Representative Rohan

If there were a yearbook category to describe senior Rohan Pavuluri, most students would choose Most Likely to Be President. Pavuluri is co-captain of the Exeter Mock Trial team, with which he has been a state champion and a national place-holder, co-president of PEAMUN Model United Nations; co-president of the Phillips Exeter Democrats; Services Committee head and class representative of the Student Council; co-president of the Exeter Political Union, founder and co-editor-in-chief of the Exeter Political Review and a multi-year political assistant to the Governor of Illinois. He is also a three season athlete and co-captain of the varsity Cycling team.Mock Trial adviser Walter Stahr called Pavuluri “one of the best mock trial lawyers of his generation.”“I believe that Rohan will go to law school and become one of the brightest lawyers of his generation,” Stahr said. “I fully expect, someday, to see him in elected office, one of our nation's leaders.”Pavuluri is a renowned mock trial attorney who, according to Stahr, “is not only respected but feared.” His mock trial accomplishments include New Hampshire State Champion and Outstanding Attorney as well as Star Attorney, 26th place in the U.S., and 10th place team in the U.S. National High School Mock Trial Championship, in addition to numerous awards at mock trial invitational competitions.Despite the array of awards, Pavuluri says that the reason he loves the Mock Trial team “is because of the tightness of the team. We get to know each other so well preparing for competitions. That’s really why I love doing mock trial,” he said.The award winning senior is also the Phillips Exeter winner of the Prize book of Harvard Alumni Association, Blackmar Prize for the Year’s Best Work in American History, and Nathaniel Gordon Bible Prize for Study of Religion.Pavuluri has always had a passion for law, as he thinks the law and politics go hand in hand. He also has a clear vision for where he intends to take his passion. “After college I want to go to law school. Then within a few years I’ll probably enter government whether it be in Illinois or on the national level,” he said. “I’d love to run for office one day. It think it’s a privilege to hold office and I also think it’s so exciting to do so.”Former roommate senior Harry Halem agreed. “After college, I can see him going into law. He will practice law for a number of years, and then get into politics,” he said. “However, I have a feeling that he will stay local, instead of running for national offices.”Stahr agreed. “Rohan has taken his love of politics farther than anybody I know of his age. Rohan has taken this love in other ways: he has read and thought more deeply than almost anyone on some key political issues.” Stahr also called Pavuluri “eager, energetic, determined, and disciplined.”Halem also described Pavuluri as having “a strength of will that [he has] yet to encounter in anyone else.” He characterizes his roommate as “a motivated person who knows exactly what he wants. He sets his target, and will not deviate until he reaches his goal.“He is extremely hard-working and has a strong focus on attempting to find the middle ground on many issues,” senior Max Sak said.“He’s had a very big influence on me because he’s an amazing writer and he’s also a good teacher,” fellow Abbot dorm mate senior Tyler Weitzman said. “So I’ve gone to him for help on my writing and it has helped dramatically, because he shows me how he goes through my paper and looks at all the small details.”Pavuluri credits his peers and dormmates with helping him succeed. “I’m convinced that I’ve been surrounded by the most generous friends and mentors possible. Without them, I doubt that I would have had nearly as much guidance or success academically, extracurricularly or athletically,” Pavuluri said. “A lot of the people in my dorm who are in my grade are incredibly generous. Abbot is by far the most supportive community I have ever been a part of.”Pavuluri enjoys Model U.N., where he has won Best Delegate and Most Outstanding Delegate at multiple competitions. “Over my four years here we’ve been able to make it the largest high school run conference in the state,” he said. “I really enjoy the autonomy that we get in running Model U.N. That’s fantastic.”He also enjoyed attending the Telluride Association Summer Program this past year where he studied Black Feminist Approaches to History and Literature, calling it “probably one of the most rewarding intellectual experiences of my life.”Pavuluri has also spent a good deal of time in India and was successful in creating a new history program focusing on India after 1947, to specifically talk about contemporary issues. The course is taught by History instructor Margaret Foley. “That’s also what I love about Exeter is I had so much freedom to create my own curriculum and pursue my own passions,” Pavuluri said. He was fascinated by the impact of foreign investment to the country and came away with “a new cultural understanding.”Pavuluri and the Democratic Club are active members of the political scene. “Probably one of the highlights of my last year – my whole Exeter experience – was waking up at 5 am during election season for the Dem Club. It’s a logistical nightmare, organizing 80 different students and 20 different teachers to drive throughout New Hampshire. But I’d wake up at 4 o’clock in the morning to get Dunkin Donuts and hot chocolate for the kids,” he said. He also enjoyed his time working for the Governor of Illinois over the past four summers, first on the campaign side and later directly in the Governor’s office where he got to write briefs and prepare talking points for the Governor.“I like politics as an agent of social change. Going into government specifically is one of the best ways to effect change. But I also really like the competitive aspect and the critical thinking aspect of politics,” Pavuluri said. “Going through a debate on political issues, I think very few things are as fun to do.”Pavuluri appreciates the competitiveness of politics and likens it to his athletic competitiveness. In addition to his political activities, the senior was the Exeter Rider of the Year and placed as 6th overall Men’s Rider and 3rd Place team overall in the New England Road Cycling League.Pavuluri is appreciative of the education he has received from Exeter. “I think the best thing about Exeter is that it’s given me so much freedom to fail whether it be losing elections, not making a sports team or actually failing a French test my prep year,” he said. “From those experiences both my own ambition grew and my own ability to overcome failures grew. That’s the best thing about Exeter. As soon as you fail, you’re taught to just forget about it and just keep on your track.”