Listening with her heart

Wright State biomedical engineering major Shloka Ravinuthala leads the Student Government Association with empathy and a commitment to amplifying student voices across campus. (Photo by Erin Pence

When Shloka Ravinuthala came to Wright State University, she didn’t expect to find herself leading the Student Government Association (SGA) so early in her academic journey.

Yet, just a year after joining SGA as a first-year senator, the sophomore biomedical engineering major now serves as president — driven by a desire to listen, advocate and make a difference.

“I like to advocate for people, especially those who might feel they don’t have a voice,” Ravinuthala said.

That commitment to listening and helping others comes naturally to her.

Growing up in Normal, Illinois, she was active in her community and local government and worked on projects that made tangible impacts — from helping develop a multicultural art center and lactation stations to improving access to feminine hygiene products in women’s public restrooms.

Ravinuthala’s passion for community involvement pairs well with her academic drive. She had planned to be a doctor and chose biomedical engineering to help her understand medical devices.

Inspired by her own childhood heart condition and surgery, Ravinuthala originally planned to become a physician and chose to major in biomedical engineering to help her better understand medical devices. But as her involvement in community initiatives grew, Ravinuthala began to look at her future differently.

“I didn’t understand how important government and legislation are in life,” she said. “Coming here to Wright State, I wanted some government aspect to be part of my journey.”

That goal was sparked at Wright State, where then-SGA president Marwah Almuzoughi encouraged Ravinuthala to take on a student leader role. Now, she’s carrying forward that legacy of leadership.

Through the attraction she developed by working with legislation, Ravinuthala has a new goal: to marry her engineering and medical pursuits with a law degree.

“I want to do medical legislation. I will always hold a love for physicians, but I do see a lot of purpose by going to the medical legislation field,” she said. “I would love to work in D.C., but I’m open to going wherever I see the need to be.”

As SGA president, Ravinuthala is focused on raising awareness about SGA’s role and ensuring students know their voices are heard.

“We want to collaborate with student organizations and raise the level of awareness,” she said. “We’re there for students and we are students. We want to let them know SGA supports everyone — their interests and their backgrounds.”

Her decision to attend Wright State, she admits, was almost unexpected. A scholarship interview brought her to campus, where she quickly felt at home — impressed by the Boonshoft School of Medicine, the welcoming faculty and staff and even a shared love of cricket with Wright State President Sue Edwards.

“That experience and that I ended up with a Dean’s Scholarship drove me to enroll here,” Ravinuthala said.

Now, Ravinuthala has fully immersed herself in her Wright State experience.

“I really enjoy how involved I got early on in my academic journey,” she said. “I enjoy doing things for other people – meeting all the student leaders and the administrators and building those connections. Wright State is small enough where you can get to know people but large enough to provide lots of opportunities.”

And her approach to leadership is simple: “We’re here to advocate for our students. We’re here to listen and hear them out.”