Marxe School Graduate Student Receives Leadership Award for Helping Immigrant Communities

December 12, 2019

Dipika Shrestha (’19), who is pursuing a Master of International Affairs degree at Baruch College’s Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, received the 2019 President’s Award for Excellence in Leadership from the LCU Fund for Women’s Education.

The award, which recognizes scholars who demonstrate “extraordinary leadership in her school and/or home community,” was given to Shrestha for playing an influential role in helping immigrant communities through her weekly podcast ‘At the End of the Day.’ Shrestha created the podcast with her husband—both are media personalities from Nepal—to address challenges immigrants face in their daily lives after coming to the United States.

According to the LCU Fund, Shrestha has a “deep level of experience and understanding of media, which she has chosen to blend with policy-making and administrative management.” 

David Birdsell, PhD, Dean of the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, said “Shrestha represents a hybrid – a rare blend of media savvy and business acumen that is important to ensure that a full spectrum of voices can be heard, and that they can be heard on issues that matter particularly to them.”

Birdsell added, “Dipika’s extraordinary commitment and purposeful work have a meaningful impact in the world and better the lives of immigrants. At Marxe, we support efforts by our students to reach beyond borders to generate and deepen global understanding.”

At the November 6 awards ceremony in New York, Shrestha told the audience, “For me to be able to have an opportunity to stand in front of you and share this 2019 LCU Fund award is a sign that I am in the right path towards my career.

“At a time when we are doing this project on our own initiative, this award money of $1,000 has been a great financial support as it motivates us to continue working on producing impactful communication output benefitting the young immigrant population.”

A Global Voice for Immigrants

By previously working as a communications professional at BBC Media Action and now serving as a professional podcaster, Shrestha has established herself as a global voice of immigrants by helping them adjust to the difficulties they experience in a new place. The podcast features interviews with immigrants who discuss their transition process in the U.S. and the practical steps each individual takes to overcome challenges they encounter.

Shrestha personally knows the hardships immigrants endure entering a new country, whether its trouble finding a job in a highly competitive market, networking with friends or colleagues, and speaking a new language.

She said the podcast provides the “newly arriving young immigrant population someone they can look up to and learn from for career-related guidance.” Shrestha added, “I believe exposure to these inspiring stories will motivate young immigrants in the U.S. to not give up and continue working on the career they are passionate about.”

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