Arts and Sciences Students Named Inaugural Nina Henderson Provost Scholars
December 10, 2021
Executive Vice President and Nina Henderson Provost Paul Jensen recently announced the inaugural class of Nina Henderson Provost Scholars, which included three students from the College of Arts and Sciences.
Made possible by support from Nina Henderson, Chair of the Board of Trustee’s Academic Affairs committee, Vice Chair of the Board and Drexel alumna, the Nina Henderson Provost Scholars Program is an annual scholarship program that provides 12 motivated Drexel students with the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills and play a hands-on role in shaping the Drexel experience.
The Nina Henderson Provost Scholars advise and collaborate with senior leadership in the Office of the Provost on projects related to key priorities of the Strategic Plan. The projects address areas such as facilitating adaptable, immersive curricula; strengthening an equity-driven culture and reimagining higher education in the next 10 years.
Overall, 12 high-achieving undergraduate and graduate students were chosen from an impressive pool of over 270 applicants.
Meet the Nina Henderson Provost Scholars from the College of Arts and Sciences:
Jana Lenart '24
BS in Biological Sciences
Newtown, PA
Project: Nonprofit Endeavors at Drexel
At the nonprofit organization HIAS Pennsylvania, Jana has worked with immigrant clients as an COVID-19 Outreach Specialist and an Immigrant Health Intern. She serves as co-founder and vice president of Drexel’s Association for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Science and an undergraduate representative on the Biology DEI Committee.
"I see the Nina Henderson Provost Scholars Program as the opportunity to amplify the voice of immigrant students, especially those who are
undocumented, and ensure that they, too, are represented in a reimagined future of higher education at Drexel. I hope to work alongside the Provost, University leadership and my fellow Scholars on concrete plans to create a more equitable and accessible Drexel."
August Modiga '23
BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Johannesburg, South Africa
Project: Nonprofit Endeavors at Drexel
At the age of sixteen, August Modiga started a nonprofit organization aimed at empowering young girls in South Africa. Since then, she has hosted a talk show on social justice topics, spoken at a United Nations commission and sharpened her research skills as a Drexel SuperNova Research Fellow.
"I consider myself a leader who is principled, resourceful and committed to the protection of the environment and acting responsibly towards society. As a Nina Henderson Provost Scholar, I look forward to amplifying the strategic work currently being done at Drexel while collaborating with my cohort of incredible colleagues."
Disha Patel ‘24
BS in Chemistry
North Wales, PA
Project: Reimagining Dual Undergraduate Degrees
As the chair of Undergraduate Student Government Association’s Academic Affairs Committee, Disha has taken on initiatives such as enabling Blackboard Ally access across colleges and assisting with course catalog restructuring. She has conducted research in multiple labs, including Alzheimer’s research as a STAR Scholar and Biosurgery research as a co-op at Ethicon, Johnson & Johnson’s medical device subsidiary.
"After the completion of my freshman year, I discovered that students at Drexel University believed they had no say in their academic and social experiences. I became a Nina Henderson Provost Scholar and joined organizations like Undergraduate Student Government Association to provide insight about the needs of the student body and share students’ ideas for improving the current educational practices at Drexel with administration."
Congratulations to Jana, August, Disha and all Nina Henderson Provost Scholars! View all scholars and learn more about their projects.