University of Arkansas Student Named as 2012 Truman Scholarship Winner

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Faculty and administrators presented Mike Norton a customized cake to celebrate his selection as a Truman Fellow

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Michael Norton of Prairie Grove, an honors student in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas, has been named to receive a 2012 Harry S. Truman scholarship. The Truman Scholarship will provide $30,000 in scholarship funding for graduate school. Only 54 were selected nationwide. Norton is the first student from Bumpers College to earn this national honor. He was surprised in class last week by a delegation led by Dean Michael Vayda bringing the good news and a congratulatory cake.

“It was a little surreal,” Norton said, “and definitely exciting.”

Norton, a junior pursuing a double major in poultry science and agricultural business, is also a member of the Honors College and is currently conducting honors research with professor Lanier Nalley in the agricultural economics and agribusiness department. He is a graduate of Lincoln High School.

“The Truman Scholarship selection process is incredibly competitive,” said G. David Gearhart, chancellor of the University of Arkansas. “Mike Norton’s selection for this prestigious award speaks volumes about his commitment to public service, his intellectual and community engagement, and his preparation for graduate work. At the University of Arkansas, we are very proud of his accomplishments and of the excellent support he has received throughout his career in Bumpers College.”

“Mike Norton richly deserves this honor,” said Vayda. “Not only is he energetic and capable, but he is also absolutely committed to identifying and addressing food and nutritional security issues on a local and global level. His academic accomplishments are certainly exceptional, but what singled him out for this award is the way he applies that learning to the community and to the world. Mike has engaged at every opportunity from research to study abroad to civic engagement. He is a perfect example of what a Bumpers College student can accomplish on campus and at the national level.”

After his undergraduate career at the University of Arkansas, Norton hopes to attend Stanford University for a master’s degree in public policy and a doctor of philosophy in economics. Ultimately, he plans to return to Arkansas to work on improving dietary habits that lead to societal-level diabetes and obesity.

“I plan to use the Truman Scholarship to gain sound economic and public policy training at Stanford University and bring it back to our state,” Norton said. “I feel all public servants should be aware of the economics behind their decisions because of the constant interaction between the free market and public policy. A greater understanding will lead to better success for both entities.”

Norton is the former president of both the Arkansas Future Farmers of America Association and the Arkansas Collegiate Farm Bureau. He is the 2012-13 chair of Senate for the Associated Student Government and serves as the 3rd Congressional District coordinator for the Arkansas Federation of College Republicans. He is a literacy mentor for the Volunteer Action Committee and a guest writer for The Arkansas Traveler.

In summer 2011, Norton interned with World Cocoa Foundation in Accra, Ghana, where he gathered primary data and met and with the farmers to assess the program’s success. The goal of his work is to illustrate the social benefits associated with such large-scale human capital development programs, and Norton’s findings are being distributed to donors, governments and other non-governmental organizations to lead to more funding in the future.

Norton was responsible for securing the necessary funding so the University of Arkansas Full Circle Campus Food pantry could purchase cold storage units. Until his efforts, the pantry only offered canned goods, but with the addition of an industrial-size refrigerator and freezer, the pantry now provides eggs, bread, fruits and vegetables, and other cold food items.  

This summer Norton plans to study at the London School of Economics. 

The 54 new Truman Scholars were selected from among 587 college juniors nominated by 292 colleges and universities. Selection is determined by the student’s academic and leadership accomplishments and their likelihood of becoming public service leaders through careers in government or the non-profit sector. Selection panels included distinguished leaders, university presidents, elected officials, federal judges, prominent public servants, and past Truman Scholarship winners.

In addition to the $30,000 for graduate study, Truman Scholars receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government. The 2012 Truman Scholars will assemble May 22 for a leadership development program at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., and receive their awards in a special ceremony at the Truman Library in Independence, Mo, on May 27.

In 2002, the University of Arkansas received the Truman Honor Institution Award for its commitment to assisting students interested in a career in public service. To learn more about the Truman Scholarship and other prestigious awards, students interested in a career in public service should contact the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at awards@uark.edu or 479-575-7940.