Brinkley-Lane Profile: Lakshanyaa Rajendran Balaji
As Lakshanyaa Rajendran Balaji navigated the Brinkley-Lane Scholars selection process, it wasn’t only the prestige that motivated her, but the depth of community involvement embraced by students in East Carolina University’s Brinkley-Lane Scholars program.
“What inspired me most was the genuine commitment to service, both local and global,” said Balaji, who is known to friends and family as Lucky. “Every scholar I spoke with had made meaningful change, and I knew this was a community where I could grow, contribute and truly belong.”
Balaji, 17, plans to major in public health with aspirations of becoming a family physician, merging her passion for science with a desire to serve others.
Brinkley-Lane Scholars is the most prestigious undergraduate award program offered at ECU. The four-year merit scholarship recognizes outstanding academic performance, commitment to community engagement and strong leadership skills. Recipients receive a fully funded education, covering the cost of tuition, fees, room and board for both in-state and out-of-state students and unique high impact experiences, as well as the ability to explore the world with a $5,000 study abroad stipend. Scholars benefit from access to an array of leadership opportunities, research with award-winning faculty and a robust alumni network.
“I was born in India and moved to the U.S. as a child,” Balaji said. “To now be a U.S. citizen and receive something this prestigious, it’s a symbol of how far I’ve come and the people who have helped me along the way. It also motivates me to give back, whether that’s in my hometown, across the country or in villages back in India.”
Balaji has long been dedicated to health care service. She shadowed an internist in Durham, volunteered at UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh and interned last summer at a genetic research facility in India, an experience that combined medical exposure with teaching students. She will return to India again this summer to continue that work.
“I helped kids with English pronunciation and math,” she said. “It also was showing them how education opens doors and how learning can lead to bigger dreams. That experience reminded me that even small efforts can spark lasting change. It’s something I really liked doing, because I feel like education is really important.”
She hopes to join the Campus Emergency Medical Services team at ECU and continue exploring her cultural passions, like Bollywood dance. She’s also currently studying Korean and is interested in possibly studying abroad in South Korea or rural communities.
“Public health is about seeing people as part of a whole, understanding the systems that affect their lives,” Balaji said. “As a future physician, I want to do more than treat patients. I want to understand their world, walk in their shoes and make care more compassionate and accessible.”
“To receive something this prestigious, it’s a symbol of how far I’ve come and the people who have helped me along the way. It also motivates me to give back, whether that’s in my hometown, across the country or in villages back in India.”
High school: Research Triangle High School
Intended major: Public health
Current City: Durham