O∆K Names Sarp Sahin 2026 National Leader of the Year for Academics and Research
Sarp Sahin Awarded 2026 Omicron Delta Kappa National Leader of the Year for Academics and Research
Lexington, VA, May 20, 2026 --(PR.com)-- Sarp Sahin of Plano, Texas, has been named the 2026 Omicron Delta Kappa National Leader of the Year for Academics and Research. Sahin is a 2025 initiate of the Washington and Lee Circle and will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, a minor in Data Science, and a 4.0 GPA.
“I am beyond honored and grateful to Omicron Delta Kappa for selecting me as the 2026 National Leader of the Year for Academics and Research,” Sahin said. “It is incredibly exciting to be recognized by this distinguished community for my potential as a leader and researcher.”
Sahin’s accomplishments include four peer-reviewed publications, four oral presentations, and four poster presentations at national conferences. He has worked as a research intern at the Washington University School of Medicine’s NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center since 2023, conducting research on Parkinson’s Disease, and has completed three additional research internships.
“I am thrilled to recognize Sarp, who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, as the National Leader of the Year for Academics and Research,” Jennifer Waller, O∆K president and CEO, said. “This award celebrates an individual achievement that impacts and influences across our world.”
As founder and president of the Washington and Lee chapter of Remote Area Medical, Sahin provided pre-health students on campus with accessible, hands-on clinical engagement opportunities to supplement their pre-health education.
Sahin was recently selected as a Fulbright scholar and plans to attend the University of Cambridge to pursue a Master of Philosophy in Clinical Neurosciences.
The Omicron Delta Kappa National Leader of the Year Awards recognize up to six outstanding undergraduate student leaders annually. These awards are the Society's highest honors presented to its undergraduate members each year. One student is recognized as the Dougherty winner, and five students are chosen to represent the five pillars of Omicron Delta Kappa: academics and research, communications, athletics, creative and performing arts, and service to campus and community.
About Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa Society, the National Leadership Honor Society, was founded at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, on Dec. 3, 1914. O∆K’s mission is to honor and develop leaders; encourage collaboration among students, faculty, staff, and alumni; and promote O∆K’s ideals of collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, scholarship, and service on college and university campuses throughout North America. The Society’s headquarters are in Lexington, Virginia. For more information about the award and the organization, please visit our website at www.odk.org.
“I am beyond honored and grateful to Omicron Delta Kappa for selecting me as the 2026 National Leader of the Year for Academics and Research,” Sahin said. “It is incredibly exciting to be recognized by this distinguished community for my potential as a leader and researcher.”
Sahin’s accomplishments include four peer-reviewed publications, four oral presentations, and four poster presentations at national conferences. He has worked as a research intern at the Washington University School of Medicine’s NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center since 2023, conducting research on Parkinson’s Disease, and has completed three additional research internships.
“I am thrilled to recognize Sarp, who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, as the National Leader of the Year for Academics and Research,” Jennifer Waller, O∆K president and CEO, said. “This award celebrates an individual achievement that impacts and influences across our world.”
As founder and president of the Washington and Lee chapter of Remote Area Medical, Sahin provided pre-health students on campus with accessible, hands-on clinical engagement opportunities to supplement their pre-health education.
Sahin was recently selected as a Fulbright scholar and plans to attend the University of Cambridge to pursue a Master of Philosophy in Clinical Neurosciences.
The Omicron Delta Kappa National Leader of the Year Awards recognize up to six outstanding undergraduate student leaders annually. These awards are the Society's highest honors presented to its undergraduate members each year. One student is recognized as the Dougherty winner, and five students are chosen to represent the five pillars of Omicron Delta Kappa: academics and research, communications, athletics, creative and performing arts, and service to campus and community.
About Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa Society, the National Leadership Honor Society, was founded at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, on Dec. 3, 1914. O∆K’s mission is to honor and develop leaders; encourage collaboration among students, faculty, staff, and alumni; and promote O∆K’s ideals of collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, scholarship, and service on college and university campuses throughout North America. The Society’s headquarters are in Lexington, Virginia. For more information about the award and the organization, please visit our website at www.odk.org.
Contact
Omicron Delta Kappa
Jennifer Waller
540-458-5335
www.odk.org
Jennifer Waller
540-458-5335
www.odk.org
Contact
Categories