A student-athlete, Parkosewich is studying Justice and Law Administration, and is a member of the Wolves’ Softball Team. A participant in the Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society, Parkosewich has maintained a GPA hovering near 3.6, and she’s been a National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association All-American Scholar-Athlete since 2023. A regular on the Dean’s List, Parkosewich will graduate this May with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.

As if juggling a challenging academic program with participation in an NCAA Division III sport isn’t enough, Parkosewich also became a member – and captain – of the university’s winning Moot Court Team, where she not only was the 2025 Schramm Cup Champion, but also a Regional Tournament Quarterfinalist and American Moot Court Association (AMCA) National Tournament Qualifier. Last year, Parkosewich was ranked 4th of 64 competitors, in the Top 1.4% nationally in the 2026 season, and is the highest-ranked National Advocate in WestConn program history.

With such a stellar resumé, one might wonder where perseverance comes into play.

Her softball coach, Heather Stone, explained that Parkosewich exemplifies resilience, growth, dedication, and leadership. “The summer before her freshman year, Grace was hospitalized and diagnosed with lupus and multiple autoimmune diseases,” Stone wrote in her letter to Provost Dr. Stephen Hegedus nominating Parkosewich for the Provost’s Student Award for Academic Achievement and Resiliency. “Despite beginning college amid serious health challenges, she persevered through a difficult first year both academically and athletically. Her sophomore and junior years brought repeated hospitalizations, emergency hip surgery, and ultimately a full hip replacement at age 20. Yet through every setback, Grace remained determined to excel. Although her medical journey interrupted her softball career, Grace continues to work tirelessly with hopes of returning to the field before graduation. Her perseverance, leadership, and unwavering positivity in the face of adversity truly distinguish her.”

Justice and Law Administration Assistant Professor Dr. Michaela Flippin agreed. In her letter to the Provost, she wrote, “Grace Parkosewich stands out as one of the most resilient and tenacious students I have had the pleasure of teaching. I taught Grace in JLA 405, a research seminar class that requires students to produce a polished manuscript by the end of the term. In the beginning, Grace’s writing was strong, but lacked a narrative flow, often relying too heavily on legal jargon endemic to her work with WCSU’s Moot Court team. Grace made it her mission to develop her writing into something that is accessible to all readers, noting that her desire to be an attorney will require her to guide folks through a legal landscape that is not easily traversable without significant professional guidance. Her growth across the semester was nothing short of remarkable. Grace never took feedback as an obstacle to success, but rather a challenge to meet in the pursuit of excellence. I can think of no student more deserving of this award.”

Associate Professor of Justice and Law Administration and Moot Court Adviser Thomas A. Miller, JD, added his input for the Provost’s consideration, “Grace Parkosewich has grown in the face of adversity. In her time at WCSU, she nearly died from an infection related to lupus, and she had her hip replaced. Despite this, she became captain of the Moot Court team, won WCSU’s internal moot court tournament, and advanced to the American Moot Court Association’s National Championship Tournament. At that tournament, she was the fourth highest-scoring orator in her bracket, which featured 64 orators from many of the nation’s most elite schools.”

Miller continued, “Grace is dedicated to helping others succeed. I saw it when she helped make every single member of the Moot Court team better this year through her leadership. I have seen it in the work that she has done in the Tutoring Center. I have heard her softball teammates discuss her incredible qualities. I believe so strongly in her leadership that I have recruited her to be an assistant coach for next year’s Moot Court team. Despite significant health setbacks, with excellence, she has completed every task assigned to her (and many that she took on of her own initiative). When she needs to improve, she always improves. I am beyond proud to have been her Moot Court coach and professor.”

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