Education and Training
Alumnae Profile
Krishna Kavi (New Jersey 2010)
A senior in the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University, Krishna is an alumna of the 2010 NEW Leadership™ New Jersey program. She is the recipient of a Rutgers College Academic Excellence Award, a member of the SAS Honors Program, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Dean's List, and Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honors Society. She is also a nationally ranked and recognized American parliamentary debater and has served as the public relations chair for the Rutgers University Debate Union, which was the sixth best parliamentary debate team in the nation last year.
Krishna is currently a member of the Eagleton's Institute of Politics’ Undergraduate Associates Program, in which students explore applications of political science to the practice and processes of American politics. The program offers a unique way to study government and politics and includes special seminars, a supervised internship, and discussions with governmental officials and political practitioners.
She is very involved in both state politics and campus activities. She serves on the Rutgers University Hearing Board, where she is committed to maintaining a fair and equitable academic and social environment throughout the campus and the University. She was also a member of the University Center Residence Hall Judicial Board, where she participated in hearings involving violations of the Residence Life Policies.
Krishna served as a legislative intern for Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono and Senate Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee Chair Senator Jim Whelan. She is currently serving as a legal intern for the Office of Legal and Regulatory Compliance at the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services. She is also working on her political science senior honors thesis, examining why Indian American women are underrepresented in New Jersey politics. After graduation she plans to attend law school with a focus on civil rights and public policy.
The NEW Leadership™ program gave Krishna the confidence and knowledge to get involved in politics. It was at NEW Leadership™ that she first began to identify and understand the experiences and difficulties women face nationwide, and as a result she began to examine issues of gender equality in politics. Krishna says, “I want to be the first Indian American woman in the New Jersey Legislature, and this decision is due to the NEW Leadership™ program. The program taught me about the need for diverse women in public office and motivated me to enter New Jersey politics through internships. My experience with NEW Leadership™ is one of the core reasons why I am now involved with the distinguished Eagleton Institute of Politics, where I hope to further my knowledge of state politics.”