Margaret- better known as Marg- Stracuzzi is more than a student at Lasell College; she is a passionate student leader, an international service leader, and an accomplished volunteer.
In her senior year of high school, when she joined a club which donated to organizations around the world. Stracuzzi took it upon herself to raise money for a service trip to Mexico, where she would go on her own. Inspired by helping those in need, she raised $2,000 to travel to Oaxaca, a rural village near the Santa Maria Jungle. She worked at the orphanage Casa Hogar, where she and other volunteers made community meals, lead food distributions, built a second floor of a home, and toured the area to meet the people and learn about their way of life.
“This initial trip really put perspective on the value of life for me. I realized this type of work is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to see the world through other’s eyes, in order to appreciate its beauty and diversity. I want to help wherever and whoever I can. I want to share my knowledge and wealth with those who deserve just as much, but that just do not have the resources,” she said.
As soon as she entered Lasell as a freshman last year, Stracuzzi joined Ninos de Veracruz and went on a service trip back to Mexico in January. This year, she’s President of the club and will be returning to Veracruz this coming January, this time as an intern. “It’s unreal seeing how much of a difference you can make in lives by doing so little. Small fundraisers in Newton, Massachusetts can create a year of cost-free education to grade school students.”
Stracuzzi participated in the Uganda service trip here at Lasell. She went to Bumwalukani for three weeks this past May and June to teach seventh graders math with the hope that they will pass their Leaving Exams. “The trip was indescribable. There is so much I could say about it, but I will keep it short and say, it was just a warm and gentle place, I felt very welcomed, I remember all my students’ names and even though the service trip was cancelled through the school, I plan on going back to Bumwalukani one day. In fact, I WILL be back there, and I will do whatever it takes. Those students deserve to have an education and someone to support them with following their dreams.”
She is also secretary of She’s the First, a member of the Hospitality Club and a resident advisor (R.A) An R.A in Woodland for first year students, Stracuzzi takes her job seriously. “I love being an RA. I wanted to be the one person my residents could go to about anything. I have all first-years and I wanted to be a resource, a supporter, a friend (just like my freshman RA was to me).” She carefully plans out programs and bulletin boards so that her residents will be intrigued, informed, and connected. Her bulletin boards include themes like “All about Traveling” where she has a map of the world and a star at each place Lasell College has travelled to, like Australia for Study Abroad, Europe for EF Tours, and Ecuador for Shoulder to Shoulder trips. Her door tags matched, too. They were the location her residents answered to the question “What is your favorite place to be in the entire world?” which she asked them on a survey. She is creative, fun, personal, and inspiring; truly a wonderful role model for freshman to look up to.
Stracuzzi will remain a valuable asset to the Lasell College campus and after that she will continue to act on her passion of volunteering abroad and making a difference within non-profits she is enthusiastic about. She hopes to someday be a volunteer coordinator and eventually a director of her own non-profit. Stracuzzi is particularly interested in women empowerment and child education in other countries, where she says these things are overlooked and degraded. She is working avidly and fervently to make a difference and she wants others to do the same. “If more people put their energy and passion into something good the world would be such a more peaceful and appreciated place. Figure out what is important in your life, reflect on it, get involved, stay focused and determined, and then do something about it. We all have a purpose on this Earth. Really search and find out what your purpose is and follow through. You will be surprised on where it will bring you, what you do, and who you will impact.”