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ANALYSIS: Expert says ‘clear signals’ go out to conservative students not to apply
Truman Scholarship winners announced Friday overwhelmingly favor progressive students, marking the 12th consecutive year of ideological bias, according to a College Fix analysis.
Approximately 39 of this year’s 55 scholars have publicly advocated for progressive causes, interned for Democratic politicians, or worked at a left-leaning organization.
In contrast, only five scholars have publicly advocated for conservative causes, interned for Republican politicians, or could otherwise be identified as right-leaning.
The $30,000 scholarship is awarded to about 55 students annually from a pool of more than 800 applicants. Scholars promise to spend at least three of their first seven years after grad school working in public service.
The Fix has analyzed the ideological breakdown of Truman Scholarship awardees since 2015. Of the 653 scholars between 2015 and 2025, 397 were progressive while just 29 were conservative.
That means more scholarships were awarded to liberal students this year alone than have gone to conservatives in total over an 11-year span.
The Fix categorized each winner based on the LinkedIn profiles, provided biographies, and broader online presence of the winners.
Eleven winners did not have clearly discernible political views based on their online footprint or were involved in issues considered politically neutral by The Fix, such as space policy, interfaith dialogue, and scientific research.
Democratic or left-leaning politicians for whom 2026 scholarship winners have worked or interned for include Vice President Kamala Harris, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, New Hampshire Rep. Maggie Goodlander, and Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer.
Scholarship winners have also been involved with liberal organizations such as College Democrats, the Aspen Institute, Feminists of Color Collective, Rainbow Foster Home Initiative, Brennan Center for Justice, the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network, and Revolución Violeta.
Republican or right-leaning politicians for whom scholarship winners have worked or interned for include Michigan Rep. John Moolenaar, Utah Rep. Blake Moore, and Kentucky Rep. Brett Guthrie.
Truman Scholar Justin Kiel is a Republican elected official himself, serving on the county council of LaPorte County, Indiana.
Conservative organizations scholars have been involved with include the American Enterprise Institute and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
The director of education policy at the American Enterprise Institute told The College Fix “the evidence is pretty compelling” that the Truman Scholarship selection process favors students with liberal political views.
“Conservative faculty have told me they’re reluctant to encourage students to waste their time,” Frederick Hess wrote in an emailed statement. “Conservative students get clear signals from the Truman materials and lists of past winners that this is not for them.”
He has conducted his own research finding similar bias in the Truman program.
“The pool of nominees is cultivated and curated by faculty and staff, which means their biases ripple through the process,” he stated. “Then the evidence suggests that Truman selection amplifies those biases, rather than ameliorating them.”
An analysis from The Fix earlier this month found that 75 percent of the Truman Scholarship’s regional reviewers are Democrats, while just 13 percent are Republicans. Even when looking at just red states, the awards are still overwhelmingly given to progressive students.
Ways to reform program exist, Hess says
Hess suggested a few ways the selection process could be reformed.
“Materials should offer examples of projects and winners that are welcoming to those across the ideological spectrum. Campuses should reach out to students and faculty who’ve felt belittled or dismissed. The Truman review process should take care to include judges with heterodox perspectives. There’s much more to do, but that would represent a constructive start,” he said.
New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, who serves on the board of the Truman Foundation, similarly believes reform is necessary. In March, she introduced the “Truman Scholarship Clean House Act,” which would fire the current board of directors and executive secretary. It would also require that no more than half of Truman interviewers come from the same political party to ensure a greater ideological balance.
The House Education and Workforce Committee voted the same month to advance the bill.
Neither Terry Babcock-Lumish, executive secretary of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, nor Tara Yglesias, deputy executive secretary, responded to an email sent April 26.
The Fix inquired about whether the selection process intentionally disfavors right-leaning students and whether the foundation has attempted to reduce the ideological disparities.
Babcock-Lumish has previously said the Truman selection process is fair. She told The Fix in 2024, “Our annual competition requires nominations from undergraduate institutions, so the Truman Scholars we select are reflective of the pool of candidates that we have before us. If students are not nominated or do not apply, we cannot select them. Accordingly, let me again ask The College Fix to encourage readers making commitments to careers in public service to apply.”
Last year, The Fix found that 43 of the scholarships had been awarded to progressive students, while just 3 went to conservatives. In 2024, 43 went to progressives and 5 went to conservatives. In both 2021 and 2018, zero scholarships went to conservative students.
The Fix previously reported that Truman Scholars continue to be involved in progressive causes in the years after completing the program.
Current board members of the Truman Scholarship Foundation include Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, former Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, Hawaii Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz, San Diego Democratic Mayor Todd Gloria, and former Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.
MORE: ‘Truman Scholarship Clean House Act’ moves forward in the House
