Econ Major wins Truman Award

Ashlee Fox ’19 will tackle problems of food access in Indian Country.

Economics major Ashlee Fox ’19 has won the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship to study problems of food access and food insecurity in Indian Country. “This is incredibly exciting news!” Ashlee said when she learned of her award, which includes $30,000 for graduate school.

From Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Ashlee is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and is interested in intersections of tribal sovereignty, food, agriculture, and economic development. She notes that households on Indian reservations are four times more likely to face food shortages than elsewhere in America and she has used a variety of opportunities while at Reed to study ways to tackle this issue. She was recently the recipient of the Evan Rose Fellowship for a 2016 summer research internship, sponsored in part by Kevan Shokat ’86 and Deborah Kamali ’85, named in honor of outstanding Reed alumnus Evan Rose ’86. She plans to attend law school in order to pursue a career in federal Indian law and policy.

The Truman Scholarship Foundation was created by Congress in 1975 to honor President Harry S. Truman who requested a living memorial be established in his honor, rather than a bricks-and-mortar federal monument. The foundation's purpose is to “select and support the next generation of public service leaders,” and the scholarship application process is rigorous and multi-stage. Applicants must compete at their home institutions for nomination, then, they may apply at the national level, undergoing several rounds of vetting before final the final selection of scholars is made. This year, a near record number of students, 756 competed. Fifty-four were selected. During this process, Ashlee worked closely with the Center for Life Beyone Reed's Michelle Johnson, who she thanked for her guidance and support. 

Tags: Awards & Achievements, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, Life Beyond Reed, Service, Students