Senior is Named Presidential Scholar
Barbara Xiong '17 has been named one of two Presidential Scholars in Tennessee.
Established in 1964 by the President, this national program recognizes our nation's most distinguished seniors, inviting them to Washington, D.C. on an expenses paid trip for the National Recognition Program.
Barbara came to USN as a freshman, making the switch from Woodland Middle School. Next year she will attend Duke University, where she plans to study computer science while also preparing for medical school. ("All my family are doctors," Barbara says.) She is interested in Artificial Intelligence and machine learning and wants to explore their possibilities in medicine.
Last summer she worked in Dr. Dan Beauchamp's lab at Vanderbilt University, studying a tumor suppressor and how it affected intestinal carcinogenesis.
Presidential Scholars are allowed to choose their most inspiring teacher to accompany them on the trip, and Barbara has selected math teacher Dr. Justin Fitzpatrick. When she was a sophomore, she enrolled in his Malone Schools Online Course Advanced Abstract Math II, which offered "lots more proof-based math as opposed to computational."
Not only does Barbara love, and shine in, math and science, she is a visual artist, an accomplished pianist, and a remarkable writer. Her English teacher says, "Her creative writing project was exceptional--a carefully curated collection of poems in tight, challenging forms, with vivid image and detail."
High school head Quinton Walker says, "Barbara is most deserving of this highest academic honor. She is fiercely intellectual, extraordinarily curious, and relentlessly passionate about myriad academic pursuits. Each of us at USN is fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend time with her -- our classrooms and our own teaching crafts are better by virtue of her presence. We look forward to all of what she continues to do as her talents mature at Duke University and beyond."
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Barbara came to USN as a freshman, making the switch from Woodland Middle School. Next year she will attend Duke University, where she plans to study computer science while also preparing for medical school. ("All my family are doctors," Barbara says.) She is interested in Artificial Intelligence and machine learning and wants to explore their possibilities in medicine.
Last summer she worked in Dr. Dan Beauchamp's lab at Vanderbilt University, studying a tumor suppressor and how it affected intestinal carcinogenesis.
Presidential Scholars are allowed to choose their most inspiring teacher to accompany them on the trip, and Barbara has selected math teacher Dr. Justin Fitzpatrick. When she was a sophomore, she enrolled in his Malone Schools Online Course Advanced Abstract Math II, which offered "lots more proof-based math as opposed to computational."
Not only does Barbara love, and shine in, math and science, she is a visual artist, an accomplished pianist, and a remarkable writer. Her English teacher says, "Her creative writing project was exceptional--a carefully curated collection of poems in tight, challenging forms, with vivid image and detail."
High school head Quinton Walker says, "Barbara is most deserving of this highest academic honor. She is fiercely intellectual, extraordinarily curious, and relentlessly passionate about myriad academic pursuits. Each of us at USN is fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend time with her -- our classrooms and our own teaching crafts are better by virtue of her presence. We look forward to all of what she continues to do as her talents mature at Duke University and beyond."
More USN News
List of 3 news stories.
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Remembering Cassandra Teague Walker '67
Peabody Demonstration School's first African-American graduate passed away September 3, 2025. Cassandra Teague Walker '67 returned to her alma mater many times to share her experiences with young students and is featured on the 21st Avenue garage mural.Read More -
5 USN students named National Merit Semifinalists
The National Merit Scholarship Program honors seniors whose PSAT scores show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Congratulations to seniors Darcy Dove, Finch Fleming, Evan Giles, Ismaeel Moskinzada, and Lin Zheng for this honor.Read More -
Clear, restock your shelves during Fall Book Frenzy
Thank you to the many families, faculty, and staff who have donated their pre-loved books, games, and puzzles for resale. USNA continues to accept donations. Fall Book Frenzy takes place Thursday, September 25 through Saturday, September 27 in Cheek Gym. This annual used book sale benefits the Hassenfeld Library.Read More
Contact
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
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.
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.