MACON, Ga. — Mercer University Class of 2024 biochemistry and molecular biology and Spanish graduate and current second-year medical student Arsha Moorthy was recently named the recipient of the Virgil L. Tweedie Scholarship, a $10,000 national award presented each year to one member of Alpha Epsilon Delta, a national health preprofessional honor society.
Moorthy said the scholarship represents more than financial support. “It’s a reflection of all the encouragement, guidance and positivity that has been poured into my life by God, family, friends, mentors and professors at Mercer. As a first-generation immigrant child, and also the first in my family to pursue medicine, this award motivates me to continue to work hard to give back to those who will come after me.”
From Flowery Branch, Moorthy is currently pursuing her medical degree at the Mercer University School of Medicine on the Columbus campus. She hopes to serve the underserved rural population of Georgia, and while she has not yet decided on a specialty, she looks forward to becoming a community-based surgeon.
Moorthy graduated summa cum laude with University and departmental honors, and she was a Stamps Scholar and inducted into both Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. She was also part of the Mercer Service Scholars program and was president of Alpha Epsilon Delta.
“Arsha was a dynamic leader in the Georgia Epsilon chapter of AED at Mercer, and traveled with me and several other students to the 46th AED Biennial Convention in Dallas last year,” said Dr. Carol L. Bokros, director of pre-health professions advising for Mercer. “She represented Mercer University well at that event, serving as the chapter delegate and presenting her committee’s report to the entire membership at the National Business meeting. She was an exceptional student at Mercer and was the perfect choice for the Alpha Epsilon Delta Tweedie Scholarship.”
While an undergraduate, Moorthy also participated in two study-abroad programs and was awarded a Global Leadership Scholarship. Additionally, she participated in a Mercer On Mission to Mongolia, where she helped lead an educational program for underserved children.
Currently, Moorthy serves on the Honor Council and is president of both the Surgery Interest Group and the Ophthalmology Interest Group. She also serves as Aid for the Impaired Medical Student (AIMSS) representative for her class, is vice-president of the Student Organization for the Advancement of Research and Service (SOAR), and conducts research with Assistant Professor Dr. Seong Won Lee.
