AUI Announces 2026 Scholarship Recipients

Ten high school students receive award for academic achievement, community involvement and leadership skills

Below are the recipients of the 2026 AUI Scholarship conducted by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. These students will each receive an award of $3,500 per year to aid in defraying expenses at the college or university of their choice.

Brianna Bates

Brianna Bates is a senior at Fluvanna County High School in Palmyra, Virginia. Brianna is a cheerleader, a book club leader, a Sources of Support group member and she plays the clarinet in the FCHS Concert Band.

As a freshman, she was selected for the competitive academic program, Blue Ridge Virginia Governor’s School. As a participant of this regional program for academically motivated, high ability high school students, Brianna had the opportunity to take a class called “Exploration of Careers in Healthcare.” That class opened her eyes to the world of maternal health, including some of the race-based disparities in maternal health outcomes. She was motivated to learn more and this became the focal point for her senior capstone project which included shadowing professionals in the field and community service. The more she researched for her capstone project, “Maternal Health and Mortality,” the more she was inspired to pursue becoming a nurse practitioner specializing in midwifery.

Brianna is the daughter of Jennifer Bates. She will attend Shenandoah University in the fall. She has been accepted into the BSN/MSN program and is excited to begin her journey in the medical field.

Thomas Beasley

Thomas Beasley was born on August 4, 2008, in Boulder, Colorado. He moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, in July 2013. He attended Greer Elementary, Jouett Middle School and is now a senior at Albemarle High School.

Thomas has played varsity lacrosse for four years and is captain of his senior team. Throughout high school he was a member of several community service clubs, while keeping his 4.15 GPA. Thomas enjoys being active with friends, playing golf and being in nature.

Thomas plans to attend James Madison University where he will major in business.  He is the son of Anthony and Anne Beasley.

Kenneth Bragg

Kenneth Bragg is a graduating senior at Albemarle High School in Charlottesville, Virginia. Kenneth began taking college classes this year and will be transitioning to full-time status at PVCC where he will major in physical and natural sciences. He plans to transfer to a four-year college afterwards to pursue undergraduate and graduate studies in paleontology.

Kenneth is the stepson of Lindsay Bragg, who works as a benefits administrator at NRAO. Lindsay has been with the NRAO Human Resources team since April 2024.

Mackenzie Dessert

Mackenzie Dessert is a senior at Albemarle High School in Charlottesville, Virginia, and will be attending Randolph College in the fall. Paired with an interest in helping others gain confidence and knowledge developed during her time as a peer tutor, Mackenzie’s enthusiasm for young learners has led her to pursue a degree in education with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher.

Outside the classroom, Mackenzie enjoys creative writing, especially poetry. She also served as treasurer of her school’s LGBTQIA+ club during her freshman and sophomore years, helping support student-led initiatives and strengthen a welcoming, inclusive community. Never one to let a crisis have the last word, she has become an advocate for adolescent mental health and has organized local events that seek to bring people together for reflection, connection and awareness following the loss of a close friend and peer.

As she continues her studies in education, Mackenzie hopes to build a classroom where young students feel supported, encouraged and excited to learn. She looks forward to developing her skills and making a positive impact in her future school community.

Mackenzie is the daughter of Carlie Rowlands, senior budget manager at ALMA. Carlie has been with NRAO since July 2023.

Isaac Jennings

Isaac Jennings is a senior at Albemarle High School in Charlottesville, Virginia. At Albemarle he participates in numerous musical ensembles, and plays drum set and various other percussive instruments. As a part of the Albemarle Band program, he became the drum captain and section leader of the drumline in the marching band and had the honor of participating in the prestigious All Virginia Jazz Ensemble as the drum set player.

Aside from music, Isaac has participated in the Boy Scouts of America where he became an Eagle Scout and a Brotherhood member of scouting’s national honor society, the Order of the Arrow. His project benefited the local baseball league, building stairs up to a press box. Baseball has always been a part of his life, playing, from tee ball to four years on the Albemarle Baseball team.

In the future, Isaac plans to major in business at James Madison University and intends to pursue music.

Isaac is the son of Jason and Amy Jennings. Jason is the head of observatory budgets and has worked at NRAO since 2009.

Anja Lehmensiek

Anja Lehmensiek is a senior at Western Albemarle High School in Crozet, Virginia. Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, she moved to the United States at the start of her freshman year and has since made a strong impact both academically and within her school community.

Throughout high school, Anja has been a dedicated multi-season athlete, competing in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. She has consistently qualified for regionals in the 500-meter event during indoor track and has also competed in the 400-meter and 800-meter events, as well as the 4×400-meter and 4×800-meter relays in outdoor track. In addition, she has been an active member of her school’s mountain biking team since the end of her freshman year, regularly placing in the top 10 in the state in her category each season. Her leadership and commitment to her teammates have earned her the role of team captain.

Beyond athletics, Anja has been deeply involved in the arts and academics. She has participated in her high school musical for three of her four years and is a member of the National Honor Society. She has also demonstrated a strong commitment to helping others as a peer tutor, volunteering weekly before and during school throughout her senior year.

Anja is passionate about giving back to her community. She has served as a junior volunteer at UVA Hospital during both summer and winter breaks, dedicating many hours to supporting patients and staff. Through her diverse involvement in athletics, service and the arts, she has developed a strong work ethic, leadership skills and a commitment to making a positive impact.

Anja is the daughter of Robert Lehmensiek. Robert is a scientist and has been with the NRAO since 2022.

Kavi Masters

Kavi Masters is a senior at Tandem Friends School in Charlottesville, Virginia. Throughout high school, his interests included Science Olympiad, Model UN, managing the Soccer and Lacrosse teams, and participating in Latin club. He took various AP classes, including US History, US Government, and Calculus. For his senior project, Kavi learned the history and techniques of cooking South Indian food. He also started an Indian Food Club.

Outside of school, Kavi is a dedicated employee of a local pizza restaurant, and he loves spending time with his family, his dog Comet and his cat Bagel. Largely through Science Olympiad, Kavi developed a passion for engineering, which he will continue to pursue at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Kavi is the son of Joe and Latha Masters and has a younger brother, Sachin. Joe leads the Science Support and Archive Group in the Data Management and Software Division. He joined NRAO in 2009.

Loxleigh Miller

Loxleigh Miller is a senior at Horizon High School in Winter Garden, Florida. Graduating in the top 10 of a class of over 700 students, she earned a weighted GPA of 5.25 and membership in the National Honor Society. In addition to her high school achievements, Loxleigh simultaneously completed an Associate of Arts degree from Valencia College, earning recognition on the President’s List each semester attended.

Beyond the classroom, Loxleigh has demonstrated a deep commitment to serving her community, completing over 1,000 volunteer hours. Her service includes meaningful contributions at an Orlando Health hospital, leadership as captain of the athletic training team, and active involvement in her church. These experiences have strengthened her compassion, discipline and ability to serve others with empathy.

Loxleigh was accepted into the summer program at Johns Hopkins University, and completed an on-campus college course in anatomy, physiology and disease. She further combines her passion for advocacy and communication in her role as social media coordinator for Morgan’s Message, where she helps raise awareness for student-athlete mental health.

Looking ahead, Loxleigh has been accepted into the pre-med program at the University of South Florida. She aspires to attend medical school and pursue a career as a fetal surgeon, driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact on the lives of mothers and their unborn children.

Loxleigh is the daughter of Wesley and Renda Miller. Wesley is an MIS systems administrator IV and has worked at NRAO since 2011.

Maya Jacques

Maya Jacques is a senior at Western Albemarle High School in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she maintains a 4.621 weighted GPA and is an AP Scholar with Distinction and a National Rural and Small Town Scholar. She is co-vice president of the ‘We the People’ Civics Team, contributing over 150 hours to constitutional research, public speaking and mentoring. Maya helped lead her team to Regional Championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and earned a Top Scoring Unit award at Regionals. In addition to serving as a judge for Henley Middle School’s ‘We the People’ program.

Maya has gained professional experience as a legal intern at Shields Law Firm. She is also active in her community, volunteering with the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA and supporting local civic initiatives. Maya works at both University Village and Farmbell Kitchen, where she has developed strong communication and service skills. Maya plans to pursue studies in law, political science, or international relations.

Maya is the daughter of Christophe Jacques, a senior engineer at the CDL in Charlottesville.

Gurmat Saini

Gurmat Saini is a senior at Western Albemarle High School in Crozet, Virginia, where he maintains a 4.7 weighted GPA. Throughout high school, he has undertaken a rigorous curriculum including various AP courses, honors, and dual enrollment classes in a variety of subjects such as science, mathematics, as well as arts & languages. After graduating from high school, he plans to join the College of William & Mary as a Posse Scholar and pursue a major in chemistry while following a pre-med track.

Since sixth grade, Gurmat has participated avidly in Scouting BSA, where he earned his Eagle rank in March 2025. His Eagle Scout Project benefited the local Crozet trails, where he built and installed signage and trail benches in underdeveloped and newer sections of the trails. Additionally, Gurmat is a member of the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s official honor society. He has also been a dedicated member of the Western Albemarle High School Robotics Club for the past four years and served as a team leader during his sophomore year. He is a member of the school’s Math, English, and Science honor societies, and is serving as an officer in the English honor society during his senior year. Gurmat is also a member of the National Honor Society. He has been a member of his school’s marching and symphonic band for the past four years as a tuba and sousaphone player. Gurmat has a strong interest in global affairs and has participated in Model United Nations since sixth grade, attending conferences at both the College of William & Mary and the University of Virginia several times over the years.

He has also demonstrated a commitment to community service through more than 200 volunteer hours across three summers as a junior volunteer at the University of Virginia’s Medical Center Hospital. For the past five years, he has also been a volunteer at the Crozet local library. Following his interest in the medical field, he is taking the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class at school and is currently Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) certified and expects to obtain his EMT certification soon. In recognition of his leadership and achievements, he was nominated by his school as a candidate for the Posse Scholarship, a full-tuition scholarship to the College of William & Mary. In his free time, Gurmat enjoys reading, traveling, camping, playing basketball, and cheering on the Seattle Seahawks.

Gurmat is the son of Kamaljeet Saini and Harnavleen Saggi. Kamaljeet is a Dep. AD at the Central Development Laboratory in Charlottesville, Virginia, and has been at NRAO since 2002.