About Me
Hi! My name is Manvi Malhotra and I am a rising junior in the Class of 2023 at Duke University, majoring in Economics with a Finance concentration and minoring in Global Health. My Brodhead Service Project (BSP) took place at The Community Fund of Darien (TCF), a nonprofit based in my hometown, Darien, Connecticut. I interned virtually here through DukeEngage last summer, laying the groundwork for a Volunteer Hub service, analyzing Key Performance Indicators, condensing grant-making spreadsheets, and more. This summer I mainly continued my work on the Volunteer Hub and supported other efforts ranging from researching potential youth group spaces to making donor entries in Flipcause. I have been able to grow my network and learn about different aspects of this nonprofit as well as the growing needs of my wider community; overall it has been an incredibly well-rounded and educational experience. Welcome to my e-portfolio!
Path to BSP
Before even stepping on East Campus, I was eager to apply to Duke’s flagship summer community engagement program, DukeEngage. I originally applied to a program to help women achieve financial independence in Ahmedabad, India, motivated by my interest in women’s empowerment, Economics, and my ties to India.
This plan was unexpectedly derailed by COVID-19 in the spring of 2020 and I had to find a back-up plan. Guided by DukeEngage, I opted to find a virtual opportunity at TCF, an impactful pillar of my community in Connecticut.
After a successful experience, I reconnected with my mentors, and opted to apply to the BSP Fellowship to follow-up on my work from the previous summer and engage with my local community again. Though my path to this opportunity was unconventional and I was not expecting to work here either summer, it has been a rewarding experience.
Personal Philosophy
In general, I believe volunteering is so powerful because it allows growth of individuals and organizations, creates a tangible impact, and can bring people together. I first discovered some key principles of civic engagement through my four years as a volunteer EMT in high school, directly serving my community by responding to 911 calls and helping my neighbors in their times of need. This opportunity, my other past volunteer experiences, and my observations have hence defined my philosophy on civic engagement.
Volunteering should be guided by the values of empathy, growth, and selflessness and should aim to create long-lasting positive developments. These aspects are most important to me because I think a volunteer should genuinely care for their work and show passion for the cause. Most importantly and often most difficult, volunteering should amount to some kind of positive change in that community. Even if a project should fail, it should lead to learning and further development.
Keeping this philosophy in mind, I try to invest as much as I can into every project and be compassionate for the cause and community of each undertaking. As an EMT on a 911 call, this may look like showing compassion for a patient and making sure they get the best care possible. As an intern at TCF, this may look like communicating successfully with my colleagues, other nonprofits, and the town to best define and execute a volunteer concierge service. Though these are two very different forms of engagement, they revolve around the same broad philosophy, something I hope to carry with me in every role
Goals
Fellowship Goals
My goals for my fellowship this summer range from developing hard skills through the position to softer goals such as communicating well with others! This chart highlights some of my overarching initial objectives.
Duke Goals
My goals for my Duke experience as a whole with respect to my summers of community engagement emphasize the importance of service as well as community. This chart highlights some of my more long-term goals.
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