Dr. Donna Rizzo received the Jackie M. Gribbons Leadership Award, from the Vermont Women in Higher Education (VWHE) at a ceremony held recently at the Old Lantern in Charlotte, Vermont. This award is presented to a woman who has demonstrated leadership ability, served as a model and mentor, developed innovative programs, and contributed significantly to the institution and profession.

Dr. Rizzo is an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Computer Science in the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. Her colleagues write that “she is a ground breaker for women in engineering and serves as an important role model -- a natural leader with the ability to achieve consensus on thorny issues while not compromising her core beliefs.”

She joined UVM in 2002 and holds undergraduate degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut, Fine Arts from the University of Florence in Italy and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine and University of Vermont, respectively.

The Jackie Gribbons Leadership Award is named after Jackie Gribbons, a UVM Professor Emerita who served as UVM Coordinator of Graduate Student Internships in the Department of Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration, and as Assistant Professor, Senior Associate to the Senior Vice President, Director of Staff Professional Development and Dean of Women.

VWHE is an organization affiliated with the Office of Women in Higher Education at the American Council on Education dedicated to serving women in higher education at all professional levels. Its mission is to assist women in the pursuit of careers in higher education. 

For more on VWHE visit: http://www.vwhe.org/

For UVM news article regarding other VWHE awardees visit:

http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmpr/?Page=news&storyID=12606&category=ucommall

Contact email Donna M. Rizzo:drizzo@cems.uvm.edu