Galloway, N.J. — Maria “Mia” Dixon has a simple policy when she’s out with friends: She drives.

Not because she drew the short straw or expects anything in return, but because it’s the easiest way to make sure everyone gets home.

“I’d rather be the person who stays sober than risk something happening to my friends,” said Dixon, a Stockton University senior from Palmyra. “Being sober is something I’m willing to do if it means everyone gets home safe.”

That habit earned Dixon the 2026 HERO of the Year award from the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers. A Business Administration major and former Panhellenic president, she is the 16th Stockton student to receive the honor through the university’s partnership with the campaign.

Her image will appear on campus signage and a billboard along the Atlantic City Expressway as part of the campaign’s public awareness efforts.

The nomination came from her peers.

“It’s not something I ever did for recognition,” Dixon said. “So being acknowledged by others makes it even more meaningful.”

The HERO Campaign was founded in 2000 after Ensign John Elliott, 22, of Egg Harbor Township, was killed by a drunken driver shortly after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. The organization partners with schools, law enforcement and local businesses to promote designated driving and prevent impaired driving.

At Stockton, the campaign sponsors the annual HERO Games, a Greek life fundraising competition, and names a student HERO of the Year each spring.

For Dixon, the mission is personal. Her hometown lost someone to a drunken driving crash, and the impact stayed with her.

“The way it affected so many people is something I would never want to happen,” she said, “especially if there was something I could do to stop it.”

That mindset carried into her involvement in Greek life. As risk management chair for Delta Zeta, safety became part of her role.

“The dangers of drinking and driving became much more prominent for me,” she said. “I made it my goal to make sure my chapter was as safe as possible.”

When she was elected Panhellenic president, that goal expanded beyond one chapter to the broader Greek community.

“My friends know they can always come to me, whether they need a ride or just someone to make sure they get home safe,” she said. “I don’t make it a big deal. It’s just normal.”

That sense of normalcy is intentional.

“I just try to lead by example and keep it real,” she said. “I want it to feel easy, not awkward, to choose the safe option.”

The HERO Campaign aims to shift designated driving from an occasional choice to an expectation through partnerships, outreach and its annual campaign.

“Sometimes being the sober one, you can be overlooked,” Dixon said. “I’m grateful to have friends who do the opposite.”

— Story by Ella Johnson, photos by Abbigail Erbacher