Brinkley-Lane Profile: John Kumar
A self-described “British boy through and through,” John Kumar grew up in Bath, England, where his days were filled with fish and chips, cricket, field hockey and centuries-old architecture. In December 2020, Kumar’s family moved to Pitt County — a big transition during a pivotal time — but it didn’t slow him down.
Kumar has immersed himself in community service, research, creative activities and entrepreneurial pursuits during his time here. He has served as a Health Occupations Students of America officer, won a Future Business Leaders of America state conference award, wrote a children’s book and founded a faith-based clothing brand called HeWontFail.
Though he found the relocation to be a rollercoaster experience, support from his new community helped ground him. That’s partly why he chose East Carolina University, which he calls, “my home school.”
“I’ve been told by peers attending ECU that the institution treats students like real people and not just numbers in a system, and that is something I value highly,” said Kumar.
With a goal of pursuing a career in medicine, Kumar believes ECU has the resources and faculty to make his ambitions a reality.
“I know the pre-med and medical programs are exceptional and will enable me to reach my aspirations,” he said.
He’s already taking advantage of ECU’s exceptional medical education resources through the Honors Medical Research Program at the Brody School of Medicine. He spends over a dozen hours each week developing research skills in the lab under the guidance of Dr. Lisandra de Castro Bráz, chair of physiology.
His dedication to medicine stems from a desire to help others. A transformative medical mission trip to rural Panama solidified this passion.
“During the trip, we provided supplies and services to underprivileged communities by setting up medical and dental clinics in remote locations. It broke my heart to see these incredible communities of people living without basic medical supplies and service. I came out of the trip with a passion to do more,” Kumar said.
Locally, he serves through ECU Health’s VolunTEEN Program, leadership roles in his church’s youth ministries, tutoring and more.
Kumar’s academic, service and leadership excellence earned him a spot as a Brinkley-Lane Scholar, 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.
“To me, being a scholar is more than just a title,” he said. “It’s a promise to show up, stand out and serve a community bigger than myself.”
Kumar plans to major in neuroscience with a business minor and is on a pre-med track with aspirations of becoming an interventional cardiologist.
He also looks forward to expanding his horizons through a study abroad to Tokyo as well as involvement in campus ministries, intramural sports and organizations like Pirates vs Cancer and MedPals.
Kumar is the son of Santhosh and Dorathy Kumar of Winterville.
“To me, being a scholar is more than just a title. It’s a promise to show up, stand out and serve a community bigger than myself.”
High school: J.H. Rose High School
Intended major: Neuroscience
Current City: Winterville