The Madeline Spatafore Memorial Fund

Thank you for your interest in making a gift
to The Madeline Spatafore Memorial Fund.

     Even among her high-achieving peers at Duquesne University, Maddy Spatafore stood out.

     Friends, faculty and staff fondly remember her intelligence, drive, compassion and commitment to her professional studies. More than that, they cherished her vibrant personality, her sense of humor and a friendly smile that lit up every room she entered.

     Maddy came to Duquesne from Seneca Valley High School as a Robert A. Becker Scholar and member of the Honors College. She earned membership in the Lambda Sigma and Pi Kappa Epsilon honor societies, and served as academic chair of the Delta Zeta sorority.  

     Maddy earned her bachelor’s degree in health sciences summa cum laude in 2023, and received her master’s in physician assistant studies in 2024. After graduation, she joined UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, working with patients in the Neurovascular Critical Care Unit.

     A bright young woman with a promising future, Maddy tragically lost her life in a horrific incident on April 28, 2026. Called from us far too soon, her spirit lives on in the loving memories of her family, friends, colleagues and everyone fortunate enough to have known her. Her life and achievements serve as inspiration to students who follow in her footsteps, and her legacy will endure forever through this new fund bearing her name. 

     The Madeline Spatafore Memorial Fund has been established by Maddy’s parents, John and Mishelle Spatafore, as an endowed scholarship that will perpetually support students in the Rangos School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Studies program. With the help of friends and alumni, the family seeks to build the endowment to at least $500,000, which would provide $20,000 in financial aid to one deserving student each academic year.

     Generous gifts to the Madeline Spatafore Memorial Fund will ensure that Maddy’s dedication to caring for others carries on forever, through the students who receive the scholarship and through the countless patients they will serve throughout their careers.