Kel-Li Chen

Class of 2026
B.S. in Neuroscience
Hometown: Palo Alto, California

What communities do you claim membership within?

Taiwanese, AAPI, women

What areas of community engagement are you most passionate about?

Domestic violence and child abuse, access to health care and mental health care, and health disparities.

Why did you choose to become a fellow?

My interest in becoming a community engagement fellow stemmed from my overarching interest in human rights and social justice, as well as in the value of empathy and connecting with people around me to better understand different people's lives. As a first-year student, I also really wanted to learn about the area and communities around our campus. The fellowship also allows me to pursue my passions outside of the classroom and apply learning into the real world around us, and this balance including real experience was something really important to me.

What are you enjoying most about the fellowship so far?

Thus far, I have especially been enjoying learning from community organization members who demonstrate the value in connecting with communities around us to create change and truly impact lives. It's been extremely interesting to learn about ways people can exemplify true progression and carry out work at different levels for a variety of different issues. It has also been really nice to meet and engage with students who hold similar interests in engaging with communities.