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Clara Farrehi Honored with William W. Ambler '45 Award

Clara Farrehi Honored with William W. Ambler '45 Award
Posted: Apr 09, 2020

Ambler Scholar-Athlete Program

HAVERFORD, Pa. – Clara Farrehi has been announced as Haverford's 2020 recipient of the William W. Ambler '45 Award. That honor is presented by the Haverford College Department of Athletics to the senior student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average.

Ambler honorees must have participated and started in at least one sport throughout their college career, and have demonstrated commitment, sportsmanship and leadership. Farrehi is the second recipient from the women's tennis team since the award was first presented in 1999, joining Abby Payson who won the award in 2017.

Clara Farrehi
Sport: Women's Tennis
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Major: Chemistry (Biochemistry concentration)
Head Coach: Andrew Cohn
Advisor: Lou Charkoudian '03
Faculty Liaison: Molly Farneth

One of the most common questions asked of student-athletes is how do they balance being both a student and an athlete? Clara Farrehi summed it up by stating, "I learned how to efficiently manage my time and take advantage of the many resources Haverford has to offer."

That simple message is certainly a great understatement as Farrehi has been named the 2020 recipient of the William W. Ambler '45 Award. In addition to thriving in the chemistry labs, Farrehi has also been a two-year captain of the women's tennis team, an All-Centennial Conference performer, and the 2019 Centennial Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year in her sport.

Given the perspective of her Haverford career, Farrehi realizes these two balancing acts have been working in perfect synergy. "I have come to recognize the ways in which my successes in the classroom and on the court have shaped one another. Many of the skills I've developed in athletics have improved my academics and vice versa."

Originally drawn to Haverford because her dad, Peter Farrehi '87, is an alumnus of the College, Clara knew this was the right choice for her when she visited campus. "I was attracted to the small, tight-knit community, which was conducive to my style of learning, and I appreciated the trust that the faculty & administration placed in its students. I equally valued how the community supported the students in both their athletic and academic endeavors."

Farrehi's achievements are well-known but her impact on others will not be forgotten. As Haverford College Faculty Athletic Liaison and Associate Professor of Chemistry Lou Charkoudian '03 described, "Clara elevates every learning environment in which she steps foot. She is brilliant, hard-working, incredibly disciplined, inclusive, and service minded."

Charkoudian has also been Farrehi's thesis advisor and witnessed those attributes put to the test. "My senior thesis project has definitely been one of the most difficult and rewarding accomplishments of my time at Haverford.," stated Farrehi. "In the face of unexpected results, I have acquired the critical thinking skills and persistence necessary to spearhead individual research. Still, I am forever grateful for the instruction and support offered by the Haverford chemistry department and my peers. This accomplishment would not have been possible without them."

Elevating others around her while also achieving individual success has allowed Farrehi to become a leader in Haverford's chemistry department as she serves as a teacher's assistant and peer tutor. "It is incredibly rewarding to see the impact such instruction can have on one's experience with such a difficult subject."

Given her ability to excel in both collaborative learning and an independent setting, it comes as no surprise that Farrehi was a steady contributor in both the singles and doubles lineup throughout her career and was on pace to rank among the top 15 players in program history for combined victories between singles and doubles play.

Specifically looking at doubles, Farrehi would certainly have ranked among the top 10 players in school history for doubles wins. As head coach Andrew Cohn states, "Clara's on-court doubles prowess is certainly undeniable, so too is her ability to relate to others with her compassion, humility, and heart. In so many ways, she has served as the glue that binds our team together. She is competitive, but also has the ability to help others feel relaxed and stay positive throughout the roller coaster that is a doubles match."

The four years spent with her teammates has provided Farrehi with memories that she will carry with her the rest of her life. "The moments I have cherished the most as a student-athlete have been during our team's spring break trips. We always have a ton of fun bonding with each other and competing with teams outside of the Centennial Conference. We consistently look forward to the trip because it allows us to take a break from academics and focus more on the game that we love."

Haverford College strives to provide a foundation of success that allows students to not only thrive in their four years on campus, but also for the rest of their lives. When Farrehi was asked to reflect on her greatest athletic achievement, it is evident that Haverford has done just that. "I am most proud of my mental improvements in athletics over the last four years. Incorporating mental toughness and optimism into my tennis game has been essential to my success on the court. Given that the ups and downs of a tennis match are similar to the highs and lows of life; I have further translated many of the mental strategies I've developed through tennis to other challenging situations off the court."

As for the immediate future, Farrehi will continue her academic pursuits this fall at Thomas Jefferson's Sidney Kimmel Medical College in center city Philadelphia.

 

HAVERFORD COLLEGE Class of 2020 – "Ambler Scholar-Athletes"

In addition to Ambler Award winner Clara Farrehi, 15 of Haverford's most distinguished scholar-athletes (as well as their academic or thesis advisors, coaches, and faculty liaisons) are being honored for their own accomplishments and as representatives of the many student-athletes who have excelled during their four years at Haverford.

 

Notes About Haverford College's 2020 Ambler Scholar-Athletes

  • 14 different teams represented
  • 8 different majors, 6 different minors, and 5 concentrations
  • 7 different states and 3 foreign countries represented
  • 64 combined Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll selections
  • 17 combined All-Centennial Conference honors
  • 17 National Championship Appearances
  • Every single student-athlete recipient has competed in a postseason event at least once; men's cross country won 2016, 2017, and 2018 Centennial Conference Championships; Cricket won 2018 Philadelphia Intercollegiate Championship
  • 4 recipients are captain of their teams
  • Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area: Sam McCalpin (twice), Katie Bradley, Clara Farrehi, Brandon Jenkins, David Kong, Conor Madden, Kevin Yan
  • Centennial Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Clara Farrehi, Brandon Jenkins, Ashley Sisto, Kevin Yan
  • 2017 Archibald MacIntosh Award Winner: Kevin Yan

 

Virtual Ambler Ceremony Award Video

Scoreboard
  • Sat, 04/20 | Women's Tennis vs. Franklin & Marshall W, 8-1 (Final) RC | BX
  • Wed, 04/17 | Women's Tennis at #27 Swarthmore W, 6-3 (Final) RC | BX
  • Sun, 04/14 | Women's Tennis vs. #7 Johns Hopkins L, 6-3 (Final) RC | BX
  • Tue, 04/09 | Women's Tennis at Bryn Mawr W, 8-1 (Final) RC | BX
  • Sat, 04/06 | Women's Tennis vs. Gettysburg W, 9-0 (Final) RC | BX