Nitya is dedicated to supporting the empowerment of marginalized groups in society. During her time at UMBC, she has explored her interests in women’s rights, health, education and empowerment both on and off campus. Nitya has volunteered with the Refugee Youth Project (RYP) and the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA), and she helped create The Reach Initiative, a UMBC student-run mentoring program that focuses on reducing gender disparities in STEM.
Nitya is engaged in the UMBC community in many ways. She has served as a Senator and as the Assistant Director for Service and Community Outreach in UMBC’s Student Government Association. She has also represented UMBC at several conferences, including the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders, the national Civic Engagement & Democratic Engagement meeting, and the Imagining America conference.
Nitya deeply values her fellow Sondheim Scholars. In her words: “There are people in the program who regularly renew my faith in humanity because of their outspoken commitment to standing up for what’s right and for continually seeking to learn and grow…I’ve learned to question the status quo more and have increasingly welcomed disagreement and honest, well-meaning critique, seeing both as a necessary prerequisite for my personal development.”
Nitya has pursued her interest in medicine and healthcare through internships with Johns Hopkins Community Physicians and Howard County General Hospital. Both internships have included a research component related to patient-centered care. All of these experiences, both on and off campus, have shaped her future aspirations and plans.
Where She Is Now – Nitya is interning with House of Ruth and is involved in a research study with Johns Hopkins Community Physicians. She is currently in medical school.