When Missy Marazzo transferred to the University of Delaware, she was searching for more than a degree. She was looking for purpose.

Like many young people, Marazzo had navigated her own struggles with mental health. But it wasn’t until she discovered storytelling through broadcast journalism—and later, Sean’s House, a Newark, Del. mental health nonprofit—that she began to recognize the power of using her experience to uplift others.

“I started volunteering as a peer support specialist at Sean’s House, and it changed everything,” Marazzo, a Wilmington, Del. native, said. “It gave me purpose. It showed me that sharing my story could help someone else feel seen, heard and supported.”

That volunteer experience became the spark that led to a fast-rising career in nonprofit communications. Today, Marazzo serves as director of communications for SL24: UnLocke the Light, the organization behind Sean’s House, and her work touches nearly every part of the mission.

A typical day could include filming mental health stories, editing a podcast episode for SL24/7, designing website content, writing the monthly Guiding Light newsletter, coordinating press releases and media outreach, engaging with young people across three social media platforms or working with sponsors to power large-scale awareness events.

It’s a role that demands creativity, compassion and agility—and Marazzo loves every bit of it.

While still a UD student, Marazzo channeled her personal connection to Sean’s House into a capstone broadcast project centered on mental health storytelling. The documentary, “Beyond the Label,” explored one powerful truth: people are more than their diagnoses.

The team interviewed individuals who had fought their way through depression, families who had lost loved ones and professionals who dedicated their lives to supporting others. The honesty and vulnerability in those conversations resonated with the community, so much so that the project was nominated for a 2025 Mid-Atlantic Emmy in the College Production Long Form category.

“If we win, it will be affirmation that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be,” Marazzo said. 

But in many ways, she’s already won. The recognition isn’t about prestige—it's proof that sharing real stories saves lives.

Marazzo’s time at Sean’s House began as volunteer work, turned into an internship and now that it’s her full-time mission, she makes sure students behind her get that same opportunity.

“Sean’s House is always looking for new voices to be part of our story,” she said.

Students can drop in for peer support, join a Gather & Grow dinner, snuggle up with therapy dogs or apply to be a Peer24 Specialist, where they’ll be trained to support other students using their own lived experiences.

This semester, the organization launched its first-ever communications internship, and Marazzo is leading the charge, mentoring the next student ready to make an impact.

Her guidance to students hoping to work in the nonprofit world is simple but powerful.

“Let your why lead you,” she said. “Find a cause close to your heart and start there. Never pass up an opportunity, even if it’s unpaid or unexpected. Every experience builds your toolkit.”