Dinesh Karki
University of Nebraska OmahaDinesh Karki has been described as a civic engager for the good of all. He is fully committed to addressing barriers faced by refugee, migrant, and diverse students by facilitating opportunities for them to become connected to the services and support needed to thrive. With a passion for education, he has come to understand how societal systems can work together to provide. A lack of education makes it difficult for new immigrant families to start a new life in the US. As someone who sees opportunities when faced with challenges, he has begun building a network for his peers in high school and college to provide support, community and better connect members to resources needed as first-generation refugee students.
Personal Statement
Community involvement in advancing faith, culture, and education have always been my family’s daily motto. I became involved in educational inequality by volunteering at annual events like World Refugee Days and Bhutanese-Nepali festivals. Since 2010, I have been participating in the World Refugee Day programs helping immigrant families with translation and guidance. I started helping newcomers in middle school by translating. Every year I am involved with my community to celebrate our festivals and promote/preserve our culture. As I got older and became more involved in the communities, I came to understand how societal systems can work together to provide support--emphasizing the importance of education and social work. The lack of education makes it difficult for new immigrant families to start a new life in the US. On campus, I work with peers to help all students (especially Bhutanese-Nepali) have more academic success. We strive to encourage high school and college students to move forward--providing tools and access to resources including volunteerism, FAFSA and other scholarship opportunities. As a UNO Public Health major, I want to create a positive path for youth success that includes community engagement, staying in school, maintaining good health, and making drug-free choices.