Sarah Glisson ’26 Named A Truman Scholar
Glisson makes history as the first Truman Scholar at Ramapo College
April 24, 2026
by Lisa Ambrose
A Moment That Changed Everything
The Trustees Pavilion on the Ramapo College campus was full.
Students excitedly looked for where their research posters were hung while faculty and families entered and took a seat or stood on the perimeter of the College Honors Symposium, ready to take in the culmination of years of work. Sarah Glisson ‘26 was readying herself to present her research, which analyzed how the political framing of socialized medicine has shaped public perception of healthcare reform in the United States. The room quieted and the symposium began.
During opening remarks, Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb paused.
Ramapo College, she announced, has its first-ever Truman Scholar.
Sarah Glisson.
“I heard my name and just froze,” Glisson said. “It didn’t feel real.”
More than 100 people in the room heard the news at the same time. Within minutes, she was on the phone with her mom and immediately asked to put the call on speaker so her dad would also hear the incredible news.
I’m a Truman Scholar.
There was some screaming. There was some disbelief. There were a lot of tears.
“It was just…surreal,” she said.
The moment Glisson heard President Cindy Jebb announce she is the first Truman Scholar at Ramapo College at the 2026 College Honors Symposium
A National Recognition
Named one of nationwide out of 781 candidates from 305 schools, Glisson joins a distinguished community of scholars selected by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. The program was established by Congress in 1975 to support the next generation of public service leaders. The highly competitive scholarship recognizes students with exceptional leadership potential, academic excellence, and a commitment to careers in government or the nonprofit sector.
“To be able to celebrate Ramapo College’s first Truman Scholar — one of the nation’s most competitive and coveted scholarships for public service — is testament to Sarah’s talent, discipline, and commitment to impact,” said President Jebb.
For Ramapo College of New Jersey, her selection marks a milestone: the first Truman Scholar in the College’s history.
For a very happy and humble Sarah: she is now one of only 3,673 Truman Scholars since the first awards in 1977.
“This moment is bigger than me, and it’s bigger than Ramapo College,” Glisson said. “To be Ramapo’s first Truman Scholar is a testament to the way that students are encouraged and supported here. It’s a new chapter — one where I get to serve as another example of what Ramapo students are capable of achieving.”
Ramapo College’s First Truman Scholar, Sarah Glisson ’26
Where It Began
For Glisson, the path to this moment began long before college.
She remembers running into the pharmacy as a child to pick up her grandmother’s prescriptions, watching as the total climbed into the hundreds of dollars for bottles that seemed so small.
Later, when her father retired early due to health complications, those moments became more urgent. Glisson and her family found themselves navigating insurance claims, advocating for coverage, and trying to make sense of a system that often felt confusing and isolating.
“We took on roles as medical advocates,” she said. “There were so many times where we were just trying to get answers, trying to get the care he needed.”
Those experiences shaped not just her perspective, but her purpose.
“Despite everything, we were lucky,” she said. “We always had access to healthcare. That’s not the case for so many people.”
That realization became a driving force.
“New Jersey has one of the lowest concentrations of primary care physicians in the country, and workforce shortages that ripple across professions, including nurses, certified nurse assistants, and even respiratory therapists,” said Glisson.
As a result, some residents lack adequate access to primary care. This, in turn, makes the emergency room, which should be reserved for emergencies, the place where vulnerable communities turn for treatment.
“Healthcare access is not just an affordability issue — it’s about access and quality,” she said. “My goal is to pursue a career in public service where I can help address these disparities and improve outcomes for communities like my own.”
Finding Her Path
At Ramapo, that drive found direction.
In her first year, she enrolled in New Jersey Policy Issues, a course taught by Patrick O’Connor, vice president for government relations and business development. There, she learned how to read legislation, analyze budgets, and understand how policy decisions shape everyday life.
O’Connor quickly saw something more.
“Sarah’s level of intellectual curiosity and ability to ask the right questions about public policy was very impressive,” he said. “It was clear she needed to get into a legislative office for hands-on experience to apply what she was learning in the classroom.”
With his encouragement, and only as a sophomore, Glisson secured an internship with in the 39th legislative district, where she conducted research on education funding and energy policy and saw public service in action — up close, and often behind the scenes.
“When constituents call, the question is never ‘who did you vote for,’” Glisson said. “It’s always ‘how can I help?’ That stuck with me.”
Leading Early, Leading Often
Her growth didn’t happen in a single classroom or office; it unfolded across a network of opportunities that encouraged her to lead early and often.
During her first week at Ramapo, Glisson joined the Leaders in Service program, a five-day immersive experience that introduces students to civic engagement and leadership. It became a launching point.
By the end of her first semester, she was working in the Civic and Community Engagement Center, eventually serving as student office manager. There, she led voter registration drives, developed civic programming, and helped connect her peers to opportunities to engage with their communities. That work led to being named to the 2025 ALL IN Democracy Challenge Student Voter Honor Roll.
In her sophomore year, Glisson completed the Sophomores Advancing in Leadership (SAIL) program, where she attended monthly leadership seminars and gave back through community service and earned her leadership certificate.
Sarah Glisson and fellow second-year students don their S.A.I.L. T-shirts at an event in 2024
She became an on-campus ambassador for the Andrew Goodman Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to civic participation among young people. Her work brought awareness to the tragedies of the 1964 Freedom Summer, which was a movement to register African-Americans to vote, and during which Goodman and two other civil rights workers, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, were murdered by the Ku Klux Klan.
As a Student Trustee on Ramapo’s Board of Trustees, she brought the student voice into conversations about the College’s future, learning firsthand how policy, planning, and leadership intersect.
“Being in those rooms changed how I think about impact,” she said. “You see how decisions are made, and you realize your voice matters.”
And on May 14, Glisson will take to the stage as the 2026 Commencement Student Speaker, and graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Public Policy.
A Community Behind Her
Each playing a distinct role in shaping her path, a network of mentors helped guide the way.
Dr. Rebecca Root, director of the Office of Prestigious Fellowships and Scholarships and professor of political science and international studies, met Glisson when she was still a first-year student.
“I knew immediately that I would want her to apply for a Truman Scholarship once she was a junior,” Root said. “She is a natural leader and deeply committed to addressing the failures of our healthcare system.”
Throughout the application process, Root provided structure, guidance, and steady encouragement.
“The Truman Scholarship supports future public servants with generous funding for graduate school, as well as a powerful network of mentors and peers,” she said. “I am so thrilled that they saw what a powerful force for change Sarah is — and will be.”
That support extended beyond the application itself.
Patrick O’Connor, who first encouraged Glisson to pursue public service, remained a consistent source of guidance — offering candid advice, connecting her with opportunities, and pushing her to think critically about her role in shaping policy.
“He gives you the hard truth,” Glisson said. “But he’s also the person you call when you need direction. He picks up the phone anytime you need him. He never asks why — just how he can help.”
Sarah Glisson ’26 and Kyree Robinson-Banks ’26 at a Fall 2025 Board of Trustees meeting chatting with Patrick O’Connor, vice president of government relations
As Student Trustee, Glisson also worked closely with President Jebb, meeting regularly to discuss campus priorities, leadership, and her future goals.
“Those conversations were a sounding board for me,” Glisson said. “She challenged me to think bigger and encouraged me to take chances—including applying for the Truman.”
For Glisson, that ecosystem made all the difference.
“It really does take a village,” she said. “My professors, mentors, peers — everyone here has played a role in getting me to this point.”
Her experience reflects a broader culture at Ramapo: one where mentorship is intentional, opportunities are accessible, and students are encouraged to pursue ambitious paths. In recent years, that approach has led to a growing number of students earning prestigious fellowships and scholarships, including the College’s first Goldwater Scholar announced just weeks ago, Fulbright Scholars, and now Truman recognition.
“It is also powerful evidence of what a Ramapo College education delivers: graduates equipped to lead, serve, and problem solve complex national challenges. Sustained investment in public liberal arts institutions like Ramapo ensures more students can compete for opportunities at this level, drives measurable returns for our communities, and fortifies the leadership pipeline our democracy depends on,” said President Jebb.
What Comes Next
Next comes what she describes as “the real work.”
As a Truman Scholar, Glisson will receive funding for graduate study, leadership training, and access to a national network of public service leaders. This summer, she will intern in the government relations office at Virtua Health where she will support policy research, legislative analysis, and advocacy efforts focused on healthcare access and delivery. In 2027, she will attend the Truman Summer Institute in Washington, D.C., where she will attend seminars on policymaking and national politics and meet with established Truman Scholars and prominent public servants.
She plans to pursue a graduate degree in public administration and attend law school, with long-term aspirations of elected office.
Taking the First Step
But even as the honors accumulate, her message remains simple.
“Be scared—and do it anyway,” Glisson said. “You never know what’s possible unless you take that first step.”
And for Ramapo College, that first step has become something more—a moment that signals not just what one student has achieved, but what is possible for those who follow.
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