MSA grad earns scholarship

A high school graduate with a dream to become a neurosurgeon has won a scholarship.

Manasa Kanneganti, who graduated from the Math and Science Academy this year and lives in Woodbury, won the $1,500 scholarship from the Courage Center in Minneapolis.

Kanneganti plans to attend Boston University Medical School and hopes to help people with spinal cord and brain injuries after completing her seven-year medical degree.

Kanneganti won the Empower scholarship from the Courage Center — which treats people with brain and spinal cord injuries, stroke, chronic pain and autism — on the strength of her more than 400 hours of voluntary service in the community, including 200 hours at the Woodwinds Health Campus.

Her time in the emergency room and in surgery at Woodwinds confirmed her dream to work in medicine.

“I really like it,” said Kanneganti. “It made me even more excited to become a doctor — it didn’t change my mind one bit.

“I liked the people interaction I got there, and it was a lot of fun.”

In addition to her time at Woodwinds, Kanneganti also volunteered at the House of Charity in Minneapolis, and Feed My Starving Children.

Tags: education, kanneganti, math, science, scholarship, woodbury