PFF Scholar Spotlight: Neha Marzan

For Neha Marzan, 2024 recipient of the Dr. Kristine Bennett Honorary Scholarship, studyingabroad in Seoul, South Korea during the Summer of 2026 was an opportunity to experiencea new culture while expanding her academic perspective.

Neha is a rising senior at Princeton University and a Neuroscience major. She spent thesummer at Yonsei University through the Yonsei International Summer School, where shetook classes in Machine Learning and Korean Architecture alongside more than 2,000 students from around the world.

One of her favorite parts of the experience was getting to know Seoul through its food,people, and events. She especially enjoyed exploring less crowded parts of the city,discovering small food stalls, and connecting with local owners. She also loved meetingfriends from around the world and learning from their experiences.

Looking ahead, Neha plans to take a gap year to pursue public health work before earninga Master of Public Health. She hopes to learn more about how illness affects differentpopulations and how innovative approaches can help reduce healthcare inequities.

For future Peirano Family Foundation scholarship applicants, Neha encourages studentsto tell their story and show how they see the world. She also reminds students to givethemselves grace, create their own path, and not compare their college experience toanyone else’s.

“College is a wonderful time in our lives but it also pushes us to grow in ways we’ve neverexperienced before. I know it can be difficult not to compare yourself to other people’sexperiences and expectations. I think setting your own goals for how you want your collegeexperience to end up is incredibly important, and not to compare it with anyone else’s.Rather than setting yourselves up with different expectations, take it one day at a time, andenjoy the whole experience for its highs and lows.” – Neha Marzan