Nina Worth is the 2020 Recipient of the William J. Block Award for Service

Nina Worth is the 2020 recipient of the William J. Block Award for service to the university and broader community. Her passion for public service and social justice issues drives much of what she does. Nina also credits NC State University and the School of Public and International Affairs for providing her with a solid foundation and a supportive community from which to develop her skills. “NC State was amazing because I got the resources of a large university, but a community that felt like a small liberal arts college within SPIA. I was able to accomplish quite a lot during my four short years here at NC State due to an abundance of resources and support.” 

“What I love most about this university is that the sky is virtually the limit. I was able to work for the Governor, study abroad, conduct research, and build a network that I know will follow me through the rest of my career. Additionally, going to school in the state’s capital really helped me accumulate work experience and gain access to the public sector before graduation. NC State’s resources, community, and great location really made my student experience transformative and effortless.”

Nina graduated in May with a B.A in political science and an impressive resume of leadership and community service. “I have found through my past in politics and various avenues of campus involvement that I am inherently committed to pursuing work centered on achieving social justice and equity in politics, policy, law, and administrative work,” she said. 

In her personal and professional life, Nina has demonstrated her passion for and dedication to public service through work with Camp Kesem, Habitat for Humanity, food banks, NC State student government, multiple nonprofit organizations both on and off campus, and several political campaigns—including NC Representative Linda Coleman during her run for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s District 2 in 2018. 

It was during this internship that Nina met Congressman John Lewis. “When the race started to gain national attention, Congressman Lewis came to NC to speak on behalf of Coleman,” Nina recounted. “During the event, Lewis gave a firsthand account of what it was like to lead the march to Montgomery from Selma, attend the March on Washington, and to work hand-in-hand with leaders like John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.” Listening to Lewis speak at an event she had helped organize was an emotional experience for Nina. 

“I was amazed that so early on in my career I was able to meet a civil rights giant. At the same time, meeting Lewis was surreal because it forced me to reconcile with the troubling fact that I could come face to face with a man who was not just alive for these events, but was actively leading them. Lewis was a living reminder that America’s violent past with legalized racism and inequality was not too long ago. But as concerning as that was, I had a lot of hope for the future. I was speaking with someone who had to fight for Black people to have the right to vote while I was working for a Black woman who was running for U.S. Congress. It was a pretty astonishing moment. Before he left, he thanked me for my service and I knew instantaneously that the trajectory I was heading on in my career was not misplaced.”

Nina also interned with Governor Roy Cooper’s re-election campaign as a staff member. She assisted with events all across the state. “Meeting constituents across North Carolina and hearing their concerns reminded me why I got into public service,” Nina said, “but also taught me a valuable lesson in understanding the nuances between serving different groups of people.”

The class of 2020 knows too well that graduating in a pandemic comes with its own unique set of challenges. “In the early stages of the pandemic I felt a sense of resignation,” Nina recalled. “There was a level of disappointment knowing my time on campus was cut short, but I also felt prepared and ready to face what would come next in my life both personally and professionally. I think a skill that 2020 grads bring to the workforce that is pretty extraordinary is a firm grasp of our ability to adapt at a moment’s notice. Whether it was quickly conforming to online classes or entering a job market that is less representative of what we all could have imagined, I have noticed that my peers and I are taking this experience in stride. Recent graduates’ capacity to adapt to whatever is thrown our way will become an asset in our lives and our careers, which will be a pretty remarkable advantage no matter what path any of us choose.”

Since graduating, Nina has worked as a Lead for North Carolina Fellow in rural Rockingham County where she continues her public service. 

“The concept of community service means showing up and working for people regardless of ideology and perspective. Working with the county manager to prioritize COVID-19, securing testing centers, mandating masks in our building, and supplying students with safer options to study at home are all a part of the efforts that hopefully work towards supporting Rockingham citizens during this pandemic. Sure, it was intimidating coming into a more conservative environment as a young, Black woman, but that is what community service means to me—doing the hard but necessary work to effect meaningful and effectual change.”

Nina will attend law school in the fall, when her fellowship concludes, and will continue her work in advocacy and public interest, always putting the needs of others at the forefront of her mission.

The William J. Block Award recognizes a graduating senior from the School of Public and International Affairs who has demonstrated exceptional community service, public engagement and a record of academic achievement. It was created in honor of William J. Block, who had a long and distinguished career at NC State. A popular professor, he chaired the political science department, created the public administration department, served as chair of the faculty senate, and was active in his community and city politics. His commitment to his students and the larger community was profound. After he retired in 1984, Professor Block continued to advise students for many years.