Higher education: AF Academy cadet earns Truman scholarship

  • Published
  • By Ray Bowden
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.-- A cadet majoring in legal studies and humanities at the Air Force Academy is one of 62 college students across the U.S. this month to receive the Truman scholarship which funds public service.

“When Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre, the Academy’s dean, shared the news, I could not stop smiling,” said Cadet 2nd Class Aryemis Brown, scholarship winner.  

Brown, from Rockville, Maryland, is also pursuing minors in religious studies and philosophy. He’s mulling over a career as an Air or Space force lawyer and plans to attend grad school.

“As I explore many opportunities for graduate degrees, I’m balancing my interests in education and training, space and the humanities and law,” he said. “The only certainty is my desire to fulfill a career of public service during my time in the military and beyond.”

Congress created the Truman Foundation in 1975 to honor President Harry Truman. This year’s recipients are mostly college juniors from 55 U.S. colleges and universities, according the foundation’s website.

Most recipients seeks masters’ or doctorates in public administration and health, international relations and government, and economics and social services.

Like other Truman scholarship nominees, Brown was interviewed by the foundation.

“I spent most of the time talking about the quality of the Academy,” he said. “I am in debt to the extraordinary faculty, squadron commanders, academy military trainers, coaches and fellow cadets for inspiring my curiosity to learn.”

Brown’s father, retired Maj. Chris Brown, is a 1979 Academy graduate, brother Alex Brown is a 2020 Academy graduate, and brother Austin Brown has been accepted into the class of 2024. His mother, Claudia Brown, is a U.S. Public Health Service captain.

Like most cadets, Brown left the Academy in March due to the COVID-19 global pandemic to attend classes through online distance learning. He’s in Rockville today and said he looks forward to returning to the Colorado Springs campus even if’s he’s not sure when that might happen.

“It’s an extraordinary time,” he said. “I celebrate the generosity and service of all those fighting against the COVID-19 crisis -- our doctors and nurses, grocers and mail workers, teachers and commanders --- all those who have shown their support in so many ways.”

Visit https://www.usafa.edu/news/academy-cadet-pilot-says-family-support-keeps-his-dreams-aloft/ to see Jennifer Spradlin’s September report on Alexander Brown, now a second lieutenant slated to attend pilot training.