The Woman of Promise Award is presented annually to a female senior in the Jandoli School of Communication who excels in and out of the classroom and sets a good example for her peers.
2023 Woman of Promise honoree Grace Foley with Jandoli School Dean Aaron Chimbel (left) and University President Dr. Jeff Gingerich.
Grace Foley honored as 2023 Woman of Promise
St. Bonaventure University senior Grace Foley was recognized as the Jandoli School of Communication’s 2023 Mary A. Hamilton Woman of Promise in a ceremony on campus Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
In the photo, from left: Grace Foley, Dr. Mary A. Hamilton and keynote speaker Elizabeth Ortega, the school's first Woman of Promise honoree, in 2002.
The Woman of Promise Award is named in honor of Dr. Mary A. Hamilton, ’59, professor emerita of Journalism and Mass Communication at St. Bonaventure. Hamilton worked as a reporter and editor in New York City, Washington, D.C., and York, Pennsylvania, before returning to St. Bonaventure in 1982 as a faculty member. She chaired what was then the Department of Mass Communication.
The Woman of Promise award is presented to a female senior who excels in and out of the classroom, sets a good example for her peers, and possesses the skills necessary to thrive in her postgraduate career.
"Grace is a remarkable young woman, who perfectly represents what the Dr. Mary A. Hamilton Woman of Promise Award is all about," said Aaron Chimbel, dean of the Jandoli School. "I know that in her career and life Grace will do work that benefits others because she’s spent the past four years doing just that here and is determined to do so in the future.”
A senior strategic communication major from Somerset, Massachusetts, Foley has directed her college career toward a job in human resources, specifically in Title IX advocacy.
To experience a business environment, Foley has spent hours in the Koop Lab working as the sports director of SBU-TV. She also served as a global talent acquisition operations and university relations intern at International Gaming and Technology (IGT). By becoming more trained in leadership and teamwork, Foley aims to apply these skills after graduation.
During her time at Bonaventure, Foley has participated in extracurricular activities such as the SBU Dance Team and Management Club. Her position as co-captain of the dance team honed her interpersonal skills, such as organization and problem-solving, she said, and Jandoli School faculty taught her the importance of ethical journalism and communication in the real world.
“The main takeaway from my experience at Bonaventure is to keep pushing and fighting,” Foley said. “While we’re taking steps to create equal opportunities for everyone, we are not quite there yet. No matter what professional field you’re in, I have learned to keep pushing for greatness until you reach your dream.”
The ceremony's keynote speaker was Elizabeth Ortega, '02, of ECO Strategic Communications in Miami, Florida. Ortega was the first Woman of Promise award winner, in 2002.
An expert in business development strategies and litigation public relations, she advises professional firms and their clients in high-profile international legal matters. She co-founded The International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators.
Ortega is pursuing a master's degree in marriage and family therapy/counseling with a concentration
in solution-focused coaching.