Making Great Things Happen: Truman Scholar Chelsea Caveny

Each year hundreds of college juniors compete for a Truman Scholar award – a prestigious honor and $30,000 to go toward graduate studies – from the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. This year, Alpha Mu Chelsea Caveny became one of 60 students nationwide and only the 14th student in the history of the University of Mississippi to receive this coveted award.

Candidates are required to have a strong record of public service and a policy proposal that addresses a particular issue in society. Chelsea’s passion is public education in Mississippi, which consistently ranks near the bottom of all states. Her goal is “to lead a comprehensive approach through community organizing, public and private partnerships and innovative approaches that will improve public education in Mississippi while uniting and rebuilding communities."

Chelsea, a member of UM’s Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, is majoring in public policy leadership. In 2009, she turned down an opportunity to intern with the Clinton Foundation in New York City and instead spent her summer working in the Mississippi Delta with the Sunflower County Freedom Project, a nonprofit that offers middle- and high-school students in one of the poorest areas of the country academic enrichment, mentoring, educational travel, fitness training, drama performances and more. One of Chelsea’s projects was to organize a benefit concert, and her Alpha Mu sisters supported her efforts in a big way. “Alpha Mu as a chapter was the first Greek organization to make a donation, and the night of the event all of my pledge sisters were there for support,” Chelsea says.

Chelsea also has been recognized as a Lott Leadership Scholar, finalist for National Youth Advocate of the Year and National Forensics League Academic All-American. She has served as director of the Associated Student Body's community-service committee and vice president-operations and social chairman for Alpha Mu. She credits Alpha Mu for helping her develop as a leader on campus and in her chapter. “From the moment I pledged KD,” Chelsea says, “I was given the opportunity to take on responsibility and guided through it all by older KDs. Not only has Alpha Mu given me the confidence and experience to really develop as a humble servant, but my sisters have been there with support every step of the way.”

Chelsea’s other volunteer activities include Hope for Africa, One Mississippi, and Leap Frog, an afterschool tutoring program. The Hattiesburg, Miss., native also volunteered over the course of three years to help restore the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina.

Ole Miss Chancellor Dan Jones, who presented the award to Chelsea, told the university press, "Chelsea doesn't just volunteer one afternoon a week or over a weekend. Service is her life, and that's why she was selected to receive the Truman Scholarship. I'm really proud of her."

Chelsea says, “KD has taught me that investing time in people is the most important thing, and from that lesson I have developed my service work. I think that giving back is part of our duty, our duty as active citizens and as Christians. Through service I have learned a lot about myself and built some really great relationships; that is why I keep doing it.”

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