Caleb H. ILR'22, HR Project: Growing Engagement Through HRMS

 

Link to Caleb's video describing his HR project and experience workin with SVYM in summer 2020.

Anne B. ILR'23, HR Projects: Grievance Process & Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Awareness

     This past summer, I had the incredible privilege of working with SVYM in the India Global Service Learning Program. Being the first virtual cohort had come with many unique challenges like wifi connectivity, virtual cross cultural engagement, and figuring out how to navigate the unknown. I had the opportunity to work on two projects: creating a formalized grievance process as well as creating a sexual harassment in the workplace awareness video. 

 

    My first project, the formalized grievance process was a nine page document highlighting how employees ultimately are able to address potential issues that could be hindering their productivity and happiness. A grievance procedure is designed to give employees and employers an unbiased, fair, and objective system to raise and review serious issues and complaints. Additionally, a formalized grievance procedure has many benefits for a positive working environment like legitimizing the established policies and procedures of SVYM, increasing employee retention, and decreasing liability. I was able to input flow charts that described the steps for employees to file a grievance as well as how human resources should respond to those grievances. My recommendations were a list of guidelines to ensure efficient and effective ways to handle employee grievances ethically. Lastly, I emphasized the significance of prioritizing the prevention of grievances and only using the grievance procedure as a tool for employee productivity, safety, and retention. 

 

    My second project was the sexual harassment in the workplace awareness video. As one of the leading issues women face today, creating a comprehensive educational video on sexual harassment in the workplace would help summarize the POSH Act as well as teach employees how to create a safe working environment. Not only does educating employees safeguard against inappropriate and unwanted advances, but empowers those who may encounter sexual harassment to report cases to management. The presentation was first created on Canva and then animated through Keynote and lastly compiled in iMovie. The editing process was definitely frustrating at times, but incredibly rewarding in the end. SVYM does quarterly education on sexual harassment in the workplace, but the creation of the video would allow employees to access information on sexual harassment in the workplace anytime. 

 

    Throughout my experience, I had many doubts with my lack of expertise in the subject matter as well as being new in handling video editing software for a professional presentation. However, I ultimately came to the realization that everything could be learned and adapted. My experience was ultimately a significant learning experience for me to discover more about my values and my work ethic. I am unbelievably grateful to SVYM, the GSL team, and my cohort for this empowering opportunity. 

Mallory A. ILR'22, Data Analysis: Economic Impact of SVYM Trainings on Self-Help Groups

Hello! My name is Mallory A. and I am a rising Junior at the School of Industrial & Labor Relations at Cornell. This summer, I am working with the South Indian NGO, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement. They help build human and social capital to benefit the communities they work in and increase their standard of living. I am happy to be volunteering with the Vivekananda Rural Livelihood Centre in Kenchanahalli, SVYM’s main center of its Socio Economic Empowerment Program. At the centre, they provide agricultural training for tribal and rural farmers, vocational training for women and youth, and academic training for youth.

    I am working with data concerning the impact of the agricultural training on the farmers’ income that the VLRC has collected for seven years. Typically, SVYM offers several types of training to the farmers, such as apiculture, worm composting, sericulture, dairy production, and mushroom production. After the training at the centre, SVYM continues their efforts by providing farmers with seeds and fertilizers. SVYM tries to empower people through this training, the facilitation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and clearer access to healthcare. They fight for the community by always prioritizing and supporting them. 

    The VLRC mainly interacts with local tribal people. In 1972, they lost their land, livelihood, and home to the creation of national parks. SVYM helps them cultivate their land, provide them vocational training, and supports them in community disputes. With the data analysis I am conducting, SVYM will be able to understand the full impact they have on the local farmers besides perhaps simply income increase. 

 

Anjali M. ILR'21, Socioeconomic Empowerment at Tribal Livelihood Center

 This past summer I had the pleasure of working with Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement’s Socioeconomic Empowerment Program (SEEP). I worked with the SVYM’s livelihood center in Kenchanahalli and was tasked with creating various curriculums for the center’s livelihood programs, ranging from plumbing to beautician work. These curriculums not only included vocational training for each profession, but also prevocational modules to encourage participation in the specific programs and post vocational modules to encourage entrepreneurship after training.

In order to create these curriculums I first had to understand the history and needs of the communities I was working with. My mentor explained that the tribal communities that these livelihood programs are targeted towards were displaced either when their native land was deemed a national park or when the government began extracting resources from specific pieces of land. As a result, individuals within these communities lost their livelihoods entirely as they were reliant on the land. I also had to understand that there were barriers to participation in these programs, like household responsibilities and gender norms. This information helped me develop the prevocational and post-vocational modules of my curriculums

After I gained a background on the communities I was working with, I had to do research on the skills that each vocational training required. There was some baseline information available on the resources available in Kenchanahalli, but I had to research other curriculums that were used in similar livelihood programs to frame my curriculums.

Although I was working remotely, I came to find this experience with GSL and SVYM extremely rewarding. I left the experience feeling like I understood the necessity of not approaching service from a savior perspective and rather understanding that real change has to be sparked from within marginalized communities. I am very glad that I participated in this program and got to work with SVYM as it is such a unique development organization, emphasizing the need to develop social and human capital to initiate change.

Trisha O. HE GH'22, Mobile Health Unit Project at SVYM

 Data Analysis and Report Writing for the Mobile Health Unit

My remote project with SVYM this summer is to analyze the data collected by SVYM's Mobile Health Unit within the past two years (April 2018 to March 2020) and develop a data analysis report to then facilitate the process of writing relevant articles on the data as well as making improvements or adjustments to the Mobile Health Unit.  SVYM's Mobile Health Unit serves as the primary point of contact for underserved tribal communities in the HD Kote taluk of the Mysore district. Data analysis and report writing is integral to measuring program effectiveness and progress. A successful and sustainable program requires constant feedback between all stakeholders involved. Incorporation of statistical analysis of collected data with critical consideration of the context from which the data was taken will not only help improve SVYM’s Mobile Health Unit efficacy, but can also contribute to the overall literature on tribal populations in Karnataka and India, which is currently lacking.

One of my biggest challenges with this project being remote was digging deeper into the data, making inferences, and drawing conclusions without having the level of cultural immersion I was expecting to have this summer. Constant communication with my mentor, Dr. Dennis, and other faculty at SVYM was vital to me in trying to fill this gap. While this experience was nothing I ever expected, I learned so much and gained / improved so many skills. I am proud to have shown how independent and full of initiative I am through this program. Additionally, I have improved my versatility, adaptability, and communication skills. I am so grateful to have been part of this unique and incredible program and partnership with SVYM. 

Ashley A. ILR'22, HR Project on Succession Planning at SVYM

 Namaskara everyone! 

My name is Ashley and this Summer of 2020, I completed a Succession Planning project for the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement. I can say that completing this project was one of the most insightful experiences I have ever had. I was truly able to get that intercultural experience even though I was unable to physically be in Ithaca. Like everyone has been so helpful, and always looking to be kind to me, and really get me through each step of the process. 

In this blog post, my goal is to give an overview of my project, and highlight my favorite part of the project. Throughout my project I was able to provide SVYM a guide of best practices by researching the intimate aspects of succession planning, and mainly what are the best ways to go about it. Essentially, the guide goes over three steps: Analysis, Development and Implementation. I dive further into this 3-component process, by providing further detail and suggestions within each component. 

Top left, my mentor, Dr. Ravi. Below, Dr. Rekha, the Director of VIIS at SVYM.

During this Analysis portion of my project, I realized that it would be very beneficial to conduct a SWOT analysis of the organization. This was definitely my favorite part of the project because it would not only help me have a better understanding of the organization, but it would also help best formulate the best practices that apply to SVYM, additional advice to provide, and the details for the three director roles I was able to take a look at in the latter part of my project. With the help of and information provided to me by my mentor Dr. Ravi I was able to analyze the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. And was ultimately able to provide SVYM’s HR department with other methods of using Succession Planning to make the organization more successful. After I finished all of this I was able to conduct the succession planning for 3-specific director roles within SVYM: 

1) the Director of HR, 2) the Director of Educational Program(s), and 3) the Director of Community Health Program(s). 

For each of these roles, I then laid out a charted out plan for selection criteria, skills and development that should be included, motivation factors that can be highlighted to potential candidates, and some things that should be happening in the implementation of this project. 

All in all, I would like to share how grateful I am that I was given the opportunity to participate in the India Global Service Learning Program! As an undergraduate college student I was able to take part in a very futuristic opportunity, one which will have prepared me for other possible intercultural experiences, and also one that can place me ahead of the game when preparing for future Human Resources internships or even possibly a career in Human Resources. I cannot imagine this experience having been any other way at this point, and it is not one that I will ever forget especially because I was able to have the support of my GSL peers and teaching team in the midst of this Summer opportunity that was now taking place in the middle of a pandemic. 

To people thinking about doing the GSL program, do it! Take the time, and apply! Only good can come out of it, and I can honestly say that I am in the midst of doing my project and already have recruiters focusing in depth on this experience. So not only am I seeing the impact that I was able to make and that was had on me through this project, but other people are seeing it too! 

And to people who know for sure that they will be taking part in the program… never forget that this opportunity chose you. My peers and I often feel unsure to the idea that maybe we should not be the ones doing this, and later realize that was completely untrue. We are all the perfect people to complete these projects, and can leave this experience knowing that we made the best out of it, and gave the best of us to the organization! 

Rocio C. ILR'22, Health Education Project, Viveka Tribal Center for Learning

     

    This summer I have the privilege to work alongside the Viveka Tribal Center for Learning (VTCL). With mentors, leaders, and faculty like Mr. Kumar, Mr. Sudarshan, Madam Shruthi, Mr. Lokesh and much more to make sure the project is a success and meets their standards. My project specifically focuses on health and hygiene and has three overarching components. One part is the health and hygiene manual that will focus on two different age groups (6-13 years old, 14-17-year-old). I plan for the manual to discuss what it means to have good hygiene. So, looking at best practices for body, dental, facial, handwashing, and for young women, menstruation. Through these best practices I plan to come up with a plan that will help and motivate students to incorporate them into their daily lives and remind them of the benefits for doing so. The second component of this project is to create posters that will be hung up around the school and hostels to remind students to practice good hygiene. Creating a list of Do’s and Don’ts and incorporating pictures will attract student’s attention. These posters are a summarized version of the health & hygiene manual, its purpose is to show students how to properly wash their hands, clean after their meals, maintain cleanliness in their rooms, etc. The last part of the project will be to create lesson plans for teachers based on health and hygiene. Based on their current modules, I will try to incorporate new and/or relevant information on any topic that needs it. Not only that but formulating these lesson plans in a way that will motivate students to practice good hygiene is essential. Overall, this virtual experience has been amazing, the VTCL mentors and staff were so welcoming and excited to work with me in completing this project. The manual, posters, and lesson plans came out great and the VTCL team will be implementing this into their physical education period. I am incredibly grateful to VTCL and SVYM for allowing me to participate and help bring their vision to fruition.

The following are picture sent by my mentors that helped me visualize the school and the activities that students engage in. 

 

 

 

                                                                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaitlin M. ILR'22, Policy Research at GRAAM

    For the past six weeks, I have been working with the Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement. With the help of my mentor, Ananya Samajdar PhD, I have created two factsheets with a focus on skill development programs in South Asia. The first fact sheet explains the importance of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), an unemployment and skill development program in India which aims to assist young people living in rural areas. The second factsheet examines Bangladesh’s National Skill Development Policy (NSDP) which is another unemployment and skill development program geared towards marginalized groups in rural locations. Some large differences between DDU-GKY and NSDP are that NSDP emphasizes the role of apprenticeships and Industry Skill Councils, organizations that continuously research skills in demand. These aspects could be worth implementing into DDU-GKY to give beneficiaries flexibility in how they want to complete the skill development program.

    Through this process, I have learned a lot about employment barriers to young people living in rural areas. Before this program, I did not think about how the inability to access transportation, subpar and sporadic wages, as well as gender norms can exclude many young people from the workforce. Working with GRAAM has shown me ways in which DDU-GKY can target these barriers. For example DDU-GKY can expand their skill development training to encompass skills used in handicrafts, a predominantly female-driven field. DDU-GKY can also implement something similar to NSDP’s Industry Skill Development Policy so that beneficiaries are being trained in skills that are in demand. The photo associated with this blog post shows a DDU-GKY course in action. Beneficiaries are learning valuable lessons about skills that will increase their employability. Overall, I feel that this experience with GRAAM has shown me skill development strategies that can be applied to other developing nations looking to improve the skills of their rural workforce.
    

I am incredibly grateful for this experience to work with SVYM and GRAAM because I have learned so much about skill development and ways to ameliorate employment barriers for young people in rural areas. Aside from knowledge gained from my formal projects, I have also been able to communicate across cultures and timezones. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the entire world and I am appreciative of SVYM and GRAAM’s efforts to facilitate a virtual experience for all of us students. I sincerely thank them for their efforts to replicate an in-person experience to the best of their abilities.

Olivia S. ILR'22, HR & Talent Management at SVYM

My name is Olivia S., and I am a rising Junior in the ILR school, minoring in inequality studies and business. I have been working remotely from Cincinnati, OH this summer, and have had a rewarding, challenging, and exciting virtual experience. 

This past summer, I had the opportunity to complete a virtual project for the Human Resources department of SVYM. I created the framework for identifying and developing internal talent pools at SVYM. Internal talent pools are crucial for both developing talent and succession planning. Over the course of the summer, I thoroughly researched talent pools until I was eventually able to distinguish four important steps to create the talent pool framework: 

1.     Identify the Talent Pools

2.     Develop the Talent Pools

3.     Assess the Talent Pools

4.     Monitor the Talent Pools

These four steps are outlined in my final document, and better explained and enhanced with charts and graphics. The biggest challenge I faced in completing my project was researching a topic that I was completely unfamiliar with. I had to do extensive industry research before I could even start working on the outline for my final project. When my project finally came together into one document, it was incredibly rewarding to see all my hard work one place. I am excited to see how SVYM will use my document to create their internal talent pools, and how my project might help with succession planning. 

When I applied for the global service-learning program, I thought I would be spending the summer in India. I was looking forward to learning from SVYM and bonding with my peers. After Cornell sent us home due to COVID-19, I thought that the GLS program was over. When Donna informed us that the program would be done remotely, I was overjoyed! SVYM did a prenominal job of setting up a last-minute virtual program, filled with guest-lectures, group meetings, and much more. I could not be more grateful to SVYM and my mentor for going above and beyond in helping me with my project and putting together this program. This summer has been full of obstacles for everyone, and I am so proud of this GSL group for rolling with the endless punches and doing a fantastic job despite everything going on around us. Thank you to everyone who made this summer what it was, this has been an experience to remember for a lifetime. Hopefully I can travel to Mysore next summer, but if not, I am still so incredibly grateful for this summer journey.

Meet the 2020 GSL Summer Virtual Team

The 2020 India GSL Team in Jan 2020

RAKSHA K.

Hi, My name is Raksha and I am a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Neurobiology and Behavior, and minoring in Global Health and Music. In the future, I hope to pursue a medical career in oncology and hope to use my abilities in non-profits like Doctors Without Borders to provide free quality medical care to those in need. I am incredibly passionate about non-profit work and have been involved with Doctors Without Borders, along with The International Red Cross and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

On-campus, I am a researcher in the Harrington Lab of Entomology and Vector Diseases, researching harmonic convergence in mosquitoes. I also am the president of The Carl L. Becker House, where I plan and execute events dedicated to the wellbeing of our West Campus Community. I am also the vice president of the Cornell Center for Health Equity here on campus and am a co-founder and co-president of the Cornell Society of Wellness. I love to sing, both Carnatic and western styles of music and I am a part of the Cornell Chorale, as well as several other acapella ensembles. I also love star-gazing, traveling, composing music, reading, listening to music, hanging with friends and family, and learning more about the world around me!

I have always been passionate about volunteering and helping those in need, and have been a part of several important global health initiatives including MSF's Missing Maps campaign, where I helped in creating maps for doctors traveling to underrepresented communities around the world. Last year, I worked at Weill Cornell, doing anthropological research on the behavior of doctors and their relationships with patients. 

This was an incredible experience to learn about western medicine but this year, I wanted to experience healthcare in a completely different setting. Being the daughter of Indian immigrants, I have a deep love of India and Indian culture, and have always dreamed of being a part of a program at SVYM- I hope to learn even more about this country that I love by living and learning with the community. I am ready to learn from this incredible community and am prepared to be challenged as well. This is an opportunity I am incredibly excited for and I cannot wait to embark on this journey!


SHALINI G.

Hello! My name is Shalini. I am from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and currently a rising senior in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell. I am majoring in Biology and Society with a concentration in health and society and minoring in Global Health. I am on the pre-med track and dedicated to contributing to global health research and initiatives throughout my career. On campus, I am involved in GlobeMed, an organization aimed at global health equity through long term partnerships with grassroots health organizations, Society for India, Cornell Tarana, the only South Asian a cappella group on campus, as well as undergraduate research in the Ophir Integrative Neuroethology Lab.

 I firmly believe in SVYM's mission to build social capital where it is needed and provide so many opportunities. I am very excited and thankful to be working at SVYM! As a second-generation South Indian, I am glad to be further exploring the culture and specific nuances or barriers to health, education, and other rights in Mysore, as well as connecting with wonderful mentors and community members.

KAITLIN M.

Hi, my name is Kaitlin. I am a rising junior in the ILR School from Cleveland, Ohio. I am pursuing minors in Business, Inequality Studies, Migration Studies and the Globalization, Ethnicity, and Development minor. I am interested in international finance, consulting, and development in a sustainable way to promote economic equality.

Outside of class, you’ll find me working at Manndibles Cafe in Mann Library. When I’m not making lattes, I am attending Cornell Concert Commission meetings, writing travel articles for Guac Magazine’s semesterly publications, or setting up Cleveland themed events for the Northeast Ohio at Cornell University club.

I’ve also been fortunate enough to participate in the ILR School’s Vietnam engaged learning opportunity this past winter as well as the Cornell - ILR Exchange: University of Warwick, London Summer Program in the summer of 2019. Given my international experiences with Southeast Asia and England, I am ready to learn more about India given its colonial past and Southern Asia location. I’m very excited to work with Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement within SVYM on a project about the effectiveness of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), a government-sponsored skill development program for unemployed youth.

ASHLYN A.

Hello! My name is Ashlyn and I am a junior from Upstate New York. I am in the College of Human Ecology studying Human Biology, Health, and Society and minoring in Global Health and Infectious Diseases. I am extremely interested in pursuing a career in epidemiology and health management. 

On campus I am the captain of the rugby team and I am involved in undergraduate research in the Lazzaro Lab, studying the host-microbe interactions of Drosophila melanogaster, commonly known as the fruit fly. I am also employed by the Cornell Fitness Center and am a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. 

I am extremely excited to be offered the opportunity to participate in the GSL India program and work with SVYM in India. I am very interested in disease and health related research and performing service on a global scale, and while I have spent a lot of time performing research within a lab at Cornell, this program is the perfect opportunity for me to put my interests into real life applications. I am really looking forward to immersing myself in the Indian culture and to learn more about the health care systems of a country that is structured immensely different from my own.

ANJALI M.

Hi! My name is Anjali. I am a junior in the ILR school and transferred to Cornell last year from Occidental College. I am planning on completing a film minor. After graduation I am interested in pursuing union organizing efforts in the entertainment industry, screenwriting, or working in the non-profit world and hopefully participating in the Peace Corps. 
Previously I have participated in an organization to tutor individuals in New Haven, Connecticut called Break Through New Haven. I also went to South Africa and worked for a non-profit called Sharing to Learn in high school. I am enthusiastic to continue my interest in non-profit work in college through the India GSL program. 
I am very excited to participate in the India GSL program as it will be interesting to work on a project for SVYM, it will be a good primer for the Peace Corps, and  as I am half Indian, I am very enthusiastic to immerse myself in Indian culture.

ANNE B.

Hello! My name is Anne and I am a freshman studying Industrial and Labor Relations and minoring in Law & Society and Inequality Studies. I was born in Quezon City, Philippines and moved to Naperville, Illinois in 2005. On campus, I am involved as the Alumni Chair and Choreographer for the a capella group, Touchtones, along with being a member in the Cornell Filipino Association and Minorities in ILR. During my free time, I enjoy playing the piano, singing, listening to audiobooks, and hanging out with friends. I hope to one day advocate for socioeconomic equality through a legal or non-profit career. I am eager to learn and grow as a global citizen, immersed in a new culture. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Global Service Learning program and I cannot wait to have a successful experience!

ASHLEY A.

On-campus, I am involved with La Asociacion Latina as the Vice President of Community Relations.  I pride myself on my Dominican heritage and love to foster a sense of community for other Hispanic/ Latinx students at Cornell. In addition, I am also the Vice President of Event Planning and Coordination for the Minorities at ILR Student Organization. Last but not least, I am extremely involved in the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives at Cornell. I am a member of their Pre-Professional Program, and also am the Assistant Program manager for one of their student success programs: Graduate Students Mentoring Undergraduates (GSMU). My involvement on campus is centered around my passion for helping the community, and as I continue to grow, I see more and more that I want to dedicate my life to helping undepriviledged communities. 

The opportunity to participate in the SVYM GSL Program is something I am extremely grateful for. As a first-generation college student, I am so proud to be able to say that I can partake in something like this during my college experience. It combines my love for traveling and my constant desire to learn about other cultures. And to be able to take my passions and apply them in a global setting is something that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world!

ROCIO C.

Hello! My name is Rocio and I am a sophomore in the school for Industrial and Labor Relations, I am from the Bronx, NY. On campus, I am on the e-board for the Minority ILR Student Organization (MILRSO) and am the VP of Alumni Relations. As an EOP student, I became an Ambassador to bring attention to opportunity programs available for disadvantaged high school students. I am also a program assistant for Upward Bound and STEP (Science and Technology Entry Program) where my tasks include planning logistics for college visits, Saturday academies along with other things. These programs focus on closing the achievement gap and providing services that will prepare students for college. Coming to college I have found a passion for working with high school students and making them realize that college is a possibility no matter where they are raised. This is a major reason for why I decided to apply for SYVM in India. Having traveled to Cambodia this past winter and learning about their education system, amongst other things, have peaked my interest in learning about other countries. I believe that India will provide more insight on how they function as a country, specifically focusing on the education sector. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity that GSL and SYVM is giving me to explore a new part of the world!

MALLORY A

Hi! My name is Mallory and I am a sophomore in the Industrial and Labor Relations School at Cornell. I transferred to Cornell for the Fall 2019 semester from William & Mary in Virginia and I am so happy I did because I absolutely love the ILR program. While I’m here, I want to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible like this exceptional learning opportunity. On campus, I am involved in Chorale and Cornell Rowing Club so if it’s good weather you will probably find me down at the boathouse or out on Cayuga Lake. I am so excited and honored to be a part of the Global Service Learning Program in association with SVYM because it combines my passion for culture, people, learning, and health. I am immensely impressed with the drive and past success that SVYM has experienced and am fortunate to be a part of its mission. 




ELIS L.

Hello! My name is Elis. I am a junior in CALS majoring in Biology and Society with a concentration in society and disease. In addition to my major, I am minoring in Infectious Disease, Nutrition and Health, as well as Global Health. After undergrad, I am planning to get a dual master’s in Public Health and Social Work, which I would use for clinical social work and population-level health research. In the summer of 2019, I had the privilege of working at the Cornell Clinical Trials Unit, where I focused on studies relating to HIV and AIDS treatment and prevention. 

OLIVIA S.

Hello! My name is Olivia, and I am from Cincinnati, Ohio. I’m a sophomore in the ILR school, pursuing minors in Business and Inequality Studies. On campus, I am involved with Amnesty International, Cornell Peer Review Board, the Society for Human Resource Management club, and boxing club. I am interested in a career where I can advocate for others, and I hope that the GSL trip will show me impactful things that I can do with an ILR degree.

I am passionate about equality and social justice, specifically regarding refugee rights. In high school, I led the Students Together Assisting Refugees club, where I created a volunteer program at a local elementary school and organized an annual school-wide toiletry drive. This past summer, I continued my service through the High Road Buffalo program, where I planned lessons for and taught ESL classes to adult refugees on the west side of Buffalo. During my Fellowship, I learned that almost all refugees who become citizens are registered to vote, yet very few of them actually vote. I then organized a voting workshop and mock election for my students, where I taught them about their rights in the polls, and how they can use their voices to help their community.

I am overjoyed to have been selected to be part of the GSL team for this coming summer. I am looking forward to growing as a global citizen through this challenging, educational and rewarding summer to come!

CALEB H.

Caleb, a Denver native, is a sophomore in the ILR School. Having grown up in the Colorado Indian immigrant community, he is thrilled to work with SVYM in the land of his heritage. In addition to his academic interests—such as mediation—he enjoys videography, martial arts, strategy games, moviegoing, and hiking

TRISHA O.

Hi! My name is Trisha. I am a sophomore majoring in Human Biology, Health and Society. I'm from Monmouth County, NJ. My favorite things to do include: going to the beach, playing soccer, and just hanging out with my friends. I love doing anything active, really, from skateboarding aimlessly around our neighborhood to playing volleyball with strangers on the beach.

Being involved with the community I live in has always been very important to me, whether it be volunteering at my local hospital or fundraising through annual town 5k runs. On campus, I am currently involved in Cornell University EMS, where I not only get to contribute positively to the Cornell community, but also get to further pursue my interests in medicine/healthcare. I am also a member of the Kellogg Research lab, where we study protein structure. I am also a member of the tutoring organization, R.E.A.C.H., as well as on the E-board of my sorority Phi Sigma Sigma. 

My interests in global health and outreach, in particular, have definitely stemmed from my family origins. Being born in the Philippines and having most of my family reside there makes it difficult to ignore the large disparity between life in the U.S. and life in the Philippines. I feel lucky to have gained such a unique perspective of the world at such a young age and have always known that serving underprivileged communities on a global scale was something that I wanted to pursue. This program gives me the opportunity to immerse myself in a completely different culture and country and learn about global health issues from new perspectives. I am so excited for this trip. Quite frankly, no matter what I choose to pursue in the future, I am confident that this experience will make me a better, more informed human being.

GABBY G.

Hi! My name is Gabby and I am a transfer sophomore from Fairfield, Connecticut.  I’m a Biology and Society major with a minor in Global Health and Law and Society and plan to pursue a career in medicine or health policy.  I am currently on the Cornell Women’s Rowing team and when I have some extra time, I love to play tennis, hike, surf, and listen to podcasts (my favorite right now is one about mysteries called “Crime Junkies”; I highly recommend on long drives). I am also very passionate about Relay For Life and genetics, and in the past have worked/interned in a genetics lab and organized and ran Relay For Life in the town of my high school.  

I am super excited to go to India because of everything the program has to offer not only because of the amazing chance to work at SVYM, but also because of the opportunity to explore both global health and policy aspects of the program, which are both of incredible interest to me.  I originally became interested in the water and sanitation side of global health, particularly as it pertains to young women in education systems and how the lack of accessible water and sanitary resources negatively impacts their attendance in school. I am thrilled to be connecting with new people and learning from others, especially from the young women in the area! I cannot wait to connect with those in SVYM and in Mysore in general!

PEIWEN S.

My name is Peiwen and I am a sophomore currently studying Human Biology, Health and Society, with interests also in anthropology and government. My hometown is Beijing, China, and I left for the U.S. to attend high school in 10th grade. I first became interested in global health when reading about the work of a medical anthropologist, and was drawn to the deep connections he made with the community through long-term immersion. It has since become my model to understand a community by studying the roots of illness through ethnography while using medical training to provide health care, and I am excited about the India program for the field opportunity to begin to explore the type of work I hope to pursue. I am also excited to experience and become a learner of a culture I do not yet know much about. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running outdoors, and writing.

SAARA K. 

Throughout my time at Cornell, I’ve involved myself with the Ithaca community by devoting my time to volunteer organizations such as REACH and PCAT. I am also currently involved in maternal and child health and nutrition research in DNS. For fun, I like to sing and play guitar in my singing group on campus. In my free time, I enjoy working out, hiking, reading, and spending as much time as possible surrounded by friends and family. 

My studies in global and public health over the past 3 years helped me find my passion for topics such as maternal and child health and nutrition, chronic non-communicable diseases, and infectious disease. I am very excited to be given the opportunity to further explore the field of global health by contributing to SVYM!

Meet the 2020 India GSL Program Assistants!

2020 India GSL TAs, Brianna (left) and Joanna.

JOANNA B.

Once again, hello! As a reintroduction, I'm Joanna and I'm a senior studying Global and Public Health Sciences in the School of Human Ecology. I am returning one last time as a program assistant for the 10th anniversary of the GSL program. I've been incredibly fortunate to return to SVYM on several occasions throughout my undergraduate career, first as a participant during the summer of 2018 working at Vivekananda Memorial Hospital, second as co-researcher during January of 2019 to evaluate the efficacy of the Prerepana Project, and third as a program assistant for the 2019 summer cohort. I am continuously inspired by the work of SVYM and appreciate the opportunity to facilitate this growth among my peers by serving as a program assistant. As I continue my path in medicine beyond Cornell this year, I aim to carry forth the torch of SVYM's mission of service, sacrifice, truthfulness, and non-violence. I am grateful to be a part of their work once more this summer.

BRIANNA R.

Namaskara! I’m Brianna, a sophomore in the ILR school at Cornell, with a minor in Inequality Studies. I was a participant in last year’s GSL program and I am elated to be returning to India as a program assistant in 2020! My project last summer involved teaching employment skills to students with disabilities at Sneha Kiran in Mysore. I am passionate about disability rights, social justice, and advocacy, and hope to pursue a career in law and social impact initiatives. Working with SVYM and its partner organizations has been an incredible privilege, and I am excited to further our partnership in our tenth year of the program!