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Emory’s Asmita Lehther named Bobby Jones scholar
The Indian-origin student is among four selected for the scholarship.
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Anushka Pathak - Sun, 22, Mar 2026
- 04:41 EDT
- 17
Asmita Lehther / Courtesy: LinkedIn
Emory College of Arts and Sciences senior, Indian-origin Asmita Lehther has been named one of four 2026 Robert T. Jones Jr. Scholars.
The recognition includes a fully funded year of graduate study at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
ALSO READ: 3 Indian-origin faculty named finalists for Illinois’ teaching award
The scholarship, established in 1976 in honor of Bobby Jones, has supported more than 400 students and will mark its 50th anniversary in 2027. Scholars may study without pursuing a degree, though all four selected for 2026 plan to complete master’s programs aligned with their academic work and leadership experience.
Lehther joins Claire Burkhardt, Josh Grand, and Yurok Song in the cohort selected from 36 applicants based on academic achievement, character, and integrity, according to Joanne Brzinski, director of the Bobby Jones Program and senior associate dean for Emory College.
L-R: Asmita Lehther, Yurok Song, Claire Burkhardt, and Josh Grand, the four recipients of for the Robert T. Jones Jr. Scholarship / Courtesy: Avery D. Spalding, EmoryBrzinski said selecting scholars is consistently challenging, noting that this year’s applicants were “beyond exceptional” and that the chosen cohort reflects strong academic performance, community impact, and a commitment to making a broader difference.
Lehther has demonstrated leadership across Emory’s Oxford College and Atlanta campus, particularly in advocacy for sexual assault survivors and public health policy. She is a Robert W. Woodruff Scholar and will graduate in May with a bachelor of arts in human health and political science.
She served as president of the Sexual Assault Peer Advocate group at Oxford and continued the role on the Atlanta campus. At Oxford, she led student government legislation requiring training in sexual assault awareness and bystander intervention, later expanding similar initiatives in Atlanta, including the “Safe Greek” program focused on survivor support and resource access.
During her first year, Lehther secured US $100,000 in grants to install campus health access vending machines, improving availability of essential supplies and over-the-counter medications.
Her academic work includes an honors thesis examining how gender assumptions in policy discourse affect public support for sexual violence survivors, as well as research on immigration rhetoric and public perception. She has also conducted research in clinical and behavioral health settings at Emory.
Lehther has completed internships with the Governor’s Office of Georgia and Department of Health, The Carter Center, New American Pathways, and the U.S. Department of Health’s Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, focusing on public policy and mental health initiatives.
At St Andrews, she will pursue a master’s degree in public policy with a focus on health policy, with long-term plans to work in global health policy and advocacy for sexual assault survivors.
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