Pursing a future in medicine

Name: Connor Harshany
Telephone: 716-807-9640

About Connor Harshany

My Lifelong Dream

I was only seven years old, but I knew what I wanted to do in the future. My parents bought me a human body science toy which came with a book about the organs and a model that you could take out the squishy organs and reassemble them in the body frame. I loved it and read every word multiple times. I would tell everyone who would listen all about each organ, where it went, and what it did. It was my favorite toy. My parents talked me into trying hockey by promising me the brain model next if I gave it a try. From that point forward, I knew I wanted to be some type of doctor. I have spent summers, volunteering at local hospitals and have even shadowed a general surgeon. Now, in AP Biology, the passion has not disappeared, but it has grown.

STATS:

School: Nichols School, Buffalo NY

Grad Year: 2026

Unweighted GPA: 4.02

Sports: 3 Varsity Letters

AP Courses: 9 (as of 11th grade)

Academics: Highest Honors every quarter

SAT:

Academics

Courses Grade

AP Seminar............................. A

AP Biology ...............................A+

AP Statistics .............................A

Advanced Chemistry................A+

AP Research .............................A

AP French 4 ............................. A-

AP World History .................... A

AP Computer Science ............. A

AP US History........................... A+

Advanced Physics .................. A

Advanced French 3 ................. A

Advanced French 5.................. A

Advanced World History 1...... A

Advanced Literature ................A

Advanced Geometry.................A

American Literature ................ A

Survey of the Arts.....................A

Intro to Computer Programming...A

Advanced Wind Symphony.......A+

UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO (UB)

Gifted Math Program (7th-10th grade)....A

MATH 141 (CALC 1) ...................... ........A

MATH 142 (CALC 2)........................in progress

Awards

Outstanding Musician Award

French Horn

Sports Awards

-Player of the Game: Varsity Soccer

-Most Improved Player: JV Soccer

-Most Improved Player: Varsity Track

-Most Improved Player: Varsity Soccer

Volunteering

I have spent two summers volunteering at Buffalo General Hospital and Oishei Women's and Children’s Hospital.

-At Buffalo General Hospital, I spent 152 hours in the Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy department. My duties were reading the daily schedule, transporting patients, retrieving supplies, helping patients get comfortable, and completing various requests from the therapists.

-At Oishei Women's and Children's Hospital, I spent 44 hours in the Neurology Department and Information/Traffic Desk. My duties in the Neurology Department consisted of office work such as sorting, creating, and filing paperwork, preparing rooms for patients, and directing patients and visitors to various areas of the hospital. I had the opportunity to interact with various medical personnel and patients.

-Nichols Peer Tutoring - I have also been part of the peer tutoring at my school for two years. I would come into school early once a week to help students with homework and study for tests in various subjects.

-Various Activities - I have spent some time around the community at various projects such as painting benches at Tifts Nature Preserve, clean up the grounds at Deleware Park, selling ornaments at the Walden Galleria Mall for Camp Good Days, and cleaning up and readying the garden at an urban Park located in the city of Buffalo.

NEVER STOP READING Book Drive
(service project)

In January 2025, I created a service project that I named "Never Stop Reading Book Drive". I recruited a few other

students to help collect, sort, and deliver books to nursing home/rehabilitation centers, senior centers, and assisted

living facilities.

Why did I decide to start this project? It goes back to my grandmother. I was 13 years old and my grandmother had fallen at the hospital and broke her hip. She had to have surgery and go through months of rehabilitation. My family and I would visit her and bring books and magazines. She was so sad and bored, but when we arrived with those care

packages, she greeted us with a huge smile and hugs. I will always remember how happy it made her. I am sad to say that she passed away in 2023 of a stroke.

I didn’t think about those happy moments until 2024, when I saw a book drive for children and thought about my grandmother and the books. I see book drives for children, but not usually for adults. I wondered about the seniors who didn’t have family around to bring the books or the means to get books for themselves.

Steps: I contacted many nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, assisted living facilities, and senior centers to see if there was a need for books, and there was. I wanted to make others as happy as my grandmother was when she received the books. I created the Never Stop Reading Book Drive and recruited two other students to help. I started

collecting, sorting, and distributing books to facilities once every two weeks. As of today, I have collected over 500 books. I plan to continue this project for as long as I have books to deliver. I am currently supplying books to four facilities.

FACEBOOK GROUP: Never Stop Reading Book Drive

Athletics

CLUB

-Depew Lancaster Soccer Club: (2017 - present)

-Buffalo Regals Hockey Club: (2022-2024)

NICHOLS SCHOOL

-Varsity Club Hockey: (9th, 10th, 11th)

-JV baseball: (9th grade)

-JV Soccer : (9th grade, 10th grade)

2023: Co-Captain and starting goalkeeper.

2023: Won MIP award

-Varsity Track: (10th, 11th grade)

2024: Won MIP award

-Varsity Soccer: (11th grade)

2024: Starting goalkeeper and

2024 won MIP Award

Brown University
Pre-College Program

June 2025

Hands-on Medicine: A week in the life of a med student.

Through classroom activities and clinical skills sessions, we learn how to take a holistic view of the human body and discover its anatomy, physiology, and disease processes.

Activities

MUSIC/ADVANCED WIND SYMPHONY (French Horn)

YEARBOOK CO-EDITOR/WORK OF LIFE

First day with the French Horn: 4th grade

STUDENT CONDUCT COMMITTEE

I started the French horn in 4th grade and have played it every year since. I am currently the first chair in the advanced symphony at my school.

I had to apply for the position to be one of the editors of the school yearbook. Another student and I went to the regional workshop on how to create the yearbook and use the software. We designed the theme and layout of the yearbook, recruited and managed a staff of photographers and reporters, designed page layouts, and imported the information.

After a very rigorous procedure of applications, teacher interviews, peer/committee interviews, and an student election, I was awarded to be a member of the Student Conduct Committee. The committee, consisting of eight students, teachers, staff, and the dean of students evaluates discipline infractions, These infractions are brought to the committee from the Dean of Students, we hear the case, interview the student, and choose appropriate solutions and consequences.

Normandy International Youth Leadership Summit (NIYLS)

In the fall of 2023, I applied to be one of the delegates from my school to travel to France for the 2023 Youth Leadership Summit in Le Havre, France. Three students were chosen to attend, so we embarked on a 10 day journey. The summit was hosted by the Saint Joseph Institution and there were representatives from Brazil, South Africa, Netherlands, Great Britain, Italy, Romania, Costa Rica, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand, Spain, Turkey, Poland, Finland, Senegal, Indonesia, Estonia, and the United States. We worked together to discuss global issues and share ideas. It was an eye opening experience. The end of the summit had each country create a table to demonstrate aspects from their culture such as food, clothing, music, and dancing. This unforgettable experience taught me a global view of topics and created international friendships.

Gifted Math Program (GMP)
University at Buffalo

The University of Buffalo (UB) hosts the Gifted Math Program (GMP), which is designed for exceptional mathematics students in grades 7-12 from Western New York, who are selected through rigorous testing. In 7th grade, I was invited to take the math entrance exam. The top 60 students were admitted into the class, which met every Monday and Wednesday evening at the UB campus. At the end of each year, I was recommended to continue the program. Now in GMP V, in 11th grade, there are around 30 students left in the program and now it is actual UB courses. Semester 1 is MATH 141 (Calc 1) and Semester 2 is MATH 142 (Calc 2), taught by Dr Mihai. By the end of 11th grade, I will have earned six college credits and a UB transcript. I plan on continuing to GMP VI, which would be MATH 241 (Calc 3) and MATH 309 (Linear Algebra).

I also work as an ambassador for the program to help with events and answer questions to prospective students and parents.