Seven incoming first-year students and two rising sophomores have been selected for the Ingram Scholars Program. They were chosen from among a highly competitive pool of applicants for the prestigious merit scholarship, which is awarded each year to students who demonstrate academic excellence and a strong commitment to service.
Incoming members from the Class of 2030 are:
- Suhana Arora of Frisco, Texas
- Samarth Basanth of South Windsor, Connecticut
- Julia Conroy of Newton Highlands, Massachusetts
- Emily Gorodetskiy of San Francisco, California
- Luke Novak of Foster City, California
- Krish Putta of Clarksburg, Maryland
- Luke Seelye of Ekron, Kentucky
New members from the Class of 2029 are:
- Mehak Gadh of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, majoring in applied mathematics and economics with a minor in data science
- Maanas Garimella of West Des Moines, Iowa, majoring in neuroscience with a minor in philosophy
"It has been a privilege to welcome and learn from so many remarkable students during my time as faculty director, and this new cohort is no exception," said Kelly Goldsmith, faculty director of the Ingram Scholars Program. "These students embody the values at the heart of the program-leadership, service and a commitment to improving the lives of others. I am excited to see the impact they will make at Vanderbilt and beyond."
These students join a community of more than 300 current and former Vanderbilt students who have been named Ingram Scholars since the program's founding in 1994. Conceived by E. Bronson Ingram, who was president of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust from 1991 until his death in 1995, the program encourages students to combine a professional career with a commitment to community service and giving. Since Ingram's passing, his wife, Martha Rivers Ingram, and members of the Ingram family have been active in the program's growth and success.
Ingram Scholars complete at least 16 hours of community service each month with local organizations addressing a wide range of societal needs. During their sophomore year, each scholar designs a sustainable and collaborative summer service project as part of their Immersion Vanderbilt experience, which they implement the next summer. Since the program's inception, Ingram Scholars have led hundreds of service projects in Nashville, across the United States and around the world through their immersion experiences. Scholars get a full-tuition scholarship with housing support for four years, along with a stipend to support their Immersion Vanderbilt summer service projects.
