‘Grateful to this community.’ State College student named 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar
A State College Area student was among the 161 high school seniors named as U.S. Presidential Scholars on Thursday.
Prithvi Vijay Narayanan, a State High senior, was one of two students selected from Pennsylvania. Scholars are chosen based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, essays and dedication to their communities. Aneri Shethji from North Allegheny Senior High in Wexford was the other scholar selected from Pennsylvania.
Narayanan said he was shocked and honored when he heard he had been chosen as a scholar. Almost immediately he called his parents and could hear them yelling and celebrating through the phone.
“There’s some of these moments where it’s hard to really explain what the feeling is,” he said. “And those moments are really rare and far between, and so the fact that I was able to experience that today with my family by my side was really powerful. It was very sweet.”
Two scholars are chosen from each state, alongside scholars from D.C., Puerto Rico and U.S. families abroad, with an additional 15 chosen at large, 20 from the arts and 20 from career and technical education.
Scholars were chosen out of more than 5,700 candidates, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona wrote in a press release Thursday.
“The 161 high school seniors selected for the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Presidential Scholars represent the best of our nation’s schools and inspire hope in the bright future of this country,” Cardona wrote. “On behalf of President Biden, I am delighted to celebrate their accomplishments, and encourage these scholars to continue to aim high, lift up others, and embrace opportunities to lead.”
Narayanan is State High’s eighth Presidential Scholar and the first since Joey Feffer in 2017, according to a district spokesperson.
“We’re proud of Prithvi for his tremendous accomplishment,” a district spokesperson wrote in an email to the CDT. “Being named a U.S. Presidential Scholar is a rare honor, one he truly deserves. His record of academic excellence and student leadership throughout his time at State High shows that he certainly belongs in such an elite circle of high achievers.”
Narayanan is a figure skater, geography bee competitor, Indian classical music artist and former student representative to the State College Borough. In the fall, he plans to attend Yale University to study political science.
“I’m really looking forward to joining the Yale community and finding out what other opportunities are out there for me because I want to continue to grow as a person and continue to explore everything that there is to offer in our world.”
Despite the individual achievement, Narayanan said the award reminded him of all the people who helped teach him or introduce him to the skills and passions he carries with him today.
“I’ve been in this district since the first grade and I’m a proud State Collegian,” he said. “I was born at Mount Nittany (Medical Center) and I’ve been a proud Centre Region resident. I’m just so grateful to this community for being that support system, for always pushing me to find the best version of myself and to never give up on my dreams.”
