No JV, No Problem
- Cathy Campo
- Feb 22
- 5 min read
By: Siddhaarth Sudhakaran, Staff Writer
Meet SNACK, the student group creating space for singles, self love, and smarter relationships
Years ago, during a late-night deep dive on Quora—a confession that instantly makes my knees ache and makes me wonder if I should be evaluating retirement planning—I stumbled across one of the most heartbreaking animal facts I’ve ever read. It was the story of the 52-hertz whale, a creature that roams the ocean singing at a pitch no other whale can hear or understand, effectively making it the loneliest mammal on the planet.
I’ll be honest: navigating the hyper-social, heavily partner-oriented (or "JV-supported") waters of Kellogg as a single person can occasionally feel a bit like singing at 52 hertz. It’s easy to feel like you’re broadcasting on a frequency that everyone else is just slightly out of tune with. But it turns out, there’s a whole pod of us out there, and someone has finally set up the sonar to bring us together. Enter SNACK—“Singles and Connections at Kellogg.” Led by Co-Presidents Wen Gu (MBAi ’26) and Shashank Mahajan (MBAi ’26), the club is determined to build connections among people at Kellogg, single or otherwise.
Naturally, my first question for Wen was how she found herself captaining this particular ship. As it turns out, her journey to the SNACK presidency started the way so many great Kellogg stories do: through a good friend and a Slack channel. Wen was close with the club’s previous president, Ngoc Tu (MBAi ’25). After dropping into the #singlesatkellogg channel, she started noticing the genuinely cool, out-of-the-box stuff he was building for the community. Recognizing her enthusiasm, Ngoc Tu eventually invited Wen and Shashank to take over the reins. But for Wen, stepping into the role was about much more than just playing matchmaker or throwing a good mixer. Driven by a deep interest in sociology and a desire to better understand the mechanics of human interaction, she saw a unique opportunity. In her mind, SNACK provided a platform to leverage Kellogg's resources to explore emotional intelligence, dive into how we actually connect, and build a broader, more supportive community for everyone.
"For our readers, can you explain what exactly does SNACK do?" I asked, curious about how these sociological goals translate into everyday Kellogg life. Wen was quick to clarify that while supporting the single population is a key part of the club’s mission, SNACK’s true ambition is much broader. As Wen put it, "A lot of people forget the ‘connections’ part in our name, and that really drives our club’s perspective and mission."
Wen highlighted a workshop the club organized with Prof. Steve Franconeri on how to handle conflicts in a constructive way. Rather than a dry lecture, they play-tested a new game designed to resolve conflict constructively. They are also expanding their reach through collaborations with other student organizations, most recently collaborating with the Marketing Club for an event focused on attachment theories, navigating relationship dynamics, and leading with empathy.
They’re even leaning into the professional side of romance, organizing career panels and networking events that invite leaders from the dating industry, relationship tech, and matchmaking startups to discuss "how love can be a career." And in a true bridge-building effort, SNACK has been in talks with the JV (Joint Venture) club—the group dedicated to Kellogg partners—to host collaborative events where couples can bring their single friends.
When I asked the obvious next question—how do we sign up?—Wen didn't miss a beat. "Join #singlesatkellogg on Slack," she urged. And if you want to be more than just a member, keep an eye out: executive board applications are launching soon, so stay tuned.
As someone who has been single throughout my time at Kellogg, I was hoping for a little solidarity when I asked Wen if she ever felt the partner-heavy environment made it harder to fit in. She was incredibly gracious but gently dismantled my hypothesis. "I do see where you're coming from," she offered politely, before explaining that the social scene is actually "pretty broad" and simply comes down to "how you as an individual navigate the social setting." So, basically: no. It was a polite, slightly devastating realization that being single isn't actually the grand institutional barrier to my social life. Whelp, I'll just have to find another excuse for my own occasional awkwardness. When I brought up Valentine's Day—because you can't really run a club with "singles" in the name and ignore February 14th—Wen lit up explaining their "Secret Cupid" tradition. "Last year we did chocolate deliveries," she told me, explaining how students could anonymously send treats through SNACK. This year, they levelled it up.
"Shashank and I envisioned the ‘Cupid Shop,’" she explained, wanting to support everyone regardless of their relationship status. She walked me through the options: you could send customized notes for a partner, or—and this is incredible—sponsor a single friend's love life by buying them a month of Hinge! But when I asked Wen about the highlight of her time running Secret Cupid, she didn't mention the matchmaking or the secret admirers. Instead, it was people buying gifts for themselves.
"I've seen girls order the gift for themselves, and in the notes they'll write, 'Hey, I love you, you're the best,'" Wen told me, positively giddy. As Wen put it, "I love that self-love. If I wrote that to myself and picked it up, I'd be like, 'You know what, I deserve a pat on the shoulder.'" Honestly, same. Though I wouldn't say no to the free Hinge subscription either.
Whether you're holding out for that sponsored Hinge profile, a lesson in self-love, or just a broader Kellogg community, SNACK is officially gearing up for its next chapter. With the MBAi March graduation practically staring Wen and Shashank (and myself!) in the face, the co-presidents are getting ready to hand over the club's baton for good. To ensure a smooth transition, they’re actively looking for the next crop of leaders to take the reins.
As for her parting vision, Wen hopes the new exec board leans even deeper into cultural conversations—leveraging Kellogg's massive international community to explore how different cultures, identities, and generations navigate relationships. Ultimately, whether you want to dive into the sociology of modern dating, build your emotional intelligence, or just meet some genuinely cool people, the door is wide open! More Articles by Siddhaarth Sudhakaran: Humans of Kellogg: Otavio Barros (JV): Grounding a Golden Retriever
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