Dimple Bangalore
Dimple Bangalore has always exceled in school, from first grade on up through Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College in Karnataka, India, where she earned a bronze medal for academic merit.
Still, coming to the United States 鈥� and particularly to 911吃瓜 College 鈥� has been an eye-opening experience, from discovering that she was something called a first-generation college student (鈥淚鈥檇 never heard of that before鈥�) to adjusting to a style of learning that encourages dialogue and debate.
鈥淐orporate is fine without me. But the education sector can use organizational skills.鈥�
鈥� Dimple Bangalore
鈥淚n India, it was all about exams,鈥� says Bangalore, who received her M.A. in Social-Organizational Psychology in May. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have a chance to engage in theories. I didn鈥檛 have the chance to say I didn鈥檛 believe in this theory of management or that theory of management.鈥�
Bangalore majored in business management as an undergraduate, finishing in three years, and worked as a university admissions and outreach manager. A subsequent course she took in group dynamics through the Young India Fellowship Programme for recent college graduates inspired her to apply to TC.
鈥淚 knew that education was where I wanted to be,鈥� she says. 鈥淐orporate is fine without me. But the education sector can use organizational skills.鈥�
Bangalore was drawn to TC for another reason, as well: The sizeable influence of John Dewey on the 1915 Columbia University doctoral thesis of B.R. Ambedkar, the author of the Constitution of India.
鈥淪omebody came to this university and created the Constitution for our country,鈥� she marvels. 鈥淭hat really inspired me to come here and learn here from the best.鈥�
At TC, Bangalore also discovered that formal learning can blend with learning that extends beyond campus. She spent part of last summer conducting interviews and research to help a District of Columbia charter school determine the feasibility of opening a second school in a nearby neighborhood.
鈥淚t was difficult to talk to the parents,鈥� Bangalore says. 鈥淢any didn鈥檛 know about charter schools nor did they care about different pedagogies. Their biggest concern was how close the school would be to their home.鈥�
Bangalore came away determined to help families who were 鈥� as she once was 鈥� unaware of the larger possibilities of education. She鈥檚 also convinced that charter schools possess the potential to complement and improve public education in India.
But regardless of the specific means, Bangalore is determined 鈥� like B.R. Ambedkar before her 鈥� to use the leadership skills she honed on Morningside Heights as a game changer for her country.
鈥淚t is why I came here,鈥� she says. 鈥� Steve Giegerich
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