Kainaat (Kai) Trehan

Kai is an international student from New Delhi India and is majoring in International Studies and Political Science with a minor in Psychology. She is also pursuing a certificate in International Organizations and Diplomacy. Kai’s campus involvement includes everything from Theatre and organizing campus events, to Ethics Bowl and the Model UN team, in addition to serving as an Office Assistant to the Dean of the Batten Honors College.

What is your favorite BHC-related memory?
Study Away: Israel & Palestine (2023)
Celebrating Holi on campus

My favorite part about BHC is its emphasis on living and learning together. People often do not realize that being able to live and work with your friends is such a blessing and one that may become extremely difficult or impossible to do after graduation. My appreciation for the idea behind establishing the Honors Village has grown as I come closer to my own graduation.

What is your most significant takeaway from being a member of the Batten Honors College?
To be able to learn with peers who challenge my limits while subsequently being ever-ready to help and offering hospitality is a dichotomy that I truly cherish. As a member of the BHC student, I am constantly impressed and inspired by the ability of my peers to prioritize both their professional success and self-care.

What is the most prominent skill that you have gained as a BHC student?
The BHC community is composed of high-achieving students who are involved in insightful learning experiences outside of the classroom every semester. The ability to live and learn with such peers has instilled in me courage and creativity to carve my own path, and create non-traditional opportunities. It is this ability to be able to see outside the box and put in efforts toward stereotype-breaking ambitions that I consider as the most vital skill that I have gained as a BHC student.

What advice would you offer to future Batten Honors College students?
Maintaining accountability and a Google Calendar will take you a long way in college!

Campus Involvement:

Administrative Assistance to the Batten Honors College
BHC Program’s Council and Student Advisory Board
Ethics Bowl Team
Model UN Delegation of 2022-23
Moderator for the Deliberative Dialogue Initiative
Theater: Roe (Spring 2022), sound team for Cabaret (Fall 2023), Eurydice (Fall 2023)

Awards, recognitions, and/or conference presentations:

Library Research Award (2021-22)
First place in the undergraduate division, Intentional Endowments Network Student Corporate Engagement Competition (2021-22)
Honorable Mention for Best Delegation Award, NMUN Conference 2022-23
Poster Presentation at 2023-24 MPSA Conference
Bobbies (Student Leadership Awards): Campus Impact Award, 2023-24
President’s Leadership Award 2023-24

What are your future goals after graduation?
I will pursue a 2-year Erasmus Mundus European Masters in Global Studies at the University of Leipzig, Germany. The dream is to work with an international organization that assists in the healing of conflict-ridden communities along with doing a lot of socially conscious traveling.