Ubben Fellow Alum Wins Truman Scholarship, Paving Path to Career in Public Service
Bryson Handy, a rising senior at The George Washington University, was named a 2026 Harry S. Truman Scholar, one of the nation’s most prestigious awards for students committed to careers in public service. This summer, Bryson will intern with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), one of the world’s leading foreign policy think tanks.
The experience follows his selection as a 2025 Jeff Ubben Posse Fellow, which paired him with Brookings Institution President Cecilia Rouse for a summer internship. Established in 2016, the Ubben fellowship recognizes five outstanding Posse Scholars nationwide each year with a summer internship alongside a leader in their field.
During his Ubben fellowship, Bryson attended a private conference featuring several Nobel Prize-winning economists, including Daron Acemoglu, whose book Why Nations Fail first sparked his interest in economic policy as a teenager.
The best and most durable change happens when you assemble a broad coalition.
“He told me, ‘You really know your stuff,’” says Bryson. “That experience was incredibly affirming and confidence-building. It helped me see myself in those rooms and know that I belong there.”
On campus, Bryson serves as president of Young Black Professionals in International Affairs, vice president of Sigma Iota Rho, the international affairs honor society, and a member of the Dean’s Cabinet. Bryson says collaboration has become central to the way he thinks about leadership.
“The best and most durable change happens when you assemble a broad coalition,” he says. “You bring together people who look different, think different and have different experiences, and you get them on the same page.”
Growing up in Georgia, Bryson expected to attend college close to home. After being nominated for the Posse Scholarship, he participated in Posse’s three-part Dynamic Assessment Process (DAP) and was selected to join a Posse at The George Washington University.
“The only reason I came to GW is because Posse made it possible,” says Bryson. “If I didn’t have Posse, I would have stayed in Georgia. None of these opportunities would have happened.”
Every opportunity created more opportunities.
Bryson credits Posse not only with making college affordable but also with helping him build the confidence to pursue opportunities throughout Washington, D.C. Arriving at GW alongside nine fellow Atlanta Posse Scholars and a mentor gave him a community that encouraged him to keep saying yes to new experiences.
Looking ahead, Bryson plans to continue working in international economic policy before pursuing graduate school. Receiving the Truman Scholarship has given him something he values even more than recognition.
“It’s opened up choice, which I think is the most liberating thing,” he says. “Now I’m really thinking, what do I want to do with my life? Because it feels like I can do almost anything. Every opportunity created more opportunities and I can see myself as a future leader in public policy now — and that’s because of the people who believed in me and invested in me along the way.”
