Xalma Palomino has won the Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Raised in Detroit, Palomino is a first-generation Latina undergraduate student majoring in Political Science and Latina/o Studies. She plans to advance her career in public policy and voting rights advocacy and will enroll in a Master of Public Policy program after graduating in May 2023.
Truman Scholars demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence. Each Truman Scholar receives funding for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and special internship and fellowship opportunities within the federal government. Considered one of the most prestigious awards an undergraduate can receive, Xalma is the University of Michigan’s 29th Truman Scholar since it was first awarded during the 1977-78 academic year.
“I hope that by receiving this scholarship, young Latinas who come from similar backgrounds as my own see and know that it is possible,” she said. “For my master’s, I am specifically looking for programs that offer a unique research center or other opportunities that advocate for policy reform for communities of color and pressing Latinx issues in their work.”
