The vision of the late Charles McClain, who served as president of Truman State University from from 1970 to 1989, has played a major role in shaping the University we know today. He strove to ensure Truman would support the intellectual and personal development of talented young men and women. To help achieve this goal, he created the General John J. Pershing Scholarship in 1974.
McClain’s vision was that over time the Pershing Scholarship program would be supported by gifts from alumni and friends. In 2000, seeing dwindling state aid on the horizon for higher education, McClain helped kick off a campaign to build the scholarship endowment.
Donors contributed to the ever-growing legacy, and efforts were redoubled in recent years thanks to generous supporters like Jeff and Deanna Burns. Deanna was an early Pershing Scholar, and both she and her husband, Jeff (also a Truman alumnus), were active on campus.
Deanna recounts President McClain spending time getting to know them personally and talking about their futures. Bright futures they would be. Both Jeff and Deanna went on to law school and now generously give to the Pershing Scholarship endowment. “We wanted to give back to Truman because we believe that our success in our respective legal careers was possible because of the good foundation we received at Truman,” says Deanna. “We also wanted to honor Dr. McClain because he meant so much to both of us.”
Thanks to donors like Jeff and Deanna, the endowment is now able to support one Pershing Scholar who will receive the distinction of being named the Charles J. McClain Pershing Scholar. This distinction will be awarded annually to a junior or senior Pershing Scholar who has demonstrated preeminent intellectual capability and energetic leadership in the classroom, campus and community.
The first annual Charles J. McClain Pershing Scholar was announced at the annual Pershing Reception on campus. Judge Ann Covington, widow of Dr. McClain, presented the award to Jacob Fallman, a senior from Oak Grove, Mo. As a high school senior, being named a Pershing Scholar cemented Fallman’s choice to attend Truman, and he has not taken that honor lightly. He looks at each class as a chance to learn something new. In the spring of 2017, Fallman completed the prestigious Missouri Government Internship in Jefferson City, Mo. After graduation, he will be working as a legislative coordinator in the Office of Administration in the Division of Budget and Planning with plans to attend law school.
Fallman also does not take lightly the honor of continuing the legacy of Dr. McClain. “During my time at Truman, I have learned a lot about President McClain, what he means to Truman and how he was a driving force in making Truman what it is today,” says Fallman.
Through students like Fallman making their impact on campus, alumni making their impact on the world, and generous donors committed to preserving his vision, Dr. McClain continues to live on.