New Woodruff Scholars arrive ready to explore their fields of study

The 27 bright minds who arrived on Emory University’s Atlanta and Oxford campus this fall as Emory Woodruff Scholars include five music scholars, an aspiring attorney from Ukraine who has worked with the United Nations and several published authors and researchers.

Beyond their accomplishments, the students share the intellectual drive and commitment to service that has marked Robert W. Woodruff Scholars since Emory started the program in 1981.

“I am inspired by the 2024 Woodruff Scholars,” says Emory President Gregory L. Fenves. “What these remarkable students have achieved at such a young age is astounding, and we are excited to welcome them to Emory.”

Woodruff, the former president of the Coca-Cola Company, made the then-largest gift to a university with a $105 million donation to Emory in 1979. Part of the gift created his signature scholarship — covering the full cost of tuition, room, board and mandatory fees for four years of undergraduate education — to draw Ivy League-bound students to Emory instead.

As of this fall, the program has recognized 895 exceptional students, including honors for talents in debate and music and the Martin Luther King Jr. – Robert W. Woodruff Scholarship for exceptional students from Atlanta Public Schools.

The program, which provides students with access to unique programming and opportunities for independent research and networking, also includes George W. Jenkins Scholars. Named for the founder of Publix, the scholarships are awarded to high-achieving students from states in the grocery chain’s footprint. 

This year, 22 Emory College Woodruff Scholars join the Class of 2028 on Emory’s Atlanta campus; an additional scholar is deferring for two years. The cohort also includes two Woodruff Debate Scholars, two MLK Scholars and two Jenkins Scholars. Four scholars will attend their first two years on Emory’s original campus in Oxford, Georgia, located about 38 miles east of Atlanta. 

Finding opportunities at Oxford College

The four scholars beginning at Oxford College arrive to a small campus known for helping to build close relationships and make space for immediate student leadership.

One of those scholars, Oliver Hegyi, graduated from a high school class of 174 students. He saw Oxford as the ideal place to expand his leadership in varsity athletics, theater and volunteering in a more diverse community.

The New Jersey native plans to pursue research neuroscience opportunities as soon as he arrives, while also sampling courses in music and math.

Hegyi also wants to create a college version of the men’s mental health club and podcast he launched in high school, to reduce social stigma and encourage discussion.

“I am especially interested in Oxford’s emphasis on service to the community,” Hegyi says. “I want to do my part and accomplish something that makes positive steps in research and our community.”

Open to possibilities at Emory College

The five Woodruff Music Scholars are the most ever chosen for the honor. The group includes a singer who wrote a book on tax inequality, a tuba player with a passion for pediatric neuroscience and two violinists who both are National Youth Orchestra members interested in advocating for underrepresented students in classical music. The fifth music scholar, an accomplished pianist, is taking a religious deferral.

Emory’s ability to sharpen their musical skills while also exploring other academic, social and service interests is a large part of the university’s appeal to these students.

For Woodruff Music Scholar Ayi Ekhaese of Texas, that means continuing her violin training and performing while studying business, political science and other disciplines that examine education policy and the role classical music can play in schools.

“Knowing exactly what you want to do can feel so daunting when you have a lot of interests,” she says. “It stood out to me that everyone I talked to at Emory said they felt supported and wanted to be supportive, too.”

Fellow Woodruff Music Scholar Kushal Maganti, who grew up in suburban Suwanee, Georgia, is more familiar with Emory, and his planned path. Though he played tuba with the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, his actual introduction to campus came years ago, when his younger brother was a patient at Emory’s Marcus Autism Center.

Maganti led a theater program in high school that paired special-needs high schoolers with peer mentors to guide them through productions. The experience, along with shadowing doctors at a Bangalore hospital and a machine-learning internship with a biotech firm, convinced him to pursue neurology.

He plans to perform with the university orchestra and brass ensembles while also seeking out undergraduate research opportunities.

“Music is what keeps me grounded, but what I want to do is help people like my brother,” Maganti says. “I want to be this helpful, kind voice that people hear who is knowledgeable enough to give them actual help in the real world.”

Other incoming Emory College scholars are eager to explore academic and campus opportunities. Fellow scholar Maanu Obalapuram plans to find data science opportunities to marry with her love of linguistics.

Obalapuram, who grew up in Texas, knows seven languages, has written a book on how to learn them and conducted research comparing Sanskrit and Latin as well as the effect of PTSD on semantic memory. Now she wants to explore computational linguistics and natural language processing, while also making time for TedXEmory and the Emory Savera dance team.

“The community at Emory is so vibrant and the faculty really want students to thrive,” Obalapuram says. “I want to enjoy and explore during my undergraduate years, and Emory spoke to me as the best place to do that.”

At the top of Jenkins Scholar Muhammad Rizwan’s fall agenda is earning EMT certification, so he can volunteer with Emory EMS. The work aligns with his plans to study biology and become a family physician.

Rizwan is also committed to amplifying efforts he started in nearby Buford, Georgia, to encourage voter registration among minorities in the state. His dedication extends internationally, with plans to continue supporting underserved communities in rural Pakistan through his nonprofit that collects books and medical supplies.

Epherata Zeleke learned all about keeping her options open during a 2023 summer internship with Emory School of Medicine’s Next Gen biomedical research program.

For now, the MLK-Woodruff Scholar from nearby Tucker, Georgia, plans to become a physician-scientist. She’s not settled on the area of research though, or even how she wants to connect research to her love of mathematics.

Her curiosity in drug development was sparked as a child, talking with her father — who was a pharmacist in training — about various uses for medications. Then again, Zeleke wants to explore humanities coursework, even selecting “Plato’s Republic in Contemporary Perspectives” for her first-year seminar.

“I don’t want to close any doors, because I am very aware that there are more paths that might be open to me as I learn more,” she says. “I love that everyone’s passion for learning is palpable. That’s how I knew Emory was my place.”

Meet the latest Woodruff Scholars

Atlanta Campus

Members of the Emory Scholars Class of 2028 have extensive academic achievements and cite diverse interests and a commitment to serving others. All are Woodruff Scholars unless otherwise noted.

Maia Boswell, of Mount Airy, Maryland, served as captain of the mock trial team, president of the National Spanish Honor Society and member the Model U.N. at her high school. She also interned in her county prosecutor’s office, where she researched amendments to a state bill on sexual solicitation of a minor. She wants to study policy, environmental sciences and Spanish at Emory, before going on to law school.

Hunter Buchheit, of Marietta, Georgia, was a leader in his high school’s Model U.N., National English Honor Society, DECA leadership organization and news magazine. He also served as an intern at VOX ATL, Georgia Voice, Georgia Equality and the Atlanta LGBTQ+ History Project. At Emory, he plans to study fields that focus on his interest in people and politics, towards a career in journalism, law or public service.

Edward Cao, of Princeton, New Jersey, is a Woodruff Music Scholar who, having started singing lessons when he was 11 years old, performed in his high school’s musicals and led the all-male a cappella group. He also ran economic seminars for middle school students and wrote a book on tax inequality. He plans to study music and economics at Emory.Helen Ejigu, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, is a George W. Jenkins Scholar who co-founded her high school’s Girl Up club to advocate for gender equality. She also was founder of a refugee supply drive with the International Rescue Committee and co-founder of Atlanta’s Blooming Abeba chapter, which raises funds for girls’ menstrual health in Ethiopia. In addition, she won first place in a biomedical competition for a paper on CAR-T cells. She plans to study biology, global health and engineering toward a career designing low-cost prosthetics for developing nations.Ayi Ekhaese, of Sugar Land, Texas, is a Woodruff Music Scholar who played violin in all-state orchestras in Louisiana, Texas and the National Youth Orchestra. In high school, she served as prefect of the school orchestra and co-president of the African Student Association. She plans to study music, public policy and African American studies at Emory while continuing her classical music training.

Conrad Flake, of Salt Lake City, Utah, is a Woodruff Music Scholar who has played piano around the world and in his local community, including during free lessons with underserved youth. He also swam and played tennis at his high school, where he founded a triathlon club, and both volunteered and conducted research at Primary Children’s Hospital. He is deferring his entry to Emory until fall 2026, when he plans to study music performance and biology for a future medical career.

Ava Havidic, of Tamarac, Florida, established the inaugural youth council in Croatia, where she also developed a passion for linguistics and multicultural dance. She served as student advisor for Broward County and presented environmental research at the Local Conference of Youth-USA, U.S. embassies in Eastern Europe and the United Nations. She plans to major in Russian and East European studies before pursuing law school and a career in foreign service.

Ansli Hennings, of Alpharetta, Georgia, is a Martin Luther King, Jr. Woodruff Scholar who earned certification as a registered behavioral technician from her work in an ABA therapy clinic for children with autism spectrum disorder. She also served as a student ambassador and captain of the varsity flag-football team at her high school, where she also founded a community engagement club. She plans to major in psychology and biology at Emory before pursuing medical school.

Maggie Howerton, of Overland Park, Kansas, is a Woodruff Debate Scholar and a two-time state debate champion who also led a middle school debate program. In addition to working as a pharmacy technician and serving as president of the Spanish National Honor Society, she helped several Kansas City organizations raise funds for underprivileged Latino communities. She plans to major in political science and Spanish at Emory before attending law school and becoming an immigration attorney.

Sam Igbo, of Natick, Massachusetts, is a Woodruff Music Scholar who has served as a member and cultural ambassador with Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the U.S.A. and won top prizes at the International ENKOR and National YoungArts competitions for his violin performances. He intends to study music and anthropology at Emory in the hopes of continuing his work to globally diversity classical music through his playing, research and mentorship for Black and other underrepresented students.

Ashritha Kalakuntla, of Las Vegas, Nevada, has pursued a passion for environmental justice by receiving national medals at the Science Olympiad, researching at the Garcia Summer Program and running a Youth Climate Action Coalition chapter. She has also written about green gentrification and qualified for national speech and debate competitions. At Emory, she plans to study environmental science toward a career in equitable environmental action.

Kushal Maganti, of Suwanee, Georgia, is a Woodruff Music Scholar who is holds the principal tuba chair in both the Atlanta and Emory Youth Symphonies. He has interned at a biotechnology firm under the Nobel-Prize-Winning Yamanaka Labs and co-founded a local chapter of the Penguin Project, which helps special-needs children express creativity through theater. He intends to continue his service work with Volunteer Emory and to major in neuroscience and behavioral biology.

Yasmeen Mannan, of Germantown, Tennessee, founded a virtual English literacy program for rural Bangladeshi students. She also co-led her high school’s immigration reform and advocacy group and the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope Youth Council. She plans to major in political science and biology at Emory, with an eye toward medical school and a career as a community-centric pediatrician.

Raleigh Maxwell, of Nashville, is a Woodruff Debate Scholar who served as his high school’s debate team captain and student newspaper editor. A four-year varsity swimmer, he also conducted independent research into women’s suffrage in Tennessee and served as president of his school’s Young Democrats club. He plans to major in political science and history.

Maanu Obalapuram, of Copper Canyon, Texas, wrote a book on how to learn languages, learning seven herself and creating a nonprofit that promotes linguistic knowledge. She also served as president of her high school debate team and conducted research comparing Latin and Sanskrit, examined the speech rhythms of Chilean Spanish and the effect of PTSD on semantic memory. She plans to pursue a joint psychology and linguistics major at Emory.Esther Oyetunji, of Miramar, Florida, is a two-time National Speech and Debate Association national champion, state champion and Harvard University Ketanji Brown Jackson Oratory champion. She also served as president of her high school’s National Honor Society and vice president of the Black Student Union. She plans to major in anthropology and human biology at Emory, with a minor in Spanish or global health.Nisha Ramakrishnan, of Mumbai, is the author of a children’s book that has been translated into more than 10 languages and the recipient of a Jane Austen Society of North America’s award for an analytical analysis of “Pride and Prejudice.” A classical pianist for 13 years, she has also organized an all-India music competition. She plans to study English literature and biology at Emory, with a focus on how the two fields intersect.

Muhammad Rizwan, of Buford, Georgia, is a George W. Jenkins Scholar who served as a student ambassador for the Georgia Secretary of State, focusing on voter registration in underprivileged areas and among Muslims statewide. He also initiated a “12 Days of Kindness” effort as student body president in high school and founded Thrive Community Outreach to champion youth advocacy and rights in Pakistan. He plans to major in neuroscience and behavior biology and international studies at Emory, with an eye to a career in global health.

Mariia Sukhomlinova, of Poltava, Ukraine, founded Girl Up Ukraine, serving as president while collaborating on independent initiatives on education advocacy, elderly assistance and Ukraine’s unsung heroes. She is a commended Foyle Young Poet of the Year whose writing has appeared in UCLA’s Journal of Arts, The Japan Society and Community Magazine. She plans to study creative writing, economics and human health and sociology at Emory, toward a career in human rights law.

Juan Xuan (Ethan) Tai, of Taipei, Taiwan, has been active in policy debate both as a competitor on the U.S. National Circuit and as an assistant coach for novices. With an interest in global politics and the history of East Asia, he has been involved in his high school’s bilingual student publication and as a volunteer for Taiwan LGBT Pride. Having deferred Emory from his selection as a scholar in 2022, he plans to major in political science and economics before pursuing law school.

Maya Vizuete, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, led her high school’s Black and Brown Student Union, Teen Democrats and Ethics Bowl, which won statewide and national titles. She has served as an intern with political campaigns, conducted research at the North Carolina Governor’s School and co-founded NC Teens for Abortion Access to promote accessible reproductive health care. At Emory, she plans to human health to pursue her interest in the social causes and consequences of health disparities.

Thomas Winning, of Exeter, England, served as president of a student Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education program and house captain in student government. He also completed independent in chemistry at Durham University. He plans to study chemistry, environmental sciences and Chinese at Emory.

Epherata Zeleke, of Clarkston, Georgia, is a Martin Luther King, Jr. Woodruff Scholar who served as senior class vice president and founder and president of her high school math club. She also conducted genetics research through the Next Gen biomedical research program at the Emory School of Medicine. She plans to study anthropology and human biology and applied mathematics at Emory toward a future as a physician-scientist.

Oxford Campus

Oliver Hegyi, of Glen Rock, New Jersey, served as founder and president of a men’s mental health club, nonprofit organization and podcast dedicated to reducing stigma. He also was an active member and leader in multiple varsity sports, musicals and choirs in high school. He plans to explore interdisciplinary interests at Oxford, with a major in neuroscience and behavioral biology on a pre-med track.David Fernandez, of Charlotte, North Carolina, placed at the state level in economics while serving as president of the Future Business Leaders of America and held leadership positions in his high school’s Mathematics Honors Society and political clubs. He also lobbied the North Carolina General Assembly for a tuition fairness bill and volunteered as a donor ambassador with the American Red Cross. He plans to study economics and political science at Oxford, to prepare for a career in public service or law.Delaney Reese, of Hampton, Georgia, served as captain of her high school Academic Decathlon team, earning gold medals at the state and national levels, section leader with the symphonic band and board of the Hispanic Student Association. She is also an alumnae of the Biology Georgia Governor’s Honors Program and co-captain of the county championship ESA Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl team. She plans to explore interests in literature and history at Emory, while majoring in environmental sciences.Jasmine Yeh, of Frisco, Texas, founded her high school’s club for speedcubing and became one of the state’s top female participants in competitions to solve the Rubik’s cube and similar puzzles in the fastest time possible. She also won two statewide band awards for her clarinet performance and received the National Cyber Scholar Award for self-studying cybersecurity. She plans to explore coursework in philosophy, psychology and religion at Oxford.

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