Miriam Figueroa, a third year student at Northern Illinois University, studies how nonprofit and humanitarian groups impact her local community and the world. Her interests in immigrant rights, world cultures, and social justice have been strongly influenced by experiences she had growing up. Miriam has served since high school as an events and activities planner for her home church, encouraging youth and adults to engage in service opportunities in the larger community. In this context, she is able to help them understand the dynamics of receiving and serving. She has served abroad in Guatemala and China, and currently works with international students at Northern Illinois University, helping them acclimate to the U.S. educational system while expanding her own global perspective. Additionally, she works with a campus faith-based organization to help students from different backgrounds and nationalities explore faith and social justice issues. Miriam strives to make positive change for under-resourced and marginalized communities, and she currently collaborates with students from a variety of organizations to explore the empowerment and community-building available through service and humanitarianism.