Jenks Leadership Program
Sandy Jenks ’47 had a vision of a student leadership program that would help shape future leaders in the service of others. Jenks is that vision, named for the BC alumnus and administrator that worked tirelessly for the students.
About the Program
The Jenks Leadership Program (JLP) is the signature student leadership program of the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics and the Boston College community. JLP, named for Weston “Sandy” Jenks ’47, identifies and prepares undergraduate men and women to take up leadership roles in the service of others and the common good. Strongly influenced by Robert Greenleaf’s work on Servant Leadership, JLP provides a solid foundation to enable its graduates to become responsible leaders in a global society. This complements Sandy Jenks’s original vision and fits the motto he developed, “Learning for Leadership, Leadership for Service.”
Semester Modules
Individual Leadership (Spring Semester I)
Module one will consist of a series of workshops that work on developing participants’ individual leadership skills.
Team Leadership (Fall Semester I)
Module two’s workshops will focus on the dynamics of team leadership with participants being grouped into small teams (4-5 members) and each team planning a service project.
Service Project (Spring Semester II)
During module three, the teams will execute their service projects.
Spring 2023 (Module III)
Sunday, January 29
Team Group Planning
2:00 PM, Fulton 515
Friday, February 10 – Tuesday, February 14
Acts of Love and Appreciation Weekend
Sunday, February 12
Business Etiquette and Fine Dining
10:00 – 2:00 PM, Boston and Newton Rooms
Wednesday, March 22
Take Back the Night (optional)
5:00 PM, O'Neill Plaza
Saturday, March 25
Title IX: Leveraging Your Leadership
Project Update
10:00 - 2:00 PM, Fulton 515
Saturday, April 1
Campus School Field Day
9:00 AM
Wednesday, April 12
Brennan Symposium
4:30 PM, Heights Room
Friday, April 28
Jenks 2023 Presentation and Graduation
3:00 PM, Fulton Honors Library
Spring 2023 (Module I)
Friday, February 3 – Saturday, February 4
Opening Retreat
4:00 PM, Connors Retreat Center
Friday, February 10 – Tuesday, February 14
Acts of Love and Appreciation Weekend
Sunday, February 26
Purpose Mapping
1:00 PM, Fulton 515
Tuesday, March 14
Celebrate Pi Day
Wednesday, March 15
Implicit Bias
5:30 PM, Fulton 515
Sunday, April 2
What is Leadership
2:00 PM, Fulton 515
Wednesday, April 12
Brennan Symposium
4:30 PM, Heights Room
Saturday, April 22
Community Service
8:00 - 4:00 PM
Friday, April 28
Jenks 2023 Presentation and Graduation
3:00 PM, Fulton Honors Library
Class of 2022 Projects
This year's projects were once again back in person and supported communities both on campus and in the Greater Boston area.
The Perkins-Jenks Cubelet Challenge
For our project, we worked with the Perkins School for the Blind to plan and execute four workshops using modular robotic blocks called Cubelets that teach important problem-solving skills. They were presented to students who studied computer science. We fulfilled the needs of the Perkins School by implementing block-based coding into their curriculum, giving the students a fun and unique way to learn, and, most importantly, giving them a space to form new friendships. Over the course of the four workshops, we each grew individually and as a group in many ways, especially in broadening our cultural horizons by working with the Perkins students, who had different levels of visual impairment. We learned a lot from the Jenks Leadership Program, especially that impact can come in many different shapes and sizes. Even though the four workshops that we hosted with the Perkins students were small, their curriculum now includes Cubelets, and the students have gained confidence that will inevitably lead to a larger impact on their community.
Campus School Field Day
We worked with the Campus School to orchestrate an engaging event for their students. Operating within the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, the Campus School strives to “realize the potential of every student.” Given our collective passion for impacting and connecting with youth, we decided to unite artistic creativity, physical activity, and community connection into one event—the Campus School Field Day. Our group collaborated with physical therapists and community representatives to brainstorm inclusive activities for students from across many age groups. We were able to host four different groups in 30-minute waves throughout the event, and in bringing instructors, students, and volunteers together, the joy of community really shone through. Creating this relationship and executing this project for the Campus School allowed us to establish the framework, logistics, and proof of concept for future events. We were able to mobilize volunteers from across various University programs to deliver on the Boston College ethos of being “men and women for others.”
Spreading Kindness at Boston College
Some of our peers struggle to make friends and find community on campus, so for our project we decided to create a Kindness Week at Boston College. We wanted to highlight the strengths of our community and give students an outlet to express their best selves to others. We set up a wall of kindness in an area on campus that receives heavy foot traffic during the day. We had Post-its and pens for students to write notes of encouragement to their friends and peers and stick them on the wall, and also gain inspiration and encouragement for themselves. The event was held during the last week of classes, and we have worked with CAB to hold this event at the end of each semester moving forward.
Project Sister Mary Hart
For our project, we worked with the Sister Mary Hart (SMH) Children’s Program, which is housed at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Roxbury. SMH is an after-school program where children from 1st to 7th grade participate in activities including playtime and STEM, and work with tutors from area colleges. SMH’s funding was cut for their arts and music program, so we purchased art and music supplies and created easy-to-follow lesson templates for art projects and music lessons. We also made a field visit to SMH, where we engaged in activities with the students. With the materials we purchased and the curriculum we created, anyone with a basic understanding of art and music can create a fun learning environment for the children.
Past Service Projects
Class of 2021 Projects
Eagle Alliance
The goal of our project is to foster a sense of community within the freshman class while simultaneously adhering to the pandemic guidelines at the college, state, and federal levels. By focusing on freshmen, the group most negatively affected by the new state of college, we can reinvigorate the values of Boston College, like attentiveness, intelligence, and responsibility. In order for the group to form personal and communal relationships, we created a program to match like-minded freshmen who will spend time together doing activities they enjoy—whether getting coffee or exploring Boston. Ensuring these groups spend quality time together will be the greatest accomplishment of our project and will provide hope for everlasting relationships and a restoration of Boston College values.
Peers Talk: Power & Privilege
Our group will host three 3-part workshops to discuss Privilege and Civil Discourse. When deciding our project, we wanted to address the pressing issues of social injustice. Addressing this topic incorporates our love language of Acts of Service because we want to improve the situations of marginalized groups on campus. Our presentations are designed to draw people in and prove to them that they can be part of the solution. To do so, we must use words of affirmation and other statements that reinforce our audience’s belief in their own ability to contribute to this cause. As a general theme, our project reflects love because we are seeking to promote equality for marginalized groups and instill empathy in those who may have a closed mind when it comes to Diversity & Inclusion. In terms of inclusion, this is the essence of our entire project, as we are seeking to promote a more racially inclusive culture at Boston College.
Eagle Budget
“Love of neighbor” is the goal of a Jesuit education, to produce “men and women for others,” and that extends into the service project our team has developed. Our goal is to better serve the Boston College community through the creation of a budgeting app. In creating our project, we collected information from students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, including but not limited to students in BC’s Montserrat Program, which serves low-income students, first-year and second-year students, and various campus clubs. The information we gathered has allowed us to cater our app to a wider population of BC students and help them plan for their weekend, weekly, or monthly spending. Ultimately, our service project is a physical expression of “love of neighbor,” and we hope that when students open the app to plan their spending they feel their needs are being served and recognized.
Building Community Worldwide
The international student community at Boston College faces many challenges when transitioning onto campus. Not only are they starting a brand-new chapter of their lives, they are in an unfamiliar environment and are often distanced from the normal support networks they would seek out at home. We hope to meet this need by assisting the Office of International Student Services (OISS) in creating new initiatives to engage our international student community. We will be creating ways to better promote the International Assistants (IA) program as well as advertising the other services OISS offers. We hope this will help create a centralized online presence where international students can visit and share their voices. Moreover, by partnering with the OISS, we hope to develop new programming within the IA program that is more attuned to the needs and concerns of first-year international students.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions most of the 2020 projects had to be reimagined. Students managed the unexpected disruption with aplomb and were able to successfuly bring some semblance of conclusion or continuity to their projects. Unfortunately projects that were intended to be completed during the 2021 academic year were once again placed on pause because of continued COVID-19 restrictions.
Affordable Housing in the Greater Boston Area
Our project is designed to demonstrate ways in which affordable housing impacts peoples’ lives in the greater Boston area with a more specific focus on bursting through the “BC bubble” and the illusions we have about the real world while living on a college campus. We want people to understand the severity of the crisis and of the issues at hand. Our project will focus on how cost of living impacts choices and lifestyles. We will be working with student affairs to create a BC specific program for college students, which will include the impact college loans have on your monthly budget.
Ballou Farm Urban Agricultural Promotional Project
Our project focused on an Urban Agricultural Project called The OASIS on Ballou. This farm is located directly on the Fairmount Line in Dorchester, where many people are living below the poverty line. Like many other neighborhoods along the rail line, Dorchester residents have difficulty accessing affordable healthy food, and many suffer from health conditions such as diabetes. Ballou Farm is a place where community members can learn about healthy eating and make a living selling the farm’s produce to local restaurants. The farm also employs formerly incarcerated men to harvest crops each spring and summer. We had originally planned to organize a volunteer day in April and redesign the farm’s website for our service project. Due to the challenges from COVID-19, the volunteer day for Ballou Farm has been postponed to the fall. There will be a website created to promote the farm’s mission and offer volunteer opportunities there in the future. Keep an eye out for fliers around BC’s campus, and we hope to see you on Ballou Farm soon!
BC Bees
Our project recognizes the wavering efforts of Earth’s various societies to combat climate change. Starting in Chestnut Hill, we aim to combat climate change through an extraordinary yet all-too-familiar species: bees. With Boston College's very own beehive on top of Fulton Hall, our plan has been to install live web cameras and utilize an engaging, dynamic website to spread awareness of bees' importance. Partnering with BC administration and BC's sustainability and energy specialist, Bruce Dixon, we planned to educate the BC community and eventually spread to schools in the greater Boston area. However, given the impact of COVID-19, all non-essential projects came to a halt, including our webcam installation. UPDATE: Webcam was installed and we witnessed the beehive delivery via Zoom on May 25th.
Helping MIRA Promote Immigrant Rights
Our project is focused on establishing a partnership and relationship between MIRA, Massachusetts’s Immigration and Refugee Advocacy coalition, and Boston College. MIRA’s mission is to help immigrants know their rights and provide them with resources necessary to help them adjust to the U.S. and become citizens. MIRA places an importance on immigrants as human beings and not “illegals.” The organization helps immigrants become naturalized citizens and registered voters. Our project plan is to partner with MIRA to bring a greater awareness of immigration and immigrant rights to Boston College. We hope to do this next semester with an information session and volunteer training session provided by a MIRA representative. Then we plan to provide transportation to BC students interested in volunteering to MIRA’s citizenship clinics. We hope to establish an ongoing partnership between BC students as volunteers with MIRA and to promote a greater awareness of immigration rights at BC.
Jenks and Perkins: Adaptive Sports & Caring Communities
Our project is focused on connecting the Boston College community to Perkins School for the Blind, which serves students with visual impairments and other disabilities in the greater-Boston area. Originally, our plan was to make this possible through Goalball—a popular adaptive sport where players are blindfolded and must attempt to roll a noise-making ball into their opponent’s goal—specifically by building a goalball net for younger students at the school, collaborating with the BC Council with Students for Disabilities, and organizing an event in which BC students could visit Perkins, try the sport, and hopefully garner a new appreciation for the importance of adaptive sports. However, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, we were not able to bring this initial plan to fruition. In order to still create a connection between BC and Perkins, we instead decided to create a fundraising campaign during the month of May using our social media platforms, thereby connecting Perkins to a new base of supporters as well as creating new community awareness and interest in Perkins’ mission.
Signing Up For Sustainability
Our project focused on increasing sustainability in the BC Dining Halls. One of our group members saw a problem with sanitation when she tried bringing in her own tupperware to the dining hall to take food to-go. In general, we saw that the dining culture at BC was inundated with unsustainable practices such as too many single-use plastic options, non-recyclable salad and pasta bowls, and bulky glass plates that made it difficult for on-the-go students to choose them as a sustainable option. Therefore, we partnered with BC Dining to kick-start the Green-to-Go initiative. As a part of the program, students can ask for a green container when getting their food, pay a one-time fee to purchase the container, and return it to a special area for washing. Upon return, students receive a green carabiner that signifies payment. The next time they want to eat, they turn in the green carabiner instead of paying for the container again. We hope to expand this program to all dining halls and make this a larger initiative next year.
Class of 2019 Projects
BC Lax Has Your Back: Forming a Service Partnership with Harlem Lacrosse Boston
Our project focused on establishing a partnership between Boston College and Harlem Lacrosse. Harlem Lacrosse’s mission is to empower the children who are most at risk for academic decline and dropout to rise above their challenges and reach their full potential. Harlem Lacrosse inspires children to dream about tomorrow while working hard on the field and in the classroom today. Through a shared love of the sport, our group was able to utilize Jenk’s resources and personal connections to bring together Boston College Women’s Club Lacrosse and Harlem Lacrosse Boston in an inaugural clinic co-hosted by JLP and BC Women’s Club Lacrosse. Moving forward, both teams are excited for future opportunities to collaborate together and further foster the relationship with the understanding that such a partnership and its implications stretch far beyond the lacrosse field.
Extreme Makeover: St. Francis House Edition
Our project, Extreme Makeover: St. Francis House Edition, focused on expanding the capabilities of the St. Francis House Clothing Center in downtown Boston. Clothing distribution centers require extensive maintenance, and many have been shut down. Thus, the need for quick and efficient access to clothing for the homeless and underserved is a growing need in the urban Boston area. Working closely with the St. Francis House staff, our group accomplished three goals: (1) improved the infrastructure through transforming the clothing storage space, (2) implemented an inventory system to track clothing going in and out, (3) and developed a strong relationship with BC service groups to provide more volunteers to focus on sorting and organizing the storage rooms. Ultimately, our team provided not only physical clothing, but also a sense of compassion and care for those most disadvantaged in our society.
Farming a Sustainable Lifestyle
We have partnered with Newton Community Farm, a local nonprofit and the last working farm in Newton, to encourage sustainable living in our community. The farm aims to educate on sustainable agricultural and environmental practices through workshops, kids’ camps, and daily farm visits. They provide locally grown produce through their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, their farm stand, Newton farmers markets, and donations to local food pantries. We have teamed with Newton Community Farm to create a guide to sustainable living that will serve as a curriculum as well as a channel to raise awareness and promote the efforts of the farm.
Coursework to Careers: A Mentorship Initiative
Our group identified the lack of resources available to underclassmen enrolled in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences in terms of continued, informal peer mentorship in areas related to career path exploration and extracurricular interests. Jesuit pedagogy at Boston College focuses on the inherent value found in self-reflection, and the senior class seems particularly attuned to sharing their personal insights with peers as they prepare to transition to life beyond BC. Hoping to draw on this aspect of the senior experience, our group collaborated with the Career Center to initiate a Senior Speaker Panel and a Mentor Matching Initiative. The panel featured five seniors with unique academic and pre-professional insights and was geared toward an audience of MCAS underclassmen. The Matching Initiative will serve as an extension of our panel, supported by the formation of an online platform that will connect upperclassmen mentor volunteers with underclassmen mentees. It is our hope that authentic connections will form amongst mentors and mentees, and these relationships will continue to develop in the semesters to come.
Eagle Allies: Partnering with BC Students with Chronic Illness and Physical Disabilities
Our project serves to improve ally relations with our fellow eagles living with physical disabilities and chronic illnesses. To do so, our group worked to provide a space and resources for a new support group on campus to promote community and self-advocacy for the necessary improvements on campus. We also created a document of the available resources on campus for disabled students to be acquired at Orientation, through the Office of First Year Experience and Disability Services.
Creating Music Opportunities at Thomas Edison K-8
Music had a profound effect on each of our lives, particularly on our personal development through middle and high school. Unfortunately, access to music education and opportunities to perform music can be hard to come by for children in low income communities. We collaborated with Boston College’s Music Outreach program and music students at Boston College to develop an introductory music education program consisting of eight modules designed to assist student music teachers in introducing younger students to basic music subjects such as singing, rhythm, and piano. The program will be implemented at the Thomas Edison K-8 School in Brighton, MA by student teachers from the Music Outreach program at Boston College.
Class of 2018 Projects
Kids for Healthy Minds
The mission of Kids for Healthy Minds is to create resources for teachers to talk about mental health proactively and positively from an early age. Educators and school counselors often address such issues reactively, years later during adolescence. Thus, we have created ten distinct lesson plans, each focusing on a particular children's book, with activities and questions to provide opportunities for growth in each individual student and encourage healthy relationship-building among peers. Our curriculum dives deeper into messages and emotional education rooted in the content of these books, allowing the lesson to continue after reading the book.
Building Bridges: Mattapan Teen Center and Boston College
The goal of our project is to build a productive and meaningful relationship between the Mattapan Teen Center and Boston College. The Mattapan Teen Center operates under the umbrella of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, which helps young people in need build character and be responsible citizens and leaders in their communities. The director of the Teen Center identified a need for the teens to be exposed to the experiences that people of color face in society and on college campuses. We assembled a panel of bright and intelligent students of color from Boston College to lead critical conversations with the members of the Mattapan Teen Center where they offered their perspectives on high school, the college process, and their experiences at Boston College as a person of color.
Jenks X Boston Medical Center
For our project we created a space for children who are patients at Boston Medical Center that fosters a positive, educational, and comfortable hospital experience. Our goal is to help diminish the negative stigma of hospitals as a dark and scary place. By creating a room that serves as a first impression for patients and their families, we are able to make a lasting impact on the role that the hospital plays in their lives. For the funding, supplies, and design of the room we secured an artist to create a mural on the wall, secured toy and book donations from Leap Frog, Melissa & Doug and other organizations, and created a Go fund Me page.
Rosie's Place Arts Initiative
The mission of our project is to instill or renew a love for the arts within an underprivileged community in the Boston-area and inspire the use of the arts for personal expression. We partnered with Rosie’s Place, a women’s shelter located in downtown Boston. Rosie’s Place recently ended their arts program due to funding, so we worked with the volunteer coordinator to bring BC musicians to perform during the dinner period. Residents were also invited to perform with the BC musicians. We also led an arts and crafts session with the women and their children. We plan to continue our involvement with this initiative as we will be facilitating a temporary art exhibit to be displayed in the McMullen Museum and the Robsham Theatre bringing this art exchange full circle.
Bursting the Bubble: Expanding the Service Culture at BC
Through our college experience, we have found how difficult it can be to find ways to make an impact in the community. Our mission is to provide services and make it much easier for clubs on campus to share their gifts and talents with those who need them in the Boston area. Through our collaboration with OSI (Office of Student Involvement) we want to share the service leadership skills that we learned through Jenks and inspire the community to follow the Jesuit values of Boston College's mission and 10 year plan. By creating the Excel Curriculum and the Leadership Development Program modules, we aim to create a sustainable plan that will continue to impact eagles long after we graduate.
Little Impacts: Teaching Littles a Sustainable Lifestyle
The goal of our project is to increase awareness of environmental issues by creating engaging and informative activities. We partnered with BC Bigs, a campus-based mentoring program, where “Little Brothers and Sisters” from Franklin Field Housing Development in Dorchester come to campus to do activities with their “Big Brothers and Sisters.” Our presentation to the 50 littles, ages 7-17 addressed three themes: pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction where we discussed how each theme relates to each other, their impact on our world, and how we can help to protect the environment. Activities included a recycling game, plant pot decorating where littles received seedlings for the pots they created, and an interactive quiz that paired littles with their bigs to answer questions about the lessons learned during the afternoon. BC Bigs have expressed an intent to continue this initiative.
Class of 2017 Projects
5K Long for BC Strong
The goal of our project is to bring a larger sense of awareness amongst the student body of the lack of accessibility and difficulties that students with physical disabilities face on campus. Working in collaboration with the Boston College Strong Scholarship our team implemented an on-campus 5K run to raise money for the scholarship fund. The Boston College Strong Scholarship was created in honor of alumnus Patrick Downes ’05 and his wife Jessica Kensky who were survivors of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. This scholarship provides financial aid to a student with physical disabilities and in need of such aid. This first annual 5K run generated publicity across the BC community not only about the scholarship but about the story and mission of the couple that founded it, and attracted more than 70 runners. We hope to make this an annual event and will be working to create a BC Strong student organization. In year two, we hope to have 200+ runners.
BC Nourishes St. Columbkille
This project was designed to engage and educate elementary school students at St. Columbkille on issues of health, nutrition, and overall wellness. While an incredibly valuable lifelong skill, knowledge of nutrition is rarely discussed in lower-level education. The goal for our project was to empower young students to take personal responsibility of their health by focusing on nutrition education in the classroom. Over two days, we implemented a nutrition education workshop to 3rd and 4th graders. Workshops featured guest speakers comprising of BC athletes, dancers, and students enrolled in nutrition classes. We also provided a healthy snack bar, and engaged students in games that reviewed the concepts discussed in the workshops. Emphasizing the importance of healthy eating while proposing ways that students might implement new knowledge into their daily life was received with very positive reactions from both students and teachers. The students thrived by learning new curriculum and the methods we used to convey the information were conducive to student learning. Looking forward, given Boston College’s partnership with St. Columbkille we have started the conversation with the Boston College Office of Health Promotion to possibly carry on and build on this initiative.
The Giving Garden
Our project was to build a sustainable garden at the East Boston Early Education Center. It was our goal to promote a sense of belonging and hope for the community and all who interact with the garden particularly the children so that they form and have a meaningful connection with their local environment. Our sub-goals were to enhance the school campus and neighborhood by bringing nature into an inner-city environment; increase student interaction with nature, which helps mitigate behavioral issues and learning differences; and create a beautiful space for an under-resourced school that will be sustainable and inspire hope in children, teachers, and parents. Working with a professional landscaper, we planted plants that will thrive over the summer with minimal watering. During the school year, one class per week would receive the special honor to water the Giving Garden so they each have a piece in its growth. We plan to engage Recruit EcoReps or another club to help maintain the garden as well as start a fundraising campaign to support the future of our garden.
Meals for Others
For our project we sought to bring awareness to the global issues of poverty and nutrition in rural areas. We created a fundraising campaign which included a dinner and acapella show to benefit the organization Landesa. Over 1 billion of the world’s poorest people live in rural areas where land is a key asset, but they do not have rights to the land. Founded in 1981 by Roy Prosterman, the Landesa Rural Development Institute was the first NGO to partner with governments to extend land rights to the rural poor which has resulted in increased agricultural production; increased property investments; and increased income. We decided to host a dinner as it is symbolic of feeding yourself and donating to feed others while rallying people around something that naturally brings community together (food!) We worked closely with BC’s executive chef, Frank Bailey to create a farm to table sourced menu and included acapella groups in the event as we believe that they embody the university’s mission to create a community. Future plans for this project include working with BC Dining to designate left over meal plan dollars to the Landesa organization and securing sponsors to donate food to forthcoming fundraising efforts.
Putt for Veterans
Our project was created to raise awareness and funds to benefit American military veterans who are faced with overcoming disabilities and major injuries. We partnered with Soldier Strong, an organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of our veterans by providing “state of the art” technology to help get them back on their feet. Soldier Strong partners with the world’s leading medical technology companies to provide profound, life changing devices for veterans. Our team’s fundraising effort included a miniature golf tournament, raffle sales and an event at Agoro’s.
Class of 2016 Projects
Stand Up for a Cause
Our team planned a fundraiser to benefit Prevent Child Abuse America. The event StandUp For a Cause was held in Robsham Theater and featured performances from some of Boston College’s best comedy talent groups, including Ready, Set, PUNCHLINE and CCE. Headlining was Boston College alumnus and comedian, Dana Jay Bein. Our group hopes to make StandUp For a Cause an annual event that will give student comedy groups exposure while raising money for a great organization.
Franciscans Field Day
For our project, our team planned an event for the Franciscan Hospital for Children. The objective of our project was to use the talents within the BC community and create an event for the pediatric patients at Franciscan's. Working with a child life specialist at the hospital, the team developed the idea to have a fun day for the patients. Collaborating with BC’s Project Sunshine group, volunteers participated in activities like finger and face painting, a beanbag toss, hopscotch and bubble blowing with the patients. Project Sunshine plans to continue this initiative in years to come. Our leadership takeaways from this experience can be summed up in three words, adaptability, inclusion, and persistence.
St. Columbkille Olympics
For our project, we collaborated with St. Columbkille Partnership School to implement the St. Columbkille Sports Club, a three week long athletic discovery program focusing on six different sports, including basketball, kickball and volleyball. Volunteers were drawn from BC's club sports teams, who mentored and coached St. Columbkille students from 3-5:00 PM Monday through Thursday, helping the latter group to sample new activities and build meaningful relationships with their peers. The afternoon started with volunteers helping the students with homework followed by sport activities in the second part of the afternoon. The St. Columbkille School had been interested in finding a way to implement more sports initiatives for their students, so our project helped them to spearhead this initiative and inaugurate their new sports facilities.
Spring Cleaning: Clothing Drive
Lessons in adaptability, flexibility, scalability and red tape were learned as we had to forego our initial project plan that focused on creating avenues of income for autistic individuals through participant accomplishment in the arts. After the setback we regrouped and came up with a project that we felt benefited a worthy community in need. We organized a clothing drive to benefit St. Francis House, the largest day center for homeless individuals in Massachusetts. We launched a major social media campaign and were able to generate tremendous buzz among students resulting in a truckload of clothes that was donated to St. Francis.
Class of 2015 Projects
Smoke-Free BC
The original mission of our project was to educate the Boston College community about the repercussions of smoking and tobacco. However, we realized that education was not the primary issue, as almost everyone is aware of the negative repercussions of smoking. So we decided to reshape our mission, to make Boston College a smoke-free campus. Though we understood that this was a lofty goal, especially considering our time constraints, we hoped that this Jenks project would be able to start a greater movement on campus, which would have effects and benefits far beyond our semester-long project. We identified three phases of the project which we felt were necessary to achieve this goal. They included raising awareness; garnering support from other student bodies; and finally the policy change that would make BC a smoke-free campus. The first step of this project focused on creating awareness on the Boston College campus, and we partnered with Boston College Relay for Life--specifically with its Colleges Against Cancer Committee. At the Relay for Life 12-hour, overnight event sponsored by the American Cancer Society, we were able to reach a very wide and diverse audience. Our initiative to raise awareness included quarter sheets and laminated literature, illustrating the dangers of smoking and tobacco; and in order to engage and incentivize traffic to our table, hundreds of “educational cookies,” which each contained a fact related to smoking or smoking-induced diseases.
As found by our research, universities and colleges with smoke-free campuses typically became smoke-free by a top-down policy. Because this project aims to create change via a grassroots approach, we recognized that gaining support on campus among students and faculty was crucial. Through a partnership with the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC), a survey was sent out to a random sampling of BC students, inquiring about their support of the smoke-free movement at Boston College. After raising awareness, it was necessary to create a network of support for the movement on campus to make it more visible and credible, and identified other key and relevant organizations on campus to join the movement. Some of these organizations include the BC chapter of the American Red Cross, Globe Med, EcoPledge, and the Connell School of Nursing Senate.
We hope that the benefits of this project extend far beyond our semester of Jenks, and while the most important goals of this semester to build a strong foundation for the movement, by raising awareness and garnering support were met, most of the action will take place in the months and semesters to come. The partnership with UGBC, Relay for Life, and the smoke-free committee will continue to promote and grow this initiative next year. As this collaboration becomes stronger, we will work with the administration to create the institutional change necessary to make Boston College a smoke-free campus.
As of April 2, 2015, there were 1,543 smoke-free college campuses and over a thousand tobacco-free campuses in the United States, according to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. 3 other Jesuit universities, 21 other major schools in Massachusetts are now smoke-free, including Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. It is our hope that Boston College will join the ranks of these other universities, to become a smoke-free campus.
Jenks Loves Mail
For our project, we partnered with the Girls Love Mail charity, an organization founded by Gina Mulligan, a breast cancer survivor, which collects hand-written letters and gives them to women undergoing breast cancer treatment. These letters are distributed through cancer centers and doctor’s offices. We set up a Jenks table at Relay for Life, where we gave BC students the opportunity to not only emotionally connect to a major world issue, but connect with others outside of the BC community.
The event embodied the mission of beginning in the night, and waking up into the sunrise with new light and new adventures ahead of you. It was very humbling to see the number of people who wrote letters which contained words of inspiration and encouragement. Roughly 150 letters were written by BC students, and as of April 2, 2015, the Girls Love Mail organization had received 4,568 letters and counting.
Relay for Life has asked that this initiative continue next year and beyond.
Mini Jenks at Bird Street Community Center
For our project we worked with middle-schoolers at the Bird Street Community Center, in Dorchester. We created a Mini Jenks program and ran two workshops. For the first workshop we used games to focus on teamwork and improving communication skills. Using Tinker Toys students were charged with building the tallest structure under various communication constraints; and with the blindfold game challenges were presented, and students had to rely on their peers to achieve tasks. This workshop accomplished its goal by demonstrating and teaching the students teamwork, listening, and nonverbal communication skills. The second workshop was focused on conflict resolution skills where we presented various skits and scenarios and had the students come up with solutions. With this workshop, students were able to walk away with tools that will help them to navigate any complex or challenging situation that they may be presented. The students were very engaged in the activities, and we received very positive feedback from the Director of the Middle School Youth Council at the Center.
Passing it Forward
The mission of our project was to organize and implement a student run program to foster learning and leadership for young members of the Roxbury Youth Program, while developing their appetite for opportunities for higher education. We had three objectives: to encourage students to think about college; foster goal setting to focus on future plans; and to build leadership and teamwork skills. The students were juniors and seniors, and for the first two goals, we directed the discussion towards their plans for the future and answer questions they had about college life. Using the SMART goal framework, we were able to provide them with information on what they needed to do to go to college and be successful while there. The students were very receptive during the workshop and were excited to think about their future. For the third objective, we used the Stranded on a Life Raft exercise to help them learn how to work together and learn the art of prioritizing. The activity was a success and the students reported that they enjoyed it much more than they expected. They got very competitive with each other and worked well in teams to get the best results.
Quick Facts
200
hours of community service performed by Jenks students
40
hours dedicated to leadership training
Apply
This program is open to all Boston College freshmen, sophomores, and juniors from all schools. The application process for Jenks class of 2025 will begin in Fall 2023.
Selection Criteria:
- Commitment to and potential for leadership
- Strong commitment to service for others
- Ability to contribute to group learning
- Commitment to attend and participate in all program events

Photo Gallery
Weston M. "Sandy" Jenks
Weston M. "Sandy" Jenks founded the Leadership Training Group in 1967 to prepare students for leadership roles in groups and organizations. This group was soon rebranded as the Paraprofessional Leader Group (PLG). Jenks was strongly influenced by the work of Robert Greenleaf (Servant Leadership) and John Gardner (author, presidential advisor, and founder of Common Cause). In 1992, on the occasion of the PLG's 25th anniversary, the program was renamed the Jenks Leadership Program in his honor. The focus today continues to be on leadership in service to others.
Jenks founded the Office of Counseling Services at Boston College and served as its Director for 21 years. He was a counselor and confidante to scores of Boston College students during a career that spanned 47 years, beginning when he arrived as a freshman at age 16, in 1941.
Farewell to a BC legend
Jack Thomas,The Boston Globe
June 2, 1988
The most passionate event is death, and the least emotional writing, ironically, is the obituary, so that when Weston Jenks died in his sleep of cancer a few weeks ago at 64, it was reported matter-of-factly that he was a native of Waterbury, Conn., that his 40-year career at Boston College had begun as a freshman at age 16, that he had earned three degrees, commanded an attack boat in the South Pacific during World War II, and returned to BC, where he taught poetry and composition and founded the College Writer's Workshop and a counseling office of 10 psychologists who help thousands of students each year.
But there was more to Jenks, or "Sandy," as he was known to friends and colleagues who gathered after his funeral at St. Ignatius Church, and than again a few days later to dedicate a library in his name at Gasson Hall, for he was, by unanimous agreement, an exceptional teacher of intellect, imagination, energy and, above all, compassion. He devoted most of his attention to students learning to write - among them George V. Higgins and Ed Hannibal - or those who were troubled emotionally. Oddly, he never wrote for publication, for although devoted to the written word, he found creative writing, even the composing of a memo, to be devilishly difficult. "He was so acutely aware of the weight of each word and the need to craft it," said a friend, Dr. David John Smith, "that he was sometimes not able to sit down and write a letter."
He loved literature, conversation, political cartoons, Noel Coward and E.B. White. He enjoyed the funny pages, vacations at Boothbay Harbor, browsing in bookstores or antique shops, and puns, which he considered a clever use of the language. He was a swimmer, sailor and sports fan, with season tickets to BC football, basketball and hockey. He was partial to Rob Roys, backyard barbecues and Athens Olympia restaurant.
In clothing, he was traditional, and, at Symphony Hall or a Celtics game, favored suits. In the '60s, when neckties were thought of as politically hostile, Sandy resisted a temptation to win the favor of students by dressing down, and it was common, even in rebellious years, to see him in a three-piece suit in conversation with a campus radical in hippie dress. Sandy was not a man to blow with the wind, and students buffeted by confusion and contradiction saw him as an anchor, particularly during the social hurricanes of the '60s.
He was never on time, and students who saw him racing across campus would laugh in knowledge Sandy was late again. Alumni who invited him home learned it was imprudent to begin cooking until he arrived. He lived longer than doctors expected, not as long as his friends hoped. He was a man of deep faith, and from diagnosis until death in May, he went through the denial, anger, and finally an acceptance of death, although never resignation. Told there was no point in further treatment, that it was time to go home and die, he said he was prepared, but not in a hurry, and when it came, it would be OK, because he had lived a full life.
Next September, students will have to find someone else to ease homesickness, interpret Yeats, explain Vivaldi, define gerunds and teach Midwesterners how to eat lobster. Someone else will have to straighten out resumes and applications for grad school, and students on drugs will have to look elsewhere for help, which is too bad, for Sandy Jenks would have made it easier.
Meet the Jenks Class

Sarah Flynn '23
Sarah is from New Rochelle, NY, and is a student in The Carroll School of Management studying Marketing and Management for Social Impact on the Digital Economy, Social Innovation, and Citizenship track. Sarah graduated from The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, where leadership was at the center of everything she did, as she held roles such as a Student Ambassador, Peer Minister, Team captain of the Varsity Cross Country and Track and Field Teams; and even hosted her own charity event. In addition to being a member of the Jenks Program, Sarah is currently a member of the Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field Teams, the Student-Athlete Advisory Community Service Committee, and is the community service liaison for the Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field Teams. In her free time, Sarah loves to spend time with her friends and family, trying new restaurants in Boston, and swimming or doing yoga. Through Jenks, Sarah hopes to continue to write chapters in her Boston College journey by meeting lifelong friends, growing as an individual, and most importantly, learning the true meaning of “men and women for others.”

Christopher Strohman '23
Chris is from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and is in the Carroll School of Management. He attended St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia where he was president of the Philosophy Club and a member of the cross country team. Chris is an avid Sixers fan and enjoys music, reading, movies and television as well. He is thankful to have the opportunity to be at Boston College and is even more thankful to be a member of the Jenks community.

Panayoti Athineos ‘25
Panayoti is from Brooklyn, New York where he graduated from Xavier High School, a Jesuit High School located in the heart of NYC. At Boston College, Panayoti is an Economics Major with a minor in Accounting for Finance and Consulting. In addition to the Jenks Leadership Program, he is an active member of the Trips & Excursion Department of Campus Activities Board, the Finance Board of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College, the Christian Life Community, and the Hellenic Society. Outside of BC, Panayoti loves traveling, trying new foods and restaurants, and exploring new business ventures with friends. Panayoti is eager to grow as a leader by absorbing all the knowledge and experience the program provides as well as make long-lasting friendships with his fellow classmates in Jenks.

Dylan Breen ‘24
Dylan was born in Westford, MA, and has lived there his whole life. He attended Westford Academy and played hockey and golf, as well as being a part of various other clubs. He is currently studying in the Carroll School of Management, co-concentrating in finance and entrepreneurship. In addition to being a member of Jenks ’23, he will serve as co-directorate in the Jenks ’24 class. Outside of Jenks, Dylan is a member of Arrupe, in which he will be going on an immersion program in El Salvador. He also works part-time at the recreation center. Dylan loves to work out, find vintage clothes, and explore new places. He is extremely grateful to be a part of Jenks and looks forward to using his growth as a leader to build meaningful relationships with others and make an impact in years to come.

Alan Chang ‘25
Alan was born in Westport, Connecticut, but he calls Shanghai, China his home. His family moved back to Shanghai when he was four, and he was raised there for the past 14 years of his life until he graduated from Shanghai American School Pudong – the Pre-K to 12 international school that he had attended since Kindergarten. Alan is a Sophomore at Boston College currently triple majoring in International Studies, Computer Science and Environmental Studies in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. Alan is passionate about serving the Boston College community and the greater Boston city. Last school year, Alan participated in Boston College's PULSE program and served at Nativity Preparatory School Boston (NPS Boston) – a non-profit Jesuit late-elementary and middle school that provides free education to children of low-income families of color. Alan enjoyed his experience in PULSE and at NPS Boston so much that he will be serving on the PULSE Council next year to further his service to the greater city of Boston. Through the Jenks Leadership Program, Alan hopes to learn what it truly means to be a leader and improve his leadership skills. He also hopes that Jenks will provide him with the knowledge to become a better community servant.

Chloe Chen ‘24
Chloe is in the Carroll School of Management.

Ryan Childs ‘24
Ryan Childs is a rising junior in Boston College’s Carroll School of Management, studying Finance and Business Analytics. Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, Ryan attended Marist School, where he captained the varsity swim team to a state championship and participated in multiple community service groups. At Boston College, Ryan is involved with the Men’s Club Rugby Team as a forward, the Boston College Investment Club as an analyst, and the Boston College chapter of Consult Your Community. Through the Jenks Leadership Program and with the help of his classmates, Ryan aims to advance not only his leadership skills but also find ways to incorporate community service into his business career.

Carter Crocker ‘25
Carter is from Manchester, MA, and is an Economics major in Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. He is also minoring in international studies and is planning on adding another minor from the Carroll School of Management. Carter graduated from Manchester Essex Regional High School as a 2 sport varsity athlete, member of the Science League, a Peer Mentor, and part of the NHS. Outside of the classroom, he loves to be outdoors, whether that is at the beach in the summer or skiing in the winter. He also loves to hang out with friends, read, and go to the gym. Through the Jenks Program, Carter is looking forward to building on and learning new leadership skills with the hope he can use them to create a business that will have a positive impact on society.

Margot Curry ‘25
Margot is from Lake Forest, IL, and is a student in The Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences studying Economics and English with a minor in Accounting for Finance and Consulting. She graduated from Lake Forest High School where she was a member of the field hockey team, played viola in the symphony orchestra, and coordinated with local service organizations through her position as a volunteer liaison for NHS. At Boston College, in addition to the Jenks Program, Margot is currently an Assistant Director for the Live Entertainment department of the Campus Activities Board where she plans events and concerts for students on campus. In her free time, Margot enjoys reading, writing creatively, spending time with friends and family, and going for runs outdoors. Margot is extremely grateful to be a part of Jenks Leadership program. She feels strongly that she has the duty to challenge herself everyday and to foster a community at Boston College where classmates challenge and mentor each other, discovering what may be possible when our hearts extend our minds. She hopes to develop her leadership skills on a larger scale and direct her leadership towards providing service to Boston College and the surrounding community.

Matthew Danik ‘24
Matt is enrolled in the Woods College of Advancing Studies.

Akshay Desai ’23
Akshay is in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences.

Antonio Ferre ‘23
Antonio is from San Juan, Puerto Rico and is part of the Boston College class of 2023. He is a sociology major with a minor in management and leadership. Antonio enjoyed playing basketball, volleyball, and surfing when he attended the Baldwin School of Puerto Rico. Other than the Jenks Leadership program Antonio is an active participant in intramural sports and is the Junior/Senior representative of the BCPRSA. Through the leadership program Antonio hopes to develop meaningful connections, improve upon his leadership, and make his time at BC an impactful one. He hopes to go back to Puerto Rico and help his island in any way possible.

Abigail Gallant ‘24
Abigail grew up in Long Hill, New Jersey, and is studying Biology at Boston College. In high school, Abigail created a philanthropic program called Community Connect which focused on raising money and planning educational events for inner-city schools and communities. She also played soccer and ran cross country where she came to appreciate the significance of teamwork and perseverance. At Boston College, Abigail is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Jenks Leadership program and is excited to grow her leadership skills.

Daniel Garcia ‘24
Daniel is a first-generation Peruvian-American born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He attended Montgomery Bell Academy where he was involved in the Diversity Association, Service Club, and Stock Market Club and also participated in Varsity Swimming and Varsity Tennis. He is currently in the Carroll School of Management, pursuing a degree in Finance. He likes to read, listen to music, produce his own music, make edits on photoshop, and find new restaurants in his spare time. He is passionate about finance, politics, history, philosophy, and exploring different cultures. He is fluent in Spanish and currently trying to learn Japanese. Through Jenks, he intends to develop leadership skills to give back to the Boston College community.

Meghan Heckleman ’25
Meghan hails from Long Island, New York, and is a Lynch School student studying Applied Psychology and Human Development on the Organization Studies and Human Capital track. She is also pursuing a double major in Political Science with a minor in Management and Leadership. Meghan is a 2021 graduate of Mineola High School where she served as Class President, captain of the varsity volleyball team, and coordinator of a grassroots community fundraising effort. At Boston College, Meghan is the Director of Student Initiatives in UGBC, an APPA volunteer, a member of the Student Admissions Program, and an ERA TA. When her classes and commitments wrap up for the day, she loves to get on the T and explore the history and great restaurants Boston has to offer. Meghan is thrilled to be part of the Jenks Leadership Program and further her understanding of what it means to be a woman for others; she is eager to apply what she is learning to a future career in human resources or law.

Megan Henehan ‘25
Megan is from La Grange Park, Illinois and is studying international studies with a concentration in ethics and social justice. In addition to being a member of Jenks Megan is involved in service organizations such as 4Boston and Appa. In her free time she enjoys running, biking, and yoga. Megan also enjoys exploring Boston, reading, and trying new restaurants. She is grateful for the experiences she has gotten to have through Jenks and the bonds she has created.

Lauren Kenny ‘25
Lauren is from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and is majoring in Biochemistry in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. She graduated from Moorestown Friends School, where she was president of the women in stem club. Throughout her four years of high school she also greatly enjoyed being a part of the school's Model UN delegation, varsity field hockey and lacrosse teams, and student ambassador program. At Boston College, Lauren is a member of the e-board of Boston College’s chapter of Strong Women Strong Girls, participates in the student admission programming, and helped run this past year's EagleMUNC conference. Lauren enjoys working out, exploring Boston, and trying new restaurants in her free time. She is immensely grateful to be part of this class of Jenks and is excited to see how this program develops her interpersonal and leadership skills.

Selim Kolat ‘25
Selim was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. He is majoring in neuroscience in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. He has been playing basketball since he was 6 years old, which is where a vast majority of his leadership experiences come from. In his free time, he likes to competitively play soccer as well as basketball and hang out with his close friends. Aside from his hobbies, he is very interested in psychology and personalities. With joining the Jenks family, Selim hopes to get a better understanding of how he can be a better leader by learning from his peers and directors, as well as form lasting friendships with likeminded people while helping the community the best he can.

Nicholas McDonald ‘25
Nick is from Larchmont, NY, and is studying Computer Science in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. He graduated from Mamaroneck High School where he served as the president of the Midnight Runs for the Homeless Club, a Caprice Advisor for incoming freshman students, and participated in varsity athletics. In addition to this, Nick also volunteered at his local church and received an award for servant leadership. His experience serving as a catechist allowed him to further understand both Catholic and Jesuit values and inspired him to be, in line with Boston College's motto, a "man for others." He hopes to embrace a lifestyle of service for others while at Boston College through clubs such as the Jenks Program, RHA and more in the future. Outside of a life of service, Nick is passionate about forming and maintaining bonds with others, playing basketball and the acoustic guitar.

Mary Moriarty ‘23
Mary is in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences.

Jack Quigley ‘23
Jack is from Marblehead, MA, and is in The Carroll School of Management studying Finance with a minor in History. Jack graduated from Marblehead High school, where he was a member of the National Honors Society as well as the varsity tennis team. In his free time, Jack enjoys listening to new music, playing golf, being on the water, and spending time with friends and family. He is thankful to have this opportunity and is looking forward to building relationships with his fellow Jenks classmates and utilizing the resources that Jenks provides to become a stronger leader and a better person.

Lily Roughneen ‘25
Lily is from Coronado, CA, and is a student in the Carroll School of Management studying Accounting. Lily graduated from Coronado High School where she was Vice President of her class and captain of varsity lacrosse. Lily is a Gold Award recipient for Girl Scouts of America. She created a human trafficking awareness and prevention curriculum at her high school which was designed to help young people to recognize the red flags around trafficking. She also volunteered at her church and with National Charity League. Lily is the fifth person in her immediate family to attend Boston College. She is a member of 4Boston and Women in Business. In her spare time, she likes to walk the res, spend summers on Cape Cod, and travel. She is excited to participate in Jenks to continue to hone her leadership skills and network with like minded individuals.

Addison Schmidt ’25
Addison is from Overland Park, Kansas. She is majoring in Finance and Marketing in the Carroll School of Management and minoring in Managing for the Social Impact and the Public Good. Addison graduated from Pembroke Hill and during high school she was on the debate team, a member of student council, and a member of Leadership Advisory Board. She additionally started a nonprofit where she gathered skin and personal care products for underprivileged youth. At Boston College she is a member of Jenks, a member of Women in Business, and is the Vice President of Finance for the Marketing Academy of Boston College. In her free time she enjoys going on walks, baking, working out, and spending time with her friends and family. In the Jenks Leadership Program she looks forward to developing her leadership skills and meeting others who are also interested in volunteering and community involvement.

Isabella Sepulveda ’25
Isabella is from Groton, Massachusetts and is majoring in economics and minoring in Accounting for Finance and Consulting. She attended Lawrence Academy where she was co-president of the Debate Club and Elm Tree Society. Throughout her four years of high school she greatly enjoyed playing on the varsity tennis team and captained her senior year. Isabella has continued to find a sense of community and foster her leadership skills in the Jenks Leadership Program, Women in Business Club, and CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) group at BC. Isabella was also an active participant in her church’s youth group, having organized fundraisers and meal packaging events, so she especially anticipates working with her Jenks peers to collaborate and envision new ways to give back to the community through service.

Alexis Thomas ’25
Alexis is a sophomore at BC double majoring in political science and then general management in the Carroll School of Management. She is from Pine Hill, New Jersey. When at school, she is involved in Parliamentary Debate, Model UN, the International Assistant program, while writing for The Heights and working at late night in Lyons Hall. She hopes to attend law school in the future, and is grateful for Jenks for helping her find a community where she can reflect on the type of leader she wants to be.

Sonia Toloczko ’23
Sonia is in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences.

Leah Trichon ’25
Leah is from Carversville, PA, and is a student in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences studying Neuroscience on the Pre-Med track. Leah graduated from Central Bucks East High School where she loved being a team player— eager to collaborate, exchange ideas, and achieve goals with her peers. In high school, she was a part of clubs, played lacrosse, and volunteered at the Doylestown Hospital and the local food pantry. At Boston College, aside from the Jenks Leadership Program, she is involved with the Timmy Global Health club, was in Ascend her freshman year, and spent a semester volunteering at the James W. Hennigan School with 4Boston. In her free time, Leah enjoys exploring Boston, going to the plex, having meaningful conversations with friends, and sauntering around campus. Leah is excited for Jenks to allow her to collaborate with like-minded individuals to make a positive impact in the community around her, and to embrace different perspectives while connecting with something larger than herself.

Gordon Wayne ’23
Gordon is in the Carroll School of Management.

Wenqing Xue ’25
Wenqing is an international student who was born and raised in Qingdao, China. At Boston College, she is in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, majoring in Applied Psychology and Philosophy. Outside of Jenks, Wenqing is passionate about mental therapy, art history, costume design, and is an essay writer for Gusto journal on campus. In her free time, she enjoys music, drawing, traveling, cooking for families and friends, getting to know new people, and doing community services. Wenqing speaks both Chinese and English and is interested in continue learning Korean and Japanese in the future. In the Jenks program, she hopes to build connections with her classmates, and find what kind of leader and person she wants to become.
Jenks Alumni
Class of 2022
Mabel Bassi ‘23
Emily Browder ‘22
Jack Carroll ‘24
Tyler Doornweerd ‘24
Jack Fenlon ‘23
Sarah Flynn ‘23
Chloe Garber ‘23
Colin Hall ‘22
Sydney Harpole ’24
Isabela James ‘24
Sarah Johnson ‘23
Mehdi Kayi ‘24
Zarah Lakhani '24
Courtenay Lutz ‘24
Victor Moisescu ‘23
Claire Perez ‘22
Kevin Petriello ‘23
Aidan Prior ‘24
Liam Rogan ’22
Kristine Simmons ‘24
Tyler Smith ‘24
Timothy Smyth ‘22
Nicholas Steele ‘22
Nicholas Stratigakis ’22
Xingmi (Charlotte) Wang '23
Nicholas Yustin '24
Student Directors
Tyler Williams, '22
Victoria Wittgen, '22
Class of 2021
Meaghan Downey ‘21
Charlie Fackler ‘23
Jack Gambello ‘23
Megan Harder ‘23
Kayla Hernandez ‘23
Sydney Hill ‘23
Corey Ippolito ‘22
Rhea Jajoo ‘23
Christina Lee ’23
Stephanie Li ‘21
Xinyu (Annie) Li ‘23
Olivia McDonald ‘23
Shane Mullen '23
Salvador Norton de Matos ‘21
Mikayla Sanchez ‘23
Anthony Schreder ‘23
Yan (Stella) Si ‘23
Christopher Strohman ‘23
Stephanie Wang ’22
Tyler Williams ‘22
Erin Wordelman ‘22
Andrew Yang ‘21
Lila Zarrella ‘23
Megan Zona ’21
Student Directors
Marcello Garber, '21
Claire Greydanus, '21
Class of 2020
Macy Amos, MCAS '22
Sheri Astorino, MCAS '20
Anna Cartasegna, MCAS '20
Troy Ciccarelli, CSOM '21
Elizabeth Coughlin, MCAS '20
John Dempsey, MCAS '22
Gianna DePalma, MCAS '20
Max Figura, MCAS '22
Marcello Garber, CSOM '21
Olivia Hermanspan, CSOM '22
Jason Kauper, MCAS '21
Caitlin Kirschbaum, MCAS '21
Julia Landwehr, MCAS '22
Steven LeGere, MCAS '21
Zhipei (Matt) Liu, CSOM '21
Connor Oxenhorn, CSOM '22
Natalie Repole, CSON '22
Julia Sandquist, MCAS '20
Bijoy Shah, CSOM '22
Lauren Wachtel, MCAS '22
Abigail White, MCAS '22
Ivana Wijedasa, MCAS '22
Victoria Wittgen, MCAS '22
Larry Zhang, CSOM '22
Student Directors
Matthew Davis, '20
Morgan Gamble, '20
Class of 2019
Victory Adikema, MCAS '20
Andrew Cappel, CSOM '21
Cameron Cullen, MCAS '20
Matthew Davis, MCAS '20
Anthony De Palma, MCAS '20
Abigail Evans, MCAS '19
Morgan Gamble, MCAS '20
Claire Greydanus, MCAS '21
Leah Hickert, MCAS '21
Richard Jove, CSOM '21
Jingyu Li, CSOM '19
Elizabeth McColloch, CSOM '21
Brigid McKeon, MCAS '19
Jeeval Mehta, MCAS '21
MaryElizabeth Mooney, MCAS '20
Thomas O'Hare, CSOM '20
Kit Popolo, CSOM '20
Michael Richard, MCAS '20
Czar Alexei Sepe, MCAS '21
Justin Sparrow, CSOM '20
Kathryn Tatum, LSOE '21
Alberto Tirado, CSOM '21
William Trammell, MCAS '21
Student Directors
Philip Collins, CSOM '19
Natalie Hession, LSOE '19
Class of 2018
Adrien Apollon, CSOM '18
Maxwell Bechtold, MCAS '18
Nicole Bernhard, MCAS '20
Nicholas Bonfiglio, MCAS '20
Aidan Brannigan, MCAS '18
Jeesoo Chung, MCAS '20
Aiden Clarke, MCAS '19
Caitlin Ferris, CSOM '19
Caitlan Griffith, CSOM '20
Blake Hanson, MCAS '20
Natalie Hession, LSOE '19
Xavier Husser, MCAS '18
Simar Juneja, CSOM '19
James Kim, MCAS '18
Susan Kourtis, MCAS '18
Jessica Podgurski, MCAS '19
John Reim, CSOM '20
Anthony Rein, MCAS '20
Jasleen Singh, CSOM '20
James Tallis, MCAS '19
Matthew Ursin-Smith, MCAS '20
Hyun Yang, MCAS '18
Student Directors
Cody Baker, CSOM '18
Ashton Gillespie, CSOM '18
Class of 2017
Margaret Andersen, MCAS '19
Cody Baker, CSOM '18
Erin Cain, LSOE '17
Philip Collins, CSOM '19
Tyler Donlan, MCAS '19
Connor Feick, CSOM '19
Ashton Gillespie, CSOM '18
Amanda Helfrich, CSOM '18
Patrick Hunter, CSOM '19
Andrew Kim, MCAS '17
Jacqueline Kremer, MCAS '19
Megan Li, MCAS '19
Daniel Martin, CSOM '19
Ryan McMahon, MCAS '17
Maria Meyer, CSON '19
Taylor Mooney, LSOE '17
Brian Murphy, CSOM '17
Soojin Park, MCAS '19
James Powlesland, CSOM '17
Elizabeth Wollan, MCAS '19
Student Directors
Kathleen Larkin, MCAS '17
Ryan Marti, MCAS '17
Carson Truesdell, CSOM '17
Class of 2016
Brian Callahan, MCAS '16
William Clansky, MCAS '17
Thomas DiBella, CSOM '18
Patrick Dunne, MCAS '18
Liam Folan, MCAS '16
Meaghan Gallagher, MCAS '18
Erica Giarraputo, CSOM '17
Anna Krah, LSOE '18
Michael Kim, CSOM '18
Kathleen Larkin, MCAS '17
Gabrielle LeBlanc, CSOM '18
Ryan Marti, MCAS '17
William Mennicken, MCAS '18
Mohini Patel, CSON '16
Hannah Say, CSOM '18
Cristina Solis-Pomales, MCAS '16
David Wieber, CSOM '18
Maren Wilson, LSOE '18
Student Directors
Siobhan Burke, CSOM '16
Catherine Kernan, CSOM '16
Thomas Yorke, MCAS '16
Class of 2015
Joseph Arquillo, MCAS '17
Anna Ballard, LSOE '15
Moriah Bauman, MCAS '15
Jessica Beliveau, MCAS '16
Yolanda Bustillo, MCAS '16
Meghan Foley, CSON '16
Laura Huggard, MCAS '15
Brooks Joy, CSOM '17
MaryEllen Krah, LSOE '17
Matthew Lavelle, CSOM '17
Lucas Mairo, CSOM '17
Nickolaus Osinski, CSOM '16
Jordan Parry, CSOM '15
Chasen Richter, MCAS '17
Amber Ruther, CSOM '17
Andres Satizabal Coral, CSOM '16
Sarah Silvestri, CSOM '16
Carson Truesdell, CSOM '17
Thomas Yorke, MCAS '16
Student Directors
Ted Raddell, MCAS '15
Michael Stanley, CSOM ’15
Class of 2014
Kayla Authelet, MCAS '16
Siobhan Burke, CSOM '16
Petty Chen, CSOM '16
Andrea Conroy, MCAS '14
Vincent Dell'Osa, CSOM '14
Abigail Diamond, LSOE '15
Molly Erdle, CSOM '16
Christopher Foley, CSOM '16
Taylor Garrison, CSOM '16
Andrew Ireland, MCAS '14
Catherine Kernan, CSOM '16
Vinern Leow, CSOM '16
Edwin Lyons, CSOM '16
Darry Ma, MCAS '14
Rohan Rau, MCAS '16
Edward Richardson, MCAS '16
Jose Angel Rodriguez, CSOM '14
Nicole Sandonato, LSOE '14
Micahel Stanley, CSOM '16
Paul Tesoriero, MCAS '14
Matthew Westhoff, MCAS '15
Nicholas Wisniewski, CSOM '15
Student Directors
Alexandra Christenson, CSOM '14
Judith Parra, MCAS '14
Sean Hyatt, MCAS '14
The Student Advisory and Networking Council
The Student Advisory and Networking Council was created for Jenks alumni who are still enrolled at Boston College. This is an opportunity for students to remain engaged in the Jenks program through graduation. Members of the council serve as ambassadors for the program and promote it to new students, serve as unofficial mentors to current Jenks students, and contribute overall to the program development.
Jack Carroll ’24
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
Charlie Fackler ’23
Carroll School of Management
Megan Harder ’23 (Alumni & Networking Director)
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
Kayla Hernandez '23
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
Kevin Petriello ’23
Carroll School of Management
Annie Li ’23
Carroll School of Management
Shane Mullen ’23
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
Mikayla Sanchez ’23
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
Tyler Smith ’24
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
Nicholas Yustin ’24
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
Margaret Andersen, MCAS '19
Andrew Cappel, CSOM ’21
Jeesoo Chung, MCAS ’20
Aiden Clarke, MCAS ’19
Philip Collins, CSOM ’19
John Dempsey, MCAS '22
Tom DiBella, CSOM '18
Patrick Dunne, MCAS '18
Caitlin Ferris, CSOM '19
Meaghan Gallagher, MCAS '18
Ashton Gillespie, CSOM '18
Claire Greydanus, MCAS '21
Patrick Hunter, CSOM ’19
Jason Kauper, MCAS '21
Michael Kim, CSOM '18
Julia Landwehr, MCAS '22
Megan Li, MCAS '19
Daniel Martin, CSOM '19
Jeeval Mehta, MCAS '21
Maria Meyer, CSON '19
Thomas O'Hare, CSOM ’20
Czar Sepe, MCAS '21
Bijoy Shah, CSOM '22
Jasleen Singh, CSOM ’20
James Tallis, MCAS '19
Lauren Wachtel, MCAS '22
Abigail White, MCAS '22
Elizabeth Wollan, MCAS '19
Joseph G. Bonito Servant Leadership Award
The Joseph G. Bonito Servant Leadership Award is presented to a Jenks graduating student who is unanimously selected by the student directors as the person who best exemplifies the Jenks program's motto “learning for leadership and leadership for service.”

Joe Bonito
Joe Bonito '79 is the Senior Vice President, Learning & Leadership Development Executive at Bank of America. He holds a BA from Boston College, an MS from the University of Pennsylvania, and an Executive Masters in Human Resource Leadership from Rutgers University. Joe also holds a DBA from Temple University. As an undergraduate student, Joe participated in what was then the Paraprofessional Leader Group (PLG) and later served as a student director. Dubbed by Sandy Jenks as a "rough gem," Joe admired and emulated Sandy and, since he graduated from BC, has continued to give back to the program by leading workshops year after year. In the words of one student who benefited from Joe's tutelage, "Joe has been an invaluable foundation and glue to Jenks and the PLG before that. His unselfish commitment and service to this organization have been exemplary and in the true spirit of Sandy Jenks." Joe has given more than four decades of service to the Jenks Leadership Program, and when we marked the 50th anniversary of the Jenks program, the Joseph G. Bonito Servant Leadership Award was created in his honor.
Past Recipients

Mehdi Kayi '24 flanked by student directors Tori Wittgen '22 and Tyler Williams '22
Mehdi Kayi '24
Speech by Tori Wittgen ’22, Jenks Student Director
I am incredibly proud to present this year’s Servant Leadership Award. I remember the first time I met this recipient, and I thought to myself, “this person is going to be a joy to listen to and learn with for the next two years”. I knew at that initial moment that they were kind and thoughtful, but I can truly say that they exceeded every expectation over the past two years.
This person juggles club responsibilities and a difficult course load with grace, and always found a way to prioritize Jenks events — even to the extreme of suffering a two-hour car ride alone with me. And, in those events, he gave attention that not only allowed him to engage wholeheartedly in the activities but his thoughtfulness and kindhearted attitude encouraged the people around him to do the same. He is both an active contributor and an active listener. You can hear the evidence of his rapt listening in the pauses before he responds.
Every year, the Joseph G. Bonito Servant Leadership Award is presented to a Jenks graduating student who is unanimously selected by the student directors as the person who best exemplifies the Jenks Program’s motto, “Learning for leadership, leadership for service.” It is my honor to present this award to Medhi Kayi, for his constant commitment to be a person for and with others, and for his unwavering compassion and thoughtfulness. It’s incredibly difficult for me and Tyler to graduate and leave Boston College in just a few short weeks, but I find joy in knowing that we are leaving the Heights to incredibly servant leaders like yourself. Congratulations Mehdi!

Kayla Hernandez '23
Speech by Claire Greydanus ’21, Jenks Student Director
Over the past three semesters, it has been one of my greatest joys to watch this individual blossom into a servant leader, social justice warrior, and advocate for change on BC’s campus. Serving as a role model for her peers, this young woman’s radiant smile and unmatched enthusiasm has allowed her to engage fully and wholeheartedly with each facet of the Jenks Program. An active contributor to our Zoom sessions, we consistently look to this leader for her insights and reflections. Might I add, she has maintained a near-perfect workshop attendance record - a true feat during the particularly challenging times we find ourselves in.
Every year, the Joseph G. Bonito Servant Leadership Award is presented to a graduating student who is unanimously selected by the student directors as the person who best exemplifies the Jenks program's motto “learning for leadership and leadership for service.” Today, it is my great honor to present Kayla Hernandez with this award for her embodiment of Jenks values and commitment to serving as a woman for, and with, others.
Kayla’s unwavering dedication to the Program is best exemplified in her pursuit of opportunities to learn, listen, and grow beyond the limits of our preset workshop schedule. Through her affiliation with Jenks, she has connected with the professor who facilitated our culturally responsive leadership workshop, and is now engaged in research focused on culturally responsive teaching at BC. After attending “The Hellfighter” performance sponsored by the Winston Center last fall, Kayla took the initiative to personally connect with Mr. Ron Jones, the Director of Dialogues on Diversity, to enlist his support in training her team on workshop facilitation techniques to use in their culminating service project, Peers Talk: Power and Privilege.
While her accomplishments demonstrate her tireless commitment to living the mission of Jenks, it is Kayla’s compassion and thoughtfulness that we cherish most. Kayla, we would be lost without your optimistic, yet realistic, outlook on life. In your own words, you once shared with the group that though, “Though the sun may not be shining brightly some days, it is a sense of gratitude that will carry you through.” Having watched you weave the importance of gratitude and mindfulness into your conversations, both in Jenks workshops and in our Executive Board meetings for Project Sunshine, it has been my privilege to walk alongside you in your journey of leadership and self-discovery. Though it will be hard for Marcello and I, as well as the other senior members of our Jenks class, to leave the Heights very soon here, it is in knowing that we leave BC in hands of leaders like yourself that makes saying goodbye so much easier.
Congratulations, Kayla, on your achievements with the Jenks Program. It is my great pleasure to now virtually present you with the 2021 Bonito Award!

Jason Kauper '21
Speech by Morgan Gamble ’20, Jenks Student Director
Over the past three semesters, I have had the distinct privilege of watching this wonderful leader serve as a role model, motivator, and constant source of encouragement for his fellow peers. Always the first to arrive, and eager to chip in, this individual has demonstrated the qualities of servant leadership day in and day out, inside and outside of Fulton 515.
Jason Kauper is one of the kindest, most intelligent, and humble human beings I have had the privilege to get to know and to love through the Jenks program. His genuine care for people and the common good of the world is apparent from the first time you meet him. He also has a calming presence, yet exudes confidence that all will turn out as it should. Which is what we all need these days.
Jason, I hope you know that you are capable of everything and anything, and that you have not only my support but the support of your entire extended Jenks family in all endeavors you wish to pursue. I know you are going to do fabulous things, and I hope our paths cross again and I can hear about all the change you made in the world.
It is now with great pleasure that I virtually present this year’s 2020 Joseph G. Bonito Servant Leadership Award to the most deserving Jason Kauper.

Claire Greydanus and Natalie Hession
Claire Greydanus '21
Speech by Natalie Hession '19, Jenks Student Director
Over the past two years, I have had the honor and the privilege of observing this individual serve as a trailblazer, role model and constant motivator for her fellow Jenks members. Always the first to arrive, eager to engage and constantly pushing her peers to think deeply about relevant ideas and topics - Claire Greydanus has been an invaluable member to our class. It has been through the various workshops, team building activities, and in particular throughout her team project that Claire has continued to shine brightly and challenge herself to reflect on her own leadership style.
Even after the initial idea for her team’s project continued to shift as they came across potential barriers - Claire remained positive and determined to find success. “No” is truly a term that is not in Claire’s vocabulary and instead of seeing these as a moment to give up and change ideas, Claire saw these interactions as opportunities to refocus on their mission and decipher what she and her team members could accomplish in order to serve as advocates for the students of Boston College. I was truly so impressed by the panel that Claire and her team members organized and I hope you all feel incredibly proud.
Claire, I hope that you never ever doubt yourself and that you continue to fight for what you believe in. I hope you continue to reach for the stars, dream big and remain so incredibly persistent. One of my favorite quotes come to mind when I think about you - so as Tinkerbell once said “all you need is faith, trust and a little bit of pixie dust.” I cannot wait to see all that you are going to accomplish in your time here left at BC, and although I am incredibly beyond sad to be leaving this “home” that I have built these past four years, it is because of people like you that I know I am leaving BC in the most incredible hands. So now, let's go out and continue to set the world aflame!

Joe Bonito and Susan Kourtis
Susan Kourtis '18
Speech by Ashton Gillespie '18, Jenks Student Director and 2017 Joseph G. Bonito Servant Leadership Award Recipient
Over the past sixteen months, I have had the privilege of getting to know this inspiring individual and have only grown to respect and admire her more. Susan Kourtis is an involved member of her Jenks class and several other organizations on and off BC's campus—always championing something close to her heart. She is rarely the first to speak in workshops, but she always contributes something thought-provoking, and others are interested and keen on hearing each word.
When her Jenks group had to shift their project focus, she quickly adapted and reshaped her group’s priorities. She is organized to a T. No matter what the situation is, she never fails to be positive. She embodies the Ignatian mindset of “finding God in all things.” She sees good and potential in everything and everyone. She is genuine and sincere in her desire to make the world a better place and exemplifies the Jenks motto of “leadership for service, service for others” in her everyday life.
Whether volunteering with your church or laughing and talking about your mom’s delicious Greek food as you squeegee windows at Covenant House, your passion for serving others is contagious and inspires others to follow. I am so excited to see where life takes you after graduation in May and I am honored to present you with the Joseph G. Bonito Servant Leadership Award.

Joe Bonito and Ashton Gillespie
Ashton Gillespie '18
Speech by Carson Truesdell '17, Jenks Student Director
Over the past two years, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Ashton Gillespie and witness the incredible work that she has done. Not only has she grown tremendously as a leader, but has helped those around her to do the same. Ashton’s caring nature, drive, passion, and can do attitude makes her an exemplary leader. Always seeking to improve and learn, she embodies Sandy Jenks motto “learning for leadership and leadership for service”. While she may not be the loudest or most talkative voice in the room, when Ashton speaks she commands the attention of all those in her presence.
Ashton’s hard work does not go unnoticed, and her passion for her group’s service project was instrumental to its success. I remember talking to Ashton individually during the planning phases of her group’s project. I asked her, “Why do you want to build a garden at a school?” and she responded, in her southern charm, “You should see how ugly this poor elementary school’s playground is! Imagine how much we can inspire these kids to be the best they can be if we can make this school look a little bit more beautiful!” Ashton had a vision and worked with her group to accomplish it. I can hardly wait to see the impact that her group’s work will have on the community.
Ashton, you have motivated and pushed others to be the best they can be for themselves and more importantly, for the community. Speaking on behalf of myself and many others, it has been a privilege to work with you, learn from you, and see you grow. Your charm makes us all smile, and your leadership makes us all want to follow. I am excited to see where you and Cody can take the next Jenks class.
It is my honor to award Ashton Gillespie with the Joseph G. Bonito Servant Leadership Award.