Mary Ann Meola

Administrative Assistant, Educational Opportunity Fund

Metropolitan Campus

A member of the University Community for more than 15 years, you play a valuable part in the Educational Opportunity Fund’s critical mission to serve disadvantaged students. You daily assist and support students from all cultures and ethnic backgrounds with a “motherly” sensitivity and firm commitment to Fairleigh Dickinson’s academic standards and core values. Among your key duties include coordinating the summer orientation program for incoming EOF students and the annual EOF recognition dinner. But you work year round to foster an environment conducive to cooperation, communication and caring. With tremendous empathy and compassion, you are well known for going above and beyond the call of duty, whether it’s delivering a home cooked meal to a hungry student or buying tickets for a student who cannot afford to see a Broadway show. You have become the confidante and indeed the support system for so many students, who see in you a model example of fairness and humanity. For helping our students fulfill their immense potential and for representing our university with such warmth and conviction, we are honored today to bestow upon you the Pillar award.