Tarun Aggarwal lives by a motto, “Fight for the innocent, help the unfortunate and protect the weak.”

This drive motivated him to create a student organization called Benevolence Project. He also participates in other philanthropic and extracurricular activities around campus.

“I brought in a mission to help people, not just to volunteer to help, but to help people that needed help or places where people could not find the support or help they needed,” he said.

The vision for Benevolence Project is to fight for anyone who is underrepresented, oppressed or marginalized. Aggarwal caught the attention of his advisers from the Office of Student Engagement (OSE) as he navigated the process of creating a new student organization with dedication and zeal. He gained a reputation as someone who is positive, reliable, understanding, willing to work with others and unwavering in the face of challenges.

“Tarun is important to the fabric of our campus community,” said OSE’s Blake Bonkowski. “His commitment to creating social change is inspiring [and] I look forward to seeing him continue his work as a change agent on campus and in our community.”

Despite being busy starting and operating an organization, Aggarwal still finds time to participate in other activities around campus. He has served as president of Circle K International and vice president of the Alliance for Disability Awareness. He is an active member of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity. He also volunteers for organizations like Helping Hand and She’s the First, helps organize fundraiser dinners and coordinates volunteers for large projects.

In the future, Aggarwal wants to start a nonprofit organization that will help tackle major global issues. “Each person has a power, a power to make a difference regardless of status or background,” he said. “The impact you make is what defines you most.”