As a student, Nathan was dedicated to helping his peers get the most out of their time at UMBC. During his time as an undergraduate, he was active in Student Government Association (SGA), assisted peers through his work with the Office of Academic and Pre-Professional Advising, and introduced new students to UMBC as an Orientation Peer Advisor (OPA).
As a member of the Sondheim Scholars Program and an active participant in Shriver Center programs, Nathan met several returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs). He had strongly considered Peace Corps service even before he came to UMBC, but his contact with returned Peace Corps volunteers solidified his plan. He was able to draw on the experiences and expertise of these RPCVs as he completed his Peace Corps application. After graduating from UMBC, Nathan served in the Peace Corps for two years as a health extension volunteer in Senegal. He worked on malaria prevention, clean water, sanitation, and maternal and child nutrition activities in a rural village. After Peace Corps service, Nathan returned to his hometown, Baltimore. Nathan is currently a Senior Program Coordinator with Jhpiego, a non-profit global public health affiliate of Johns Hopkins University that implements maternal and child health programs in low and middle income countries. He supports health projects in Cote D’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast) and Liberia. He works with field teams to ensure that they have the resources and information they need and often travels to West Africa.
The Sondheim Public Affairs Program taught Nathan the importance of service, community, and public policy. In his words: “I learned a lot about the importance of gaining on the ground experience in communities to understand how policies impact their intended constituencies.” Nathan remains connected to the Sondheim community through alumni networking activities, and he has also served as a Scholar Selection Day interviewer.
Nathan testing a prototype suit for use in areas with highly infectious diseases.