Madeline Burgess, 21, a student at Rhode Island College, was named one of GLAMOUR Magazine's Top Ten College Women, it was announced by Cindi Leive, GLAMOUR editor-in-chief. Burgess was chosen for the award for overcoming the odds of foster care, and for her work helping teens in state care by founding Youth Rysing, a group that teaches life skills to foster kids.
Burgess received her undergraduate degree in social work from RIC in 2004 and is now a graduate student in the College’s MSW program. She lives in Providence.
“Madeline exemplifies the strong work ethic, enthusiasm, and humanitarian efforts of many RIC students whose education goes beyond the classroom,” said Jane Fusco, spokesperson for Rhode Island College.
Burgess said she entered the search after seeing the call for applicants in the magazine and thinking her leadership skills might qualify for the award.
“I was very surprised,” Burgess said upon hearing she had been selected for the honor. “I am really looking forward to meeting all the professional women when I go to the awards ceremony in New York.”
In its 47th year, GLAMOUR's Top 10 College Women Awards spotlight 10 college women from across the country with an annual competition that recognizes leadership on campus, involvement in the community, excellence in their field of study, as well as their unique, inspiring goals.
Each winner receives a cash prize, a trip to New York, opportunities to meet with top professionals in a variety of fields, national recognition in the magazine and a gift basket from L'Oréal Paris, exclusive sponsors of the program with GLAMOUR for the fifth consecutive year.
Over the years, the awards have gone to such young people as the first woman accepted on The Harvard Crimson editorial staff, the first Hispanic woman to win a Rhodes scholarship, and the first female brigade commander at the U.S. Naval Academy.
The 10 winners will be profiled in an editorial feature in GLAMOUR’s October 2004 issue, which hits newsstands nationally on September 14, and honored during an awards ceremony on Friday, September 10 at the Condé Nast building in New York. L'Oréal will present its fourth annual "Beauty of Giving" award to one of the 10 winners. The award, a $2,500 donation to the charity of the winner's choice, will be given to the one candidate whom L'Oréal feels exemplifies the strongest charitable spirit. Speaking at the ceremony will be GLAMOUR editor-in-chief Cindi Leive; GLAMOUR vice president and publisher William Wackermann; Michael Trese, L'Oréal Paris vice president of public relations; and CEO/president of the Association of American Publishers and former Congresswoman, Patricia Scott Schroeder. |
