In southern Albania, where the Ionian Sea’s clear waters collide with a rugged coastline and the mountainous inland opens to Greece and Northern Macedonia, a 3-year-old girl visited her homeland for the first time.
Ever since that first trip, Nancy Kajo, a sophomore triple major (pre-law, political science, and Catholic studies), has visited her family in Albania twice a year.
“A part of me is here, and a part of me is there,” Kajo said.
To remedy this split feeling, Kajo brought her culture to Seton Hall. With support from Dr. Ines Murzaku, professor of religion and director of the Catholic studies program, Kajo established the Albanian Student Organization (ASO) on campus during her freshman year.
“My culture is pretty much everything to me,” Kajo said. “I want to help the Albanian community. I want us to be stronger together.”
Kajo and ASO hosted the Albanian Independence Celebration on November 14, 2024, where over 200 guests attended, including students across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
“I want our organization to be a main center for everyone to come by; they don’t have to be Seton Hall students or Albanian,” Kajo said.
After seeing the sacrifices her parents made to get to America, Kajo’s goal in life is to become an immigration lawyer.
“I try to do everything for them because I know how much they suffered coming to a brand new country just to make our lives better,” Kajo said. “Every time I am scared to do something, I’m like, ‘No, you got this. You have to sacrifice. You have to push yourself to do these things.’”
Last September, Kajo spoke at the United Nations (U.N.) in New York as part of an event to mark the 100th anniversary of Albania’s admission into the League of Nations (a predecessor to the U.N., formed after World War I). With Murzaku’s help, she had the opportunity to read an excerpt from a text commemorating the Albanian scholar Fan Noli’s legacy.
“We highlighted Noli’s legacy, who heavily promoted Albania’s cultural identity on the global stage,” Kajo said. “Speaking on this international stage along with other governmental officials, I think is insane. That is one of my biggest achievements so far in life.”
Her experience at the U.N. got her thinking about what other opportunities might be possible if she steps out of her comfort zone. During the U.N. General Assembly, Kajo had the opportunity to meet the prime minister of Albania, Edi Rama.
“I would have never thought I would have met a prime minister in general, but meeting the prime minister in my country is something very meaningful to me,” Kajo said. “I did so with other Albanian-American students who are very successful, and who I look up to. It is good to have all of these doors open just by putting yourself out there.”
Along with meeting Rama, Kajo attended the American Balkan Chamber of Commerce in New York City on March 27. She received details about the launch from Albania’s ambassador to the U.S., whom she had met at the U.N.
“I went to the reception, and it was networking for a bit, then a panelist discussion with business leaders, policy makers, and ambassadors of the Balkan regions,” Kajo said. “It was a really cool experience.”
Kajo has met major political figures not only through connections in the Albanian American community but also on her own initiative. She was recently introduced to Newark mayor Ras Baraka, who is running for governor, at one of his campaign events.
“I am trying to get my foot in the door every step of the way, even though I am young and have time to have these opportunities later in life,” Kajo said. “I want to do as much as I can now, as I have the time to do it, even though college is time-consuming. Being able to meet these political leaders on a local and global scale has been really cool.”
Kajo also said she wasn’t as close with her roots until she grew up and realized how much her background has shaped her into who she is today.
“My roots come first,” she said. “All of the sacrifices—everyone has some sort of shared history if you are Albanian. Everyone has something in common because we all come from the same place. We are one language, one nation, and one blood.”
Calla Patino is the copy editor of The Setonian’s Campus Life section. She can be reached at calla.patino@student.shu.edu.
