Photos of 亚色影库 Strong Scholars by Lee Pellegrini.
The Boston College Strong Scholarship recipients鈥攁nd the awareness and support for disabilities and accessibility issues that the scholarship program has cultivated鈥攚ere celebrated at a virtual event hosted by Boston Marathon bombing survivors Patrick Downes 鈥�05, his wife Jessica Kensky, and the 亚色影库 Strong Scholarship Committee on April 12.
The evening featured a panel discussion with the four 亚色影库 Strong Scholarship recipients Cathryn K. Cheevers '23, Ansel-Ikaei Kufta '24, Jack Manning '20, and Conor V. McCormick '22.聽聽
The 亚色影库 Strong Scholarship, which supports 亚色影库 students who have overcome adversity, was established by a group of Downes鈥� friends from the Class of 2005鈥擪evin Collins, Elizabeth Stowe Fennell, Michael Hundgen, and Grace Simmons Zunic鈥攁s a way to honor Downes and Kensky.
Cathryn (Cate) Cheevers '23
鈥淎pril is the anniversary of the bombing and having [April] be when we celebrate this scholarship and this group of people has made it a really positive and special time for us,鈥� said Kensky.
鈥淵ou are extraordinary human beings,鈥� Downes said of the scholars. 鈥淚t gives us energy to realize that there are wonderful people like all of you out there doing great work in the world and being loving men and women for others.鈥�
During the discussion, moderated by Vice Provost for Enrollment Management John Mahoney, the undergraduates recalled their initial reactions to being notified about the scholarship and reflected on the past year on campus, while Manning gave an update on his life since he graduated as the inaugural 亚色影库 Strong Scholarship recipient.
Ansel-Ikaei Kufta '24
鈥淚 feel so honored to have been awarded this scholarship,鈥� said Cheevers of North Andover, Mass., who is living with cystic fibrosis. 鈥淚t made me feel so welcomed. I knew my disability wasn鈥檛 going to stop me from being at 亚色影库. I knew people here were very accepting and ready to support me through my journey.鈥�
Kufta, a Holyoke, Mass., resident who has ocular albinism and is legally blind, described the call he got last spring from Mahoney telling him he was awarded the scholarship.
鈥淚 was grateful,鈥� said Kufta. 鈥淚t was comforting to know there were people out there ready to support my academic journey.鈥�
A double major in economics and math, Kufta said his favorite teacher during his first year at 亚色影库 has been Assistant Professor of the Practice of Mathematics Jamison Wolf, who teaches Calculus.