Two incoming College of Education students in the Class of 2030 have been named Forty Acres Scholars by the Texas Exes. Since 2011, the Forty Acres Scholars Program has been The University of Texas at Austin’s premier merit-based, full-ride scholarship, recognizing exceptional students for their academic achievement and leadership.
Anirudh Medicherla
Anirudh Medicherla of Denton, Texas, is the recipient of the Stamps Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, Medicherla conducted exercise physiology research at the University of North Texas Applied Physiology Laboratory, where he conducted human performance testing on elite athletes and co-authored research presentations for the International Journal of Strength and Conditioning.
He also served on the executive board of Helping Other People Everywhere, supervising 17 volunteer committees that provided weekly service opportunities. In this role, he helped raise more than $65,000 for charities including Save the Children and Project HOPE, and organized blood drives that collected 800 units of blood, potentially saving up to 2,400 lives.
Medicherla also founded the Science-Based Fitness Education Platform, building an online community of more than 17,000 followers by translating exercise physiology and sports science research into clear, evidence-based guidance on training and recovery.
His awards and honors include a $4,500 Undergraduate Research Fellowship from UNT, awarded through a competitive faculty selection process; presenting findings on alcohol biomarker variability at UNT Scholars Day 2026; placing ninth worldwide in the International Biology Battle for advanced problem-solving in biology and human physiology; and earning Gold Scholar recognition in the International Logic Olympiad, awarded to the top 5% for excellence in symbolic logic and deductive reasoning.
Medicherla plans to major in Exercise Science with a minor in Analytics and Business of Sports. His other interests include human physiology and research in sports medicine and high-performance athletics, particularly athlete care, injury prevention and health communication.
Annie Tsang
Annie Tsang of Bellaire, Texas, is the recipient of the Texas Exes Baytown Chapter Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Bellaire High School, Tsang worked as a physical therapy intern at Pace Chiropractic and Physical Therapy, where she guided patients through exercises and assisted with treatments, gaining hands-on clinical experience.
She also served as vice president of the Crochet and Knitting Club, coordinating lessons at senior living communities and elementary schools while leading weekly meetings focused on instruction and community service, including the creation of 15 crochet blankets and care packages for hospitalized patients.
Tsang was also marketing chief of the Bellaire Carillon yearbook where she managed marketing campaigns and collaborated with team members to secure more than $55,000 in sponsorships over three years for yearbook production.
Her awards and honors include being named an AP Scholar with Distinction; earning third place in the National History Day Senior Group Website competition; and receiving the Jane Gee Memorial Scholarship from the Gee Family Association Education Fund in recognition of her leadership and community service.
Tsang plans to major in Exercise Science with a minor in Business Foundations and earn a certificate in Ethics & Leadership in Health Care.
A version of this story featuring all 22 Forty Acres Scholars from across the University originally appeared on the Texas Exes website.
