|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Welcome to Wesleyan Weekend |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sharon Smith Pizzo, Class of 1965
|
Distinguished Service to the Community
In everything Sharon Pizzo ’65 does, whether for family, business, or community, she gives the kind of attention to detail that can only come from a sincere and caring individual. Sharon is not only a remarkable woman with extraordinary qualities; she is also a good person. Leading and serving with grace, skill, and imagination, Sharon’s dedication to helping others is exemplified in her commitment to causes close to her heart.
A native of Tampa, Florida, Sharon’s volunteer work has impacted her community in significant ways. After graduating from Wesleyan in 1965 with a degree in elementary education, she returned to Tampa and began her teaching career. In addition to the demands of being a young first grade teacher, wife, and mother of two, Sharon began volunteering. Never seeking the limelight for herself, she has freely shared her talents and applied her leadership ability and quiet determination to volunteer roles that directly involved her children, such as The Girl Scouts, PTA, and Cub Scouts, and also to organizations that concerned other children in the community. As charter chairman of the Foundation for Children with Learning Disabilities, she brought her abundant spirit of giving to a fundraiser that earned more than $150,000 for research and scholarships. A charter board member of Festival of Trees, Tampa, Sharon served as four-time festival parade chair, raising thousands of dollars for the Child Abuse Council. Her extensive work with the Junior League, both as an active member and as a sustainer, includes many leadership roles such as Sustainer President, and serving ten years on the board of directors. Sharon was one of the first women elected to the vestry in her church, and she is active in her local DAR and UDC chapters.
Sharon’s dedication to the Tampa community has spanned forty-five years and the scope of her volunteer work has touched the lives of many. She served on the board of directors of the Tampa Historical Society, and was the only woman appointed by Florida Governor Bob Martinez to serve on the board of directors of the first Ybor City Farmer’s Market and Centennial Park Committee, where she was elected to serve two terms as president. She also has been a member of the board of directors of Chiselers, a preservation group for the University of Tampa. Passionate about raising awareness of the city, she is a charter member of Friends of the Royal Navy, where she planned activities and served as host for Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Tampa in 1991. The Florida Center for Contemporary Art benefits from her volunteer work as well.
Throughout the years Sharon has stayed connected to Wesleyan as an active alumna volunteer. She has hosted events in Tampa for five Wesleyan presidents, and connected local alumnae with each other. She has served as an AAR, helping to recruit students by attending college fairs, visiting counselors, and most recently, hosting an admission “yield party.” In 2000, she chaired her class reunion. Her father, the late “B.G.” Smith, a former Wesleyan trustee and founder of the Wesleyan Parent’s Organization, would be proud of her commitment.
For her lifelong service to the citizens and City of Tampa; for her dedication to caring for others and leading by excellent example; for bringing a fun and spirited enthusiasm to her volunteerism; and for raising awareness of Wesleyan in her community, the Wesleyan College Alumnae Association presents Sharon Smith Pizzo with the Alumnae Award for Service to the Community. |
|
|
|
|