The Lisa Norwood Student Endowment Fund

The Lisa Norwood
Student Endowment Fund

Join us in celebrating Lisa Norwood’s decades of tireless commitment to the Hajim School

No one has worked harder or more successfully than Lisa Norwood ’86, ’95W (MS), P’13, P’20 to support students and foster diversity at the University of Rochester’s Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. After more than 26 years of outstanding service as our assistant dean of undergraduate studies, Lisa retired in September 2021.

To honor her, we have established the Lisa Norwood Student Endowment Fund. We will use this endowed fund for student enrichment activities such as internships and education abroad, to alleviate travel costs to academic and professional conferences, to support student groups with programming, and more. This fund will honor Lisa’s legacy here, forever.

Please join us.

Making a difference

Lisa came to work every day fully embodying the spirit of Meliora. Her energy, knowledge, and insights made our University a better place.

For instance, Lisa was unwavering in her efforts to attract and retain young women and underrepresented minority students in engineering. She directed the Women in Science and Engineering Program; started a workshop to help local Girl Scouts earn “science in action” badges; partnered with the Rochester City School District to show high school students the wonders of science and technology; brought the FIRST Lego League Tournament to the University; and developed STEM-Gems, a program to help retain underrepresented students in engineering.

In addition to being a tireless advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion and community engagement, Lisa was an inspiring mentor to countless students, an innovative administrator, and enthusiastic ambassador for the Hajim School and the University overall.

Beyond all of this—as all those who know her can attest—Lisa is a wonderful person, easy to work with, and full of passion for all that she does.

Thank you

Together, we can honor and celebrate Lisa and what she has done for the Hajim School and all of us. Thank you for generously supporting this fund. Every gift of every size makes a difference.

Make a gift

Read more about Lisa’s vast contributions to the Hajim School.

Have a special memory of Lisa?
We’d love to hear from you.

Memories and notes for Lisa will not be posted publicly. Submissions will be shared with her at a future date. A gift is not required to share a memory or note.

Lisa Norwood smiling with her arms crossed wearing a purple sweater

The Lisa Norwood Student Endowment Fund will support:

Experiential Learning: The Hajim School is committed to building, growing, and sustaining world-class programs that provide our students with rich learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. Internships, education abroad, and entrepreneurial opportunities help students enhance their education and integrate their engineering knowledge with practical, real world experiences.
Conference Travel: Our world needs more engineers who have different ways of approaching the many challenges humanity must address. The Hajim School is focused on providing access and opportunity to all students and to creating and building a diverse and inclusive environment for everyone. Support from the Lisa Norwood Student Endowment Fund provides travel support for students to attend professional conferences, including those sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) and the Society of Women Engineering (SWE).
Student Groups: Hands-on experience and professional development are essential to student growth and to creating well-rounded engineers who are part of their professional communities. The Hajim School design groups and professional societies play a key role in providing these opportunities for our students.

“I am thrilled that we have set up this fund—no one is more deserving of it than Lisa. The contributions she made here will live on forever—in the programs she established, in the students whose lives she affected, and among all those with whom she interacted. She is a champion of joy, equity, and scholarship and I am grateful for everything she has given to our community.”

—WENDI HEINZELMAN, dean of the Hajim School

“She encouraged me to explore all my interests, not just engineering. Even after I switched to a BME advisor, I still sought Lisa’s advice on classes, extracurricular activities, and my personal life. Since graduating, I have turned to Lisa for both insight and guidance during each of my career transitions.”

—JAYMI DELLA ’06, currently a patent examiner with the US Patent and Trademark Office

“The first moment I met Lisa she exclaimed my name excitedly and immediately welcomed me as if I were part of the family. […] Lisa has never once forgotten about me, always wants to know how I’m doing, and if I ever need anything she’s more than willing to help. She’s…supported and encouraged me in whatever path I chose, and I can say with the utmost certainty that without Lisa, her wonderful personality and bubbly nature, I would not be the person I am today.”

—MELISANDA FELIZ, ’22, biomedical engineering