SHP’s Ashley Amirkhan Wins Jefferson Scholarship

Ashley Amirkhan, a senior at Sacred Heart Preparatory (SHP), has been awarded one of the most highly-selective merit scholarships in the nation. The Jefferson Scholars Foundation at the University of Virginia (UVA) selected Amirkhan as one of 36 recipients of the Jefferson Scholarship. She will commence studies in the fall at UVA.

 

To be named a scholar, candidates must undergo a rigorous, highly competitive, multi-stage selection process. First, high schools or affiliated organizations nominate students for demonstrated excellence and potential in leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. Next, students complete at least one regional interview; finalists then participate in a final interview round. This year, over 2,500 students were nominated for the scholarship, and nearly 150 finalists were invited to take part in remote interviews conducted by UVA alumni and faculty.

 

The 36 selected recipients of the 2025 Jefferson Scholarship boast numerous significant achievements, and Amirkhan is no exception. During her time at SHP, Amirkhan distinguished herself across academics, service, and athletics. She is an AP Scholar with Distinction and has completed intensive pre-college programs in neuroscience, nanoscience, and medicine at UCLA and Brown University. A dedicated student-researcher, she collaborated with a Cambridge PhD student to co-author a research paper on the use of deep-brain stimulation to treat early-onset Alzheimer's, as part of the Cambridge Scholars’ Programme.

 

“Outside of these spectacular scholarly experiences,” said SHP’s Director of College Counseling Joel Dobben, “Ashley was nominated for the Jefferson Scholarship because of her student leadership and personal resilience.” A multi-sport varsity athlete, a series of injuries ended Amirkhan’s career as an elite diver; she used the transition as an opportunity to promote physical and mental wellness in student athletes. Amirkhan is the CEO of GOAT Mentality, a Bay Area-based nonprofit providing sports psychology resources to teens, impacting over 10,000 students across 250 schools. She has also volunteered extensively, from coaching adaptive gymnastics for children with special needs to leading social justice initiatives at SHP.

“I’m honored to receive this scholarship, which I see as a reflection of the incredible community that has supported and shaped me during my time at SHP,” said Amirkhan, “The values, challenges, and mentorship I’ve encountered have instilled in me resilience, purpose, and compassion—qualities I’ll carry with me as I study human biology and neuroscience at UVA and pursue a career in healthcare.”

 

Amirkhan will join a cohort of 153 Scholars currently funded by the Foundation at UVA, as well as a community of more than 1,000 scholar alumni. In addition to receiving the full cost of attending the University for four years, Jefferson Scholars benefit from several enrichment programs sponsored by the Foundation, including travel abroad, career networking activities, and a leadership speaker series.