Brinkley-Lane Scholar: Dillon Patel
Greenville native Dillon Patel has seen how East Carolina University serves his region. Now, as as a Brinkley-Lane Scholar, he is preparing to do the same.
“Being a Brinkley Lane Scholar means ECU fully trusts that I can handle the responsibility of representing the cream of the crop of ECU. And they’re willing to provide the resources because they trust me to … make something out of it that’s unique.”
An 18-year-old senior at J.H. Rose High School, Patel chose ECU for the Brody School of Medicine, a place where he’s already spent many hours contributing to a study examining how emerging PFAS chemicals may affect brain structure and heart tissue under faculty researchers Xian Wu and Tracey Woodlief.
Patel hopes to pursue a pre-healthcare track with a minor in business, public health or both. While he once imagined a future in business alone, a family member’s hospitalization shifted his perspective. Seeing firsthand the impact of compassionate care inspired him to explore medicine as “the ultimate way to help people.”
That calling is deeply personal. His father, Dr. Sujan Patel, is an internist at ECU Health, and his mother, Dr. Shirley Patel, is a family physician at Physicians East. Such exposure gives him daily insight into the power of healthcare to change lives.
Patel’s own résumé reflects a wide-ranging drive to excel. He is an active member of Future Business Leaders of America and will represent his chapter at the national competition in Houston, competing in impromptu speaking, business reporting and LifeSmarts. Beyond academics, he organizes tennis tournaments and coaches younger players, blending leadership with mentorship. He has also been involved in community efforts, including helping with a cancer charity benefit dinner connected to ECU.
Housed in the Honors College, the 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. Both in-state and out-of-state recipients receive a fully funded education, covering the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, and high impact experiences. Included in the scholarship is the ability to explore the world and pursue additional educational opportunities with a $5,000 study abroad stipend and a $3,000 enrichment scholarship. Scholars benefit from access to an array of leadership opportunities, research with award-winning faculty and a robust alumni network.
Something else Patel has identified — Brinkley Lane Scholars are privileged with a ready network.
“One thing I notice with current Brinkley Lane Scholars, when you ask them something, they can hook you up with connections.”
Patel is eager to dive into campus life. He hopes to join the club tennis team, participate in the Pirate Sales Club and continue his biomedical research — what he calls his “trident” of interests.
He hopes to broaden his perspective through study abroad. He’d like to study in Malaysia, where he believes his perspective will be deeply enriched not only in medicine but in city design.
If asked, Patel offers this advice for younger high schoolers who, like him, aspired to this scholarship: “Do more than what you think that you can.”
“The extra you do makes you appear like a better person but actually you are developing into a better person as well.”
“Being a Brinkley Lane Scholar means ECU fully trusts that I can … make something out of this opportunity that’s unique.”
High school: J.H. Rose High School
Intended major: Public health or business
Current City: Greenville