Second O.C. Student Wins Truman Award

As UC Irvine’s director of scholarship opportunities, Audrey DeVore was disappointed that none of her students won the prestigious Harry S Truman grant this year. That changed when she learned that her own son, Marc, had been awarded the $30,000 award.

“I was so excited,” she said. “I spend all day helping students try to win these awards.”

DeVore is the second Orange County student to win the Truman scholarship this year. Last week, Chapman University announced that Jessica McKinney-Morales, a Santa Ana resident, also had been named a 1998 Truman scholar. They were among five Californians this year to win the award, given annually to 75 college students who show the best potential for leading successful careers in government or public service.

DeVore and McKinney-Morales are going into different fields, but both share the desire to help people.

McKinney-Morales, a 26-year-old majoring in peace studies and sociology, wants to study how to improve education for America’s poor families.

“Living in Santa Ana has given me a firsthand look at how ignorance directly results in poverty and the erosion of communities,” she said.

She will be the first in her family to earn a college degree.

DeVore, a graduate of Mission Viejo’s Santa Margarita Catholic High School, will use his grant to study national security policies that seek to control biological weapons.

The 21-year-old Claremont McKenna College student is spending his junior year studying in Strasbourg, France, to learn the language and prepare for an international career.

Audrey DeVore said having two Truman scholars in the county also reflected well on local education.

“I think it says something about our high schools in Orange County--that we’ve gotten that good,” she said.