Lisa Cook and Generations of Spelman Truman Scholars Celebrate a Legacy of Leadership and Public Service

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, C’86, joins generations of Spelman alumnae whose Truman Scholar journeys reflect the College’s enduring legacy of leadership and public service

Generations of Truman Scholars gathered this summer at the Georgia Aquarium to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship and the public service community it has cultivated since its establishment. 

The celebration brought together scholars representing nearly every class since the first Truman Scholarships were awarded in 1977. Among them were Spelman College alumnae whose accomplishments reflect the College’s longstanding commitment to developing leaders dedicated to creating meaningful change. 

The Truman Scholarship is the nation’s premier graduate fellowship for aspiring public service leaders. Established by Congress in 1975 as a living memorial to President Harry S. Truman, the program recognizes college juniors who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential and a sustained commitment to careers in government or the nonprofit sector. 

Scholars receive funding for graduate education, leadership development, career support, and access to a lifelong network of public service leaders. 

Spelman’s connection to the scholarship spans more than four decades. Pamela D. Moore became the College’s first Truman Scholar in 1979. She was followed by Odrie M. Chapman in 1981 and sisters Pamela Y. Cook and Lisa D. Cook, C’86, in 1983 and 1984, respectively. The Cook sisters became the first siblings in the nation to receive Truman Scholarships. 

Other Spelman Truman Scholars include Donna M. Thompson, Kim H. Johnson, Vanessa Pogue, Sandra E. Waite, Stacey Y. Abrams, C’95, Kemi A. Oyewole C’14, and Tayler Brashawn Ulmer, C’15. 

Cynthia Neal Spence, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology and director of the UNCF/Mellon Programs and Social Justice Scholars Program, has mentored several of Spelman’s Truman Scholars and followed their journeys beyond the College. 

“It has been an honor to follow the career development of amazing Spelman alumnae like Lisa Cook and Pamela Cook and so many others who have attained the honor of either being selected as a Truman Scholar or finalist,” Spence said. “Each has gone on to distinguish themselves in ways grounded in their commitment to public service and to literally ‘making a choice to change the world.’” 

From Spelman to the Federal Reserve 

In May 2022, Lisa Cook became the first Black woman and the first woman of color to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. She was reappointed in 2023 to a term that ends in January 2038. 

Cook’s career illustrates the far-reaching impact of investments in talented students committed to leadership and service. 

Before joining the board, Cook was a professor of economics and international relations at Michigan State University and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. She also served as a senior economist on the Council of Economic Advisers during the Obama administration and as a senior adviser in the U.S. Department of the Treasury. 

Cook earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Spelman. After becoming a Truman Scholar, she made history again as the first Spelman alumna to receive a Marshall Scholarship, which supported her studies at the University of Oxford. She later earned a doctorate in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. 

At the Federal Reserve, Cook helps shape decisions that affect employment, inflation and the broader U.S. economy. Her journey from Spelman to one of the nation’s most influential economic policymaking institutions demonstrates how educational opportunity, mentorship and public service can converge to create lasting national impact. 

Cook and her sister were invited to offer a sisters’ toast during the anniversary celebration, sharing memories of their early experiences as Truman Scholars and reflections on the value of communities centered on public service. 

The Legacy Continues  

Cook’s achievements are part of a broader Spelman tradition of students earning nationally and internationally competitive scholarships. 

Tayler Ulmer, a 2014 Truman Scholar, became a Marshall Scholar in 2015 and later a Schwarzman Scholar. Her accomplishments extended the path established by Cook and demonstrated the ability of Spelman students to lead on national and global stages. 

That pathway remains open to today’s students. Spelman has produced six Truman Scholarship finalists since Ulmer received the award: Tyra Beaman, C’2016; Jasmine McClam, C’2020; Nailah Barnes, C’2022; Chandler Nutall, C’2023; Lauren Proby, C’2025; and 2026 finalist Alexandra Alsobrooks-Laney, C’2027. 

Alsobrooks-Laney was selected as a finalist from a national pool of 781 candidates, an accomplishment that reflects both her individual achievements and Spelman’s continued investment in preparing students for competitive fellowships. 

“Alexandra has strong leadership skills, a history of public service and a distinguished academic record,” said DeKimberlen Neely, Spelman’s institutional liaison for the Truman Scholarship. “We are proud of her accomplishment and recognize that the best is yet to come for Alex.” 

Although Spelman has not had a Truman Scholar since 2014, faculty and staff continue to mentor applicants through a process that strengthens skills valuable far beyond the scholarship itself. 

“Students who apply for the Truman Scholarship are pushed to think critically about their futures,” Neely said. “The application process helps students clarify their goals, improve their interviewing skills, and gain a competitive advantage when applying to graduate programs and other competitive scholarships.” 

The application requires students to outline their graduate education plans and develop a policy proposal identifying a public issue, potential solutions, and obstacles to implementation. 

Spence and Neely attended the anniversary celebration, representing the College’s ongoing commitment to preparing students for nationally competitive fellowships and careers in public service. 

“This anniversary celebration is more than honoring the past,” Pamela Cook said. “It is an opportunity to inspire the next generation of Spelman students to pursue transformative fellowships and envision themselves as leaders in public service.”