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Hometown: Johns Creek, GA

Year: Senior

College: Franklin College of Arts and Sciences 

Major: Psychology with an emphasis in neuroscience

Minor: Women’s studies

Internship Unit: J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development 

 

Have you had any internships? 

In Atlanta, I interned with the Georgia House Democratic Caucus and helped with campaigning, event planning and data entry for the office of Stacey Abrams.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

I’m not sure where exactly I will be in 10 years but that is the beautiful part of life. By that time, I’m hoping to have been finished with graduate school and working towards my goals. Regardless of what I’ll be doing, I want to be able to combine my interests for the sciences, women’s studies and politics in a socially conscious career and devote my life to helping others in the United States and abroad.

Why did you apply for PSO Scholars? 

I applied for PSO Scholars because I heard about it from friends and thought it would be a great way to learn more about how UGA serves different communities, and I want to be part of that change through my internship in the spring. I wanted to apply for this program as I thought it would aid me in maintaining a focus on public service and outreach in my future academic and professional endeavors!

What excites you most about your unit? 
I am excited to be part of J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development to learn from individuals who are helping bring about change in communities across Georgia and other states. The work of the Fanning Institute is important because it strengthens communities through leadership development for youth, community and professional programs. Positive tangible change can come from leadership, and being able to learn from and lead others is exciting. I’m excited to see the different ways in which Fanning can aid groups with diversity, leadership and conflict resolution initiatives.

What do you hope to get out of this experience? 

Since I have become a part of the PSO Scholars, I have already learned so much more about UGA and programs I never knew about. I’m excited to learn more about the many ways in which UGA works with and helps different communities achieve their goals. I am also glad that I am able to be surrounded by the students in my cohort because they are diverse and motivated to enact change which inspires me. I hope to be able take what I learn about leadership during my time at the Fanning Institute and apply it into my own life to become a more effective and conscientious leader for the future.

Why is service and outreach important to you? 

Service and outreach is important to me because from a young age, I have been involved in a variety of programs and activities ranging from the sciences to politics and social justice work which fostered a passion for service within me. As a women’s studies minor, I have learned about the importance of doing service work in a socially conscious way which is what I aim to do with my involvements now. Service and outreach is important in my life as I am able to help enact change but also learn from the communities I am working with.

Fun fact: 

I love the arts because I grew up singing and dancing since I was five years old! When I was younger, I was trained in Classical Indian Carnatic music and Kuchipudi dance. Though I stopped my training for both a few years ago, I still try to sing whenever I can!

Velamuri at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, one of her favorite places to visit and another unit of PSO.

 


The Public Service & Outreach Student Scholars program provides the opportunity for a select cohort of undergraduate students to explore and engage with the University of Georgia’s public service and outreach (PSO) mission. Supported by the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, and administered through the Office of Service-Learning, this year-long program is intended to provide deeper understanding of PSO’s purpose, breadth, and depth through supervised service experiences with PSO and communities, to help students link their public service experiences with their career and educational goals, and to create a community of student scholars who understand the role of public service in Georgia and more broadly.

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