Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Changing lives - one way we make a difference


by Zach

As a Jesuit School, Boston College has long been steeped in not only developing a strong community but also helping those around it. With a long tradition of community service, Boston College Graduate students have been serving their communities in a variety of ways, from working with non-profits to feeding those most in need. Today, every Carroll School Graduate student volunteers at least ten to twenty hours towards community service. Through continuing this long tradition, we gain experience working with many different community-based organizations and individuals. It also reflects our tradition of experiential learning. After just one semester, I have found that my classmates and I are well on track to far exceed, if not double or triple, the ten to twenty hours!

Graduate students enjoy many community service opportunities, ranging from student organizations like Net Impact to working local and national organizations in the Boston area. The Carroll School of Management even plans activities for Boston College's annual Jesuit Day of Service.

One of the most rewarding, for me personally, is participating in Invest in Kids (INK). INK is a joint program between Boston College and Brookline Public schools. This program pairs a graduate student mentor with a 7th or 8th grader. The students I have worked with have really impressed me and I continuously find myself learning more from them than they probably learn from me.

While part of the INK program focuses around school work, the other part focuses on connecting student and mentor through a series of activities. These events range from costume competitions (during Halloween), to meeting student athletes, to scavenger hunts around campus.One of the first events we held was a stock picking challenge that took place between 1915 and 1930. One of the kids in my group astutely pointed out that the Great Depression was coming up and convinced his fellow students to liquidate, propelling our group into first place!

Reflecting on my first semester, I feel that INK was a great source of stress relief and helped me keep things in perspective. While grades and internships are important, it was great spending two hours a week giving back to our community!

A few quotes from my classmates regarding their experience with INK:

"I love having the chance to take a break from studying and schoolwork and give back to the community. The kids always have the ability to brighten my week and I love helping them work towards their goals." - First-Year, Full-Time MBA student.

"Ink is AMAZING!" - First-Year, Full-Time MBA student.

"A nice departure from schoolwork." - First-Year, Full-Time MBA student.

"Fun & Rewarding... Brings out the kid in me!" - Second-Year, MSA/MSF Dual Degree student.

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