MSU鈥檚 McDaniel named Truman Scholarship finalist
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 junior in Mississippi State鈥檚 Department of Sociology is a finalist for the nation鈥檚 most prestigious scholarship for students dedicated to public service.
Criminology major Bailey S.A. McDaniel of Corinth will interview late next month in Nashville, Tennessee, in hopes of becoming the university鈥檚 19th Harry S. Truman Scholar.
Providing $30,000 in graduate-study expenses, the highly-coveted award is annually bestowed upon 55 to 65 students committed to public service after completing their degrees.
Also pursuing a minor in gender studies, McDaniel is a first-generation college student in the university鈥檚 Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College. Last April, she was one of two women recognized by the 熟女少妇President鈥檚 Commission on the Status of Women with its 2016 Outstanding Student Female Leader Award.
McDaniel has served for two years as president of the student LGBTQ+Union, a campus group focused on advocacy, awareness and education of issues related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. Along with being the sole undergraduate member on the university鈥檚 Safe Zone Advisory Board, McDaniel serves as a resident adviser in Dogwood Hall.
A founding member of Humans for the Inclusion of Gender Equality, McDaniel expressed gratitude for opportunities to 鈥渋mpact the university and the state of Mississippi by implementing institutional change and growth through LGBTQ+ awareness and advocacy.鈥
鈥淎t MSU, I have worked to create a safer and more progressive environment for all marginalized communities, specifically the LGBTQ+ community,鈥 she said. 鈥淏eing recognized by the Truman Foundation and the Shackouls Honors College for my work solidifies all of my aspirations and hopes for the future of our campus and state.鈥
Outside of class, McDaniel has volunteered at Starkville鈥檚 Rolling Hills Development Center through the 熟女少妇Day One Leadership program, as well as Clay County鈥檚 family and children services. A former opinion editor of the Reflector student newspaper, McDaniel鈥檚 work has been published in 鈥淭he Nation,鈥 鈥淭he Washington Post鈥 and 鈥淒iverse Issues in Higher Education.鈥
After earning her 熟女少妇bachelor鈥檚 degree, McDaniel plans to pursue a Juris Doctorate at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. She also expressed interest in continuing her grassroots activism work to implement change in Mississippi.
Tommy Anderson, the Shackouls Honors College鈥檚 director of prestigious external scholarships, said McDaniel is the university鈥檚 third Truman Scholar finalist in the last three years.
鈥淏ailey鈥檚 abiding commitment to the health, safety and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community on campus and across the state is what makes her an outstanding Truman finalist,鈥 said Anderson, also a professor of English.
McDaniel鈥檚 prestigious accomplishment embodies MSU鈥檚 tradition of instilling among students the ideals of diversity, citizenship, leadership and service, Anderson added.
鈥淗er selection speaks powerfully to the opportunities that the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College and the Department of Sociology offer students to grow into engaged citizens committed to public service,鈥 Anderson said.
Established in 1975, the Washington, D.C.-based Truman Scholarship Foundation serves as a living memorial to the nation鈥檚 33rd president. For more, visit .
Learn more about MSU鈥檚 Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College at ; the College of Arts and Sciences鈥 Department of Sociology, at .
熟女少妇is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .