Laura Giacalone ‘19 with a piece at her Centenary senior art exhibit

When Laura Giacalone ‘19 attended her first class at Centenary College, she knew the education she would be receiving was due in part to the generosity of others. “Scholarships at Centenary were crucial for me. Without the scholarships, I would not have been able to attend and I am extremely thankful for all the opportunities and experiences Centenary has provided me. I would not have had them without the support I received.”

Through the Federal Work-Study program, which provides students with employment opportunities to assist with educational expenses, Laura was offered a position with the Development office at the College. “Working in the Development offices gave me a better understanding of each step of the fundraising process. Even after graduation, I still feel like part of the team.” Part of her experience working in the Development office was helping with the Centenary Phonathon. “Working as a student during the phonathon was a blast. The atmosphere among the students was always very positive. I had a lot of fun listening to different alumni share experiences from when they were students here. I don't think a lot of people get that up-close with Centenary's past in such a personal way, and I enjoyed learning from everyone I spoke with. I remember hearing people explain how the dorms used to be, or people who were on yearbook staff explain how they went about gathering all the information they needed for it. It made a big impact on me.”

Working in Development gave Laura a clearer picture of the importance of donations. Because of this, when she was approached as a student for a donation, she knew she wanted to help. “I remember the first time I gave, though it was a smaller donation, it was influenced by one thing: a lot of people don’t seem to know that donations are what fund the majority of the fiscal year at Centenary. I remember learning that around 3 months into the academic year, the money that students paid in tuition runs out, and that donations fund the remaining semester. That opened my eyes to the importance that donations have on the College; I already knew that donations were important, but I don’t think I had ever been given context for how it affects the College and myself. So when I was approached near the Caf for a donation, I went ahead and gave the small amount I had on me, because I understood that every bit helps maintain the college I was benefiting from.”

Since her first donation, Laura has become a loyal annual donor and is helping to pay it FORWARD by giving to a scholarship she received. “I have donated to the Willard and David Cooper Endowed Art Scholarship multiple times because I received it as a student during my senior year. Each studio art senior doing their senior art exhibit, which is very much like a capstone project, gets allotted $500 from this scholarship to fund whatever resources they need to complete their exhibit. I am very grateful to have had this to get better quality supplies to complete my sculptures and mixed-media pieces. My art exhibit was special to me in that it was the first time I got truly vulnerable as an artist and I got to showcase the extent of my sculpture skills. I want other art students to feel the same way I did, proud and capable of producing anything they set their mind to. I give to this scholarship because it makes it easier for other artists to create their visions as they intended with fewer limitations.”

“Many Centenary staff members and teachers have had a positive impact on my life but, I would never have believed that I had what it takes to be a part of the NWLA Artist Roster without the support of previous Museum Director, Sean Fitzgibbons. The way I make my art and thinking about making art has changed as a result of his class, and I definitely think it’s for the better. Without his influence, I don’t think I would have ever diversified my art as much as I did. ”

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