A Florida State University student has been selected for a national civil rights and public policy program, joining a network of emerging leaders committed to advancing social change.
Shiv Patel, a sophomore majoring in exercise physiology on the pre-med track, is one of five undergraduate and five graduate students selected from around the country as a scholar in this year’s cohort of the John Robert Lewis Scholars & Fellows Program.
The program brings together student leaders for a yearlong experience centered on civil rights, public policy and community engagement. Scholars participate in immersive programming, including fully funded trips and a Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage, where they explore key sites of the Civil Rights Movement and engage with leaders in government, business and nonprofit sectors.
The program is named for the late Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights leader known for his lifelong commitment to nonviolent activism and public service.
“A lot of my passion came from growing up in the capital, being around healthcare legislation and knowing people that are affected by it.”
– Shiv Patel
At FSU, Patel has built a strong foundation in both research and public health leadership. He serves as president of the Student Health Advisory Committee and as health services director within Student Government. In these roles, he works to promote student wellness initiatives and improve access to health resources on campus.
Patel has also conducted oncology research under the mentorship of Jerome Irianto, assistant professor at the College of Medicine, and has worked as a medical assistant in Tallahassee, including at FSU PrimaryHealth and at Florida Cancer Specialists, where he gained experience serving underserved populations.
A Tallahassee native, Patel credits his upbringing and exposure to healthcare systems in the region as key influences on his career goals.
“I was a medical assistant with FSU PrimaryHealth, a clinic that serves underserved communities, and working with them gave me a lot of direct exposure to patients in underprivileged conditions,” Patel said. “A lot of my passion came from growing up in the capital, being around healthcare legislation and knowing people that are affected by it.”
Through the John Robert Lewis Scholars & Fellows Program, Patel will engage in a project and collaborate with peers and mentors across disciplines. He plans to focus his work on improving healthcare access in rural communities and exploring how clinical innovation and policy can reduce disparities in care delivery.
“The program focuses on civil rights and policy activism. We will go on a pilgrimage to different cities in the Southeast to learn more about the legacy of Congressman Lewis and his opinions on activism philosophy,” Patel said. “They also put us in contact with their alumni network, which has done a lot of things both in terms of public policy and healthcare policy. There’s been physicians who have been Lewis Scholars and have focused their advocacy around non-violent principles, specifically on civil rights.”
Patel also was one of four FSU students to recently receive the 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholarship, a national honor recognizing outstanding sophomores and juniors pursuing research careers in the science, engineering and mathematics fields.
After graduating, Patel plans to attend medical school and pursue a career as a physician-scientist focusing on improving access to equitable care through healthcare technologies and policy solutions.