MaryKate Carter
The Big Ten Network will grant $1000 LiveBIG scholarships to one of five finalists from each Big Ten school after tallying votes submitted between now and Jan. 27. Two of MSU's finalists, Kaitlyn Hlywa and Julia Ruggirello, are MSU sophomores and volunteer dozens of hours to different causes, but both have earned their own special place in the heart of MSU's RCPD.
Kaitlyn Hlywa and Julia Ruggirello
Kaitlyn Hlywa is a sophomore in the honors college, a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and serves as the Historian for Tower Guard, a sophomore community service organization and the oldest student group on campus. Tower Guard offers Hlywa an opportunity to assist individuals with disabilities in accessing their educational opportunities and reaching their potential.
With over 70 hours of service under her belt already this year, Hlywa makes a huge impact for students by performing various tasks to re-format educational material to make it more useful for various disability groups. She reads exams to students with alternative testing needs, records books on tape for those with visual impairments and scans books into an electronic format. She says the experience is just as beneficial for her as it is for the students she supports.
"It is important to have one-on-one relationships with those who are different from you, so that a greater understanding of the world can be understood and appreciated," Hlywa said.
Services offered through the RCPD and facilitated by Tower Guard ensure that individuals who may need to learn differently are receiving an equally valuable education in modes that work for them.
Julia Ruggirello is a student registered with the RCPD and occasionally needs accommodations for a chronic health condition, but nothing slows her down or keeps her from giving back. Ruggirello is the President of MSU C.A.R.E. (Community Action and Response Experience), a volunteer organization on campus. C.A.R.E. works to promote a more unified community in both the East Lansing and Lansing area.
Currenly, Ruggirello voluteers at the East Allen Neighborhood Center where she teaches children about gardening, health and wellness. As a special education major, she hopes to use her passion for education in the Detroit Public School system.
"Through volunteering I have gained a better understanding of my career field, and I am determined to put forth the effort to become a teacher my students can look up to," Ruggirello said.
Ruggirello is already worthy of admiration. She has served as a teen advocate for the Family Advisory Board for Cystic Fibrosis at the Children's Hospital of Michigan. Through this opportunity, she has learned about hospital care, and she uses her perspective as a patient to suggest various improvements.
Kaitlyn and Julia pursue their individual passions in their volunteer work, but both are excellent examples of Spartans making a difference.
You can vote every day to help these young women win a scholarship they deserve. Voting ends Friday, Jan. 27, but until then, you can vote for both of them. Big Ten Network will announce the winner of the LiveBIG scholarship at the last Men's home game of the season on March 4 against Ohio State University.