Sunit Jariwala of East Windsor was recognized by USA Today as one of the top 40 college students in the United States. Mr. Jariwala is a senior at Rutgers.
By: Michael Arges
EAST WINDSOR We honor "All-Americas" in football and basketball. But it could be argued that the real All-Americas in the game of life are those who excel in leadership, helping others and growing intellectually.
His achievements in these important areas propelled East Windsor resident and Rutgers student Sunit Jariwala to recognition by USA Today as one of the top 40 college students in America.
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Rallying students to aid India earthquake victims Almost before the dust had settled from the Jan. 26 earthquake in India, Sunit Jariwala was ready to pitch in to raise money for the victims. Mr. Jariwala worked with other Rutgers students to raise about $16,000 for disaster relief in India through the American Red Cross. Mr. Jariwala, an East Windsor resident and Hightstown High alumnus, is one of the volunteers who responded almost immediately to the Indian earthquake disaster, in which more than 17,000 people died. Named recently by USA Today as one of the top 40 students in the nation, Mr. Jariwala is a pre-med student who founded Rutgers University Community Cares, a community outreach group with an emphasis on the health sciences. "Within the first day, Mr. Jariwala was in our offices getting fund-raising canisters and a letter of credentials that says they were authorized to do fund raising for us," said David Novak, a press spokesman for the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey. "In turn, Mr. Jariwala and other students reached out to the Indian community at Rutgers but also to a much larger community through the Asian Association at Rutgers," Mr. Novak added. They set up collection tables and also arranged for students on university meal plans to donate the cost of some of those meals to the Red Cross for disaster relief in India. "There’s going to be a memorial service for the earthquake victims on Sunday March 25 from noon to 4 p.m. over at Merrill Lynch at Plainsboro," Mr. Novak noted. "This is the community coming together through prayers, some grief counseling just an afternoon of recognizing the efforts of all the people who were involved in the outpouring of concern and showing respect for those who have passed." Though the community response to the earthquake has been admirable, this is just the beginning of the effort to restore the affected region of India, Mr. Novak emphasized. "The money that has been collected is the beginning of a very long road of recovery," he said. All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. To help the victims of this and other disasters, contributions can be made to the American Red Cross International Response Fund by calling (609) 951-8550 or 1-800-HELP-NOW. Contributions to the International Response Fund also may be sent to the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey, 707 Alexander Road, Suite 101, Princeton, N.J. 08540. |
The Feb. 15 edition of the newspaper included Mr. Jariwala on the 2001 All-USA College Academic second team. The newspaper named first, second and third teams, each with 20 members. He was chosen from among 682 undergraduates nominated by colleges and universities in 49 states. Criteria for the award include academic achievement, campus activities, leadership publications, community outreach and concern for other students.
Headed to Robert Wood Johnson Medical School this fall, Mr. Jariwala has compiled an impressive record of academic achievement and leadership in serving the community.
"It’s really important to give back to the community and help others in need. That’s what being a doctor is all about," he said.
Mr. Jariwala takes very seriously the doctor’s role as a servant of the community.
"I’ve always wanted to go into medicine, so it’s very important to get active in the community," he said.
Last year he founded Rutgers University Community Cares, a community service group that involves lots of students headed to the health professions.
"A lot of our members are pre-meds. In one year it’s grown from 100 to about 350 right now," Mr. Jariwala noted.
"We have activities in the projects, in local communities, nursing homes and soup kitchen volunteering."
Group members tutor students in middle schools and visit nursing homes. The group has had a special emphasis on minority issues. It has done a minority bone marrow registration drive, and so far has raised $25,000 for earthquake victims in India through the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey.
Mr. Jariwala was born in Morristown and moved to East Windsor about 11 years ago. He lives on Teal Drive and is a Hightstown High graduate.
"He graduated in 1997, and apparently was an excellent student at the high school, with just about all A’s, with a 4.389 average and ranked fourth in his class out of 279 kids," said Suzanne Harkness, community service coordinator for the East Windsor Regional School District. "So, obviously he was a good student for us as well."
Mr. Jariwala and his father, Pradip, give a lot of credit to Hightstown High School for his success.
"There are great teachers there!" Sunit said.
His father credits guidance counselor Joseph Garrison with encouraging Sunit to live up to his full potential.
"He has really pushed Sunit to go up to the maximum level. He pushed him to do the best!"
Sunit’s father, a health-care consultant, said that Sunit’s interest in medicine stems in part from family connections. His mother, Sahhana, is a research specialist in genetics at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick.
"In my family everyone is a physician, so he picked up that interest, I guess," Pradip Jariwala said.
Sunit’s idealism and zeal for helping others also may have family roots, his father suggested.
"My father, Radilal Jariwala, was a freedom fighter and a follower of Gandhi. He always believed in honest and simple principals of life."