Harriton Student's Election Makes History

Rising senior Dhruv Pillai made history this summer when he was elected president of the National Technology Student Association at the weeklong national conference in Nashville.

The honor makes him the first Lower Merion School District student ever to be elected to a national office.

"There wasn’t like a huge emotional reaction—it was more of like a daze, I just couldn’t believe it," Pillai said. "It didn’t hit me until a few days later. I was definitely very pleased afterwards. At the time, it was just surreal."

Pillai got involved with TSA, which is a non-profit for students with an interest in technology, when he was in 7th grade at Welsh Valley Middle School at the suggestion of a classmate. Pillai has served as treasurer and vice president of the Pennsylvania TSA, and running for president involved giving several speeches and introducing himself to other students throughout the course of the week, he said.

Pillai said many schools are finding it more difficult to attend the national conference because of the expense.

"I would like to help ameliorate that situation by setting up scholarships or a fund," he said.

The skills he's learned at TSA have been invaluable, from the engineering challenges of creating balsa wood structures to the public speaking skills he's developed.

Of technology, he said: "I think it's extremely relevant. Right now I'm interning at the University of Pennsylvania in the biomolecular engineering lab; they have state-of-the-art equipment."

Pillai said he hopes to pursue a career in the sciences, adding he particularly enjoys chemistry and engineering.

"TSA is a great organization—it's definitely an experience I’m going to take a lot away from," Pillai said. "I'm glad my friend convinced me to do it."