By Mary Best
Editor-in-Chief
Maddie Gionet has made Bonaventure history.
The senior is the first Bonaventure student to win the both the Mark Hellinger and the Woman of Promise Award. Gionet said she was surprised when Pauline Hoffmann, dean of the Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communication, told her last week.
“My mind is blown. Dean Hoffmann just pulled me into her office and said, ‘well, you made history,’” Gionet said. “That’s the way I’m trying to look at it — I made history. When I graduate, I want to do things to change this world, and I think that I’m starting to do that.”
Gionet said it feels surreal to be in a group that boasts past winners Charlie Specht, ‘10, Kristy Kibler, ‘11 and Shannon Shepherd, ‘12, all of whom have earned the award given to St. Bonaventure University’s most promising young communicator from its senior class.
“It’s crazy. I was not expecting it, never in my wildest dreams,” Gionet said. “I know that I did things on campus and I did things in my internships but I never thought that what I was doing was making an impact or that the professors in the journalism school knew what I was doing.”
Gionet’s accomplishments include co-directing the Writing Lab at the Teaching and Learning Center and acting as a peer coach, peer tutor, coordinator for Mountain Community Leaders, secretary for the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and editor-in-chief for The Intrepid. Looking back on her widespread campus involvement, Gionet said her parents inspired her the most.
“My mom and my dad are so committed to everything they do in the different communities they’re involved in; they never say no,” Gionet said. “I know in my experiences and probably in theirs, saying yes to everything has come back to kick us in the butt, but it’s doing something to help someone else. I might sleep one less hour a night or I might be stressed for an extra few minutes, but I’m making it easier for someone else or I’m making something happen.”
Denny Wilkins, professor of journalism and mass communication and director of Gionet’s honors project, said Gionet represents the full spectrum of the Jandoli curriculum and her dual win was appropriate knowing she met the standards for both awards.
“It’s become very easy to direct that project because she needs so little editing,” Wilkins said. “One of the most valuable experiences she had as a writer is running the writing lab at the Teaching and Learning Center. It’s one thing to be able to write well. It’s entirely something else to be able to view writing through the eyes of an editor and apply it to your own writing, and she’s been very successful at that.”
Wilkins, who has had Gionet as a student in class multiple times, looks forward to seeing her around campus during the next two years as she completes her Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC).
“She’s staying, and I look forward to two more years of association with her,” Wilkins said. “She is one of the most remarkable students I have ever had.”
Gionet also praised the one-of-a-kind accomplishments of the Hellinger runner-up, Danny Bush.
“Danny is a top-notch guy. He’s a good friend and I admire the work that he does,” Gionet said. “He’s a visionary. He knows what he’s doing and is going to do wonderful things in this world and it’s an absolute honor to be able to share this award with him. He’s in a league of his own when it comes to the work that he does. To think that my professors basically put us on the same playing level is an honor and it’s humbling.”
Bush was surprised to hear he had been named the runner-up, and said the recognition came as a confidence booster.
“I’m very excited, and it encourages me that I am doing really good work and it’s not just people telling me that,” Bush said. “It’s very hard in my profession to feel confident because so many people do digital design, video, graphics — the whole package. You’re competing with people who are smarter, more financially capable and have more time. It’s nice to receive that compliment.”
Bush devoted his time at Bonaventure to a wide variety of projects and activities, including work on commercials and capstones, projects for admissions and Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), SBU-TV, working as production director at the Buzz and as broadcast producer for the AAF.
“Being a part of AAF, I was able to produce creative for competitions and we had big wigs from Nissan say ‘creative wins’ and they were looking at Bonaventure and the things I helped produce,” Bush said. “It means a lot to me and excites me for the future.”
The award also humbled Bush, who applauded Bonaventure for encouraging students to follow their passions.
“Bonaventure has allowed me to do so many things,” Bush said. “I’ve never really experienced such a platform where you get to strive and do exactly what you want to do and appreciate it so much.”
Like Gionet, Bush looks forward to returning to Bona’s in the fall for the IMC program.
“Hopefully, it will give me an opportunity to be not just the guy who shows up with a camera, but a guy who understands a company better and can sit down and say ‘this is what represents you,’” Bush said. “There are some aspects that I don’t like, (including) the research things and that since I’m a huge creative guy. I need to buff up on those aspects and that’s why I think it’ll be a good experience for me.
Bush also regards Gionet as an unforgettable classmate.
“Maddie is one of the sweetest people. She could have a million things going on, and you could ask her to do something and she would do it,” Bush said. “I couldn’t have thought of a better person to get it. She’s organized, smart, efficient and a great person to be around.”
Gionet could only echo her sentiments about her win from the Woman of Promise Award ceremony a few weeks ago.
“I’m so appreciative of everything my parents and family have given me and my friends and professors have given me; I never would have expected to be here without all of their support,” Gionet said. “To have all of these people from all different corners of my life not only rooting for my but helping me through the hard times, through the struggles and making tough decisions about my career, I never would have gotten here without them and gone for the things that I did that ultimately helped me get to this point.”
