Our Campus Celebrity this week is an extremely involved, encouraging, and enthusiastic John Carroll sophomore, Molly Burns! She’s one of my favorite Bostonians at JCU, and Molly can definitely make anyone’s day with her infectious smile.
During this Spring Break, Molly will be traveling on the STLF service trip as a student leader. She’s worked hard to plan the trip that was open to all students, and the group will be traveling to six cities to work on service projects. Over the course of the trip, the service group will travel to Louisville, Nashville, Tuscaloosa, New Orleans, Shreve Port, and Dallas. Last year, Molly went on the trip as a freshman and was inspired to become a leader this year after her experiences.
In addition to STLF, Molly has been involved with Student Union, Kappa Delta, and the Student Alumni Association. One of her favorite experiences so far was getting to go to the National Jesuit Conference this past summer. “We were representing JCU, and they made us delegates to represent the school, which was an awesome experience,” said Molly. “I learned how to be a better leader and become a better listener.”
Molly also got to travel on an immersion trip to Nicaragua in January, which allowed her to directly experience the social justice we promote at John Carroll. She learned a lot more about Fair Trade initiatives and had a completely life-changing experience.
“The Jesuits are very centered on being well-rounded, and I think every individual should be,” said Molly. “I think service trips are wonderful. They give you a sense of what’s going on other parts of the world, and how you can make a difference. Making that connection to the world is so important.”
Overall, Molly has loved her experiences at JCU and finds the supportive community really helps her excel. “Everyone here is very ambitious, and I think it makes us all, whether you’re in Greek Life, an athlete, or the Finance Club, work harder, because everyone wants to be involved. We all feed off of each other and make each other better people,” said Molly.