2013 Truman Scholar Smitha Ganeshan

Franklin College Honos' student and anthropology major Smitha Ganeshan is the 18th UGA recipient of the Truman Scholarship since 1982 and the only recipient in Georgia this year.

[The] Harry S. Truman Scholarship recognizes juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government and elsewhere in public service.

Ganeshan is a graduate of Northview High School in Johns Creek and a recipient of UGA's Foundation Fellowship. She was one of 62 students to receive the scholarship, which offers up to $30,000 for graduate study. 

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Ganeshan, who aims to pursue a dual M.D. and Master in Public Policy degree, is active in health care and health policy issues in Athens as well as around the globe.

She volunteers at the non-profit Athens Nurses Clinic, which provides basic primary care and dental services for uninsured patients, and has interned at the Athens Health Network, an organization that works to reduce health care disparities by coordinating health services for the indigent population. She is a co-founder of the Lunchbox Garden Project, an after-school nutrition education and obesity prevention program that was launched in 2011 and now serves two schools in Athens through a grant from UGA's Office of Sustainability. 

Around the globe, around your town. We are lucky to be surrounded by exceptional people, who - along with everything else they do - bring out the best in others. Congratulations to Smitha and the department of anthropology, which I know is very proud of her accomplishments. As are we all.