When New Hyde Park Memorial High School salutatorian Parth Trivedi was considering what major to pursue in college, his father had a simple suggestion.
Dharmendra Trivedi, who teaches mathematics at a middle school in New York City, encouraged Parth to select a profession in which he could do good for others.
Parth Trivedi took his suggestion and will now prepare for a career in medicine when he starts attending Cornell University this fall.
“It’s a good profession and you get to help people,” Trivedi said.
It’s something Trivedi said he’s been considering for a long time, but he reached a final decision about it this year.
“It’s been in my mind for a while. I wasn’t really serious about until this year,” he said. “I’ve always been interested in how the body works and I really enjoy all the sciences, so it seemed the right thing to go for.
After compiling an impressive 101.3 average at New Hyde Park – grade point average isn’t rated on a four-point scale at the high school – Trivedi is considering a major in chemical engineering on a pre-med track. He’s hoping to place into some high level courses at Cornell for AP credit to accelerate his studies.
Helping people is nothing new to the Memorial High’s salutatorian.
Since his freshman year, he’s been a member of the school’s Service League, serving as its secretary for the past year.
“It’s just helping out around school and we raise money every year for a summer camp for kids with cancer,” he said.
President of the school’s National Honor Society chapter, Trivedi was also on the Mathletes team through his junior year, becoming the team’s second highest scorer.
Trivedi also was captain of the Quiz Bowl team for the L.I. Challenge in senior year, a competition that pits teams of students from different high schools in academic competitions on the MSG Varsity Channel.
During his senior year, he’s been attending Saturday classes in a science honors program at Columbia University.
“It was a just a fun thing and you get to meet new people there,” he said.
Trivedi started learning to play the viola in seventh grade and played the instrument in the New Hyde Park Memorial Orchestra through his succeeding years in high school.
In his free time, he said he enjoys reading fantasy fiction, listening to music and playing handball and video games.
This summer, he plans to spend time with family and friends before starting his studies at Cornell.
“I’m trying to take this summer a little relaxed,” Trivedi said.
Orientation at Cornell starts Aug. 17 and he said he may sign up for pre-orientation programs.
