Through social media, advocacy, and community, Turna Barua ’26 gives others a platform
Political science major Turna Barua ’26 is having a whirlwind day, every day. On top of her studies, she works as a student ambassador, social media intern, and resident advisor; serves on the e-board for the International Student Association (ISA), and is a member of the South Asian Student Association (SASA).
If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is.
Barua is always seeking to make an impact on even just one person’s life, and she carries this mentality into all her endeavors, especially as a resident advisor.
‘Vulnerable moments’
“RAs are there at people’s most vulnerable moments,” Barua says. “It’s hard to even admit that you need help. Being an RA allows me to be that resource for students.”
Similarly, as a student ambassador who leads campus tours, Barua, a Bangladeshi immigrant, says she hopes to show prospective students who look like her that they could also have a home at Clark.
“When prospective students come in, the way we interact with them, the things we say, the things we do, shapes their narrative about Clark and the Clark community,” she says.
When Barua first toured Clark, her guide was Maire Geoghegan ’24, CDP ’25. Now, in a full-circle moment, they’ve given the tour together and also collaborate as social media interns in the Office of Marketing and Communications.
‘This is who we are’
Barua began flexing her social media skills in middle school, running Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande fan pages on Instagram. These days, she’s passionate about improving diversity in social media marketing, enhancing representation of her Bangladeshi heritage online, and building community.
As a Marketing and Communications intern, Barua incorporates trends into Instagram reels and TikToks that introduce prospective students and other viewers to the campus in meaningful way. Her videos provide insight into everyday Clark in the form of Instagram takeovers, on-the-street student interviews, and day-in-the-life style videos. One of her favorite projects is a video she created for Admitted Students Day that features student voices superimposed over singer Post Malone’s 2016 song “Congratulations.”
Highlighting the many identities of Clarkies online has shown Barua that social media can have a validating effect on communities. She acknowledges that encouragement from her supervisors Aviva Luttrell, MSC ’24, and Melissa Hanson has enabled her to tell powerful stories.
“My work under Aviva and Melissa shows other people that this is who we are as Clark University,” Barua says. “I’m very intentional about my work because we do have such an influence, and I’ve been able to have this impact because there are amazing people at Clark who believe in me.”
‘We have the power to give students a platform’
While on the e-board for the International Student Association, and as a general member of the South Asian Student Association, Barua feels the responsibility to be both inclusive and encouraging.
“We have the power to give students a platform to showcase their identity, their background, their different interests and cultures, and still come together in our own big community where we all share similar experiences on campus,” she says.
This effort culminates in Barua’s favorite annual event: ISA’s International Gala, in which students showcase their nationalities through dance, fashion, and cultural performances. At the March 22 event, she directed and danced for Bangladesh and also danced for Haiti.
“Gala has been such a transformative experience for me,” says Barua, who has been involved as a planner and performer since her first year on campus. “It’s really about the passion we all bring to the Clark community. Everyone’s up late at night, everyone’s dancing, everyone’s practicing, everyone is giving their all to make this a good show. Your mind shifts all of the tiredness away as you become so moved by it all.”
‘I’ve always believed in the power of politics and advocacy’
Translating this passion for community and equity into a career in political science motivates Barua’s studies. She became interested in political advocacy at age 13 when she found herself deeply affected by the murder of a young Pakistani girl named Zainab Ansari.
“No one was talking about her here in the U.S. No one was trying to get justice for her,” Barua recalls. “I took it into my hands to advocate for this little girl. I went around my school speaking about her, started an online petition to increase government attention toward the case, and urged my teachers and classmates to sign and share it.” (Zainab’s killer was eventually convicted and executed.)
As a high school junior, Barua created the Young Feminist Alliance Club at her school in Saugus, Massachusetts, which petitioned the school board for changes to a dress code that targeted female students. The effort was successful, and helped embolden her to pursue political science at Clark.
This past summer, Barua worked as an intern with TurnUp Activism, helping to increase voter turnout through canvassing in her hometown.
“I adore getting people to vote and spreading information about why voting is so important because it really helps people to understand their political role and impact in their community,” Barua says.
She hopes to shape her career around making global change.
“I’m a Bangladeshi immigrant, a first-generation student,” she says. “I’ve always believed in the power of politics and advocacy.”
Barua’s capstone examines the role humanitarian organizations play in combating child trafficking in India and how prevention can be improved. She hopes to one day join an organization that directly addresses this issue.
“My goal in life is to help people in any way,” Barua says, “and I hope to work with organizations that will continue to let me do that. Being able to say that I helped change someone’s life would be something to be so proud of.”
