Meet Simran Kaur, a second-year political science student pursuing minors in computer science and pre-law. Between excelling in her studies, traveling abroad, and founding a service organization on campus, most people know Simran as an outgoing individual who is always there to help a friend in need. If we take a look beyond the surface, you’ll notice that there is more to Simran’s story than what meets the eye.
As a Punjabi-American, Simran has discovered her identity by exploring culture and interacting with people across the globe. While her parents and extended family were born in Punjab, Simran’s story began in Philadelphia.
Growing up in the vibrant city of Philadelphia was the perfect opportunity for Simran to mature in her communication skills. The city flourished with diversity, and that gave her a fresh perspective on how to interact with people from all different backgrounds at a young age.
Years later, Simran and her family moved to Dayton, Ohio, and she eventually made her way to the small town of Ada for her college education. Each location had a unique community that possessed distinct cultures. Being exposed to different groups of people taught Simran valuable life lessons at a young age.
“Being exposed to all of those things early on really helped me with the way I view conversations nowadays…” reflected Simran. “I mean, I’m definitely able to come to a conversation with more empathy than someone else.”
As a first generation American, Simran expressed slight tension between her two cultural identities. Unlike the rest of her family, Simran and her siblings grew up in a different country and grew up with different experiences, leading her to feel “50% Punjabi and 50% American” regardless of her heritage.
This past summer, Simran had the opportunity to reconnect with her roots and visit Punjab with her family. Traveling abroad allowed Simran to spend time with her extended family and explore the country for the first time in years.
Despite the challenges of balancing both cultures in America, returning to her family’s home country was a breath of fresh air. She was able to reconnect with loved ones and engage with a community that shares her values.
Being able to immerse myself with people who don’t have to balance the sword of both English and Punjabi on their tongue was so refreshing because I was able to speak one language the entire time that I was there and not have to worry about switching in between and then possibly mispronouncing a few words as well.” – Simran Kaur
One way that Simran expresses her Punjabi background on Ohio Northern’s campus is by participating in multicultural activities. Last semester, Simran and her friend Diya Saigal hosted a Punjabi table at the annual Multicultural Fair hosted by the World Student Organization. The pair arranged a table that shared fun facts about Punjab and showcased different cultural foods, jewelry, and trinkets.
“We’re able to introduce ourselves almost as a whole new different person to our peers, to our residents, to our neighbors…” said Simran. “Just being able to go, I feel like I’m able to show a side of myself that I usually wouldn’t…talking about why I am the way that I am without coming off as too philosophical.”
Simran strives to be a role model for the youth in the Ada community by demonstrating confidence in her identity and dedicating her time to children in need. After growing up feeling different from her peers, Simran founded a chapter of Circle K International (CKI), a service organization dedicated to enriching communities across the globe, and serves as its current president.
“Because I’m a part of CKI, I’m able to prevent other young kids from feeling the way that I felt and being able to mold them into much stronger individuals,” said Simran.
Since the chapter’s formation last year, CKI has partnered with several local institutions to assist children in Ada. From volunteering at the Ada Public Library to hosting the Smash-a-Pumpkin fundraiser last fall, Simran has used her presidency to make an impact on the local neighborhood.
Simran has made an incredible journey to not only find herself, but discover ways to use her skills to help those in her community. She aspires to continue supporting others after law school by joining the Air Force to serve as a Judge Advocate General.
This article is part of Northern Review’s Student Highlight series, which features students who are forming new paths and making a difference in ONU the community. Stay tuned as we profile more students who are going above and beyond on campus.