Karen Padilla

University of South Carolina Beaufort

Karen Padilla is a junior in the Human Services program at the University of South Carolina Beaufort. Karen has been an active member of the Human Services Student Organization at USCB for two years; she now serves as the club's vice president. She frequently volunteers with children through the Beaufort County Foster Parent Association and is completing an internship with the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA) of Beaufort County. In this internship, she is assisting the agency staff by conducting child-abuse prevention workshops to local elementary school children. Karen is passionate about helping others. She plans to pursue a career in human services that will enable her to provide prevention and intervention services for children and adolescents.

Dr. Al Panu, Ph.D.
Chancellor
University of South Carolina Beaufort

Personal Statement

I have always been passionate about helping others. I was raised in the United States, but as a Latina, I had to face many challenges in order to pursue my dreams. When I was very young, attending school for the first time, Spanish was my only language. It helped to open my eyes to see and understand the differences in my community. Regardless of my difficulties in school, I knew I had a purpose. As Supreme Court Justice Sonja Sotomayor wrote, "When everyone at school is speaking one language, and a lot of your classmates' parents also speak it, and you go home and see that your community is different, there is a sense of shame attached to that. It really takes growing up to treasure the specialness of being different." I am committed more than ever to making a difference in my community. I hope to work with children and teens so that the "shame" Justice Sotomayor speaks of can transform into specialness and success.

Karen Padilla
Human Services: Class of 2020
written 2019

2019 Fellows Alphabetical by Institution

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Sarah Lutes, UNC Asheville Seda Sahin, Univeristy of Connecticut Bernardo Villarreal Rodríguez, Universidad de Monterrey Elizabeth Paige, University of Baltimore Itzel Velazquez, University of Central Arkansas Jordan Borenstein, University of Central Florida Hunter Caudillo, University of Central Oklahoma Delali Nenonene, University of Dayton April Singleton, University of Delaware Amanda Wittebort, University of Denver Mikaela Lopez, University of Houston-Downtown Nicolas Robledo, University of Illinois at Chicago Natalie Benson, University of Indianapolis Jocelyn Roof, University of Iowa Kaitlyn Frick, University of Kentucky Dyamond Gray, University of La Verne Sarah Nichols, University of Maine at Augusta Maheen Haq, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Madison LaCure, University of Massachusetts - Boston Marvens Pierre, University of Massachusetts Amherst Elizabeth Anusauskas, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Twisha Mohapatra, University of Massachusetts Lowell Shravya Jasti, University of Miami Jalen Rose, University of Michigan-Dearborn Robert Harper, University of Minnesota Danielle Friz, University of Missouri - St. Louis Daisy Ward, University of Montana Adrianna Pittman, University of Montana Western Lizbeth Perez Hernandez, University of Nebraska Omaha Kaitlin Griffin, University of New Hampshire Joyce Yao, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Yesika Sorto Andino, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Adriana Zarate, University of North Georgia Hector Robledo, University of North Texas at Dallas Sashay Carroll, University of Northern Iowa Carson Ball, University of Oklahoma Carter Gale, University of Pennsylvania John Farris, University of Redlands Mary-Kate McGeary, University of Rhode Island Lina Tori Jan, University of Richmond Nina Schneider, University of San DIego Nyteia Tyler, University of San Francisco Karen Padilla, University of South Carolina Beaufort Danica Leaphart, University of South Carolina, Columbia Shaneika Bowra, University of the District of Columbia Livia Karoui, University of the South Jordyn Gaurkee, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Emiliana Lopez, University of Wisconsin - Madison Zach Atkins, University of Wisconsin - Parkside Madison Hale, University of Wisconsin-Superior