Maddie Bockus, Boston College PULSE Volunteer
At Little Brothers- Friends of the Elderly, we have a Highlight of the Week series where we shine a spotlight on members of the LBFE community including board members, older adults, volunteers, students, staff, CitySites (and more!) to learn about them and their experiences with LBFE. This week’s highlight is of one of our new Boston College PULSE student volunteers, Maddie Bockus! Read below to learn more about Maddie:
My name is Madeline Bockus, or Maddie for short! I am 19 years old and am in my sophomore year at Boston College. At BC, I am an International Studies major concentrating in Cooperation & Conflict, which essentially means I focus on studying cooperation and conflict over issues at a global level. I was born and raised in Manchester, Connecticut, just outside of the state capital of Hartford. In my free time you can find me playing tennis, writing an article for the publication The Gavel, going on adventures in the city with friends, bullet journaling, or jamming out to some Indie pop music.
I became involved with LBFE through a program at BC called PULSE. PULSE is a program at BC consisting of a twelve-credit, year-long course in philosophy and theology entitled “Person and Social Responsibility” and 12 hours per week of service and community engagement. Three days a week, I attend my philosophy and theology course on campus and two days a week, I serve with LBFE at the office and St. Helena’s House. The PULSE program connects concepts learned inside the classroom with experiences of service outside of the classroom.
I chose to serve with LBFE because of my previous experience with older adults. I believe they have great wisdom as well as many intriguing passions to share and, in the past, conversations with older adults have always felt natural, meaningful, and interesting. In my time at LBFE, I hope to have many more of these conversations and create genuine connections with those I serve. I also hope to bring my skills as a leader and as a lover of arts and crafts to my CitySite, offering fun and engaging activities that bring others together. In my position with LBFE, I wish to improve my leadership skills and grow professionally when it comes to communication with others. On a more personal level, I hope to build lasting intergenerational relationships and gain a new perspective on life by learning from those I serve. What am I most looking forward to? Well, I am very excited to begin generating connections at my CitySite through fun activities and to start using my Spanish speaking skills with those at my site.
Remember to check out next week’s blog to see who will be highlighted then!
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