HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College is pleased to announce this year’s San Damiano Award recipients, Lauren Carlin ’19, Sr. Ann Marie Hudzina, FSSJ, Louis Petrucci ’15, Cord Stone ’14, and Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees, Alyssa Hulbert ‘12 and Daniel McFarland ’13. The Hilbert College San Damiano Awards honor alumni and friends of the college who personify Hilbert’s core values and tradition of integrity and excellence. Also recognized at the reception are the Hilbert College Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees.
The 13th Annual San Damiano Awards Reception will kick off True Blue Weekend at Hilbert. True Blue Weekend welcomes alumni, parents and families, current students, and the local community to celebrate Hilbert. The San Damiano Awards Reception is set for Friday, September 28. The awards reception ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the West Herr Atrium. For more information visit: www.hilbert.edu/trueblue
Dominique Thompson Alumni of the Year Award – Given to the individual who demonstrates Hilbert’s Franciscan values and encompasses the true spirit of the college.
• Louis Petrucci ‘15– Lou is the Assistant Director for the City of Buffalo's Department of Permit and Inspection Services. Lou also serves as the Park District Representative for the Buffalo City School District. He was Board President earlier in the decade. During his time as President, Lou signed the Say Yes agreement, providing free college tuition for Buffalo Public and Charter school students, as well as the Promise Neighborhood agreement, which promotes a community approach to educating children in high-risk areas. He has served on numerous boards and committees, including the St. Ambrose School Board, The American Society for Public Administrators, South Park Community Engagement Team, among others. Lou received his Master of Public Administration from Hilbert in 2015.
G.O.L.D (Graduate of the Last Decade) Award – Presented to Hilbert graduates of the last decade who have achieved career success and demonstrated significant volunteer service to their communities and/or Hilbert.
• Cord Stone ‘14 – Cord is the Executive Director of Community Access Services of WNY, Inc., a nonprofit healthcare organization. During his tenure, he has expanded and redeveloped services. Cord has also had success increasing the organization’s revenue, while contributing toward internal and external collaborative strategies. Under this tutelage, Community Access Services has instituted new initiatives to help reduce health disparities and provide access to services for underrepresented populations. Cord earned his Master of Public Administration from Hilbert in 2014. He is a member of Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society as he is pursuing his Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership degree from St. John Fisher College.
Hilbert College Franciscan Values Award – Presented to a friend of Hilbert, who exemplifies the principles in which the college was founded and who has distinguished him/herself in their career and the community.
• Sister Ann Marie Hudzina, FSSJ – Over the past eight years, while serving as General Minister of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, Sr. Ann Marie has simultaneously served in good faith on the Hilbert College Board of Trustees. As the Chairperson of the Board’s Mission Integration Committee, Sister Ann Marie had a key role in formalizing Hilbert’s linkage to the Church through the creation of the “Bishop’s Declaration”, which the College negotiated with Bishop Kmiec of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese in 2011.
St. Clare Student of the Year Award – Presented to a current student who has distinguished him/herself at Hilbert and in the community, as well as exemplifies the college’s Franciscan mission and tradition.
• Lauren Carlin ’19 – Lauren, a native of Elma, New York, is widely considered by faculty and staff to be an exceptional leader with outstanding character whose commitment and dedication to Hilbert College is nothing short of impressive. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, in all of her efforts, Lauren has exhibited great humility, fervent joy, and selflessness. Her nearly perfect G.P.A., involvement in clubs, extensive student leadership experiences, and successful internships across campus are all indications of Lauren’s tireless penchant for establishing camaraderie within Hilbert. She is involved with several on campus organizations. Lauren occupies the Presidential posts for two business clubs: Enactus and Phi Beta Lambda. Lauren is the Vice President of a new organization at Hilbert called Young Americans for Freedom, and is the Secretary of the Franciscan Spirit Club.
Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees – Recognizes former Hilbert student-athletes, coaches and supporters who have contributed to the success of the college both on and off the athletic field.
• Alyssa Hulbert ’12-- Alyssa is the only women's soccer player at Hilbert to be recognized as a four-time All-Conference player in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC). Her offensive punch lifted the Hawks to twenty-five wins and the program's second post-season appearance in the AMCC playoffs. She collected 85 points behind 32 goals and 21 assists while starting all 70 games through the midfield during her four-year career.
• Daniel McFarland ‘13 -- Daniel was a key contributor in the men's basketball program over a four-year span from 2009-10 to 2012-13. The Hawks accomplished a 17-game swing in the win column during his tenure and they earned the program's first 20-win season (20-6) along with their first AMCC regular season championship (14-4) in 2013. The St. Mary's of Lancaster graduate was a three-time AMCC All-Conference player and was twice named to the NABC Honor's Court. At the completion of his outstanding career, the 6'2 guard became the program's All-Time Steal leader (188) and tallied 1,532 points (14.7 average per game), 538 rebounds (5.2) and 286 assists (2.8) while averaging 30-minutes per game as a four-year starter.
Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With nearly 900 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs and evening degree programs geared to adult learners.