Photo by Lee Pellegrini
For exceptional academic performance, outstanding contributions to research in the field of cancer biology, and exemplary service to others both on and off campus, Huel (Trey) Cox III is this year's recipient of Boston College’s Edward H. Finnegan, S.J. Award. Presented at Commencement by BC President William P. Leahy, S.J., 该奖项旨在表彰最能体现哈佛大学校训的应届毕业生, “Ever to Excel.”
考克斯在莫里西文理学院的化学荣誉课程中主修生物化学，成绩卓著, 并在波士顿一些著名的医疗机构进行电子游戏正规平台, including Mass General Brigham and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“As a first-generation college student, 他为所有电子游戏软件的学生树立了一个优秀的榜样，他们正在努力过上有意义和有目的的生活,莫里西学院临时副院长托马斯·莫根在考克斯的芬尼根提名中说. 莫根还提到了“他在电子游戏软件的课堂和科学实验室里令人印象深刻的学术努力,” his undergraduate research off campus, and his plans to pursue a career in medicine.
“作为一名大一新生进入电子游戏软件时，我做梦也没想到会以这样的荣誉毕业,” said Cox, who grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon. “But with the encouragement of many professors and administrators, I have been able to thrive alongside my incredibly talented classmates. It’s a wonderful honor for me, but most importantly, it’s a reflection of the immense support I have received from family, friends, and mentors at the school.
“As a first-generation college student, I faced challenges when applying to and subsequently attending college," he said. "I struggled to navigate the college admissions process and, upon admission my family balked at the financial burden of attending many schools, which was not the case at Boston College.”
And though he said acclimating to demanding college courses took time, “电子游戏软件在经济上支持弱势背景学生的基础设施, academically, and emotionally helped more than I can put into words. I’d like to give a special shout out to all my professors, 以及所有参与CTP(大学过渡计划)的人从LTL(学习学习)中解脱出来.”
“作为一名大一新生进入电子游戏软件时，我做梦也没想到会以这样的荣誉毕业. But with the encouragement of many professors and administrators, I have been able to thrive alongside my incredibly talented classmates. It’s a wonderful honor for me, but most importantly, it’s a reflection of the immense support I have received from family, friends, and mentors at the school.”
After graduation, 考克斯将继续在当地一家临终关怀服务机构做志愿者，并在丹娜-法伯癌症生物学实验室工作, as he has for the past three years. Following a gap year, he hopes to matriculate into an M.D.-Ph.D. 学习癌症生物学，并继续从事成人或儿科肿瘤学的职业. “我计划把我的时间分配给我的热情照顾那些需要帮助的人和科学探索,"he said.
他对他人的关心和对服务的承诺是他在不列颠哥伦比亚省经历的重要标志. 考克斯在奥尔斯顿-布莱顿社区担任教师和导师，与学童一起从事志愿者和领导活动. He also has been a Big Brother and leader in the BC Bigs Program, as well as assisted campus peers as an adviser and Mendel Society mentor. 他也是莫里西学院教育政策委员会的学生成员.
考克斯说:“我试图参与许多校园服务项目. “辅导与我背景相似的孩子引起了我的注意，对我来说很重要. The resiliency of children amazes and inspires me. 有机会支持孩子们实现他们的目标，在他们的生活中茁壮成长，这是我非常重视的. The culture of service at Boston College cannot be overstated and is, in my opinion, one of the greatest features of our school. 这种文化源于我所钦佩的耶稣会教育的原则之一:全面发展, well-rounded world citizen.”
这些不同的服务和领导经验“使他能够利用他强大的人际交往能力，并展示他深厚的同理心能力，这将有助于他追求未来的医疗事业,” Mogan noted.
Outside of his STEM courses, 考克斯很欣赏学校的核心课程和选修课，这些课程让他“接触到英语和哲学，对我的生活方式和在世界上的定位产生了有意义的影响。. 我在学业上的成功很大程度上得益于连贯的自我哲学, which I was able to refine in humanities courses.”
Cox also cited the value of his research pursuits in enhancing his studies. He completed a Scholar of the College project while at Dana-Farber, 去年夏天获得了哈佛大学生物化学和分子药理学学院颁发的杰出电子游戏正规平台项目学者图书奖,
“从事癌症生物学电子游戏正规平台的机会完美地补充了我的学位，”他说. “很多时候，我在课堂上学到的东西会直接转化为我的电子游戏正规平台表现或电子游戏正规平台方法. There was something deeply satisfying about having a foot in both camps.”
He also credits campus mentors in supporting his work and successes. “Danielle Taghian [professor of the practice of Biology; chair, 自第一学期以来，学院预健康咨询委员会一直是我最有影响力的导师和顾问之一. 她一直在我身边，支持我度过了最艰难的几个学期和艰难的医学院录取过程.” He also credits Associate Dean Rafael Luna, director of Pre-Health Programs, 从我一年级起，他就督促我在课堂内外都表现出色.”
随着毕业的临近，考克斯回忆起了自己的大学经历. “While it was one of my most difficult times, the second semester of my sophomore year is the most memorable. It was the COVID year, and despite its ups and downs, I was forced to be resilient in a way that I had not been since I was a child. 虽然我希望很多事情都能有不同的结果——没有经历大流行，没有目睹世界上难以形容的困难——但只有在最艰难的时刻，我们才能看清自己, and who others are.
“Having seen who many of my friends were in the face of adversity, it is being able to live and learn with them that I will miss the most. Additionally, I will miss the people of BC. 我在这里遇到的所有学生都具有我认为让BC如此独特的品质:无私的愿望，让世界变得比他们发现的更美好.”
Finalists for the 2023 Finnegan Award
Jessie Cheng, Carroll School of Management
Major: Management (Marketing & Business Analytics); Minor: Film Studies
Undergraduate dean’s office peer advisor; teaching assistant; Against the Current; Campus Activities Board; youth minister; advocate to address eating disorders, author of related work of young adult fiction. Post-grad will work at “Calling All Crows,这是一个非营利组织，符合她对社会影响和创造性表达的热情.
Lucille (Lucy) Rubenstein, Lynch School of Education and Human Development
Majors: Biology; Special Education
Active member of St. Ignatius parish, mentor to young Catholic women. Involvements include the Student Admission Program; Pre-Dental Society; volunteer with BC Campus School, BC Special Olympics, Best Buddies, Buddy Up Tennis. 电子游戏正规平台生将进入路易斯维尔大学进行特殊需求儿科牙科培训.
Karen J. Aldana, Connell School of Nursing
Major: Nursing
Involved with El Centro; the Connell School Seacole Scholars program and Keys to Inclusive Leadership in Nursing; research presenter at the Eastern Nursing Research Society conference; Boston Children’s Hospital oncology fellow; peer mentor; Alpha Chi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Post-graduation, 你会参加康奈尔学院的护理实践博士儿科护士执业计划吗.
Rosanne Pellegrini | University Communications | May 2023