Nina Salamatova Named Class of 2026 Valedictorian

As the founder and president of the Political Science Club on campus, Nina Salamatova is often seen engaging in meaningful conversations with her peers. This desire for communication and connection is a driving force that was sparked in her as a teenager from Ukraine fleeing the war in 2022.  

“I moved between about five schools in Canada and the U.S., and in every high school, I realized how silent it was,” said Salamatova. “People sit in the cafeteria and only speak to their own group. How can we understand each other without having a dialogue about our experiences? I believe this is the core issue that leads to conflicts and wars.” 

Salamatova moved across more than a dozen countries before settling in New Jersey, enrolling at Sayreville War Memorial High School well into the first semester of her senior year.  

“I remember the night missiles broke the silence of the night sky in my hometown. After that, my life became a constant movement,” Salamatova said. “Every step meant starting over again: new systems, new people, new languages, new expectations. But it also taught me how to adapt, and how to keep going, no matter what.” 

With housing insecurity and education costs an ever-present barrier in Salamatova’s life, she decided to attend Middlesex College. Next week she will speak at the College’s 59th commencement ceremony as the Class of 2026 valedictorian. 

“More than anything, I see being valedictorian as a message to my class,” Salamatova said. “Every person has their own story, and every story is different. I’m not the best or the smartest, but I have something that connects all of us in the Class of 2026: resilience and determination. Middlesex has helped us move forward even when the path was not clear.” 

At the beginning of the Spring 2026 semester, Salamatova co-hosted the Middlesex College X Raritan Valley Community College Interactive Dialogue, the first of its kind between New Jersey community colleges. This type of leadership role comes naturally to Salamatova, whose childhood experiences included seeing her mother facilitate dialogue in the United Nations. She is currently the youngest member of the Independent Delegation of Ukrainian Women, the first independent delegation from Ukraine to the United Nations that was founded by her mother. 

Salamatova’s primary focus is promoting peace in all levels of society. 

“I am a political science major first of all because I survived a war, but also because I grew up in an environment seeing that we need to promote communication,” said Salamatova. “I believe that politics is simply communication between citizens and the government. And for that to happen you need a human-first approach.” 

Although she already knew she wanted to study political science at Middlesex College, Salamatova says that the College changed the trajectory of her education. 

“I have met so many professors who are on par with high-level institutions like Princeton and Stanford,” said Salamatova. “I want to transfer to a university because Middlesex College solidified my interest in political science and showed me where I want to go in my academic journey.” 

In addition to leading the Political Science Club, Salamatova is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Transfer Success Club, the College Assembly, and Philosophy Club. She is also a Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel Memorial Scholarship recipient, a former AI for Impact Community College Fellow, and a Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship semi-finalist.  

Salamatova spent the summer of 2025 participating in the Princeton Transfer Scholars Initiative (TSI), which she says was one of her most formative experiences in pursuing higher education. 

“I’m just so insanely grateful,” said Salamatova. “Coming from one of the poorest neighborhoods in Kyiv, Ukraine, even imagining spending a day in Princeton—I didn’t think it was possible.” 

Salamatova has applied to 17 colleges and is still awaiting replies, though she notes that her decision ultimately depends on financial assistance. 

“Wherever I end up, I will continue pursuing my passion for global change through study and research of conflict,” said Salamatova. “I want to fuse theory and practice into a public servant – steady in negotiation, precise in thought, and able to bind conflict into peace.” 

Beaming with pride, Salamatova hopes that her representing Middlesex College as this year’s valedictorian mirrors the resilience of her classmates.  

“I wanted to be valedictorian not for recognition or status, but because I felt like I had something to say. I want this title to represent not just me, but all of us: this shared resilience, this unwillingness to give up, and this belief that we can still build something better, no matter where we come from or what we’ve been through.”