SUNY Canton Online Student-Athlete Spearheads College-Wide Donation Drive
An outstanding online SUNY Canton student has made it her personal mission to support families of children with heart defects.
Madeline F. Hewitt, a Legal Studies major, recently ran a college-wide donation drive to supply materials to create Heart Bags for the Congenital Heart Defect Coalition. Each bag is given to a family to help them through extensive hospital visits.
Madeline F. Hewitt, a Legal Studies major from Potsdam, holds some of the items donated during a recent Heart Bag donation drive on campus. The items will be given to families of children with congenital heart defects.
“Heart bags provide families with games and activities while they wait through long hours of surgery,” Hewitt said. “My godson was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. For me and my family, the bags of donated supplies let us know that there are people out there supporting us.”
The college community, including Hewitt’s teammates from the cross country team, donated more than 100 items to outfit the heart bags, which include games, coloring books, and personal care items. “These donations will help lift the spirts of families with children suffering from congenital heart defects.”
The SUNY Canton college community contributed more than 100 items to support Madeline F. Hewitt’s student-run Heart Bag donation drive. Hewitt began volunteering for the Congenital Heart Defect Coalition after her godson was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
Hewitt, a senior who will be graduating in May, is originally from Potsdam with family in the Syracuse area. She was named to the North Atlantic Conference Fall All-Academic Team and has received President’s List Honors for academics.
Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college’s career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 25 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the SUNYAC. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading.