Three University of Arkansas juniors — Hailey Hoog, Anna Mathis and Sophie McAdara — have been selected as finalists for the 2023 Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Finalists interview in various regions throughout the month of March. Hoog recently interviewed in Denver, Mathis in Nashville and McAdara in Kansas City. 

Hoog, an Honors College Fellow from Jenks, Oklahoma, is majoring in biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering. Mathis, an honors student from Harrison, is majoring in agricultural education, communications and technology with concentrations in communications and leadership in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. McAdara, an honors political science major, is from Branson, Missouri. 

“To have three Truman finalists is remarkable for any institution,” said Terry Martin, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “But at the University of Arkansas we have come to expect that our students will do well.  The reason is simple — the students themselves are remarkable. Hailey Hoog, Anna Mathis and Sophie McAdara have very different interests, but what unites them is their stellar academic performances, their commitment to service and to positive change, and their potential to thrive in their chosen graduate programs.” 

Truman Scholars are awarded $30,000 in scholarship funds to attend graduate or professional school. The application process is rigorous, requiring more than 50 hours to complete. This year, 705 students from 275 colleges and universities across the nation applied for Truman Scholarships. Finalists demonstrate outstanding leadership, public service and academic achievement. 

Hailey Hoog

On the pre-med track, Hoog has a deep interest in Native healthcare access and is extensively involved in Indigenous student success efforts in Northwest Arkansas and Oklahoma. She has served as the student coordinator for Native American and Alaska Native (NA/AN) Initiatives for the Multicultural Center and interned with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Hoog has held multiple roles within the Associated Student Government, working as outreach coordinator for the Volunteer Action Center and holding various positions on the Academic Standards Committee and the Open Education Campus Advisory Group.  

Hoog intends to pursue a joint M.D./Ph.D. and work as a research director for Indian Health Services helping to address health disparities facing NA/AN communities.  

“I am honored and grateful to have been selected as a Truman finalist,” Hoog said. “This process has better prepared me to address the disparities in healthcare and research facing marginalized communities. Getting to represent the University of Arkansas, my home state of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation is a great privilege. I would not be in this position without the support of my mentors, family, friends and professors.” 

Anna Mathis

A GE-Ronald Reagan Presidential National Scholar, Mathis served as secretary of the National Future Farmers of America Organization in 2020-21. At the U of A, she has been involved with the Associated Student Government, Bumpers Honors program and Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. She also serves on the board of the agriculture and women’s empowerment nonprofit, Her Mighty Hands.  

Upon graduation, Mathis intends to study for M.S. degrees in agricultural economics and rural development through the Atlantis Program, and she ultimately hopes to work in rural development in Arkansas.  

“I have looked up to Truman Scholars for years,” Mathis said. “My academic adviser has a strong history of mentoring Truman finalists and scholars, and when I was a junior in high school, I walked onto campus and she pointed to me, saying, ‘You're going to apply for the Truman one day.’ I consider myself blessed to have received such an outpouring of support from Truman Scholars, my academic adviser, the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards, Bumpers College and others during this process.” 

Sophie McAdara

On campus, McAdara is president of University Programs and has been involved in the Associated Student Government and the Full Circle Food Pantry. She volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and worked as the campaign manager of a Branson, Missouri, mayoral campaign. McAdara plans to obtain a master’s degree in city and regional planning and eventually work as a community development manager at the state level. 

“I am honored to have been selected as a 2023 Truman Finalist,” McAdara said. “I am grateful for the encouragement from my support system of mentors, professors, family and friends. The application process has been an invaluable opportunity to develop my passion for improving urban policy and housing security in Arkansas. I am excited to see what the future of this process holds and to continue to discover and advocate for new solutions to issues facing our rural and urban communities today.” 

U of A students who are interested in applying for the Truman Scholarship should contact the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at awards@uark.edu or call the office at 575-7678.  

About U of A Truman Scholars: The U of A has produced 25 Truman Scholars, more than any other university in the Southeastern Conference. In 2002, the U of A was named a Truman Scholarship Honor Institution for student commitment to service and its record with the Truman Scholarship Program. Since 2012, 10 U of A students have been named Truman Scholars:  

• Coleman Warren, political science, 2021
• Samia Ismail, biomedical engineering, 2019
• Ryann Alonso, political science and communication, and Sam Harris, agricultural business, 2017
• Victoria Maloch, agricultural business, and Danielle Neighbour, civil engineering, 2016
• Grant Addison, history and political science, 2015
• Cicely Shannon, economics, 2014
• Nathan Coulter, political science, 2013; and
• Mike Norton, agricultural business and poultry science, 2012.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.