"In 1955, when my grandfather George Koukounaris immigrated to the United States from Greece, he had only an elementary school education, $50, and not one word of English on his tongue - just his faith and natural-born talents. He made a life for himself in Lynn, MA, and eventually for my grandmother, by trusting his God-given abilities and working hard to prove that he was capable of success, even when the odds were stacked completely against him. He used to say 'The only things you can own forever are the things you give away.' Service was his life’s purpose. My grandfather instilled in me one of the most important aspects of service: standing in solidarity with others. His perspective inspired me to dedicate a large part of my life to serving others. As a leader of APPA Volunteers, I feel fortunate to have the ability to lead and serve. I hope to inspire other students to approach service like he did, from a place of humility and solidarity. While my grandfather has passed, I strive to honor his legacy each day through my commitment to serving others." - Chloe Noelle Lelon '23

"Serving as vice president of Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) has been a tremendous opportunity to serve the Boston College community. Walking up to students around campus and talking with them about their experiences gives me joy and proves even more rewarding as such conversations motivate me to do better. My journey with student government has definitely challenged me and made me constantly assess my values and goals. I am proud to be a member of such a wonderful body and look forward to continuing my journey on the Heights" - Kevork Atinizian '22, current UGBC Vice President

"First as a student and then as faculty, Boston College has been my home for nearly two decades. When the pandemic threw us a curveball, BC responded. All my students, my TAs, and I had to double down and work our hardest. It was tough for all of us, but we didn’t compromise. We continued to learn and build our community. We covered current events and other crucial topics like inequality and social justice. And together we found new ways to make formative education happen - this time online. As we finally approach the other side of the pandemic, we emerge even more committed to 'Ever to Excel.' I am in awe of my brilliant students and amazing colleagues. Yes we can!" - Economics Professor Can Erbil M.A. '95, Ph.D. '02

"Growing up with Dwarfism and learning disabilities, I had to learn how to advocate for myself at a very young age, and I am still learning to this day. Taking an enduring questions course centered around disabilities my freshman year not only allowed me to connect my personal identity and experiences to my studies, but I also learned about the lived experiences of people with disabilities outside of my own. I joined the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) Council for Students with Disabilities my sophomore year to continue learning and advocating for others with disabilities, but it has come to mean so much more. I have met some amazing people through CSD who all have incredible stories of their own experiences of living with or advocating for disabilities, and all of them are extremely passionate about making Boston College a more accessible and inclusive place." - Svea McNally '22

"I have always been an incredibly social person who enjoys bringing people together so I feared my first semester at Boston College amidst the pandemic would be a challenge for me. Instead of dwelling on the losses, I focused my energy on establishing genuine friendships with people who also adopted the mentality of making the absolute best of the situation at hand. The bonds I have created in such a short time are truly remarkable and I cannot wait to spend these next years fostering friendships with my amazing peers who make up Boston College." - Bridget Miller '24

"The thought of personally developing myself through a Jesuit Education was not a concept I pictured myself in a few years prior. Yet, ever since I first took a step on the Boston College campus, it has always intrigued me. Much like my life and experiences up to that point, I was never sure of what the outcomes would be, but I was always aware of the dedication and effort it took on reaching them and growing as a person. So far, the experiences with my peers, professors, and mentors have allowed me to further develop into the person I have always wanted to be. I am no longer that person who was held back by my identity, but I'm embracing the stripes I have earned." - Andy Bonilla '23

"I've always known my purpose in life is to be doing for others and being a positive and good example for those beside and after me. Boston College allowed me to amplify that with the vocation 'Men and Women For and With Others.' I found that to be true when I joined Boston College CVSA, singing alongside my friends in B.E.A.T.S., as a senior lead in Ascend, joining in necessary conversations with other Black women students' in Sister's Let's Talk, going away for Kairos, and, most impactful for me, in Kingston with Father Michael on a service trip with Jamaica Magis. These experiences were pillars that continued to push me forward in service. I worked at Big Sister Association of Greater Boston before moving to New York and to work for Compound and found 'Compound Cares,' the philanthropic initiative within the creative marketing agency. And now, I have formed my own charity, Other 1s Foundation. Other 1s Foundation was born during the very long quarantine due to COVID-19 in 2020. I kept thinking of ways I could authentically help people, big or small, near and far. Other 1s Foundation makes it cool to give back: taking donations of the popular all-white Air Force 1 sneaker - any size or condition - to be donated to various communities that may not have the luxury of wearing the pair (or any pair of sneakers) once before getting rid of them. I found myself asking, 'Where are the unwanted pairs going?' Currently collecting in Boston (Laced Copley Place) and New York (Famous Nobody's Flagship Store, Bronx), the first 100 pairs of donated Forces will go to where my family is from: the Cape Verde Islands in Africa. I have felt so blessed and grateful with the positive response and support of Other 1s and look forward to expanding and building community both nationally and globally for a great cause! BC gave me many opportunities and friendships that have lasted more than five years, and most importantly, added to my confidence that anything is possible and to always be of service to others. No matter what, effort counts." - Leah Tavares '16, founder of Other 1s Foundation

“When Martin Luther King speaks about love and using that to form community, we must not forget about first loving our own selves, because how can we do this work of change without first filling our own cups? This was something I learned at Boston College.” - Latifat Odetunde '22, the 2021 MLK Scholarship winner | Read more about Latifat: http://on.bc.edu/LatifatOdetunde

"Black History Month is important to me because it emphasizes, teaches, and celebrates historical figures that actually look like me. Representation is very crucial in inspiring younger generations and we must continue to recognize Black excellence throughout our country" - Sydney Moore '23, member of the Boston College Women's Soccer team

"It is a bit cliché, but for me, as an African American historian, every month is Black history month. So February, in particular, makes me think about pioneering Black scholars—people like Carter G. Woodson, Dorothy Porter, Luther P. Jackson, and Marion Thompson Wright—whose commitment to the idea that Black history IS American history led them to toil away in archives and libraries while largely being ignored by the white historical profession. I think about them because they paved the way for me and reaffirm that Black history isn’t something to be celebrated for one month of the year, but something to be studied and honored for a lifetime." - Professor Martin Summers, African and African Diaspora Studies Program in the Boston College History Department

"'Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.' I feel that this quote displays the impact that minorities can have during these tumultuous times we are currently facing and promotes us individually during Black History Month. During times of political unrest and tension, we have the ability to stand up for ourselves and create and redefine our own destiny, which many perceive to be predetermined. In this case, in particular, we are often told to follow the path that has been set for us with hopes that we can potentially be free from our current states, but rather we should create our own path and own way of doing things. Why do I say this? I think it takes one or many people to initiate change. This can be done in any sector of life ranging from politics to finance. They are creating their own path, a new path so that individuals who were once in their shoes know that there is a new way of traveling. This gives hope and optimism to these communities. I think currently we are doing ourselves a disservice by following the mundane and ordinary paths that were created by the founders of this society, 'the white founders.' There will only be change if some people are willing to sacrifice some of the things they love - like a social life, material things, or sleep - in order to create a new path and leave a trail for others as guidance." - Kristian Lamarre '24

"Black History Month is truly about celebration for me. I am a first-generation American of parents who immigrated from the Cape Verde Islands on the west coast of Africa. They always stressed the importance of celebrating our ancestors, culture, and family history. I was raised to love being Black and Cape Verdean and I cherish every moment to celebrate the beauty of being Black. Every day, but particularly during Black History Month, I try to ensure that all my student-athletes who identify as Black as well, love that part of their identity too." - Caitlin Barros MS '19, Boston College Athletics Student-Athlete Development Assistant Director