Five students have been chosen for Mercer University’s inaugural Presidential Fellowship, a highly selective leadership opportunity for exceptional students. Fellows will work alongside President Dr. Penny L. Elkins, gaining firsthand exposure to institutional leadership, strategy and service.
The students were selected from nearly 100 applicants from Mercer locations throughout the state. The fellowship, sponsored by the University’s Center for Leadership, Ethics and Service and the Office of the President, begins Feb. 4.
“Though we imagined a smaller cohort, the strength of this applicant pool showed we had an opportunity to think more broadly about the impact this program will make across the University,” Dr. Elkins said. “These five students represent the heart of Mercer — curious, brilliant, generous and committed to making a difference. As our inaugural cohort, they will help shape the future of this program and Mercer’s leadership story.”
The Presidential Fellows for the spring semester are:
- Meredith Hendrix, a junior from Fort Valley double-majoring in management and supply chain management
- Justin L. Jones, a second-year pharmacy student from Woodstock pursuing his Doctor of Pharmacy degree
- Aleem Patni, a junior from Johns Creek majoring in history and on the pre-medicine track
- Chloe Paulk, a senior from Ocilla double-majoring in entrepreneurship and marketing
- Harris Wallace, a junior from Lilburn majoring in philosophy, politics and economics
Hendrix, Patni, Paulk and Wallace are located on the Macon campus, and Jones is in Atlanta.
The Presidential Fellowship is designed to cultivate purposeful leadership grounded in reflection, guided by values and expressed through listening, leading and serving in support of Mercer’s mission.
To teach, to learn, to create, to discover, to inspire, to empower and to serve.
Fellows will observe high-level engagements, participate in leadership dialogues, and represent Mercer with professionalism and care. In addition to shadowing, the fellows will contribute meaningfully through an applied spring project with the Center for Leadership, Ethics and Service. The project will be focused on leadership through a character lens and the exercise of judgment, voice and initiative in service of the University.
Dr. Elkins created the Presidential Fellowship upon taking the helm as Mercer’s 19th president in January.
“Opening the doors of the presidential transition is a way of saying leadership belongs to the entire community, especially our students,” she said. “What an impactful learning opportunity for them — and all of us.”
