Have you ever had two interests that were glaringly different from each other? Have you ever tried to combine them? What about this: how do spelling and science come together?
In this down-to-earth guest interview episode, Deborah sits down to chat with Snehaa Ganesh Kumar, an astrophysics major at UC Berkeley and the Scripps National Spelling Bee Runner-Up (2016), to talk about navigating life in the pandemic, reflecting the social impact space as the founder of a non-profit organization, and what self-care looks like as college student from home. They discuss the politics of Instagram infographic slacktivism, the need for restorative justice in the school curriculum, and the purpose of high school for building character.
In this episode, you will hear all about understanding the importance of collaborating with existing organizations, moving beyond social media for real organizing and action, juggling different interests, recharging and educating yourself through 2020, and hacking the college admissions process. If you're looking for a deep conversation on being a college student in a pandemic, finding a sense of focus in the midst of change, dealing with rejection, and reframing the meaning of social impact, then this episode is definitely for you!
Guest Biography:
Snehaa Ganesh Kumar is a college freshman attending University of California, Berkeley. She is an astrophysics major with a strong love for spelling, science research, story-telling, and star-gazing. She is the founder of the Queen Bee Project, a non-profit organization that strives to provide competitors at all levels with study material, sample curriculum for outreach events, and advice on how to mentally prepare for and face competitions. She is also the 2016 Runner-Up for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Culture Media Co. named her one of the 2020 Social Entrepreneurs on the 25 under 25 list. Fun fact: She speaks four languages and believes in the power of personal development!
You can find her on Instagram @snehaaganesh and @thequeenbeeproject.
Connect with Deborah Olatunji on Instagram ~ @deb_olatunji