For anyone that is familiar with the Campus School and the Student Volunteers, you are sure to have had the opportunity to work with one of the most kind, warm-hearted and dedicated people of the program. No this is not a student, or a teacher of the Campus School. It is Sean Schofield, who has been the Volunteer Coordinator for the Boston College Campus School Volunteers for the past 13 years.
Unlike many BC students, who are made aware of the program because of being a student here, Sean discovered the incredible Campus School via a friend. After 9/11, while working towards a career in sales, he had some time to reflect and decided to go back to school. After being made aware of the Campus School program while looking at BC, he found it to be a perfect fit, for he had several years of experience working at a summer camp for kids with disabilities.
Sean, center with Red Sox hat, at the Campus School Volunteers Retreat with this year’s officers
And what happened when Sean joined the Campus School team? It was love at first sight and he was immediately a mentor and friend to the undergraduates of BC. As he said himself, “I enjoy getting to meet all of the different people who come through these doors. The BC undergraduates that volunteer with us have backgrounds as varied as snowflakes, yet the common bond to the work here at our school binds us together. I try to improve every day, learn from the mishaps of days past, and to continue growing. I try to take the high road and highlight successes rather than focusing on failures.” This is what makes him the guy you always turn to when struggling to plan an event for the Campus School or even to vent about academic overload.
Everyday when Sean walks through the doors of the Campus School in Campion Hall, he is inspired by the Campus School students, for the goals they work on achieving are truly remarkable. He explains, “When you work with someone that cannot speak, but who finds a way to let you know what is on their mind, it is life changing. It is a bond between people that changes the way you look at the world.” To look at the world in such a positive way is what keeps his spirits bright and most importantly the passionate hearts of the BC body, even during the time when the Campus School was at risk for being removed from the BC campus. Like so many others, he cannot imagine Boston College without the Campus School, for it has been a part of the BC community for over 40 years and is woven into the fabric of BC. “To pull that thread from the fabric of BC would comprise the integrity of the whole university, which prides itself on men and women for others. In addition, the lessons that CS students give our BC students are lessons that will last a lifetime. The service that is provided here at the CS is a two way street.”
With a love for any event the Campus School puts on, you will see him dedicated to it from the brainstorming phase to the actual event. Whether it is something as simple as a quiet moment in the hallway between two buddies or a joyful dance at the Semi-Formal, there are human bonds created that make the Volunteer community so special. If Sean is not at the Campus School, which is a rare moment, you may find him anywhere that combines water and nature. Whether it be fishing, canoeing or ice-skating, it is in his blood from his family, who are also his biggest inspiration for they have all been such selfless and visionary people.
If you have not had the opportunity to meet Sean, you can find him in the Campus School. Not only is he a great mentor for the Campus School volunteers, but he is also a warm-hearted individual worth knowing!
Photo Sources:
http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/schools/lsoe/campsch/about.html
https://www.facebook.com/bostoncollegecampusschool/photos_stream