Cheyon Sheen, a civil engineering major and student body president, received the prestigious Truman Scholarship — an award that’s only happened five other times in Boise State’s history. Out of this year’s 705 nominees from 275 universities, Sheen was one of just 62 recipients selected for her leadership, academic excellence and dedication to help others.
Sheen is focused on addressing challenges that burden rural areas in Idaho. As a sophomore, she sought to create cleaner air and tackle the impacts of climate change in her hometown of Twin Falls, Idaho. This scholarship will allow her to pursue a professional engineering license, a Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering, and a Master of Public Policy.
“Cheyon doesn’t fit neatly in any one box,” said Kate Huebschmann, Honors College academic and fellowship advisor. “Her experiences allow her to understand the world in complex and nuanced ways, and the tenacity, grace and enduring kindness that she’s exhibited during her time at Boise State make me confident that she will have an incredible impact on rural communities going forward.”