MACON, Ga. — Mercer University junior Amann Patel was recently chosen to receive a Hertog Fellowship and was accepted into the highly competitive Humanities at Hertog program.
According to the Hertog Foundation, the Humanities at Hertog program is devoted to a rigorous, exemplary educational experience that transcends the limitations of online learning. The courses provide an opportunity not only to reflect on what great texts bring to bear on enduring questions, but also on how to begin a community in conversation.
“I will be able to discuss classical literature in a seminar format with a diverse group of thinkers and scholars, similar to the higher-level philosophy courses offered here at Mercer,” said Patel. “My experience with the Hertog program will transform me into a better thinker and speaker regarding classical literature and the thinking of others.”
Patel, from Cartersville, is a philosophy major with a minor in chemistry and is on the pre-medicine professional pathway. At Mercer, he is part of the 2027 cohort of the University Honors Program, serves as the current alumni relations and marketing chairman for Sigma Nu and as the vice president of the philosophy honor society Phi Sigma Tau. He works as a mentor for the Biology Mentorship Program and is a preceptor for PHI 180. Patel is also a member of the biology honor society Beta Beta Beta and the undergraduate honor society Phi Eta Sigma.
Dr. Kevin Honeycutt, professor and chair of the philosophy department, described Patel as an excellent student.
“He’s thoughtful, thorough and literate; he reads carefully and closely; and he’s brave enough to follow his questions wherever they go. We’re proud to have him in the department,” said Dr. Honeycutt.
After graduating, Patel plans to attend medical school and become a family medicine physician who will provide “empathetic medical care to underserved and overlooked patients, working to create healthier, more equitable communities.”
About the Hertog Foundation
The Hertog Foundation offers several highly competitive and selective educational programs for outstanding individuals who seek to influence the intellectual, civic and political life of the United States. They offer programs in several areas: Humanities, Political Studies, Constitutional Studies and War and Security Studies.
