“I've always taken that protective older sister role, but unfortunately that looked a little bit different for my family. There were many, many instances where my brother was a victim of ableism, bullying, just all of these injustices, whether it was from adults, children his age, or the school system. I wanted to do whatever I could to make his life easier, to learn about the ways in which people on the autism spectrum or people with intellectual disabilities are discriminated against. So I started the Morgan Marie Michael Foundation.” - Alyssa Lego ’25, co-founder of the Morgan Marie Michael Foundation, which recently collaborated with Campus School at Boston College to provide an iPad and custom sensory gifts to students with disabilities | READ MORE: https://on.bc.edu/AlyssaLego

“I’m definitely more than a fan, I'm in love. My friends and I do Wordle, we do the Taylordle, which is the Taylor Swift version of Wordle, we do Dordle, which is two Wordles at the same time, and Quordle, which is four. Today we played something that was Wordle, but battle royal. There's so many of them and I love finding them. Because I'm always thinking of the next fun thing to do and make I was like, ‘Oh, why don't I just make a BC Wordle? How is this not a thing already?’” - Luke Stanise ’24, a computer science minor who used his programming skills to build BC Wordle| Read More: https://on.bc.edu/LukeStanise

"I'm running in the 126th Boston Marathon to raise money for the Red Sox Foundation, which does important work supporting a community very close to my heart. With my time in Boston coming to a close, I want to take the opportunity to give back to the community that has taught me so much before I graduate from Boston College this spring. The Red Sox Foundation's core partnerships focus on improving the lives of Boston's underprivileged youth, their families, and the health of all Bostonians. I am immensely excited to be representing such an incredible organization for my first marathon." - Felipe Pardo '22 | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2022 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforOther2022

"The National Brain Tumor Society means so much to me. Losing my dad to brain cancer at such a young age, I have always been looking for ways to bring awareness to this cause and let others know that they are not alone in going through this. To me, NBTS means fighting to find a cure for brain tumors, honoring those who are battling these diseases, and with the money raised, making sure that fewer and fewer people have to experience this reality every day." - Ashley Vincent '22, member of the National Brain Tumor Society's Marathon Team | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2022 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforOther2022

"Growing up in a household of doctors has shown me how much good one person can make on the health of another. Like my family does every day, I want to use my resources to do whatever I can to ease the hardships diseases like cancer take on patients and their families. Family Reach is a national nonprofit that is dedicated to alleviating the financial burden of cancer. The work they do has reached over 300 hospitals and cancer centers nationwide and helps hundreds of families every year. Running with Family Reach has made my running journey mean so much more than completing 26.2 miles. I think the biggest motivator for me is knowing that I am running for a cause bigger than myself, and representing an amazing organization. I also can't wait to represent Boston College, and I know after heartbreak hill I will be supported by so many of my friends and fellow Eagles." - Nina Khaghany ’24 | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2022 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforOther2022

"As a teacher, I know that being a kid is really hard, especially for the middle school students that I work with. Adding in pediatric cancer is something no kid should ever experience. They need time to be a kid and grow up without the burden of fighting a terrible disease. Almost every person in my life has been affected or touched by cancer and that needs to change. I couldn’t think of a better cause to raise money for than pediatric cancer treatment and research." - Katherine Beam '17, '19, running for Massachusetts General Hospital's Fighting Kids’ Cancer Team | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2022 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforOther2022

“My best friend's daughter, Jenna, battled congenital heart disease her whole life and passed away two years ago just shy of her 16th birthday (during her sixth heart surgery). She was a truly amazing person who continues to inspire many; her motto being ‘Be Brave, Be Kind.’ I am asking friends to contribute to the David Ortiz Children's Fund, but I will also match 100 percent of donations with a personal donation to the CT Heart Camp in Jenna's name.” - Chris Westfahl '88, P'21 | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2022 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforOther2022

"Homelessness and housing instability are issues that are of great importance to me, both personally and as a sociologist. The Pine Street Inn is a phenomenal organization that provides street outreach and emergency shelter services to people who are experiencing homelessness in Boston. In addition to 24/7 emergency services, a major goal of Pine Street is to move individuals into permanent housing and to connect them with workforce training, healthcare, and support services to address mental health and substance misuse issues. Each dollar that I raise will be going toward Boston's Home Fund, which will help Pine Street Inn to create 200 new units of supportive, sustainable, long-term housing for men and women experiencing chronic homelessness in the Boston area." - Alyssa Goldman, Assistant Sociology Professor | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2022 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforOther2022

"Dana-Farber helped save my mom's life in 2008 when she was diagnosed with cancer. There is no better way to honor her and support cutting-edge cancer research than to be a part of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Marathon Challenge Team. Ultimately, striving towards the final goal: a world without cancer. In terms of motivation, there are three things. First, compared to fighting cancer, training and running a marathon is nothing. Second, all the people who have supported me. They have put their faith in me, and I owe it to them to make them proud. Third, the cheers at Mile 21 past Boston College and Foster Street." - John "Jack" Grady '23 | Read more about members of the BC community running the 2022 Boston Marathon: https://on.bc.edu/RunningforOther2022

“Documentary filmmaking, in a way, is people giving you a backdoor glimpse into their lives. They're showing you things in a more personal way than they would if you just got to know them on the street. When we were down in Antarctica filming, we followed a small group of scientists, camped with them, and after a while it just felt as though we were part of the team. I think that’s my favorite aspect of the job: you get to live someone else's life for a little bit.” - Arlo Pérez ’16, a digital producer at NOVA l PBS and the co-host of Antarctic Extremes | READ MORE: https://on.bc.edu/ArloPerez

“I always tell people I do everything except act—everything you don't see is what I enjoy doing. I’m a theatre major and in the past, I was really focused on scenic design and sound design and stage management, but then I took the course Playwriting I and I realized, actually, I think I want to be a playwright. It changed my trajectory. Wherever it takes me, I want playwriting to continue to be something that is part of my life for years to come.” - Lily Telegdy ’23, who wrote “All the Bad Kids Go To Mars,” one of three original student plays performed at the Boston College Theatre Department’s “New Voices 2022” in February | READ MORE: https://on.bc.edu/LilyTelegdy

"Appa Volunteers is a program near and dear to my heart. I was fortunate to round out my fourth and final year of Appa by traveling to Ivanhoe, Virginia, a community that Boston College students have been serving for more than 30 years. Ivanhoe is a former mining town along the Blue Ridge Mountains with a population of roughly 500 people. This small yet resilient community taught us the power of a simple conversation, where two strangers can become equals within a few shared words. They say ‘Virginia is For Lovers,’ and Ivanhoe is a community that exemplifies and embodies this love in its actions, kindness, and passion—passion for who they are, where they come from, and their futures to come. It was an honor to bear witness to the stories and perspectives that the community of Ivanhoe shared with us on our trip, and I look forward to carrying these experiences with me as I look to continue serving others after graduation.” - Rebecca Fontana '22, Appa Leader | READ MORE about the return of service trips: https://on.bc.edu/Appa2022