Six Indian-origin students, and an Indian national win prestigious Knight-Hennessy fellowship

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Six Indian-origin students, and a student hailing from India, are among the 2024 cohort of 90 Knight-Hennessy Scholars “a multidisciplinary, multicultural graduate fellowship program spanning all seven schools” at Stanford University. The latest cohort is the largest number to-date.

The Indian origin scholars are: Ank Agarwal from New Haven, Connecticut, who is pursuing an MD and a PhD in cancer biology at the Stanford School of Medicine; Wasan Kumar from Skokie, Illinois, is pursuing an MD/MBA at Stanford School of Medicine and Stanford Graduate School of Business; Aneesh Pappu from Pullman, Washington, is pursuing a PhD in electrical engineering at Stanford School of Engineering; Krishna Pathak from Washington, D.C., is pursuing a JD at Stanford Law School; Isha Sanghvi, from Fremont, California, is pursuing an MD at Stanford School of Medicine; Kritika Singh from McLean, Virginia, is pursuing an MD at Stanford School of Medicine; and Rahul Penumaka from Hyderabad, India, is pursuing a master’s degree in translational research and applied medicine at Stanford School of Medicine.

These seven scholars are part of the seventh cohort consisting of students hailing from 30 different countries, all of whom will be pursuing degrees within the 45 graduate programs offered across Stanford’s seven graduate schools. The latest group of scholars brings the total number to 514 since the first cohort started in 2018.

These scholars are granted funding for three years to undertake graduate studies alongside opportunities to develop “visionary, courageous, and collaborative” skills needed for leadership in addressing global challenges, noted a statement from Stanford University adding these scholars are chosen for displaying “independence of thought, purposeful leadership, and a civic mindset.”

“With each new cohort of scholars, I am even more encouraged about the future,” said John L. Hennessy, Stanford University president emeritus and the Shriram Family Director of Knight-Hennessy Scholars. “The challenges our world faces are only growing more complex, which validates the importance of our mission here.”

According to the statement, the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program prepares upcoming leaders dedicated to advancing “greater good” and provides them with essential tools needed to make “meaningful change.” It further added, “The King Global Leadership Program is a core part of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars experience, offering a wide range of workshops, lectures, projects, and experiences that complement scholars’ graduate school education, helping them reach their leadership objectives.”

Significant highlights for the 2024 scholars include, 47 percent possess a non-US passport, 49 percent of the US scholars self-identify as persons of color, and 11 percent have had experience serving in the US military. These scholars obtained bachelor’s degrees from 60 different schools with 12 of them being international schools. Also, 22 per cent have the distinction of being the first in their families to complete college.

“Each scholar brings a unique perspective to our growing community,” said Tina Seelig, executive director of Knight-Hennessy Scholars. “It is inspiring to see them build ties and gain knowledge across disciplines, cultures, and ideologies, contributing to their ability to address the world’s biggest challenges.”

The application process for the 2025 group is set to commence on June 1, 2024, with a deadline of October 9, 2024. Interested candidates are encouraged to participate in informational meetings and to gain insights into admission procedures, the statement added noting “Knight-Hennessy Scholars has no quotas or restrictions based on region, college or university, field of study, or career aspiration.”