Three Cornell undergraduates are being recognized for their dedication to tackling social challenges through innovative, community-engaged learning projects. As recipients of this year’s Robinson-Appel Humanitarian Awards, Samhita Korukonda ’27, Michelle Tcherevatenko ’25 and Keishaun Wade ’25 will each receive $2,500 to support their initiatives.

Established by Cornell alumni Gerald Robinson ’54, Margot Robinson ’55, Robert Appel ’53 and Helen Appel ’55, the annual award honors undergraduates who have made significant contributions to community engagement. Administered by the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement, it provides funding for student-led projects addressing social needs or challenges on campus or throughout the United States.

From tackling pressing healthcare and housing needs to creating inclusive support systems, this year’s recipients are seeking creative solutions to the problems they see around them — driving positive change for individuals and communities in Ithaca and beyond.

Korukonda found her passion for addressing health disparities after witnessing her grandfather’s struggles navigating the U.S. healthcare system as an immigrant. As the youngest councilmember on Seattle’s Healthcare for Homeless Network, the human biology, health and society major in the College of Human Ecology has also seen firsthand how preventable chronic conditions disproportionately impact low-income individuals.

To close this gap, Korukonda created CommuniCare, a machine learning-based app that connects underserved individuals to free and low-cost healthcare resources. By transforming overwhelming information into actionable steps, the app helps users discover tailored support groups, workshops and wellness programs.

With mentorship from Cornell’s Blackstone LaunchPad, Weill Cornell Medical School and Cornell Public Health, Korukonda has expanded her team to 25 students and raised nearly $20,000. The Robinson-Appel award funds will support CommuniCare’s pilot launch in Ithaca, aiming to reach over 500 users, improve accessibility and enhance volunteer training for outreach in homeless shelters, community centers and libraries.

Tcherevatenko, a biology and society major in the College of Arts and Sciences, is equipping local emergency responders with sensory kits to better serve individuals with diverse processing needs. As an EMS captain of the Varna Volunteer Fire Company — with extensive training and over 1,000 service hours under her belt — she noticed that while most emergency vehicles carry stuffed animals to comfort children, they lack tools tailored for neurodiverse patients.

Thanks to Tcherevatenko’s efforts, Varna became the first company in Tompkins County to carry  sensory kits in its vehicles. The kits contain fidget toys, noise-reducing earmuffs and custom communication boards that help patients manage stress and communicate during emergencies. Tcherevatenko plans to use the award to expand the initiative, offering sensory kits to fire departments and their EMS mutual aid partners throughout the county.

Wade is tackling a problem he knows firsthand as a lifelong resident of Flint, Michigan — a city grappling with a severe housing crisis that disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities. Determined to use his field as a tool for social justice, the urban and regional studies major in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning is launching two interconnected initiatives: the Flint Collective Housing Union (FCHU) and the Flint Neighborhood Stabilization Collaborative (FNSC).

Wade will use the grant funds to establish FNSC’s nonprofit structure, enabling it to develop sustainable, community-driven solutions such as community land trusts and limited-equity housing cooperatives. He also plans to build a network of supporters through FCHU, which will serve as a platform to empower homeowners and tenants to collectively advocate for fair, stable housing. By fostering grassroots support and laying the groundwork for a pilot housing initiative, Wade hopes to catalyze lasting, systemic change for Flint’s residents.