Scholar: Mary Nelly Geronimo
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (first year recipient)
Mary Nelly Says: “I am honored and deeply grateful for being chosen as this year’s Dee Lilly Scholarship recipient. This much needed financial assistance will allow me to focus more energy on my studies and be able to be more involved in the community. I look forward to all the challenges I will face as I continue to proceed through the rest of the program and will do my best to uphold the foundation’s mission.”
Career Aspiration: Mary Nelly said her journey to CSUN began years ago when she decided she wanted to be a physical therapist. She had worked for two years with patients who had spinal cord injury and credits that invaluable experience as inspiring her desire to further her education. She also credits the experience with pushing her to progress her professional career and to aspire to one day be able to contribute to the ever-growing research on the physical therapy population.
Scholar: Ashley Peña
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (second year recipient)
Ashley Says: “I am sincerely honored and grateful to be chosen by the Dee Lilly Scholarship Foundation for this award. I am excited to continue furthering my knowledge and will continue to strive for academic excellence. I am truly thankful for the financial support to help make this possible.”
Career Aspiration: Ashely wants to be a physical therapist who can use her skills to improve each patient’s quality of life. Ashley has learned a lot about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude because of her mother’s struggles with Multiple Sclerosis and her sister’s battle with cancer. She continually seeks to make those with injuries or impairments feel “normal” when others may treat them differently.
About the Scholarship: Dee Lilly, now retired from CSUN, was a valued faculty member throughout the 1980’s. She taught anatomy and physiology and was known for instilling a yearning for knowledge and a motivation to help others in students studying physical therapy. This scholarship was made possible by a generous contribution from physical therapy alum, George Erb. George said that Dee Lilly was instrumental in encouraging him to complete his physical therapy degree at CSUN. He created the Dee Lilly Scholarship in 2009 to honor his influential professor; the scholarship has since been enhanced by long-time physical therapy program supporter and alum, Jeff Vargo. The scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to professional growth and service, outstanding leadership, a positive and professional attitude and who have shown outstanding clinical potential.
Scholar: Ashley Peña
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (Class 59)
Ashley Says: “Thank you to the Campanella Family and the Dodgers Foundation for your generosity and continued support of CSUN physical therapy students. I truly appreciate you!”
Career Aspiration: Ashely has learned a lot about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude from seeing her mother endure the ever-changing symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis and watching her younger sister battle cancer. She recognizes their ability to maintain positivity through humor and said that it serves as an inspiration to look for the good in everything. This has fueled her passion to help others. After seeing firsthand how people can treat someone with an illness, impairment or injury differently, Ashley continually seeks to make everyone feel “normal” and she looks forward to becoming a physical therapist who can use her skills to improve each patient’s quality of life.
Scholar: Matthew (Matt) Phillips
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (Class 59)
Matt Says: “As a physical therapist I want to help people from all walks of life reach their goals and improve their overall quality of life. This scholarship will aid me in this pursuit as I develop both professionally and personally. Thank you for the generosity of the Campanellas and the [Los Angeles] Dodgers.”
Career Aspiration: Matt studied international business/marketing and minored in Spanish and Italian at Loyola Marymount University. After graduating in 2007, he spent several years working in the corporate business world. However, he felt compelled to change careers and aspired to help individuals recover from injuries. In preparation for this career move, he became a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Matt began the DPT program at CSUN in 2014 and will be the first in his family to finish a graduate program. He has demonstrated a willingness to be of service to others during his time in the program and is confident that will make him a better physical therapist upon graduation.
Scholar: Lauren Plotkin
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (Class 59)
Lauren Says: “I recognize the value that sports play in today’s society and look forward to helping injured athletes and others live a better quality of life through physical therapy.”
Career Aspiration: Lauren is very involved in volunteer activities and events in the DPT program as well as in the community. She is the secretary for the Physical Therapy Club and has been involved in outreach programs for local students from Chatsworth High school, international visits with Japanese students, as well as worked with the La Crescent High School basketball team in their “Prehab” program. She also volunteers her time helping cats and dogs at the Best Friends Animal Society. Lauren looks forward to becoming a physical therapist who can provide services to individuals and provide them with the means for a better quality of life.
Scholar: Diana (Didi) Rado
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (Class 59)
Didi Says: “I would like to thank the Campanellas and the [Los Angeles] Dodgers for their generosity, kindness and inspiration. Also, a big thank you to the Physical Therapy Department at CSUN for making this doctorate program the best learning environment any student could ask for. I know I will be a better physical therapist because of CSUN. It’s always been a goal of mine to give back to my community here in Los Angeles and I would like to thank the Campanellas, [Los Angeles] Dodgers and CSUN for helping me pursue my dreams.”
Career Aspiration: Didi is the president of her DPT class, heads the fundraising committee and has volunteered for a variety of activities and events. At CSUN she is also a member of the Pride Center Advisory Committee, an organization committed to helping the LGBTQ community on-campus. As a native of Los Angeles, Didi remembers going to Dodger games as a kid and said that adds to the sense of honor she has from receiving the prestigious award while in pursuit of her goal to become a physical therapist.
Scholar: Alix Sklarew
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (Class 59)
Alix Says: “Thank you to the Campanella family and the [Los Angeles] Dodgers Foundation for this unique opportunity.”
Career Aspiration: Alix received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Hart School in Connecticut where she was one of eight students to be chosen to study dance teaching and performance. She danced professionally, but unfortunately a knee injury ended her dance career. She became interested in physical therapy and has been very involved in the community, at CSUN and within her classes. Alix said she is honored to receive the scholarship and she hopes to make the Dodgers family proud by continuing her studies with a focus and passion, by becoming involved with the Los Angeles community and by making the city her home.
Scholar: James Tanouye
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (Class 58)
James Says: “I’ve been a Dodgers fan since I was a kid. I can remember watching the Dodgers win the World Series in 1988 with my dad. I am thankful to the Roy and Roxie Campanella Foundation, the Dodgers Foundation and the CSUN faculty for bestowing me with this prestigious award which commemorates this special point in my path toward fulfilling my dream.”
Career Aspiration: James received a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from CSUN and is currently in his third year of the physical therapy program. He has a background in massage therapy and decided to pursue physical therapy to expand his ability to help others. James is the president of the CSUN Physical Therapy Club which includes the responsibilities of writing the monthly newsletter and planning and organizing a range of events. Under his leadership, CSUN experienced its first Physical Therapy Olympics, which invited all three cohorts to join together in the spirit of fun and camaraderie. James is excited about the positive response of the club and looks forward to future activities and possible collaborations with other CSUN clubs.
Scholar: Kristin Waderich
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (Class 59)
Kristin Says: “It is a privilege to be bestowed with such generosity from a team I have been a fan of my whole life. [I] have become even more passionate about inspiring hope in deserving patients world-wide through the art and science of physical therapy.”
Career Aspiration: Kristin if from a family with a long line of CSUN graduates, including her sister, aunt, uncle and grandmother. She is proud to continue her family’s legacy as a DPT student. She is the PT Club Treasurer and she enjoys this role and how it encourages interconnectedness between the three CSUN PT cohorts. Kristin is passionate about becoming a physical therapist and is honored to have received this scholarship for herself and her family.
Scholar: Sydney Williard
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (Class 58)
Sydney Says: “I cannot thank the Campanellas and [Los Angeles] Dodgers enough for their generosity and support in my journey to achieving my life-long dream of becoming a physical therapist. It is such an honor to have been a recipient of this scholarship.”
Career Aspiration: Sydney has been involved in various outreach programs while at CSUN, including overseeing injury prevention exercises for high school basketball players and introducing high school students to the physical therapy profession. She said her first experiences with physical therapy were when she sustained injuries during her time as a softball player. Sydney is extremely excited and honored to now be working toward a career as a physical therapist so she can provide the same help to future patients as she received as a softball player.
Scholar: Dalar Yousefi
Year Awarded: 2016
Major: Physical Therapy (Class 60)
Dalar Says: “Being chosen as a recipient for the Campanella/Dodgers Scholarship has meant a great deal to [me]. Sports have always played a major role in [my] life growing up, as well as [my decision] to become a physical therapist. [I hope] to use the generosity of the Campanellas and [Los Angeles] Dodgers to further [my education] and to continue to help the members of the community reach their goals.”
Career Aspiration: Dalar began her journey at CSUN in 2012 as a transfer student. She was a kinesiology undergraduate with a passion for working with the community. She enjoyed her time working with clients at the CSUN Center of Achievement through Adapted Physical Activity, so she decided to intern at the Center during her senior year. During her time there, she assisted the Children’s Aquatic Therapy Hour and it quickly grew to become her favorite aspect of the internship. Dalar has also been a lifeguard and water safety instructor and she used that knowledge during her time interning at the Center. She is looking forward to becoming a physical therapist and continuing to help member of her community.
About the Scholarship: Roy “Campy” Campanella was a catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers and one of the first African Americans to play Major League Baseball; he was also a three-time National League MVP. In 1958, he was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down, ending his baseball career. He started physical therapy which helped him gain enough mobility to become a guest instructor at the Dodgers’ spring training camp, offering lectures to young catchers. Roy passed away in 1993, a year later his wife Roxie began donating money to physical therapy programs and she continued to do so until her passing in 2004.
The scholarships at CSUN are made possible due to a generous contribution from the Campanella Family. In 2005, the Roy and Roxie Campanella Foundation and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation partnered to dedicate scholarships to CSUN physical therapy students. Roy and Roxie’s daughter, Joni Campanella-Roan, has enhanced the partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers and continues to be actively involved with the College. Read more about the honoring of this year’s recipients from CSUN Today here.
