Preeti Pandey

In the several years I have been in the Civic Engagement field,” said Preeti Pandey’s nominator, “I have never seen a student seek out problems to solve as creatively and courageously as she does.”

As President of the Hokies Vote Caucus, Preeti helps create programming that fosters a positive civic culture at Virginia Tech. Some of these events are deliberative dialogues, which are moderated community conversations that lead off with contextual information by an expert in the topic.

Preeti helped plan dialogues including with the Sierra Club, Delta Lambda Phi fraternity, the League of Women Voters, and Chi Omega.

Preeti leans into uncomfortable conversations,” said her nominator, “because her ultimate motivation is serving the community in an inclusive and sustainable expansion of our civic environment.”

By embodying a creative and adaptive approach to civic engagement, Preeti has provided students with pathways to become civically engaged about topics they care about on a personal level.

She has opened doors for student organizations who want to be advocates of a particular topic but don’t know where to start, guiding them to mechanisms of a local democracy,” said her nominator, “and has helped expand the work and capacity of the organizations she is a part of.”

A senior studying political science and philosophy, politics and economics in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Preeti will be attending law school this fall, studying civil rights and constitutional law.

The highlight of my college experience was working with the League of Women’s Voters,” said Preeti. “I conducted research on voting policies in Virginia and the US and drafted policy recommendations for the restoration of voting rights of formerly incarcerated individuals.”

My passion is community organizing for issues related to civil rights,” she said. “I am proud of the work I have done in the Hokies Vote Caucus. We have worked hard to institutionalize civic engagement on campus the past three years.”

In tough conversations, Preeti said, “I try to respect people’s values, background, and experiences that allow them to bring different perspectives to the conversation. Having the opportunity to live in different countries with different cultures, religions and communities has taught me to respect all people.”

Through the Hokies Vote Caucus,” said Preeti, “I have had the opportunity to work with people from varied political backgrounds. I have learned how to become a better leader, listener and advocate through people that are very different from me.”

Preeti said that to her, civility means “showing respect and kindness towards all people,” and that she demonstrates that respect “by being kind, polite, and an active listener.”

For her persistent energy, passion, and conviction to expand the civil rights and political voices of her fellow Hokies, I am proud to present the Aspire! Award for PRACTICE CIVILITY to Preeti Pandey.