A legacy for Carlie Archived article from Oct 10, 2005

Credit: Robert Laramie Some fathers express their love for their children in unique ways. On Sept. 21, Rory “Cal” Maradonna, associate provost for development at Rutgers-Camden, surprised his 20-year-old daughter Carlie (Cook College ’07) with a gift: a gymnasium named in her honor. Maradonna donated $15,000 to the newly built Leadership, Education and Partnership (LEAP) Academy University High School at Sixth and Cooper streets in Camden. Also honored for his contribution of $2,500 was Anthony DePetris, a member of the Rutgers Board of Trustees, an administrator at the LEAP school and a lifelong Camden resident. Students at LEAP will now be inspired to practice scales and harmonize in the DePetris Music Room. Carlie was surprised to learn of her father’s gift at a ceremony attended by more than 100 LEAP students, faculty members and guests from the Camden campus, as well as local reporters. On the plaque permanently displayed at the entrance of the Carlie E. Maradonna Gymnasium, her father wrote: “When the night is cloudy, still a light shines down on me. To inspire future generations of athletes.” Carlie is no stranger to gyms: She’s a building manager at the Sonny Werblin Recreation Center. After college, she’d like to use her nutritional science major to work with girls and college athletes to promote eating disorder awareness. “I think that the LEAP high school is just amazing,” her father said. “These kids are good kids with bright futures, and they inspired me to make this gift. My daughter is a constant inspiration in my life, so I wanted to surprise her with this honor.”

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