MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — In a world that often feels disconnected, Middle Tennessee State University student Nancy Prescott’s work bridges the gap between the past and the present while paving the way for an engaged and informed future. 

A graduate student with a bachelor’s in music business from Gulf Breeze, Florida, Prescott has seamlessly combined her artistic sensibilities with her passion for public history and civic involvement.

Currently pursuing a master’s in public history at MTSU, Prescott has established herself as a steward for civic engagement and historical preservation. Since August 2023, she has chosen to be actively engaged with the university’s chapter of the American Democracy Project for Civic Learning, fostering a deeper understanding of civic responsibilities among students. 

“My goal with the American Democracy Project is to inspire students to get involved in their community. In our ever-evolving technological world, it is very easy to confuse making posts with making a difference. I would like to see MTSU students engaging in whatever community they may call home,” she said. 

“When I’m conducting voter registration on campus, I often talk to students who feel powerless and alone. I understand that! While vitally important, voting is just the first step in engaging with community life. Students and community members at large are happiest when they feel useful and a part of something. If I can show them opportunities to care and be cared for, then I have done my job.”

Her vigilant commitment and daily hours of hands-on work to this mission helped earn the American Democracy Project the prestigious Tennessee Secretary of State’s “Four Year Public University Winner” for college voter registration at MTSU — a very much deserved award since voter registration initiatives are part of the lifeblood of MTSU. Volunteers get up early each morning and, rain or shine, set up tables all around campus to try to reach students across colleges. This is often in blistering heat, rain, and bitter cold and requires manual labor.

“We want students to understand the gravity of their civic responsibility, so we do not take this work lightly. I enjoy working hard for my community, so seeing measurable results in the total number of registrants is a reward in itself,” said Prescott, who added it was an honor to receive the Secretary of State’s award.

“Nancy has been an absolute rock in this work,” said Mary Evins, director of MTSU’s American Democracy Project and research professor. “She sets up the registration tent every morning (during registration drives), works diligently registering student voters throughout the day, takes everything down at night, and begins it all again early the next day.

“She’s 100 percent reliable. She’s been unrelenting and unfailing; plus, she’s so positive, always smiling, and brings her warmth, graciousness, and goodwill to the work. Students look up to her and choose to emulate her. She’s a magnificent role model for citizenship and civic activism.”

Family inspired service passion

Her work extends beyond MTSU’s campus. In the fall of 2023, she undertook the American Baptist College Archiving Practicum. There, she meticulously preserved letters from civil rights leaders, administrative correspondence, and photographs dating back to 1924. This effort complemented her volunteer work at the Smithsonian Community Archiving Workshop in November of the same year, where she collaborated with representatives from the National Museum of African American History and Culture to digitize photos, cassettes, and videos from American Baptist College.

In addition to her passion for history, Prescott’s heart is devoted to community service. 

“My father is a professional musician, and my mother was a public school teacher who later became the Title 1 liaison for her county. She helped provide transportation, school supplies and necessary resources to the unhoused students in our community,” she said, adding, “Moreover, my grandfather spent over 20 years volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. My family has been my No. 1 inspiration in these areas. Since I have always been interested in the political process, and I’ve always been interested in music, they came together naturally.”

Prescott recalls the troubling housing crisis in the Florida community where she grew up and here in the greater Nashville area. 

“We did service-learning projects in our middle school and students could choose the causes that were close to their heart,” she said. “Some chose animal rescues or elderly care, but I wanted to go serve our unhoused community.”

Her volunteer efforts with organizations like Hope on the Row and Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen reflect her commitment to uplifting others. Professionally, Prescott has worked with the Mechanical Licensing Collective since October 2021, blending her music business knowledge with public service. 

“I was relatively new to town when I began working at The Mechanical Licensing Collective. A colleague of mine sent a message saying she’d be volunteering with Hope on the Row and invited us to join her. She introduced me to the organization, and I have really appreciated what they do ever since.”

She recommends others engage in civic and community service activities, starting with a simple internet search for issues you are passionate about and ways you can get involved. 

“The hardest part is getting started, but once you get past that initial hurdle, there’s nothing to fear!” she said.

Not an easy journey

Her accolades further underscore her versatility and dedication. From receiving the Si Siman Scholar’s Award from MTSU’s Recording Industry Department to earning the “Excellence in Public Speaking” award from the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, her achievements demonstrate a rare blend of academic excellence and community involvement. 

In 2024, she presented a collaborative project titled “Know Your Ballot 2024: MTSU Students Educate Fellow Students About Our Legislators” at the national Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement meeting, the annual conference of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

Her journey has not been easy. Prescott had financially supported herself throughout her college journey and says she has been working since she was just 15 years old. She also suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2019 while working on her undergraduate degree.

“That was rather debilitating. It took me over two years to fully recover. I had a full-body tremor, emotional side effects, brain fog, and long-term fatigue that made working in a restaurant to support myself extremely difficult. Walking to class and carrying my backpack felt like taking on Everest,” she recalled. 

“I tried not to let it show, but I struggled pretty hard to balance everything at the time. I was embarrassed that I needed to take an extra semester to finish up my degree, but I was at my limit. That was hard to swallow. For the first time, I realized I needed to slow down and prioritize my health. When my brain was functioning very slowly, and my body was not always doing what I wanted it to, I became extremely grateful for the times when it was. Not everybody gets to heal from these types of injuries, and I thank God every day that I did.”

Prescott’s story is one of resilience, passion and purpose. Her ability to intertwine history, civic responsibility and service is a testament to others of the power of individual dedication in fostering collective change.

“Nancy is a quiet but forceful presence who has contributed significantly to the American Democracy Project,” explained MTSU Honors College Dean John Vile. “She has combined passion for public participation, especially among our students, with elbow grease that has facilitated efforts to stimulate greater student involvement.”

After graduation, she plans to continue serving while pursuing a doctorate degree. 

“I would love to continue serving my community through civic engagement efforts. When I graduate, I plan to dedicate the time I would have to the American Democracy Project to groups like my local League of Women Voters,” she said. “ADP has worked closely with them in the past, and I admire what they do.”

— Robin E. Lee (Robin.E.Lee@mtsu.edu)