Divya Mahesh

In what way has your experience as a Robertson Scholar challenged you the most?

I came into undergrad with a very clear plan for the future, but the Robertson programming and my fellow scholars really challenged me to open up and consider all of my possibilities. Although my final plan is generally the same as the plan I began with, I am now more certain of my goals and more aware of the things I value in life.

Please share an example of how one of your summer experiences impacted your leadership.

For part of my Exploration Summer, I observed physicians in a mobile hospital in rural India. The conditions were unideal and there were major obstacles to providing the kind of care that the patients needed. However, observing the director of the mobile hospital lead the group of doctors in rural villages every day showed me the type of physician and leader I hope to be one day: compassionate, intentional, and collaborative.

If you had one piece of advice for future Robertson Scholars, what would it be?

Get to know other scholars in the program, especially older scholars and alumni! I am so grateful to the countless older scholars who have guided me through undergrad and given me some much-needed advice. Even now, as I apply for med school, older alumni have been endlessly kind in putting up with my panicked questions and helping me through the application process. Robertson alumni have always been willing to talk to me, so definitely make use of this great resource.

Anything else you want us to know?

Thank you SO MUCH for the opportunity of a lifetime. This program has been such a blessing and my time at UNC would not have been the same without it. As always, I am always willing to talk to scholars about anything, so please let them know not to hesitate to contact me.

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