Psychology major Nina Steinfeld is passionate about the role special education plays in addressing the needs of those students who require the most attention and plans to make a career out of giving back to her community. Nina Steinfeld is a Brooklynite; she was born and raised in Sheepshead Bay. When she says she is part of the Brooklyn College family it has a double meaning: She is the fourth Brooklyn College degree holder in her family, following proudly in the footsteps of both parents, as well as her brother. With a 4.0 GPA, she impressed both families—the one at school, and the one at home—by making the Dean’s List in each semester of her enrollment, and by winning the Fanny Gerber Memorial Award for academic excellence in fall 2017. It is an understatement to say that Steinfeld utilized her time on campus well. She served as secretary and president of the Hillel Club and volunteered as a counselor for 30 children from a local homeless shelter, an afterschool program that is run by Tanger Hillel at Brooklyn College. She worked with nine other counselors to develop recreational activities for the kids and tutored students from grades one to seven in math problem solving, reading comprehension, and writing skills. She also planned and supervised the collection of donations for Thanksgiving dinner for these children, their families, and others from nearby shelters, which was upwards of 350 diners in all. As president of Hillel, Steinfeld networked with a broad range of other campus clubs and organizations, including Bulldogs for Israel, Gift for Life, SGS Student Government, The Orthodox Club, and Zeta Beta Tau fraternity among others. Steinfeld will receive a bachelor of arts in psychology with a minor in children and youth studies. Working under Assistant Professor Rona Miles in the Department of Psychology, Steinfeld did crucial research composing the literature review for an article examining mental health literacy in college students and collaborating with other researchers on a study examining religious disaffiliation. In addition to her activities on campus, Steinfeld was a youth programmer for the Marine Park Jewish Center, supervising 50 children and eight counselors in the implementation of programming and educational activities that develop religious and cultural identities. She also was a lead teacher at Flatbush Park Day Camp, where she managed a classroom of 24 preschool children. An avid reader, poet, and yoga practitioner, Steinfeld is eager to make a career in giving back to her community. She is enrolled in the New York City Teaching Fellows program and will pursue her master’s degree in adolescent special education from Brooklyn College. She plans to earn post-graduate degrees in addition to her work in education. She is passionate about special education and servicing the needs of the students who require the most attention. Steinfeld credits her experience at Brooklyn College in teaching her that diversity leads to a culturally rich classroom and superb learning environments. “Differences and diversity do not obstruct community building, but rather strengthen communities and broaden their impact,” says Steinfeld. “By having a diverse and inclusive community at Brooklyn College, our vested interests expand; community efforts reach and support more people. I have learned the power of creating diverse communities filled with individuals who accept and support each other.”
