Community Service Award winner
Joshua Beekman`05, M.S.`06, the director of alumni programs and former director of football initiatives in BC’s Athletics Department, is the winner of BC's 2025 Community Service Award, presented at the annual employee recognition dinner on May 29.
Organized by the Office of Governmental and Community Affairs, the award honors the outstanding contributions of a Boston College employee whose actions epitomize the Jesuit spirit of service to others.
“It’s very clear from those who nominated him that Josh’s BC experiences as a student, a student-athlete and an employee have made him the man who he is today—one who truly exemplifies the credos of ‘ever to excel’ and ‘being a man for others,’” said Vice President for Governmental and Community Affairs Thomas J. Keady, Jr.
Keady quoted one of Beekman’s nominators who lauded him for embodying the Jesuit spirit by consistently giving back to people both on and off campus, declaring that “I have never met anyone who exemplifies selflessness more than Josh.”
“Josh is known for his caring nature and compassionate spirit, and he brings that spirit with him as he volunteers his time at organizations both on and off campus,” said Keady. “To Josh, even 10 minutes of your time can mean the world to someone, and he modeled this not only for the football team, but for anyone who is willing to help make a difference.”
Keady noted that Beekman believes in using his unique talents to serve others, whether it’s brightening the day of a Campus School student with a visit, assisting with a Christmas toy collection campaign or working with Catholic Charities to organize a Thanksgiving food drive and meal preparation effort during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Due to Josh’s commitment, the pandemic-driven program has now become an annual event—not just involving the football team—but it has expanded to include volunteers from across the Athletics Department,” said Keady. “He also coordinates BC’s involvement with the Beautiful Lives Project, which provides the opportunity for people with disabilities to actively participate in activities not previously available to them due to physical or facility limitations.”
A native of Amsterdam, N.Y., Beekman served as a tri-captain of the Eagles’ football team during his senior season and has worked as the director of Football Initiatives since 2018. He earned an undergraduate degree in history and Black Studies from BC's Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, and a master’s degree in administrative studies from its Woods College of Advancing Studies. He also holds a M.S. in Sports and Recreation from Florida International University.
A guard for the Eagles who started 37 games from 2002-06, Beekman was named First Team All-America by the Associated Press and All-Atlantic Coast Conference First Team in 2006, garnered four Second Team All-America honors, and received the 2006 Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the ACC’s most valuable offensive protector.
Presented with the Scanlan Award—BC’s highest football honor—by the Boston College Varsity Club, Beekman was acknowledged as the senior football player who most embodies 1920 graduate Thomas Scanlan—a courageous athlete who played both offense and defense for the 1916-17 and 1919 Eagles teams while forgoing his 1918 season for World War I military service.
Drafted in the fourth round by Chicago in the 2007 NFL Draft, Beekman played professionally with the Bears (2007-09), the UFL’s Florida Tuskers (2010), the Indianapolis Colts (2011 practice squad) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (2012).
Following his playing days, Beekman launched his college football coaching career at Eastern Kentucky in 2012, and by serving three stints as a graduate assistant at Florida International University from 2013-15. He then spent the 2016 season as the offensive line coach at Concord (W. Va.) University, and the 2017 season at Garden City (Kan.) Community College in the same role.
Beekman and his wife, Peggy ’06, reside in Brookline, Mass.