Alumni Spotlight: Shilpa Gunuganti
Written by Amy Park, Lonestar Writer
A pleasant, familiar atmosphere greets her as the crowd of high schoolers behind her starts to file into their seats, all eager to start what will be a long but fun-packed day. A few slack-jawed students take in their surroundings with awe, and as she walks up to the wooden podium at the front of the chamber, she recalls what her first experience with JSA was like.
The monumental room that students were finding themselves in was the Texas State Capitol in Austin, and the day that Shilpa Gunuganti had ahead of her was what would be her last Fall State ever. As the decorative walnut desks of the House Chamber became packed with enthusiastic JSAers, Gunuganti sat at the left-hand side of Lucy Ding, the 2020 Governor, and prepared for yet another exciting Fall State.
As the Deputy Director of the Debate Department and President of the Saint Mary’s Hall chapter, Gunuganti played an essential role in Texas JSA as a junior, one that became even more prominent as she began to serve as the Lieutenant Governor her senior year. Working alongside Lucy Ding and Vivian Zhao as the Big Three, Gunuganti remembers a few of the unforgettable memories she made with JSA.
“Some of my most memorable experiences came from traveling with my chapter — stopping at Buc-ee's without fail on the way to Fall State, eating Ethiopian food at Winter State, and going to the dances and events together. Many of my best friends were in JSA, which made it a blast.”
A passionate debater, Gunuganti went on to place fourth in the nation for Congressional Debate at the National Speech and Debate Tournament. Fighting against political apathy was a central theme of JSA, and she demonstrated this theme through her chapter’s work.
“I loved the activism aspect of Texas JSA. My favorite project was working with my chapter to organize drives and events for the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES).”
Now out of high school, Gunuganti currently attends Harvard University as a sophomore and studies Economics and Government, hoping to attend law school and/or work in public policy after college. JSA became a valuable stepping stone in developing her current passions.
“It helped me do what I love most — public service and political activism. It definitely solidified my interest in those fields and still shapes my interests and course of study today,” Gunuganti explains. “Although I don’t have a clear vision of my future, I definitely want to serve my community in some way, and JSA has given me the foundation to do so.”
With JSA being a substantial part of her high school years, she describes how the experience affected her post-graduation.
“JSA gave me life-long friends. I’m actually best friends and currently rooming with Vivan Zhao, who was Texas Speaker of the House when I was Lieutenant Governor,” Gunuganti said. “JSA has given me the tools to be a proactive global citizen with the confidence and skills to foster change on issues I care deeply about.”
