Laasya Chennuru
Laasya Chennuru, a member of the Honors College from Martinsburg, will graduate with degrees in biology and psychology.
The 2021 Foundation Scholar achieved academic success while also conducting research and demonstrating a commitment to advocating for marginalized groups locally and abroad.
For her psychology capstone field experience, she served as an intern with West Virginia Sober Living Solutions — a non-profit organization that connects individuals with health care services, employment opportunities, legal help and more to help achieve sobriety. She said this experience strengthened her passion for addressing systemic health barriers as a future physician.
Recognizing the higher percentage of older adults living in the Mountain State, she worked with the School of Pharmacy to study the development of drug therapies aimed at slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases as a participant in the Research Apprenticeship Program. She had the opportunity to present her findings to state legislators at Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol, emphasizing the importance of investing in aging research.
She also served with the Court Appointed Special Advocate for Kids of Monongalia County program, where she worked to provide recommendations to the court based on the best interests of children who have experienced abuse and neglect.
Chennuru traveled to Panama and Honduras as part of the Global Medical and Dental Brigades to help address public health issues and she taught English as a second language as a global intern at a multilingual preschool in Barcelona, Spain.
Being accompanied by her parents while being named a 2024 Mountaineer of Distinction is her most cherished experience at WVU.
Chennuru will attend the School of Medicine in the fall.