Collin ’25 earns UVA’s prestigious Jefferson Scholarship

The senior has been awarded one of the most highly selective merit scholarships in the nation, making it two consecutive years that University of Virginia has selected a USN student for a full ride covering the cost of instruction, housing, and meals.
The Jefferson Scholars Foundation at the University of Virginia selected Collin Chan ’25 as one of 36 recipients of the Jefferson Scholarship.
 
In order to be named a Jefferson Scholar, candidates must undergo a rigorous, highly competitive, multistage selection process. First, they are nominated by their high schools or affiliated organizations based on their demonstrated excellence and exceptional potential in the areas of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. Once nominated, the students go through at least one round of regional interviews. If selected as a regional finalist, students are then invited to participate in a final round of interviews. This year, over 2,500 students were nominated for the Scholarship, and nearly 150 finalists were invited to take part in remote interviews conducted by UVA alumni and faculty.
 
The 36 selected recipients of the 2025 Jefferson Scholarship boast a number of significant achievements and Collin is no exception. During his time at University School of Nashville, Collin was also named a National Merit Scholarship Corporation semifinalists, among less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and one of the highest-scoring PSAT entrants in Tennessee. As Vice President of the HS Coding Club, he helped bring the first hackathon in Nashville for high schoolers to USN. He also has been a member of the school’s regional-winning Science Olympiad team and placed third in the biomedical sciences category for his poster  “Fusion Pro: A Recurrent Neural Network-Based Program to Accelerate Construction of Fusion Proteins Toward Drug Discovery" at the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium after presenting his work to an audience of military researchers and generals.

Collin will join a cohort of 153 Scholars currently funded by the Foundation at UVA, as well as a community of more than 1,000 Scholar alumni. In addition to receiving the full cost of attending the University for four years, Jefferson Scholars benefit from a number of enrichment programs sponsored by the Foundation, including travel abroad, career networking activities, and a leadership speaker series. 

Margot Ross '24 was USN’s last UVA Jefferson Scholar. 

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More USN News

List of 3 news stories.

  • Henry Knowles ’26 delivers the Commencement address on Sunday, May 17 on the Back Lawn.

    USN graduates 98 plus 1 during Commencement

    Seniors turned their tassels and graduated from University School of Nashville on Sunday, May 17, on the Back Lawn. Visit usn.org/classof2026 for more highlights from their last year on Edgehill and to learn what they will do next.
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  • Spring sports season ends with podium finishes, trophies

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  • Interim Director Juliet Douglas roars with laughter as students hold photos of her on sticks during the High School Awards Assembly on Friday, May 8 in Durnan Auditorium.

    USN creates the Juliet Douglas Endowed Fund for Student Success

    For the entire USN community: an invitation to give in gratitude, in celebration, and in honor of the woman who has given so much to our school. Make a gift at usn.org/giving to support students with needs beyond tuition and honor Interim Director Juliet Douglas.
    Read More
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University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.