Student Study: Leading Edge

At the Overlake School in Redmond, Washington, Sakthi Vetrivel had a reputation for being shy and quiet. That changed when she arrived at Caltech.

During the fall term of her freshman year, Vetrivel was invited to help coordinate Techstock, the annual Caltech and JPL battle of the bands. "Very early on, I got the chance to jump in and organize a significant project," she says.

The experience helped her recognize the major role undergraduates play in leading events and programs on campus. "Students have a lot more influence than they might realize," says Vetrivel, now a junior and president of the Associated Students of Caltech (ASCIT).

Read more in Caltech magazine.