by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Campus
Lillie Hunter ’22/TheCowl
PC Community Reunites for the Ninth Annual Friar 5K
by Julia Acquavita ’22
The skies were a vibrant blue this past Saturday, September 29, as hundreds of people gathered onto the Providence College campus, thrilled to join in on the Friar 5K festivities.
Organized by the National Alumni Association of the College, this race marked the ninth annual Friar 5K. Faculty, alumni, students, family, friends, and members of the greater Providence area gathered together to participate in a day full of fitness, family, and fun.
The runners eagerly met around Smith Lawn, ready to start the race. As the horn rang through the air, they were off!
The crowd consisted of sprinters, joggers, and walkers as everyone made their way through the course and onto Eaton Street, prepared to take on the uphill battle ahead of them.
The festivities of the day began bright and early for the many who volunteered to help out throughout the course of the race.
The streets were flooded with sports teams, alumni, PC clubs, and Friars ready to cheer on the runners. PC pride was in the air as all the volunteers gathered in support of the courageous participants.
Orchestrated by the National Alumni Association, this event has been around for the past eight years, with the purpose of contributing to fund the National Alumni Association Scholarship. This elite scholarship is only given to a select number of PC students.
For the 2018 Friar 5K, organizations such as United Natural Foods (unfi), Spino Brothers Inc., New England Mechanical Contractors Association, UnitedHealthcare, Coast to Coast Promotional Products, and SLAM helped to sponsor this event.
The anticipated race began in front of the Smith Center for the Arts, ending in front of the Arthur F. and Patricia Ryan Center for Business Studies.
The race route weaved in and out of the campus, providing the racers with a scenic view of the campus and the city itself.
Maureen Severino, a participant in the race, mentioned, “It was lovely to see the campus and notice how far this school has come since my daughter went here twenty-five years ago.”
This year’s top finishers included Peter Murphy, age 29, finishing the 5K in 16:56 minutes, Brian Strobel, age 26, finishing in 18:04 minutes, and Tim Sears, age 19, finishing in 18:14 minutes.
This event has only prospered over the years, with more and more students, alumni, and other members of the Friar Family registering to participate in such a community-oriented day. Whether these people are physically running the event, or simply passing out T-shirts, people dedicate their time to show their support and be a part of this special event.
One story which promotes the idea of the Friar Family is that of two PC alumni, Tom Allard ’84 and Karen Delane ’84. They met during their time at Providence College and now have a daughter that attends the school.
PC events have now become a full family affair, as they come to support several school-sanctioned events every year, such as attending basketball games, legacy day, and more.
Even when the race was over, the festivities of the day continued.
A series of events took place throughout campus on the Slavin and Business Center lawns, consisting of rock climbing, races through inflatable obstacle courses, and autograph signings from the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team.
Everyone’s Friar 5K experience was packed to the gills with these all-day games and activities, making this day a popular event during PC’s St. Dominic’s Weekend celebration.
A core value of the College is community and unity. Through events such as the Friar 5K and St. Dominic’s Weekend celebration, people from the years of PC’s past and present can unite for a day dedicated to the PC community and family.
Without days like these, the Friar Family would not be the strong, passionate group of people it is today.