By Becca Parson (March 21, 2002)

Seth Johnston, a 1999 graduate of George Mason High School, today will be awarded the Harry S. Truman Foundation Scholarship Award by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where Seth is currently a junior.

"The Truman Scholarship, one of the most prestigious awards granted to juniors studying at U.S. Colleges and Universities, provides a $30,000 unrestricted grant for graduate studies to outstanding student leaders who plan to make their careers in public service," says the Foundation’s web site.

Johnston is a distinguished cadet at West Point, ranking in the top 1% of cadets in the Class of 2003 for his combined physical, academic, and military GPA of 3.964. He is also President of the West Point Model UN Club, as he was at George Mason. In addition, this summer he will be attending not only an International Achiever’s conference in Ireland, but also the French Military’s Airborne School to add French "jump wings" to the U.S. "jump wings" he earned last summer.

Cadet Johnston’s selection as a Truman scholar makes it probable that West Point will nominate him for a Rhodes Scholarship next year. Only three from West Point were selected this year.

To put it in Johnston’s own words, "It doesn’t get any better than this."