Imagine A World

Zahra Fazal (2022 cohort) imagines a world where communities across Africa have an equal stake in setting the global health agenda. She joins hosts Willie Thompson, Taylor Goss, and guest host Takondwa Semphere to chat about her experience growing up in a scenic town in Tanzania, leaving home at 13 years old, addressing global health issues through a social epidemiology lens, and the danger of a single story in sub-Saharan Africa. Plus, her many creative endeavors, from creative writing to earring-making to crocheting!Highlights from the episode:(7:12) Zahra’s experience growing up in Morogoro, Tanzania, living alone in the city at age 12, and deciding to pursue education beyond secondary school(17:30) The role that art has played in Zahra’s life in carrying home with her and reminding her of the community that took care of her growing up(23:01) What moving from Tanzania to Canada and then the US has been like from Zahra, and how she grounds her work in her experiences growing up and those of her family, especially her little sister(31:31) Zahra’s Imagine a World Statement about communities in Africa having a stake in setting the global health agenda, and how that focus led her to focus on social epidemiology in her time at Stanford and her thesis project on health outcomes for people with albinism in Tanzania(43:02) How Zahra’s experiences with poetry and literature shaped her interactions with the world, from reading voraciously as a child, writing her own stories on Wattpad, and creating an advocacy song for her work(56:10) Zahra’s improbable facts about crocheting and board games and advice to Knight-Hennessy applicants and scholars about the importance of mentorship

In this week’s episode of Imagine A World, KHS alum Briana Mullen (2020 cohort) discusses what led her to pursue master’s degrees in policy, organization, and leadership studies and in public policy at Stanford. She shares her experience of being a lifetime Californian, reflects on the joys of being a marching band kid, discusses building an organization that empowers underrepresented communities to create change in their school districts, and so much more. Highlights from the episode:(6:21) Briana's experiences growing up working class in the Bay Area, and finding an enduring sense of home and community, as a band kid in high school; her first experience getting involved in school boards to try to save the school music program from budget cuts(17:00) Learning about the history of public education and the experiences of her peers in the public education system at Berkeley and finding a home there(21:05) How Briana’s Imagine A World statement shifted over time, from how school boards can build vibrant, multiracial democracies, to building villages and communities for children in and out of schools(24:29) Finding inspiration about leadership and vision for public education from colleagues at the California Department of Education(28:59) Working with communities to build up representative school boards and raise public awareness of their importance through the Education Justice Academy, a nonprofit Briana founded when she was at Stanford and now works on full time(43:30) How Briana deals with overwhelm by slowing down, meditating, and building lasting change at a sustainable pace through meeting people where they are at(48:26) Briana’s advice to Knight-Hennessy applicants by finding ways to fit what you want to say into the application rather than just answering the questions(51:52) Briana’s Improbable Fact about crafting a syllabus about Avatar: Legend of Korra, and how the insights of the show relate to children’s experiences encountering vast political forces and give insights into how it takes community to make a change(59:12) the story of the start of the Imagine A World podcast at an Asilomar Knight-Hennessy retreat(1:04:46) Working with teachers, students, and families to save the music program at her high school 12 years later

Join scholar Nadine Jawad on a reflective journey from growing up in Dearborn to her aspirations in public policy and healthcare. Hear about her activism, balancing cynicism with joy, and the importance of accessible healthcare. Discover Nadine's vision for impact through writing and her supportive Knight-Hennessy community.

In this episode, Courtney discusses barriers to healthy aging, her journey from Atlanta to healthcare consulting, and her passion for extending healthspans. She shares her vision for life at 67, upcoming trip to Costa Rica's blue zone, and insights on ageism and health literacy.

In Episode 10 of Imagine a World, Johnny Powell, first-year medical student and first 2023 scholar featured on the podcast, talks about being the first in his family to attend an Ivy League school and his journey to medicine. He shares how he balances grit with grace, where he gets his motivation to work out at 6AM every morning, and why he hopes to empower young people that look like him.Highlights from the episode:(6:28) Johnny’s experience growing up in North Carolina; his decision to apply to an Ivy League school, taking a different path from his family, who attended HBCUs, and the culture shock and transformative experiences that Johnny had at Harvard(15:18) How Johnny first became interested in medicine, motivated by the experiences of his family members, and his path to eventually pursuing an MD through consulting and clinical research(19:12) Johnny’s experience running the Harvard Black Men’s Forum, as well as other advocacy and leadership positions, and how they inform his notion of good leadership(22:40) Johnny’s thoughts on his Imagine a World statement, about addressing all people’s health and social needs(26:25) Johnny’s approach to handling bad days maintaining a sense of optimism without sliding into toxic positivity, and balancing his practice of grit and grace(31:55) The role of the medical school community, Knight-Hennessy, and family in supporting Johnny during his time at Stanford, and the support he’s gotten from his mother throughout his life(35:22) How Johnny views his role in empowering future generations and his thoughts on the inaccessibility of med school application process(40:35) Johnny’s experience applying to the Knight-Hennessy and his improbable facts about his experience staying with a host family in Japan; his advice for applicants to the program

Vidal Arroyo, a PhD student in Biophysics, shares his journey as a first-gen college student at Stanford, blending his love for science, poetry, and music. He discusses mental health, faith, and the role of creativity in scientific discovery. From wrestling in Orange County to studying biochemistry, his path reflects a mix of personal and academic growth. Vidal's advice to Knight-Hennessy applicants emphasizes turning work into art and cultivating a well-rounded approach to pursuit.

In this week’s episode, Ashwyn Sam (2020 cohort), 4th year PhD student in Aeronautics and Astronautics, reflects on the profound impact that a strong support system and the compassion of others have had on his professional journey. He also explains the beauty of theoretical physics, shares his passion for cinema, and reveals the reason he was fed goat brains as a child.Highlights from the episode: (3:40) Ashwyn’s path to immigration to the United States from India, the advocacy of his parents in finding a scholarship to attend college, and how his experiences inform his Imagine a World statement(22:30) The origination of Ashwyn’s interest in physics in The Big Bang Theory, and the factors leading to his his switch to engineering in college(29:26) Aswhyn’s current research on the detection of small orbital debris (32:30) Ashwyn’s interest in teaching and storytelling, how Knight-Hennessy has allowed him to develop these skills, and the best story he’s heard recently(37:50) How Aswhyn’s faith influences his approach to life(41:26) Ashwyn’s improbable facts and advice for Knight-Hennessy applicants

Aditya Vishwanath, a PhD graduate in Learning Sciences, discusses education reform, technology integration, and the need to reimagine education. He shares his journey from exam memorization in India to founding organizations. Topics include the limits of technology in education, integrating technology with curricula, and advice for Knight-Hennessy applicants. Plus, a fun twist with Aditya's Pokémon knowledge.

In this episode, Emily Russell (2020 cohort), a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science discusses her upbringing in a large family, combining theatrical performance with political science, how she uses both to understand state violence, her sweet tooth and so much more.Highlights from the episode:(3:06) Emily's winter break dreams of launching a microgreens garden and her upbringing in Michigan (Go Blue!) (12:56) Emily's personal and professional introduction to the idea of state violence and how she envisions a world with no state violence (23:08) Emily's experience building Playwriting for Peace, a project aimed at channeling empathy through expression in communities affected by conflict & state violence and her dissertation research (35:51) How KHS has affected Emily's experience, her improbable facts and advice for future KHS applicants

In this episode, Jaelynn Walls (2021 cohort), a Ph.D. candidate in Art History discusses, their introduction to artistic expression through creative writing, their journey to pursuing opportunities in curation, creating space to discuss contemporary artists of color, and so much more.Highlights from the episode:(4:40) Jaelynn's love for Pixar, growing up in Houston and experiencing both homeschool and public school (13:45) How Jaelynn sparked an interest in art and began to build a following through their YouTube Channel "Art in Color"(26:38) Why Jaelynn focuses on youth in their work, their experience writing a book "The Queer Girl is Going to Be Okay," and how they handle critique(46:22) Jaelynn's improbable facts and advice for future KHS applicants