BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Mannat Kandal ‘27, a psychology major with a minor in Interdisciplinary Education, was selected as Illinois Wesleyan’s 2026 Student Laureate by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois.
Every year, the Academy chooses a senior from each four-year university in Illinois for the award, who demonstrates academic excellence, leadership and service “in the spirit of Abraham Lincoln,” according to their website.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this award. As an international student, I wanted to find a place where I could grow and contribute, and over time, (Illinois Wesleyan) has become a place where I’ve been able to share my culture, advocate for others and discover what matters most to me,” Kandal said.
Kandal is an international student from India and is actively involved on campus. She currently serves as President of the South Asian Student Association; Psi Chi, the Illinois Wesleyan chapter for the international honor society in psychology; and as the Residential Community Advisor for Donnocker and Gulick Halls. She also serves as the Office of Residential Life’s Campus Culture and Community Engagement fellow.
Additionally, she serves on the executive boards of Psychology in Action and Awareness, Wellness, Education or AWE. She previously served as Student Senate Vice President, the Student Senate Diversity and Inclusion Commissioner, a Resident Assistant for both a first-year and upper division dorm, and was the President of the International Student Organization (ISO).
As part of her roles in Student Senate, she organized the Unity Gala and established the Global Fest, which is now an annual event, and spearheaded a Thriving Titan Leadership Program for first-year students, a newer initiative that will continue on after Kandal graduates. For the past two years, she has also been a Teaching and Research Assistant for the Psychology department and serves as a Titan Ambassador for Admissions.
“I am so grateful to everyone at Wesleyan who has believed in me on days when I haven’t, and this honor especially means a lot to me considering how amazing and involved our senior class is,” she said. “Being chosen from a pool of incredible students is something I don’t take for granted, and I hope to keep making Wesleyan, and especially the people that make this university what it is, proud in the future.”
After graduating from Illinois Wesleyan, Kandal plans to pursue graduate study in psychology. She said she is particularly interested in culture, identity, the environment people live and learn in and how that shapes their overall wellbeing.
She feels both her research and internship experiences have increased her interest in making institutions more responsive to those they serve. She hopes to combine research, advocacy and practical work to help build environments where people feel understood and supported.
To her, leadership means bringing people together, which involves listening, having a willingness to question how things are done and following through on concerns people share. She wants people to feel their unique experiences matter and have a place within the greater community.
“Some of the most meaningful parts of leadership are the quieter moments when someone feels comfortable speaking up, asking for help or getting involved because you helped make that possible,” she said. “If I have been able to achieve that in any manner in my time here, I would consider that my biggest achievement.”