"Beyond talking about freedom and responsibility, I have realized that youth leadership is not just an ideal, but a real part of my identity." Sarojini comes to Carleton from the Mahindra United World College in India and is a recipient of both a Davis Foundation Scholarship and a STARR International Scholarship. As a boarding student near Pune, India, she studied the environmental impact of large dams, such as the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River communities, and she also studied hospital waste disposal systems and the role of women’s involvement in conservation initiatives. In addition, she participated in an international student peace conference, focusing on Kashmir, where 40 Indian and Pakistani students were brought together in Singapore and were trained in conflict resolution skills. Most importantly, she notes that the conference allowed the students to question their own prejudices and to look into their own experiences for the sources of their biases. Sarojini looks forward to participating in the cross-cultural studies program at Carleton.