Margaret Rizzo, Worcester State University

Margaret (Maggie) Rizzo is a leader at many levels of overlapping communities and concerns. A list of her leadership roles includes: WSU Jimmy Fund Council, Student Nurses Association, and Peer Health Educators. Where all of these provided fundraising and volunteer support, her leadership as a peer mentor stands out. Maggie is a Student Nurse Mentor and as such promotes Worcester State University’s Nursing program in mentoring freshmen and sophomore nursing students. She provides one-on-one help to nursing students in what is a rigorous academic and community health program. She is a Peer Health Educator, promoting good health practices for students and faculty, supporting the 15-40 organization for cancer prevention, and volunteer at health-related events in Massachusetts. In one such opportunity, Maggie has for two years volunteered for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at the Boston Marathon, and was a runner’s guide the year of the tragic bombing. She contributed to the safety and well-being of the 14 WSU students who were there at the time of the bombing. Given her recent history and activities, her profile indicates a highly engaged and energized young scholar who will continue to travel well along whatever the roads she chooses to follow.