Boston College Athletics
From the Desk of the AD: Random Acts of Eagles
July 28, 2014 | Men's Basketball
July 28, 2014
One of the great characteristics of the culture of Boston College is contained in the motto "Men and Women for Others." Every university has a service component to their mission and there are students on every campus who are actively involved in community projects and voluntary programs. Boston College's mission, however, fully integrated with the Jesuit ideology has firmly anchored in our DNA an inherent commitment to making the world a better place; the breadth of service across our campus is astounding. While many of our activities are conceived, planned and organized, what is especially meaningful is the nature of serving others that seems to ooze from The Heights - an intrinsic desire to make whatever endeavors we engage better than found pervades our culture.
A week does not pass where I do not receive news of random acts of kindness from our students and staff, some planned, most spontaneous. These communications continue to inspire those of us fortunate to be surrounded by such sincerity and I hope they will motivate you similarly. Here's just one example of an email I recently received:
Good morning, Mr. Bates,
My name is Peter Trainor and I am a senior at BC. I am currently living on campus as an Orientation Leader, and on my off days I intern at Big Brothers Big Sisters downtown.
This morning on the T, I witnessed Lonnie Jackson of the basketball team, who I recognized and had a #20 on his backpack, do an incredible act of kindness. When the green line stopped and a veteran in a wheel chair could not get on the T due to a lack of handicap access at that stop, Lonnie got up, helped the man in his `60s out of the wheelchair, and then lifted the electric wheelchair onto the T for him and the T driver. Lonnie did this without being asked, just after the T driver told the man he could not get on at the stop and would need to travel a mile down the road to the next stop in the pouring rain. Lonnie then continued to have a conversation with the man about his time as a pilot in the military.
I just thought things like this should bring pride to Boston College administrators like yourself and the basketball team. I think Lonnie should know that his kindness did not go unnoticed, and I respect his willingness to act.
Best, Peter Trainor
