Rachel Pizzonia, BA’25, BHSc’25, will never forget opening a life-changing email last fall. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the word “congratulations” on her screen. She immediately called her parents to share the news – she’d won an undergraduate scholarship at Western. The award recognized her academic excellence and commitment to making a positive difference while pursuing her dual degree in health sciences and business.
“I felt like my hard work over the past five years had really paid off,” she said, her excitement still evident months later.
Pizzonia chose to study at Western because she could chase two dreams at once.
“The dual degree gave me a holistic view of two industries I was interested in,” she said.
Looking back, she calls it the best decision she ever made. Both her younger siblings are also at Western – her brother is now in his third year, and her sister began in fall 2025.
“All three of us are officially Mustangs,” she said. “I think it’s because I had such a positive experience that I would tell them all about it, and they were interested in experiencing it for themselves.”
Enriching experiential learning
During her undergraduate studies, Pizzonia dove into student life, spending four years on the Faculty of Health Sciences Student Council with hopes of creating lasting change.
Rachel Pizzonia (Frank Neufeld)
She developed the first-year guidebook now given to every new health sciences student, organized exam prep sessions that drew 250 students and coordinated networking events featuring 24 graduate school speakers. She also helped coordinate the “Free the Dot” Program, which ensured that all students had equitable access to menstrual products on campus.
“I wanted to make sure students had the resources they needed to feel supported and succeed,” Pizzonia said.
Her journey at Western also took her around the world. She travelled through international programs, including trips to Italy. On one trip, she studied conflict resolution and learned Italian. On another, she returned as a teaching assistant, helping others navigate their own transformative experiences.
Through a Faculty of Health Sciences study abroad program, Pizzonia explored global perspectives on aging in Scandinavia, broadening her understanding of health care and inspiring her to think critically about improving the health-care system back home.
“Studying abroad gave me different perspectives and taught me to see health-care challenges from a global lens,” she said. “Those experiences were enriching in ways I never expected.”
Through research internships, Pizzonia also got to work behind the scenes with scholars tackling real problems.
“Being able to work with professors and help with research tasks really goes a long way, as I could see how research at Western makes a real impact on people’s lives.” – Rachel Pizzonia, BA’25, BHSc’25
At Ivey, sustainability captured her heart. Field trips to local organizations, and a class project to develop a sustainable toothpaste venture, helped her discover her calling.
“I’d love to find a career that intersects all three of my passions – health care, business and sustainability – because I want to help transform the medical field into being more equitable and sustainable.”
Western opens ‘so many different pathways’
Today, Pizzonia is taking some time to work and plans to return to school in the near future. Her vision is crystal clear: transform health care to serve everyone better while protecting the environment.
“Nothing’s off the table for my future,” she says with optimism. “Western exposed me to so many different pathways.”
Donor support gave Pizzonia something invaluable: the freedom to pursue her passions with less financial burden, opening a world of new possibilities and allowing her the freedom to dream bigger. She said it allowed her to focus on her studies and leadership work.
“When donors give to Western, they’re not just funding an education. They’re giving hope to students and showing us that someone believes in our potential. That motivates us to work harder, dream bigger and make a difference that lasts.”
