Dr. Tori Nuccio Honored with PASSHE’s Keepers of the Flame Award
Dr. Tori Nuccio, WCU deputy director of financial aid, has been honored with the Keepers
of the Flame Award by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).
This year’s awards were presented October 29 during the PASSHE Summit, held at PennWest
Clarion.
The award, established in 2022, recognizes an individual from each of the 14 State System university campuses for their contributions to creating and promoting diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments that cultivate a sense of belonging. Recipients are students, staff, faculty, or administrators who inspire others, engage in collaboration, and enact positive change.
Dr. Nuccio has been a dedicated member of the University’s financial aid team for 13 years. In her role, she has made it her mission to ensure that students from all walks of life can access and afford a quality education.
One of the founders of the WCU Resource Pantry, Dr. Nuccio has secured and continues to secure funding for students’ basic needs security, the WCU Promise Program for housing-insecure and foster students, and students facing hardships. As a Moon Shot for Equity team member, she is dedicated to eliminating barriers that students face, including holds on their accounts that hinder or prevent registering for classes.
For her work in support of WCU students, Dr. Nuccio has previously been honored with the WCU Civility Award 2018-2019 and the 2017 Alumni Recognition Award.
Dr. Nuccio thanked campus leaders for their support and vision, her current and former supervisors and colleagues “who weave together to create the network of support that benefits our students,” but most of all WCU students themselves. “So many of the good ideas we carry on today came from their bravery and honesty in sharing what they don’t know, what they want to know, and, most importantly, what they need to be successful.”