Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – An Arkansas State University student with aspirations for a career in public service will spend his summer at Harvard University, gaining experience to support his future goals.
Jonathan Toma received a Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute Fellowship. He is a junior double major in accounting and finance, from Hot Springs.
“Going to Harvard has always been a dream of mine, and I am so thankful to A-State for helping me achieve this opportunity. I am particularly grateful for the support from Chancellor Shields and Ms. Salo, coordinator of competitive scholarships,” said Toma.
The seven-week, high-intensity experience propels rising leaders toward graduate school and beyond. The Junior Summer Institute is hosted at three premier public policy graduate schools across the country: Harvard, Princeton and the University of Michigan.
Each school has its own area of expertise in public policy and public service, and fellowship recipients will sharpen their analytical edge, expand their policy expertise, and build a powerful network of peers, faculty and employers who will champion their journey well beyond the program.
Toma was one of 15 selected from a pool of candidates and invited to be a fellow in Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. The student, who hopes to run for political office one day, says the experience will aid him in his career.
“Through this fellowship, I look forward to further developing the skills that I will need to bring education reform to Arkansas. This opportunity will allow me to expand my perspective on a number of political and global issues and collaborate with 14 other PPIA fellows to maximize the educational value of this program,” said Toma.
He will spend his summer at the Cambridge, Mass.,-based university as the program begins on June 14 and concludes July 31. The fellowship includes fully paid round-trip travel, a $2,000 stipend, room and board, a GRE preparation textbook and related course materials. Fellows are also eligible for graduate school scholarships to PPIA consortium institutions.
Toma is a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, and is involved on campus in Student Government Association, Veritas Society and Jiu-Jitsu Club. He is the son of Iemima and Dany Sardean and the late Daniel Toma.
For more details about applying for nationally competitive awards and opportunities, one may contact Jennifer Salo, coordinator of competitive scholarships and fellowships in the Office of Student Research and Scholarship, at jsalo@AState.edu.
