— About Us —

Our Vision

With support from the UMN Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation and the MIT AgeLab, Project Blue Star seeks to increase connection between students and seniors. We believe that building love and understanding through meaningful intergenerational interactions can end social isolation and loneliness.

Our Goal

As high school and university students, our goal is to engage with senior citizens by holding sessions in community venues. At these sessions, seniors and students enjoy time together listening/creating music and participating in various unstructured activities. We emphasize meaningful conversation between students and seniors, a simple

activity shown to alleviate feelings of loneliness. We also support research into the solutions and social underpinnings that inhibit social connection in our communities.

Our Programs

Sample Session Schedule

sample day schedule
project blue star logo

Our Name

The Blue Star Lotus is a symbol of rebirth — a connection between young and old. Given our mission to connect students and seniors, it only fit to name our organization after this symbolic flower.

Who We Are

This organization was founded in 2021 by National Honor Society members and music students at Technical High School in St. Cloud, MN. After garnering attention from UMN, MIT, Minnesota Gerontological Society, and other organizations, we have grown to include student volunteers from various schools throughout Minnesota.

Our Leadership Team

Fyzeen Ahmad

Founder, Managing Director

fyzeen.ahmad@gmail.com

Adhvaith Sridhar

Outreach Director

Haley Deans

Legal Director

Ida Wade

Organizer - Saint Cloud

Aanya Pandey

Organizer - Minneapolis

Gabi Marmet

Organizer - Minneapolis

Catherine Lin

Organizer - Minneapolis

Alex Walk

Former Organizer

India Ratha

Former Organizer