INTERVIEW WITH MR. SHREEDHAR SHAH, LIBERTY’S PROMISE BOARD MEMBER

Mr. Shreedhar Shah, CEO of Shah & Associates, and LP board member since July 2009, shared with us in January 2012 how and why he became involved in Liberty’s Promise.

LP: Why did you get involved in Liberty’s Promise?

Shreedhar: A few years ago I saw the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” and left it feeling I needed to do more to give back. My family and I are truly blessed to have been given the opportunities we have had due to our parent’s sacrifice and hard work.  Both my wife and my parents immigrated here from India, with the hope of finding more opportunity not for themselves, but for their children.  It’s an amazingly selfless thing to do, to uproot your entire life, leave your entire family, friends, and community behind and strike out in a new land.  However, if you ask any immigrant from any country, the reply you most often hear is “I did it for future generations”

I became interested in LP rather serendipitously as I was introduced to a case worker who was helping place a student for an internship.   The student’s name was Andrea Colina, she moved here when she was 16 from Ecuador with her family. Her parents were teachers for 30 years, but when they came to the United States, they couldn’t find work. Her mother was able to get a job cleaning offices, and her father had no luck. It was a dramatic step down for them considering their professions in their home country. But now the United States is home. Why would they move, give up everything, give up a great and easy life? They did it so their kids could have a chance to do better in the United States – where opportunities abound.

When they got here, they knew it would be hard. But what was surprising was difficult it was to see where those “opportunities” were that America holds for those who work hard. They felt their kids weren’t getting any of those. Andrea, for example, graduation high school in two years (normally four) with a 4.0 GPA. Was she off to an Ivy League school? Are you kidding? She had to work a part-time job just to help pay rent. College was not an option for her.

Enter Liberty’s Promise. Through some of the civics classes LP runs, Andrea learned about some of the options available to anyone in the United States, things like scholarships, how to transfer from community college to a larger more reputable four-year college. Just the basics that kids who are born here know inherently due to parents or other peer networks.

Andrea secured an internship at my company – I was hesitant at first but LP told me she really wanted to become an electrical engineer – and I thought “Ok, it’s only eight weeks, I have nothing to lose.” Fast forward to today – after her eight weeks, I asked her to stay on full time and I would pay her the same amount I do other entry level folks. She is at the most entry level position – CAD Operator – where a college degree is not needed, but she is taking engineering classes at night. She just got the highest % raise in my firm and is on her way to becoming the best CAD Operator in the company. Bottom line – she’s a smart, hardworking young woman who simply needed a CHANCE to show what she could do. Liberty’s Promise helped her get that chance.

LP: Why did you decide to be a board member for LP?

Shreedhar: Bob P. and I discussed how I could become more involved as I had seen a real life example where LP made a drastic improvement to the life of an immigrant, forever changing her “path” in the United States.  We discussed many ideas, and how I thought I could use my business background combined with my passion for helping the core mission of LP for the combined goal of helping as many people as possible.  After meeting the rest of the organization, the other board members, I came away with a great feeling that under Bob’s leadership and vision, that this organization could accomplish great things.  Together as a team, we can help grow the organization to serve more youth.

LP: What is your favorite part about LP?

Shreedhar: Hands down it’s hearing the stories of all the youth the organization has helped.  It gives me such joy to hear how a student immigrated here six months ago, and had no intention of going to college nor any aspirations to take advantage of what this great country can offer.  Then the student is introduced to LP, and after taking some of the after school programs the student now is applying to colleges, has a career plan, is interested in doing more and pushing themselves.  Each Board meeting we hear of the tremendous success LP has achieved in changing the lives of our immigrant youth.  I believe these changes create a “multiplier” effect, as now each generation of that student’s family will be better positioned to advance in this country and economy.