USC’s Brayton named Truman Scholar

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University of South Carolina student Casey Brayton is the ninth student from the university to be named a Truman Scholar.

The junior from Irmo, who attends the Honors College and the College of Arts and Sciences, is among 59 Truman Scholars selected from a field of 756 students nominated by universities and colleges. She is currently studying physical oceanography.

“The Truman Scholarship is one of the most prestigious of national scholarships, and we’re so proud Casey Brayton is representing the University of South Carolina in the 2018 Class,” USC President Harris Pastides said in a statement. “From her academic, research and civil leadership to her interest in physical oceanography, she truly represents the mission and spirit of the award.”

Truman Scholars receive $30,000 toward graduate school and the opportunity to participate in professional development programming to help prepare them for careers in public service leadership. Recent USC scholars have included Jory Fleming (2016), Asma Jaber (2007), Thomas Scott (2006), Jeremy Wolfe (2004) and Lara Bratcher (2003).

Brayton said her goal is earn a doctorate in physical oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography after getting a master’s in science communications or environmental policy.

“I’ll be researching interactions between ice shelves and the ocean in Antarctica using a high-resolution ice-ocean model,” Brayton said in a statement. “Ice shelves usually are hard to study because the conditions in the Southern Ocean are pretty perilous and the shelves are not easily accessible. Knowing about their dynamics is vital to predicting future sea level rise. Dynamic, high-resolution ice shelf models are still basically new, so I am ecstatic to work with one.”

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation was created by Congress in 1975. It has become one of the most distinguished scholarships in the U.S. for recognizing students for superior academic ability, a strong record of service and leadership and plans for careers in public service.