Pitt Senior Nursing Student and Student Athlete Is 2008 Emma W. Locke Award Winner

PITTSBURGH-Joseph Ciampoli, a University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing senior and scholarship student athlete, was named the 2008 Emma W. Locke Award winner during Pitt's annual Honors Convocation Feb. 29 in Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland. Ciampoli, an Altoona native who holds a 3.92 GPA, will graduate in April with the Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

Established in 1946 by Charles A. Locke in memory of his mother, the Emma W. Locke Award is presented annually to a graduating senior in recognition of high scholarship, character, and devotion to the ideals of the University. The student must have at least a 3.85 GPA and plan to continue his or her education after graduation.

In addition to completing a challenging academic program, Ciampoli also fulfilled the rigorous responsibilities and commitments required of a Division I college wrestler.

His schedule included up to 20 hours weekly of strength and conditioning sessions in the morning and intense afternoon wrestling practices in addition to personal training and travel for competitions. Also, clinical time with patients can last up to eight hours in one day.

Ciampoli also is an active volunteer in both the nursing and athletic communities. As a sophomore, he was awarded the Tony and Mildred Sherry Savino Scholarship in recognition of his academic standing and community service. Ciampoli annually assists the wrestling team with a clinic and life skills presentation and participates in visits to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Recognized by Pittsburgh-area media for being the rare combination of male athlete and student nurse, Ciampoli has taken the opportunity to encourage males to enter the nursing profession and assisted the School of Nursing in recruiting prospective nursing students.

Dan Bartholomae, Pitt Department of Athletics director of compliance, describes Ciampoli as "a leader who has impacted his wrestling teammates profoundly by setting an example in academic responsibility, thereby leading the team as a whole to increased academic success."

Ciampoli has been named to the director of athletics' high honor roll each year, lettered for the wrestling team in both his junior and senior seasons, and is a team representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Ciampoli completed an independent study in which he shadowed a certified nurse anesthetist one-on-one for 60 hours, confirming his decision to seek an advanced degree in nursing anesthesia.

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3/26/08/tmw