Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, one of the nation鈥檚 leading one-to-one mentoring programs, honored Boston College President William P. Leahy, S.J., at its annual Big of the Year gala on May 5. The , which began at the University in 2010 and is based in the University's Volunteer and Service Learning Center, was the organization's first campus-based mentor program.
Fr. Leahy received the 2016 John B. Pearson 鈥淓xcellence in Mentoring鈥� award for his significant, positive and immeasurable impact in the lives of children in the local community. Throughout his nearly 20 years as president,聽Fr. Leahy has been聽committed to providing opportunities for the growth and development of all students within the Boston College community and beyond.
In addition, BC senior Andrew Marchesani and Ricky, with whom Marchesani has been matched since his freshman year in 2012, were respectively named "Big" and "Little" of the year at the Boston Marriott Copley Place gala.
鈥淥ur long-standing partnership with Boston College has been the start of several great programs and opportunities for our organization,鈥� said Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay CEO Wendy Foster, in announcing the award to Fr. Leahy. 鈥淥ver the past six years, the students at Boston College have continued to positively impact our kids, setting great examples of what their futures can hold and providing an unwavering support network. We look forward to our ongoing partnership and are thrilled with our opportunity to serve hundreds of additional children in need of a mentor.鈥�
As a Jesuit university, Boston College encourages its students to develop their God-given gifts and use them in the service of others, Fr. Leahy said in his remarks at the event, noting that this is a principle of Jesuit education that BC students have taken to heart, as evidenced by the 265 Boston College students currently serving as Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
Boston College's partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay was showcased in this video at the 2016 Big of the Year gala.
Since Boston College created the BC BIGS program, the University has continued to grow its partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay and Big Sister Association of Greater Boston. BC BIGS has enabled hundreds of children to experience the benefits of Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring, whether on campus, in Littles' schools, during afterschool programs or throughout the Boston community.
BC BIGS also provides many of the "Littles" with their first opportunity to visit a college campus.聽Through their connections with Boston College mentors, these children, many of whom live in areas that are difficult for Big Brothers Big Sisters Massachusetts Bay to reach through traditional community-based programming, are now pursuing their own plans for college鈥攁 concept they never previously considered.
Boston College leaves its largest footprint on male matches鈥揳 constant need emphasized by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay. Since the first official match in October 2010, BC Male Bigs have spent more than 10,000 hours mentoring in its program, 82 percent of those mentoring relationships lasting until a Big has graduated or beyond. Currently, the BC BIGS program has 127 males placed in more than nine different sites, including Franklin Field.
Following the successful campus-based program model developed with Boston College, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay has expanded this model through partnerships with Babson College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and its recently unveiled partnership with Endicott College.
The Big of the Year annual gala celebrates the spirit of volunteerism and recognizes remarkable community leaders who help brighten the lives of children. Since the first Big of the Year in 1993, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay has raised more than $9.5 million, helping support more than 3,500 one-on-one friendships between young people and adult mentors in the Massachusetts Bay area.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay聽is an innovative, energetic organization that is making a real difference in the lives of over 2,100 youth by providing them with an invested, caring adult mentor. With research and proven outcomes at its core, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay is working to ensure every child has the support from caring adults that they need for healthy development and success in life. The organization鈥檚 vision is to inspire, engage and transform communities in Massachusetts Bay by helping youth achieve their full potential, contributing to healthier families, better schools, brighter futures and stronger communities.聽To learn more, visit the
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