When Jillian DePinto first walked through the doors of the Wellness and Recreation Center as a sophomore from New Jersey, she wasn’t just looking for a gym—she was looking for a community. What she found was a professional foundation that would eventually propel her from a student employee in Raleigh to a licensed Professional Engineer in Atlanta.

A 2021 electrical engineering graduate and nominee for the John F. Miller Award, DePinto served as a Facility Operations Supervisor and Member Services Program Assistant. During her four years with Wellness and Recreation, she managed everything from emergency storm responses to hiring new staff, proving that her time in the gym was just as formative as her time in the lab.

“WellRec got me out of my shell,” said DePinto. “It helped me find my voice. I still have ‘GSD’ [Get Stuff Done] written on a post-it stuck to my computer monitor today. It’s a reminder that pushing through tough situations brings the biggest sense of accomplishment.”

DePinto attributes much of that mindset to former professional staff member Jonathan Hennessy, whose mentorship became a permanent fixture in her professional toolkit. For DePinto, the upcoming NC State Day of Giving on Wednesday, March 25, is about honoring the legacy left by mentors and peers. She now gives back to the Campbell and Dodson Family Fund to ensure current student employees have the same support she received.

“I went to NC State, but Wellness and Recreation was my home,” DePinto said. “Giving back means a student doesn’t have to choose between an extra shift and studying for a midterm. It’s about fostering that second family for the next generation.”

DePinto recalls a pivotal junior-year shift when a storm shuttered most of campus, leaving her as the lone supervisor managing a skeleton crew and a leaking building. That experience in triage and delegation became the blueprint for her current career at a power utility company, where she recently earned her professional engineering license.

Her connection to the department deepened during her senior year as she witnessed the opening of the new Wellness and Recreation Center.

“I learned that if I show up with good intentions and an open mind, better things come out of me being involved,” she said. “My mentors, like Stephen Tucci, showed me that truly caring about the people around you has a bigger impact than any amount of technical knowledge.”

By supporting the Campbell and Dodson Family Fund, DePinto helps preserve the culture shaped by the staff and students who came before her.

“I practically lived at WellRec. It gave me a community, structure and a sense of pride,” she said. “I want to be a part of fostering that for others.”

On March 25, the Wolfpack community is invited to support student employee professional development and wellness initiatives. DePinto hopes her story encourages current students to slow down and embrace the everyday moments that build a lifetime of skills.