By: Meenakshi X Subha Vipin

Mahitha Jangeti, a college senior from Coppell, Texas, plays a significant part in bringing the vision of the American Red Cross to life. In 2020, she assisted the Youth Engagement Team for 11 months, learning the mission and purpose of the Red Cross. Later, she supported a team helping carry out that mission when she became the Vice President of the Youth Services Executive Board. In this role, she oversees officer positions and projects, such as Totes for Hopes and RC4, a pilot program in Dallas County aimed at educating youth volunteers about leadership and opportunities within the Red Cross Club program.

Jangeti says that her favorite experience so far has been the blood drive organized for the Sickle Cell Initiative. At the drive, she was able to see the behind the scenes of how blood donors are contributing to saving lives.

Speaking of saving lives, Jangeti is currently majoring in biology at the University of Texas at Dallas with the intent of pursuing a career in medicine. She wants to “take a bigger role in educating those around [her] and [work] toward preventative care.” She says that being a part of the Red Cross has been a “rewarding experience” and that it has shown her “how to look at medicine from a bigger perspective.”

Jangeti’s other favorite experiences with the Red Cross are the youth summits. They are a virtual, informative seminars for volunteers interested in the mission and opportunities with the Red Cross. She helps organize the events, guides discussions and answers questions about the next steps in taking an active role.

Through her work and education, she continues to honor the Red Cross vision in all she does. Proving herself to be a great leader and volunteer countless times, Jangeti has been an essential part of the mission of the Red Cross in North Texas.