Senior reflections

Hometown: Saugus, Mass.
Major: Business
Notable Activities/Achievements: Graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA; Marty Walsh Award winner; selected to carry the Woods banner at Commencement. 
Shout-outs: Anna Hughes (Admissions); Alfreda Clark (Advising); Woods Dean David Goodman and faculty members Elisabeth Frusztajer, Sister Jeanmarie Gribaudo, Jack Lu, Katie Mahowski Mylroie, Edmond Ryan, and Eric Severson.
Quote: “Everybody's super supportive, and not just at Woods, but all across BC. You go to the bookstore, or O'Neill Library, or Bapst, and you feel welcome.”

Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Samantha Akers first learned about Boston College in 2018 while working in the United States as an au pair. Her host family had completed their degrees at BC, and took her to a football game, where she was hooked. Six years later, after getting married and enrolling at Bunker Hill Community College (where she was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society), Akers transferred to the Heights to pursue her dream of earning a four-year degree, majoring in business while taking classes in everything from ethics to theology. “The professors were awesome,” she said. “I learned so much from each and every one of them, and everybody was super supportive.”

What made you decide to enroll at Woods? 

My first semester at Bunker Hill, I knew I wanted to finish my four-year degree. I thought BC would be out of reach, but Woods showed me that it’s actually possible to earn a degree while working full-time. The flexibility of the program made it manageable to balance everything, which is something I really value and appreciate.

What was the most meaningful part of your BC experience? 

Being part of such an amazing community. Everybody's super supportive, and not just at Woods, but all across BC. You go to the bookstore, or O'Neill Library, or Bapst, and you feel welcome. When I got here, I decided I was going to do everything, and I did: I went on a retreat, I went to homecoming events, football games; it was crazy. My very first semester, I met two of my closest friends, which made me feel supported and more connected throughout my time at BC.

What were your favorite courses?

The core classes had a big impact on me. Classes like The Examined Life and Hinduism and Christianity really changed the way I think about religion and different perspectives, and Ethics with Professor Severson helped me see the world and current events in a different way, and made me more open-minded overall.

Were you part of any service organizations? 

I’m part of the Woods for Others program where we do service projects and collect donations throughout the year. Every Thanksgiving we collect food or make women’s kits and bring them to shelters. Back when I was in Argentina, I was part of the Scouts movement, and we used to help people in low-income communities, so the BC values really connect to my own. Men and women for others is a really big part of me.

What’s next for you? 

Right now I'm applying to graduate school for business analytics while exploring opportunities in consulting. I’m still considering exactly where I want to specialize professionally, but I really like solving puzzles and figuring out how stuff works. I like to break everything apart and see how it’s all connected. I think business consulting could be a good path for me because you can help companies see the bigger picture and figure out what they need to do to achieve their goals.