"Being a woman of color and being a transfer student, I feel like we're bringing diversity and offering diversity to the entire campus. And I can be a representation of everyone who's on this in this school. I think it's very important to me, to be a voice for people of color and especially women, as we continue to grow into this world and find opportunities and as we succeed." - Mabel Bassi '23, on what it means to be chosen to Boston College's Homecoming Court | Learn more by visiting www.bc.edu/homecoming

"One thing that means a lot to me about being on the Homecoming Court is this idea that it's not just one type of Boston College experience. One word that really sums up my BC experience is 'untraditional.' I am a Boston College - Woods College of Advancing Studies student, something that a lot of people don't know even exists at BC, and I am an RA. I think definitely for me, being on the Court means not defining BC just as one lived experience of what it means to be a student here. I think that's something that I'm really excited to show to people: That there isn't an expectation of what you have to do and what you can do to be a BC Eagle." - Ishaan Kaushal '23, a member of BC's first Homecoming Court | Learn more by visiting www.bc.edu/homecoming

"I think being on the Homecoming Court means being a part of another amazing Boston College tradition that hopefully will live on. It means a lot to students. It means recognizing the importance of servant leadership at BC through the idea of being men and women for others. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to start this tradition, but also to be among so many other great servant leaders who care so deeply about this school and the other students they serve." - Julia Spagnola '23, a member of BC's first-ever Homecoming Court | Learn more at www.bc.edu/homecoming

"I thought that this would be a great opportunity to get out there and do something that I wouldn't normally do and kind of branch out. Boston College has really challenged me to do things that I didn't ever think I would do and this is one of them." - Welles Arkins '23, on his decision to apply to the Homecoming Court | Learn more at www.bc.edu/homecoming

"Being on Homecoming Court is the idea of representing different identities and students. I think one thing that I've learned throughout my experience at Boston College is that there's no one way to experience BC or to show pride for BC. For me, I show pride by being around friends, by serving others through mentorship opportunities, and also just being active and present for the community. I also think a part of loving BC is wanting to improve it. I think this school has a lot of amazing things about it, but I also think there are things that we can continue to improve, like every other university. So I think part of me showing spirit is being a part of the Homecoming Court, and then continuing to work to improve different areas of the community so it can be better for future Eagles." - Devianna Smith '23, member of BC's first-ever Homecoming Court | Learn more at www.bc.edu/homecoming

"I hope that we are inspiring the generation behind me—my sons’ friends—to dream of being in sports or in places where women haven’t traditionally been. Our trainer on the sidelines is a woman and our team doctor is a woman, too. If you look at the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team, a lot of the people on the sidelines are men. They are working hard to change that, and we want to work hard to change that. Part of it is showing girls where they can go." - Andrea Yoch '89, president and co-founder of Minnesota Aurora FC | READ MORE in Boston College Magazine: https://on.bc.edu/AndreaYoch

“Before this trip, I’d never biked for more than two hours at a time and suddenly we were doing 12 hours a day averaging 85 miles. My goal was to be able to see the country very deliberately, and create connections with people I wouldn’t meet otherwise. I'm from a city and it was awesome meeting people who live in towns of 20 people and realizing that we're very similar or even know some of the same people. We biked for roughly 20 seconds with a group of people going from Minneapolis to Chicago, and within that time I met one guy who worked with someone who lives in the town next to me. It's amazing realizing how big the country is, but also how small it is in the way that you can pretty easily get across it and be able to rely on the people around you.” - Leo Brickner ’25 (pictured on left with friend Pat), biked 3,623 miles from Washington to Maine this summer | View photos from their trip: https://on.bc.edu/LeoandPat

“For a long time, there was a lot of shame around my story because I felt like the 10 years that it took me out of mainstream society really put me back and that I should just focus all my efforts on catching up and let whatever happened in the past just fade and be done, but that’s not how life works. You can't let go of a 20-year battle. You can't let go of something you dealt with since you were a kid, it's part of who you are. Once I finally realized that if I actually use my experience to help other people, I’m doing a service—so many doors opened for me.” - Dina Coughlan '20, Boston College - Woods College of Advancing Studies graduate and advocate for mental health awareness | READ MORE: https://on.bc.edu/DinaCoughlan

"I was really compelled to use data and research to do the most good with the least resources. As a member of Boston College Admission's Student Admission Program, I often get to hear from parents how lucky we are to be at Boston College and have the opportunity to not only have a prestigious education but have a formative education. Creating the Boston College for Effective Altruism Club is meant to coincide with that mission of being men and women for others and teach students a new way to look at the world. It's a club about striving to do better in trying to do good. I look forward to seeing the difference we can make on this campus and beyond in the coming years." - Brian Gardner '23 Photo: Patrick Mills '24

"As I approach my final year at Boston College, I have been reflecting on the unbelievable opportunities I've had through Boston College Campus Ministry. I am so grateful for the chance to connect mindfully with my classmates and peers each and every day. For me, BC has, and will continue to be, the birthplace of the life-changing encounters I've experienced. My work through the Kairos retreat program has been at the heart of that profound human connection. Being a co-director for Kairos my senior year is not only an immense honor, but one of the greatest gifts I've ever received. The place where I see the most humans having the most authentic connections is through our campus retreats; to be at the forefront of that connection my senior year is a true privilege. As a member of the Retreats Council, I have had the joy of watching retreat programs like Pause and Pray and Center become animated by the student body - a student body that craves a mindful approach to both academic and personal life at BC and beyond. Now, as I begin to look beyond the Heights, I feel immense support from the Campus Ministry community to lean into life's challenging questions, to seek the Magis, and to continue to live Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam." - Christine Lenahan '23 Photo: Patrick Mills '24

"I definitely think the success of the women's USA Hockey Team contributes [to the growth of the sport]. I think winning the gold in 2018 was a really big step toward growing the game because we hadn’t won in twenty years. We saw a spike in girls wanting to play hockey after that. You find that when you talk to girls, they don’t really care about the color of the medal. They just think it’s so cool that that’s something that they can maybe do one day, and that’s our goal: If they can see it, they can dream it. If they can’t see it, they don’t know that they can be it. We just try to grow the game however we can, regardless of the color of the medal." - Cayla Barnes '23, member of the BC women's hockey team and two-time Olympic medalist | READ MORE about her experience at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Boston College Magazine: https://on.bc.edu/CaylaBarnesBCM

"A student who learned of my illness asked me if I ever get angry with God. I told her no, not for one second. I have lived a blessed life. I have received so many blessings through the Society of Jesus in terms of the education I’ve been given, the health care I’ve received through our benefactors. I’ve been able to travel as a Jesuit. I have so much to be grateful for. I can go back to many times where I can see God was leading me through circumstances, through people. If I had to go tomorrow, I wouldn’t be happy or thrilled about it, but I would also be able to look back at a very rich, full life. So it didn’t take me long to answer the student’s question: No, I’m not angry with God because God has been so good to me." - Thomas D. Stegman, S.J., former dean of the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, who stepped down due to a glioblastoma diagnosis | READ MORE in Boston College Magazine: https://on.bc.edu/TomStegmanBCM