U.S. Presidential Scholars

We are proud to share a spotlight on the Chair of our Board of Directors, Anand Parekh, MD (1994, MI). Anand has long been a vital leader for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation. He currently serves as the Chief Health Policy Officer at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and a Senior Advisor at the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, where he works to drive national health impact by bridging the gap between research and policy. His distinguished career includes serving as the Chief Medical Advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a decade of service at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As an HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary, he received the Surgeon General’s Outstanding Service Award for his leadership in national wellness and prevention initiatives. Anand is also the author of "Prevention First: Policymaking for a Healthier America." We are grateful for his continued dedication to our community and his vision in empowering the next generation of Scholars. Please join us in thanking him for his leadership in the comments below! #pscholars #PresidentialScholars #MeetTheBoard #HealthPolicy

A massive congratulations to @amirsiraj (2018, MA) on an absolutely incredible few months! Recently named a Forbes 30 Under 30 "All-Star" in Science, Amir also just published groundbreaking research on the distant Kuiper Belt. Swipe to the second slide to see a stunning visualization of the orbits of the Kuiper Belt objects involved in his fascinating new "Planet Y" prediction! As a PhD candidate at Princeton, Amir’s work continues to push the boundaries of how we understand our solar system. Beyond his work in astrophysics, Amir is also a concert pianist! In the third slide, you can catch him performing at a UNESCO event, beautifully bridging the intersection of the arts and the sciences. We are so proud to see our alumni thriving in such diverse and incredible ways. Join us in congratulating Amir on his continued success in the comments below! Have a recent accomplishment YOU would like to share? DM us! #pscholars #PresidentialScholars #Forbes30Under30 #Astrophysics #PlanetY

A massive thank you to everyone who has tuned into the Beyond the Medallion podcast so far! We are officially looking for our next guests and would love to hear your story. Whether you are building a startup, creating art, or navigating a major career pivot, it is an absolute privilege to highlight the unique journeys our alumni take after their time as Scholars! If you are interested in joining us for an episode, or know a fellow Scholar who would make an inspiring guest, please send us a DM. We can't wait to connect with you! NOTE: This opportunity is for US Presidential Scholars only! #BeyondtheMedallion #pscholars

A massive thank you to Boston Mayor @wutrain for taking the time to join our alumni networking reception earlier this month. It was an absolute honor to host her and provide our Scholars with the unique opportunity to engage directly with such an inspiring leader in our community! Swipe through to see some of our favorite moments from this evening! #PresidentialScholars #BeyondTheMedallion #Boston #MichelleWu #pscholars

Thank you to everyone who joined us earlier this month at the New England Conservatory for an incredible evening of connection and celebration! We were deeply honored to be joined by Boston Mayor @wutrain , whose inspiring remarks added immense value to the night. With 150 attendees filling Burnes Hall, the energy in the room was truly unmatched as alumni from across the region reconnected and expanded their networks. A very special thank you to @youngarts for partnering with us to provide such a stunning live musical performance to soundtrack the night! Swipe through for a full look at the evening's program. #pscholars #BeyondTheMedallion #Boston #YoungArts #MichelleWu

STEM, hip-hop dance, and expanding the surface area of your passion. Episode 2 of the Beyond the Medallion podcast is officially live! Join host Thomas Wills II (2024, NY) for an inspiring conversation with Eddie Chen (2024, CA). Eddie is a sophomore at Stanford University studying Energy Science & Engineering, a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and a National YoungArts Winner in Hip Hop Dance. In this episode, Eddie talks about finding his passion for dance at age seven, the challenge of balancing a rigorous STEM course load with the arts, and the power of community in the climate space. Head to the link in our profile to listen to the full episode on Spotify. #PresidentialScholars #BeyondTheMedallion #pscholars

Empowering youth, transforming cities, and designing for social impact. It is time for another Scholar Spotlight. Meet Adrienne Gagnon (1993, RI), a Community Innovator, Social Impact Designer, and the Co-Founder of @downcitydesign . She is actively building a new generation of problem-solvers by creating youth-led design studios that have transformed Providence through over 120 public service projects. Her dedication to empowering young people was deeply influenced by her own Presidential Scholar experience. Adrienne notes that celebrating in D.C. with such an extraordinary group of peers helped shape her journey to help youth realize their own potential. Swipe through to read her incredible advice on seeking meaningful work that nourishes, excites, and challenges you. #PresidentialScholars #BeyondTheMedallion #ScholarSpotlight #pscholars

Spring walks, historic landmarks, and our next Scholar Meetup. We are heading to Washington, D.C., and we would love for you to join us. Meet up with Zack Love (2018, AL) on Sunday, April 12 at 2:00 PM ET for a casual afternoon walk around the Washington Monument. Whether you live in the DMV area, are just passing through, or want an excuse for a weekend trip, this is the perfect chance to reconnect, network, and enjoy a spring day with the alumni community. Click the link in our bio to sign up and let us know you are coming. We look forward to seeing you there! #PresidentialScholars #BeyondTheMedallion #ScholarMeetup #pscholars

🚨 LAST CALL, BOSTON! 🚨 We are officially down to our FINAL 14 TICKETS for our exclusive alumni networking reception with Mayor @wutrain ! If you have been waiting to RSVP, now is the time. Join us for a special evening of connection and community, featuring a live musical performance in partnership with @youngarts . 📍 Where: Burnes Hall at the New England Conservatory, Boston, MA 🗓️ When: Friday, April 10, 2026 🕕 Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET As a reminder, tickets for this event are completely complimentary, and registered Scholars are welcome to bring one guest (+1). Hit the link in our bio ASAP to snag one of those last 14 spots before they are gone forever! #USPresidentialScholars #PresidentialScholars #Boston #YoungArts #AlumniEvent #PSF

As Presidential Scholars, we know what it means to be intensely dedicated to a specific craft. But many of us have passions that fall completely outside of our primary fields of study or our day jobs. How do you manage the balance? Do you try to merge your interests, rigidly schedule your time, or are you still trying to figure it out? Let us know your strategy or advice in the comments below! #PresidentialScholars #pscholars

"I intentionally wanted to explore and open my mind up..." In Episode 2 of Beyond the Medallion, we sit down with Eddie Chen, a 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. While Eddie is nationally recognized for his incredible talent in Hip Hop Dance, he is currently at Stanford studying Energy Science & Engineering. We had a fascinating conversation about the journey to finding your true passions, navigating the sometimes conflicting worlds of STEM and the arts, and why solving massive issues like climate change requires you to break out of your silo and lean on your community. Episode 2 drops soon. You won't want to miss this one! #PresidentialScholars #BeyondTheMedallion #Stanford #HipHopDance #pscholars

San Francisco views, city lights, and Scholar connections. Huge shoutout to everyone who came out for our informal San Francisco Alumni Meetup a couple of weekends ago! From grabbing coffee near the Golden Gate Bridge to exploring the city at night, the Bay Area Scholar community brought amazing energy. A very special thanks to Youssef for helping coordinate the event, and to both @annmariakantony and @calashwin for stepping up as our unofficial event photographers and capturing the event! Let us know in the comments where you want the next PSF meetup to be! #PresidentialScholars #BeyondTheMedallion #SanFrancisco #pscholars