The ExCel Award honors more than 30 students, staff, faculty and community members for their commitment to creating a campus environment that promotes diversity and excellence. Anjali Naik is the recipient of the ExCEL Award for the School of Languages, Cultures and World Affairs. She was nominated by Hindi instructor Mrs. Leena Karambelkar. Mrs. Karambelkar saw in her tremendous awareness of the community and a wish to help others.

Anjali Naik is a junior at the College studying Computing in the Arts with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. She is a member of the Bonner Leader Program, and has been a member of at least 5 other student organizations over her college experience. Her involvement in the community is of a change maker, a reformer, a role model.

Her exceptional work is for “Girls Rock Charleston” where she has already spent more than 800 volunteering hours. Anjali is also a co-founder, organizer and a daily mentor at the Girls Rock After School Program that builds power with prominently at-risk girls and trans youth to creatively collaborate with peers and use art and music as a platform to promote social change.