Meet Our Executive Director: Harsha (Nicole) Parchani

Meet Harsha, a young woman from the Caribbean who founded and is executive director of EmpowerU. She is currently a rising senior at the University of Michigan studying to be an electrical engineer. At 21 years old, she is working hard to obtain her degree....but her goals reach father this just this. She has a vision of empowering the next generation of Caribbean students. We interviewed Harsha and learned more about her background, her journey, and her future.

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Hi Harsha, can you tell us what are you studying and why did you choose that field? What do you hope to do with it?

I am a rising senior studying electrical engineering at the University of Michigan. Honestly, I never wanted to be an engineer, especially not an electrical engineer. It ended up being that it was just the right fit as hesitant as I was. I chose it in the end because the things I wanted to do, I could best do being an electrical engineer. I have a passion for health technology and being in EE was perfect for creating a strong foundation that could be applied in that sector. I hope to have a medical device company one day that reshapes how we view, manage, and treat health. For my short term goals, I hope to graduate and get a job that pays well.

What island are you from? What do you love/miss about the Caribbean? What is the best part about being West-Indian? 

Sint Maarten. I miss the energy, the culture, the love of the Caribbean. America is a very cold country. The people are very fake. I love the honesty and bluntness of Caribbean people. There's an authenticity you get that is just gone here. Everyone is trying to be everyone else. It's not really like that back home. The Caribbean is full of life... I miss a lot, the food especially.

Eventually, I just had to realize how strong I really was, a strength I got from growing up in the islands

And can you tell us what is it like leaving home (the Caribbean) to study abroad? 

It was hard at first. Change is uncomfortable. I had never visited Michigan before I moved there. I was afraid of getting lost, of not fitting in, of not doing well.... The Caribbean is a very sheltered environment. I had to quickly develop thick skin to survive here in the US. I was very fortunate to have my parents in the US with me. I remember freshman year, I called my mom in tears because I honestly thought I made the wrong decision moving here. It was so hard and I felt misunderstood. Eventually, I just had to realize how strong I really was, a strength I got from growing up in the islands. I had a lot to learn because there was so much I was not prepared for. My struggle freshman and sophomore year is one of the reasons I really believe in what we are doing. I do not want people to have to go through the struggle to success that I had to endure. I missed home for sure, and I felt alone for a while... It's hard when you go from knowing everyone to literally knowing no one and having basically no one you can relate to.

I think my journey has really about me finding myself... like really finding out who the hell I was and what was it I really wanted.

Speaking of those challenges that you had to work through, what has your journey been like to get you to where you are today? What are some your accomplishments, honors, and past leadership roles you've had?

I learnt a lot about who I was, what I was interested in, and what kinds of people I wanted to surround myself with that honestly after sophomore year, I cut out every organization I was in. They just didn't really align or have the energy I was looking for. I had to go through some experiences to realize that I wasn't being fulfilled and it was okay to say no. I tried to take courses in things that interested me outside of my major and slowly I just started growing. I wanted to do my own thing for a very long time and when I thought about this organization, everything clicked. I don't really know how to explain my journey because my path was very unorganized. I was awarded the Dean's list both semesters this past academic year.

On the island, I was involved in a lot. Teen Times, Red Cross, Rotary, Sint Maarten's debating society, Sint Maarten's first Moot Court team... a bunch of stuff. High school was easy so managing all of that stuff was nothing. In college, life is not as planned. I think my journey has really about me finding myself... like really finding out who the hell I was and what was it I really wanted. Only now do I feel like I am working towards that. I guess by finding out what I didn't want was how I got to where I am haha. I trust in the universe.

They say if not you, then who? If not now, when? And frankly, I didn't have an answer as to why it shouldn't be me, and why it couldn't be now... so here we are.

With all that said, why did you start this non-profit? What does the mission mean to you and what do you envision for the organization's future?

I created this organization because I realized it is insane that we have to struggle as much as we do just be to on an even playing field with other students from other countries. I had no clue how much resources American students received to go to college.... things I wished I had. There were so many things I wish someone had just told me, especially about course prep, financial aid, cultural transitions. When I look at the Caribbean region today, it hurts me. We are so behind the rest of the world... it's crazy. The amount of tech and opportunities we are missing out on blow my mind. I realized the issue began with education. We needed to empower the next generation to take on careers that go beyond tourism as we know it.

We need experts in various fields to really move our countries forward, but every student that's abroad does not want to go home. I realized I could be a part of the problem (just get my degree and work for some large company) or I could change things so people didn't have to leave. To me the first step is educating the population. Investing in your human capital is priceless. Once we have people that are masters in their field, we can move onto entrepreneurship and incentives people to create businesses that can have regional impact. I think how could AI change how we manage tourists? What insights could big data give us about what makes us unique? How could mixed reality allow us to engage with the world by sharing the experience of Carnival with others before they book a ticket? My ultimate goal is to bring the Caribbean (as one community, not competing islands) into the 21st century. This is what I hope our organization will do. I want us to create career opportunities for people that open doors they never thought could be opened. I want us to inspire. I want us to empower. The Caribbean has so much potential for greatness... if only we invested in it.

They say if not you, then who? If not now, when? And frankly, I didn't have an answer as to why it shouldn't be me, and why it couldn't be now... so here we are.

Thank you so much Harsha! Before you go, can you give us some quick fun facts about yourself?

Normally I say my fun fact is that I am from the Caribbean haha. I'm biracial lol. My current mini project is to read ~54 this year (1 book/week)... learning is important. I work at Microsoft... I guess that could be my fun fact. I am a Surface Touch and Pen Design Verification Intern.

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Harsha hopes to help Caribbean students to achieve dreams they never knew they had and plans to work hard to lead this organization to new heights. Thank you for reading and thank you Harsha for the interview.