SPOTLIGHT

Over a decade ago, Alka Bhargav had a vision, one that is now transforming the lives of young women across Alabama every day. A longtime Huntsville resident, Bhargav’s professional background includes years in human resources and vocational rehabilitation, roles that gave her a front-row seat to the challenges women face when trying to build stable, fulfilling lives. Bhargav has served on many boards, including Drake State Foundation, New Futures, the Madison City Disability Advocacy Board, and the North Alabama Society of Human Resource Management. She also served as President of the Women’s Economic Development Council (WEDC) Foundation Board.In 2013, along with her husband, Bhargav created the AUM foundation, channeling her skills and experience into equipping young women with the tools, confidence, and opportunities they need to succeed. As the founder of AUM Foundation, Bhargav leads Pathway 2 Success, a holistic program designed to empower under-resourced high school girls to break the cycle of poverty, achieve economic independence and enable them to build brighter futures. Currently, the foundation supports programs at high schools in Decatur, Huntsville, Madison, and Selma. According to Bhargav, success for each girl going through the Pathway 2 Success program is different. It’s up to each individual.

“Success will look different for each kid.” Bhargav said. “One wants to be a welder, another one wants to be a physician, so it’s going to be different …the vision is that all these girls that go through a program will be financially independent and will pay it forward.” For Bhargav, mentoring is central to the foundation’s

mission. “There are some amazing women in this city who have stepped forward, doctors, engineers, business owners. All kinds of women have found a place where they can leave a legacy,” Bhargav said. “What you leave in the minds of people is your legacy.” The results speak for themselves. Since its inception, Bhargav says the AUM Foundation has helped more than 400 young women.

Some have gone on to attend prestigious universities on full scholarships, including one student who earned a QuestBridge award to the University of Pennsylvania, a success story Bhargav credits to the dedication of both the student and her mentors. But Bhargav’s most ambitious project is still ahead: an affordable housing and support center for college women. This initiative will address what AUM’s founder says are three of the most significant barriers to college completion: housing insecurity, mental health challenges, and the lack of a reliable support network.

The vision is bold: a campus that provides affordablehousing alongside tutoring, mental health services, atechnology lab, and ongoing life skills classes. Theland has already been purchased; the next step israising the $20 million needed to build the center.“When we have the building, the program will beopen to college girls from any college in the area. Ifyou meet the criteria, you don’t need to have comethrough high school to live there,” Bhargav explained.Bhargav says she not only wants this center to helpgirls locally but also to be a nationwide templatefor the support of under-resourced female collegestudents all across America.One of the foundation’s most anticipated events,Bollywood Night, helps fuelthesedreams. EachOctober, the Von Braun Center comes alive with colorful décor, vibrant music, exciting dance performances, and an array of authentic Indian cuisine. This year’s event, scheduled for October 18, promises to be no exception. Every ticket sold supports programs that uplift and equip under-resourced girls for lifelong success. While Bhargav admits fundraising in today’s economic climate is challenging, she remains undeterred. Her focus is clear: to ensure every young woman in the program has the tools, resources, and confidence to succeed, and to inspire them to one day extend that same support to others