Rena Patel, a senior in UIC's Honors College, won the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship worth $30,000 for the completion of her undergraduate and graduate studies. The award is granted "on the basis of leadership potential, intellectual ability, and the likelihood of making a difference."

Patel is premed, majoring in history and minoring in biological sciences, sociology, and Asian studies. She customized her curriculum to provide the background required to pursue a career both in medicine and international public health policy.

Patel already has established considerable credentials by volunteering for HIV/AIDS prevention programs for young people in India and Tanzania over her summer vacations.

"I think I can make the most difference by bringing advanced public health and disease prevention practices to at-risk populations," Patel said. "There are things I'd like to change about this world, and this will help me do it. HIV transmission is 85 percent heterosexual in developing countries, largely because girls and women are not empowered to ensure safe sex practices. Education is the key."

Glamour magazine chose Patel as one of its Top 10 College Women for 2002 who have shown academic excellence and a determination to make a positive difference in the world. Patel received a $1,000 scholarship she will use to supplement her final year of undergraduate studies. Patel is the second UIC undergraduate to be selected; Haley Naik won the award in 2000 for research in human genetics.

"I'm honored to be selected by Glamour magazine for this award, and it will be a tremendous help in allowing me to complete my undergraduate studies at UIC. It's a great opportunity to reach out to younger girls and inspire them to pursue their dreams further. But rather than pat myself on the back, I think it's further proof of the excellent education offered at UIC," she said.

Patel is the undergraduate representative on the Chancellor's Committee on the Status of Asian Americans and the founder of UIC's Asian American Coalition Committee to further Asian American studies. Other scholarships Patel has earned include the McKelvie Scholarship for Public Service, the J. W. Saxe Prize, the Chancellor's Student Service Award, and the Phi Kappa Phi Scholarly Project grant. She used several of these awards to finance a project working on rural development and women's literacy programs in India.