George Freeman Memorial Scholarship

The George Freeman Award was established in 1953 in memory of George Freeman, a former Ph.D. candidate in Sociology at Iowa State University. Freeman was born February 22, 1912 in Kansas City. His father was a railroad brakeman, and his mother was one of the first black teachers in the Kansas City elementary school system. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from South Carolina State College in 1935, where he was a football and basketball star and a campus leader. He was married in 1939. After teaching at the high school level and working as a supervisor of a National Youth Administrative Camp, he entered the armed forces in 1942 and served in the African, European and Pacific theaters in the Quartermaster Corp during World War II. After the war, he entered Kansas State University, received his M.S. in 1949 and enrolled at Iowa State in the fall of 1949. He was active in many campus organizations, served as President of the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta (the sociology honorary), and was head resident of Friley Hall in addition to his teaching duties and graduate studies. He was the first black person on the instructional staff at ISU. His predecessor, George Washington Carver, had been on staff as a researcher and scientist. George Freeman died May 8, 1953 before completing his Ph.D. He was a diligent student, a dedicated humanitarian, active in many organizations but especially interested in interpreting and helping people better understand Black Americans. He believed he had to demonstrate by action and example competence as a representative of a minority group. After his death, his relatives and friends at Iowa State and from many parts of the United States set up and contributed to the George Freeman Memorial Fund.

Requirements: 1. Junior, Senior, or Graduate student 2. Major or minor in Sociology or Rural Sociology 3. Completed 8 credits in Sociology at ISU 4. 3.0 or above GPA at time of nomination 5. Demonstrates actual or potential leadership ability 6. Demonstrates desire to facilitate integration of students of color and/or international students into the department, university and/or community Submit: 1. Application 2. Request two reference letters from faculty Deadline: March 3 Submit to: Trevalyn Garner Gruber President of AKD 107 East Hall Please note: Acceptance of this award indicates that we have your permission to publish that information in department, college and university publications.