CURRENT SCHOLARS

2024-2025 COHORT

RAHUL ALMEIDA
UC RIVERSIDE

Project: Food for Thought

Food insecurity, or lack of consistent access to nutritious foods, affects more than 1 in 5 Californians, severely disadvantaging those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Food insecurity is a complex issue that can eventually lead to malnutrition due to a overreliance on easily accesible but unhealthy foods. Malnutrition is a common risk factor for a number of medical issues, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The city of Moreno Valley is an underserved area of Riverside County that suffers from these diseases due to the prevalence of poor diet and the extreme health disparities in the region. Nutritional education interventions have shown promise in combating food insecurity by improving dietary habits of participants. Research also shows the benefit of introducing such interventions earlier in life as information
is more likely to be retained over longer periods of time. Food for Thought is an educational intervention program for the underserved Moreno Valley Unified School District in which high school students are trained to deliver engaging nutrition-related presentations at elementary schools. My mission is to implement this program to teach nutrition, healthy eating habits, and food choices during early stages of life, so that children are more likely to form positive habits that can contribute to lifelong well-being. This kind of early intervention can also help in building a foundation of knowledge that children can carry with them into adulthood, empowering them to make informed decisions related to food and nutrition. Subsequently, by participating in this program, high schoolers will develop essential soft skills, enhancing their
professional growth and preparing them for future opportunities.

JOANA ANTONIO
POMONA COLLEGE

Project: Holistic Health in Pomona (HHIP):

Delivering Comprehensive Care to the Underserved

Holistic Health in Pomona (HHIP) is a project that will improve comprehensive preventive and social needs care to under-resourced communities in the Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. The project addresses critical health disparities through two initiatives in Pomona, CA: the Preventative Health Education in Youth (PHEY) and the ParkTree Social Needs Referral Network (PSNRN) programs. PHEY is an open-community, year-long workshop series on nutritional, mental, and physical health where students and families will have the opportunity to engage with local health professionals and organizations to improve their health lifestyle decisions. Participants will be able to apply their knowledge by creating a community recipe project to be shared with the greater community. PSNRN is dedicated to refining and expanding the social needs referral program at ParkTree Community Health Center. By thoroughly vetting local social needs organizations, creating a resource map that presents information on these organizations, and hosting conferences and fairs for social needs staff and patients respectively, access to and information about social needs resources will improve. Both programs will be continually strengthened through qualitative and quantitative data gathering. We hope that these programs will significantly improve the quality of life for the populations they serve and become models for other community organizations and health centers, as the need for preventive care and social needs assistance increases.

ANNIE BELTER
CHICO

Project: Project G. R. O. Garden Resource Opportunity

Gardening is a powerful integration to have in children’s education, especially today, to respond to the rising trends of sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet development in the United States. Introducing a garden’s dynamic learning environment will help kids get up and moving, and develop strong relationships with vegetables and fruits, all while still learning mandatory lessons in school. In my home community of Glenn County, there are no sustainable school gardens, and I seek to change that. Project G.R.O will create an opportunity for elementary schools in Glenn County to form sustainable garden programs through providing solutions to the common issues of why schools don't have gardens. These issues are; no funding, not enough gardening knowledge, and not enough structure to incorporate gardening into learning cirriculums. My solution to address the first issue is to create “Garden Grants” that fund 5 elementary schools in Glenn County. To address the lack of gardening knowledge on school campuses, I am introducing the partnership of the Glenn County UC Master Gardeners to Glenn County schools, who will offer garden support for faculty as well as provide guest lessons to the students. Finally, to help teachers conveniently integrate gardening into their curriculum, I will be creating a spreadsheet called “Planter” where garden activities and the California State Standards they meet are connected.

VYOMA BHANA
UC DAVIS

Project Title: Dance Bhoomi

Children who have experienced severe childhood trauma often cope by dissociating with their bodies and minds. This disconnect can lead to a myriad of physical and mental health concerns, and continue to hinder their growth even after rehabilitation. In response, I propose a fun,
movement-therapy based project called “Dance Bhoomi,” which incorporates elements of dance lessons alongside confidence and creativity building practices. Students would engage in the curriculum for a period of a year before culminating their journey with a showcase of self-
choreographies, thus allowing them to rekindle their confidence and self assurance while also expressing their personal stories. Project funding would go towards creating a designated dance studio, purchasing equipment, and funding additional mental health services through on-site counselors. This project would be housed in the Indian NGO, Snehalaya, and would use the support of the UC Davis chapter of Project RISHI.

SOPHIA FANG
UC SAN DIEGO

Project: To Be Designed Program: Human-Centered Design for Social Impact

To Be Designed is a 16-week human-centered design program where groups of student designers are paired with local nonprofits to collaborate on a design challenge. Students will be a part of a hands-on learning cohort where they will strengthen their skills in design
communication, user research and testing, and product design and implementation, while creating a real-world impact in their local communities through their nonprofit partners. To Be Designed strives to address educational barriers students have to accessing design learning opportunities and the financial barriers nonprofits have to receiving quality digital design solutions.

TRISHA GONGALORE
POMONA COLLEGE

Project: Holistic Health in Pomona (HHIP): Delivering Comprehensive Care to the Underserved

Holistic Health in Pomona (HHIP) is a project that will improve comprehensive preventive and social needs care to under-resourced communities in the Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. The project addresses critical health disparities through two initiatives in Pomona, CA: the Preventative Health Education in Youth (PHEY) and the ParkTree Social Needs Referral Network (PSNRN) programs. PHEY is an open-community, year-long workshop series on nutritional, mental, and physical health where students and families will have the opportunity to engage with local health professionals and organizations to improve their health lifestyle decisions. Participants will be able to apply their knowledge by creating a community recipe project to be shared with the greater community. PSNRN is dedicated to refining and expanding the social needs referral program at ParkTree Community Health Center. By thoroughly vetting local social needs organizations, creating a resource map that presents information on these organizations, and hosting conferences and fairs for social needs staff and patients respectively, access to and information about social needs resources will improve. Both programs will be continually strengthened through qualitative and quantitative data gathering. We hope that these programs will significantly improve the quality of life for the populations they serve and become models for other community organizations and health centers, as the need for preventive care and social needs assistance increases.

VRUND ITALIYA
USC

Project: Upcycled Test Tubes for Thailand’s Remote Villages

This project tackles a critical healthcare disparity in remote Thai villages – unreliable access to basic labware essential for accurate diagnoses and timely treatment. Through an innovative collaboration between CubeCare, a student-led healthcare initiative I co-founded, and my
social venture Rescued Glass, this project addresses both medical and environmental needs. We will transform readily available waste glass into durable, sterilizable, upcycled test tubes specifically designed for the challenges of rural clinics. This pilot initiative in Prachuab village
showcases a scalable model, where locally sourced materials address gaps in existing supply chains. With a projected budget of $10,380 and planned completion by October of this year, this project offers a template for replicating success in other villages, ultimately driving measurable advances in healthcare equity across Thailand.

RIYA NIKANT
UC SANTA BARBARA

Project: Teach4Speech

This project seeks to expand my Teach4Speech organization's outreach by developing a curriculum that teachers can implement in their classroom, and reaching children through web games. Teach4Speech is a program geared at providing elementary and middle school students from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds with speech and communication skills. My Strauss Project would create an impact directly in schools by enriching the curriculum, and spread to the communities to provide access to all children. In equipping students with the tools to find their voice, build confidence, and advocate for themselves, I hope to inspire the next generation of leaders, and open opportunities in communities that do not have access to this. The first aspect of this program involves developing an in-depth curriculum that has video demonstrations of the lessons, along with surveys and worksheets that students can fill out. This masterbook curriculum will be distributed to schools for teachers to adopt in their classroom. The second aspect of this program involves community outreach in an effort to
make these speaking skills accessible for students who have barriers to learning and education. This involves the creation of a web based application that allows for practice of speech skills. This creation of both physical and digital resources will aid in this accessibility, with the aim of reaching underserved and underrepresented communities.

ALI ODEH
STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Project: Nature's Senses: Building a Sensory Integration Garden for Children with Autism

The Nature’s Senses project aims to build and establish a maintenance plan for a community sensory garden in Jericho, Palestine. With the assistance of Kathryn Payne-Gray, director of the Stanford Learning Lab, the garden will be designed to provide sensory integration therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The scientific literature surrounding the benefits of sensory gardens for the social, emotional, and cognitive development of all children is vast and robust. This project will collaborate with the municipality of Jericho, which has allocated a plot for the garden’s assembly. Another community partner is the Palestinian Happy Child Centre (PHCC), a non-profit organization based in Ramallah, Palestine, that offers educational serveries to children with ASD. The PHCC has agreed to provide volunteers for the garden’s proposed construction in December of 2023. Access to resources such as sensory gardens are among the most disproportionately distributed along the socioeconomic gradient. The Nature’s Senses project will be the first of its kind in the region and provide a long-term community resource accessible to all.

MAXWELL PAGE
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

Project: Heart2heart: A Digital Community for CHD Families

Heart2Heart is a digital community for children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and their families. Incorporating interviews, blog posts, tips and tricks, and more, Heart2Heart provides unique support from families who “get it.” Living life in a hospital is scary for anyone, but when you’re a family trying to navigate the ups and downs of CHD, having fellow patients around you makes all the difference. Heart2Heart attempts to provide a new form of support to these families and their patients by being extremely accessible via the Internet. By collaborating with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Heart2Heart has a partner who will help make sure its message gets heard by patients, families, and physicians. This is a project I would have done by myself, but thanks to the Donald A. Strauss Scholarship, Heart2Heart will help more patients and their families feel the hope provided by community.

STANLEY ROZENBLIT
STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Project: PRISM (Promoting Respect, Inclusion, Support, and
Mentorship for LGBTQ+ Youth)

PRISM (Promoting Respect, Inclusion, Support, and Mentorship for LGBTQ+ Youth) is an innovative public service initiative establishing a safe haven for educational, social, and mental health resources for LGBTQ+ students in South Bend, IN, building on the successful model I have proven on my college campus. I founded the first PRISM chapter at Stanford University in 2022 as part of Stanford Pride, enabling hundreds of LGBTQ+ students in Northern California to find community belonging and access vital resources. This project facilitated a platform for
connection, peer interaction, and resource access. With the Strauss [Scholarship's] backing, I plan to expand PRISM's outreach to the Midwest, starting in my hometown, South Bend, Indiana, where the lack of family/institutional acceptance leaves many LGBTQ+ youth isolated and struggling. Collaborating with the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley, an inclusive, non-partisan organization, this expansion aims to replicate the supportive ecosystem through educational workshops, support groups, and extensive community outreach. This endeavor not only seeks to nurture self-acceptance and resilience among the 3,500+ LGBTQ students in the area, but also aims to weave a fabric of inclusivity and awareness throughout the broader community. My academic insights, non-profit leadership experience, and hands-on involvement in shaping PRISM's initial chapters form the cornerstone of this project. Utilizing dynamic, culturally attuned methods, PRISM's Midwest expansion is poised to significantly influence social acceptance and mental health support for young LGBTQ+ individuals, setting a precedent for further expansion regionally and nationally.

DIEGO SARMIENTO
UCLA

Project: Santanero Voter Initiative: Uplifting Latino Youth Voices in Santa Ana

2024 is an election year. American democracy is fragile, one of the contributing factors is low voter turnout. In the city of Santa Ana, only a small proportion of Latino youth exercise their right to vote due to systemic factors, one being a lack of political outreach. Latinos vote at 29% and youth (18-24) Latinos vote at only 18%. Because of this, Latino youth voices, wants, and needs have not been addressed through policy. In order to address this issue, I will target low voter turnout from two angles. First through direct voter outreach, and then through proven public policies such as free bus rides on voting day and “democracy vouchers.” A significant portion of the funds will be directed towards the purchase of a PDI program, an application used to target specific voter demographics and canvass them. Our goal is to create a measurable increase in the number of young Latino voters in the city of Santa Ana for the 2024 general election and beyond. Results will be measured through PDI data post-election. This program is urgent as there will not be another opportunity like this for another four years. Canvassing scripts in English and Spanish and templatized policy briefs make this project easily repeatable in other cities around the country. The project has vast community support including various elected officials, community organizations, and UCLA research institutes who plan to assist in different ways. While true democracy and policy implementation will be a multi-yearslong process, we must begin now.

GENE SULLIVAN
UC BERKELEY

Project: Oakland Homeless Union: Building Community, Safety, And Leaders

The Oakland Homeless Union Outreach Team will work in collaboration with houseless communities, by providing garbage clean-ups, harm reduction services, medical services, document readiness, housing navigation, homeless union membership, voter registration, food/ meals, leadership training, and canvassing of the surrounding neighborhood to provide public education and pathways for people to help support the houseless community. With that goal in mind, this project will utilize direct outreach to build relationships with houseless communities in the Oakland area, host organizer trainings for houseless leaders, and build coalitions within the housing justice movement in Oakland. The Outreach Team concept is meant to provide a model for non-profits, service providers, local governments, and neighbors, to have a better way to work in partnership with houseless communities. The success of this project will be based on how many encampments we can connect with and the ability to train at least one person from each encampment in Oakland to create a community-based approach to safety.