The University of North Florida will honor a student with an outstanding record of volunteerism, when it hands out over 1,100 degrees Friday, Dec. 7, during fall commencement at the UNF Arena, Building 34, on campus.
UNF senior Amanda Olsavsky, who is graduating this week with a bachelor’s degree in education, will be recognized as the recipient of the Senior Service Award, which is presented to a graduating senior for outstanding volunteer service to the University or community by the UNF Alumni Association. She will be honored during the 2 p.m. ceremony.
Olsavsky, a Mandarin resident, has been able to share her passion for being a positive role model with her peers and elementary-aged students by helping them see their greatest potential. She has always lived by the Walt Disney quote, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
She is graduating with a 3.86 institutional GPA and receiving Latin Honors. Olsavsky was recently inducted into the prestigious academic honor society, Phi Kappa Phi, for being in the top 10 percent of the fall graduating class at UNF, based on GPA. She also has been the recipient of several scholarships and endowments, which allowed her to focus her time and talents on volunteering and giving back to the community.
On campus, Olsavsky chose to serve through a volunteer opportunity within her college. In the spring of 2017, she was chosen to be an inaugural member of the College of Education and Human Services Ambassador program, a student organization in which an honorary group of students is selected to serve as role models to current and prospective COEHS students as well as serve as the face of the college for the greater Jacksonville community.
In the community, Olsavsky dedicated much of her time mentoring students in Mandarin High School’s band program. Over the past three years, she served as a mentor to more than 100 young adults who were learning to become leaders in the community. Although she worked with the entire band, she also worked directly with the band’s student leadership to create positive relationships and provide strategies for becoming effective leaders in their organization and beyond. Olsavsky motivated, supported and trained students to create goals for themselves, their section and the entire band.
The ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction will take place at 10 a.m., while the ceremony for the Brooks College of Health, Coggin College of Business and the College of Education and Human Services will start at 2 p.m.
The University expects to award a total of 1,078 bachelor’s degrees, 197 master’s degrees and 55 doctorates this term. Including the fall 2018 graduates, UNF has issued a total of 77,354 bachelor’s degrees, 19,285 master’s degrees and 697 doctorates since first opening its doors in 1972.
UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.
