“Cancer has taken a lot from my life. I lost my dad, Richard Italiano Jr., to pancreatic cancer when I was 13. But cancer also led me to Boston College Connell School of Nursing, and the oncology field has brought me to a career that is meaningful and rewarding. For the last two and a half years I have had the privilege of working at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as both a research assistant and a clinical nursing assistant where I have cared for and interacted with some of the most grateful patients and families I will ever have the pleasure of knowing. From Hopkinton to Boston, I’ll carry thoughts of those people every step of the way.” - Krissy Italiano ’21 | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2021 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforGood

“I ran cross country when I was in high school and my coach would always tell us to ‘run for those who can't.’ I’m running the Boston Marathon because I want to do all that I can to support my aunt and those like her who are still battling cancer, as well as the families who have lost those they love to cancer. I miss my grandmother dearly and I am in awe of both her and my aunt's strength. I cannot think of a better way to show my support and dedication to them than by dedicating the marathon (and my training runs) to them.” - Emma Majernik '22 (on left in photo), member of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Marathon team | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2021 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforGood

“As soon as I joined freshman year I knew that I was going to run the Boston Marathon for the Campus School at Boston College but over the past year and a half I’ve found a bigger meaning and reason to do it. During my junior year my buddy, Annie, and her twin sister, Charlotte, passed away. What’s been the most important to their parents is to keep their memory alive. So not only do I get to raise money for this amazing place and these amazing students like I planned to, I get to honor my buddy and her sister and challenge myself and do something representative of their passion and resilience.” - Megan Phillips '21, one of three running for the Campus School | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2021 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforGood

“On October 11, 1999, I was diagnosed with high-risk acute lymphocytic leukemia and given only an 18 percent chance to survive. I’d like to give a big shoutout to Dr. Usmani in the Pediatric Oncology Department at UMASS Memorial Medical Center for saving my life; she’s my superhero. I am proud to say that I have officially been cancer-free for 19 years now! ... My fundraising efforts will help support the new Health Care Hero’s Intensive Care Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The ICU is being dedicated to all the frontline workers who have so fearlessly worked and guided us through this pandemic.” - Christiana Roszik ‘21 | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2021 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforGood

"My cousin Lu Lingzi was a graduate student at Boston University in 2013 when her journey stopped unexpectedly while cheering on the Boston Marathon runners at the finish line. I was 12 at the time and running the Marathon never crossed my mind, but when I came to Boston College, it became my dream to run for the Lingzi Foundation, a nonprofit established by our family to honor Lu’s memory. Putting in 26.2 miles to help make a difference in someone’s life is a challenge and opportunity I am glad to take on. Over the past three years, BC has helped me flourish as a student and individual, and running this marathon and raising funds for the foundation is my way of giving some of the lessons and love received back to the world." - Shevanna Yee '22 | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2021 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforGood

“I used to just read about this type of physics and think, ‘Wow, that's interesting,’ but to be so close to actually applying it and utilizing it, while contributing to a future NASA mission? That was pretty cool. Plus I got to talk to an astronaut almost every day.” - Bailey Renger ’21, one of 1% of applicants to land an internship in NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration's space communication and navigation program| Read More: https://on.bc.edu/MissionDriven

"When I saw what was happening with COVID-19 in Chelsea, Brockton, and Lawrence—that cases were significantly higher—I was not surprised at all because of my own lived experience as an immigrant. Growing up, we shared an apartment in Boston with eight other people and my family was part of the essential workforce. Asthma was something we were predisposed to through insufficient heat during winter and AC in the summer. I believe if we want to tackle health inequality, we have to start with the social determinants of health. We could have the most advanced healthcare system and the most amazing technology, but until we go upstream and begin to address issues like housing and access to services, we're going to be confronted with these outcomes over and over again." - Juan Fernando Lopera ’99, inaugural chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at Beth Israel Lahey Health | READ MORE: https://on.bc.edu/JuanFernandoLopera

“Helping youth find their passions is a really big thing for me because so many of them don't know what they want to get involved in after high school. Allowing them to discover that they're really passionate about LGBTQ rights or about social justice, and then working with them on projects and events, is so rewarding. Especially during COVID-19, it’s provided our community with a sense of hope and happiness in a time when that’s harder to find.” - Anabel Johnson ’20, youth engagement coordinator at Mountain Youth | Read more: https://on.bc.edu/2020Grads

“Volunteering was always part of the fabric of who I am, and that really was solidified as a student at Boston College. There was a community there for me that allowed me to really participate. It stayed with me into my career, first as an English teacher and then in nonprofits, where I’ve been for almost 20 years. This position and the opportunity to do this as a career is the culmination of everything that I've ever done. It feels really good to have the skills, and now the resources to be able to help others.” - Barbara Cotton ’92, an American Red Cross executive director currently assisting with Hurricane Ida relief efforts

"Being a transfer student is a big part of my identity. Ever since I stepped foot on Boston College's campus, I have used my passion to help prospective transfer students learn more about our vibrant community through Boston College Admission's Student Admissions Program. This year, I am excited to be taking that passion a step further by advocating for transfer students and their needs as the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) Transfer Student Assembly Representative. I want current and incoming transfer students to have as engaging of a college experience as mine has been so far." - Naziha Bugazia '22

“You can't please everyone with writing, so the advice I give people is to write something you can live with because it's going to be out there forever and you're going to get criticized no matter what you do. One of the criticisms I got was people saying, ‘It’s too dramatic. It's a soap opera.’ And that’s fine; they're entitled to their opinion, but I'll also point out that when men write things that are dramatic they're usually called tragedies, and when women write things that are tragic, they're usually called soap operas. Just an observation.” - Asha Lemmie ’15, author of the New York Times bestseller "Fifty Words for Rain" | Read More: http://on.bc.edu/RightasRain

"Maya Angelou said, 'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.' I believe that the BC Dining Services staff lives this out in the most beautiful ways. It has been a gift to learn from their example in my past two years at Boston College. Individuals who work at BC Dining live out the call to be 'humans with others.' Not only do they work tirelessly to make sure that all of our needs are met, but they truly encounter each of us every day. I was actually joking with a friend about how the BC Dining staff cover all of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, from giving us nourishment for our physiological needs to empowering us to be our best selves for our self-actualization. They strive to help us all feel welcomed and know that somebody is looking out for us at BC. These staff members were particularly important for me as a first-year student because they always made me feel like I was 'a somebody.' The people in BC Dining embody what it means to share big love in the small moments: the way they meet us where we are, intentionally ask about our days, learn our names, and put big smiles on our faces. I am forever grateful to be friends with them!" - Mary Clare Scalise '23