Columbia College Today

Ajay Kumar Mangal ’10 works with New York City children Sam, Enrique, Amadou and Taylor at the Harlem “SuperKids Summer Experience,” for children with asthma, at Marcus Garvey Recreational Park on July 26.

PHOTO: Elizabeth D’Imperio

For Ajay Kumar Mangal ’10, senior year of high school was unforgettable, but not for the reasons one might expect. While seniors across the country were choosing prom outfits and posing for yearbook photos, Mangal was helping his hometown of Pascagoula, Miss., get back on its feet after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast a month into the 2005–06 school year.

“The entire town was just flooded. Houses on the beach were flat. I felt like I was in a movie, it was that bad,” recalls Mangal, whose family was uninjured in the storm.

But although his house was severely damaged by the hurricane, along with most of his possessions, Mangal refused to dwell on his losses. Instead, he organized some classmates and they helped the National Guard distribute ice, hygienic products and Meals Ready to Eat to the victims.

“It put all my prior leadership ability to the test,” says Mangal, who was president of the Pascagoula H.S. Student Council and was active in several other student groups.

Mangal’s commitment to rebuilding his hometown continued into the weeks and months following the hurricane. Once schools reopened, he organized a relief group that raised several thousand dollars for the relief effort and also helped neighbors gut their houses. Despite these obstacles, Mangal retained his first-place academic rank and was valedictorian.

Once winter set in, he turned his attention to his neighbors living in FEMA trailers, which had thin walls and were vulnerable to the dropping temperatures. Through a program Mangal called Cover Up the Coast, he enlisted the help of other schools around the country to help collect blankets for those who were affected.

In 2006, Mangal was one of 10 youth volunteers in the country to receive the Prudential Spirit of Community Award from Prudential Financial. “I don’t know how I did it,” he says. “You don’t really think about it when you’re in that situation. I had a choice to stay idle or make a change and try to help the people who were trying to make a difference,” explained Mangal, who also is a Coca-Cola Scholar.

Conversational and outgoing, Mangal has brought his caring ways to Columbia, where he is involved with several student groups, including the Hindi Students Organization and CU Smile, which raises money to pay for surgeries for children born with oral deformities. This year, Mangal also is an R.A. in John Jay, where he is responsible for assisting a floor of first-year students. And this past summer he was one of six counselors who partnered with the American Lung Association in the City of New York to help launch a free summer program in Harlem called “SuperKids Summer Experience” for children with asthma. The program offers educational and recreational activities to teach children how to manage their asthma.

Mangal’s path to Columbia is an interesting one. Afraid that his unorthodox senior year of high school would jeopardize his chances of gaining admission to college, Mangal applied to 25 schools, the last of which was the College.

“I didn’t want people to think I was using the hurricane to get into a good school. I thought no one would want someone who had missed three months of his senior year. Columbia was one of the most understanding colleges,” he notes.

Once his acceptance letter arrived, the opportunity to live in New York City while pursuing his academic interests made Columbia the obvious choice, says Mangal, who is following a pre-med curriculum and plans to major in either biochemistry or neuroscience and behavior.

“Columbia is well known for its pre-medical undergraduate experience. I’m not going to have a chance at many other universities to be doing cutting-edge research. This is the only chance I am going to have to live in New York City for four years,” says Mangal, who conducted research on cystic fibrosis in a biology lab during his freshman year.

Although he has not decided what his specialty would be, Mangal wants to become a surgeon. “That’s a skill that I can use to give directly back to the community and dramatically help someone who might be underprivileged. I can alter their life for the better,” he notes enthusiastically. “I’m going to have to always give my best and give 110 percent as much as I possibly can in order to help someone.”

According to Mangal, the best part about Columbia is its ethnic diversity. “It’s an amazing institution,” he notes. “Columbia provides a sanctuary within New York City where you can openly meet hundreds of different people without invading anyone’s privacy.”

When he’s not fundraising for a worthy cause or studying for an exam, Mangal, whose parents hail from India, enjoys kayaking on the Hudson River and is learning to play Indian music on the harmonium, a free-standing, hand-pumped keyboard. He also is a certified personal trainer and enjoys sharing his knowledge of bodybuilding with friends.

“As long as they’re dedicated, I’m more than willing to help them out,” Mangal says.

Nathalie Alonso ’08, from Sunnyside, Queens, is an American studies major, a freelance writer and an avid New York Yankees fan.

AROUND THE QUADS

Student Spotlight: Ajay Kumar Mangal ’10, Giving Back to His Community