Five Questions With: Anthony Gallonio

ANTHONY GALLONIO,  along with his wife Michelle La Riviere, founded the National GRACE Foundation, an organization that helps young cancer survivors and their families navigate the  college application process. / COURTESY ANTHONY GALLONIO
ANTHONY GALLONIO, along with his wife Michelle La Riviere, founded the National GRACE Foundation, an organization that helps young cancer survivors and their families navigate the college application process. / COURTESY ANTHONY GALLONIO

The assistant vice principal of enrollment services at Rhode Island School of Design, Anthony Gallonio has worked in higher education for more than 20 years. After his daughter was diagnosed with cancer in 2010, he and his wife, Michelle La Riviere, founded the National GRACE Foundation, an organization that helps young cancer survivors and their families navigate the college application process. As executive director, Gallonio hosts college admission and financial aid nights across the country to educate families on the realities of college enrollment.
PBN: What was the catalyst for the creation of the National Grace Foundation?
GALLONIO:
The National GRACE Foundation was established in 2011 as a way for us to say thank you to all those who helped us when our daughter Grace was diagnosed with cancer at the age of one (she is a happy and healthy six year old now). GRACE stands for Growing, Recovering and Achieving a College Education.

PBN: Why does the organization specialize in teens suffering from cancer who are applying to college?
GALLONIO:
I have over 20 years of experience working in college admissions and financial aid. When Grace was diagnosed I researched pediatric cancer survival rates and saw that many of these kids were going to beat cancer and eventually could go on to college. I know how overwhelming applying to college and financing a college education can be and knew I could help these families. We have worked with over 700 families from all over the country. We conduct college nights at hospitals including Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

PBN: What are the services the organization provides to those teens?
GALLONIO:
The foundation provides free college admission and financial aid counseling; we advocate on behalf of families to college admissions and financial aid offices by telling the stories of these amazing young people. Our Isabel Helen Farnum Scholarship is awarded to college-bound cancer survivors and we hold College Awareness Programs at hospitals around the country bringing cancer survivors together to discuss all aspects of the college process.

PBN: What do you think about when you realize the organization has awarded $40,000 in scholarships to cancer survivors?
GALLONIO:
What most impresses me is that we have received a tremendous amount of support from friends, families and the business community, including Beltone New England and Beltone Carolina/Virginia – we would not be able to do what we do were it not for our supporters. These funds are helping kids attend Salve Regina University, Johnson and Wales University, College of the Holy Cross, University of Rhode Island and the University of Massachusetts – we’re making college possible. Our hope is through donations, sponsorships, our Beach Party fundraiser and RIde Against Cancer we are able to award more of these scholarships each year.

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PBN: As a relatively new company, what are your goals for the next five years?
GALLONIO:
Our goal is to establish our College Awareness Program in hospitals in every state. Then we will have a national network of cancer survivors who can provide guidance to future college-bound cancer survivors. The only thing holding us back right now is funding. In addition, we recently started providing our services to companies looking to offer college counseling benefits to their employees. Revenue from these services will allow us to expand our programs.

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