ATLANTA — Georgia State University’s Honors College has awarded 10 new first-year students the prestigious Presidential Scholarship. The award is given to high-achieving students and covers tuition, room and board, and includes a $2,500 stipend for credit-bearing study abroad expenses.
Previous scholars have taken advantage of Honors College programs such as The U.K. and Ireland Summer Experience, Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference (GSURC) and Thesis Pitch, and are often selected for leadership roles within the college. They have also won other academic awards such as the Beckman Scholarship, the Marshall Scholarship, the Goldwater Scholarship and the Fulbright Scholarship. Each year they also serve as ambassadors to students interviewing to be part of the next class of Stamps and Presidential Scholars.
Meet this year’s scholars:
• Lyra Domingue is a graduate of Georgia Military College High School in Milledgeville, Ga. Domingue participated in musical theater throughout high school, including two trips to the One Act Play state championships. She is studying film and media and hopes to tell stories that focus on women and people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds that have often been marginalized in film.
• Heather Fields is a graduate of Jones County High School in Gray, Ga. She is studying journalism with a concentration in public relations. In high school, she completed the audio/visual technology pathway, where she discovered her passion in media production.
• Farhan Hassan is a graduate of the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology in Lawrenceville, Ga. He is majoring in film and media and hopes to tell stories about people from a wide range of backgrounds and lifestyles. In high school, he was the vice president of the Digital Media Club and helped establish the school’s first film festival.
• Aleen Hussain is a graduate of Al Falah Academy in Norcross, Ga. Hussain is pursuing majors in psychology and business and hopes to become a therapist dedicated to raising awareness of mental health issues, particularly among the youth in her community.
• Touba Kamal is a graduate of Forsyth Central High School in Cumming, Ga. She is studying neuroscience with a pre-med concentration. Kamal is interested in finding ways to promote mental health advocacy and destigmatize mental illness, especially among South Asian communities.
• Ria Kotwani is a graduate of South Forsyth High School in Cumming, Ga. In high school, Kotwani was a dual-enrollment student at GSU, and she became a certified nursing assistant at the age of 17. She is now pursuing degrees in nursing and finance.
• Katherine Krapivnaya is a graduate of Centennial High School in Roswell, Ga. She is studying public health and hopes to go to graduate school to pursue a career in medicine. In addition to her academic interests, she has been involved in rhythmic gymnastics since she was 5 years old. She is a certified judge and continues to coach students at her home gym.
• Harshini Mahesh is a graduate of Cambridge High School in Milton, Ga. Mahesh was inspired to major in computer science by her love of robotics. She was also moved to pursue a minor in political science based on her experience with the American immigration system. She is part of the executive board in the Programming Club and involved in Robotics Club, Girls ++ and Girls Who Code.
• Dalette Molina-Ordonez is a graduate of Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville, Ga. In high school, she completed a healthcare science pathway, was a member of Peer Leading and was the editor of her high school yearbook. She is majoring in nursing with a minor in psychology. She hopes to become a travel nurse and experience new places both in the United States and abroad.
• Evan Szypulski is a graduate of Cary High School in Cary, N.C. He is pursuing degrees in music industry and physics and hopes to improve music accessibility for individuals in underserved communities. He is part of the School of Music’s premier and international award-winning vocal ensemble, University Singers.
The application for the next cohort of Presidential Scholars is open. High school students who will be enrolling as first-year students in 2024 can apply by Nov. 15. Click here to learn more about the scholarship and start an application.