University of Mississippi junior Aminata Ba (third from left) has been selected as a 2026 Truman Scholar. Congratulating her on becoming the university's 21st Truman Scholar are (from left) Chancellor Glenn Boyce; Ethel Scurlock, dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College; Vivan Ibrahim, director of the Office of National Scholarship Advisement; Whitney Woods, assistant director of the Office of National Scholarship Advisement and Fred Slabach, dean of the School of Law. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services
Aminata Ba to focus on civil, voting rights while earning law degree
Aminata Ba became the first person in her family to attend college in 2023. Now, the Southaven resident has become the University of Mississippi‘s 21st Truman Scholar.
Chancellor Glenn Boyce congratulated Ba during the surprise announcement recently, when many of the junior’s Ole Miss mentors gathered to support her.
“We are so proud of Aminata,” Boyce said. “Her dedication to her studies and commitment to public service are exactly what earned her this scholarship.
“She exemplifies the very best of our university, and she will represent us well anywhere she goes.”
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation formally announced recipients today (April 24).
Each winner will receive up to $30,000 toward completing a graduate degree and will gain access to internship and employment opportunities in the federal government. The scholarship, established as a tribute to the 33rd U.S. president, selects awardees who are dedicated to careers in government or public service.
Ba, a junior economics and public policy leadership major, wants to continue her focus on civil and voting rights while she pursues a Juris Doctor.
“I’m shaking; I can’t even stand still,” Ba said in the moments after Boyce told her the news. “I have been dreaming of this for – I don’t know how long.”
Ethel Scurlock, dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, was on the panel that first interviewed Ba for the Stamps Scholarship after she applied to Ole Miss.
“Aminata has displayed integrity, intelligence and a heart for servant leadership since she was in high school,” Scurlock said. “The Truman award just confirms what we already knew: Ami is an exceptional leader and thinker. It was always clear that she would make a lasting impact on our campus and it has been a joy to watch her grow and glow.
“Ami works to makes things better when she shows up and I am confident that she will continue to make a positive impact in our state, the nation, and the world.”
Since high school, Ba has been a devoted advocate of the right to vote. At Ole Miss, she was a member of the UM Voting Ambassadors and worked with Mississippi Votes to improve voting turnout and education in the state.
She has also advocated for civil rights on the international stage through the Douglass-O’Connell Global Internship, where she worked with AkiDwA, a national network of migrant women living in Ireland.
Ba has also presented to the United Nations during a global town hall forum and served as a U.S. delegate for the World Health Organization. She is a Yale Law School Launchpad Scholar, a Coca-Cola Scholar and a QuestBridge Scholar.
“When we submitted her application, I was not just impressed with her leadership, service and academics, I was inspired,” said Whitney Woods, assistant director of the Office of National Scholarship Advisement. “The Truman application process is one that takes considerable time, effort and reflection while clearly articulating service and career goals.
“Aminata approached every question, discussion and edit with grace and an openness to discovering her path.”
The process of applying and interviewing for the Truman Scholarship has cemented what Ba already knew: She’s passionate about people.
“No matter what happened, I knew this process had shaped me,” she said. “I truly found myself, and I think I understand why I care so much about the public and about public service.
“I’m ready to dedicate my life to serving others and the world around me.”
By Clara Turnage
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