Alexa Bracco
Salve Regina UniversityDuring Alexa’s short time at Salve, she has initiated a sports equipment drive, a book drive, and two clothing and toy drives for the local salvation army. Last year, Alexa helped start a program called Positive Role Model to pair foster home children with student mentors on campus every Monday.  Alexa also volunteered at a summer camp for children with special needs; as a coach for athletes with disabilities and in New Orleans helping to rebuild homes.  Alexa is an Scholarships for Service AmeriCorps member, serving 300 hours throughout the academic year to better improve her local community. 

Anthony Paolino
Community College of Rhode Island
Anthony, a business student at the Community College of Rhode Island, saw a lack of support for college-going veterans in the higher education system and co-founded the RI Military Organization and serves as the corporation’s CEO. This organization has 4 main components: the RI Student Veterans Organization, a military support lounge at the TF Green Airport, a Military Youth Development Academy for at-risk teens, and a state military and veterans’ benefits Web page. His goal is to expand his organization to all 11 colleges and universities in Rhode Island.  Anthony is dedicated to his campus community, but also the wider veterans community through RI.  He is an exceptional leader among his peers and works hard to build collaborative efforts to better support veterans' educational aspirations. 

John Jellison
New England Institute of Technology
John has been civically engaged since 2002 when he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, spending four years protecting our country in Japan, Chile, Belgium, and Germany. While enlisted, he did some humanitarian missions throughout the Pacific rim, including the Philippines and Thailand. After his discharge, he helped found and run the Robby Thatcher Memorial Fund, Inc. and continues to provide outreach in the form of financial and emotional support to families facing undue hardship during a member’s catastrophic illness. John has organized many fundraisers and also the purchasing and delivery of Thanksgiving dinners to needy families in his community.

Magali, Garcia-Pletsch
Providence College
Magali Garcia-Pletsch, a Global Studies major with a minor in Public and Community Service Studies, has volunteered at the International Institute of Rhode Island supporting refugee families and Providence CityArts for Youth, teaching photography to inner-city youth. She has also interned as a community organizer and helped co-lead courses in community organizing and global studies with faculty on campus. Magali is also a leader in several multi-cultural student groups at Providence College.

Rocina Dalzell
Bryant University
Rocina Dalzell, a junior at Bryant University, has dedicated her energies to HIV/AIDs in minority community and the child welfare system. In both instances, Ms. Dalzell has involved herself in policy-level work, education and advocacy. She worked with the Youth Justice Board to create 14 specific policy recommendations to reform New York City’s Family Court Permanency Planning Process in order to improve the outcome and experiences of youth in foster care.  She is Co-Director of WE SPEAK Alumni at the Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition, President of Christian Fellowship and Fellowship of the Unashamed (FOTU), and Vice President of the Alliance for Women’s Awareness.

Rosalie Garcia
Johnson & Wales UniversityRosalie Garcia, a junior at Johnson & Wales University, is a co-founder/president of the campus Habitat for Humanity chapter.  She has recruited new members, executed “Saturday builds,” and planned community fundraising events.  Rosie works on policy/advocacy issues with the RI Coalition for the Homeless to pursue comprehensive and cooperative solutions to the problems of housing/homelessness through legislative work, outreach and planning for events and actions.