N.C. A&T Celebrates Rouse as University's First Truman Scholar

GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 24, 2026) - North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is celebrating the naming of Terrence "Olu" Rouse as a 2026 Harry S. Truman Scholar - the first in the university's history.

The Truman Scholarship is the nation's premier graduate fellowship for students pursuing careers in public service leadership. It provides up to $30,000 for graduate study, along with leadership training, mentoring, and access to a national network of public service professionals.

A third-year political science and economics major in the Honors College, Rouse is a February One Scholar with academic homes in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics. Hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, he was recognized for his exceptional leadership in civic engagement, public policy research, and voter advocacy. His work centers on strengthening democratic participation and advancing economic justice through evidence-based fiscal policy.

Rouse plans to pursue a Ph.D. in public policy and economics, with the long-term goal of shaping equitable, data-driven fiscal policy at the state level.

As a Truman Scholar, Rouse will participate in The Washington Summer Institute to address economic injustice and racial disparities through state fiscal policy.

Historic Achievement

Rouse was chosen to receive the scholarship from among a highly competitive national pool of 781 candidates representing 305 colleges and universities based on his academic excellence, leadership and a demonstrated commitment to public service. Only 55 students from across the nation were named Truman Scholars this year.

"North Carolina budgets and tax codes are our moral documents that tell what and who our government values," said Rouse. "Engaging the voices of historically underrepresented and marginalized communities are especially important to create policies that effectively support the needs of these communities."

Leadership and Research

At A&T, Rouse's impressive involvement includes:

• Head chair of the Civic Engagement Coalition - secured funding for voter engagement initiatives
• Co-founder of #ProtectOurs - mobilized over 100 students to advocate for early voting sites on college campuses
• John Lewis Young Leaders' Fellow with the Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center
• Undergraduate research fellow in the Roosevelt Network
• N.C. A&T Fiscal Challenge team captain

His research analyzes how reparation programs, North Carolina guaranteed income programs, and progressive tax policy shape racial and economic disparities. He is also an alumnus of the American Economic Association Summer Program where he completed research on community violence intervention programs.

About the Truman Scholarship

Established by Congress in 1975, the Truman Scholarship is administered by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, created in honor of the nation's 33rd president. The program supports college juniors from across the country who demonstrate leadership potential and a dedication to careers in public service.

A&T is among a select group of institutions nationwide to celebrate its first Truman Scholar as part of the 2026 cohort. This year's Truman Scholars were recommended by 17 independent selection panels based on the finalists' academic success and leadership accomplishments, as well as their likelihood of becoming public service leaders.