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This semester Sachin Varghese will
graduate from UGA with his bachelor's and master's degrees
from the School of Public and International Affairs. Alone,
that is amazing enough. In his time at UGA, Sachin was also
president of the Student Government Association, a Foundation
Fellow, a member of the 2003 Homecoming Court, and he was
elected to Sphinx, the oldest honorary society at UGA. In
four years, he has visited six continents and seventeen countries,
and he even went for a swim in Antarctica! After graduation,
Sachin plans to join Teach for America and work in an under-resourced
school district before he goes off to law school.
Expected graduation: May 2005
Degree Objectives: Bachelor of Arts in Political
Science and Master of Public Administration concentrating
in Public Policy
University highlights, achievements and awards:
The greatest highlight of my experience at UGA was having
the opportunity to serve as President of the Student Government
Association. It was a great honor to be elected by my peers
to serve them. Another honor that has meant a lot to me was
being selected to be a member of Sphinx, the oldest honorary
society at the university. I am humbled to be a part of an
organization that has had so many remarkable members, both
past and present. Receiving the Foundation Fellowship has
also been a great honor. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is an achievement
that I will always remember. It is definitely the most physically
and mentally demanding thing that I have done. I was chosen
as a member of 2003 Homecoming Court. I am also a member of
the Blue Key Honor Society and was chosen to receive the BellSouth
Student Leadership Award. I also received the Best Paper in
the Social Sciences Award for a paper I co-authored with two
fellow students and presented at the 2004 CURO Symposium.
Having the opportunity to serve as a Campaign Coordinator
for Teach For America was also a very meaningful and rewarding
experience.
Current employment:
I am a teaching assistant for the School of Public and International
Affairs. I lead breakout sections for Introduction to American
Government (POLS 1101). It has been a great experience. I
really enjoy taking my passion for political science and helping
others to learn about and understand the way our government
and political system operates.
High School: Meadowcreek High School
Hometown: Lilburn, Georgia
I chose to attend UGA because...
...of the Foundation Fellowship. The scholarship was too amazing
to turn down and really made my final decision about which
college to attend an easy one. I really believe that it is
one of the best all-around scholarships in the country. What
really sold me was the opportunity to study abroad and to
expand my academic and personal growth well beyond the classroom.
I also knew that the scholarship would provide me the opportunity
to interact and work with some of UGA’s leading faculty
members. Perhaps the best thing about the Foundation Fellows
program has been being able to share my undergraduate experience
with such an amazing group of students.
My favorite thing to do on campus is...
...go to football games. I am a huge UGA football fan. Game
days are amazing. It is awesome to see students, alumni, faculty,
and staff come together to support the Dawgs. There is something
very special about being in Sanford Stadium, and seeing the
love and pride that thousands of people have not only for
the football team, but for the university as well. Football
games, probably more than any other event, bring together
generations of UGA students.
When I have free time, I like...
...to relax and hang out with friends. I am also a news junkie
and a huge sports fan. I spend a lot of time watching CNN
and ESPN. I also read the New York Times
and other news periodicals as much as I can. I also try to
get to the weight room at Ramsey on a fairly regular basis
when my schedule allows. Working out has been the best stress
reliever I have found.
The craziest thing I've done is...
I organized a trip to go hiking in Patagonia for a week and
then to take a ship down to Antarctica for ten days. Our final
zodiac landing on the Antarctic continent took place on a
beautiful day. A friend and I decided we were going to go
for a quick swim before going back to the boat. We took off
layers of clothes and jumped in, swam out a little way and
came back. It was absolutely freezing. We hurriedly put our
layers back on. This probably qualifies as one of the crazier
things I have done.
My favorite place to study is...
...definitely the SLC. When I actually want to get studying
done, I will head to the fourth floor, or when I am really
serious I will go to the reading room on the third floor.
Both of these places serve as quiet places where I can study
with very little distractions. When I am not feeling as studious,
but still want to have the illusion that I am trying to study
I hang out at Jittery Joe's at the SLC. I can get some studying
down, but I also have a lot of pleasant interruptions as friends
stop by to chat.
My favorite professor is...
If I had to only pick one, it would be Professor Dan Coenen,
a professor in the law school. However, I would be remiss
if I did not recognize Dr. Loch Johnson and Dr. Stefanie Lindquist
as two professors that have really impacted my UGA experience.
Professor Coenen only taught me in a one hour Honors Seminar
on Constitutional Law. However, he has also served as my faculty
mentor and it is his commitment to students outside of class
that makes him a truly remarkable professor. Whether it is
meeting for dinner and a game of Boggle at his house or grabbing
coffee downtown, Professor Coenen is always willing to make
time for his mentees. He has also been a great source of advice
and guidance in my law school application process.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to...
While I have other plans after graduation, spending a year
traveling around the world would be awesome. There would certainly
be a significant financial cost attached to this, but not
one that would be prohibitive. Incurring debt now to have
experiences that you may never have the chance to have again
in your life is well worth it, in my book.
After graduation, I plan to...
...join the Teach For America corps and spend two years teaching
in an under-resourced public school. I think educational inequality
in public schools is the greatest problem facing our nation.
We cannot expect children to succeed if we will not provide
them with the basic building blocks for their future. The
state of public education in many school districts in our
country is appalling. A good education has opened countless
doors for me, and I want to try and provide that opportunity
to others. I am currently applying to law schools, but plan
on deferring for two years while I teach.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will
be...
I will always remember gathering behind Moore College to hear
SGA election results the year that I ran for SGA president.
Sarah Cherry and I had just completed two exhausting weeks
of campaigning. We were there with our campaign team and many
of the countless number of people that had supported us throughout
the whole process. I remember how tense and nervous everyone
was until the announcement was made and then how elated we
were when the good news was announced. I will also never forget
being on Homecoming Court. Being able to go onto the field
at Sanford Stadium with my mom during halftime of the Homecoming
game and be honored was a truly special experience.
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