Rice University sophomore Saami Baig has been selected as a Phi Beta Kappa Key into Public Service Scholar, a national honor recognizing students for their academic achievement and commitment to careers in government and public policy.
Baig was one of just 20 students selected from a highly competitive pool of nearly 800 applicants nationwide. The program provides a $7,600 undergraduate scholarship along with mentorship, leadership development and participation in an in-person conference in Washington, D.C., this June.
“We knew the fellowship acceptance rate was around 2%, so I was completely shocked,” Baig said, recalling how he immediately reached out to a friend who had supported him through the application process. “Above all else, I felt very happy and relieved because I knew this was a huge opportunity to continue engaging in public service and policy work.”
At Rice, Baig has focused his academic and professional work on public health and policy, combining coursework with hands-on experience in the Houston community.
Through a practicum with lecturer Christopher Kulesza, he partnered with Harris County Precinct 4’s Policy and Innovation team, gaining experience applying research to real-world challenges.
“That experience showed me that working in a practical setting can be just as informative as learning in a classroom,” Baig said.
Baig has also developed quantitative skills that support his policy work, using tools such as the open-source programming language R to analyze hospital inpatient data. His projects include mapping patterns of gun violence in Harris County and evaluating ways to strengthen local programs.
“We have a population that’s bigger than 25 states,” he said. “We have a huge responsibility to improve public safety outcomes for our residents.”
His interest in public service was shaped early by his family. Baig’s parents immigrated to the United States from Pakistan, and his father’s work as a physician influenced his understanding of service and community impact.
“Public service wasn’t something I learned through lectures,” Baig said. “It was something I saw every day growing up.”
The recognition comes at a pivotal time, Baig said, as he considers how to continue his work in a shifting public service landscape.
“This opportunity gives me a path forward,” he said. “It means I can keep working to help my community.”
Looking ahead, Baig said he wants to expand opportunities for young people to engage in their communities and see their involvement as meaningful.
“My hope is that more people from my generation and my community see themselves as leaders,” he said.
For Baig, success is rooted in consistency.
“So long as I stay grounded in my values and motivations to keep helping people,” he said, “that’s success to me.”
The recognition comes during a milestone year for the Phi Beta Kappa Society, which is celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding. Established in December 1776, it is the oldest academic honor society in the United States and was created in part to defend intellectual inquiry and freedom during the Revolutionary War — principles that continue to guide its mission today.
The Phi Beta Kappa chapter at Rice was founded in 1929 and was only the second chapter established in Texas. The chapter is marking its 96th anniversary this year and celebrating back-to-back recognition of Rice students as Public Service Scholars.
“The Rice Phi Beta Kappa chapter is very excited about this news, especially two years in a row,” chapter president Jennifer Wilson said. Rice student Rithika Iyengar received the honor last year.