Ground beans, purified hot water and pressure are all it takes to make a shot of espresso, but for Rachel Lehman, proprietress of Crema, the seemingly simple process is an art form.

While droves of carefree, sun-worshiping co-eds flocked to beaches and exotic adventures during school breaks, Kristen Keely-Dinger, along with her compassionate contemporaries, devoted their time off to Vanderbilt University’s alternative spring break program, which offers a selfless alternative to the otherwise self-serving season. It was this program along with local volunteer organizations that exposed the then pre-med Keely-Dinger to the world of charitable action, causing her to re-direct her plans for the future toward community service.