I M PA C T S TO R Y
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LESSON LEARNED
As a young child, Lucky Nanduri, Sigma-University of Illinois, was playing with her friends at her grandparent’s house in India when she heard a phrase in Telugu that changed her life. “Vaadu theda gaadu vaadiki yemi vinipichadu. Vaaditho matlaadadhu” — meaning He is weird and cannot hear anything. Do not talk to him. A deaf boy in the neighborhood sat friendless because of his disability. That’s the very moment Lucky knew what she wanted to do. Seeing the mistreatment of individuals in the deaf community in India is what fueled her passion to work with those who are hearing impaired. As the recipient of an endowed scholarship, Lucky strives to make audiology services more accessible to everyone.
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The summer after her junior year of college, Lucky worked at the Center for Deafness and was again reminded of the work that needs to be done. “I noticed when they [deaf children] tried to interact with other children, they were excluded from the group. I was immediately sent back to a younger version of myself in India when I took part in excluding my deaf friend. But this time, I was the friend I should have been all those years ago by fostering a community of inclusivity.” Lucky is one of 150 scholarship recipients working to change the world. Her ultimate goal? Transform the healthcare industry for those who are hearing impaired. “I know with my Alpha Gamma Delta sisters behind me, I will be able to achieve this goal, and, in the end, I will make audiology an accessible field.”
