Trustee’s Corner: Strengthening Community Connections

Being part of Richmond’s nonprofit and medical communities is second nature to Nupa Agarwal. In her immediate and extended family, she proudly counts about 75 people, including her own parents and siblings, who are psychiatrists, dermatologists, physical therapists, radiologists, pediatricians and more.  

Agarwal didn’t go into medicine, but the tenacity and determination she inherited from family runs through her as she works as a change agent throughout Richmond in many other capacities. She is a lawyer as well as a Realtor. She also serves on the boards of Virginia Public Media and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and is vice chair of the Richmond Economic Development Authority.  

Agarwal explained that she wants to move the needle when it comes to embracing diversity on the MCV Foundation’s board. She hopes to push the foundation to reach deeper into community involvement through partnerships that prioritize the need for funding resources for all students.  And she wants to help introduce the foundation to an even broader community.    

“I believe I could really use my connections to bring more diversity to the board as well as introduce the foundation and its mission to individuals within Richmond’s Indian and other communities,” she said.  

She cites her parents as the most influential people in her life. Her mother pursued her medical degree in India in a program nearly void of women. Her parents later left their home country to come to the U.S. so both could continue their medical education and training, including on the MCV Campus.  

“Joining the foundation’s board was an opportunity for me to not only be fulfilled and give back to an organization that had provided so much for my family,” Agarwal said, “but it allows me to better position the foundation for a future that reflects the diversity and character of the MCV Campus and the diversity of faculty, staff, students and patients.”