship application opened Feb. 9 for the 2026-27 school year. These awards will be given to full-time and currently enrolled Truman students, and are financed by multiple sources connected to the University, including alumni, staff and campus organizations. 

While there are numerous general scholarships available, Dawn Howd, director of stewardship, said students should pay attention to details like their academic major, hometown or affiliated campus organizations, as multiple awards center around those topics as well. 

After students answer a set of general questions, the application portal, found in TruView, will filter scholarships into “fully eligible” or “may be eligible.” Although Howd said these qualifications are helpful, she also said they shouldn’t hold students back from applying.

“I do suggest students do as many [applications] as possible, because you never know,” Howd said. “We may not have a ton of applications for a certain scholarship, and you may be one of the best fits out there. Throwing the wide net is never a bad thing with these awards.”

While Howd said the University actively fundraises for multiple initiatives, Foundation Scholarships are often a popular choice for potential donors. Howd said a majority of the donors are alumni and retired faculty who want to make a direct impact on students’ college experiences. To them, Howd said it’s similar to sending a thank you to the University.

For the current school year, Amy Martin, Foundation Scholarship coordinator, said about $1.5 million was awarded in scholarship support, and 350 students on campus received aid from the Foundation specifically. 

From past conversations, Martin said most students seem to be unaware of the diversity of qualifications that could make them eligible for these certain scholarships, which could result in a lower application rate. 

“For a lot of students who might not be getting president’s honorary money, or maybe haven’t been able to renew their Truman scholarships, there are thousands of dollars of these scholarships that those students are eligible for,” Martin said. “So, I would encourage them to apply, even if they don’t think that they’ll get it.”

For junior Taylor Bradshaw, the Foundation Scholarship she received during her sophomore year made all the difference. With her award, Bradshaw said she was able to gain enough money to cover all remaining fees not covered by her main scholarship, which meant she did not have to pay any money to the University. She was also left with excess money she used for groceries and textbooks throughout the year.

As a student herself, Bradshaw said she encourages other students to apply as well, as it could only help them in the future. She said any money can go a long way in helping pay for college, which is exactly what it did for her. 

“There are so many [scholarships] that you could apply to, and one can be the difference between getting a couple $1,000 and nothing at all,” Bradshaw said. “It’s always nice to be able to have an extra source of money going towards your schooling, rent, food or groceries.”

The Foundation Scholarship application can be found in TruView under the “Student” tab, and applications are set to close March 6.