Truman: Instructions for Recommenders

  • Find out from the applicant which recommendation category your letter will address: (1) Commitment to a Career in Public Service; (2) Leadership Potential and Abilities; or (3) Intellect and Prospects for Continuing Academic Success.
  • Mention the recommendation category in the first sentence. For example, “I am pleased to recommend Ms. XX for the Truman Scholarship and to speak to her leadership potential and abilities.”
  • Content — As mentioned above, each of the three recommendation letters for a Truman candidate focuses on one of three qualities: leadership, service, or academic achievement. Please ask the candidate which letter you are being asked to write and note this focus in the first paragraph. The prompt for each letter is as follows:

Leadership — Please confirm the candidate's leadership example in the application essay. Address the candidate’s personal characteristics (confidence, persuasiveness, diligence, conviction, vitality, poise, and so forth) which you feel contribute to the candidate’s leadership abilities.

Commitment to a career in public service — Please discuss the candidate’s suitability with particular emphasis on commitment to a career in public service. Address in particular the public service activity the candidate has highlighted in the application essay.  Please address the candidate’s values, interests, goals, and/or ambitions which represent commitment to a career in government or elsewhere in the public service.

Intellect and prospects for continuing academic success — Please discuss the candidate's suitability with particular emphasis on academic scholarship, intellectual capabilities, and prospects for success in graduate school, and if possible, for the program highlighted in the application. Discuss the candidate’s intelligence, academic performance, analytical abilities, and other characteristics which you think contribute to further academic success.

  • Electronic submission of letters is preferred. Please create a PDF document of your letter — signed and on letterhead — and submit to onsa [at] honors [dot] umass [dot] edu (onsa[at]honors[dot]umass[dot]edu).

Recommendations should be submitted no later than November 29.