Listening key to civility

They say that questions are the answer to a better world. Andrew Pregnall, a senior double majoring in history and microbiology, discovered this early in his life. And while he has never been one to shy away from asking “Why?” he has found that listening is just as important.

“I demonstrate respect by trying to understand how someone else thinks and why they think that way,” says Andrew, who has made it his life purpose to understand and better the lives of others.

This dedication to embracing and connecting with the people around him is apparent in his college career. Though Andrew found his place at Virginia Tech early on, at a welcome week event in the honors residential commons, he has spent much of his time making sure that others have a similar sense of community. He has worked and fought for other students -- primarily marginalized students -- to feel welcome, included, and respected.

“Andrew makes strides to ensure that the vulnerable, marginalized, and those in need have an advocate and are empowered to speak for themselves,” said his nominator. “[He] is constantly challenging his peers and supervisors to think beyond themselves.”

Andrew has served as a resident advisor, a representative for the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, co-chair of the Housing and Residence Life student staff council, and an editor for Virginia Tech’s LGBTQ magazine, The Interloper. In addition to his formal positions, Andrew has also advocated for the improvement of LGBTQ health services at Schiffert and for a queer and transgender living-learning community at Virginia Tech.

Andrew is proud of his growth along the way. The accolades and achievements he has collected during his undergraduate career include: Fralin Undergraduate Research Fellow, numerous scholarships and grants, Rhodes Scholarship finalist, Truman Scholarship finalist, and 2019 Undergraduate Student of the Year.

Andrew has also made strides in the world of public health. Through his internships at hospitals and medical centers in D.C. and at Vanderbilt University, Andrew has conducted considerable research across various topics, from the 19^th century Russian flu epidemic to modern LGBTQ heath curriculums. He plans to use his research and academic experiences to attend medical school and earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Public Policy. Afterwards, he hopes to both practice clinical medicine and improve the health and well-being of the LGBTQ community by researching and implementing public policy that improves its social determinants of health.

Advocacy is a core value to Andrew, something that his nominator says “comes naturally to him.” Andrew has chosen to live his life in a continual effort to understand others, to understand the circumstances of others, and to create a better life for those who have been otherwise overlooked.