Release date: April 4, 2006
Contact: Beverly Cox Clark at 404-712-8780 or beverly.clark@emory.edu

Emory Student Named 2006 Truman Scholar

Emory University junior Zachary Manfredi has been selected as a 2006 Truman Scholar, one of 75 students in the nation to receive the competitive fellowship meant to foster careers in government and public service. As a Truman Scholar, Manfredi will receive $30,000 for graduate study. He is the 11th Truman Scholar from Emory, and the first since 2002.

Truman Scholars also receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at select graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government. Scholars are selected on the basis of leadership potential, intellectual ability and likelihood of making a difference.

Manfredi has dedicated much of his time at Emory to raising awareness about human rights issues. He serves as president of Emory's Amnesty International chapter, and is founder and president of the Student Activist Coalition on campus. Manfredi also served as an intern in the democracy program of the Carter Center, working on civil society building programs and election monitoring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire and Haiti.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan, has been a particular focus of Manfredi's, who is co-founder and president of the non-governmental organization Paperclips for Peace in Sudan. The organization raises funds for humanitarian relief, about $6,000 so far, and advocates for political action in Darfur. Once he completes his undergraduate degree in international studies and philosophy, Manfredi hopes to pursue his passion for human rights in both law and graduate school to earn a law degree and a doctorate in political philosophy, focusing on cases of war crimes, political prosecutions and genocide.

"Ever since I was really young, I've been passionate about political justice, due in large part to the values my parents instilled in me, and so I've tried to do whatever I can in small ways to make the world a more just place for all," says Manfredi, who plans to work in international law and policy.

In addition to his activist work, Manfredi was a member of Emory's nationally ranked debate team, the Barkley Forum, and continues to volunteer with the Urban Debate League, a partnership between the Barkley Forum and the Atlanta and Decatur City schools. A Goodrich C. White Scholar at Emory, he has maintained a near

perfect grade point average and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society last fall. He is a graduate of Rochester High School in Rochester, Mich., and is the son of Krista Manfredi of Rochester and John Manfredi of Waterford, Mich.

The Truman Scholarship Foundation was established by Congress in 1975 as the federal memorial to the nation's 33rd president. The foundation awards scholarships for college students to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or elsewhere in public service.

Truman Scholars must be U.S. citizens, have outstanding leadership potential and communication skills, be in the top quarter of their class, and be committed to careers in government or the non-profit sector. The 75 scholars were selected from among 598 candidates nominated by 311 colleges and universities. There have been 2,480 Truman Scholars elected since the first awards were made in 1977.

The 2006 Truman Scholars will assemble May 14 for a week-long leadership development program at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., and receive their awards in a ceremony at the Truman Library in Independence, Mo., on May 21. For a listing of the 2006 Scholars and more information on the foundation, see http://www.truman.gov.

Emory University is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities. For nearly two decades Emory has been named one of the country's top 25 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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