Pardee Grad Students Pedal for Progress
Hours before runners took to the Boston Marathon course on April 18, 2016, 10 graduate students from the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies took a midnight ride on the 26.2-mile route to raise money for Boston Children’s Hospital.
The graduate students biked the annual “Midnight Marathon,” to raise money for charity as part of Boston University’s Global Days of Service, a month-long community service event where members of the BU community come together across the globe to give back to their communities. In 2013, Global Days of Service spanned the entire month of April for the first time, allowing over 4,000 volunteers to put in 25,000 hours of work in 15 countries.
The Pardee graduate students joined 3,000 other riders for the “Midnight Marathon,” which was started by Boston University alumni Greg Hum in 2009.
The students raised a total of $1,595 of their $2,000 fundraising goal by the time the Midnight Marathon kicked off, but will continue to raise money for Boston Children’s Hospital until the end of the month. Help ensure our grad students reach their fundraising goal here.
As part of the fundraiser Jocelyn Spottiswoode, an MA candidate in International Relations and Communication, promised to finish the race in under two hours if the group received seven donations of more than $100. After that fundraising goal was met, Spottiswoode kept up her end of the bargain and finished the ride in 1:42. Six of the other riders also finished in under two hours at 1:56.
Along with Spottiswoode, grad students participating in the ride included Mariana Echaniz, Katherine Seaton, Katie Bergamini, Jack Davidson, Bryn Schweda, Hayley Sutter, James Souza and Charlott Johansen.
Davidson, President of the Pardee Graduate Council, said he looks forward to continuing the tradition of Pardee School graduate students biking the midnight marathon for charity.
“It was great to take part in one of Boston’s newest traditions, and to do it for a good cause,” Davidson said. “The support that we had from our friends and faculty at the Pardee School only added to the sense of excitement and accomplishment. I think we are all looking forward to Pedaling for Progress again next year.”
Founded in 1869, Boston Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s top hospitals specializing in pediatric care. Children’s is home to the world’s largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center and had over 15,000 admissions last year.