Every year, the New Albany Chamber of Commerc
Courtesy of Shikha Iyer
Shikha Iyer
Iyer graduated from New Albany High School and was given one of the New Albany Chamber's Outstanding Student Awards.
e awards outstanding community leaders and businesses for their significant role within the community. This past December, New Albany High School graduate Shikha Iyer won one of the Outstanding Student Awards for her commitment to serving her community.
Iyer’s dedication to New Albany is clear. During high school, Iyer was involved with various student organizations including SOAR Leadership, Red Cross Club, the Junior Class Advisory and the National Honor Society.
She has continued with this level of involvement through her first semester at Otterbein University, where Iyer serves as an Academic Senator and sits on the Planning Committee for Otterbein’s Student Government. She is also a member of the Student Alumni Board. Her commitments showcase her devotion to building a healthy community, where her impact will be long-lasting.
Iyer was nominated for the Delta Award by Lisa Hinson, who she worked under during her summer internship with Hinson Ltd., a public relations firm located in Columbus.
“Shikha is the type of person who pushes herself to learn and do more,” Hinson says. “While working at our firm this past summer, Shikha jumped into every project with enthusiasm and curiosity. We were able to give her increasing responsibilities as the summer progressed and she always rose to the occasion. She’s an impressive young person and we were proud to have her on our team.”
Courtesy of Shikha Iyer
Shikha Iyer internship
Shikha Iyer (second from left) stands with her internship team (left to right) Holly St. Myer, Lisa Hinson, Kelley Chretien and Kaelyn Walther.
After the summer, Iyer continued her work with Hinson through events such as Remarkable Evening, a benefit whose proceeds go to impactful community causes such as lifelong learning, arts and culture, health and wellness, and ensuring a sustainable environment.
“(Winning the award) was really fulfilling because everything I’ve done through high school hasn’t been for myself, but to help others in the community,” Iyer says. “It was a moment to look back and really feel proud of myself, and almost like a way to thank everybody that’s helped me along the way.”
Now, Iyer works at The Five Party & Event Center where she hopes to continue planning events that will benefit the New Albany community. At Otterbein, she is currently on a pre-medical school track where she hopes to find an intersection between her love of event planning and medicine.
Iyer says winning the award reinforced her goals for the future and her love for New Albany. She is still involved with the community through the tutoring she offers to New Albany High School students and the senior photos she enjoys taking for graduating students.
For Iyer, receiving the award taught her the importance giving back to the community. The work that she’s done through her event planning and service has not only helped the city of New Albany grow, but has fostered a healthy environment for community involvement.
Cailyn Burr is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
