Khan ’12 Named Dell Semi-Finalist Fellow

Olivia DrakeMay 24, 20112min

Tasmiha Khan ’12, founder of the student organization Brighter Dawns, is a recipient of the Dell Social Innovation Competition Semi-Finalist Fellowship. Brighter Dawns applied for the Dell Social Innovation Award in January. Their project is titled “Brighter Dawns: Clean Water for Humanity.”

“Tasmiha was selected from a very strong applicant pool to join 14 other innovative fellows that represent and work with communities around the world,” says Betsy Loucks, director of the DSIC Semi-Finalist Fellowship. “The Semi-Finalist Fellowship is a cohort of students from around the world who have some of the most exciting and innovative ideas for social and environmental change.”

Developed to leverage the power of the group, the fellowship program provides students with mentorship, training and a small financial award to advance the development of their social innovation. The fellowship provides students with the skills, networks and experience needed to realize the potential of their social venture.

At the core of the DSIC Fellowship is the practice of peer critique. The peer critique is a forum for student entrepreneurs to seek feedback from other students, faculty, alumni and experienced professionals/entrepreneurs. Meeting around a common table, the participants generously and respectfully share their questions, advice, networks and encouragement in a spirit of collegial collaboration.

In addition to the fellowship, the DSIC also provides a travel stipend to Rhode Island for the Summer Institute on Social Entrepreneurship, Aug. 15-19.

Brighter Dawns also received a Davis United World College Project for Peace grant worth $10,000.