Patricia Vaccaro Receives Alpha Sigma Nu Magis Award

Patricia Vaccaro, director of the Center for Service and Social Justice at The University of Scranton, received a 2024 Alpha Sigma Nu Magis Award. The national award recognizes lay members of the national Jesuit honor society who "best exemplify scholarship, loyalty and service in their work to better the world."

Vaccaro joined the University staff in 1987 as director of collegiate volunteers. Under Vaccaro's leadership, the volunteer service opportunities offered to University students greatly expanded through long-established partnerships with area nonprofit organizations, as well as through the development of innovate programs and initiatives to address the needs of individuals in the greater Scranton area.

University service programs created during Vaccaro's tenure as director include FIRST (First-years Involved in Reflective Service Together), a reflective service immersion program now in its 21^st year, through which a about 40 incoming students at Scranton arrive a week earlier than their classmates to volunteer at area nonprofit organizations and then reflect on their service experiences. The Meg Cullen-Brown SMART program, a mentoring program now in its ___ year, pairs University students with high school students in the Scranton School District. The SPARK summer camp is a collaborative program with Scranton Preparatory School that began in 2012 and serves area teens who are at risk. More recent programs offered by the Center for Service and Social Justice include the We Care Program, through which students prepare between 50 to 100 meals weekly for community members in need; Crafts for a Cause, through which students create cards, crochet hats and other items and make jewelry that is donated to the Catherine McAuley Center and Friends of the Poor; and Teen Threads, a student run program in which students collect clothing for teens and then organize "pop-up" giveaways at area high schools.

In addition, The Center for Service and Social Justice, which Vaccaro directs, organizes, with staff from the Center, an annual Volunteer and Service Fair for area nonprofit organizations looking for student volunteers; Safe Trick or Treat events in Residence Halls; annual Thanksgiving food and Christmas toy drives; and end-of-year drives that collect thousands of items annually from students as they leave campus. The items collected during move-out are donated to housing developments and area nonprofit organizations. The Center also coordinates domestic and international service programs and offers numerous other service opportunities for University students throughout the year.

Vaccaro has also helped to initiate several popular retreats offered through the Campus Ministry Office during the academic year, including the Mother Daughter retreat.

Vaccaro received the University's 2009 Sursum Corda (Lift Up Your Hearts) Award, which recognizes staff members who have made outstanding contributions to the life and mission of the University. She was inducted as a member of Alpha Sigma Nu in 2000.

In the greater Scranton area, Vaccaro was a founding member of the Habitat for Humanity of Lackawanna County Chapter. She has served on several boards in the region, including Voluntary Action Center of NEPA and Catholic Social Services.

Vaccaro earned a bachelor's degree from Marywood University and a master's degree from The University of Scranton.