Student Nina DeMilta earns civic fellowship for her community impact work
Nazareth junior Nina DeMilta ‘24, a music therapy major with a minor in interdisciplinary interfaith studies, has been selected as a 2023 Newman Civic Fellow for making an impact on her community through social justice, community engaged learning abroad, and peer education and leadership.
DeMilta is one of 154 students from 38 states and Mexico among the 2023 honorees. She was nominated by Nazareth President Beth Paul. The Newman Civic Fellowship is a year-long program through Campus Compact that recognizes and supports community-committed students who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. The fellowship is named in honor of Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact's founders.
DeMilta has been involved in Nazareth’s Weider Community Engagement Office since her first year of college through her work with Partners for Serving. “My passion for social justice activism and community outreach stems from engaging with humans from all walks of life through service learning experiences,” said DeMilta. She works one-on-one with K-2 children in child-directed play through Generation 2 in Rochester. “I learn how playing can empower children and provide them with the confidence and self-advocacy needed in emerging adolescence.” She has worked with older adults at Episcopal Senior Life, engaging in intergenerational experiences through games and dialogue. Through Highland Hospital’s Highland Elder Life Program, she visited patients in their rooms, having conversations to prevent delirium and loneliness. DeMilta attends social justice workshops virtually and in-person to grow her advocacy and allyship.
She has explored social inequities and community solutions around the world as she traveled on various study abroad programs in Austria, Cambodia, Germany, and Poland to learn more about the role she plays as a global citizen.
DeMilta says she feels called to “make a difference in society through the use of music and cultural humility.” She has contributed to conversations regarding DEI concerns in her field of study and has started a diversity and inclusion committee through her role as president-elect of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association for Music Therapy Students.
“Through education, understanding, and open-mindedness, I continue to learn and grow from others as we work together to address issues that inevitably impact people from marginalized and oppressed groups,” said DeMilta.
For More Information
Julie Long | Senior News & PR Officer | jlong2@naz.edu | (585) 389-2456 | (585) 781-8186 (cell)
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
