When Shreyas Hallur left his home in Phoenix to attend Duke University, he was filled with uncertainty. He lacked community in his new area and didn’t know where to turn. Then, he remembered a conversation he had with an Elk from back home.

“He encouraged me to contact the Elks Lodge in Raleigh,” says Hallur, a 2019 Most Valuable Student scholar sponsored by Sun City, Ariz., Lodge No. 2559. “I thanked him with a nod, not yet realizing that this brief referral would lay the groundwork for my first support system away from home.”

Hallur heeded the advice and contacted Raleigh, N.C., Lodge No. 735. From the get-go, he could tell that he made the right decision.

“They welcomed me with open arms,” says Hallur. “When I shared my passion for advancing autism inclusion with some members, they immediately offered their support.”

The Elks members referred Hallur to people in the area who could help him dive deeper into his passion. Little did Hallur know, this would be the beginning of a three-year journey.

“It was the Elks who gave me my first opportunity to connect passion with impact at Duke, and that spirit has stayed with me,” says Hallur.

Since then, he has worked with numerous psychiatrists to improve access to equitable, high-quality autism care. These projects have included developing a career support program for students with autism, identifying barriers to the virtual delivery of behavioral therapies for people with autism, and more.

“Through these experiences, I’ve seen how psychiatrists can drive change not only in clinical settings but also through research, policymaking, and advocacy,” says Hallur, a 2023 Duke University graduate. “I’m excited to pursue this path with support from the Elks National Foundation.”

In medical school, Hallur will continue to explore his passion for autism inclusion—but he will never forget where his first support system came from.

“I intend to use my training to expand access to autism care at the community level, advance inclusive policy, and work toward a more equitable healthcare system,” says Hallur. “Support from the Weigel scholarship will allow me to continue in the spirit of service the Elks have modeled from the start.”

With the Weigel scholarship, Hallur will attend Harvard Medical School to study psychiatry.