Shafron recieved Virginia Tech’s Aspire! Award for Civility.
Civility, human kindness, and respect are simple concepts. But when immersed on a campus thousands of students strong, all rapidly heading in different directions, finding ways to not only practice civility but also be widely recognized for doing so, is an accomplishment.
For Anthony Shafron, receiving an Aspire! Award for Civility connects back to the very reason he chose Virginia Tech.
“The sense of community on campus is unmatched by any other university. Virginia Tech also had so many different ways of getting involved and has deep roots in service, which is something I’ve always felt was important,” he said.
Shafron said his experience in his high school’s Mini-THON Club was an early inspiration for a journey exemplifying civility. Every year, the club put on a small-scale version of the renowned Penn State THON, a 46-hour dance marathon and the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. During his senior year, Shafron helped raise more than $80,000 for pediatric cancer research and patient treatment.
“It was amazing knowing that what we were doing was making a difference in the lives of people we never met and probably will never meet,” said Shafron, a senior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ School of Animal Sciences.
The Aspire! awards occur five months a year and highlight students, faculty, and staff who exceptionally personify Student Affairs’ five Aspirations for Student Learning: curiosity, self-understanding and integrity, civility, courageous leadership, and Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).
“Upon learning that I was nominated I was shocked. It was hard for me to believe that out of the nearly 36,000 people on campus, someone nominated me for this award. It made me think about everyone’s lives I have touched and how a simple interaction can mean the world to someone,” said Shafron, who is from Roxbury, New Jersey.
With an interest in animals from a young age, Shafron initially thought he would become a veterinarian. However, after his first semester, he was drawn specifically to the science element and plans to target a career involving research instead.
Outside of academics, he is a member of the FarmHouse Fraternity, a social organization with a foundation in agriculture. He has served twice as president and once as the director of membership education for the Interfraternity Council, assisting in the transition of nearly 600 men into both collegiate and Greek life.
