Although a late-night trip to a convenience store is probably a trivial part of any student's life, for me it was also a reminder that sometimes having an impact starts with a reaction to the mundane.
Witnessing a clerk discarding perfectly good food into the trash, I couldn't help but think of what we as students can do to end such wasteful routines.
That's why I am heading up a project called Carnegie Kitchen, which will turn unused food from campus and nearby restaurants into nourishing meals for those who need it. The project will also provide training for individuals looking for work in the culinary industry.
Carnegie Kitchen, which is expected to begin this fall, is just one example of how a group of students can have an impact on the everyday world. And, if I had to distill my freshman experience into a single lesson, that would have to be it.
My classmates and professors have shown me that by pushing myself, I can make a difference. It's a lesson I have been able to learn thanks, in part, to my Andrew Carnegie Society Legacy Scholarship, which has given me the opportunity to attend Carnegie Mellon and to be inspired.
—Prerna Singh (TPR'12)
