“Charity, to me, means using my ability to make a difference in the lives of others, especially those who face challenges beyond their control. Running for Brigham and Women's Hospital is a way for me to channel my passion for running into something that truly matters. It's about raising awareness and funds for groundbreaking medical care, ensuring that patients receive the best treatment, no matter their circumstances. Every mile I run is a reminder of the resilience of those facing health battles and the incredible work being done to support them. It's an honor to be part of something so meaningful.” - Kate Haines M.Ed. ‘20, MSW ‘27, who is running the 2025 Boston Marathon and raising money for Brigham and Women's Hospital | READ MORE about Boston College community members running the Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/ReasontoRun

“Since my daughter was just six days old, Boston Children’s Hospital has been an essential part of her life. She has been seen over 150 times by their world-class teams across Neurology, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, and more. She has undergone multiple eye surgeries, spinal taps, MRIs, and countless other procedures with courage and resilience. “The care she has received is nothing short of extraordinary. That’s why I’m running the Boston Marathon as part of the Miles for Miracles team. This opportunity to give back is the least I could do. I want to ensure that other families continue to have access to the same compassionate, cutting-edge care that has meant so much to mine.” - Joey McIntyre, Boston College Athletics Assistant Athletics Director, who is running the 2025 Boston Marathon and raising money for Boston Children’s Hospital | READ MORE about Boston College community members running the Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/ReasontoRun

“I’m running this year to support Massachusetts General Hospital, where my younger brother Patrick was treated throughout his childhood for Cystic Fibrosis. Patrick was diagnosed shortly after being born in October 2000. Though this was a devastating diagnosis for my parents, they were lucky enough to live less than 10 miles from one of the best CF clinics in the country at MGH. Some of my earliest memories include going to Patrick's doctor's appointments, getting bagel snacks, and taking home balloon friends that doctors and nurses would make out of medical gloves for us. Looking back, these doctor's appointments could have been very scary for two kids, but MGH's incredible staff took care to make sure that Patrick was comfortable, and that I was comfortable as a sibling sidekick. “My family did not take the level of care for granted. Without those years of world-class care, he would not be the strong, healthy adult (and Boston College grad!) who he is today. My desire to run and support MGH stems from deep gratitude for the institution and its employees. I cannot wait to cross the finish line on Boylston representing Run for MGH and giving back to the institution that has given so much to my family.” - Elizabeth Massman ‘20, who is running the 2025 Boston Marathon and raising money for the MGH | READ MORE about BC community members running the Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/ReasontoRun

“I am dedicating this run to my late cousin Kelly Anne Gordon. Kelly was supposed to graduate from Boston College in 2014, but unfortunately died in a car crash in New York City that April. A major reason that I attended Boston College was to finish the legacy she started, as she was truly one of the best mentors I had in my life. She was a babysitter, friend, and the best cousin I could have asked for. Given that the Boston Marathon is a tradition that is strongly tied to BC and the Boston community, I thought that this would be a great way to honor her.” - Colin Gordon ‘27, who is running the 2025 Boston Marathon and raising money for Journey Forward | READ MORE about BC community members running the Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/ReasontoRun

"After I graduated from Boston College, I stayed in touch with many of the mentors and professors from my undergraduate experience. I just found it so impactful and inspirational to learn from so many people who not only had work experience, but had life experience. So now I do everything I can to give back. I've had the pleasure of participating in guest lectures for the Shea Center where I get to educate probably hundreds of students each year on really relevant and critical topics to technology, and entrepreneurship, and speak on my work experience. "I'm always so inspired by the energy and the curiosity that people have when they are looking for help. And sometimes I think it takes that one conversation for someone to believe in themselves or believe in their idea. And I've been really lucky to see many students go on to start their own businesses, to join big tech companies, to join startups, and see them continue to grow throughout their own career and their own trajectories. To me, that's been the most fulfilling. Often I feel like people reach out with one idea in mind of what they want to do, and to see them go on to do what I think is really what they were meant to do and what they feel most passionate about - that's super fulfilling." - Michael Perry '18, AI Partnerships Marketing Manager at Meta and mentor through the Shea Center for Entrepreneurship | WATCH THE FULL VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Fi-EzxspFfM

“I joined because I knew and admired so many of the members—and also, of course, because I like to read. I find that a book becomes so much more meaningful when a group of us meet to share our reactions. I invariably get something from the discussion that I had missed up to that point. I immensely enjoy the company and the camaraderie of the group.” - Harold Petersen, Associate Professor Emeritus of Economics who joined the Jean Mooney Retired Faculty Book Club after retiring in 2016 | READ MORE: https://on.bc.edu/BookClub

"Before I came to the Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry, I worked and lived with people with intellectual disabilities in the L'Arche Chicago community for a year. I've noticed through my work that there are a lot of gaps in our ability to provide accessibility for people with disabilities in our parish communities. That is something that I'd love to be able to address. I also think we really underestimate what people with intellectual disabilities are capable of on a spiritual level. Liturgical accessibility and spiritual formation for people with disabilities are close to my heart. I think disability ministry and advocacy will always be an important part of my life." - Grace Gasper M.Div '27, an inaugural resident of CSTM's Formation House | READ MORE: https://on.bc.edu/TogetherinCommunity

"My freshman year at Boston College was anything but easy. As an immigrant, I carried the weight of separation, not just from my family, but from the familiarity of home, culture, and everything I had known. Leaving Lebanon at 17 meant stepping into an entirely different world; one where I had to rebuild my sense of belonging from the ground up. At times, it felt like no one fully understood what it meant to be caught between two worlds, one I had left behind but still held close, and another I was trying to make my own. "Co-founding the Lebanese Student Association of Boston College with two close friends became my anchor, giving me a space where my background wasn’t something that set me apart but something that connected me to others. That club became my first home on campus, but my growth didn’t stop there. I found belonging in the little things: late nights at O’Neill, shared laughter in the Mods, and the warmth of a community of friends I had once struggled to find. I pushed myself to embrace new opportunities, lead retreats, plan events, and fully immerse myself in everything BC had to offer. "Today, I am proud to be an Eagle. I’ve learned that BC isn’t just about the red-brick buildings or the traditions, it’s about the people who make this place feel like home, the ones with whom I’ve shared some of the most defining moments of my life." - Elie Assi '25

“When I reflect on Dr. King’s life, I think about how transformative his advocacy was. Growing up, I always had one view of what advocacy looked like, and that was just yelling to a large group of people. But when I think of Dr. King, I think of how he advocated even in small groups or through individual relationships. “That’s the kind of advocacy I am trying to reflect in my life. Where I’m not necessarily the biggest voice in a crowd, I can see myself advocating for things in small meetings or conversations with people. I’m so grateful to have received this award, but it also reminds me to continue that advocacy in every aspect of my life, whether it’s for people at work or for someone who feels as if they don’t have a voice. Using advocacy in ways that I feel are unconventional is what this award means for me.” - Esosa Owens '26, the 2025 Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship winner | READ MORE: https://on.bc.edu/EsosaOwens

“You have to have a good ear to be a fiction writer, and that means eavesdropping all the time. When I was a little kid, my mother thought I was doing something else, but I was always listening to her phone conversations, figuring out what was really going on with these women or that family member. I’ll be sitting in a cafe, waiting for my kids to finish a sports event, and people may think I’m writing a grocery list, but I'm actually writing down the conversation happening next to me.” - Marisa Labozzetta ’71, who recently published her third short story collection | READ MORE in Boston College Magazine: https://brnw.ch/CharacterBuilder_BCM

"I’m very grateful to Boston College for giving me the chance to explore my passions both inside and outside the classroom. The flexibility of liberal arts curriculum has allowed me to pursue minors in music and chemistry in addition to my English major, which I get to put into practice as an editorial intern for Post Road Magazine. Thanks to BC’s broad assortment of extracurricular offerings, I’ve found my home away from home in the Brighton Dance Studio. Being the head choreographer of Boston College Irish Dance has been an invaluable creative outlet and introduced me to lifelong friends. I’ve never had to sacrifice one of these interests to accommodate another, which is part of what makes BC so special." - Caroline Grimes '25

“We talk about entering into communion with people, about humanizing the other, and about seeing human dignity in any scenario. Because American music is so connected to issues of race and class, it’s really what I’m studying all the time as a sociology major. And when I’m performing, music is how I experience human dignity most strongly.” - Sofia Burke '25, the 2024 Pops on the Heights soloist | READ MORE: https://on.bc.edu/SofiaBurke