WHAT INSPIRES THEM

What inspires Kavi Pandian: “People have an extraordinary capacity to find joy, create art and cultivate community in the face of oppression and marginalization. Imagining how much more would be possible in a world without those conditions inspires me.”

■ What was the appeal to helping inmates? “Education is a fundamental human right. The U.S. routinely denies such rights to inmates, and I entered college with a burning desire to do something about that. As a student, I knew I couldn’t end abuse, such as the routine use of solitary confinement or unpaid prison labor. However, I could help build an organization to provide education to incarcerated folks. With the help of Manasa, our tutors and prison staff, we’ve done exactly that.

■ What do you expect to be doing 10 years from now? “I hope I’ll be front row at a Hotel Fiction concert singing my heart out. I expect I will be sitting at home grading assignments from my future students.”

What inspires Manasa Kadiyala: “I am really inspired by those people around me: peers, mentors, family, friends, community. Each person is so special and comes from such a unique background, and there is so much to learn about everyone. I truly believe each and every individual has the ability to reach their goals with the proper resources and guidance, and this is what motivates me to work hard to help them be able to reach their highest potential — whether physically, mentally or emotionally.”

■ What was appealing about helping inmates? “In Athens, Georgia, where UGA is located, there’s a pretty large incarcerated population, and these members of the community are often overlooked, mostly because of societal stigmatization and discrimination, in addition to their negative portrayal in the media. Many people don’t take the time to understand this population, and we wanted to take this opportunity to help and really get to know this vulnerable group and encourage others to do the same.”

■ What do you expect to be doing 10 years from now? “I will probably be practicing medicine at an academic teaching hospital, dividing my time among teaching medical students and residents, conducting research and seeing patients. I will definitely continue working with prison inmates and volunteering in my community, as I believe that is the best way to know my patients, the population and society around me.”

Manasa Kadiyala