Athens, Ga. – University of Georgia sophomore Mehreen Sultana of Madison, a biology and psychology double major who aims to pursue a career in medicine, has been awarded the inaugural Franklin College Dean’s Council Scholarship.
The $1,000 scholarship is funded by an endowment created by the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Council, an advisory group of alumni and donors committed to advancing the university’s oldest, largest and most academically diverse college.
“We are thrilled to have funded this scholarship for exceptional students like Mehreen,” said Mary Laraine “Larry” Young Hines of Raleigh, N.C., a Dean’s Council member who earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UGA in 1968. Young helped spearhead the creation of the scholarship during her time as Dean’s Council chair.
“Providing educational opportunities for students who otherwise might not be able to attend is an investment in the future, and one that we’re proud to make,” she said.
Becoming a doctor would be the culmination of a dream not just for her but for her entire family, Sultana said. When Sultana’s mother was growing up in India, she couldn’t afford the tutoring, tuition and books for medical school.
“I’d like to be able to help my family, who has been supporting me all of this time,” Sultana said. “And what really solidified my decision to pursue biology and medicine is that my mom would be able to tell her family that she was able to complete her dream through me.”
The Dean’s Council Scholarship, along with her part-time job, helps Sultana reduce her reliance on student loans and minimize debt to her and her family upon graduation.
Hugh Ruppersburg, interim dean of the Franklin College, praised the Dean’s Council members for creating the scholarship and for the myriad other ways they support the teaching, research and service mission of the college.
“Dedicated supporters like our Dean’s Council members help the Franklin College support our outstanding students and faculty and capitalize on special opportunities as they arise in ways that simply would not be possible otherwise,” he said.
To learn more about the Dean’s Council Scholarship and other scholarships available through the Franklin College, see http://www.franklin.uga.edu/students/awards_scholarships.php.