W&L’s Sarp Sahin’ 26 named ODK National Leader of the Year in Academics and Research Sahin’s award will support his graduate studies at Cardiff University as a Fulbright scholar.

Omicron Delta Kappa
May 21, 2026

Washington and Lee University senior Sarp Sahin ’26 has been named the 2026 Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) National Leader of the Year for Academics and Research.

Each year, ODK recognizes six outstanding undergraduate student leaders as National Leaders of the Year, including in each of the five pillars of ODK: academics and research, athletics, service to campus and community, communications and creative and performing arts.

A 2025 initiate of W&L’s Alpha Circle of ODK, Sahin is a chemistry major with a minor in data science from Plano, Texas, and will graduate in May 2026 with a 4.0 GPA.

“I am beyond honored and grateful to Omicron Delta Kappa for selecting me as the 2026 National Leader of the Year for Academics and Research,” Sahin said. “It is incredibly exciting to be recognized by this distinguished community for my potential as a leader and researcher.”

Sahin’s research focuses on bioinformatics and biomechanics, with a current focus on applying advanced computational methods to better understand neurological movement disorders. His accomplishments include four peer-reviewed publications, four oral presentations and four poster presentations at national conferences. Most recently, he published an article as a co-first author in the peer-reviewed neuroscience journal Brain: A Journal of Neurology, in January 2026. Sahin has also worked as a research intern at the Washington University School of Medicine’s NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center since 2023, conducting research on Parkinson’s Disease, and has completed three additional research internships.

As founder and president of the W&L chapter of Remote Area Medical, Sahin provided pre-health students on campus with accessible, hands-on clinical engagement opportunities to supplement their pre-health education. He has also served as a trip leader for the Appalachian Adventure Leading Edge program and is a cellist in the University Orchestra.

Sahin received a Fulbright Scholarship to attend Cardiff University this fall, where he plans to pursue a Master of Philosophy in clinical neurosciences. He was also awarded a Goldwater Scholarship in 2024, W&L’s first sophomore to receive the scholarship since 2009.

Omicron Delta Kappa was founded in 1914 at W&L by 15 student and faculty leaders. ODK was the first college honor society of a national scope to honor meritorious leadership and service in extracurricular activities and to encourage the development of general campus citizenship.

If you know a W&L student who has done great, accolade-worthy things, tell us about them! Nominate them for an accolade.