Name: Ashish (Ash) Kalani
Year: 2014
What are you involved in on and off campus?
On campus, I am one of the Steering Members of the Gay Straight Coalition and also involved with Greek Life. I am also one of the amazing Transfer Counselors! Also, as part of major, I am heavily involved in biological research related to aging. Off campus, I am part of a statewide coalition of students, called the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition, which aims to advocate on behalf of LGBT youth. I also enjoy dancing my heart out or until my body breaks at either the queer spaces in Philly or our own Kelly’s.
Why are these things important to you?
They helped me become who I am today. Being part of the Gay Straight Coalition was very important to me because I wanted to have the Queer Villanovans voices heard.
What would you like to do when you graduate?
I am currently trying to move out west to California and looking for a job in biotechnology or pharmaceutical. I plan to work for a year or two before I start graduate school in biology.
What’s your best memory from Villanova?
My best memory of Villanova was all the amazing people I met in Organic Chemistry (the best class ever) and through Campus Ministry. Everyone should take Orgo; it will blow your mind. I still hold my Americus, GA break trip crew closest to my heart.
Any cool internships/jobs?
I had the opportunity to intern in Washington DC with a LGBT nonprofit that focused on immigration issues and issues facing the Asian Pacific Islander American Community. I had the chance to meet leaders of the non-profit world and network with so many people. I was also able to part of protest events and the other LGBT-related advocacy events. My entire internship was focused on planning our organization’s conference in which over 300 people came! It was epic.
Any parting words?
Cherish your family and your friends every day. Try to do something spontaneous with your friends every week, like skydiving, making snow donuts on Main Lot, going to another college’s campus and making new friends, getting that nose piercing or tattoo you always wanted, weekend trip to NYC, taking a random ski trip, bowling at Wynnewood lanes, you get the picture.