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Saara Basuchoudhary, who recently graduated from Rockbridge County High School, was the recipient of a $2,500 STAR Scholarship
from the Philanthropic Educational Organization Si s t e r ho o d when selected from thousands of applicants across the United States and Canada. She was nominated by the local P.E.O. Chapter BG of Lexington.
“Saara displayed an outstanding four years of activism and involvement at Rockbridge County High School in addition to carrying a 4.0 average,” said a spokesperson. She started the Student Association for Non-Discrimination organization at RCHS and met with administrators and teachers to address more inclusive policies. In addition, she initiated the Multicultural Student Union that provides a space for all students to gather. She was on the first Student Advisory Board at the high school as well as Project Horizon’s Student Advisory Board.
She was one of the first members of the Rockbridge Justice Coalition which was composed of a group of young Rockbridge area residents who pushed and accomplished the change of the city cemetery name to Oak Grove. On senior night at RCHS, she received the Mary Davidson Bryan Scholarship and the Alphin Family Scholarship. She will continue her education at Amherst College in Massachusetts with a variety of interests in neuroscience, psychology, sociology or anthropology. She is the daughter of Tinni Sen and Atin Basuchoudhary.
The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship was established in 2009 to provide scholarships for exceptional women in their final year of high school who will be attending an accredited postsecondary education in the U.S. or Canada in the next academic year. This competitive STAR scholarship is for women who exhibit excellence in leadership, academics, extracurricular activities, community service and potential for future success.
P.E.O. has been providing support to women’s educational endeavors since its inception in 1869. During those years it has provided over $415 million in grants, scholarships, awards and loans.
