Serene Singh isn鈥檛 working toward a career鈥攕he鈥檚 working toward a movement.
A senior studying journalism and political science, her mission is distinct: to help others develop the same sense of confidence and courage that propels her into uncharted territory.
鈥淚 believe so recklessly and relentlessly in my dreams,鈥� she said while speaking at a CU 麻豆影院 NEXT event in Denver last January.
This year, Singh became the first woman in university history and the first CU 麻豆影院 student in 25 years to earn a Rhodes Scholarship to attend graduate school at Oxford University in England. She鈥檚 also a Colorado Boettcher Scholar and the winner of a Truman Scholarship, granted to college students who show a commitment to public service leadership.
鈥淗er leadership skills are rooted in the notion of helping others rise along with her, which I deeply admire,鈥� says Assistant Professor Ross Taylor, who has taught Singh in several of his journalism classes.
Singh began her college career as a political science major to prepare for law school. After taking a video editing class with Taylor, she added journalism as a major. She found that classes on video editing and visual storytelling gave her technical skills to back up her natural strengths鈥攁 lesson she first learned as a head editor of Rampart High School鈥檚 weekly student newscast, KRAM.
鈥淚 had to tap into my strengths at that time and say, 鈥業 don鈥檛 really know how to edit, I don鈥檛 know programs, but I do know public speaking. I do know how to write a good story. I do know how to phrase things in a way that make sense to the heart,鈥欌�� says Singh, who grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In and out of class, Singh has leveraged her interests鈥攆rom journalism to political science to public speaking鈥攖o forge her own path. In doing so, she鈥檚 found ways to support others, as well.
In 2012, Singh, who is Sikh American and whose parents are from India, founded the Colorado Bhangra dance team with two other students. Later, she founded the Serenity Project, a nonprofit that aims to build confidence in young women through beauty pageants and mentorship.
Her experiences building inclusive spaces, especially for women and ethnic and religious minorities, have influenced her worldview. In summer 2016, while interning with Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., in Washington, D.C., she noticed that policies designed to help women in need often lack representation or contributions from the groups they鈥檙e geared toward.
鈥淚 was constantly going to briefings about foster care, about education, about domestic abuse, about human trafficking,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 noticed, whenever they were talking about women鈥檚 issues, very few times were women in the room.鈥�
Singh, who also serves as chief justice of the CU Student Government, ultimately hopes to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
鈥淣o American of South Asian heritage has sat on the nation鈥檚 highest court,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 want our government to look more like our country in every single sense of the word.鈥�