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Contest Winner: Alissa Janoski

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Allie Maniglia
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Rachael David
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

Two weeks ago, we held a contest to find a lovely lady on campus that inspires you! We had an overwhelming amount of nominations and officially have our winner.

Alissa Janoski has shown her extreme dedication to bettering the Penn State community through her many philanthropic contributions. Alissa, a senior majoring in English with a technical writing minor, serves as the director of marketing for the PSU Class Gift Campaign and strives to make the lives of Penn State students better in all that she does. Alissa’s selflessness and generosity is what makes her the perfect candidate for our inspirational Penn State lady!

 

HC: How would you describe the Class Gift Campaign to those who have never heard of the organization before?

AJ: The Class Gift Campaign has a mission to promote philanthropic spirit among students. Each year, the graduating class votes on a gift to raise money for to start their legacy through philanthropy at Penn State. This year, the Class of 2016 has chosen an endowment for Penn State Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to help Penn State students during their time here.

 

HC: What made you get involved with this organization?

AJ: I got involved in the Class Gift Campaign because I love student philanthropy. I love encouraging people to find their philanthropic passions now so they can continue doing good for others!

 

HC: What is your favorite part about being the director of marketing for the Class Gift Campaign?

AJ: My favorite part of being the director of marketing for the Class Gift Campaign is getting to explain to students what this year’s gift is and how it will benefit students. I love hearing and seeing how supportive the student body is toward all Penn State students.

 

HC: What other organizations on campus are you passionate about?

AJ: I am involved in THON and have been since freshman year. I am also a resident assistant on campus and involved in the Centre County Out of the Darkness Walk benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I am passionate about giving my time to others in any way possible.

 

HC: Who has been your biggest inspiration at Penn State?

AJ: My biggest inspiration at Penn State has been my fellow Class Gift executive committee members. This group of students has rallied together to raise money for such a worthy cause. I have never met such a hardworking, dedicated group that I also get to call my friends.

 

HC: What’s your biggest goal in life?

AJ: My biggest goal in life is to live my life for others. If I do this, I will be satisfied at the end.

 

HC: Who inspires you the most in your life?

AJ: My mom is the kindest, bravest, most spectacular woman ever. Her energy inspires me every day. I am thankful every day for her big heart.

 

If you’re interested in working to better the lives of students, Alissa is the ultimate inspiration. Thank you for all that you have done to make Penn State a comfortable and welcoming environment! 

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Allie Maniglia served as the Campus Correspondent for Her Campus at Penn State from 2017-2018. She majored in public relations with minors in international studies and communication arts and sciences. If she's not busy writing away, you can find her planning her next adventure (probably back to the U.K.), feeding an unhealthy addiction to HGTV or watching dog videos on YouTube.
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Rachael David is currently a senior at Penn State University and serves as the Campus Correspondent for Her Campus Penn State. She is majoring in public relations and minoring in psychology. Her love of creative writing and all things Penn State is what inspired her to become a member of the HC team in the fall of 2013. Her background experience includes working for the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Penn State as a social media intern in the spring of 2014 and is currently working as a social media intern for an internet marketing company in Harrisburg called WebpageFX. This past summer she also served as a PR intern for Tierney Communications. Rachael enjoys anything media related especially catching up on her favorite shows, including Saturday Night Live and any show on Food Network. She has a passion for food but also loves being active and spending her free time running or hiking. She hopes to gain more experience in all aspects of the media industry during college and plans on pursuing a career writing for a life & style publication in the future.