Author: bchen

As student activists, leaders, and change-makers, we know that change is a slow and ever-evolving process. This also applies to the work we do at Fulphil as we try to impact as many high school students as possible. We update our curriculum each year to include the most up-to-date content, examples, and scenarios, which involves consistently supporting and aligning ourselves with the mission and values of the organization. I think of Fulphil’s work as slow but impactful steps towards building the next generation of highly motivated and like-minded students. 

At Fulphil, I have been able to support my own team of students working on the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion curriculum while assisting the development of other curriculums in Social Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy. In addition to crafting curriculums, I created slides that teachers across the country can use in their classrooms as supplementary materials to the curriculum. The work that we do sits at the intersection of being independent and collaborative. Being able to work on multiple projects that I was in charge of, on my own schedule, while coming together with the larger team to discuss challenges and brainstorm ideas and solutions has been a great balance in work style.

If there is anything I’ve learned this summer, it is to never be afraid to be creative, bring your ideas into the space, and take chances to make it happen. We are at a time in our lives where we can make mistakes, own up to them, and stand up again with a new road map in our grasp. What’s special about working at Fulphil is being able to bring your creativity to your tasks and projects—and that is how you make something personable and unique to you and enjoy your experience to the fullest. I learned to be adaptive, flexible, and curious, which allowed me to take on many opportunities throughout this experience. I was given the opportunity to facilitate team and department meetings, create curriculum and content surrounding topics and issues that I was passionate about, and provide suggestions and ideas for future iterations of the internship program. 

I’m incredibly grateful to have been able to work and grow with the staff at Fulphil, and I know that the impact we are creating together is huge, despite not being able to see it immediately. For others interested in pursuing a path in social impact, know that what you do on a day-to-day basis is always valuable and will contribute to the larger organization in ways you may not expect. This learning experience has taught me that the work and effort one puts into anything is always impactful, beyond what is visible to the eye. With that in mind, I know that with everything that I put my energy and efforts into, I am making a difference and contributing to the gradual process of building and creating impact.

Studying sociology at Brandeis has provided me with the theoretical and methodological tools for understanding human social life and institutions. It is important especially in today’s society to understand the social structures at play and how individuals’ experiences are related to that structure. In my coursework, I have studied how large-scale social phenomena such as class, race, and gender inequality affect the everyday experiences of individuals and how individuals affect society as a whole. 

By studying social groups and seeking explanations for social stability and social change, I am able to apply my learning conceptually into real-world projects and initiatives. Having taken courses that cover religion and ethnicity, health and community, political and social change, migration and globalization, and social movements and organizations, I have advanced my understanding of issues that span topics such as social inequality, racial and ethnic conflict, law and justice, social and political movements, immigration, education, health, the family, and the role of gender and sexuality. It is important that I understand important trends that exists within modern society.

Working with Fulphil, I’ve been able to turn the theoretical approach to solving issues into real actionable steps—and applying critical and analytical skills to solve challenging problems. Our curricula are evolving each year, with case studies that apply real-world examples and social issues that are happening in the world as we speak. Our curriculum aims to instill a sense of purpose within our students by structuring the curriculum around relevant social problems for students to connect with. In developing and crafting our diversity, equity, and inclusion curriculum, I put into practice and investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts.

I develop curricula covering many interconnected subjects, such as understanding how race, gender, sexuality, and class inform and shape social life, the divisions of race and social class within a common culture, and resistance to radical change in communities and societies. This curricula aims to help high school students develop a multi-faceted perspective and critical approach to understanding issues around identity, culture, and social power. In my role, I aim to develop curricula in which DEI helps inform students’ understanding of how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures. 

After this experience, I am grateful to have the opportunity to put my problem-solving skills to work. By getting to connect my interests to real world experiences, I have now developed the skills needed to navigate and thrive in a rapidly evolving world. By bringing classroom readings and discussions to life within project-based initiatives and collaborative working environments, I’ve been able to satisfy my own curiosities and apply knowledge beyond the classroom. Overall, I’ve grown immeasurably as a team member and as an individual after working with the generous, passionate, and driven people at Fulphil.

For many young people, the idea of creating positive change in the world can feel daunting. This goal seems bigger than oneself. We often ask ourselves, “How can a single individual create impact?” This is where Fulphil comes in. 

Fulphil is an ed-tech nonprofit striving to empower high school students to make an impact on their local communities, society, and the world through engaging in social entrepreneurship education and training. Driven by the mantra, “the people closest to the problems are closest to the solution,” Fulphil inspires every young person to start tackling the very issues happening within their communities. Fulphil aims to harvest the potential for the greatest innovation by unlocking the most dynamic minds in the community—the youth. Thus, it is crucial to provide equitable and equalizing education to youth in underserved communities and to equip them with the tools to break out of their personal economic barriers and dream, execute, and materialize innovative answers and visions to problems that affect them, their local communities and beyond.

Fulphil’s E-Lab brings online curriculum to teachers and students to continue leveraging experiential learning in times of distance-learning. Fulphil’s online curriculum covers topics across social entrepreneurship, sustainability, 21st century soft skills, diversity, equity, inclusion, financial literacy, design thinking, and mental health and wellness. Through fun and engaging content, ​Fulphil hopes to directly empower students with a social entrepreneurship education that will propel them to take on global citizen mindsets to be catalysts of change in their own communities. Social entrepreneurship is an excellent vehicle to catalyze individuals to be excellent changemakers and problem solvers, which is the mindset students need to succeed in their future careers.

Fulphil’s curriculum is co-created by high school and college students and iterated yearly by former students and current teachers to ensure that curriculum content is engaging, relevant, and includes up-to-date case studies and current events. The iterative curriculum process also allows students to contribute new content they want to see into the curriculum. Since its founding, Fulphil has served over 3000 students across the country.

At Fulphil, I manage the diversity, equity, and inclusion curriculum development team to develop and iterate DEI curriculum spanning examples in educational institutions, in the workplace, in social media and brand development, and STEM. I work with the leadership team to create fun curriculum content for Fulphil’s e-curriculum, and to create partnerships with teachers and schools across the country. Students graduate from Fulphil with the skills and mindset they need to be an effective and impactful changemaker in their communities.

Every student, teacher, and staff who comes across Fulphil learns how impact can come in a variety of forms. For us, it is crucial to understand that impact can be created through small-scale efforts, and one can start right where they are at. We inspire students to recognize that they too have the ability to make a difference in the world. Fulphil aspires that each student can take away a newfound understanding of what impact can look like. Because the secret is: everyone can create life-changing impact right where they are.