By Kellie Britch, College of Arts and Sciences
Of the six outstanding individuals who will receive the prestigious award in the Sam and Martha Gibbons Alumni Center on April 10, five graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences. Recipients of the award are under the age of 36 and display creativity, innovation and career success and a commitment to USF.
MEET THE RECIPIENTS
Stefania Alastre Arcusa, Cell and Molecular Biology 鈥�17 and MSPH 鈥�21
Alastre Arcusa is a bilingual genetic counselor at Moffitt Cancer Center who made history as the facility鈥檚 first to provide genetic risk assessment services for patients in both English and Spanish. Dedicated to educating Tampa area Latinos on inherited cancer syndromes and genetic testing, Alastre Arcusa shares her expertise as a public speaker. She played a pivotal role in establishing the Florida Association of Genetic Counselors Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, creating a minority student scholarship while serving as inaugural chair. Alastre Arcusa co-founded the Undocu GC Network, which provides resources for undocumented and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals students seeking to enter the genetic counseling field in the U.S. She serves as a collaborative assistant professor for the USF Genetic Counseling program and guest lectures nationwide.
Veronica 鈥淩onnie鈥� Gajownik, Interdisciplinary Social Science 鈥�15
Gajownik is an MiLB Coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Previously the manager for Hillsboro Hops, a Diamondbacks farm team, she was the first woman to manage at Minor League Baseball鈥檚 Class High-A level. Gajownik also made history as the first manager in the minor or major leagues to publicly identify as LGBTQ+. In 2021 and 2022, Gajownik was the bench coach for the Amarillo Sod Poodles, the Arizona Diamondbacks鈥� Double-A affiliate, along with the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League. Before joining the Diamondbacks, she was an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts and a graduate assistant coach at Liberty University. A former player, Gajownik was a member of Team USA women鈥檚 baseball and a gold medalist in the 2015 Pan-American Games.
Shelly Marc, Political Science 鈥�13
Marc, who is a life member of the , is a senior public policy manager at Meta, where she leads strategic initiatives in areas such as data privacy, artificial intelligence, digital safety and emerging technologies. She previously served as deputy chief of staff for the U.S. House and as a policy advisor to former President Barack Obama and his senior advisor, Valerie Jarrett, among other federal government roles. A recipient of the U.S.-Spain Council Young Leaders Program, Marc is the founder and CEO of On the Marc LLC, where she consulted clients on national social impact campaigns addressing climate change, criminal justice reform, voting rights and racial equity. She is devoted to empowering others and mobilized outreach efforts for When We All Vote, a nonpartisan initiative that aims to increase voter participation in elections.
Bailee W. Olliff, Biomedical Sciences 鈥�12 and MD 鈥�16
Olliff is a trauma surgeon specializing in acute care robotic surgery who has dedicated her career to working with patients in socioeconomically disadvantaged situations. The trauma medical director at HCA HealthOne Mountain Ridge, she is also the medical director of University of Colorado Emergency Medical Services. She has a long history of donating her time and talent to educate firefighters and paramedics, and participates in an annual surgical mission trip to Cambodia through Jeremiah鈥檚 Hope. In 2024, she was recognized as Attending of the Year by the HCA HealthOne Swedish General Surgery Residency Program. A Judy Genshaft Honors College alumna, Olliff founded and directed the Plexus Mentoring and ESTEEM programs at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and supports the college philanthropically.
Hiram J. R铆os Hern谩ndez, Economics and International Studies 鈥�15
R铆os Hern谩ndez is an economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Lima and a career member of the Foreign Service at the U.S. Department of State. Previously, R铆os Hern谩ndez served as a public diplomacy officer for the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon, Burma, and a consular officer for the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai, China 鈥� earning multiple Meritorious Honor Awards in both positions. While at USF, R铆os Hern谩ndez was awarded four prestigious national scholarships, including becoming USF鈥檚 first recipient of the State Department's Thomas R. Pickering Undergraduate Fellowship. An alum of the Judy Genshaft Honors College, he was among the first recipients of the college鈥檚 McCorkle Scholarship Fund. In addition to his USF degree, R铆os Hern谩ndez holds a master鈥檚 in international and public affairs from the Harvard Kennedy School.