Eliseo Puig chosen as Truman Scholar

Puig will use scholarship to achieve goals of helping first-generation Americans

Spring break in Vegas is nothing to sneeze at, but add an enormously prestigious scholarship on top of that, and you've got a memory for a lifetime. Eliseo "Rick" Puig, a junior majoring in political science, received notice on March 25 that he was one of only 60 recipients in the nation of the $30,000 scholarship.

When Puig's cell phone showed a 573 number that he didn't recognize, knowing that it could be good news, his heart skipped a beat. "The color drained out of my face and my eyes got huge. As soon as my face changed, my mom burst into tears and my sister started clapping and smiling," he says. "I don't think that, between the company and the city, I could have designed a better way to find out. It's something I'll never forget."

Puig named Vicky Riback Wilson as one of his mentors at MU. Wilson is the fellowships coordinator, and she helped usher him through the application process for the highly selective award. "Rick has already distinguished himself through his work with the Democratic Party at the national, state and local levels," says Wilson. "The Truman application process, I think, helped him identify ways to encourage civic engagement in a non-partisan arena, with a particular emphasis on involving new Americans."

Puig knows that he has more options open to him now than before he won the scholarship, and he has a lot of decisions to make about where he would like his life to lead him. "The only thing I can promise as far as a five- or 10-year plan is that I'm going to be involved in public service in some capacity," Puig says. If he pursues a law degree, it would allow him to work in immigration law. If he earns a master of public policy, he has decided to start a nonprofit organization that is targeted toward first-generation Americans and their inclusion in public service.

Another of Puig's mentors is Professor Don Sievert, of the philosophy department. "What is most impressive is Rick's willingness to use his intellectual and organizational skills to help others hone their own views and positions, to help them move toward clarity and articulateness, to help them do their best, says Sievert. "He thus shows how effective a leader he is."

Coming to America

Professor Herbert Tillema, of the political science department has taught Puig and supported his application for the Truman Scholarship. "The best universities in the world encourage those who are privileged to obtain a higher education to give back in public service, and Rick is one who does that," says Tillema. "I'm proud to know those who do that."

As a direct result of his family's history, Puig is motivated to do public service, partially as a way to validate the risks his grandparents took in getting to America from Cuba. His father was born in Cuba, and he saw the changes in people's lives after Fidel Castro came to power. Puig's father went to the central depository with Puig's grandfather to turn in all the money they possessed. In return they were given 4000 pesos.

"My dad remembers that as a turning point," Puig says. "He watched my grandparents coming to grips with the reality that something very wrong was going on there." As a result, in 1962, Puig's grandparents tried to leave Cuba with their family, but as a doctor and a lawyer, their skills were deemed too valuable to let them leave. However, they were allowed to send Puig's father, who was only 12 at the time, and his aunt to Florida to live with an uncle.

About a year later Puig's grandmother was allowed to come to America to be with her family, but not his grandfather at that time. Eventually, Puig's grandfather was able to get away from Cuba and rejoin his family. "My grandparents risked everything that they had basically on a bet that this country could be good and that this country had promise. And that promise was greatness and freedom."

Puig hopes to be able to improve the chances of a productive and happy life for immigrants to the U.S., and the Truman Scholarship gives him the opportunity to achieve that goal.

Links:

Department of Political Science
Department of Philosophy

The Fellowships Office

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation

Two Arts and Science students named '08 Truman Scholars.