Sarah Nadasy

“Sarah Nadasy exemplifies the heart of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve),” said her nominator: “service to others, done with humility, with no expectation of reward.”

In the months after Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021, Blacksburg Refugee Partnership welcomed five Afghan families. There was a sudden and urgent need for more translators, and Sarah volunteered to translate Dari and Pashto, which she had learned from her grandparents. She quickly proved to be an enthusiastic and compassionate volunteer, helping those in need while providing friendship and comfort.

“I was struck by the ease with which she interacted with the newcomers,” said her nominator, “friendly but respectful, and cognizant of their traumatic experiences over the previous several months.”

Since then, Sarah has dedicated herself to her work with the Partnership. She has given abundantly of her time beyond tutoring to help individuals and families adjust to life in the United States, acting as a resource for cultural questions and advice and as a source of comfort to dislocated and isolated families.

This year, she has been instrumental in organizing and managing a program that places Virginia Tech students as tutors with English language learners in local schools.

As a result of Sarah’s involvement, over thirty K-12 students are receiving extra support in their schoolwork, ensuring that they succeed despite the immense challenges of learning a new language and new material at the same time.

“Without Sarah, the program would have been far less successful and might not have continued into the future,” her nominator said. “More than just lessening a few burdens, she regularly anticipates programmatic needs. More than once I have asked her to do something, only to discover that she has already done it.”

Sarah has also volunteered at Warm Hearth retirement community, Margaret Beeks Elementary, the Women's Resource Center, Gilbert Linkous Elementary, NRV Community Action, and more.

Sarah is grateful for the opportunities she has had to give back to the community. While she is proud of the help she has provided, she said that it never felt like work.

“There is so much to learn from others,” she said. “Volunteering and community engagement teach us so much about ourselves. I was able to connect with my culture at a deeper level once I started working with Blacksburg Refugee Partnership. I consider some of the people I met as family, and our relationships will continue even after I graduate.”

Sarah is intentional about following the spirit of Ut Prosim in her daily life.

"It is important that those with the means to give back, do just that,” she said, “so that no one is left without a support system, and everyone has what that they need to survive and to prosper.”

For service that builds family and connections across the world, I am pleased to present the Aspire! Award for EMBRACE UT PROSIM AS A WAY OF LIFE to Sarah Nadasy.