Throughout my elementary, middle, and even high school days, my father would always joke: “Yamini for President!” Of course his joke was fully laced with seriousness, but to my immensely shy and introverted self, the idea was seemingly impossible. Fast-forward through years of me working through my public speaking anxiety and sharpening my leadership skills to this year, where I have the privilege of serving as President for UD’s Indian Student Association (ISA). After enrolling in the Honors College, one of the first things I looked into during my freshman year was becoming a member of this organization. And sophomore year, as I aimed to be more involved, I  effectively became ISA’s Treasurer. 

ISA aims to facilitate understanding between students to cultivate meaningful, lasting relationships among community members of all different backgrounds. We promote social and cultural activities originating from all over India, ranging from Punjab to Tamil Nadu. And although it is referred to as the “Indian” Student Association, we house an all-inclusive environment where any student can be a member regardless of their cultural heritage. While this is not an exhaustive list of our events and celebrations, below are some of our most prominent and memorable ones that you won’t want to miss.