DANBURY, Connecticut — Western Connecticut State University has announced that Danbury resident Gianna Fanelli is a recipient of the coveted Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award for 2026. The award is given to two outstanding seniors, and Fanelli was selected from an extremely competitive field of fellow students for this prestigious Connecticut State Colleges and Universities honor.
An academically gifted student with many interests, Fanelli graduated from Immaculate High School and while she had plenty of opportunities, she decided she wanted to remain in Danbury to be near her family while attending college. Her father, Thomas Fanelli Jr., is a WestConn alumnus, so following in his footsteps felt “very connecting,” and committing to his alma mater didn’t feel as scary as spending four years geographically separated from her loved ones, she said.
Like her father, Fanelli was admitted to WestConn as a Biology major. Her original intent was to build upon the degree to attend dental school and pursue a career in dentistry. “I performed well, yet despite the grades, something felt misaligned,” Fanelli said. “I had competence, but not conviction.”
She changed direction, a decision Fanelli acknowledged “required honesty” and the realization that “success without passion was not enough.” She decided to double-major in Financial Management and Psychology — not only an abrupt departure from Biology, but seemingly two non-aligned pursuits.
Fanelli saw it another way. “These disciplines challenge me in different, yet complimentary ways,” she said. “Together, they gave me both structure and perspective. It has clarified the kind of professional I aspire to become — someone who understands the financial frameworks that drive organizations, and the human dynamics that sustain them. After graduation, I intend to build a career in Human Resources within a financial corporation, where I can contribute not only to operational success, but to the well-being of the people behind it.”
With a new direction in her sights and the goal of earning both a Bachelor of Business Administration in Financial Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology upon graduation in May 2026, one might think that Fanelli would have little time for additional pursuits. That would be an incorrect assumption, because Fanelli is simultaneously enrolled in classes for a WestConn Master of Business Administration that she will obtain in December 2027.
“I never pursued excellence to impress others,” Fanelli said. “I pursued it because I understand what it cost, and I refuse to waste what was sacrificed for me.”
The sacrifice she refers to was made by her father, who raised her and her brother as a single parent while oftentimes holding down more than one job to support the family. “My father took on the responsibility of supporting us financially, emotionally, and physically,” Fanelli said. “He demonstrated that hard work and integrity are non-negotiable. Without his sacrifices and the endless support of my family, I would not have had the opportunity to pursue higher education — let alone my master’s degree. His example instilled in me a deep sense of gratitude and accountability that continuously guide my academic and personal choices.”
Fanelli has maintained a 3.97 GPA while pursuing her dual undergraduate majors and graduate degree, but also has found time to be engaged in numerous on- and off-campus endeavors.
She is a member of the Finance Club, which she said enabled her to connect with other students who had similar interests. She also has been active with the Psychology Department’s PsychAlliance, and has served as a Peer Academic Leader. Fanelli undertook a Student Practicum Internship with the university’s Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion within the Office of Intercultural Affairs in 2025, and points to this experience as extremely valuable. “I had the opportunity to work with people who had different backgrounds and perspectives,” she explained. “This will be so important in the situations I will experience in a corporate environment in the future.”
Off-campus, Fanelli is a monthly volunteer with LoveForOurElders.org, writing handwritten letters to seniors nationwide to combat loneliness and foster emotional connection. She’s a bookkeeper for Infinity Partners LLC, a local, family-owned real estate company, where she also assists with in-person interactions with tenants.
A member of the university’s Kathwari Honors program, Fanelli also is the recipient of a Connecticut State University Trustees four-year academic scholarship. She is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, and the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. Fanelli was the recipient of the Finance Department Award in 2025.
She said that one of the “most defining” academic experiences of her undergraduate career was her Honors thesis, “The Psychology of Financial Stress.” She explained that this interdisciplinary project allowed her to “integrate both of my majors by examining how financial stability and instability influence mental health and decision-making. Through this work,” she said, “I came to understand that economic systems are ultimately human systems, and meaningful change requires both analytical precision and empathy.”
When she was notified that she was qualified to apply for the Barnard Award, Fanelli said she was very excited. “It felt right, everything felt aligned, and I was drawn to pursue it. I felt I was a potential candidate, and I worked really hard to get here,” she said. “Because I can be very sociable, sometimes people have mistaken that for a lack of seriousness and have doubted my academic abilities. It stinks to have someone doubt you like that. Hard work is the biggest driver in overcoming that. If you are driven to succeed, the possibilities are endless.”
As a result, Fanelli said, “I am driven to support and uplift those around me as I understand how powerful it is to feel seen, supported, and capable. Education has given me structure and confidence, but it has also given me perspective — the awareness that my accomplishments rest upon a foundation built by others’ sacrifice. I am filled with gratitude, especially for my father who believed in me and my education even when life required him to carry more than most. To get the Barnard Award is not just recognition for the work I’ve put in, but his too.”
Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals, and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.