When international students come to the U.S., their attention often centers on adjusting to academics and navigating cultural differences, making entrepreneurship seem out of reach. For Ramya Tulasi Dega and her co-founder Swetha Maadugula, both from Hyderabad, Telangana, who were pursuing their master of sciences in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Texas A&M University, their journey as immigrant students became the inspiration for creating a nonprofit focused on wellness and mental health.

In 2023, they launched Healing Circle USA, a nonprofit born from lived experience and the urgent need to provide mental health resources for students and young professionals. As immigrant founders, they understood the cultural stigma surrounding mental health and the additional challenges international students face - isolation, stress, and lack of accessible support.