Meet first-generation student Richard Boylan (COM’22)
Please note that this video was filmed before the COVID-19 outbreak. By continuing to share students’ stories like this one, we hope to inspire and connect our alumni & friends. If you’d like to learn more about what Boston University is doing to minimize the impact on our campuses and beyond, please visit the University’s COVID-19 information site.
Who is Richard?
Richard Boylan (COM’22) is a first-generation student from Westerly, Rhode Island. As with many first-gen students, attending college was a big event for him and his family. But Richard’s achievements extend far beyond his acceptance to Boston University. He has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of comic books, is a huge fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, has played basketball at TD Garden, and once took a road trip to Philadelphia just to see the famous “Rocky” statue in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
What is he up to now?
Richard is studying film and TV at the College of Communication. His greatest experience here has been the opportunity to work on the BUTV10 show Shadows. He values being able to write his own episodes and be involved in every aspect of the production. Richard is also involved in a variety of groups at BU, including the BU Running Club, the Kilachand Peer Mentors, and the BU Student Food Rescue program, which runs through the BU Community Service Center (CSC). Before COVID-19, Richard was driving to grocery stores and restaurants each Friday to pick up unwanted food items and deliver them to various food banks around the city.
What’s next?
After graduation, Richard hopes to move to Los Angeles to write and direct movies. Without a scholarship, he notes, he would never have had the chance to study at BU, create short films, expand his interests, and meet the people who’ve now become essential in his life.
“Without a scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to pursue my dream of becoming a film director, and I would’ve never met all of my friends here.”