President Malcolm Portera, left, accepts the Truman Foundation Honor Institution award from foundation executive director Louis Blair.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation of Washington, D.C., has honored Mississippi State for its "sustained success" in helping students both to win $30,000 Truman National Scholarships and to prepare for careers in public service.

At a November ceremony on campus, foundation executive director Louis Blair presented President Malcolm Portera with an award recognizing MSU as one of five universities and colleges-and the only one in the South-producing the most Truman Scholars.

Since 1980, 14 MSU students have successfully navigated the rigorous selection process to become Truman Scholars. The most recent to do so is current Student Association President Brad Sweet of Cleveland, who joined Blair and Portera in making remarks during the ceremony.

Congress established the scholarship foundation in 1975 as the official federal memorial to the 33rd president of the United States. Drawing some 800 nominations annually, the scholarships support graduate study for 75 individuals with demonstrated leadership potential and desire for public service.

Other Truman Honor Institutions include Columbia University, Dartmouth College, University of Chicago, and Claremont McKenna College. The awards committee considered nearly 500 institutions that have produced scholars over the past two decades.