Partnering and Serving During PT School

Congratulations to Mariel Mustello '21, '23G for receiving the 2021 Jessica Shackelton Maclay Partners for Serving Award and Community Partner Award

Jessica Shackelton Maclay was a Nazareth graduate from the Social Work Department who, as an alumna, went on to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA, and was one of the founding coordinators of Partners for Serving (PFS) and co-founder of Homework Help (now known as Nazareth College Connection). Tragically, Jessica passed away in 2011. The “Jessica Shackelton Maclay Partners for Serving Award” was created to honor Jessica’s life and community service legacy, and is awarded to key seniors in the PFS program.

Another strong student leader, Mariel joined Partners for Serving in the Spring of 2018, working at the Community Place in their after school program and becoming the site coordinator the following semester. Mariel also formed strong relationships with the residents at Episcopal Senior Life - Brentland Woods during her 3 semesters working there. She most recently led the team of Nazareth Public Health Advocates, a group of students who provided peer education about the COVID-19 health and safety measures on campus. Mariel’s work in the PFS Office over the past three years has involved organizing many years of past files and supplies, transferring important forms and attendance procedures to on-line formats, and creating a Moodle site for students to access both programmatic and educational materials that support the PFS program. She assisted with the transition to a new staff Program Manager in 2019, helping to shape and implement changes to the program that have strengthened and streamlined the PFS experience. Mariel always exemplifies a curiosity and open-mindedness about new ideas and a willingness to learn and engage in civil discourse, which she has modeled to new Partners who join the program. Her commitment and loyalty to the Partners for Serving program and her leadership to the Nazareth community in the area of civic engagement have been inspiring, and we thank her for her dedication to PFS.

Mariel is also the recipient of a 2021 Community Partner Award

Mariel served as a student coordinator for the Partners for Serving program, working to support student employees in virtual work experiences, while also leading the student team of Public Health Ambassadors on campus. Mariel worked for the Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue as a social media manager, holds leadership positions with the Physical Therapy Club and Gerontology Club, and is a mentor as part of the Mentor Collective at Nazareth College and an e-buddy for Compeer Rochester.

Mariel says, “My community engagement at Nazareth has undoubtedly prepared me for a life of engaged citizenship. As I continue on with my graduate education, I am developing a vision for how community engagement will continue to be a central part of my life in my personal life and future profession. I understand the vital role of working with, not for, my community and those in it, and how to do that effectively and respectfully. I have a better sense for where I fit in as a citizen on the active citizen continuum and how I can continue to develop myself in that regard. Through my experiences here, I have gained the information, capacity, and understanding to be able to advocate for my future patients and clients as a Physical Therapist and to advocate for change in the field of Physical Therapy, healthcare, and beyond.”

Congratulations Mariel!