About Marisa
A Life Lived with Joy, Purpose, and Heart
“The qualities I value most are kindness, an open mind, passion for life, and of course, a sense of humor.”
– Marisa Audrey Schonfeld
Those words capture much of who Marisa was. She was joyful, curious, compassionate, and deeply committed to the people and communities around her. Her warmth, determination, and wonderful sense of humor brought immeasurable joy to her family and friends.
The middle daughter of Gail and Burt Schonfeld, Marisa considered her two sisters her closest friends. She approached life with energy and openness, whether she was studying, competing on the tennis court, traveling, painting, volunteering, or simply spending time with the people she loved.
A COMMITMENT TO OTHERS
Using Her Talents in Service of Others
Marisa graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a degree in Anthropology after attending The Maret School in Washington, DC.
Service was woven throughout her life. She coached tennis, tutored elementary school students, helped international graduate students at Brown adjust to American culture and language, worked as a translator in Latin America, advocated for young people through the Latin American Youth Center in Washington, DC, and worked with children in Central America.
Fluent in Spanish and drawn to Latin culture, Marisa spent three years living in Brown’s Spanish House. Her experiences reflected both her curiosity about the world and her desire to connect meaningfully with people whose lives and backgrounds differed from her own.
Above all, Marisa believed in using her talents and opportunities to improve the lives of others—a value that continues to guide the work of the Risa Fund today.
AN ATHLETE AND TEAMMATE
Competing with Heart
Athletics were an important part of Marisa’s life. She played tennis in the Mid-Atlantic region and competed nationally from ages 11 to 18. She earned three gold medals at the Pan American World Maccabi Games in Argentina and was a four-year Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete at Brown.
For Marisa, athletics were about much more than competition. She valued sportsmanship, friendship, and the connections athletics created between people. At Brown, she served as the Tennis Team Ambassador for Community Service, finding another way to bring together two things that mattered deeply to her: athletics and helping others.
A CREATIVE SPIRIT
A Life in Color
Marisa’s creativity was another expression of her curiosity and zest for life. Painting and drawing were among the many interests she pursued alongside athletics, travel, academics, and service.
A LEGACY THAT LIVES ON
Marisa Schonfeld Bruno Award
Each year, the Brown University Women’s Tennis coaching staff presents the Marisa Schonfeld Bruno Award to a player who embodies the qualities Marisa consistently demonstrated: courage, determination, passion, commitment, sportsmanship, and compassion.
“Oftentimes one can hear our war cry in the throes of a tough match, “Let’s go, Bruno!” And we know what that means: to dig deep, focus, play tough. Marisa Schonfeld was Bruno personified. However, while she was a fearless competitor on-court, off-court she was a sweet young woman whose genuinely happy demeanor endeared her to her friends and teammates alike.
Marisa passed away in 2011. We honor Marisa’s memory by acknowledging the player who best emulated her spirit.”
— Bianca Aboubakare, Assistant Woman’s Tennis Coach, Brown University