Eliza Juezan, Florida Gulf Coast University

Eliza Juezan, a Biology Major at Florida Gulf Coast University, has had an integral role in creating and building capacity for Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)’s Campus Food Pantry. Her passion and commitment to the issues of hunger and food insecurity earned her the only student-held position on the Campus Food Pantry’s Steering Committee. As a member of this team, she has greatly contributed to the research of good practices and policies in the initial development stages of the pantry as well as the day to day operations as they relate to volunteering. Not only has she directly served as the Lead Volunteer, but she has co-developed the criteria for future Lead Volunteers, assisted in the creation of the Lead Volunteer application and the interview process, and has trained the upcoming Leaders. Moreover, she is an advocate for the Campus Food Pantry at FGCU and beyond. Over the past year and a half, she has put in hundreds of hours of service to the creation and further development of this non-profit entity. These experiences will inspire and guide her in her future goal of developing her own non-profit organization.