Alumni Focus: Lauren Weller

In the Spring/Summer 2016 edition of Scribe, ESK features several alumni who are doing great things in the Knoxville community and beyond. We will bring those same stories to the blog here at esknoxville.org.

Lauren Weller, a member of the 2016 graduating class at Chatham Hall, was named one of 689 semi- finalists in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholars Pro- gram in early May. The semifinalists were selected from nearly 4,700 candidates expected to graduate from U.S. high schools in the year 2016.

Weller was originally nominated for the scholars program after scoring a perfect 36 on the ACT.

Inclusion in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, now it its 52nd year, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character and involvement in community and school activities.

Upon graduation from ESK, Weller earned a merit scholarship that covered all expenses at Chatham Hall. Her list of accomplishments over those four years speaks for itself. Weller served as the head of the community service league, was president and founder of the Outdoor Club, was a member of National Honors Society and National Latin Honors Society. She also was very involved with the theater department, earning a leading role as a senior.

Weller spent the summer of 2015 working with the medical explorations program at UT Medical Center. She worked a total of 285 hours over six weeks, shadowing leading doctors in six different fields. Weller spent a lot of time in the operating room and experienced a 12-hour overnight rotation in the ER/trauma bay.

Weller will attend Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, this fall. She is planning to major in biology.