VAPBA and Foundation Scholarship Recipient Madeline DiLuigi

Nov 29, 2023

By Katharine Jefcoats 

A highly accomplished and well-rounded Virginia college student is studying accounting with more than one career option open to her. 

Madeline “Maddie” DiLuigi may couple her high school successes with Special Olympics and community service for people living with disabilities with her accounting degree. 

Pictured are Maddie DiLuigi, with her father Mark, and Amanda Nevel,

VAPBA Natural Resources Chapter President, after making the scholarship check presentation.

“(One career goal) is to use my accounting background to help nonprofit organization for children with disabilities to raise and manage funds,” she said. 

Or, she could follow her father’s lead and use her talents to put away the bad guys. 

“I could go into forensic accounting doing behind the scenes work to catch nefarious activity,” said DiLuigi. 

DiLuigi’s dad is Master Conservation Officer and K9 handler Mark DiLuigi. He has been an officer with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources for 28 years. He is a member of VAPBA. 

“Having a law enforcement parent has taught me the strength of responsibilities and the importance of details,” she said. “My dad’s attention to detail in police reports manifested in me an attention to detail through spreadsheets and calculations. 

“He has taken on a huge responsibility guarding Virginia civilians’ safety and our beautiful environment,” continued DiLuigi. “His willingness to accept this duty is what I try to reflect when I seek to help others.” 

DiLuigi volunteered for two years with Unified Athletics, also known as high school Special Olympics, and works as an attendant for a young adult with Down syndrome. She founded Project Mission Accessible in her senior year. 

She said the project goal is to raise awareness of the lack of wheelchair accessible playgrounds in Loudoun County (Va.) Public Schools, and to inspire the school board to invest in a new wheelchair playground in Ashburn, the fastest-growing city in Loudoun. DiLuigi wrote a 20-page paper, hosted community awareness events and gave a presentation to Loudoun County school officials. 

Her efforts paid off in the planning of two new playgrounds to be built in Loudoun County. 

Also, as a student at Independence High School, DiLuigi was a member of Student Council Association, president of Future Business Leaders of America and a four-year started on the region championship Independence field hockey team, earning first team all-district, fist team all-region and second team all-state. 

She graduated with a 4.52 GPA and is enrolled at College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. DiLuigi is one of about two dozen children of LEOs to win a scholarship in 2023 from PBF to help with college expenses. In addition to getting a Virginia division scholarship, DiLuigi earned a Foundation scholarship.