Melvin visits India Tata scholars

Lee Melvin meets Tata scholars
Provided
Lee H. Melvin, left, speaks with Tata scholar Tanvi Chedda, center, and her parents, Chandrika and Dhiren Chedda, while Cornell alumnus Anuj Bhagwati '91, M.S. '94, looks on.

In his first international trip for the university, Lee H. Melvin, Cornell's associate vice provost for enrollment, met with five Tata scholars and their families in Mumbai, India, April 1, at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. The Tata Scholarship for Students from India was established in 2008 by India's Tata Group to help attract that country's best and brightest students to Cornell each year, regardless of financial circumstances. Also attending the Tata Scholars Recognition Luncheon were Cornell alumni and representatives from the Tata Education and Development Trust, the philanthropic entity of India's Tata Group that is responsible for the scholarship program.

In the evening, Melvin attended an event for 17 students from Mumbai who have been admitted to Cornell and their families.

He attended a similar outreach event for admitted students in New Delhi, India, April 3 before meeting with alumni and a representative of EducationUSA in Turkey to discuss and identify strategic recruitment efforts to increase Cornell's visibility in Turkey's rapidly growing market for higher education.

"We are trying to broaden the diversity of our student body by making sure we have international representation from all over the world," Melvin said, "from China, India and Korea as well as from such areas as Turkey, Europe, England, Latin America, parts of the Middle East and Africa." Melvin said that the recruitment efforts of the staff from the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid require that they travel to areas where the university is seeking to expand its diversity outreach efforts.

Ratan Tata '59, B.Arch. '62, is chairman of Tata Sons Ltd., the holding company of the Tata Group, and one of Cornell's most eminent alumni.

 

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