For my Grand Challenge service experience, I volunteered with the Meal Recovery Team through Retriever Essentials at UMBC. My role focused soley on in the background, where I helped recover unused food from True Grits, the campus dining hall. Each week, me and my team collected, packaged, and delivered leftover meals to Retriever Essentials for redistribution to food-insecure members of the campus and local community. I also participated in PRAC 96, a course offered through the Shriver Center, which goes alongside my volunteering. Being in the course helped deepen the experience by engaging students in written reflections and discussion around community needs and the broader social impact of our work.

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This initiative directly supports the Grand Challenge goal of improving access to essential resources and promoting sustainability. By reducing food waste and addressing food insecurity, our efforts demonstrated how small, consistent actions can contribute to meaningful societal change. Weekly reflections in PRAC 96 strengthened my understanding of civic responsibility and the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in building resilient communities—core aspects of a Grand Challenge service experience.

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Although this work isn’t directly related to solar energy or power systems, it aligns with the broader themes of sustainability and equitable resource access. Much like food equity, energy equity involves ensuring that all individuals have access to fundamental resources. Both food and energy insecurity often affect the same vulnerable populations and require affordable, scalable, and sustainable solutions.

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Through this experience, I developed a deeper sense of perspectivism by engaging with issues of food insecurity on campus and recognizing the systemic challenges faced by many students—especially international and graduate students. Working behind the scenes gave me insight into the often-invisible barriers to student success, reminding me that making it to college is only the beginning. Additionally, collaborating with a small, mission-driven team helped me sharpen my communication and teamwork skills, ensuring the success of our shared goals.