Ishyne Woodard, senior marketing student in the Leon Hess Business School, recently won Sigma Pi fraternity’s annual lift-a-thon, which raises money for mental health causes in and around Monmouth County. The fraternity raised several hundred dollars and Woodard presented the funds to Jeanne Navagh from the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County (MHA).
Woodard, who won the overall competition by lifting 1,295 pounds between squat, bench press, and deadlift, said, “The strength of a college community lies in its commitment to mental health awareness, which is a critical support for male students. When we prioritize student wellbeing, we cultivate not only brighter minds, but also stronger and more resilient individuals.”
Sigma Pi’s adviser, Joseph Palazzolo, Ed.D., lecturer in the department of Management and Leadership in the Leon Hess Business School, commends the students for their work. “I’m proud of the undergraduates for thinking about ways they can make a positive impact in their community,” he said. “The money they raised for the lift-a-thon doesn’t go to support the operations of the chapter; it goes to support the MHA’s incredible work in supporting some of our most vulnerable neighbors. With that type of dedication to societal improvement, the future looks bright!”
Palazzolo said the lift-a-thon began in 2021 as a way for the fraternity to achieve a double bottom line, both working together towards a positive cause and supporting a worthy local organization that is doing great work for individuals around the Monmouth University community. The fraternity is discussing the possibility of hosting a lift-a-thon each spring for alumni members to join the cause, too.