TEMPE, AZ – Anjali Devireddy has been named a finalist for the 2023 ITA Sally Ride STEM Award it was announced last week. She is one of four finalists for the award, which was created in 2022.
The ITA Sally Ride STEM Award, as endowed by Tam O'Shaughnessy, was created to honor a female student-athlete who demonstrates zeal, dedication, and perseverance towards her tennis training and competition, STEM studies, and long-term goals.
The recipient of the award will receive a grant in the amount of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) to pursue her dreams. The award money given to the student-athlete may be used in any way she wishes [e.g., tuition, books, rent, etc.]
In addition, the ITA will also donate two-thousand dollars ($2,000) to the women's tennis program of the institution from which the award winner graduated.
Tennis was introduced to Devireddy and her brother at a young age as a way for them to bond. With no knowledge of junior tournaments or collegiate athletics, she and her siblings spent countless evenings together on court, bettering their skills one swing at a time. At the same time off the court, Devireddy and her siblings watched as their grandfather battled Parkinson's Disease.
Experiencing her grandfather's battle with the disease is what inspired her to pursue a degree in neuroscience when the time came for her to enroll in college. With her desire to compete and her passion for neuroscience, Johns Hopkins was the perfect fit for her interests. At Hopkins, Devireddy was not only provided with an unparalleled STEM education but was also given opportunities to impact the disadvantaged Baltimore community. Utilizing the knowledge gained through her studies at Johns Hopkins, she authored a poster that was accepted by the American Epileptic Society for their 2021 Annual Meeting. Taking a large course load and performing this research allowed her to graduate a year early with a BS in neuroscience with honors. This spring, she pursued a certificate in adolescent health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Devireddy is planning on attending John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and hopes to provide healthcare in disadvantaged communities.
