Out of 10,000 initial applicants, Nitya Rayapati ‘15 rose to the top, taking home a $10,000 Nordstrom scholarship to help fund her college tuition.

Inspired by a friend who had won two years before, Rayapati was determined to triumph as well. It was a tedious process, but through hard work, commitment, and the encouragement from others, Nordstrom recognized her talents and presented her with this award.

The Nordstrom scholarship was open to 80 high school juniors who had a GPA higher than 2.7 and were active in their community by participating in services and extracurricular activities. Two essays, a transcript, and a Skype interview were necessary in the selection process. “I talked about my goals and my extracurriculars on my application. The interview was really fun and casual, so I wasn’t that nervous,” Rayapati said.

In addition, teacher recommendations were required. Señora Llanos recognized Rayapati’s potential and wrote her letter for the scholarship.

“Nitya does possess the qualities Nordstrom was looking for. For example, she does a really good job balancing her academics and her extracurricular activities,” Spanish teacher Sra. Llanos-Gremillion said.  “She’s always present in the classroom and does a great job of participating and I know that also transfers to what she does outside of school. She is always willing to volunteer and lend a helping hand.”

On Oct. 7, Rayapati was taken by surprise when she was informed of her achievement.

“A few Austin Nordstrom employees and a manager showed up to my English class and surprised me,” Rayapati said. “I was really happy and surprised! It was great because my parents were in on it too. Also, they presented me with a giant check and a new Macbook, which was pretty cool!”

Rayapati’s friends and peers had not known about her accomplishment, so they were shocked too.

“It had been unexpected when they barged into the class so I had been surprised when they pulled out that huge check for $10,000,” Rayapati’s friend Avni Kantawala ‘15 said. “When I found out she had won the scholarship I had been really excited and happy for her.”

Rayapati plans on using the scholarship towards her college tuition. It has already payed out $2,500 in yearly installments which was a bonus on top of the honor of winning the award.

Rayapati’s drive and passion helped separate her from other applicants. Rayapati is editor of the The Heritage yearbook and serves leadership roles in other organizations such as Student Council. In addition, she strives to be a well rounded student by participating in a variety of clubs such as IBSO and HOPE.

“Nitya’s really involved in the school and the community,” Kantawala said. “She’s not merely a part of these clubs; she participates actively and is involved in everything she decides to do.”