UD students honored for community service

Amanda Fullmer, AS’04, accepts the Nikki Woolf Volunteer of the Year Award from Dennis Woolf at the Town & Gown Community Service Award Ceremony, Monday night, May 3, as Newark Mayor Vance Funk and UD President David Roselle look on.

4:42 p.m., May 5, 2004--“Thank you for confirming that we are truly a community and for your efforts to make this a better community,” UD President David Roselle told 44 students, their families and friends participating in the City of Newark Town & Gown Community Service Award ceremony Monday, May 3, at Newark City Hall.

Newark’s newly elected mayor, Vance Funk, thanked the students for all they have done for the city and its people.

Marianne Green, assistant director of UD’s Career Services Center, presented the awards. She said it was the largest group of student volunteers to be honored.

After all the volunteers had received their awards, Green introduced Dennis Woolf to present the Nikki Woolf Volunteer of the Year Award. Woolf established the award in 1994 to honor the memory of his daughter Nikki, a 21-year-old UD student who died when she was hit by a driver while crossing I-95. Woolf said his daughter was an avid volunteer, always willing and anxious to help others. She was instrumental in the establishment of VOICE, a group of psychology students who mentor patients at the Delaware Psychiatric Center.

This year’s award went to Amanda Fullmer, a senior psychology and criminal justice major from Harrisburg, Pa., for her work with the Mary Campbell Center, a residential facility for adults and youth with physical and mental handicaps.

Fullmer has volunteered at the center for the past four years. As the college buddy director for UD’s chapter of Best Buddies, she helped the organization grow to 42 student participants, the largest Best Buddies college group on the East Coast. Besides her work with Best Buddies, Fullmer maintains close friendships with many of the residents at the center.

Caroline Clark, volunteer coordinator for the center, said Fullmer’s efforts have made a world of difference for the people there. “I can’t tell you what these students have done for these people. Students are even doing a prom for the residents. Everyone’s getting their gowns ready. It’s meant so much to the members of the Campbell Center.”

Volunteers honored

The following volunteers were recognized at the May 3 ceremony:

Stephanie Andrews, AS ’08, of Fenwick Island, has been an active volunteer with the Sussex County AIDS Committee.

Eric Baum, AS ’04, of Roslyn, N.Y., is a member of the Aetna Hose Hook & Ladder Co., staffing fire apparatus, riding engine crews, staffing EMS apparatus and attending training courses, helping with daily station duties and with fire prevention and other community outreach programs.

Carissa Beatty, AS ’04, of Newark, raised more than $4,500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, ran a marathon to raise awareness and donated more than 60 hours of service to the Christiana Care Surgicenter.

Rebecca Bledsoe, AS ’04, of Newark, is a volunteer with Creative Mentoring, the state’s largest in-school mentoring service provider. She also sings at fund-raisers and school functions and gives talks on making good choices.

Hillary Booker, AS ’06, of Hockessin, Hillary is an overnight volunteer for the Emmaus House, Homeward Bound, Inc. She spends Thursday nights there overseeing the household.

Meggen Briscoe, HNS ’05, of Bear, volunteers at the Salem County Animal Shelter, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Mission Projects with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, her sorority’s designated driver program and Locks of Love, where she donated her hair to children.

Aaron Broderick, AS ’05, of York, Pa., volunteers at Christiana Care, the Blue and Gold Tournament, JAG Memorial Hockey Tournament, Adopt-a-Highway, the Foodbank of Delaware and the Wilmington Dental Clinic.

Sarah Burger, HNS ’05, of Flemington, N.J., participated in a two-week cross-cultural solutions program in Costa Rica where she mentored children.

Michele Carrafiello, HNS ’04, of Hammonton, N.J., is a volunteer in Contact Delaware’s rape crisis program, where she has completed 10 12-hour shifts and has worked as a training facilitator.

Vincenza Carrieri-Russo, AS ’07, of Newark, is the co-founder of Success Won’t Wait Inc., a not-for-profit literacy organization that distributes books to public places.

Danielle Clayton, AS ’04, of Bear, has volunteered with Contact Delaware since 2002.

Ross Cohen, AS ’05, of Suffern, N.Y., has logged more than 500 hours with UD’s emergency care unit responding to both campus and Newark medical emergencies.

Gloria Compello, AS ’04, of Delaware City, volunteers for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Delaware.

Lance Dicker, AS ’04, of Newark, volunteers for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Delaware.

Kathryn Elliott, AS ’04, of Wyomissing, Pa., is a volunteer for the American Heart Association.

Craig Fitzgerald, AS ’05, of Milford, works with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Delaware.

Wendy Garcia, AS ’04, of Bear, as a volunteer for GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) serving academically challenged students.

Curt Gibson, CHEP ’05, of Newark, has been a volunteer for the Aetna Hose, Hook, and Ladder Co. of Newark since 2002.

Betsy Hahn, EG ’04, of Harrisburg, Pa., has been a volunteer with the Mary Campbell Center for three years and an officer in the Best Buddy Organization on campus.

Karen Hetrick, HNS ’05, of Bear, an emergency medical technician with the Aetna Hose Hook & Ladder Company.

LeAnne Jones, M/CHEP ’07, of Newark, is a rape crisis volunteer advocate for Contact Delaware who has logged 11 shifts or 132 hours.

Erica Kilpatrick, CHEP ’05, of Bear, in Contact Delaware’s rape crisis program since 2002.

Michelle Manson, EG ’05, of Camden, Del, volunteers for the Ronald McDonald house and Big Brother/Big Sisters of Delaware’s after-school mentoring program.

Kevin McCahill, HNS ’05, of Frankford, has given more than 100 hours of volunteer services to patients with Christiana Care Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation.

Michele Mingoia, AS ’04, of Levittown, N.Y., served as Relay for Life chairperson for Chi Omega Sorority.

Stacey Nelson, AS ’05, of Frederica, has been a Contact Delaware rape crisis volunteer advocate since the spring of 2003, working seven shifts or 84 hours, 15 hours as a volunteer training facilitator.

Ronald Niebauer, M/EG ’07, of Johnstown, Pa., has been an overnight volunteer at the Emmaus House since 2000.

Alison Nolt, AS ’05, of Seaford, has volunteered with the Delaware Special Olympics since she was 7.

Christine Nye, AS ’04, of Oceanview, is a volunteer intern for Planned Parenthood of Delaware.

Ijeamaka Ofodile, AS ’04, of Newark, has volunteered with the Child Life Center of the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children since 2001.

Kristen Osborne, PhD/CHEP ’08, of Wilmington, has been a Contact Delaware rape crisis volunteer advocate since 1998.

Kristin Palopoli, HNS ’07, of Newark, has been an assistant coach for the Special Olympics swim and basketball teams. She also volunteers at the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children.

Gloria Perez, CHEP ’04, of Long Branch, N.J., has been a Contact Delaware rape crisis volunteer advocate since 2002.

Ryan M. Pryslek, AS ’04, of Wilmington, organized and lead the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and had the group and music majors perform at Engleside Retirement Apartments during the holidays.

Megan Rector, CHEP ’04, of Newark, has worked with the Boys and Girls Club of Wilmington, Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Toys for Tots.

Mark Richardson, AG ’04, of Warwick, R.I., was a volunteer for the Delaware Center for Horticulture.

Patrick Riley, AS ’06, of Boiling Springs, Pa., is a volunteer for the Young Life Christian Organization. He mentors students at Tatnall High School in Wilmington.

Katie Sanborn, AS ’04, of Greenwood, raised a service dog for Canine Partners for Life. The dog will help those who suffer from seizures or are in a wheelchair.

Jimmy Sarakatsannis, AS ’04, of Cincinnati, started the Battle for Life Committee, a group within Alpha Lambda Delta honor society that raises money for the HIV/AIDS affected children of South Africa.

Stephen E. Sciscione, EG ’05, of West Chester, Pa., volunteers with Young Life Christian Northern Delaware mentoring students at Glasgow High School in Newark and students at Young Life Camps once a year.

Allyson Short, HNS ’04, of Wilmington, is a Contact Delaware rape crisis volunteer advocate and volunteers for UD’s SOS (Sexual Offense Support).

Miles Wilhelm, CHEP ’05, of Charlottesville, Va., is an overnight volunteer for the Emmaus House, Homeward Bound.

Irene Zubrzycki, AS ’04, of Wilmington, is a Contact Delaware rape crisis volunteer advocate.

Article by Barbara Garrison
Photo by Kevin Quinlan

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