For Shreya Bandyopadhyay, a passion for service didn’t start in a classroom; it began in her adolescence.
Born in West Virginia and raised in Missouri, Bandyopadhyay grew up with the challenge of navigating predominantly white spaces as an Indian woman. These life experiences taught her countless lessons about staying true to your values and were factors shaping her identity and sense of purpose growing up.
“Growing up in places where not everyone shared my background or my family’s views was really catalyzing,” she says. “My mom was always a strong advocate for bodily autonomy and doing what’s right for yourself. That wasn’t something a lot of my peers believed, and it really stuck with me.”
Her journey into politics began at age nine, sitting in her living room watching President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech.
“I remember thinking, ‘People like us can do this too,'” she says. “That moment really stayed with me.”
During her time in high school, Bandyopadhyay got involved in student government and helped organize a walkout to protest gun violence. This is where civic engagement really became central to her journey.
Upon arriving in Madison, Bandyopadhyay already knew she wanted to study political science. She went on to not only major in that, but also legal studies with a certificate in gender & women’s studies.
But it was outside of the classroom when her most transformative learning happened.
“The internships I had as a student were the biggest thing I still take into my jobs today,” she says.
Bandyopadhyay was part of the Wisconsin in Washington program, a selective program integrating academics with an internship in Washington D.C. While there, she interned with Vital Voices, a global women’s nonprofit, and it was there where she discovered her passion for communications as a means to serve the public and make a real impact.
“I thought I was going to be on a legal policy track,” she says. “But I realized everything I loved doing — writing, storytelling, connecting with people — was communications focused, especially in advocacy spaces.”
Coming back from Washington, Bandyopadhyay wanted to pursue communications combined with her passion for service. She continued her work at The Morgridge Center and it became a foundational part of time in undergrad. She served as a vote everywhere ambassador with the Andrew Goodman Foundation, leading voting initiatives and educating students on their power as voters in a swing state like Wisconsin. She also created and co-hosted a voting rights podcast, interviewing major community and political leaders.
“Students are such a huge voting bloc, especially in Wisconsin,” she says. “But voting can feel intimidating. We wanted to make it accessible and show students that their voices matter.”
Her time at the Morgridge Center was unique, noticing that on college campuses around the country, many students want to get involved but don’t know how because they don’t have a hub to start at.
“[The Morgridge Center] gives you such amazing opportunities to meet really cool people. It’s really unique and Madison is lucky to have it,” she says.
After graduating in 2022, Bandyopadhyay began her professional career at the National Women’s Law Center where she worked in digital and creative strategy. After two years, she wanted to pivot to a more outward facing communications role.
That desire led her to Michigan where she worked in Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office as a deputy secretary and speechwriter. During her tenure in government she did everything from speechwriting for major policy addresses to informative press materials.
“Seeing your words delivered on a national stage is incredible,” she says. “But it also taught me how policy decisions actually happen and how fast-moving public service work can be.”
Even though she succeeded in a government setting, her deep passion for reproductive rights drew her back to advocacy work. Having interned for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia in her undergrad, Bandyopadhyay knew what a transformative experience working in that sector could be. She now works as a state advocacy press officer at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, supporting programs across the country and defending access to care.
“I’m grateful to combine my background in state politics and reproductive rights at this point in my career,” she says. “It’s rewarding to bring all of my experiences together in pursuit of a goal that helps people in my community and beyond.”
Looking back on all of her amazing experiences, Bandyopadhyay believes that getting hands-on experience early on is what helped her the most.
“Internships,” she says. “As many as you can. That’s where you can get hands-on experience you can list on a resume and eventually use in a job.”
She also recognized the importance of networking in order to build meaningful relationships with people you can admire and learn from.
“I’ve been lucky enough to meet mentors who have helped me throughout my career,” she says. “Undergrad is such a unique time. Talk to people outside your major. Try different experiences. You won’t always have this kind of access.”
By Sammie Garrity