Wilfredo Perez named David J. Zucconi ’55 Fellow

Wilfredo Perez '08

05/21/2008 - The Office of the Dean of the College is pleased to announce that Wilfredo Perez ’08 has been named the David J. Zucconi ’55 Fellow for the 2008-2009 academic year. The Zucconi Fellowship for International Study was created by the Office of the President to honor the memory of David J. Zucconi ‘55, who died in 2002 after decades of tireless and exemplary service to Brown. The award provides an opportunity for a graduating senior who possesses leadership, a commitment to public service and mentoring, and a strong academic record to pursue a year-long independent research project abroad. The fellowship provides a stipend of $25,000, plus travel round trip airfare.

A Community Health concentrator, Wilfredo Perez will be working with and studying a tuberculosis prevention program at the Espwa Clinic in Les Cayes, Haiti. After returning from Haiti, Wilfredo will attend Brown’s Alpert Medical School to pursue a career in internal medicine, specializing in infectious disease. Wilfredo is the founder and director of Operation Happy Birthday, an organization that plans birthday parties for homeless children, and the director of the Refugee ESL Program in the McAuley Village Transitional Housing Program in Providence. He serves as the Coordinator of a Tutoring and Mentoring program at Whitmarsh Corporation Group Homes and is a volunteer physician’s assistant at RI Crossroads Emergency Homeless Clinic. Wilfredo is also involved in the Brown Ballroom Dance Team and has competed at all levels finishing at the gold-level with dancers competing throughout New England.