Piazzas Honored with Anti-Hazing Hero Award

Jim and Evelyn Piazza, the parents of Timothy Piazza, were honored with HazingPrevention.org’s 2018 Hank Nuwer Anti-Hazing Hero Award.

The award recognizes nominated individuals “who stood up to hazing in their organizations, at their schools and campuses, and those who have helped educate others about the dangers of hazing,” according to a release. It’s named after Hank Nuwer, a longtime anti-hazing advocate, journalist, author, and founding board member of HazingPrevention.org.

The Piazzas were recognized for their anti-hazing advocacy since their son’s death in February 2017 from injuries he sustained after a night of drinking and alleged hazing at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house.

They’ve spoken nationally through the media and with numerous groups on campuses around the country, pushing for federal and state laws and Greek life policy reform at the university and national organization level. They worked with Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman to propose a comprehensive anti-hazing law  for the commonwealth, which has received widespread support.

The Piazzas also helped found PUSH, an organization representing parents who have lost children to hazing.

Devon Marrett, a former drum major with the Florida A&M University Marching 100 band, was honored alongside the Piazzas. He is a graduate of the HazingPrevention.org Institute and the founder and CEO of DM Empowerment, which includes hazing prevention education for high school students.