Two University of North Georgia students are one step away from earning highly competitive national scholarships.
Senior John Blessing has been selected as a Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation finalist while sophomore Allison Rogers is a semifinalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
The Truman Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships up to $30,000 for undergraduate students to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or public service. Blessing, a student on UNG’s Gainesville Campus, is pursuing bachelor's degrees in political science and history with a focus in pre-law.
Other universities and colleges in Georgia with a Truman finalist are the University of Georgia with three and Emory University and Spelman College with one each.
The Jack Kent Cooke scholarship pays up to $40,000 a year for associate degree students to attend an accredited undergraduate school and earn a bachelor’s degree. Rogers is working four jobs to pay for her tuition, gas and books while attending UNG's Oconee Campus.
Other colleges and universities with semifinalists are Georgia Perimeter College with nine and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, East Georgia State College and Georgia Highlands College with one each.
Both students were elated after learning they were in the final round of the selection process.
"When I got the email, I wasn't sure if it was real," Blessing said.
He emailed Dr. Anastasia Lin, assistant vice president of research and engagement, to verify if it was authentic. It was.
"It was exhilarating," he said. "My friends and I went out to celebrate."
Blessing said if he becomes a Truman Scholar, the designation given to the scholarship winners, he will attend law school.
"I want to defend the rights of those who have difficulty defending themselves," the 22-year-old from Gainesville said.
Rogers has similar aspirations. The 18-year-old from Covington wants to serve and protect her community as a federal agent.
"I want to work as an FBI special agent who specializes in violent crime," Rogers said. "But they want people with a degree."
