“Passionate” and “Jubilant” are just a couple words that  peers use to describe junior Donna Iuvone. 

Iuvone is involved in many extracurricular activities, but her most favored of these interests is her participation in the Best Buddies Program.

 Iuvone was the Director of Best Buddies, a role which communicates with the buddies in the chapter to share program goals, ideas, and helps manage overall chapter success,  for three years. She became the Ambassador of the club this year. “Ambassadors develop the skills to professionally share their life stories, promote Best Buddies programs, network, and most importantly, advocate.” according to the Best Buddies website.

“I have chosen to  become the Ambassador for Best Buddies because I believe that Best Buddies provides a path to bring people together. It will allow us to use our unique abilities to empower each other and build forever friendships,” Iuvone said in her Ambassador speech for the club.

Iuvone is also a club mission partner. She wants to promote inclusion without limits.                   

“I am proud to be a mission partner and part of the team,” she said. 

 Iuvone has helped to fundraise over $7,000 for the Best Buddies Program in New Jersey and participated in the Champion of the Year Gala in New Jersey. It is an annual fundraising competition where philanthropic trailblazers compete to raise the most funds for Best Buddies and earn the ultimate title of Champion of the Year. 

“I participated in the Gala event. Even though I did not raise the most money, I had the most donors,”  she said.

According to the Best Buddies website, “By reaching out to the community to raise funds and spread awareness, candidates campaign for Best Buddies, our mission and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

Iuvone is very passionate about creating an environment where all different kinds of people can communicate with each other. That is one of the reasons why Spanish and English are her favorite classes, because it allows for her to learn ways to interact with others. Iuvone said she tries to find any way she could to communicate with people.

 “I have begun to learn sign language in order to communicate with even more people,” she  said. 

Iuvone has recently joined the Young Actors Program at Centenary University. It is a workshop for students of all ages directed by Michael Belvins. Participants work on dancing and play acting games in order to get ready for their show titled “How to Eat Like a Child (And Other Lessons in Not Being a Grown-Up)” in July 2023.

After graduation Iuvone’s goal is to attend The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) to learn Community Studies and to minor in Theatre Arts. 

 “No one should be limited in what they love to do,” she said. “I want to be a great leader that helps all people to have fun, learn, and grow together.”