Haasini Potluri ’25

U.S. Presidential Scholar

By Amy Schrei, Director of Communications and Marketing

For Haasini Potluri ’25 exceptional scholarship is about far more than accolades. While her achievements include being named a U.S. Presidential Scholar, a National Merit Scholar Finalist and the recipient of Tower Hill’s Trustees’ Award for Academics, her story is ultimately one of exploration, perspective, challenge and culture.

EXPLORATION

Joining Tower Hill in ninth grade, Potluri and her family were searching for a school that offered broad opportunities and a place where she could explore, grow and challenge herself. What Tower Hill ultimately provided was an environment that helped her build confidence, define her voice and develop a strong sense of accomplishment.

From the start, she got involved with clubs, leadership, athletics and of course a variety of classes, experiences that helped her develop practical skills while learning more about herself. Potluri joined Model United Nations and Robotics and ran cross country and track. Tower Hill’s flexibility allowed her to try different activities, take intellectual risks and grow organically. “You really have the opportunity to create your own experience,” she says. Tower Hill’s openness to student initiative made it easy to get involved—or even start something new—with faculty mentors providing guidance along the way.

Academically, that sense of exploration extended across disciplines. While she gravitated toward STEM—particularly biology and chemistry—she also embraced the chance to branch out. Beginning French as a new language in ninth grade, she advanced to reading French literature and plays by senior year. 

She especially values the growth she experienced in Mrs. Ashbrook’s English classes, who taught her for three years in freshman English, journalism and rhetoric. “Mrs. Ashbrook provided great feedback, and I felt comfortable sharing my perspective on the books we were discussing,” Potluri says. “It was a wonderful opportunity to build a relationship with a teacher and engage in more advanced dialogue.”

PERSPECTIVES

One of the most impactful aspects of Potluri’s Tower Hill education was learning to see the world from multiple perspectives, scientific, cultural and ethical. Through Model UN, she researched global health issues and learned to understand competing viewpoints in order to build consensus. At the Youth Environmental Summit, she led a workshop exploring how environmental factors such as clean air and water impact human health.

Whether approaching problems analytically or ethically, Tower Hill taught her to value nuance and empathy. This intersection of disciplines—and how they overlap in the real world—played a significant role in shaping her interest in medicine.

Currently, Potluri is pursuing a career in medicine through a prestigious and accelerated BS/MD program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The seven-year program allows her to transition directly from undergraduate study into medical school, focusing deeply on coursework without the added pressure of medical school applications, internships or the MCAT. While she remains open-minded about her future specialty, she feels well prepared. “Tower Hill taught me how to study,” she says, “and how to navigate a new environment.”

CHALLENGES 

Tower Hill pushed Potluri beyond her comfort zone in unexpected ways, in academics but also in athletics. Even though she never participated in organized sports before high school, she joined cross country and track. What initially felt intimidating soon became a rewarding part of her experience.

Each practice and race became an opportunity to set personal goals, confront limitations and measure progress. Athletics taught her discipline, resilience and the value of incremental growth. These lessons echoed the school’s Multa Bene Facta philosophy, reinforcing the importance of trying new things and finding balance between academics, athletics and extracurriculars.

Asked what advice she would give current students, Potluri’s response is simple and heartfelt: take advantage of the opportunities around you. Don’t be afraid to try something new or challenge yourself in unexpected ways. “You might be surprised by what you end up loving,” she says.

CULTURE

Reflecting on her time at Tower Hill, one word comes up again and again: community. While the academic rigor was real and often demanding, the school never felt competitive in a toxic way. Instead, she describes a culture rooted in collaboration and mutual support. 

Students studied together, supported one another and shared experiences across classrooms, clubs, athletics and Morning Meeting. “We were always there to support each other.” 

Seeing peers in so many different settings helped foster a strong sense of belonging. “You can learn anywhere,” she reflects, “but if you don’t feel comfortable with the people you’re around, it’s hard to enjoy the experience.”

That sense of community continues to stand out as she meets peers in college who don’t always look back fondly on their high school years. One recent example of Tower Hill’s lasting friendships occurred in January, when Lisa Lu ’26 delivered her Senior Speech at Morning Meeting. Twelve friends from the Class of 2025—including Potluri, home from college for winter break—returned to campus to cheer her on. (Pictured below.)

RECOGNITION

Potluri’s academic excellence and engagement were recognized nationally this fall when she was named a U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. She was one of just 161 students selected nationwide and the top female student in Delaware to receive the award.

“It was nice to know that my high school experience really had an impact,” she says.

In addition to the Presidential Scholarship, Potluri was named a National Merit Scholar Finalist and received Tower Hill’s Trustees’ Award for Academics—fitting recognitions of a student whose Tower Hill journey exemplifies curiosity, balance and purpose.