Kimberly A. O’Neil ’97

Kimberly O’Neil ’97 has been a volunteer at the Heights and an advocate for the University since she graduated from Boston College. The first president of the Boston Chapter of the Alumni Association, Ms. O’Neil has been involved with all of her reunion social and gift committees, including co-chairing her 15th Class Reunion last year, when she helped surpass the monetary and participation goals set by the University.

Ms. O’Neil was voted on to the board of directors for the Alumni Association in 2003 and served a second appointed term until 2008. She has also participated in the BC Mentor Program and has been a member of the Fides Society and the President’s Circle of Giving.

After earning her accounting degree from the Carroll School of Management, Ms. O’Neil started her career in public accounting with Arthur Andersen and later worked with Deloitte, where she earned her certified public accountant designation. Over the years, she has hired several hundred BC accounting students as interns and full-time employees. Currently, and for almost 10 years, Ms. O’Neil has been selling real estate for Century 21 Spindler & O’Neil.

Ms. O’Neil is also very involved with the Boston College Club, where she currently serves as the chair of the Membership Committee and is involved with the Women’s Committee. She has been a season ticket holder (and tailgater) for the BC football team since her freshman year.

Ms. O’Neil is engaged to marry Christopher Mara ’87, in July at St. Ignatius of Loyola, at Boston College. The two met at an alumni event.

Georgette L. Asfoura ’12 

Georgette Asfoura ’12, who hails from Cleveland, Ohio, came to Boston College to study economics and studio art, but her most memorable experiences were the series of “mini educations” she gathered from her extracurricular commitments. One of the most meaningful of these was her work with the Senior Class Gift Committee. “Any successes we had,” said Ms. Asfoura, “we had only because of the determined individuals whom I had the privilege of working alongside and the dedicated guidance of our faculty advisers.”

Guiding relationships such as these awarded Ms. Asfoura access to the inner workings of the University and the countless resources that buoy the development of its students. Eventually, those experiences would play an integral role in her decision to pursue a career in higher education. But before entering a master’s degree program, Ms. Asfoura felt compelled to spend one year doing volunteer work with the FrancisCorps program in Syracuse, N.Y., where she currently resides and works in a homeless shelter for single women and children.

Time away from campus has altered Ms. Asfoura’s perspective; she now sees that the greatest gift Boston College gave her isn’t something tangible. It’s a conviction that one’s college years should be more than just “job training.” Those years represent the process by which students should develop all the different facets of who they are. “After graduation, don’t hoard the gifts of that education to yourself,” she says. “Give them away—through an ‘other interested’ vocation—give them away.”

Thomas E. Cornwell ’12

As a member of the 2012 Senior Class Gift Committee, Thomas Cornwell ’12 was an integral part of fundraising efforts that yielded a record-breaking 1,033 donors. Through events like Senior Class Gift Day and efforts to persuade Jack Butler, S.J., vice president for University Mission and Ministry, to attempt the Eagle’s Deli Challenge, 48 percent of the Class of 2012 made gifts to benefit a variety of programs across the Boston College campus.

While at Boston College, Mr. Cornwell worked as a student equipment manager for the football team. In this capacity he assisted coaches, players, and staff with all aspects related to the football program. He was involved in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, even dressing up as Baldwin for a visit to Franciscan Children’s Hospital. Along with fellow award recipient Georgette Asfoura ’12, he was a retreat leader for Halftime 51 in the spring of 2011. Mr. Cornwell also participated in other fundraising efforts through his work with the Boston College Student Callers Program. He was a member of the Irish Society and the Boston College Historical Society.

Today, Mr. Cornwell, who is originally from Virginia, is an account manager for The Boston Beer Company in Chicago, where he works to develop the company’s portfolio through new and existing clients. He is a member of the BC GOLD Committee, a football season ticket holder, and an avid supporter of all things Boston College. He will forever cherish his time at the Heights and, as an alumnus, looks forward to being a part of the University’s continuing growth.