This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Adelphi chapter.
Q: What is your year and major?
A: I’m a senior studying Exercise Science/ Pre-PT Track and I am in the Levermore Global Scholars Program.
Background Information on LGS Program:
“The selective Levermore Global Scholars (LGS) program prepares you to tackle global problems and be a leader in your chosen field. Levermore Global Scholars enriches any major with an interdisciplinary global perspective through seminars and a variety of co-curricular activities, including cultural excursions, internships, study abroad, service projects, and activities at the United Nations.”
Q: What activities on campus and off campus do you participate in?
A: I am the President of Sikhs United Club. I became President as a Freshmen (2013) when all responsibilities of the club were handed down to me without me knowing what the rules were. I had to restart a dying club with no Executive Board members and no leadership training. We started out as a below 3-star organization, an organization that was on “probation” and close to being terminated, because requirements intended to be fulfilled in the past year were not met. When I took over, I changed everything from its Constitution, Club Goals, and even the types of events in an effort to make them more social, interactive, campus wide, and appealing to a bigger audience. I made meetings fun and learned that I had to be super creative now to get members. My efforts were not futile! Currently, we are a 4-Star Organization and this is my third year of Presidency and I am motivated to take this club to even greater heights in the near future. I am also the captain/founder of AU Bhangra. AU Bhangra is the first ever Bhangra team at Adelphi University comprised of individuals from diverse racial backgrounds. I created it in 2013 as originally a dance committee within the Sikhs United Club to grant anyone, regardless of dance ability, the opportunity to learn the traditional North Indian Folk Dance of the Punjab Region which requires high energy, high knees, high jumps, occasional stunts, and smiles to upbeat folk beats. (It’s definitely a great workout!) Today, my AU Bhangra team is spreading appreciation for the Bhangra dance form through dance workshops and performances at campus events as well as at other universities. Our goal is to expose cultural competency and awareness of the North Indian dance form to the Adelphi community. Yes, it is a completely different dance than Bollywood. (I get asked this way too many times).Through our bright colored dress-wear and passion to perform, AU Bhangra hopes to soon become an established team at Adelphi University. (I am currently working towards making us an officially recognized Adelphi Team, but the process is definitely difficult and long)
I am also apart of AU Sapna (Bollywood Fusion Dance Team). I have gained all my extensive dance experience from being on this team. Not only did I learn new dance styles such as contemporary, salsa, and classical Indian, but I also got to share my own knowledge and choreography for Bhangra and Hip-Hop to the team. It feels great to compete and receive a sense of recognition and appreciation! I am apart of AU P.A.W.S (Perfection As We Step) / Step Team. joined in 2014 and it was one of the greatest choices I made because I learned a dance style that required no music. Our body was our music!
Fun Fact: I am in love with the African culture!
I work at the Campus of Recreation and Sports as both a Campus Rec Employee and Group Fitness Assistant! And I also work in the Exercise Science Department as a Research Assistant.
Off campus, I participate in kickboxing and dancing. I am a physical therapist-aide. I work closely with Physical Therapists and their patients at Hope Physical and Aquatic Therapy in Plainview. I started out as a volunteer, but they offered me a job when they realized I had the right knowledge, good work ethic, and interpersonal skills to represent their facility.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I love working out. It’s my escape from stress or personal problems. Dancing is my passion. I dance about 4x a week altogether. Kickboxing makes me feel stronger both mentally and physically. I train 3x a week early morning: HIIT Training and Strength & Resistance Training (I would not have the time to work out but I MAKE TIME! Getting and staying fit is a priority in my life so I know I have to). Yoga keeps me emotionally stable and at peace within. It reminds me to focus on the present moment and always breathe!! Basketball is a lot of fun even though I’m super short and I can’t shoot for my life. (lol) Performing on Stage gives me a sense of accomplishment, feels like a victory every time. I love to observe nature because I love animals and everything green! (You can guess my favorite color as well now). I enjoy observing and appreciating the beauty of our world. It’s so relaxing. I love photography and videography. l enjoy holding on to memories and editing family films for fun.
Q: What do you like the best about Adelphi?
A: I love how Adelphi is such a friendly and unified community; People are very down to earth and highly involved. Adelphi gives me a sense of belonging; it feels like a home away from home with a lot of opportunities and resources for both my personal and social development.
Q: What is AU Sikhs United?
A: A Sikh simply means “a learner” or “seeker of truth”. Sikhs believe in justice and defending the oppressed. Regardless of faith, if any, Sikhs United members all simply support the Sikh mindset of promoting S.U.P.E.R (selfless service, unity, peace, equality, and respect) throughout campus. Sikhs United Club’s purpose is not for religious practice, but rather to create a sense of unity and change through campus-wide social events, engaging discussions and debates, community service initiatives, campus-wide challenges, and even dance workshops all in relevance to the core Sikh beliefs.
Q: What does it take to be a leader in your opinion?
A: I feel like anyone can delegate tasks or dictate instructions, but that doesn’t make you a leader. It takes a true leader to make their members feel connected, whole, and appreciated at every step of the way and not everyone does that. To many people believe being a leader is equivalent to being the “boss” or being a popular head figure in the community, but I think being a leader means you’re willing to do the dirty, tedious work along with your members/peers; the only difference is that you’re just guiding the way, but you’re also just as involved in the process as anyone else. A leader has both a vision and a plan to make change happen.
Q: What advice can you give to incoming freshman about being involved?
A: This may sound cliché, but I have to say your college experience is truly what you make of it. I came to Adelphi without attending Orientation or Matriculation because I was out of the country for many months, and when I came back literally the day before school started, I wondered, “How will I fit in and make friends?” I felt so disadvantaged because everyone already had made connections and had established their comfort zone through Orientation while I had not yet. My best advice is that if you want the best of your college experience, I highly recommend joining a student organization, intramurals, a sports team, or simply getting an on-campus job! Many of the great experiences I made today happened because I decided to explore my campus and the many activities it has to offer. Not only will you make some great friendships along the way, but you will also gain knowledge, experience, and great opportunities! Getting involved in the Adelphi community is one decision I guarantee you won’t regret, freshmen!
Q: Do you have any goals for yourself or when you graduate Adelphi?
A: First and foremost, I hope to have a beautiful family in the future who supports my big dreams and helps me back up when I fall down.
Aside from that, my ultimate goal is to become a successful Physical Therapist, but for reasons other than simply helping people move or exercise. Unlike other healthcare professionals who value the quantity of patients more than the quality of the service, I actually hope to develop a strong relationship with all my patients through which they are constantly reminded of the support and love they have. I want to be able to witness the progress of my patients individually and be able to say, “You can do this! Believe in yourself because I believe in you.” It would be a blessing for me to not only restore mobility and function into people’s lives, but also to have the opportunity to motivate and inspire my clients on a daily basis because their goal will immediately become my goal. Serving as the strength of individuals without knowing how much my presence and care can actually mean to them is exactly what I aspire to do in the future. So, after I obtain my Bachelors of Science Degree in Exercise Science from Adelphi University, I plan to apply to a DPT Program to obtain my doctoral degree in physiotherapy.
I hope to one day establish my own Physical Therapy clinic where I could make sure every individual wakes up confident and motivated to turn their greatest weakness to their greatest strength. As a Levermore Global Scholar, I would love to provide my Physical Therapy service and assistance to individuals in underprivileged countries around the world where my knowledge contributes to the betterment of those most in need.
Aside from my main career objective, some other goals I have for myself are to become a certified fitness instructor, to open up a studio where I can teach dance and fitness to children who cannot afford professional instruction classes, and to be able to travel and explore the world.
Q: Do you have any role models?
A: I actually have a lot of role models, but if I were to mention the most important people in my life who influence me the most, I would say my siblings. I really look up to my two older sisters and my younger brother because they all inspire me in different ways and teach me indirectly through their own struggles. They’re also very silly and they mess up a lot, but I appreciate that the most about them because it makes me realize that no one is perfect and it’s okay to be weird. What is “normal” anyways? What I admire most about them is how strong and resilient they are. No matter what tests life puts them through to knock them down, they don’t budge. If they do crash hard, they get right back up stronger than ever and ready to face the world again. They’re perfectly imperfect and somehow that is so incredibly beautiful to me.
Q: Any favorite quotes?
A: “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein
“Life is like a camera, just focus on what’s important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don’t work out, just take another shot.” – Unknown
Ckeck out this cool article about Harneet!!
