The SUNY Oswego Alumni Association honored a public relations major from Buffalo with the 2015 Outstanding Senior Award at the Commencement Eve Dinner on Friday, May 16. Bridget Jackson of the class of 2015 was selected based on her academic achievements, campus involvement and service to her community.

Throughout her four years at Oswego, Jackson was an active member of the Public Relations Student Society of America, New York Women in Communications and Vega, the honor society for junior and senior women. She volunteered at many charitable events, including the United Way Walk-a-Thon, American Cancer Society’s Raise a Bunch for Brunch and the American Red Cross Dodgeball Tournament, among others.

“In my four years at Oswego, I have done more than I imagined possible in a college experience,” Jackson said. “People have always said, ‘If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ I’ve always found it to be a cliche statement, until I looked back upon my achievements at Oswego and realized, I never felt like I was working.”

Jackson was also involved in the Del Sarte Dance Club, the College-Community Orchestra, Her Campus Oswego and the New York Women in Communications Inc.‘s Next student blog. She participated on the college recreational broomball team and also served as a campus tour guide and admissions ambassador for the Office of Admissions. She has presented to her peers nationally and locally on leadership and public relations topics.

“The activities I have been involved in have allowed me to love what I do each semester, exercising my passion for communications and connecting with others,” Jackson said. “The resources Oswego provides has allowed me to pack my four years of college and make relationships that are going to last a lifetime.” 

Among her many awards, Bridget was the recipient of the highly competitive New York Women in Communications’ Charlotte Kelley Veale Scholarship, SUNY Oswego’s Manjula Ravindra Shah Memorial Scholarship and the Robert C. Ziegler Memorial Scholarship.

“One of the best highlights of my Oswego experience was being able to connect with alumna Joan [Reinhart] Cear ‘80 at the New York City Career Connections event,” Jackson said. “I was made aware of the New York Women in Communications scholarship foundation from Joan and later interned in New York City at Kellen Communications. The NYWICI scholarship I was awarded changed my life, and I truly credit Oswego for the experiences that contributed to me receiving the award, as well as connecting me with such an inspirational alumna.”

The Outstanding Senior Award was established by the 2005 Senior Class Planning Committee and is funded by Alice Massimi Crouch of the class of 2002. The award recognizes a graduating senior who has been highly involved on campus while maintaining academic excellence.