Dean of Students Dr. Onofrietti Receives Mentorship Award
August 04, 2007
Emmanuel College's Dean of Students Dr. Joe Onofrietti was honored by Massachusetts College Personnel Association (MCPA) in early May as one of two recipients of the 2007 Pillar of Mentorship Award, which pays tribute to individuals who have made lifetime commitments to the field of higher education.
An actively involved leader on Emmanuel's campus as well as on a regional and national level since 1983, Dr. Onofrietti has been consistently involved with MCPA, the state division of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), for the past 22 years. In his award citation, he was described as "a willing mentor that often takes people under his wing in order to guide them…a talented, committed professional who has impacted the careers and lives of many."
For Onofrietti, who takes great pride in his recognition as a mentor, the award was a pleasant and touching surprise.
"It's a real honor, I've never received anything like this," he said. "The word mentorship means a lot to me. I feel like part of what I do is find ways to go out of my way to help students, direct their attention to fields of possible interest and help them through it. It's a nice feeling when people recognize that and when you can look back and think about all the good people you were able to help."
A member of the Emmanuel community since 2001, "Dr. Joe" has proven to be a great ambassador not only for the College, but for the Colleges of the Fenway (COF) and the Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization (MASCO) as well. On top of his work on campus - including teaching classes for the Graduate and Professional Programs - and through these organizations, his list of previous credentials includes leadership roles with ACPA, MCPA and the Boston Area College Housing Association (BACHA). He was elected to the ACPA's national executive board from 2002-2005 where he specialized as the Director of Core Council for Member Services and Interest, served as president of MCPA from 1991-92 and presided over BACHA in 1985.
Dr. Onofrietti has also volunteered his assistance with several conferences in the past and is currently helping with the planning of the 2008 National Association of Student Personnel Administration (NASPA) convention, which will be held in Boston next March.
"Dr. Joe is a tremendous asset to the Emmanuel community as well as to the profession of student affairs administration," said Vice President of Student Affairs Patricia Rissmeyer. "He is smart, kind, genuine and has a tremendous sense of humor. Throughout his professional life, he has guided generations of students and colleagues. He is most deserving of this prestigious award."