Truman Scholar works for future in public service
August 19, 2022 - Mary Beth King
A traumatic experience in her teens is driving a University of New Mexico student’s research experience and plans for a future in public service.
Abrianna Morales, who was named a Truman Scholar earlier this year, found a network of peers serving in their own communities when she attended the Truman Scholars’ Leadership Week this summer and is now looking forward to working as an intern in Washington, D.C. next year.
In addition to the Truman leadership training, Morales received funding for her future graduate study in preparation for a career in public service. The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is considered the “premier graduate scholarship for aspiring public service leaders in the United States.”
Morales is currently a senior at UNM majoring in Psychology and Criminology with a minor in Math and will graduate in Spring 2023. At the age of 15, while still in high school, she was sexually assaulted.
"It was, in a word, devastating," Morales said in a 2017 interview with the Las Cruces Sun.
The ensuing experience of navigating the legal system, the feeling of isolation, and lack of resources and support fired her determination to help other young people who experience sexual assault. As a result of the experience, she created the Sexual Assault Youth Support Network (SAYSN), an online-based advocacy and support organization, and looks forward to using her research to further advocate for young victims of sexual assault.
Read full story at UNM Newsroom.
