Uplifting Suffolk, Community, and Family: Laura Piscopo, BA ’02, MPA ’14

Laura took what she learned from her undergraduate (Government) and graduate (Public Administration) studies at Suffolk and ran with it. “I can say with 200% confidence that Suffolk’s professors and programs gave me all the tools I needed in my professional toolkit to be successful, especially in terms of leadership.”

While still in high school, Laura enlisted in the Army Reserves, drawn by the opportunity for advanced language study. This was a bold move at a time when women made up just 10% of the armed forces. Two weeks post-graduation, Laura began basic training. Then she studied Spanish at the Defense Language Institute in San Francisco, followed by military intelligence school in Arizona. Laura’s reserve duty continued for six years.

One of Laura’s early jobs was at her alma mater, when she became Suffolk’s Director of Alumni Relations for the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), a position she held for more than five years. One of her accomplishments was to greatly increase CAS board members’ annual donations—and to sustain that increase over time. Laura reflects that “the chance to meet inspirational alumni doing fantastic things in the nonprofit sector and government had a tremendous impact on me and inspired me to pursue an advanced degree.”

Until the end of 2024, Laura worked at NeighborHealth (formerly East Boston Neighborhood Health Center), serving neighborhoods that are approximately 70% Latino, and providing health care to residents when they lack insurance. Laura began as a Project Manager and ultimately was appointed Director of Development. She was responsible for a 100% increase in attendance and funds raised for NeighborHealth’s Art of Health Care event, and played a vital role in a $25M clinical facility renovation.

Laura’s other career posts have included Policy Analyst and Project Manager for MassHealth, and Director of Administration and Project Manager for the Commonwealth Department of Veterans Services.

Now semi-retired, Laura is a part-time fitness coach at the East Boston YMCA, where she leads a runners’ group and recently began a Stadium Workout class. (Given the class is adjacent to where Suffolk teams practice and compete, Laura finds time to cheer our athletes on.) Running became a passion for Laura in her forties. She has run marathons in Boston and Vienna, and is training for another in Antwerp, Belgium.

Laura and her aunt, Anita Piscopo Chisholm, recently donated $25,000 to create the Benjamin Piscopo & Family Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund supports undergraduate students in the Sawyer Business School who study entrepreneurship—a salute to Laura’s and Anita’s high-achieving ancestor, Benjamin. Laura hopes that the scholarship recipients will gain the same kind of leadership skills that she absorbed at Suffolk, and that some of them, encouraged by scholarship aid, will continue on to graduate school.

In launching the scholarship fund, Laura wished to honor her family’s history, particularly her great-grandfather Benjamin Piscopo who emigrated from southern Italy at age 18 with little to his name. As an astute businessman, he was able to acquire a hotel and other properties, eventually becoming one of the first Italian millionaires in Massachusetts. He effectively fought off threats from mobsters and other local corruption. His legacy is still evident on Fleet Street in Boston’s North End, the location of the old Piscopo Hotel.

Laura has a message for the rising generations of Suffolk students. “We need to recognize how pivotal a Suffolk education is to our success—and then pay it forward. When a high percentage of alumni donate, it not only helps the school financially but also builds its reputation nationally. My Suffolk degrees catapulted me to a place in my career where I could give a scholarship fund. But gifts of any size show your belief in Suffolk.”

Future Changemaker Sonniya Hutton, Class of 2025, Benjamin Piscopo & Family Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Sonniya Hutton, from Lynn, MA, is the first student to receive support from the Benjamin Piscopo & Family Memorial Scholarship Fund. In December 2025, she will also become the first in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree, with a major in corporate entrepreneurship and a minor in business law.

During summer 2025, Sonniya worked in an intellectual property and patent law firm. This dovetails with her plan to take the LSAT and apply for entry to law school in the fall. Sonniya aims to focus on international corporate and government law.

Suffolk has been a nurturing place and catalyst for Sonniya’s ambitions. “I’ve loved Suffolk since I started here. I especially love the sense of community that’s encouraged by faculty and staff.” Sonniya participated in the Journey Leadership Program, a four-year initiative that focuses on involvement, service, career exploration, and leadership; highlights included experiential learning trips to Portugal and Chicago.

She has worked for the Student Leadership and Involvement Office, and served as both a Trustee Ambassador and Career Ambassador. If that weren’t enough, Sonniya also co- founded a student club, the Southeast Asian Association.

The scholarship from the Benjamin Piscopo Fund has inspired Sonniya. “I’m so grateful for the support. It’s very meaningful that someone out there has trust in me and faith in my abilities!”

Reflecting on her future goals, Sonniya concludes: “I want to be a changemaker.”