March 6, 2026
Photo by Logan Jackson
University of Missouri junior Caleb Simpson was named a finalist for the prestigious Truman Scholarship.
A competitive national award, the Truman Scholarship identities aspiring leaders who are committed to careers in public service. This year, there are 198 finalists from a pool of 781 applicants.
“I was elated and very honored to even be in consideration for the scholarship,” Simpson said. “The process has been a whirlwind, and I’m excited for the next steps.”
Simpson will participate in his final interview with a Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation regional review panel on March 23, in Kansas City, Missouri.
The heart of the Truman Scholarship, public service, is something that Simpson has been devoted to during his time as a Tiger, especially related to agriculture.
Simpson, from Boliver Missouri, is majoring in agribusiness management in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and is also pursuing the Honors College Certificate. He spent his freshman year as a vice president for the Missouri FFA. The role allowed him to travel throughout the state to serve the 27,000-plus members of the organization in a variety of ways. He followed that work up with an internship in Washington, D.C. Simpson’s efforts there allowed him to get his first in-depth look at how policy can effect change on a larger scale.
Simpson built on that opportunity through an internship with the Missouri Farm Bureau that allowed him to bring those big ideas from Washington, D.C. to smaller Missouri communities.
“When I came to Mizzou, I knew that I was going to pursue opportunities tied to agriculture,” Simpson said. “These hands-on experiences really opened my eyes to how expansive those opportunities are and made me realize that I truly am interested in making change through policy. Having the chance to talk with local legislators and apply my love for local politics in this way has been incredibly rewarding.”
Simpson’s internship in Washington, D.C. is where he truly learned how powerful the Truman Scholarship could be.
“I connected with so many people while there and one of the individuals was a former state FFA officer from Kansas who was also a Truman Scholar,” Simpson said. “She exhibited how a student could build leadership skills and relationships through the program and ultimately bring those back to your own community. I was very intrigued by that and knew the scholarship was something I would want to pursue.”
While Simpson has had numerous important learning experiences outside of Mizzou, he has also been very involved on campus. He serves on the executive board for Omicron Delta Kappa and is a member of Mizzou CEL’s CLIP program. Early last year, Simpson founded a campus organization, the Mizzou Water Improvement Project, to advocate for certain campus water quality goals. He’s been incredibly active in the Honors College, as well.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without my experiences in the Honors College,” Simpson said. “The college was one of the things that really made me feel at home when I first came to Mizzou. It has been encouraging to be surrounded by so many other students who are passionate about pursuing their academic goals.”
Read more from the Honors College
