Portrait of Hailey Stagg.
APRIL 14, 2022 | BY NATE PROCTOR
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, Neil Walia moved to California to become a medical resident at the University of California, Davis. Neil graduated with his bachelor’s in psychology from OU in 2015. While in President’s Community Scholars, he learned the importance of being a servant leader—something he still uses today as a physician. We met with Neil to see what he has been up to since PCS.
Q: How did PCS impact your undergraduate experience?
Neal: To say PCS was a central part of my undergraduate experience at OU would be an understatement. Not only did PCS provide me with an immediate sense of community in a new environment, but the mentors I found through this program taught me the importance of being a servant leader — a quality I still hold in high regard today.
Q: How did your experience in PCS and education at OU prepare you for life after you graduated?
Neal: The projects and programs I participated in throughout my time in PCS provided opportunities to sharpen my leadership and communication skills while experiencing the fulfillment of giving back to my local community. These experiences created stable building blocks to continue these qualities in my daily life, whether it’s the confidence to lead a medical team or the desire to extend the extra mile for my patients.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to the current and incoming PCS classes?
Neal: Always embrace new experiences and take time to reflect on the lessons you can learn from them.
Q: What inspires you most about your work?
Neal: As a physician, you often find yourself with the opportunity to play a central role during a major event in the life of a patient and their family. Often, this may be when your patient is in their most vulnerable state. In addition to providing medical care, addressing the emotional aspect of a hospital admission/diagnosis and stepping into that central role provides a deeper level of care. I find fulfillment in navigating and alleviating the nuance of a patient’s fear and concern.
President’s Community Scholars is composed of students who want to make a difference in their community. President Joseph Harroz Jr. recognizes the community service efforts of our high school's best and brightest scholars through the President's Community Scholars scholarship. Administered by the Office of Leadership and Volunteerism from the Division of Student Affairs, PCS provides high-achieving high school students with the best possible freshman experience through service to local, state, and global communities.
