Naija Agarwal is a student in the College of Arts and Sciences who plans to major in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Her passion for dialogue and exploring critical world issues stemmed from her involvement in her Junior State of America chapter in high school. Naija aspires to become a human rights lawyer and advocate for victims of human rights violations while impacting future legislation. Her experience taking the SNF Paideia course, “Political Empathy and Deliberative Democracy in the US” increased her awareness about the potential for empathy and deliberative democracy to overlap, giving her a broadened perspective about the avenues for understanding that can be achieved through intentional dialogue. The course was her first introduction to the SNF Paideia Program and encouraged her to seek out an opportunity to intertwine her academic interests with dialogue and democracy.
As an SNF Paideia Fellow, Naija looks forward to forming connections with students who are passionate about forging productive dialogue and creating positive change through spreading understanding. She is excited to spend her three years as a fellow alongside students from all four undergraduate schools and contributing to a diverse community of individuals hoping to leave an impact on the communities they are a part of.
Outside of her academics, Naija can be found spending her time as a member of various clubs and organizations. She’s part of a student-founded startup called The Founder Series, where she can make entrepreneurial mentorship and resources available to all founders, no matter where they come from. She’s a consultant in Consult for America, which allows her to work closely with local Philadelphia businesses and support their growth using data to help them achieve their goals. She’s a part of the Alumnae Relations Committee in Wharton Women and has been able to plan several industry panels with her committee. Whether she’s around campus singing with the Glee Club or following a lead for her next Daily Pennsylvanian story, she’s always finding new ways to challenge herself and try new things.