Nitan Shanas
Rutgers University--Camden
Nitan is a first year student majoring in psychology who wishes to ultimately become a professor of psychology. Since arriving on campus Nitan has shown a deep rooted passion for engaging with communities beyond the campus. Over a short time Nitan has emerged as a leading voice and presence in advancing Rutgers-Camden commitment to civic engagement among the study body and within the city at New Visions Homeless Day Shelter. New Visions is a day center that provides food, shelter and a range of personal and social supports to guests. For his role Nitan organizes the food pantry, assists with serving meals and works with guests wishing to search for employment or other information and resources online. Additionally he has also taken on a number of campus projects such as organizing Hunger and Homelessness Week bringing awareness of these issues to the campus community and a pilot job training program that connects New Visions guests with our campus Career Center resources. Nitan also supports the Better Together project, which focuses on working with neighborhood residents to develop and implement projects based on their identified community needs. Through all of his work Nitan is emerging as an impactful student leader.
Personal Statement
My interest in civic engagement stems largely from my years as a Boy Scout. One of my most gratifying moments entailed leading a team of scouts and parents to build a handicapped accessible trail. When I made the transition to college, I wanted to continue to serve and have done so through the Civic Scholars program at Rutgers-Camden. This year, through Civic Scholars and supportive staff, I have been able to take my volunteerism to new levels. My mission has been to educate people about adversities that the less fortunate face. In doing so, I have had the privilege to serve at New Visions a homeless shelter in Camden where I organize the food pantry, assist with serving meals and provide digital literacy support to clients. On campus, along with other Civic Scholars, I organize Hunger and Homelessness Week which brings awareness to the campus about such issues. As my experiences and understanding grow, I learn how much power we have as individuals to foster change. With this in mind, I aspire to become a more active contributor to solutions by focusing on involving more of the campus community on issues relating to hunger and homelessness
