Colleen Gruffi, BSN '05 explains how she built on her leadership abilities to run Special Olympics at Villanova. She is the first nursing student to become its Fall Festival Director.

Villanova Nurses are part of the larger Villanova Community in many aspects such as Campus Ministry, Project Sunshine and Special Olympics. When I came to Villanova, I knew that I was going to get involved right from the start and that is exactly what I did. I have a passion for Special Olympics and as a result I became a member of the Student Committee for Special Olympics as a freshman, became a Management Team Director my sophomore year, and as a junior, I was the 2004 Fall Festival Director!

The Special Olympics Fall Festival is held each Fall on Villanova's very own campus. The campus is encompassed by 1,000 athletes, 400 coaches and over 2,500 volunteers from off campus and on campus. It is a state wide competition and requires year round planning solely by a 73 student committee.

"It is when you give of yourself that you truly give" - this perfectly describes what the student committee does each and every day while planning this memorable event. And this event could not be held anywhere else more appropriate than Villanova's very own campus, which is based upon giving to others.

Colleen Gruffi
BSN '05
New City, New York