By Michelle Karparis | Staff Writer
On the night of Salve’s Snowball, CAB President, Gina Tonini, could be seen glowing in her cream colored gown under the snowflake strobe lights. On most other nights, she can often be found in Wallace Hall entertaining her residents (and probably Lauren Healy).
Gina is a junior studying Business Administration and Psychology; she’s also a second-year RA. She has spent both years as an RA in sophomore dorms on campus.
“Sophomore year, everyone is starstruck because they need a major, they need a job, they need all of these things,” she explained. “I find them to be very interesting and I feel that they’re the forgotten about grade.”
In addition to being an RA, Gina is involved in more activities than can be counted on fingers and toes.
As president of CAB, she oversees the organization of campus events, like this past Friday’s Snowball, the annual spring concert, travel activities, and other entertainment spotlights.
“I just want to help people out and make sure people have fun doing what they’re doing,” she said.
She is also the chair of Salve’s Dance Marathon, which will be happening on April 8th. Gina encourages everyone to take part in this year’s Marathon, which will support the Children’s Miracle Network. “JOIN DANCE MARATHON,” is her message for everyone.
Gina is also a part of the SRYou planning board, Sigma Phi Sigma, the 2017 class committee, Salve’s service advocates, service plunge, and she is an SRU dance choreographer.
Academically, Gina is pursuing Business Administration and Psychology in hopes of eventually becoming a psychologist and owning her own practice, but she has other plans in mind as well.
“I eventually want to run a nonprofit business,” she said. Her goal has always been to go to Africa and do just that. “People owe so much to the people who don’t have anything.”
Building a community and helping people has always been a huge part of who Gina is. She wants to be a psychologist so she can continue to do so. “Being an RA has definitely helped,” she said.
As a member of the service advocates, she contributes 150 hours of community service each year. She currently works at Child and Family with the Sandpipers program in Middletown, RI. This involves taking care of infants in the program. In the past, she has worked with the Groovy Girls program, which included a prom dress drive that she hopes to bring back to Salve next year. “It was just an amazing event,” she said.
What kind of superhuman powers does Gina possess to make all of this possible? “It’s that pink planner,” she explained. “That literally is my life.” However, don’t try this at home, folks. It takes a lot more than a pink planner to achieve such a feat.
