Biomed, scholarship, leadership, research. Repeat.

These are just a few words that describe Anitvir Taunque’s everyday mindset. At Ohio State, his nonstop pursuit of knowledge and leadership has earned him some of the highest honors the university can give. A Truman Scholar, Buckeye Leadership Fellow,  Stamps Eminence Scholar and recipient of the President’s Buckeye Accelerator, it is clear that Anitvir’s ambitions have turned into achievements.

For Anitvir, becoming a physician is the dream. Drawn to Ohio State’s rigorous Biomedical Science Program, he sought an academic environment that would challenge him while also allowing him to make an impact beyond the classroom. Even with demanding coursework, he found ways to balance his college experience by channeling his interests into making a difference. A main focus for him came in the form of educating his community on health literacy.

Determined to bridge the gap between medicine and community education, he helped start up ServUS, a volunteering organization dedicated to improving public health awareness. He is also the founder and co-president of Red Saree, a nonprofit addressing heart disease in South Asian populations.

While Anitvir’s growing involvement and passion provided a strong sense of purpose, his freshman year was also marked by an unforeseen personal challenge. Anitvir went back and forth from school when a mentor became ill, at times sidelining academics to be at his side.

While Anitvir acknowledges it was a difficult experience, it taught him that some moments in life require a shift in priorities. The experience, while emotionally taxing, strengthened his resilience and deepened his commitment to medicine, a field where perseverance and compassion are vital. It also shaped his vision of the kind of physician he hopes to become and made him deeply grateful for the support of his fellow Buckeyes that stood by him.

“Everything that I did from that point on, I did because I knew I really wanted to do it. I saw an impact down the line. It wasn’t just something I was doing for the sake of doing it.”

That mindset led him to receive the Truman Scholarship, a highly competitive award that recognizes outstanding leadership and public service. He credits his experiences, both academic and personal, for preparing him for the opportunity.

For Anitvir, being a Buckeye is about all the connections you make and being a part of a network that supports and inspires. As he continues the road to medicine, he’s not just focused on the science of healing but on the people and communities he hopes to serve.

Anitvir on his Ohio State experience: “I can never walk through the (Ohio) Union without meeting somebody I already know, and I think that’s amazing because with a campus of about 60,000-plus students, somehow, I keep running into the people that I call my friends and my family. It really makes Ohio State feel so much smaller and so much more tightly knit.”

His advice to students: “When you look down the line, and see failure or fear, jump in anyways. I truly think you can’t lose. Either you’ll win and get exactly what you wanted out of it, or you’ll get a lesson that will translate to future success.”