Whitbeck Award Winner: Nistha Neupane Focuses on Advocacy in Medicine

Nistha Neupane was in the middle of presenting her research at the UA Little Rock Research Expo when she got the news.

“Honestly, pure shock,” she said. “Within a matter of two minutes, I was surrounded by my closest friends hugging me.”

The moment quickly turned into something else. Her first thought was to call her parents.

“As first-generation immigrants who built our lives from the ground up, they have sacrificed the world for me,” she said.

Neupane is the winner of the Whitbeck Memorial Award. Established in memory of Edward Lynn Whitbeck, a senior at Little Rock University who passed away in 1965, the award was created by Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck to recognize exceptional academic achievement and leadership. Recipients receive a plaque, a monetary award, and deliver a speech at the spring commencement ceremony. She is completing degrees in biology and chemistry while spending more than three years conducting research in Dr. Noureen Siraj’s lab. Neupane’s work focused on developing gold nanoparticles for targeted cancer therapies, and she presented her research at national conferences, including the American Chemical Society. Neupane was recently selected as a semifinalist in America’s Startup, an official program of America250 that highlights emerging innovators from across the country.

Her research and entrepreneurial vision have also earned national recognition.

Born in Nepal, Neupane moved to the United States as a child and grew up relocating as her father pursued his Ph.D. She said those early experiences shaped her ability to adapt and build community, something that carried into her time at UA Little Rock.

She chose UA Little Rock because of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, which offered the kind of interdisciplinary education she was looking for. Its proximity to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences provided the research and clinical opportunities to match.

At UA Little Rock, she did both.

Her interest in medicine started long before college.

As a child, she dealt with years of chronic, undiagnosed pain while her family navigated the healthcare system without insurance. She said many doctors dismissed her symptoms until one physician took the time to listen and advocate for her, leading to the diagnosis of a tumor that was later removed.

“That experience changed how I see medicine,” she said. “I want to be someone who listens and advocates for patients who feel overlooked.”

Her perspective is also shaped by her family’s experiences. She recalls stories about her grandfather, who died in a rural village in Nepal where access to medical care was limited. During an internship in Kathmandu, she saw similar challenges firsthand while working in a hospital with limited resources.

That focus on access and advocacy has guided her work on campus.

Neupane served as president of the Pre-Health Club and co-president of the American Chemical Society student organization, helping students prepare for careers in healthcare and STEM. She also worked with the Committee on Racial Equity for Students to support her peers.

“To me, impact is about making the path clearer for the students coming after me,” she said.

Balancing research, leadership, and service required discipline. Neupane said she relied on the values her family instilled in her, along with a strong sense of purpose.

“There were times I questioned myself,” she said. “But I kept coming back to why I started.”

She credits faculty mentors across campus for helping her navigate challenges and grow as a student and leader, along with a close group of peers who supported her throughout her time at UA Little Rock.

Looking back, she said those challenges helped her better understand the importance of community.

“They showed me that I was never doing it alone,” she said.

Receiving the Whitbeck Award, she said, is a reflection of that journey and the broader impact of her work.

“It means the world to know that the energy I poured into this campus was seen,” she said.

After graduation, Neupane will attend the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine as part of the Class of 2030. She plans to pursue a career that combines clinical care, research, and community advocacy.

“I want to be a physician who takes the time to listen,” she said. “That’s what made the difference for me.”