Students of Distinction
SPONSORED BY
Kraig Puccia
October 2019
Fordham University
Whitestone, New York
A devoted volunteer in his spare
time serving those in need, 19-year-old
Kraig Puccia was honored to receive
the 2019 Life of Signifi cance Award
for his outstanding contributions to the
community and beyond. Kraig’s selection
as winner of the prestigious award
was announced by The Penn Mutual
Life Insurance Company. As one of
three fi nalists selected from a nationwide
fi eld of nominees, his recognition
was unveiled during the Penn Mutual
Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC)
Puccia lives in Whitestone and is
a junior at Fordham University in the
Bronx. At Fordham he is pursuing
history and Italian studies. The Life of
Signifi cance Award is given annually
to a collegiate rugby player, male or
female, participating in the CRC, which
took place at Talen Energy Stadium in
Chester, Pennsylvania. Penn Mutual
CEO Eileen McDonnell and Joe Jordan
presented the award.
According to Puccia, “When I found
out there were 20 nominees and I
started to learn about the award I just
became very humbled by the whole
experience. The things I’ve done in the
past and now, I don’t do out of selfinterest.
I try to do it because I enjoy
doing work for others and I don’t seek
any award. When I was told that I was
a fi nalist and won, I was very grateful
and appreciative of the opportunities
I’ve had for outreach.”
Puccia’s love for volunteer service
began in high school, he said, where
he was taught values such as selfl essness,
self-service and commitment.
“It ties in with my educational back-
My is
Kraig Puccia
ground. I went to a Jesuit high school
and a Jesuit university,” said Puccia.
“I was put into an environment where
there are a lot of opportunities and
places where you could fi nd service
whether it’s locally or around the nation.
In high school, I did a lot of similar
service projects and research in social
justice and now as a university student,
I take proactive steps to get involved in
legal offi ces and studying problems in
parts of the nation.”
Puccia is also the recipient of
the Thomas M. Lamberti Endowed
Scholarship Fund, which is endowed
by Tom and Eileen Lamberti, alumni of
Fordham. The scholarship is designated
for a Fordham student who is
a graduate of Xavier High School.
He is also a member of the Fordham
Men’s Rugby Club. He took to rugby
as fi rst-year student, and impressed the
award judges through his dedication to
multiple causes.
Puccia has traveled to Bethel,
Alaska, as a member of Fordham’s
GO! (Global Outreach) program.
Through GO! he volunteered at the
Tundra Women’s Coalition. The organization
works to protect women in the
community from their partners during
alcohol or drug-induced episodes that
threaten their safety.
In 2018, he also volunteered at
the Domestic Violence Bureau at the
Queens District Attorney’s Offi ce in
Kew Gardens. While there, Puccia
worked with an assistant district attorney
and helped with an early voluntary
discovery collecting documents in
preparation for a domestic violence
case. As part of the process, he was involved
with interviewing police offi cers,
victims of domestic violence, getting
corroborated statements signed, and
compiling evidence and organizing
them in a case fi le.
This past summer, he volunteered
at the Veterans Advocacy Project
through the Urban Justice Center. At
the center he performed pro-bono work
for neglected veterans throughout New
York City.
“Kraig is an exceptional young man
who has already done so much good
for the world,” said Fordham Men’s
Rugby Head Coach Andrew Gheraldi,
who nominated Puccia for the award.
“As a man for others, Kraig is a testament
to the ideals of our university. We
are proud to have him as part of our
rugby program at Fordham and look
forward to his continued growth both
on and off the pitch.”
Puccia now joins an elite class of
previous Life of Signifi cance winners
from Harvard University, the U.S.
Naval Academy, and the University of
Michigan.
For his achievement, Penn Mutual
will donate $5,000 to Tundra Women’s
Coalition, the charity of Puccia’s
choice. His rugby team will also be
gifted with $1,000 worth of Rhino
Rugby equipment and gear.
Eileen McDonnell, a chairman and
CEO of Penn Mutual, said Puccia’s
history of service and his future goals
epitomize not only what the Life of Signifi
cance Award stands for, but also the
values instilled throughout Penn Mutual.
By Carlotta Mohamed
"#$%
Krystian Makocki
October 2019
Christ the King High School
Middle Village, NY
Krystian Makocki was recently
named as a Commended Student in
the 2020 National Merit Scholarship
Program. Principal Geri Martinez
presented to the school with a Letter of
Commendation from the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation (NMSC),
which conducts the program.
Krystian Makocki
Photo provided by Christ the King High School
“We congratulate Krystian on being
recognized for demonstrating outstanding
academic success. These exams are
extremely challenging and it not only
speaks to Krystian’s commitment to his
education, but also to the dedicated
teachers of Christ the King who have
helped him excel in his education,” said
Martinez.
Krystian is among 34,00 Commended
students in the U.S. who are being
recognized. The title goes to students
who palced among the top 50,000
scorers of more than 1.5 million
students who took the 2018 Preliminary
SAT / National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test.
By Max Parrott
!
TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM OCT. 25-31, 2019 7
/TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM
