Nanhao Chen
Transylvania University
Nanhao Chen, is a junior from Transylvania University. Since arriving on campus almost three years ago, he has demonstrated a passion about social justice issues. He started serving the Lexington community as a tutor at the Carnegie Center, a consistent volunteer at the Habitat ReStore, as well as the service chair for his fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi. Nanhao is currently the student coordinator for the Nest volunteer team. The Nest is a center for women, children, and families and offers services to families in need. Nanhao volunteers each week and leads a team of students. He has a strong understanding of the root causes of social issues supported by his vast array of experiences. He has well developed ideas on how to expand the volunteer team and help the Nest in many different ways. Before taking on this role as the student coordinator, Nanhao met with administration at both Transy and the Nest to fully understand the needs. He continually brainstorms solutions to the issues he has been presented with and then offers innovative ideas to meet the needs of our partners.
Personal Statement
My service experience with the Nest Center, which provides assistance for families going through crisis, has led to my concern for the struggles of low income single families. Especially those who cannot provide essential opportunities for their children and maintain a stable family environment because they lack resources, such as parenting education and everyday needs. Since it is impossible to address the issue mentioned without asking assistance from the community, I decided to seek a long-term partnership for the Nest Center that could contribute more resources than possible on an individual basis. I soon moved forward by partnering the Nest Center with Transylvania's largest greek organization, Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. With the new partnership, the Nest Center can enhance the capability to provide everyday supplies for those families in need. To further this initiative, I've planned a philanthropy event with both organizations where everyday supplies will be donated from the Transy community in exchange for a specially designed shirt. Moreover, I've also initiated the Nest's first ever learning educational program for college students, which focuses on how to be a responsible partner, as well as parent. This project will also begin with members of Delta Sigma Phi.
