By Ashley Troost > University of Maryland/Photos Courtesy of Andrew Sugrue and Michael Mann

In the first edition of a regular feature, College Magazine takes a look at some students who are changing the world, right now, today. This issue: International Impact

Andrew Sugrue – UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University (seriously)

Andrew Sugrue is a busy college student. He currently attends both UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University, where he is majoring in international studies with a focus in Africa and a concentration in international development. He also serves on the board for the East African Children’s Education Fund (EACEF), a non-profit organization that seeks to create and promote educational opportunity in East Africa.

Sugrue first became interested in the educational systems in East Africa when he went on an exchange program to Kenya in March 2007. “I remember talking to the children and thinking that they wouldn’t know much about the United States, considering we as Americans don’t know much about the outside world,” he said. “When a 12-year-old Kenyan girl asks you what Obama’s chances are against Hilary Clinton [in the 2008 primary elections], you are shocked. This is a girl who will drop out of school by the age of 12, get married, and work at a coffee or tea field. It really shocked me.”

After Sugrue found that only the top 20% of test takers could go onto high school and that most children in the region he visited were not exposed to English, the language of that test, his team built a library and started a mentoring program for East African high school students to tutor younger children twice a week. Sugrue says the best part about being in the EACEF is feeling empowered. “As a young person, you learn about the world and hear all kinds of horrors,” he said. “Being a part of the program taught me about drive, determination and belief in young people to make changes.” EACEF > www.EACEF.org

Anjali Bhatia – Duke Univeristy

Anjali Bhatia and her friends started Discover Worlds while still in high school to raise awareness of international conflict and poverty among young people. “It’s not that students are apathetic,” Bhatia says, “But that they didn’t have a way to help.”

Now a sophomore at Duke University, Bhatia has expanded Discover Worlds from a club to a registered nonprofit organization, and the group has moved beyond just raising awareness to encouraging other students to start their own initiatives to fight global poverty. It has chapters all over the world, including India, where students help the residents of Calcutta’s slums, and Rwanda, where students work to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.

Bhatia’s particularly proud of one Rwandan chapter that initiated a sister-school program with an American school. “They maybe thought Americans were all rich and listened to hip-hop,” she explains, “and lots of Americans don’t know much beyond what they hear in the media about the genocide and that [Rwanda]’s poor.” Through partnerships with schools, teachers and textbook manufacturers, Discover Worlds is currently drafting a lesson plan for teachers to use to bring its activist ethos into the classroom. Bhatia says that changing the world isn’t “limited to students that might typically get involved in that kind of thing.” Whoever you are, she says, you can help, and Discover Worlds can help you. Discover Worlds > DiscoverWorlds.org

Michael Mann – Emory University

After working closely with Amnesty International and the ACLU, Michael Mann took time off before his senior year at Emory to start Atlanta Action!, a progressive advocacy organization that works closely with Darfur Urgent Action Coalition. Mann, along with 35 volunteers, participates in demonstrations and lobbying to get the attention of state legislatures. “Right now we are in the process of organizing a campaign called ‘Doubt for Darfur Day,’ where we are asking students [in the Atlanta area] to call their state legislature and ask them to support our legislation,” he says. Atlanta Action! also works with other progressive organizations, such as Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and the Commission on Family Violence.

Mann’s enthusiasm for working with Atlanta Action! is obvious as he explains, “[It’s great] seeing legislation that you’ve directly worked on make it’s way through the government when you know the legislation is going to have a significant impact of the lives of many people.” Mann hopes to continue working with Atlanta Action! after graduation and hopes to broaden the group’s partnerships. Atlanta Action! > www.meetup.com/AtlantaAction