FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason senior diver Ian Castegnaro has earned the OrthoVirginia Student Achiever Award, an award that recognizes student-athlete who perform exceptionally in both the classroom and in their community.
 
Castegnaro, from Wolftrap, Va., is majoring in graphic design and will graduate this December.  He has had a strong academic career at Mason, making the Dean's List and has been selected to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll twice.
 
When Ian is not working hard in the classroom or the pool, he can be found volunteering with Best Buddies International, a non-profit organization.  With Best Buddies, Ian works with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other undiagnosed disabilities and provides meaningful friendships by participating in social activities to promote inclusivity to enhance their lives.
 
Ian's other passions include volunteering at the Cat Café, ensuring the well-being of the cats and visitors and serving as a resource on the specific needs of the cats and the adoption process.  He has also volunteered with "Rescue Dogs" who have been abandoned and mistreated.  Ian is very passionate about giving a voice to those who may not have one or ensuring that their voice is heard. 
 
Within athletics, Ian is serving in his second term on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council.  

The OrthoVirginia Student Achiever Award has been put into place to recognize outstanding student-athletes not just for their athletic performances. The student-athlete can be recognized for anything that they have done that exceptional outside their playing field… whether it be community service, leadership on campus, consistent performance in the classroom, incredible attitude, recovering from a long injury, improvement on the field, etc.