The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs has awarded INTA Senior Andrew Wirt the 2016 Outstanding Undergraduate Award to recognize his impressive academic performance and excellent service to the community. Andrew has taken full advantage of Georgia Tech’s academic opportunities throughout his undergraduate career, but is better known for his compassionate and empathetic nature.
His compassion is perhaps best put in his own words; in Andrew’s official application, he stated:
“There is no award I will ever feel comfortable accepting for doing what I believe is the right thing to do. I feel it is right to make the most of the educational opportunities afforded by me and my parents. I feel it is right to challenge myself beyond my comforts in academic study. And I feel it is the ultimate ethic to exercise compassion in my daily life. My conviction is why I have committed to at least two years as a Teach For America corps member and why I continue to carve out spaces where my opportunity and privilege may serve the public. Where this may lead me in the next five, ten, or fifteen years remains uncertain. So, if the purpose of this award is to reward students for such achievements, please do not award it to me. This award is only meaningful to me as a display of support for the students who I will attempt to inspire in my classroom next year. They are the culmination of my career as an undergraduate at Tech, and they deserve the benefit of all my achievements.”
Referring to Andrew’s nomination, one who knew him said that “he is off the charts in terms of what he has really contributed to the school. …he single handily resuscitated the faltering Model UN program with amazing dedication and leadership. His Rotary scholarship and experience in Norway were exceptional. …he is going to do two years in Teach for America program,where many students of his talents… are going off to work for Consultancies, etc. He is a good person and genuinely cares about the school and his peers and values the education he received here.”
Andrew graduates this May with a BS INTA degree, a 3.96 GPA, multiple honors, and with certificates in European Affairs, Finance and Scenarios, Models and Military Games. He studied abroad twice during his undergraduate career, once as a Rotary Scholar, and gained proficiency in Spanish. Additionally, he held internships with the Georgia House of Representatives, the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education and the Center for European and Transatlantic Studies.
We sincerely congratulate Andrew Wirt for being selected for the 2016 Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award. He received $500 in recognition of his achievements. Congratulations Andrew!
