By: Sabrina Miller, Content Strategy Director
BALTIMORE, Md. – Insight Into Academia magazine named Notre Dame of Maryland University as a recipient of the 2026 Civic Engagement and Community Service Award, honoring institutions for innovative service and leadership in community involvement.
The honor highlights NDMU’s Freshman Class Academic Fair Program, a service-learning initiative led by the Office of Community Engagement that connects first year students with Baltimore City middle schoolers through interactive, student led workshops.
“Higher education has always been a driving force in societal progress.” says Holly Mendelson, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia magazine. “These institutions remind us that the true measure of higher education lies not only in the degrees awarded, but in the lives they uplift. Their leadership strengthens communities, inspires students, and sets a standard of excellence for all.”
The Office of Community Engagement worked closely with Baltimore City Public Schools to identify opportunities where students can support local schools. In response to conversations where educators expressed need for tutoring support, after-school programming, and opportunities for middle school students to visit college campuses, NDMU 100 launched the Freshman Academic Fair Program in 2025.
For its inaugural year, NDMU welcomed approximately 120 students and chaperones from Watler P. Carter Elementary/Middle School and Tunbridge Public Charter School. During their visit, middle school students toured campus, participated in workshops, and shared a meal in the University’s dining hall. The highlight of the day was the academic fair itself, where NDMU 100 students led interactive sessions on topics chosen in collaboration with the middle schools.
Each NDMU 100 class selected a topic and developed workshops which included time management, goal setting, conflict resolution, stress management, healthy social media use, team building, active listening, and financial literacy. Many of these lessons mirror what first-year students encounter in NDMU 100, which reinforces their own learning while developing communication, planning, and leadership skills. Students then designed lesson plans that combined brief presentations with interactive activities and guided discussions to help middle school participants apply the ideas and reflect on key takeaways. “Our goal was to give middle school students a chance to imagine themselves on a college campus while also reinforcing important life skills,” said Yetta Nowak, director of community engagement at NDMU. “At the same time, our freshmen gained valuable experience applying what they are learning in the classroom to real-world situations.”
Faculty members played a key role in guiding students through the process, helping them refine lesson plans, budget for materials, and practice delivering their presentations ahead of the academic fair events. The participating NDMU100 faculty included Mari Rapela-Heidt, Geoff Delaney, PJ Lombardo, Yishka Chin, Damali Olukayode-Heath, Danielle Ballard, and Leslie Korb. Additionally, Alexandra Dodson also led an afternoon art workshop with NDMU art students, engaging approximately 30–40 middle school participants in a hands-on creative activity.
For the middle schoolers, the program provided early exposure to the possibilities of higher education and the chance to experience a college campus firsthand. For the NDMU freshmen, it offered an opportunity to build confidence while sharing knowledge with future learners.
Following overwhelmingly positive feedback from students, faculty, and partner schools, NDMU will host the Academic Fair Program again in April 2026. The initiative reflects the institution’s mission to combining academic learning with meaningful community engagement. The program demonstrates how education can inspire both current and future generations of learners.
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.