Since I was a little kid, I’ve dreamed of running in one of the world’s most historic and prominent races—the Boston Marathon. Growing up in Massachusetts, everyone is familiar with the phrase “Marathon Monday” and what it means for the great city of Boston. This April, my dream will become a reality. I will be running on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay (BBBSMB) Team in the 120th Boston Marathon.

I first heard about the opportunity to run for the BBBSMB Team from the organization’s community engagement coordinator, Thomas Bentley, who has worked alongside our chapter since SigEp formed the national partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Our chapter has assisted BBBSMB in many different ways since then, such as raising money through an annual campuswide food eating competition, volunteering at BBBSMB functions and fundraisers throughout the greater Boston area, and having brothers participate in their mentor program as big brothers.

Our chapter appreciated the great relationship we have built with this organization, but we wanted to take it a step further. So, I tossed my hat into the ring to represent myself and SigEp on the BBBSMB marathon team. After passing an application and interview round I was selected as one of four members on the team.

I joined SigEp the first semester of my freshman year, meaning my entire college experience has been a SigEp experience. I entered college with minimal to no intentions of participating in Greek life. However, I was fortunate enough to hear about SigEp in passing, and was hooked from the start. SigEp instills you with values that can be reflected in all aspects of your life.

These ideals will assist me as a marathon team member for BBBSMB. Not only does my goal consist of the physical feat of running the 26.2 miles, it incorporates a philanthropic aspect as well. I am attempting to raise $9,000 to benefit the programs and operations of BBBSMB, so they may continue to make extraordinary impacts on the lives of so many children.

Having the ability to try and accomplish these goals while representing SigEp and BBBSMB is a remarkable thing. I believe this is a symbolic step for the relationship that BBBS has with our chapter and SigEp as a whole. SigEp has benefited me greatly in training for this lifetime milestone, and the values I have gained from the Balanced Man ideal have given me the confidence to accomplish anything I aspire for.