Class of 2019 at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
AB Wire
WASHINGTON, DC: Three Indian American students – Rohun Shah, Meghana Ganapathiraju and Pooja Joshi – are amongst the recipients of the Morehead-Cain Foundation scholarship this year – for the class of 2019, the first merit scholarship program in the United States for high school seniors.
This fall, Morehead-Cain will welcome to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 59 new Morehead-Cain Scholars from across North Carolina, the United States, and select countries around the world.
The class of 2019 includes: 34 scholars from North Carolina; 25 scholars from outside North Carolina, including: 18 scholars from ten different states; 4 scholars from the United Kingdom; 1 scholar from Canada; 1 scholar from China; and 1 scholar from South Africa.
The Morehead-Cain Scholarship covers all expenses for four years of undergraduate study at UNC-Chapel Hill. In addition, it features a distinctive program of summer enrichment experiences designed to support students as they learn and grow.
The selection criteria for the Morehead-Cain are leadership, academic achievement, moral force of character, and physical vigor. Morehead-Cain recipients are chosen solely on the basis of merit and accomplishment, according to the scholarship eligibility.
The three Indian American students are:
Rohun Shah – He will graduate this spring from Terry Sanford Senior High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he is student body president, president of the Key Club, and a member of the school’s varsity golf team. Rohun is also an Eagle Scout and an active volunteer for Communities in Schools (CIS), collecting school supplies for at-risk students living in Cumberland County. Interested by geography and anatomy, Rohun is considering a career in medicine. He is the son of Sanjay and Liza Shah.
Meghana Ganapathiraju – She will graduate this spring from Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina, where she started and coaches a Math Olympiad team, volunteers with several clubs and organizations, and has helped raise money for several social causes. Meghana also loves the fine arts and performs Indian classical dance. She hopes to study the biological and computational sciences and is considering a career in medicine. Meghana is the daughter of Saraswati Kumar and Kowsayla Devi Ganapathiraju.
Pooja Joshi – She will graduate this spring from Raleigh Charter School in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she is captain of the Science Olympiad team, serves on the Honor Council, and is working on research projects at both Duke University and East Carolina University. Pooja also enjoys dance and performs regionally with a traveling Indian dance team. She enjoys studying biology, political science, and government. Pooja is the daughter of Dhanesh and Shivangi Joshi of Cary, North Carolina.