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Hockey forward Peter MacArthur receives the first Harry Agganis Scholarship from Michael Agganis (center) and Mike Lynch. |
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Generations of Terrier fans were pleased but not surprised when the Student Village arena, completed in January 2005, was named in memory of Harry Agganis (SED’54), the standout BU athlete who in his senior year was also a Red Sox first baseman. It was also self-evident that the Terrier Pride Scholarship program for student-athletes, launched last fall, should begin with a scholarship honoring Agganis. Since then, four other individually named Terrier Pride Scholarship funds have been established, thanks to the generosity of Mary Buletza (SMG’80), Emil Solimine, the family of Jill and Clifford Viner, and Ruth and David (CGS’82, SMG’84) Waronker.
Terrier Pride scholarships are awarded on the basis of both athletic and academic promise. “The donors to the general athletic scholarship fund recognize the value of our athletic program, in that it presents opportunities for young people to achieve in sports and in the classroom,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Mike Lynch. “We’re very grateful to them for their willingness to step forward in such a leading way to help us increase the number of athletic scholarships that are available at the University.” .
Michael Agganis (SED’67) and his family established the first Terrier Pride Scholarship to honor his uncle, who died from a pulmonary embolism at age twenty-five, during his second season with the Red Sox. “He was a role model for young people,” says Agganis, a native of Lynn, Massachusetts. “His family, his friends, and his community came first.”
The owner of the Akron (Ohio) Aeros, the Eastern League AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, Agganis has contributed to numerous community programs, including the Coming Together Project to improve race relations in Akron. Another scholarship named for his uncle benefits college-bound high school seniors from eastern Massachusetts.
The first BU Agganis scholarship was awarded to hockey forward Peter MacArthur (SED’08), “a great student and a great competitor” whose star is rising, Michael Agganis observed. Last season MacArthur was the top freshman scorer in Hockey East. And he certainly has a knack for finding the net — he has scored some big goals and in mid-February was leading the team in points. As a freshman he bagged the game-winner in Agganis Arena’s inaugural game against top-ranked Minnesota. He also scored the winning goal against Boston College in this year’s Beanpot championship game. That goal, along with an assist, earned him the tournament’s MVP award.
— Brian Fitzgerald
More information on the Terrier Pride Scholarship program is available at www.bu.edu/athletics/terrier-pride or by calling 617-358–3008.
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