Ashley Poole poses with Larry Arnn. Courtesy | Ashley Poole

Junior Ashley Poole was named a 2025 Truman Scholar on April 18, marking the first time a Hillsdale student has received the prestigious national award.

Poole, a Texas native, is one of just 54 students selected from across the nation this year for the scholarship, which honors college juniors who demonstrate exceptional leadership potential and a commitment to public service.

“When I heard that I had gotten it, it was a really fun day, and I was very taken aback by how excited everyone was for me,” Poole said.

Each college or university may nominate up to four juniors for the Truman Scholarship. Finalists are chosen from each state based on the student’s home state. Poole was one of 11 finalists from Texas, and was ultimately one of two selected from the state, though most states nominate one scholar per year.

Poole traveled to Texas the first week of March for her finalist interview, held at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library.

“It was an exciting and reflective trip, and we got to sit with our co-finalists the whole day,” Poole said. “That felt like homecoming — getting to talk to people from all these parts of Texas with a shared passion for making the local communities better. I was so inspired by all of them.”

The Truman Scholarship is awarded annually to approximately 50 to 60 students from accredited institutions. Only five of this year’s recipients attend private liberal arts colleges.

“I am excited I get to represent the liberal arts as one of the few students from a liberal arts school,” Poole said.

Established in 1975, the scholarship serves as a living memorial to President Harry S. Truman and supports students who plan to pursue careers in public service. Scholars are selected for their academic excellence, leadership ability, and dedication to improving their communities.

Poole, who plans to use the scholarship to attend law school, said she hopes to become a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice and eventually serve as a U.S. attorney or district attorney in Texas. She said her passion is advocating for survivors of human trafficking and holding traffickers accountable through the legal system.

“I’m so proud of Ashley,” junior Miriam Ritchey said. “She has taken tangible steps to help individuals who had suffered through human trafficking through volunteer work and policy. I admire how she is mindful of the needs of her community in Texas and beyond.”

Poole first reached out to Associate Professor of English Patricia Bart last June to express interest in applying. The application process involved writing multiple essays on public service, leadership, and academics.

“Ashley put so much work into the Truman Scholarship, and I’m so excited that she ended up getting it,” junior Emma Kate Mellors, a fellow Houston native, said. “She was involved in combating the human trafficking problem in Houston throughout high school and has spent so much time dedicating her life to protecting the exploited and preventing future exploitation.”

In May, Poole will travel to Kansas City for a week-long leadership development program with her fellow Truman Scholars.

“For me, it was an affirmation of what I want to do, and a reassurance that I can do this,” Poole said.