{"689987":{"#nid":"689987","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Taylor Witte Named Georgia Tech\u2019s First Truman Scholar in 17 Years ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech student Taylor Witte has been named a 2026 Harry S. Truman Scholar, earning the nation\u2019s premier fellowship for undergraduates pursuing careers as public service leaders. A third-year economics and mathematics major and Stamps President\u2019s Scholar, she is Georgia Tech\u2019s first Truman Scholar in 17 years. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.truman.gov\/\u0022\u003EThe Truman Scholarship\u003C\/a\u003E is awarded annually to a select group of students nationwide who demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, academic excellence, and an enduring commitment to making a difference. Named after President Harry S. Truman, the scholarship supports students in their graduate education and careers addressing society\u2019s most pressing challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTaylor exemplifies the kind of leader we strive to develop,\u201d said Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera. \u201cHer commitment to strengthening public institutions reflects our motto of Progress and Service. Her selection as a Truman Scholar, one of the nation\u2019s most prestigious fellowships for public service, is an exceptional achievement, and we are incredibly proud of her.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Commitment to Rebuilding Trust in Public Institutions\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWitte, who hails from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is pursuing dual bachelor\u2019s degrees while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She balances an ambitious academic load with dedicated involvement in campus leadership, undergraduate research, and national public service experiences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMotivated by the erosion of trust in American public institutions, Witte aims to strengthen government decision-making through rigorous economic analysis, transparent data practices, and effective regulation. Instead of viewing public trust as just another policy area, Witte sees it as the very foundation upon which all governance rests.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile several social issues, from the climate crisis to criminal justice, demand our attention,\u201d she explains, \u201cour ability to tackle these challenges is only as strong as our collective faith in the institutions meant to do so. Responsible data stewardship is the first step to ensuring that communities see themselves represented in the policies that shape their lives.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat philosophy was shaped in part by her work at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, where she served as a statistics and data management intern in 2025. The experience reinforced her belief that sound regulation, grounded in high-quality evidence and community realities, is essential to restoring confidence in government.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s a perspective that also guides her long-term goals. As a Truman Scholar, Witte plans to pursue a joint J.D. and Ph.D. in economics. She hopes to work in the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, specifically the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, where economic analysis and regulatory oversight intersect.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ELeadership at Georgia Tech and Beyond\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWitte\u2019s leadership record at Georgia Tech is extensive. She has served as an advisor for the Seek Discomfort First-Year Leadership Organization and is currently a justice on the Undergraduate Judiciary Committee within Georgia Tech\u2019s Student Government Association.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe has also played a key role in institutional service and advocacy. As an ambassador for the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, Witte helps lead Shadow Day, the College\u2019s largest outreach event for prospective students. Previously, she sat on the Ivan Allen College Advisory Board and is now the sole undergraduate member of the School of Economics Chair Search Committee.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, Witte has helped oversee the Georgia Tech Stamps Summit as conference chair, building intellectual community among fellow scholars committed to leadership and service.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChaffee Viets, executive director of the Office of Scholar Programs, notes that Witte\u2019s leadership is defined as much by reflection as ambition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTaylor is a thinker,\u201d Viets said. \u0022Someone who asks the same questions of herself that she might ask of society: How is this path I am on going to lead to real impact? In her answers, I see deliberative leadership and extraordinary potential.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EBridging Liberal Arts and Technical Education\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a liberal arts student at a leading technical institute, Witte has made it a personal mission to demonstrate the essential role of economics, public policy, and the humanities in shaping technological innovation and governance. She currently serves as a teaching assistant in the School of Mathematics, one of only a handful of liberal arts majors among a large cohort, where she works to make complex mathematical concepts accessible and applicable for all her students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn everything I do on campus, I want to show that liberal arts majors can learn alongside STEM-focused students, and also lead among them and contribute meaningfully to the Institute\u2019s mission of advancing technology and improving the human condition,\u201d she said. \u201cMy experiences at Tech have left me better prepared to navigate a public-sector career in an increasingly technical world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELooking ahead, Witte remains focused on the long-term work of strengthening democratic institutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo say we are navigating difficult and uncertain times would be an understatement,\u201d she says. \u201cBut the most powerful force in this moment is one within our control: our collective decision to believe in the institutions we build, and to demand that they rise to meet us. It\u2019s our choice to make.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents interested in applying for the Truman Scholarship can visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.success.gatech.edu\/prestigious-fellowships\/\u0022\u003EPrestigious Fellowships website\u003C\/a\u003E or contact the team at \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:fellowshipsadvising@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Efellowshipsadvising@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA third-year economics and mathematics major and Stamps President\u2019s Scholar, Taylor Witte has earned one of the nation\u0027s top honors for emerging public service leaders.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A third-year economics and mathematics major and Stamps President\u2019s Scholar, Taylor Witte has earned one of the nation\u0027s top honors for emerging public service leaders."}],"uid":"36773","created_gmt":"2026-04-24 13:01:40","changed_gmt":"2026-04-24 18:29:00","author":"choward85","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680050":{"id":"680050","type":"image","title":"2026 Truman Scholar with Georgia Tech\u0027s President and Provost","body":null,"created":"1777035792","gmt_created":"2026-04-24 13:03:12","changed":"1777035792","gmt_changed":"2026-04-24 13:03:12","alt":"Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera, 2026 Truman Scholar Taylor Witte, and Provost Raheem Beyah stand in front of memorabilia-filled bookshelves.","file":{"fid":"264289","name":"Truman-Scholar-with-President.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Truman-Scholar-with-President.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Truman-Scholar-with-President.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9018058,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/24\/Truman-Scholar-with-President.JPG?itok=I5VeyDUU"}},"680051":{"id":"680051","type":"image","title":"Truman Scholar with Assistant Director, Prestigious Fellowships","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Director of Prestigious Fellowships Georgia Brunner (left) and 2026 Truman Scholar Taylor Witte.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777035792","gmt_created":"2026-04-24 13:03:12","changed":"1777035792","gmt_changed":"2026-04-24 13:03:12","alt":"Assistant Director, Prestigious Fellowships Georgia Brunner and 2026 Truman Scholar Taylor Witte stand outside Tech Tower.","file":{"fid":"264290","name":"Truman-Scholar-with-Prestigious-Fellowships-advisor.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Truman-Scholar-with-Prestigious-Fellowships-advisor.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Truman-Scholar-with-Prestigious-Fellowships-advisor.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8567101,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/24\/Truman-Scholar-with-Prestigious-Fellowships-advisor.JPG?itok=t4U6WxxX"}}},"media_ids":["680050","680051"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.success.gatech.edu\/prestigious-fellowships\/","title":"Prestigious Fellowships Advising"},{"url":"https:\/\/undergraduate.gatech.edu\/","title":"Office of Undergraduate Education \u0026 Student Success"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"}],"keywords":[{"id":"195059","name":"Harry S. Truman Scholarship"},{"id":"11285","name":"Truman Scholar"},{"id":"194030","name":"prestigious fellowships"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"},{"id":"193733","name":"_for_math_site_manual_feed_"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPrestigious Fellowships Advising\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:fellowshipsadvising@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Efellowshipsadvising@gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}