Springfield College Giving Day 2026 will be held on Wednesday, March 4. Hear from current student Sebastian Ortega Guitierrez, who explains why he has donated on Giving Day, while current student Jessica Palladino shares how being the recipient of Giving Day-related funds has helped her.
Sebastian Ortega Guitierrez
Springfield College has influenced me in unexpected ways. When I think about why I participate in Giving Day, it all comes down to gratitude. Much of who I am has been shaped by those around me—professors who challenged me, staff who made me feel appreciated, and classmates who became part of my community. Giving back, even in small amounts, feels like a way to honor that.
Jessica Palladino
Springfield College has carved my identity, all the way from my roots—my morals, principles, and the ethics that guide my behavior—to my branches in how I interact in my community, friends, family, and within the Springfield College campus. It is due to the Friends in Humanics Scholarship—stemming directly from Giving Day donations—that allowed me, and continues to allow me, to pursue a meaningful and worthwhile education at Springfield College.
About the author
Sebastian is a History and Secondary Education major at Springfield College. Originally from New York, he chose Springfield College for its strong sense of community and emphasis on leadership, student involvement, and preparing future educators. His interest in history centers on helping students understand how struggles for rights and freedom have shaped the past and continue to influence the present.
About the author
Jessica is a Social Work major and a Psychology and Honors minor at Springfield College. Her hometown is Southington, Conn., where she frequently spends time with family, exercises, and works as a behavioral specialist at YMCA Camp Sloper. On campus, Jessica is heavily involved, spending her time as executive board member of the New Student Orientation, site leader for the Partners Program, cast member of Vagina Monologues, student in the Honors Program, and Bachelor intern at Square One.
Springfield College has been a fundamental driving force in her future, preparing her with the clinical micro and macro skills to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker post-graduate school. She seeks to work in a clinical private practice setting with young adults, and has a strong grasp on the need for more culturally competent mental health workers.
