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Alessandro Russo
OSA Recipient 2023-2024

Alessandro has contributed to the ����Ӱ�� campus in many different roles, including as an undergraduate and graduate student, student organization leader, staff member and leader, and guest lecturer.

As a first-generation college student, Alessandro received his Bachelor of Arts in 2010, and his Master of Arts in 2016, in Italian Studies. During his time as a student, Alessandro served as President of the Club Italia student organization and published 2 translations of Italian works into English. In 2011, he seized the opportunity to join the ranks of administrative staff as Assistant to the Chair of the George L. Graziadio Center for Italian Studies. Later, he was Administrative Support Coordinator for the Learning Assistance Center, and Administrative Analyst/Specialist in the Department of Romance German Russian Languages & Literatures until 2022 before moving over to the Department of Economics in the same role.

In addition, over the years at ����Ӱ��, Alessandro has shared his vibrant Italian American family history as a ����Ӱ�� guest lecturer in the course, “Mobsters, Mammas, Mafias, and Migrations.”

Alessandro joined the ����Ӱ�� Staff Council in 2018 representing the College of Liberal Arts. In May 2021, he was elected as Staff Council Chair where he currently serves until the end of May 2024, completing the maximum three-year term. As Staff Council Chair, Alessandro was an active member of the Academic Senate Executive Committee, the International Education Committee (IEC), the Beach 2030 Reimagining Staff Working Group, and fulfilled many speaking engagements advocating on behalf of ����Ӱ�� staff. In August 2023, he received the John and Phyllis Jung Endowed Full-Time Staff Award from the College of Liberal Arts.

In his nomination for the Staff Council Outstanding Staff Award, this excerpt from ����Ӱ�� Prof. Bonnie Gasior’s recommendation letter illustrates Alessandro’s commitment to ����Ӱ��:

“In addition to performing his regular duties with grace and efficiency (and often under pressure)—indeed, Alessandro is one of the savviest staff members I know—he also embraced every opportunity to make the department more visible and stronger. He was instrumental in helping establish our MA program in Italian; he collaborated and coordinated with faculty on most if not all intellectual and cultural events; and he mentored students in the Italian program, as well as doing outreach with potential student candidates. 


More broadly, Alessandro has amassed a wealth of activities and ongoing service work… including volunteering time in his local community, Riverside, through charity walks and preparing holiday care packages for the unhoused. By holding himself and others to the highest standards, he effortlessly elevates everyone in his sphere to perform at their best. “

We thank you Alessandro for representing and embodying the spirit of ����Ӱ��’s hard-working and dedicated staff!