She's one of those people you meet “whom you know will contribute greatly to this world.” That’s how Dr. R. Jannet Kocerha, describes Neha Aggarwal, Statesboro High School’s valedictorian and  STAR student for SHS, Bulloch County and Region Eight. 

    The 18-year-old daughter of Dr. Sudhir Aggarwal, a local oncologist and his wife Neelam, a math professor at Georgia Southern University, Neha wants to impact the world through science. She will be a pre-medical student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this fall.

    “It’s not just about the science for me but how science fits into the world,” Neha said. UNC, one of the top five public research universities in the United States, selected her as one of its Colonel Robinson Scholars, an honor that comes with a full scholarship and both research and global studies opportunities. She plans to major in biology and chemistry with a minor in neuroscience.  

    “I am really privileged to have this opportunity. Yale, Duke and Emory were options as well, but they did not offer the immediate access to research opportunities I need for medical school.”

    Neha has already been honing her research skills as a dual-enrolled Move on When Ready student at Georgia Southern.  She was an undergraduate research assistant with an ongoing bio-chemistry research study on anti-cancer drugs.

    “She has generated key results researching anti-cancer therapeutics,” said Kocerha.  Neha’s exceptional scholastic abilities in her college chemistry and research courses led Kocerha and her faculty peers to select her for one of their top department honors, the General Chemistry Achievement Award.  “She is a multi-talented student who excels at everything she does and will undoubtedly be a future leader in the medical field."

    Science is Neha’s passion, but she makes a concerted effort to immerse herself in courses and activities that stretch her skills in areas like fine arts and writing.

    “Neha is easily one of the best students that I have had the pleasure to work with in my 29-year career,” said Bruce Law, her STAR Teacher and an English language arts educator at SHS.  “To Neha’s credit, she is a gifted thinker and writer who is adaptable and open to new ideas. She has softened the sharp edges of her scientific approach to become one of the most unique and complete writers I’ve had the pleasure to read.”                                               

    Born in Arlington, Virginia, Neha and her family, which includes older sister Nidhi, moved to Statesboro in June 2012. Nidhi was also SHS’ valedictorian and STAR student for SHS and Bulloch County.    

    “She is my best friend,” Neha said. “She is so busy at UGA, but she still makes time for me. We are such goofs around each other.”

    Like her mother, Neha has a special gift to encourage and inspire others.

“I have always tried to inspire my students,” said Law. “Rarely does a student come along where that role is reversed. With her, the traditional cookie cutter approach to education is amplified as a fallacy. To inspire her, the teacher must in turn, be inspired, to think and teach outside the given bounds. This is the gift that she and others like her, have given to us — to inspire others through the inspiration they share.?