Special education sophomore Julia Ruggirello takes up to 40 pills per day to control her cystic fibrosis, a chronic lung disease she was diagnosed with at six weeks old. But she’d much rather give back to others than dwell on herself.
“My parents didn’t raise me like I was sick,” she said. “I realize what I have, and it’s beautiful to be able to wake up in the morning knowing I’m alive. (Cystic fibrosis) made me appreciate the little things in life.”
Instead of letting cystic fibrosis get her down, Ruggirello chooses to spend her time giving back to her local community through volunteer work. On Feb. 22, The Big Ten Network awarded her with the $1,000 LiveBIG Scholarship because of this community service.
The award is given annually to 12 students attending Big Ten universities who go above and beyond to serve their community. Ruggirello and other applicants received votes from fellow Big Ten students based on their online entries.
When she got the phone call from the Big Ten Network telling her she’d won, Ruggirello said she couldn’t believe it.
“I was getting my story out there in hopes of inspiring other people,” she said. “To know that people enjoyed my story and took the time to vote was astonishing.”
Ruggirello currently is president of Community Action and Response Experience, or C.A.R.E., a student organization at MSU that specializes in community outreach and volunteer efforts. She also volunteers at Allen Neighborhood Center, 1619 E. Kalamazoo St., in Lansing, helping plan and host events and create outlets for children in poverty-stricken communities in Lansing.
Social relations and policy junior Kevin O’Brien, who is the student supervisor of C.A.R.E., said Ruggirello is deserving of the Big Ten honor.
“She takes time to remember those who are less privileged than her and gives back when she can,” he said.
Allen Neighborhood Center Volunteer Coordinator Kristina Adair said Ruggirello is easy to work with and knows how to inspire others.
“Her biggest strength as a volunteer is her ability to work well with other people,” she said. “She’s good at mobilizing other students to get involved.”
Rugirello said she loves working with kids and hopes to continue her service as a special education teacher in a low-income area in Metro Detroit.
“You have kids who are so capable, but they don’t have the resources to guide them,” she said. “I want to tell them to go after their dreams and make people realize what they’re worth.”
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