"When I started the Bioethics Society of Boston College in 2019, I was overwhelmed by how eager students and faculty were eager to engage in difficult conversations. Last March, we hosted our first virtual event to discuss issues brought on by COVID-19, including tensions between public health and economic wellbeing, methods to accelerate vaccine development, and access and equity. We were thankful to come together and grapple with these dilemmas, which we all struggled with as we sat in quarantine. Throughout the past year, I’ve been amazed by the Class of 2021’s innovative spirit and dynamic leadership capabilities. We’ve shown that we can rise to the challenge: whether it’s attending college during a pandemic or resolving a complex ethical problem." - Angela McCarthy '21

"In studying theology at Boston College I learned the foundational theology content but I also started to make abstractions about how it connects to current events. In my seminars, I got to talk about why I think people of faith act the way in the world that they do. I took a grad class about the church and migration and wrote papers that related to things like the sex abuse crisis and how the church treats women. It set me up perfectly to be aware of the coverage that we do at America, and to be able to write in the style that they're asking for." - Molly Cahill ’20, O’Hare Fellow at America Magazine - The Jesuit Review | Read more: https://on.bc.edu/3qhIEPf

"The one club that I stuck with since my freshman year was Boston College Asian Caucus. Basically, it's one of the largest social and political organizations that advocate for the Asian community here at BC. Currently, I am the president of the club, so I have the platform on campus and, also ways that I can help my community. If you really like take the time to like look through the resources that Boston College has to offer, you'll find like something for you." - Gordon Chang ’21 | Hear more from Gordon: https://youtu.be/QzSwOyCClAw

"My experiences during my time at Boston College and beyond, have truly embodied the 'men and women for others' mantra. It wasn’t until my junior year that I realized I wanted to have a career in media and the alumni network is one of the main reasons why I was able to fulfill that goal. My first internship and my job came about because fellow Eagles were willing to give me a chance and I am forever grateful. BC has helped me grow in many areas of my life. My only hope now is that I can help the next generation of journalists the same way others have helped me." - Kwani A. Lunis '15, NBC10 Boston digital host

"I am so grateful that my artwork has connected with so many people around the world. Having only started painting at the onset of the pandemic, I never could have imagined that it would grow to this point. In my work, I aim to tell positive stories of the future, while also being mindful about acknowledging the role that technology plays in today's society. I believe that the dialogue that we create today will build the world of tomorrow and it brings me great joy to know that my work sparks conversation about creating future technologies with mindfulness of how they will impact others at scale." - Joe Taveras '18 | READ MORE in The Boston Globe: https://bit.ly/3bDOAhb Photo credit: Ben Flythe '16

"After completing two years as an undergraduate at Boston College, I am grateful that I have already learned, grown, and achieved in so many wonderful ways. My resume reflects the many hats I have worn, the boxes I have checked, and the victories I have won, but what is missing on that piece of paper is a place to recognize all the people who have made those bullet points possible, the people who have helped me become who I am and enabled me to achieve my goals. So, to all the people who clean our dorms, sanitize our doorknobs, refill the vending machines, shovel the snow, plant the flowers, scramble our eggs, swab our noses, keep our campus safe, and make being a student at BC possible, thank you so very much. I hope people have a chance to read my blog, take my yoga class, or rent some stylish clothing from MacDraddy.com, but most importantly, I hope everyone takes the time to recognize and share some appreciation for all the people that make our successes at BC possible. Thank you Boston College for giving me the opportunity every day to love more." - Casey McNamara '23

“I took my first classes about the American presidency at Boston College as an undergraduate political science major and continued my study of the executive branch in graduate school. After almost 15 years of working in Congress, I finally got the opportunity to return to my original field of study when I became the Senior Vice President of the White House Historical Association and Director of the David Rubenstein Center for White House History. I am forever grateful to the Boston College professors who supported my initial passion for the presidency and its rich history.” - Dr. Colleen Shogan '97

"I worked as a nursing assistant over the summer on a COVID floor. I always got comments like 'I don’t understand how do you do this' or “'How is this not so depressing for you?' But what I always come back to is the lives of my patients and how lucky I am to be able to serve them in these most vulnerable moments. When I think of that, 'depressing' is the last word I would use to describe it. It’s a lot more hopeful than everyone initially thinks." - Cara Hughes '21, a Boston College Connell School of Nursing graduate | READ MORE: http://on.bc.edu/CaraHughes

"My participation in PULSE had a big impact on my life. It serves a lot of low-income and underrepresented residents. Coming from a poor country like Guatemala, I can relate. I can see the pain. I like to help people. It is hard not to have the things you want because the circumstances you go through limit your opportunities. As human beings, to be able to survive, we need to help each other. If you succeed in something, you have to help someone else along the way. That is the way I carry myself in life now. I feel like I got that from PULSE. It feels good to help people. It has made me think about my life in terms of helping others." - Augustin P. Rac '21, a Carroll School of Management at BC graduate who will begin a career at Amazon | READ MORE: http://on.bc.edu/AugustinRac

"I’m very proud of graduating college, and it’s a huge accomplishment—my mom literally came to the U.S. for this reason. But I feel that, especially at Boston College, you develop this ambition; you want more. So in some ways, I haven’t been able to enjoy thinking about graduation yet, because I know that law school is coming next, and that’s been the main goal. The other day, I was at a panel for students from a high school very similar to mine—kids who immigrated to the U.S. and barely spoke English—and I’m telling them 'You can do this! You can do this!' And I’m thinking to myself, 'Wow, I’ve had this amazing opportunity, I need to be enjoying what I’m doing.'" - Monica Sanchez '21 on being the first member of her family to graduate from college | READ MORE: http://on.bc.edu/MonicaSanchez

"Sometimes the path’s a little uncertain when you leave the military. A lot of veterans get out and want to immediately jump into the workforce, and that can be limiting because you start thinking you don’t have time, or don’t need, a degree. In my opinion, the liberal arts is a really valuable thing to have for your own enrichment. The military sets you up for success, but then you need to make that jump and get into education. The hardest part is starting." - Riley Odams '21, Boston College - Woods College of Advancing Studies graduate who will attend Boston College Law School in the fall | READ MORE: http://on.bc.edu/RileyOdams

"I believe that participating in the [Learning to Learn] Dominican Republic Service and Immersion trip changed me fundamentally as a person. Coming from Jamaica, a similar island in the West Indies, the experience of being immersed in the DR allowed me to see my roots and my parents’ roots through a different lens. It made me even more grateful for the opportunities I have and assured me that I needed to use my mind, heart, and voice to make a difference in this world." - Shakalah Thompson '21| READ MORE: http://on.bc.edu/Shakalah_Thompson