If you’re looking for public service opportunities, talk to Weinberg senior Sharanya Jaidev. The economics and MMSS double major has dedicated her college career to tackling social injustices and improving community relations as the co-chair of the Northwestern Community and Development Corps (NCDC).Are Northwestern students involved enough with public service?With the recent buzz in the election, we’ve had a lot of students who are really passionate about advocating certain social justice issues. From my perspective, it just means that students have a lot to say about the communities that they are a part of, whether it’s what they have to say about Northwestern, Evanston or Chicago. There is a lot of passion for wanting to make the world a better place. I think it’s always been like that but it’s been elevated.What benefit is there for students to be involved in service activities?I think public service is extremely important. Sometimes students forget that we are a part of a town and a city and a state and a country and that we all came from our own hometowns and we’re all attached to where we come from. A lot of the times, students are here for four years, take all the resources and leave and they don’t give anything back. It’s really important for students to realize that we’re taking up space and we’re in someone else’s community. It’s really important to give back.Has being the president of NCDC changed your experience at NU in any way?Taking on the role of leading a group as big as NCDC has definitely had its challenges, but it is also amazing and I’m really passionate about it. There are very few organizations on campus that students give so much. I’ve really given a lot to this organization and to be at the top and see how it all works together is really a privilege. I get to interact with so many different parts of the organization and I get to learn a lot. Sometimes I feel like I prioritize NCDC more than other things, which may or may not be a good thing, but it’s so fun.What obstacles has NCDC faced?Every organization has its challenges, and NCDC is definitely not an exception. I think our biggest challenge right now is just that we are so huge and so varied that it’s difficult for the organization to find one unique mission. We have close to 300 people involved. Communication is always a big problem and also uniting behind NCDC’s name and brand.How do you think the city reacts to NCDC’s work?We really try to promote mutual understanding and a mutually beneficial relationship so we like to say that while we are giving back to our community we’re also learning from our community. A lot of volunteering really stresses that students really understand why they’re volunteering, what they’re volunteering for and what they’ve learned.What makes NCDC different from other organizations on campus?Passion. Like I said before, I’ve seen very few organizations on campus that are so devoted that it really transforms the way people work together. I’ve given a lot to NCDC since my freshman year–and not because I ever felt I had to or I thought it would good on a resume or a job application, but because I truly believe in the mission. I think that when you find 300 other people on the campus that believe in that mission, it’s really powerful. You’re talking about service, social justice, and it’s having fun and being involved, that all comes together. We’re a pretty efficient, effective organization and I’ve always been so proud to be a part of it. We do good work.