Purpose through Research and Action that Matter

Having a sense of purpose is a fundamental psychological need and a key factor in long-term emotional well-being. People of all ages find purpose in relation to one another; we find relevance and meaning in positively impacting others. We believe that the best way to set students up for a purposeful, fulfilled adult life is to help them each have an experience—while they are in high school—where they take some action that feels purposeful. Given our location, connection with the University, and, most of all, the drive and ability of our students, these young people are in a unique position to do. Some will find purpose through a large project like the student-designed mural gracing the large exterior wall at BUA facing the BU Bridge making a statement about representation and social justice. Others will find purpose in a senior thesis research project at the intersection of their passion and a community’s need. Still others will find meaning in smaller actions: forming a club, engaging in service, tutoring a fellow BUA students, or just being a good listener to a friend.

 

Objectives

  • Bolstering our areas of traditional curricular strength – a deep, engaging core curriculum and limitless possibilities at the University – so that students gain the skills and habits of mind to be engaged, productive, positive citizens
  • Finding ways to continue to support students who are looking for ways to connect their passions with a community need, large or small
  • Building opportunities for experiential learning in Boston and beyond where students can explore their interests and potentially make a difference
  • Enhancing scaffolding and support in the senior thesis program so that students can successfully identify and execute projects at the intersection of passion and purpose
  • Offering spaces for student collaboration and innovation

 

Progress in Action

  • Mural Project: Working with BUA teachers and staff, BU’s Arts Council, and the City of Boston, then senior Sitarah Lakhani designed and executed a mural on the side of the BUA building facing the BU bridge. The mural makes an important statement about inclusion and is seen by 35,000 a day.
     
    BUA mural

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  • Student Commons: In a long-awaited and much-hoped for expansion, BUA significantly enlarged its physical footprint in the fall of 2024 by annexing the first floor in the rear section of One University Road – what used to be BU’s Student Activities Office. That space is now the BUA Student Commons, a multi-use area housing a large student lounge, student support offices, quiet study rooms, and an athletic training room.
     
    The Student Commons lounge – outfitted with bright, inviting furniture and a living moss wall – was an instant hit, and students across all grades wasted no time in making the space their own. Before school, students gather to do crossword puzzles, play games, or prepare for the coming day; friends chat and laugh together over lunch; after school, students read, relax, or get a head start on homework. The Student Commons has also been used to host affinity group celebrations, student activities, and school events.
     
    Beyond its role as a social hub, the Student Commons expansion has significantly enhanced BUA’s student support program. The quiet study room has improved teachers’ ability to administer extra-time testing, and students appreciate having a truly silent space in which to work. BU undergraduate tutors offer subject-specific academic support for BUA students during Homework Club. Clustering the offices of School Psychologist Stacey Weiskopf, Director of Student Support Jill Atkinson, and Learning Specialist Rachel Mansour together in the Student Commons has improved communication among that team and created a central hub for academic support and student wellbeing.
     
    The final piece of the renovation was the creation of a dedicated athletic training room – the first in BUA’s history. This space, which houses a treatment table and athletic training equipment and can be accessed both from the gym and from the Student Commons, enables BUA’s athletic trainer to properly assess, treat, and rehabilitate student athletes – a big upgrade from our former setup in Dave Stone’s office!
     
    The Student Commons space has been a game-changer for our school: with this addition, the entirety of the building at One University Road is occupied solely by BUA during the school day. We are grateful to BU for making this space available to us. The move speaks to BU’s faith in and commitment to BUA, especially considering the high demand for space across the University. We are likewise grateful to the donors in our community who recognized the impact that the new Student Commons would have on the lives of our students and chose to invest in this transformative renovation.

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  • Global Travel: Over March break 2025, 51 students and 9 adults traveled to Roatán, Greece, and Arizona as part of BUA’s global education program. These programs are intentional, experiential travel opportunities with deep ties to the BUA curriculum.
     
    Home base for the Roatán trip, led by Dr. Colleen Krivacek, was the Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS), a living laboratory surrounded by over 30 miles of fringing and barrier reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, and pristine shoreline. Student travelers experienced a deep dive (literally!) into marine biology: their classrooms included the Caribbean Sea, with twice-a-day snorkeling sessions, and the wet and dry labs of RIMS. Students worked alongside marine biologists, participating in cutting-edge research projects and conservation programs aimed at protecting the fragile marine ecosystems of Roatán.
     
    The Greece trip, led by Dr. Mark Alonge, explored Greece’s rich tradition of self-government from antiquity to today, probing how the legacy of ancient Greece affects modern Greek identity. The group visited the ancient archaeological sites of Nemea, Mycenae, Messene, Olympia, Delphi, and Athens. After walking the grounds of the Agora, the center of ancient Athenian civic life, students spoke with a local democracy watchdog organization about current issues impacting the region. Students reflected on their experience by making zines with a local Athenian artist.
     
    The Arizona trip, led by Ms. Emily Kamen, explored Arizona through three lenses of inquiry: climate change, water in the West, and Indigenous land rights. Students walked among ancient Indigenous petroglyph sites and dwellings at Picture Canyon and Montezuma Castle National Monument. At the Grand Canyon, students hiked along the rim after gaining a deeper understanding of its ecological and cultural significance to the Four Corners region. Students learned from two Hopi artists, who shared their craft and the stories behind their work. Inspired by these conversations, students had the chance to create their own art, incorporating symbols and narratives they had encountered.

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  • Senior Thesis Symposium: On May 12, BUA’s 67 seniors presented their research at our annual Senior Thesis Symposium. The Symposium, open to the entire BUA community, celebrates our seniors and gives them a platform to share their research with and field questions from a non-expert audience.
     
    From bioinformatics to urban planning, the depth and breadth of our seniors’ research is astounding. This is not just an academic exercise: these students have dedicated themselves to research and action with real-world impact in areas they are passionate about, and are poised for lives of purpose in college and beyond.
    Read the complete senior theses for the BUA Class of 2025 here.