Meet our college Doves
President
Jasmeet Kaur
The University of Cal State Eastbay: Hayward, CA
What motivated you to start Letters to Hope at your university?
I was motivated to join Letters to Hope because as a Psychology major I look forward to obtaining a MSW and working with mental health and trauma patients, this goes hand in hand with what we do in our organization. After learning that Letters to Hope writes letters to individuals and groups in need of hope I felt very connected with the club. I want to help make a change for those who truly need a pillar of hope in life.
What was your biggest challenge when starting the club?
When joining the club my biggest challenge was that all prior officers had graduated and being midst a pandemic it became very difficult to reach out to students, as we were not on campus. I was consistent and kept trying. With lots of hope and support from my fellow officers, the hindrance was left behind. We look forward to continuing making an impact, whether it's on or off campus.
What did you gain from being the president of the Letters to Hope club?
Being the president of Letters to Hope has shown me what I am capable of- juggling school, work, family, club duties and a social life. I have learned to be even more of an empath as I am able to make a difference in other people's lives whilst continuing my own studies and career. I have strengthened my leadership skills, communication skill, and have become more of a team player working with fellow officers and members. I look forward to applying these skills to my career.
CSUEB OFFICERS
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President
Kritika Sharma
School of Broadcasting and Communication: India
What motivated you to start Letters to Hope at your high school?
My roots are from an orthodox turned progressive Indian family. I was born and raised in Delhi,India and had always lived a sheltered life. As a child I attended a convent school with strict teachers and had protective parents. My knowledge of how much pain and tragedy there is in this world was narrow. In the year 2017, for pursuing my post graduation, I moved to another city, Mumbai. When I started living by myself, observing and reading everyday, I realized how important it is for us to give back to the society. Meeting people from all over the country, it changed my perspective as how as an individual we can make a difference. The letters to hope club was a chance encounter, where I found the concept of it so simple, refreshing and beautiful. The ability to empathize is so important in this world today and this was an amazing way to reach the hearts of people and help them through their difficult times.
What drives you to help others?
I believe in happiness. In my opinion, everyone deserves the chance to be happy, to live with equality and dignity. Love is what drives me the most to help others. I see people going above and beyond to help their loved ones and that is where I take my inspiration from. Love has the power to bring peace, if as human beings, we learn to love without conditions and drive hatred out of our hearts, live with empathy and be genuine in our intentions. My trust in the goodness of humanity is what strengthens my drive.
What are your future plans and goals?
My goal is to acquire knowledge and study in fields different from my current area of education after completing my masters in journalism and mass communication. However, my interest in being an entrepreneur has me working towards opening my own firm in the near future. Apart from my academic aspirations, I plan to travel the world and learn about the unique cultures it has to offer. I also plan to increase my efforts in giving back to the community.
What are your goals for the Letters to Hope club?
I want to engage a plethora of enthusiastic individuals in the club, writing letters and coming up with ideas for projects for different communities. I hope to inspire others through our efforts and encourage more colleges to form their own club in every city. I have a strong team who share my ideas about love, humanity and empathy and we plan to work together to make Letters to Hope a success and help as many people as possible.
School of Broadcasting OFFICERS
Tanvi Srivastava
Vice-President
Meghna Sakshi
Secretary
Abhishek Timmalapur
Treasurer
