Seven incoming first-year students and three rising sophomores have been selected for the Ingram Scholars Program. They were chosen from among more than 2,000 applicants for the prestigious merit scholarship, awarded each year to students who demonstrate academic excellence and a strong passion for service.
Incoming members from the Class of 2029 are:
- Gabrielle Goodwin of Columbia, South Carolina
- Sharon Katoh-Jones of Beaumont, Texas
- Jacob Klein of Princeton Junction, New Jersey
- Tony Li of Powell, Ohio
- Viviette Lindon of Saint Louis, Missouri
- Rasya Ramakrishnan of Frisco, Texas
- Elizabeth Ryan of Atlanta, Georgia
New members from the Class of 2028 are:
- Troy Noesser of Sea Ranch Lakes, Florida, majoring in economics and political science with a minor in human and organizational development
- Rocco Otto of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, majoring in human and organizational development and political science
- Claire Petersen of Marietta, Georgia, majoring in economics with a minor in business
“The candidates we had the privilege of interviewing this year were all spectacular,” said Kelly Goldsmith, faculty director of the Ingram Scholars Program. “The Ingram Scholars Program leadership team couldn’t be happier with the scholars who will be joining us this fall.”
These students join a community of more than 300 current and former Vanderbilt students who have been named Ingram Scholars since the program’s founding in 1994. Conceived by E. Bronson Ingram, who was president of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust from 1991 until his death in 1995, the program encourages students to combine a professional career with a commitment to community service and giving. Since Ingram’s passing, his wife, Martha Rivers Ingram, and two of their sons, John and Orrin, have remained strongly engaged with the program’s development and success.
Ingram Scholars complete at least 16 hours of community service each month with local organizations that address a wide range of societal needs. During their sophomore year, each scholar designs a sustainable and collaborative summer service project to implement the following summer. This year, eight Ingram Scholars are carrying out service projects across the U.S. and internationally.
To date, the program has supported nearly 450 service projects. Scholars have served communities as far as Bolivia and as close as Vanderbilt’s own campus. Ingram Scholars receive a full-tuition scholarship with housing support for four years, along with a stipend to support their summer service.
Visit the Ingram Scholars Program website for more information.
