Alumni Spotlight: Standing by What is Good
From a small community to working on behalf of thousands, Alumni Anish Nalla 16Ox 18C has a strong foundation on Oxford that has shaped him throughout the years.
When entering the quad from the East Village, the bricks hold up a sign that many often pass by without a second glance. Standing on the road, students are greeted by a quote from Atticus Haygood before their day begins: “Stand by what is good and make it better if you can.” But for one alum, Anish Nalla 16Ox 18C, these words have shaped his career.
Coming from a small high school about an hour from Oxford’s campus, having a close-knit community was an essential item on Nalla's college checklist. Fortunately, Oxford provided the family-like community that he was searching for. The personal, connected relationship that Oxford offers not only with fellow students but also with staff and faculty was the individualized environment that Nalla needed to flourish and pursue his goals.
The memories come easily for Nalla. With the late-night study sessions in Johnson Hall, Cookies in Candler, and graduation week, Nalla looks fondly upon his memories at Oxford. The tight-knit campus at Oxford included a unique student-faculty relationship that supported Nalla in becoming a better student and professional. Oxford was family.
After graduating from Oxford, Nalla matriculated at Emory College, studying Political Science, specifically in International Relations. Then he moved to DC, interning on Capitol Hill with the confidence that this was exactly where he wanted to be. From then on, Nalla worked in both the House and Senate under some members of Congress. Through this experience, he built a strong community in DC, one he hopes to be part of for years to come.
For Nalla, the career didn’t matter to him as much as long as he was “[helping] people and [being a] part of something bigger than myself”. Public service allowed him to do both. Though politics isn’t always an easy job- moments filled with conflict, long hours, and intense scheduling- Nalla deems his toil worth it as long as he is giving his best to improve others’ lives, whether across the country or in Georgia.
As Nalla spends more time in his policy career, Haygood’s sentiment grows throughout his journey. “The project of democracy and the United States is never finished, but it is our responsibility to leave things better than we found them for everyone who comes after us, not just the privileged few”. Though Oxford provided higher education in Math, Biology, and English, it gave Nalla something deeper: a sense of purpose in policy.
“Oxford taught me that just because things are difficult, it does not mean they’re not worth doing. In fact, it’s the opposite.”
For current Oxford students, Nalla’s advice is to take more risks. He says those risks bring both wins and losses, which are essential to learning professionally and personally. When things don't go as planned, he encourages students to “trust their gut and keep moving”. But most importantly, he tells them to have fun. Mistakes happen anyway, so "you might as well have some fun" and learn from them along the way.