Inspire, Winter 2007

8Winter 2007 Feature : Gia Wood Ciotola ’ 92 An invitation for dinner at Salvi’s Bistro — that’s what set the dominoes in motion for Gia Wood Ciotola ’92 to become one highly involved Cedarville alumna! Michelle Rigel McCune ’04, then assistant director for regional events and services in Cedarville University’s alumni office, had invited Gia and other Columbus, Ohio, alumni to dinner about a year ago. The alumni office was initiating the Columbus Alumni Chapter and needed to find just the right alumni to serve on the chapter’s leadership team. Gia, who lives in Marysville, about 30 miles from Columbus, didn’t have to think long about Michelle’s membership proposal before answering with a resounding “Yes!” “I didn’t hesitate at all,” Gia recalled. “I loved my time at Cedarville, so I wanted to connect with alumni in the area.” She was also drawn to the idea that she could help promote the University and come alongside freshmen heading off to the ’Ville. In her new role as a leadership team member, Gia got right to business. She eagerly began helping to plan the chapter’s twice-annual events (a skating party in February, a picnic in August) and even recruited her sister, Kara Wood ’93, to join. The chapter activities were and continue to be tremendous successes. “After our last event,” Gia noted, “our team received thank-you notes from two different girls who were headed off to Cedarville for the first time. I was so happy that we could be an encouragement to them, and their parents, as they started off in this new direction of their lives.” Gia’s chapter involvement whetted her appetite for more interaction with Cedarville alumni and events. With her 15-year class reunion approaching, she felt the need to, in her words, take advantage of the “opportunity to give back to Cedarville.” So she signed up to lead the committee for the Class of 1992’s 15-year reunion. “I wanted to help make the 15-year reunion a lot of fun,” she explained. “I love the opportunity to be back on campus in a role like this, and I have wonderful memories of my time at Cedarville, so it was easy to get involved.” Gia led the reunion committee in selecting the menu, planning the events and program, and lining up volunteers. Her team’s efforts paid off at homecoming on An Invitation to Involvement by Kara Steinman DeMusz ’02 Last February Gia Wood Ciotola ’92 helped the Columbus Alumni Chapter host a successful family ice skating party at The Chiller in Dublin, Ohio.