Empowerly

Student profile

What was the environment you were raised in? Describe your family, home, neighborhood, or community, and explain how it has shaped you as a person.

My parents are both first-generation immigrants from India, who are grounded in traditional Indian values while simultaneously embracing the dream of being successful in America. My father came to the US to pursue his Masters in Computer Science, and my mother joined him a few years later after they were married. They both come from very humble roots in India, striving for a better life through higher education in the US.

I was born in [city], where my father was pursuing his MBA at Kellogg, and where he started a company of his own. Both my parents now work for technology firms in [city], which is where I grew up. I have a younger brother in middle school, who I enjoy playing sports with. I learned from my father that it is very important to keep the mind in control. My father meditates twice a day every day – even though he has a stressful job as a senior executive, meditation allows him to stay calm and composed. I cannot think of a better teacher on work ethic than my mother. She is an accounting manager at a technology firm but worked her way up all the way from a store clerk at a retail store. One of my strengths is to always put in hard work and I have learned that value from her. 

Not surprisingly, my parents named me [name], which is a Sanskrit word that refers to a person’s inner character and value structure. My own name has always been a reminder to me to stay grounded in values that were important to my parents – showing respect to elders, demonstrating compassion, staying modest, building harmony with others and having a strong work ethic.

Our extended family is all in India, and we make it a priority to visit them every year.

I have always come back inspired from my visits to India. What especially struck me is the compassion that exists in the culture and how people help the poor and needy. For example, my cousin chose to celebrate her birthday with poor children at an orphanage. My visits to India inspired me to think about what I could do for the poor and needy in the U.S., and this inspiration led me to create a program to help the homeless.

I learned that California has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the US. Up to half of the homeless population have suffered from mental illness, and life expectancy among the homeless is around 30 years shorter than average. These facts were shocking and sad, and I started to think about what I could do to make the homeless program a reality. 

Since 2017, the program has grown from just an idea to something really meaningful. My program has collected and donated comprehensive care packages—which included tents, blankets, clothes, hygiene bags, and food—for 25 homeless people in two encampments. I am currently engaged in efforts to scale the program further. I have recruited more volunteers from my high school to raise funds and clothing for the homeless. It has been a very fulfilling experience working with the homeless, and it has changed me for the better.

Growing up in Silicon Valley has exposed me to strong leaders who believed in themselves, their mission and inspired others on their journey. The extended network of my parents is full of entrepreneurs, who sacrificed lucrative jobs to pursue their dreams of building new businesses, some successful and some not. It is their inspiration that led me to intern at a startup and pursue a summer program in entrepreneurship at Babson College.

I am proud to have grown up in a family that embraces the best of Indian values and the growth mindset of [city]. Like my parents and role models, I strive to embody the best of [city]—entrepreneurship and hard work.