Hey! My name is Akilan Dorairaj, and I am a high school senior interested in psychology and neuroscience. Outside of the classroom, I'm a captain in my school's Speech and Debate team and vice president of our Indian Student Coalition. My long-term goal has always been to make people smile using my niche talents. I plan to fulfill this personal goal by attending medical school and becoming a practicing psychiatrist after college.

• Youth Ambassador

  Non-Profit Organization Management · Tackle Hunger

  Jan 2022 – Present

• Vice President

  Education · High School South Asian Student Association

  Jan 2020 – Jan 2024

• Congressional Debate Captain

  Education · Highschool

  Jan 2020 – Jan 2024

• Head of the Food and Agriculture Subteam

  Public Policy · Sierra Club

  Jan 2020 – Jan 2024

• Barista

  Retail · Starbucks

  Jan 2023 – Jan 2024

• Advocacy
• Volunteering
• Philanthropy

• Dancing

  1 award

  2020 – Present

  Awards:

  In charge of choreo and teaching dance as part of school's bollywood dance team. Team selected for numerous competitions and raised 15k through school-held shows.

• Researcher

  UCI GATI · Neurobiology and Neurosciences

  2023 – Present

  Research topic:

  Effect of nicotine administration in adolescence in future opioid use

• Researcher

  Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program · Marine Sciences

  2023 – 2023

  Research topic:

  Effect of a period of non-interaction on local tidal pools.

• Write personal essays on social advocacy. Submitted to 20+ competitions. Agricultural subsidies piece featured for 2.5 million+ listeners of KQED.

  Creative Writer

  2021 – Present

  Productions:

  https://www.kqed.org/perspectives/201601143844/akilan-dorairaj-agricultural-subsidies

• Big Brother

  Volunteering · Mentoring freshman as part of Big Brother program

  2022 – 2023

  Mission:

  Worked as a mentor for 20+ freshmen. Helped students transition into high school with weekly conversations and social events to build community.

• Tutor

  Volunteering · Bellarmine Academic Mentors

  2022 – Present

  Mission:

  program that encourages peer tutoring during free periods. Provides stress-free environment for comfortable interactions for academic support.

• President

  Advocacy · Cuisine for Heroes

  2020 – Present

  Mission:

  Nonprofit that donates meals and tokens of appreciation to unrecognized heroes in the community.

• Tutor

  Volunteering · Learntobe

  2020 – 2023

  Mission:

  Online peer-to-peer tutoring that specifically targets students in underserved communities.

• Intern

  Public Service (Politics) · Rishi Kumar for Congress

  2020 – 2021