Nosimat Salami
Congressional Fellowship Alum
Nosimat Salami Finds Purpose in Public Service
As the first child in a Nigerian-American family, Nosimat Salami is the first in her family to do a lot of things.
Being the eldest of four daughters, Salami continues to find her own path. She has always had an interest in volunteering and serving people, and continues to pursue that.
“Our motto at my high school was ‘Enter to learn and leave to serve,’ ” Salami said. “It’s a principle that continues to guide the way I approach service, leadership and my future career.”
At Gettysburg College, she developed an interest in public policy and advocacy. Now, as a second-year student in the Master of Public Administration in Social Policy program at Cornell University, she is the Vice President of Women in Public Policy (WIPP).
Everything might appear to be falling into place for her. However, being the first in her family also brings a wave of pressure to make sure everything is right. Pursuing a career in public policy has meant navigating spaces that often feel new and unfamiliar. As a Nigerian-American woman who wears a hijab, Salami has not always seen herself reflected in the field, but those experiences have reinforced the importance of representation and belonging
“I get so lost in the sauce that I don't take a step back, give myself a breather, and give myself grace, and I think sometimes that I still struggle with [the pressure].” She said.
But what makes Salami open about the pressure is the realization that she is not the only one going through this. Throughout the journey, she received support and guidance from women who are on a similar path.
Initially, Salami wanted to become a public health practitioner working to protect and improve the health of entire communities. After meeting with Dr. Anne Douds, the Chair of Public Policy at Gettysburg College, she added public policy as a second major and began to see another way to pursue her goal.
“[Douds] really is a pioneer of policy, and she's done a lot, not just for women in policy, but she really inspired me to get into advocacy, and I got to do a lot of great, great work with her,” Salami said.
Then, in her senior year, Salami saw a post about Running Start from Gettysburg junior student Juliette Rhinhow. She applied to be a Congressional Fellow in Fall 2024.
During the Running Start Fellowship, Salami interned with Congressman Dan Goldman in New York City District 10. Coming from Queens, she was entering a very new environment.
Salami says the Fellowship opened doors and allowed her to envision herself in spaces she had never considered, like when she met Nana Pierri, who at the time was Senior Director for Federal Government Affairs at Rocket Companies. There, she saw someone in a position she hoped to hold one day.
“It was towards the end of my internship that I had that interaction with her, and I didn't realize how much I needed that interaction with a woman of color who was in a role that I hope to see myself in one day,” Salami said.
Across each of these experiences, a common thread emerged: helping people access information, resources, and opportunities. While her experience in city government allowed her to explore that work through policy and public service, Salami says that commitment was especially evident in her role at Queens Public Library.
Reflecting on her journey, she also thanked her former manager, Jocelyn, for giving her the opportunity to work there.
This is the place where Salami saw what education could look like, and also the place where she started to guide others by teaching digital literacy.
Salami supported students with learning disabilities, as well as new Americans. For Salami, even new American adults who come from their country as a doctor, a nurse, a lawyer, or a technician can still struggle with learning. Teaching computer literacy gave her a way to support them through that adjustment.
“I keep coming back to the idea of opportunity. Someone gave me an opportunity, and that allowed me to help students learn digital literacy skills and access new resources,” Salami said. “For many New Americans, having to start over and adjust to life in New York City can be challenging
“I'm learning from [my students] as they’re learning from me.” She said.
Being both a teacher and a student, Salami continues to learn to manage the pressure by reminding to give herself grace.
Moving forward to upstate New York, Salami interned in Mayor Sharon Owens’s office in Syracuse. With about one in eight city residents born outside of the United States, Syracuse is a melting pot, as Salami described. Salami felt excited to combine what she learned from research at Cornell with the work in the Mayor’s office, “which was really exciting, and a really awesome opportunity.” She said.
Looking back on her journey, Salami says one of the most important lessons she has learned is to embrace growth rather than strive for perfection.
“I make mistakes, I am not perfect, but I am not striving for perfection, I’m striving to be the best that I can be, and I can’t do that if I don’t give myself grace, if I don’t tell myself, girl, you got this, if I don't remind myself that I do belong at this table, that I do belong here” Salami said.
Written by Running Start Fellow Chloe Mo, interview conducted by Running Start Fellow Cynthia Frage