WCC dean, faculty member create scholarship fund to commemorate participating in Boston Marathon
For Kristin Good, dean of Arts and Sciences at Washtenaw Community College, and WCC math faculty member Bobby Klemmer, running in the 120th annual Boston Marathon proved to be just as much of a mental test as a physical one.
“It’s amazing to see what your body and brain can do together,” Good said.
Runners must qualify to participate in the Boston Marathon, with each age group required to complete a specific time the previous year. Both Good and Klemmer achieved these times.
As the marathon approached, they started a process known as “tapering,” where one gradually decreases the amount of exercise in the weeks leading up to the big day. Tapering is crucial for runners because the body needs to rest in order to reach its optimal performance.
And it seems to have paid off because Good and Klemmer finished with solid times. Good came in at three hours, 51 minutes and 47 seconds and Klemmer finished in 3:31:37. Both agree that running for some-thing greater than themselves was far more rewarding.
To commemorate their participation in this year’s Boston Marathon, Good and Klemmer are raising money for the STRIVE (strength, trust, resilience, inspiration, vision, and endurance) for Success endowment. STRIVE for Success will help high school students attend WCC. The plan is to raise $10,000 over the next three years.
“In some ways, our students are running marathons because they’re juggling classes, work, internships, extracurricular activities, and families in some cases,” said Good, who also serves on the WCC Foundation Board of Directors. “The Boston Marathon is just under four hours, whereas the students’ marathons are stretched out over several years— and the finish line is the moment they walk across the stage with their degrees.”
Donations of any value are being accepted and in the upcoming months, there will be updates on the progress of the scholarships via email and social media.
“Many of our students’ ‘races’ are far more grueling and obstacle-filled than any run could ever be,” Klemmer said. “I view teaching as a true privilege, and I am convinced that my students have taught me just as much as I have taught them. I am proudly running and creating this endowment to honor them.”
To support STRIVE for Success, visit wccnet.edu/foundation/give. Enter “STRIVE for Success Award” upon making your gift.
By Princess Gabbara
Writer, Public Relations