NC State Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship is excited to welcome the 2021-22 Social Innovation Fellows. This group of 30 students represents nine colleges at the university, along with a wide range of personal and academic backgrounds, and have all demonstrated remarkable resilience and leadership throughout this past year. The fifth cohort of Fellows joins a strong group of social impact ventures to become problem-solvers and changemakers, diving into six of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals as a part of NC State’s Sustainable Development Goals Initiative. Their passion and energy are inspiring and the program is looking forward to seeing their accomplishments this year.
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Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 7 is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. This goal is represented by second-time SI Fellows partner All We Are, a Raleigh-based nonprofit founded by social entrepreneur Nathan Thomas that helps provide clean solar energy for community-oriented buildings like hospitals and schools in Ugandan villages. Jenni Managala ’23 and Tatum Kellum ’22 will work with Sarah Smart, Allison Starling, and Asher Zhang on this project.
Jenni Mangala ’23
Jenni is a sophomore studying electrical engineering with a concentration in renewable electric energy systems and a minor in business entrepreneurship. Her passion for sustainable energy systems, particularly in developing countries, motivates her professionally, academically and personally. She works with NC State’s Solar Pack and Engineers Without Borders, where she helps assess the infrastructure of a secondary school in Sierra Leone to design electrical systems for solar panel installation and computer usage. She is also a Park Scholar and a member of the National Society of Black Engineers.
“My family immigrated to Raleigh from the D.R. Congo, in which only 9% of the nation has electricity access. Understanding the role power distribution plays in infrastructural growth and the industrialization of developing countries, my life goal is to expand renewable energy resources in sub-Saharan Africa. The SIF’s program mission of impact-focused innovation to transform existing structures aligns perfectly with my personal calling.”
Tatum Kellum ’22
Tatum is a senior studying biological sciences with a concentration in molecular, cellular and developmental biology with a minor in nonprofit studies. As a Park Scholar, she is passionate about fostering a sense of community— a passion she discovered while working as an English teacher in Hanoi, Vietnam. During the pandemic, Tatum was instrumental in continuing NC State’s Krispy Kreme Challenge virtually as their Race Director while also successfully earning her EMT license.
Continue reading“My dream career is to help people. I know that no matter what career path I choose to follow, I will be dedicated to helping others. While I have good intentions about nonprofit work and creating an impact, I still have a lot to learn in terms of project planning and execution. I am hoping that the Social Innovation Fellows program will be able to help me develop the skills necessary to create the change that I aspire to generate.”
This is an excerpt from an article originally published by NC State Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship.