BSN student Ava Roberts-Stewart spoke to guests after receiving her 2025 Spirit of SMU Health Impact Award on April 3, 2025.

Ava's Advocacy Recognized by SMU's Spirit of SMU Award

In April 2025, BSN student Ava Roberts-Stewart was recognized with a Spirit of SMU Health Impact Award, honoring her work both on and off campus as a passionate advocate for stalking prevention and response. At SMU, Ms. Roberts-Stewart organized a workshop called "Stalking Awareness for the Healthcare Professional" to highlight the vital role of nurses and medical professionals as first responders for victims. Beyond campus, she has shared information on several podcasts and continues to push for a healthcare-centered approach to stalking intervention. You can read more about Ava and her award here.

Ava's ability to become an innovator and educator while completing her BSN degree has been supported in part by the Virginia Oneto Volponi '39 Scholarship, which she received in 2023. Ava explained, "This scholarship brought me one step closer to graduating with financial security. I will selflessly serve the Bay Area and never shy away from the individuals who need love the most."

Honoring Virginia's Life of Caring

Virginia Oneto Volponi '39

Scholarship support for students like Ava honors Virginia Volponi's life of caring for others. The Virginia Oneto Volponi Scholarship endowment was established in March 2014 by Virginia's four daughters: Doris Chakires, Barbara Farshler, Carolyn Snell, and Joanne Volponi. Joanne explained their motivation, "Our mother was very proud of her nurse training days at Samuel Merritt. She loved sharing stories of her days in Farrelly Hall with her classmates and the interesting stories of those she cared for throughout her nursing career. We could not think of a better legacy to honor our mother and her life of caring for others than by helping others achieve their dreams of becoming a nurse."

Joanne continues to prioritize support for her mother's scholarship through annual donations. She has also made a provision for future support in her estate plan. She explained, "I decided to continue that support through a gift in my will. I am proud to know my mother's legacy of helping others will continue through yearly scholarships to students in need."

Joanne Volponi continues supporting her mother's scholarship.

Every single dollar of financial aid is appreciated by SMU students in all disciplines. We welcome support from SMU alumni and the wider community for existing scholarships or to establish new scholarships through permanent endowments. To learn more about making a future gift that costs you nothing now, please reach out to us or request a copy of SMU's free estate planning guide. Thank you for helping our students pursue their dreams to work in healthcare and, as Ava said, "help individuals who need love the most."