Gayatri Chintalapati
For Gayatri Chintalapati, becoming an EC Scholar means two things — community and opportunity.
She has big goals and looks forward to having the support of faculty members, campus resources and her fellow students to help her accomplish what she is setting out to do. “I know I, like every other human being, will inevitably fail at something or another during my time at college,” she said. “However, I will never be a failure if I have a community to thrive within.”
EC Scholars is the most prestigious undergraduate award program offered at East Carolina University. The four-year merit scholarship recognizes outstanding academic performance, commitment to community engagement and strong leadership skills. Recipients receive an Honors College scholarship and a stipend for study abroad for a total value of nearly $64,000.
The daughter of Srinivasa Murthy Chintalapati and Nandini Chintalapati of Winston-Salem, she said she chose ECU because it is close enough to have the support of her family and because she will be able to “mingle with well-rounded students from all walks of life, and be as comfortable with them as I am with my family back home.”
Chintalapati, who hopes to become an obstetrician, already has experience helping with childbirth, including at the Guntur Government Hospital in India and as a Deacon Doula in a program at Wake Forest University.
“I walk into rooms with … women and work to make them feel heard, respected and valued,” she said. “… This is the opportunity that gave the confidence that I am strong enough to one day go to Third World countries and answer my call to service: birthing under-resourced children into supported families.”
While learning her craft at ECU, Chintalapati plans to stay involved in activities she enjoyed in high school, including singing, playing the clarinet and volunteering at the hospital. She’s also interested in starting an ISKCON Bhakti Club, which focuses on spiritual relaxation and growth.
She’s interested in the Semester at Sea program for her study abroad experience because it would give her the chance to visit multiple places and experience the cultures of different communities.
“I come from an Indian lineage, and I’ve always been interested in the uncanny similarities of cultures and traditions around the world,” she said. “What better way than to visit multiple places on one great adventure?”
Chintalapati said she sees the EC Scholars award as a sign that ECU is investing in her future and trusts her to mature into a well-rounded professional.
“I’ve always wanted to promote education, and that’s why I chose to become an obstetrician, with a focus in caring for underprivileged women,” she said. “As an EC Scholar, I was just awarded a plethora of opportunities to make my dreams a reality, and even broaden the scope of my goals.”
“I will never be a failure if I have a community to thrive within.”
High school: Atkins Academic and Technology High School
Intended major: Biology
Hometown: Winston-Salem