By Avery Craine Powell, staff
September 3, 2025
When Priyal Sanathara’s phone rang three times, she thought it was a spam caller. The news on the other end actually turned out to be life-changing.
Priyal Sanathara ’29 was at her home in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, this past spring when her family’s landline rang; assuming it was a spam call, she didn’t pick up. Then, it rang again.
“I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s a little weird. Why is the same number calling our landline twice in a row? Then, they called my cell phone,” she said.
On the other end was Elon University President Connie Ledoux Book, who told Sanathara that she earned the William R. Kenan Jr. Scholarship, which provides a four-year, full-tuition grant for the top Honors Fellow entering Elon each fall. Recipients will have extensive enrichment opportunities, including leadership development, service-learning experiences, study abroad, research stipends and internships. The scholarship was established in 2003 through a grant from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust.
“I hung up and started crying. I was so happy,” said Sanathara. “It was a huge relief to know that this was an option for me. This was really good news for my family because college was looking like it was going to be really expensive, and I have a younger sister too, so I was trying to be cognizant of money in this moment.”
Sanathara chose Elon for the sense of community she experienced during her campus tour, along with the smaller class sizes. She plans to double major in astrophysics and political science, two unrelated subjects that are indicative of her wide array of interests. Her love for astronomy began when she was searching for an 8th-grade class project idea, and the idea of astronomy sounded interesting. The project allowed her to connect with a college student studying in the field and get hands-on experience at a young age.
She continued her astronomy work while also becoming interested in political science, specifically policy change and international relations. Seeing the value of local politics and community building, Sanathara became involved with several community and social-justice organizations, including Youth4Unity!, Students Against Sixers Arena and an internship with the Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance. She was also a member of the Student Government and her school’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council (JEDI).
“I love giving back to my community and surrounding myself with people,” she said. “All the work that I did in JEDI was mainly focused on bettering my school policies and making it a better, cooler place for everybody, and making it so everybody can get the best out of their experience in high school.”
Sanathara hopes to continue that work at Elon, specifically focusing on policy changes that can help protect underrepresented individuals in the STEM fields. Her path to Elon also went beyond STEM, helping relaunch her high school’s newspaper and eventually earning the National Scholastic Press Association’s Leadership Award in Scholastic Journalism with her classmates.
These accomplishments were given a special acknowledgment at New Student Convocation Under the Oaks on Aug. 23, 2025. Sanathara was one of four students from the Class of 2029 who were spotlighted by Randy Williams, vice president for inclusive excellence and associate professor of education.
“It was a really special moment for my family,” she said. “I didn’t need the shout-out, but I’m happy it happened because my family got to have a little moment of celebration. I’m glad they were there to see it.”
While Sanathara describes her past experiences as “random side quests,” they have all led her to this moment at Elon, and one she is prepared to take on.
“I am most excited for the study abroad opportunities and to keep making memories with the people here,” she said. “I’m excited for it to start slowly, get the semester rolling, immerse myself here, find my people and really see what Elon has to offer me.”
Awards & Recognitions Student Experience
Elon College, the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Program
People in this article:
Connie Book
President
Randy Williams
Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Associate Professor of Education
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When Priyal Sanathara’s phone rang three times, she thought it was a spam caller. The news on the other end actually turned out to be life-changing.
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