Puja Shah, 19, is a sophomore at the University of Kansas. She is Pre-med, studying Microbiology with a minor in Spanish. With only a year under her belt, she has already made remarkable strides in the KU community. Puja is the social chair of the South Asian Student Association, development chair of Jayhawk Health Initiative, and founder and co-president of KU Habitat for Humanity. She is also currently involved in the KU Honors Program and a resident assistant in Ellsworth hall.
Why did you choose to get involved in these areas?
“I chose to get involved in these organizations because they highlight a few of the things that are important to me such as service and culture. Being involved in the South Asian Student Association has enabled me to immerse myself in the South Asian culture without ever having to leave Lawrence, Kansas. I like being involved with SASA because I enjoy creating a space for South Asian students that provides comfort and feels like their home away from home. I love being involved with Jayhawk Health Initiative because JHI has helped me gain firsthand experience in the medical field, and it has allowed me to help others and educate those around me on the importance of access to healthcare. Currently, my primary involvement resides with KU Habitat for Humanity… Lastly, this year I am a Resident Assistant in Ellsworth hall and I absolutely love it! I love being an RA because I enjoy being a resource for other people, and I want to help make every single one of my residents transition to KU and college an easy and fantastic one. By being an RA, I hope to help create a community that feels like it’s full of family members for each and every resident.”
You were involved in establishing KU’s Habitat for Humanity, correct? Tell us about your passion behind this organization.
“Yes! I am a co-founder of KU Habitat with Ami Nanavaty. I wanted to create a campus Habitat chapter because I wanted to create an outlet for campus students to become involved with service and the Lawrence community. I believe that having a safe and comfortable home is often the key to success in other areas of our lives both personally and professionally. Because of this belief, I am a very strong advocate of Habitat for Humanity’s mission of helping provide affordable housing to all those who need it. Our goal with KU Habitat is to spread awareness, educate others, fundraise and help create an outlet for KU students to become involved in their local and national communities.”
Somehow, even with all she is involved in, Puja still finds free time to enjoy going to KU basketball games, spending time with family and friends, painting and going to Mass Street. When she can, she loves to travel, learning from and contributing to other communities.