How did you earn the Congressional Award?

In pursuing the Congressional Award, I found that I learned lots about myself, the world, and ultimately, life.

VPS: I volunteered at my local public library to create campaigns to encourage more patrons to come, and also worked on humanitarian relief for various natural disasters.

Personal Development: I worked towards my degree in Kathak, Indian classical dance, and studied both practical and theoretical aspects of the dance. Additionally, I worked on a website which connects volunteers to organizations in need to hone my coding skills.

Physical Fitness: I spent time building my general fitness, and found a passion for weight lifting.

Expedition/Exploration: I organized my family’s trip to China, and loved being able to learn about a completely new and beautiful culture and how to navigate a country where most of the people don’t understand me.

What are your current ambitions?
Currently, I am a student at the University of Michigan pursuing a dual degree in Computer Science and Business. I hope that whatever work I do in the future is something that enables me to empower and inspire women, and to be someone that young girls can look up to. Ideally, I hope to work at a startup in the future.

Where do you find your motivation?
I find my motivation from the people around me, most of all from those who are passionate about what they do. This ranges from my friends and family, to my classmates, to even those I read or see about in books and movies.

In addition, I’ve found motivation from my own life. Generally, the things that I’ve struggled with the most are also the things that have fueled me the most. For example, growing up a woman in STEM and being told over and over again that I will fail has fueled my work to help younger girls build their interest in STEM in a safe place.