A Voice for Those Suffering From Addiction

After losing a friend to a drug overdose, Madelaine Tesori became a voice for those facing addiction. “One of the last things my friend said to me was that she felt like the devil had a hold of her, and that she thought she was never going to be able to break free from it,” Tesori recalled.

A senior double majoring in political science and communication with an emphasis in civic advocacy, Tesori is a board member for Shannon J. Scholarship (SJS), a nonprofit organization offering financial assistance to those seeking treatment for drug or alcohol addiction. Tesori began volunteering with SJS in 2012. The organization is named for Shannon J. Wolverton, who died in a car accident just four days after texting his sister that he wanted help for his alcohol addiction.

Tesori was honored with a 2016 Newman Civic Fellows Award, which is given to college students throughout the United States who invest in finding solutions for challenges facing communities.

After graduation, Tesori hopes to help change the ways society treats addiction and the people who suffer from it. “It’s a public health issue,” she said. “Addiction is a disease, and it can be treated.”

Serving Our Community {2015-16}

 

6,762 Number of students engaged in the community

139,830 Service hours contributed by WSU students

 

$3,300,000 Value of service hours
*Calculated by Independent Sector