The scent of vanilla lingers in the kitchen as senior Tanvi Sivakumar pipes the last swirl of cream cheese frosting to her red velvet cupcakes. Pearly white sprinkles fall delicately from her fingers onto the desserts before she nestles each of them into a hand-decorated box. She ties the box with a white ribbon and writes a heartfelt note on the tag to her neighbors, the recipients of her edible creation. 

“Baking is a hobby that really stuck with me because I found that it resonates with a lot of people,” Tanvi said. “When someone tastes something that is nostalgic or reminds them of a sweet time in their life, there’s a really special moment of happiness they experience. I love creating that moment of joy for the people I care about.”

Tanvi started dedicating time and patience to baking during quarantine, but her love for creating happiness through handmade gifts extends beyond the kitchen. She’s since channeled her creativity through various outlets. 

Close friend senior Disha Gupta, who has received many hand-crafted gifts from Tanvi, recognizes the thoughtfulness behind each piece. 

“Tanvi has an incredible ability to make people feel seen,” Disha said. “I have this box in my room of the artwork she’s given me over the years, and it’s filled to the brim. The notes she accompanies them with have always lifted me up. It’s so liberating to feel understood by someone, and that’s what Tanvi does — she appreciates you as you are and gives you the gift of her time.”

Tanvi carries this same care for others to her role as a CEO in Harker’s DECA chapter. She seeks out opportunities to make others feel valued through her guidance. Whether she’s mentoring teams or taking the reins to organize DECA Launch, Tanvi ensures that each newcomer feels welcomed. 

“When I was a frosh, I was both intimidated and inspired by the upperclassmen that I aspired to be,” Tanvi said. “Now, I want to be a mentor who actively reaches out and makes people feel comfortable talking to me. I’m someone who asks a lot of questions to my leaders, and they always show patience, so I carry a lot of patience with me now, too.”

Tanvi also approaches collaborating with peers with the same mindset. Her DECA co-CEO senior Amishi Gupta appreciates their collaborative dynamic and commends Tanvi’s supportive nature. 

“Tanvi is very outgoing, and she wants to make sure that everyone’s having a fun time, which is something that I really admire and also try to emulate,” Amishi said. “She’s really good at making sure that people are feeling welcomed in the group and feel comfortable and understand their priorities. In case we do face situations where I don’t know the answer, I can always turn to her to help me.”

DECA provides Tanvi with a community where her natural upbeat personality flourishes. The experiences on trips have been a source of joy in her life, allowing her to form close friendships with other members. Through many competitions, last-minute practice sessions and even midnight movies with the team, Tanvi learned to be a leader. 

“When I got into the VP of Operations position, I realized that leaders don’t have everything figured out, and they trust their gut and instincts based on what they’ve learned,” Tanvi said. “I realized having a plan in mind and being confident is very important. Working with other people who are very motivated and driven makes me want to do better for them, and I hope I can support them in every way as CEO.”

Tanvi harbors a clear vision as she looks towards the future. She hopes to make an impact in the finance field, especially to uplift future generations of passionate women. 

“I realized that finance is a very male-dominated field,” Tanvi said. “Whenever I would bring up the fact I wanted to go into the finance world, people would ask, ‘Is that okay? Is it fine that you’re going into a heavily male-dominated field?’ My answer to that question is that I want to be in a position where I can be a role model for other women who want to go into finance as well, to give them that confidence boost and support them on their journey.”

This drive to break barriers while lifting others has defined Tanvi throughout high school. Close friend senior Ashley Mo praises Tanvi’s ability to make others feel comfortable and commitment to her pursuits.

“When I’m around her, I can just be myself because she’s a very grounding person to be around,” Ashley said. “A quality I really admire about Tanvi is that she’s very focused on what she does — whatever she wants to happen, she makes it happen. She set so many goals as a frosh, and it’s great to see her accomplish all these things while staying true to herself as such a confident and talented person.”

Tanvi’s adviser and Principles of Business and Entrepreneurship teacher Patrick Kelly noticed her potential in the business field in her frosh year. As someone who watched Tanvi grow into a leader, Kelly praises how far she’s come and offers advice for the journey ahead.  

“Tanvi has a strong underpinning of natural curiosity and a desire to learn,” Kelly said. “She has also always been characterized by leading by example in such an approachable and friendly way. One thing that’s gotten her this far is she’s always listened to everybody around her, and I’d encourage her to continue getting inspiration from everybody she meets. She’ll continue to be the leader that she is.”

This adaptable attitude shaped Tanvi’s approach to challenges across different areas of her life. From adjusting baking recipes to perfecting a DECA event, she learned to embrace the step-by-step improvement process. 

“The act of problem solving is very rewarding,” Tanvi said. “For example, a recipe in baking is never finalized — it can always be improved. The same thing applies to DECA — a roleplay is never perfect. The idea that something’s never final and you can just keep channeling as much energy as you can into it is gratifying, because at some point you look back and see how much progress you made.”