Alex LeKander, of Kalispell, has been named a 2009 Truman Scholar. LeKander is the son of Wheaton’s owner Margaret LeKander, and is currently enrolled in the United States Coast Guard Academy.
The Truman is a very competitive national scholarship that’s aimed at recognizing college juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or elsewhere in the public service.
According to his application, while at the Coast Guard Academy, LeKander created a tutoring outreach program with local schools, volunteered at an orphanage in Peru and taught physics and English in India. As a future Coast Guard officer, he wants to represent the U.S. at the International Maritime Organization in addressing global maritime issues and policy.