Meet the Managers: "What do you view the role of the O'Connell House to be?"

Michael Bell, Undergraduate Associate Manager
"Through my experience of living on upper campus as a freshman, I have found that the O’Connell plays many roles. First and foremost, as the name states, the house serves a student union: it has lounges, study rooms, game rooms, and meeting space for the student population to utilize. Even with these functional aspects, I feel the role of the O’Connell House is even greater and more abstract. I see the house as a place to facilitate discussion, aid in learning, and create community. It is a neutral space for students to gather, get away, or relax. Further, as the O’Connell House is often used as a venue for dances, concerts, and other events, the distinctive structure of the house adds a unique aspect to any event. Overall, I see the O’Connell House as something special on the Boston College campus. It is a refuge, a concert venue, a theater, a study lounge. It is many things to many people, but overall, it is an extremely positive place at Boston College."

Lauren Sopko, Undergraduate Assistant Manager
"Since I started as a freshman at BC, I have regarded the O’Connell House as an integral part of the Boston College community serving not only as a student union, but also as an activity house for students at BC. I believe the central role of the O’Connell House is to make students feel comfortable in their home away from home. To accomplish this, the managers help facilitate programs such as welcome week, and coordinate entertaining and exciting weekend events. Additionally, the house has movie rentals, a large TV with a DVD player, a ping pong table and air hockey for students to use during their free time. Moreover, the O’Connell house also serves as an amiable study environment with large rooms for individual study or group meetings. The O’Connell House, as both a study space and student union, serves each student’s wants and needs while catering to the entire BC community."

Beth Gionfriddo, Graduate Associate Manager
"The O’Connell House is a great place for students to come relax, study or just hang out. It is a great resource, not only for Upper Campus, but for the entire student body. The OCH is a great place for events large and small. Students can utilize the space to make it their own. The OCH is provides a space away from resident halls and classrooms for students."

Kaitlyn Moran, Graduate Associate Manager
"O'Connell House is a place for students to both study and relax. You could bring your books or your friends, and neither would be out of place. Plus, OCH hosts some great weekend events to provide entertainment to students. It's a mistake not to visit OCH!"