At West Windsor Arts, we know that community is not just a concept—it’s a living, breathing network of people who show up, pitch in, and make things happen. This National Volunteer Recognition Week, we are proud to shine a spotlight on the extraordinary people who give their time, energy, and hearts to support the arts and strengthen our mission.
Over the past year, 215 individuals and 6 community organizations have volunteered with us. Their dedication spans gallery installations, event support, education programs, fundraising, administrative tasks, and so much more. Together, they represent the spirit of collaboration and creativity that defines West Windsor Arts.
Each of these volunteers has gone above and beyond, bringing vision, leadership, and kindness into everything they do.
Padmaja Ganapathy first became a volunteer in January 2023 by joining the External Affairs Committee (EAC) just as planning for the annual fundraiser, ArtWalk, was taking off. She says it felt like a perfect fit with its creative, community-focused energy. Padmaja introduced a free and user-friendly silent auction platform that saved the event over $700 in expenses. She soon after became Chair of the EAC, joined the Board of Trustees, and later accepted the role of Vice President of the Board. One of her many significant contributions included launching a new event to bring the South Indian tradition of Navratri Golu to West Windsor Arts featuring a vibrant, 40-foot installation filled with art, music, and community. We were all amazed as a four-hour stream of visitors kept the energy alive far beyond expectations. This year she will continue the dream of uniting the community through creativity by inviting the community to collaborate on the Golu installation.
“Volunteering at the arts council has enriched my life deeply. From being part of the strategic planning committee to ideating new fundraisers, I’ve learned so much and hope to keep contributing for years to come. Receiving this award is truly humbling—what began as a small step into volunteering has blossomed into a journey of creativity, connection, and purpose.”
Anuja Kumar joined as a volunteer back in March 2023. As a newbie to the Princeton area, she wanted to get involved and find an outlet to express her creativity. Anuja says that taking the lead volunteer role and exhibiting in the Gr8 Works exhibition in 2024 was a highlight. Sadly, Anuja lost her mom during that time but the exhibition committee’s unwavering support and thoughtful gestures helped her feel connected to this community.
“It’s been an amazing journey and I’ve met some incredible people and artists along the way. My time with West Windsor Arts has been deeply fulfilling and meaningful, thanks to its incredibly inclusive atmosphere that empowers everyone to contribute and showcase their unique creativity. I’m so grateful for every opportunity I’ve had with WWA, and I can’t wait for more in the future!”
Arpia Bajwa has found volunteering at West Windsor Arts to be an inspiring and rewarding experience. As a local high school student, she has appreciated the opportunity to learn from the staff and develop a deep sense of giving back to her community. Whether it was volunteering at the West Windsor Arts table at the Farmers Market to build meaningful relationships within the local community, or by assisting at kid’s birthday parties and camps, she has felt an amazing connection to all the creativity at the art center. She found that working closely with local artists by helping them set up displays for gallery exhibitions and art nights and ensuring their work was presented beautifully was an exceptional educational opportunity. Arpia says she will always look back at her time at West Windsor Arts with pride.
"Not only did I find an outlet for my creativity, I found a supportive community that celebrated every voice at West Windsor Arts."
From helping with tasks behind the scenes to engaging with our artists and guests, these young leaders are already shaping the future of our arts community.
Of course, we couldn’t do what we do without all of our volunteers—139 adults and 76 teens —who step in wherever they’re needed and remind us that the arts thrive when people come together.
Whether you're a one-time helper or a long-time supporter, your impact is real, and we are deeply grateful.
To every volunteer who has shared their time with us this year: Thank you. You are the heart of West Windsor Arts
Ranya Agarwal, Niyati Agrawal, Zakia Ahmed, Parvathy Ajit, Steve Albers, Alisa Algava, Mary Victoria Algeri, Gary Ault, Shivani Badgi, Jyotika Bahree, Yun Bai, Gary Becker, Sutrishna Beebireddy, Lesley Blaser, Latisha Bloise, Susan Bodinson, Ana-Maria Broad , Angela Brock, Abigail Calkins, Aindréas Calkins, Kevin Calkins, kristal calkins, Weihan Chan, Deborah Charles, George Chen, Geroge Chen, Mili Chowfla, Amy Chua, Max Chua, Mikel Cirkus, Brandon Collins, Mary Angela Costabile, Heather Crimmins-Fraser, Minjun Cui, Tara Daniels, Yvonne DeCarolis, Taylor DelRocco, John Dimmick, Avni Doegar, Latoya Edwards, Rick Engel, Jamie Fahrere, Cuminings Family, Cummingz Family, Dadlani Family, Mittendorf Family, Neha Fernandez, Jennifer Fletcher, Angel Gardner, Mohan Gawande, Shachi Gawande, Monica Gombas, Shira Gregory, Divya Gupta, Elane Gutterman, Hunter HerrNeckar, Roderick Hill, Carol Hoffman, Arianna Hogan, Yanhua Hu, Robert Hummel, Courtney Jackson, Lilly Jimenez, Melanie Jimenez, Yash Kampoowale , Mili Kashyap Chowfla, Stephanie Kassim, Enna Kathrecha, Kathleen Kent, Alex Kokino, Mya Kulkarni, Asha Kumari, Kristy Kyriakopoulos, Kenneth Laury, Gina Lee, Jane Lee-You, Eric Li, Emily Lin, Eleni Litt, Nancy Liu, Annie Lockman, Merry Madover, Tyler Marcocci, Trevor McCarthy, Ann Marie Miller, Karen Miller-Moslin, Kyle Monzo, Aarti Nathan, Isabel Nazario , Julio Nazario, Trevor New, Cynthia Noebrenbay, Kristen Oberlin, Jennifer Pappas, Susan Parris, Falguni Patel, Jagri Patel, Jennifer Potash, Cory Potomis, Prachi Purohit, Christine Ramirez, Preethi Rao, Kendall Roberson, Nicole Roberson, Simone Roberson, Gabriel Rodriguez, Amberine Saldanha, Rupa Sanbui, Christa Schneider, Eric Schultz, Michael Schupsky, Chris Seeland, Tom Seeland, Kalai Selvi Yogendran, Shaheen Shahnaz, Shobana Shenoy, Carl Shi, Freddie Shue, Hannah Shue, Nathaniel Shue, Philip Shue, Swarnika Singh , Merle Slyhoff, Latisha Smith, Angelia Szwed, Susan Upadhyay, Vandana Venkatesan, Eric Vuolle, Barbara Weinfield, Andrea Williams, Ankita Wunnava, Ankita Wunnava , Jun Yan, Erick Yau, Claire Yi, Adora Yucot-Murphy, Ann Zawartkay, Nancy Zeng, and Mary Zubicki.
Shriya Achanti, Aesha Acharya, Pranya Agrawal, Yuraj Anand, Aarohi Anant-Honap, Sowmya Anem, Ci-Ning Ang, Cole Ault, Ayesga Azfar, Diya Bharathkumar, Deborah Charles, Cindy Chen, Amrita Choulur, Ari Farber, Anajli Gantayat, Olivia Gonzalez, Trisha Gupta, Ridhi Gupta, Dishita Gupta, Vihaan Gupta, Abreah Hill, Larry Hu, Chloe Hua, Claire Hua, Zaynab Hussain, Swasti Jain, Maria Johnson, Tanvee Kalakuntla, Samaira Kalra, Natalie Kassim, Noelle Kassim, Ishnoor Kaur, Shrivali Khandelwal, Shrika Kumaraswamy, Nicholas Kyriakopoulos, Peter Kyriakopoulos, Emily Lin, Saranya Mandapty, Ananya Mehta, Arjun Mehta, Sienna Moslin, Nuala Murphy, Sophie Myat, Ashika Nadendla, Soumya Nakka, Shreya Parmar, Krupa Patel, Saadhya Patil, Anusri Pilla, Abby Power, Advika Prabhu, Nidhi Pramanik, Kayson Qian, Maiya Qiu, Sreeshna Rajesh-Kumar, Ambika Ramaswamy, Harshita Ramesh, Aamya Sachdeva, Gideon Santiago, Mira Sawant, Aarav Seluker, Adwita Sen, Luke Shao, Riddhi Sharma, Carl Shi, Sristy Sood, Skylise Sze, Godha Venugopalan, Emily Wang, Charlotte Wei, Joshua Wei, Erick Yan, Cynthia Yuan, Ava Zhang, and Sophia Zhang.
Established in 2010, West Windsor Arts is known for its exceptional education, innovative arts exhibitions and community service. West Windsor Arts cultivates the artist within us all, while inspiring a creative community that is engaged, inclusive and equitable.
