2008 Student Awards Ceremony

With the arrival of spring comes the time to recognize those students among us who have marked the University community in a way for which we will forever remain grateful.

Frank Fraioli, Hutch Williams, Erin Hickey, Megan Steel and Tim Dee were honored at the 2008 Student Awards Ceremony on April 23 as a way of doing just that.

Each year the members of the Fairfield University Alumni Association gather together to select students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their time at Fairfield.

At the ceremony, Student Achievement Awards, the William J. Kramer ’60 Humanitarian Award and the St. Ignatius Loyola Medal were given to honored students.

Family members, friends, faculty, staff and alumni filled the Kelley Center presentation room Wednesday nigh to honor the five seniors award recipients.

President of the Alumni Association and 1956 graduate of Fairfield, George F. Lacovara, introduced each award and commended the student recipients for their dedication to and enhancement of each program, organization, project and activity of which they were involved.

‘These seniors have demonstrated ceaseless commitment to their respective activities throughout their four years here,’ said Lacovara. ‘Each of them is responsible for attaining a new level of achievement not possible without their participation.’

As president of the Gay-Straight Alliance, Frank Fraioli was awarded for helping make huge strides in the club and his advancement of the promotion of awareness on campus of GLBT students.

‘I put a lot of effort into Alliance over the past couple years,’ he said. ‘The club will always be a part of me.’

Erin Hickey received the Student Achievement Award for the founding of the women’s club ice hockey team she started at Fairfield back in her sophomore year.

‘Fairfield would not have a women’s ice hockey program if it were not for Erin’s persistence and dedication,’ said Joan Van Hise, associate professor of accounting and Hickey’s mentor.

The third Student Achievement Award was presented to former FUSA Presisdent Hutch Williams for school spirit. In his acceptance speech, Williams spoke about pride and encouraged his audience to
‘be part of the solution.’

Megan Steel was honored with the William J. Kramer ’60 Humanitarian Award for her creation of the Fairfield chapter of Colleges Against Cancer. Steel felt called to support the cause.

‘I wanted to be part of something new, something that would help people,’ said Steel.
‘The growth of the group is a testament to Megan’s warmth, leadership, and zest for helping people, which inspires others to reach out,’ said Wylie Smith Blake, campus minister.

The final award of the evening was the St. Ignatius Loyola Medal, which is the highest honor awarded by the Alumni association. The 2008 recipient of this award was Tim Dee. Lacovera described Dee as, ‘a natural leader with a quiet yet contagious personality.’

In his speech, Dee shared with the audience how, of all of his many accomplishments at Fairfield University over the past four years, this was his greatest accomplishment to date.

He spoke of the many resources that Fairfield has provided him. ‘The gift of opportunity is one of the greatest gifts we can give to one another,’ said Dee.
He was characterized by Lacovera as, ‘truly a man for others.’

Recognized for his position as a mentor and role model for students in various activities and clubs, Dee was awarded this highest honor for his true embodiment of the major Jesuit ideals.