The award, which was given at the conclusion of the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship, was presented to Puccia during an on-field ceremony at the Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania, by Penn Mutual CEO Eileen McDonnell and Joe Jordan, GABELLI ’74.

As part of the award, Puccia received a $5,000 contribution to a charity of his choice. He’s chosen to donate to the Tundra Women’s Coalition, which works to protect women and their children in Alaska from drug and alcohol abuse related domestic violence. Fordham’s rugby program also received $1,000 in Rhino rugby gear.

Jordan, a member of the Fordham Ram’s Hall of Fame, conceived of the award as a way to highlight the lessons of his book Living a Life of Significance (Acanthus Publishing, 2013), which has been translated in five languages and emphasizes living a purpose-driven life in the service of others.

Puccia, an Italian studies/history double major from Whitestone, Queens, is the the recipient of the Thomas M. Lamberti Endowed Scholarship Fund, which is endowed by Tom Lamberti, FCRH ’52, and his wife Eileen Lamberti, and is designated for a Fordham student who is a graduate of Xavier High School. He is also a member of the Fordham Men’s Rugby Club. He took to rugby as first-year student, and impressed the award judges through his dedication to multiple causes.

Last year, he traveled to Bethel, Alaska, as a member of Fordham’s Global Outreach Program to work with groups such as the Tundra Women’s Coalition. He volunteered last summer with the Queens District Attorney’s domestic violence bureau. This summer, he’s volunteering at the Urban Justice Center’s Veterans Advocacy Project, which provides pro-bono work for veterans in need throughout New York City.

The award, for which he beat out 19 other nominees, was humbling, he said.

“The work has just felt like the right thing to do, but to get recognized for it was a nice chance to be retrospective. I’d never sat down and been like ‘I’ve done good,’” he said, noting that he’s been involved in service projects since his first years at Xavier High School, which like Fordham is affiliated with the Society of Jesus.

“It was a nice chance to sit down and recognize what I’ve done, and not necessarily celebrate it, but to be grateful for the opportunities I’ve had.”

As the creator of the award, Jordan had a role in choosing the winner, but said he deliberately held back from awarding Puccia the highest number of points he could so as not to seen to be favoring someone from his alma mater. The fact that Puccia won anyway was testament to his character, he said.

“What really distinguishes him is his doing multiple things. Some people are doing spectacular things, but just one,” he said, noting that Puccia has found time in his busy student-athlete schedule to be involved in a variety of causes. “When does this guy get it done?” he asked.

Jordan, who found success upon graduation in the insurance industry and was most recently a senior vice president of Met Life, played rugby recreationally for 30 years after playing football for Fordham. He’s been a steadfast donor to Fordham’s athletics programs.

He convinced McDonnell to support the Penn Mutual rugby tournament as a way to connect with younger people and show them how a career in the financial services sector can be compatible with living a purpose-filled life.

He grew up around the corner from the Rose Hill campus, so being able to honor another native New Yorker with this award made this even more resonant, he said.

“This is like something out of The Bells of St. Mary’s or It’s a Wonderful Life: Two kids growing up in New York City, with a Jesuit connection, doing good stuff,” he said.

Puccia never played rugby in high school, but he was convinced by two fellow classmates from Xavier who enrolled at Fordham a year before him to join. The game is fun, he said, but what really appeals to him is the camaraderie between teammates and alumni who return to campus to watch matches.

“That energy that the game attracts isn’t only applicable to what they do on the field, they apply it to everything they do. They help each other out. I tutor Italian, and I know another who tutors in biology,” he said.

“It’s a very strong group, and they put their best efforts into everything they do.”

“It goes without saying that Elliott’s family and loved ones will be in our prayers this week,” said Joseph M. McShane, SJ, president of Fordham. “They have sustained a terrible loss, and our hearts are broken for them, and for Elliott. I ask that you be especially kind to one another, and to yourselves, this week, as we come together as a community to mourn our losses.”

A memorial service in Copeland’s honor will be held at Our Lady’s Chapel (University Church lower level) on the Rose Hill campus on June 23 at 6:30 p.m.

“We will support Elliott’s family as best we can in their we can in their grief, and will likewise do everything in our power to help his friends and loved ones at Fordham cope with his loss,” Father McShane said.

A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Copeland was a 2013 graduate of Ravenscroft School. At Fordham he was majoring in business administration with a concentration in finance. He was active in several organizations on campus, including the Fordham Finance Society and Alternative Investments Club.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic event. Every Gabelli School student is truly one of our own—a member of our school family,” said Donna Rapaccioli, PhD, dean of the business school. “Elliott, his family members, and his friends, at Fordham and elsewhere, are in our thoughts and prayers.”

Copeland was an avid rugby player and was a captain for Fordham’s rugby football club. In an outpouring of grief on social media, his teammates described his “pure joy for life” and his generous presence to friends and acquaintances.

“He was always so, so genuinely nice to me whenever our paths crossed,” said Kyle Morton, a rising junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill and a fellow Raleigh native. “It’s abundantly clear tonight how many lives he touched both in Raleigh and at Fordham.”

Copeland aspired to work in the financial industry, possibly in corporate finance. He was an intern at Tapad, a New York-based marketing technology firm, and held previous internships at deVere Group, Campbell Alliance, and Empire Wealth Strategies.

In addition to achieving much both in the classroom and on the rugby field, Copeland volunteered regularly. He spent four years as a volunteer with the Special Olympics, and for three consecutive years he joined Reach Mission Trips, a nonprofit organization that ran annual, weeklong service trips to low-income communities around the United States.

“We were simply devastated to hear the news this weekend, and have joined Elliott’s coaches and teammates on the rugby team in mourning his passing,” said Christopher Rodgers, dean of students at Rose Hill.

“He was clearly much loved by the men on the squad, and our staff will be reaching out to them and others who knew Elliott to offer support and our prayers.”

His funeral service will be held Friday, June 24, at 2 p.m.  
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 1520 Canterbury Road, Raleigh, NC 27608.
A reception will follow at North Ridge Country Club in Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Ravenscroft Scholarship Funds or the Susan G. Komen fund. 

Staff from Counseling and Psychological Services, Campus Ministry, and the Dean of Students Office will be standing by this week to help all who are grappling with Copeland’s loss.

The Counseling Center can be reached directly at:

Lincoln Center: (212) 636-6225
Rose Hill: (718) 817-3725 

Campus Ministry can be reached at:

Lincoln Center: (212) 636-6267
Rose Hill: (718) 817-4500

Students may also contact a resident assistant or resident director at any time to request assistance or to talk.