Ronak Patel

While Ronak could justifiably feel a sense of accomplishment with his placement in local, state, and national academics competitions, he feels that one of life’s greatest rewards is in the service one does for others. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Ronak strives to incorporate the meaning of these words uttered by Gandhi into his life. To that end, he credits his 800 hours of volunteering with the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and over 200 hours with the Big Brother Buddy Program as helping him become who he is today while helping those in need around him. One of the greatest privileges Ronak has had in high school is the ability to conduct graduate study research at the University of Tennessee. He did research in the fields of organic chemistry and molecular biology, which helped him choose his career path, as well as academically challenged his mind. He plans to continue doing research as an undergraduate in college and hopes to one day find a cure for cancer.