Who we are
sophia nguyen
Sophia Nguyen is a high school student at the Kinkaid School from Houston, Texas. Sophia plays golf for her school and she has passion for both creative writing and journalism. When she was 11 year old, Sophia underwent an intensive spinal fusion surgery due to her congenital problem. She recovered well after a lengthy physical therapy. At the age of 15, she dislocated her right shoulder twice—one from a ski trip and another from volleyball practice. She underwent right shoulder surgery before the beginning of her freshman year in high school. These medical experiences helped Sophia to be more empathetic toward others. She founded Student Athlete Listening Project to share her own medical experience with others and explore the power of storytelling and listening to inspire and support other sport-injured student athletes.
Sanjay Senthilvelan
Sanjay Senthilvelan is a pre-med student at Rice University from Houston, Texas, where he studies cell biology and genetics, chemistry, and global health. Through his work as an EMT, his research in Malawi, and his role at Camp Kesem—where he supports children whose parents have cancer—he has learned how illness and injury can shape a family’s daily life, emotions, and sense of stability. Hearing these stories and witnessing the strength of the families he works with has taught him how deeply health challenges can affect young people, both physically and emotionally. Along with playing tennis and pickleball in his free time, these experiences sparked his interest in sharing the stories of students whose lives are changed by sports injuries and recovery.
