Student-Athletes Thank Flynn Fund Donors

Boston College student-athletes and donors gathered in Conte Forum for the Flynn Fund's Annual Scholarship Luncheon on Friday afternoon. The event provided both with the unique opportunity to connect and share personal stories about their experiences as Eagles.

The luncheon is a yearly event that recognizes the generosity of donor's contributions, especially those earmarked for scholarships. Athletic scholarships at Boston College represent one of the most significant expenditures in the department's budget. The gifts that Flynn Fund donors make not only benefit the student-athletes who receive them, but the department as a whole.

William V. Campbell Director of Athletics Martin Jarmond addressed the student-athletes and donors at the start of the luncheon. Jarmond spoke about improving the student-athlete experience and creating a winning tradition at BC. He emphasized the importance of passion and enthusiasm, both of which can help foster a culture of competitive excellence for student-athletes inside and outside of the classroom.

Following Jarmond, Father Tony Pena gave a short prayer in which he highlighted the spirit and the sense of community that athletics provides the Boston College campus as a whole.

As the luncheon progressed, a panel of student-athletes spoke about their personal experience at BC and how the donors have helped to provide them and their teams with the opportunity to practice and compete at the highest level. The panel included senior rower Claire Orzel, senior defensive back Kamrin Moore and senior pitcher Allyson Frei.

Orzel highlighted the numerous ways in which donors have helped to shape her experience at The Heights.

"Donors provide us with a lot of opportunities for racing and for traveling," Orzel explained. "They helped us go on our European trip this year where we got to visit four countries and race in two of them. That kind of experience - to be able to travel with my teammates and compete with them - is just so valuable. It's something I'll never forget. I really thank the donors for that."

Orzel explained the ways in which donors have provided the crew teams as a whole with the tools to be successful.

"We need a lot of equipment to row and we do have to travel with a large amount of people, so their support really means the world to us," Orzel said. "It means we can travel and race against more competitive teams outside our region. Without them, a lot of that wouldn't be possible."

Junior pitcher Jacob Stevens noted the ways in which support from donors has benefitted the baseball team as well.

"I'm very thankful for all the donors here, especially those within the baseball community," Stevens said. "They really look after each other and have really created a strong circle of support and that really empowers us to go chase our dreams."

Stevens spoke about the way in which donors help to create a community of BC student-athletes that spans over generations.

"There's a great camaraderie around here and you can see it all the way through from the athletes to the donors," Stevens said. "It really means a lot to put a face to those who have provided for us and to meet the people who are supporting the program. It's great to show them the gratitude that we have."

Senior linebacker Ty Schwab also appreciated the chance to form more personal connections with the donors at the luncheon.

"It was awesome to put a face with the name and learn from them and see what they have to say about their experiences when they went here and how cool it is for them to come back and watch us," Schwab explained. "They provide us with a lot of opportunities and play an important role in our athletic experience."

Schwab appreciates having the opportunity to learn from Eagles who have graduated.

"Having them come meet with us means a lot because they give us so much," Schwab said. "We love talking to them and learning from them just like they enjoy hearing about our experiences."

Overall, the Athletics Scholarship Luncheon provided donors and student-athletes from different backgrounds with the opportunity to come together with the common goal of moving Boston College Athletics forward.

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