Dellasega family chosen as Honorary Family
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 12:00 AM
Alumni, People and Society, Milestones, News
Pittsburg, KS
When senior AJ Dellasega nominated his family for a coveted award given each year as part of Pittsburg State University Family Day, he did so with his grandfather in mind.
The PSU Honorary Family award dates to 1993 and is sponsored by the PSU Foundation and the Advancement Ambassadors. Recipients are selected by a committee of alumni, students, and staff, based on a student-submitted nomination and essays about the student’s family involvement, school spirit, and Gorilla legacy.
This year’s award will be presented to the family on Sept. 22 during halftime of the football game at Carnie Smith Stadium, and the family will be honored at activities throughout the day.
“When I found out that my family was selected as the 2018 Honorary Family, I felt incredibly grateful because it meant that I could give this gift of being the Honorary Family to my grandfather, who has dedicated so much of his time and talent to Pitt State,” said Dellasega, a senior accounting major from Pittsburg.
Bill Samuels, Dellasega’s maternal grandfather, was a longtime football coach and athletic director who later taught math. He retired 20 years ago.
But the university has long held a special place in AJ's life, too, and that of his siblings, Erin, 20, Jacob, 18 — a first-semester freshman at Pittsburg State — and Ethan, 15. Their parents are Tony and Susan Dellasega.
“PSU has played a huge role in my family’s life,” said Dellasega. “Growing up, I went to events like PSU football games and GorillaFest, and times like those were some of my earliest memories of being proud of living in Pittsburg and wanting to go to Pitt State.”
In the summertime, he recalls riding bikes with his siblings from their home near the Weede Physical Education Building to the Kansas Technology Center, where their mother worked.
“Going into the Tech Center was always a feeling of awe when we were kids because it’s such a huge building,” Dellasega said. “Although, the real reason we made those trips was to play computer games in the computer lab that my mom’s office was next to. These experiences show that PSU isn’t just a university. It’s a community.”
Dellasega, who graduated from St. Mary’s-Colgan High School, said he chose PSU because it is affordable, it’s part of his hometown, and “the campus is amazing.”
He said he is proud to be a PSU student and part of the PSU family.
“PSU has strong values of tradition and community,” said Dellasega. “From the teachers that I’ve had in class, to the faculty who greet me in the halls, PSU is filled with people who truly care about you, and they want to see you succeed.”
Dellasega is vice president of Membership & Communication for the Institute of Internal Auditors Student Chapter on campus, a position he has held since Fall 2017.
“This organization means a lot to me because it helped me figure out what I want to do after graduation, which is internal auditing,” Dellasega said. “The faculty advisor for the IIASC at the time, Rebecca Casey, encouraged me to attend my first meeting, and since then, I knew that I had found my future career.”
Dellasega works as a Revenue Account Intern at Watco Companies, one of the nation’s largest short line railroad holding companies that also provides transportation, terminal and port, supply chain, and mechanical solutions for Customers throughout North America and Australia.
He hopes to continue in a career with Watco following graduation in May.
PSU President Steve Scott said the Dellasega family was a logical choice as Honorary Family.
“For many years, the Dellasega family has made a positive impact on the Pittsburg community and PSU, and we're honored that two students the caliber of AJ and Jacob chose PSU for their higher education,” Scott said. “We’re happy to recognize them for their spirit as a family and as a part of the larger PSU family.”
About Family Day
Family Day will be held Sept. 22 in conjunction with the football game and tailgating at Gorilla Village. A range of activities geared to elementary-aged youth and their families will be held across campus starting at 1 p.m. Activities include live animals presented by Nature Reach, a magic show, an instrument petting zoo, a tour of the night sky in Kelce Planetarium, and more. Register at 620-235-4758.