Senior Farewells Allison Russell

Heights: Why did you choose Boston College in the first place?

Allison: I was accepted into Boston College through the early admissions process, and from that point on, I stopped applying to other schools. My neighbor is a Double Eagle, and since I was little he would always take me to the football games and make sure that I was fitted from head to toe with the latest BC garb. I think BC provides the perfect balance of an exceptional education and an incredibly rich system of extracurricular activities.

Heights: What is the best decision you made while at BC?

Allison: Going on the senior Halftime retreat at the beginning of the year was the best decision I have made. Not only did I start my year off with some much-needed reflection, but I also met an incredible group of people who have become some of my closest friends.

Heights: What is your biggest regret about your time at BC?

Allison: My biggest regret is not majoring in Elementary Education in the Lynch School in addition to my theatre major. By the time I realized my dream job would be teaching young children in the art of theatre, I was already more than halfway finished with my CSOM core.

Heights: What is your favorite moment, if you had to pick one, from your time at BC?

Allison: This question is nearly impossible. I have had so many incredible times here and have so many people to thank for shaping my BC experience. If I had to choose one moment, I would say Marathon Monday my sophomore year. My friends who were juniors in the theatre department rented an entire house off campus, and they invited the whole department over for a barbeque.

Heights: What is the best class you ever took at BC?

Allison: Other than Makeup Design for the Stage (which was an absolute blast and gave me a terrific marketable skill in the theatre world), my favorite class is without a doubt Communication and Personal Branding with professor Phil Fragasso.

Heights: What is your favorite food served at BC?

Allison: This is a tough one. I am a Hillside girl at heart, and anything with the herb cream cheese is alright with me! I’d have to say that my favorite is a cross between the New England Classic Panini and the Hillside Veggie. But I also love the Mac and Cheese station at Lower with ham, bleu cheese, a little bit of buffalo sauce, mushrooms, and carrots. It sounds a bit aggressive, but it’s unreal.

Heights: I know that you are an unusual case at BC in that you are both in CSOM and very involved in the theater. How is it that you balance these two aspects of your life?

Allison: Originally I was accepted into CSOM and had no plans of adding a theatre arts major. However, once I was welcomed into the theatre community and looked into the curriculum for the theatre major, I added the major at the end of my freshman year. I thought that I wanted to go into arts administration, which is why I chose CSOM at first, but the more I perform, the more I realize that my calling is to be onstage. I love my CSOM classes and really enjoy the balance between thinking analytically and creatively, and I think that the Management and Leadership concentration was perfect for me because it explores business from a people-person perspective rather than through number-crunching.

Heights: What is a highlight from your time in the theater program? In CSOM?

Allison: I would have to say that a highlight from my theatre experience at BC was getting the lead role of Charity in Sweet Charity my freshman year. When they saw me coming, the crowd parted and I walked up to find my name next to the leading role! I felt like a celebrity in that moment. A highlight of my time in CSOM would be the second day of my senior year when I switched from a Marketing to a Management and Leadership concentration.

Heights: What do you love most about BC?

Allison: I love the community of people here and the school pride that we all share. Some of my favorite times at BC have been looking out into the crowd at football games to a sea of Superfan maroon and gold! Our alma mater says that “For here all are one,” and I definitely believe that is true. We all live by the “work hard, play hard” motto, and I am so grateful to be part of an institution where I get an incredible education and still have fun in the process.

Heights: What moment in your college career has shaped you the most and why?

Allison: I think auditioning for The Vagina Monologues my freshman year shaped me the most. It helped me to gain confidence in myself as a woman and a performer and also encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone. I feel privileged to have helped raised thousands of dollars for charity through the process as well. I almost dropped dead when I saw some of the familiar faces in the crowd who I never thought in a million years would attend, and to have people in my life who support me in doing what I love is truly priceless.

Heights: What advice would you give to the underclassmen?

Allison: Go on at least one retreat. Having the opportunity to talk with people on a deeper level and make friends without relying on alcohol to “loosen you up” is unbelievably rewarding. I wish I had signed up for Kairos, and had I gone on Halftime earlier, I would have loved to lead a retreat as well. Although it may sound cliche, I would definitely encourage the underclassmen to truly take advantage of their time here because it flies by. Keep your dorm doors open and make new friends, go to Mary Ann’s on a random Monday night, spend all night sleeping in Maloney Hall to register for Mudstock, do it all. By the time you realize what you have missed, it is too late. Live it up while you’re here!