Elon University’s Student Government Association honored the life and legacy of Professor of Anthropology Dr. Heidi Frontani Thursday with a passing of legislation that granted two $500 scholarships to a local charity. Frontani died unexpectedly on Feb. 26.
Senior class Vice President Robert Danis authored the bill and hopes it will grant the family and community comfort in their time of sadness.
Video Clip: SGA donates two $500 scholarships to local charities in honor of Heidi Frontani.
“This really affected us as a senate and we try to represent the student body as well as we can,” Danis said. “While we didn’t all know Dr. Frontani, we wanted to represent the students that did know her and cared for her.”
Frontani, whose husband Michael is an associate professor in the school of communications, mentored Yasmine Arrington ’15. Arrington started and operates a non-profit organization called ScholarCHIPS, which grants scholarships to children with parents in prison. Danis believes that supporting this cause while making an impact throughout the community was the best way to honor Frontani.
"Here at Elon, we’re big on engaged learning, which really means connecting with your professors," Danis said. “This really shows to the family as well as those who were close to her that we as Elon students don’t just read about it in an email and forget about it; we really care about it and want to express that care to the family.”
Danis hopes this bill will be a precedent for future SGAs to follow. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, the beneficial power SGA has was displayed for all to see.
“SGA can have an impact once something like this happens in the community,” Danis said.“Typically SGA just uses its funds for student organizations and student activities, so I think that seeing something like this lets senators know that if something, God forbid, like this happens again, we don’t just kinda say, sorry, it’s a shame that this happened. We can really do something and be a charitable foundation.”