Life in the Fast Lane: AIS Senior Named a Jefferson Scholar

Congratulations to Lane Howard, ‘26, who was selected as a Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia. This honor is bestowed upon a high school senior who best exemplifies excellence in the areas of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship and who possesses an exceptional record of and the potential for impact both inside and outside the classroom. Students don’t apply for the scholarship but instead are nominated by their school to be considered for this honor.

As Agnes Irwin’s nominee, Howard underwent a rigorous selection process, and as a finalist, participated in extensive interviews with a committee of University of Virginia alumni and administrators. Howard recently accepted the offer to join this outstanding program and cohort of scholars at the University of Virginia in the Class of 2030. 

As a Jefferson Scholar, she will receive a full scholarship for all four years at the university, as well as funding for international travel, independent research, and study abroad. She also joins a cohort of fellow scholars and will benefit from community events and enrichment opportunities throughout her time at the university.

The Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate often under 2% of nominated students. For the class of 2024–2025, 3,035 students were nominated from nearly 7,000 schools. Of those nominees, 35 scholars matriculated at the University in the fall of 2025.

At Agnes Irwin, Howard is an active student, involved in Model UN, Teen Truth, and the Student Ambassador Leadership Team. She is also a student athlete on the crew team. “Lane approaches all her responsibilities with exceptional alacrity and thoughtfulness. She has the confidence to speak her mind but the wisdom to carefully measure the impact of her words,” says Sarah Leonard, Dean of Upper School Students. “The leadership posts held by Lane are not only foundational to our community, they drive the culture of our school. Lane has the ability to set a higher standard or even a new set of standards for student programming at the Agnes Irwin School.” Her advisor, Lydia Traill’s, words in Lane’s nomination application capture her best: “Lane remains an absolute force in every corner of school life…remarkable in all that she takes on, all while maintaining integrity, insight, and poise.”