Friends Academy Senior Winston Vance Raises the Bar for College Admissions with Interdisciplinary Research, Civic Leadership, and Policy Innovation

SEA CLIFF, NY, June 26, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — As the college admissions process grows more cutthroat each year, families nationwide are confronting a new reality: academic excellence is no longer enough. Top-tier universities are no longer satisfied with perfect GPAs and top SAT scores alone—they now seek students who are researchers, entrepreneurs, advocates, and changemakers before they even arrive on campus. The standards are rising, and so are the students who meet them. Winston Vance, a high school senior at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, NY, stands out as one of those rare individuals redefining what it means to be a college applicant in 2025. A scholar, civic innovator, and thought leader in the making, Vance has already earned a Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice. This summer, he will serve as a Research Affiliate at Stanford University and as a Law and Ethics Research Intern at the University of California, Irvine’s School of Social Sciences — appointments often reserved for undergraduates or graduate-level scholars.

“I want to study medicine not only as a science, but through the lens of history, policy, and ethics. It’s about the systems we build — who they serve, and who they leave behind,” said Vance. “I’m drawn to both technical problem-solving and human-centered questions. Studying across disciplines lets me do both — and build change that actually works.”

In addition to his academic and research achievements, Vance brings an entrepreneurial mindset to social change. At the University of Pennsylvania, he developed Smooth Scheduling, a tech-enabled minimum viable product (MVP) designed to measurably improve student advising systems. He has co-led Music with Friends, an inclusive arts program serving adults with developmental disabilities. He remains actively involved in conservation and social justice through We Are the Community Helpers (WATCH) and the Wildlife Center of Long Island. Most recently, he was selected as a Roger Erickson Fellow at Friends Academy. Through this year-long fellowship, he plans to expand Intersect, his youth-led blog that engages students at the intersection of literature, history, and civic life. In a separate initiative, he will co-found a Sandy Hook Promise chapter at his school to promote school safety, empathy, and student-led advocacy.

“I’ve learned how to work hard and lead with intention — whether I’m writing a research paper or building something that helps people,” he said. “I’m drawn to work that crosses boundaries —between disciplines, between people. That’s where real solutions come from.”

A multi-talented student-athlete, Vance has played varsity football and currently plays first doubles on the 2025 New York State Championship-winning tennis team. He is also a dedicated choral performer and a member of the Tri-M National Music Honor Society, recognized for excellence in vocal performance, ensemble leadership, and service through music.

Winston Vance represents a new generation of student leaders—committed to inquiry, inclusion, and interdisciplinary problem-solving with a human impact. To learn more, visit www.winstonvance.com.

About Winston Vance

Winston Vance is a student researcher, writer, and emerging civic innovator whose work bridges disciplines to confront complex systems and societal challenges. With a focus on cross-sector solutions, his upcoming research includes medical and engineering investigations at Stanford University, as well as constitutional and ethical inquiry at UC Irvine’s Center for Ethics & Morality, where he will examine the boundaries of governmental authority. He holds a Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice, where he developed Smooth Scheduling—a tech-enabled Minimum Viable Product (MVP) designed to optimize advising workflows in educational institutions. Winston has co-led Music with Friends, an inclusive arts initiative supporting adults with developmental disabilities and remains deeply involved in conservation and social justice efforts through We Are the Community Helpers (WATCH) and the Wildlife Center of Long Island’s Youth Conservation Team. An accomplished student-athlete, Winston has played varsity football and currently plays first doubles on the 2025 New York State Championship-winning tennis team. He is also a dedicated choral performer and a member of the Tri-M National Music Honor Society, recognized for excellence in vocal performance, ensemble leadership, and service through music. Most recently, Winston was selected as a Roger Erickson Fellow at Friends Academy. He plans to use his year-long fellowship to advance independent research and expand Intersect—his newly launched student voices blog, which explores the intersection of literature, history, and civic life through a youth-driven lens. He will also co-found a Sandy Hook Promise chapter at his school to promote school safety, empathy, and student-led advocacy. To learn more, please visit www.winstonvance.com.

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