CSU East Bay’s Associated Students Inc. (ASI), created a new position to their Diversity Center this year, and hired CSUEB international student Riddhi Sood, as its first community service events coordinator.

“She started on our Street Team,” said ASI’s event and diversity manager, Jonathan Stoll. “We were able to see commitment and dedication and she was heavily involved in the campus community.”

“She was particularly impressive as an intern and she had a good sense of campus community,” added Stoll, who also conducted the hiring process for Sood’s position.

Stoll explains Sood’s position, along with two other event-coordinating positions, aimed at making multiculturalism and social justice more of a priority this year. The new student-staff members will have the task of over-seeing these initiatives and specializing in further engaging students and prioritizing projects.

Sood, who exudes passion and is devoted to her new position in community service, says it really comes down to what you can do. Currently majoring in biology with an option in cellular molecular biology, Sood’s native roots as well as community service history go back to New Delhi, India. There, Sood helped patients in a community handicap association by volunteering with surgeries, recoveries and speech therapy.

“Imagine you are mute for your whole life, and you can speak the next second, then it’s very difficult. It’s psychologically altered. It’s about rejuvenation,” said Sood.

Sood also helped the older generation of New Delhi, stating, “they don’t get enough care from the newer generation.”

“It’s about old people, and creating awareness about how important they are. There’s a generation, and because of that generation, we are here, and we don’t take care of them,” said Sood.

Aside from her community service work in India, Sood has also demonstrated a passion for volunteering in the city of Hayward through the Keep Hayward Clean and Green task force (KHCG), which has been helping CSUEB students earn their required community service hours for the past two years.

In volunteering for KHCG for three years,  Sood says she saw how important it was for students at CSUEB to help be a part  of beautifying Hayward’s neighborhoods.

“It’s a great initiative the city of Hayward is doing,” said Sood. “It’s not even getting the whole community together, it’s including the school, and that’s what we want to do because the educational places are as a part of the community as much as the residence are,” said Sood.

Through Sood’s new community service position, Stoll has no doubts that Sood will develop a number of skills she can then use in future careers.It is Sood’s natural enthusiasm, outgoing personality and international experiences that will push her forward.

“To international students I would just say, come out of your shells, because I have seen many people who come here and they’re just with their own communities,” said Sood.

From her experience, she says it is very important for international students to have an open mind and to try to adapt to the university community and surrounding areas by meeting and talking to new people.

“Even if you think your accent is not right, or that your English is broken or something, go ahead, campus gives so many opportunities,” said Sood. “If you’re here for new experiences, new memories, then you need to come out and you need to explore.”