Alumni Spotlight
Sean Flaherty (he/him)
Question: What was your MYL alumni year? (If you did not attend the conference, the year that you first volunteered!)
Sean's Response: 2016
Question: What high school did you go to?
Sean's Response: Sacred Heart High School
Question: If you went to/are currently attending college, where did/do you go and what did you major in?
Sean's Response: Roger Williams 2022 Graduate in Criminal Justice and Psychology
Question: If you are currently employed, what is your job?
Sean's Response: Police Officer at Falmouth Police Department
Question: Why do/did you volunteer with MYL/MassSTAR?
Sean's Response: I have a second family with the MYL Foundation. I have met some of my closest friends from volunteering with MYL. They bring the best side out of me. I learn more about myself each time I come back to volunteer with the MYL Foundation, and I look forward to each opportunity I get to see this family and make positive change in our community.
Question: What makes the Foundation unique?
Sean's Response: The coolest thing about MYL and MassSTAR for me is how diverse the community is. I have been able to meet and get to know people from towns I have never even heard of. The diversity of our MYL family also helped me pick a career path and college. While volunteering with MYL, I have met lawyers, doctors, researchers, teachers, software engineers, and countless others. I have gotten to network with people from people from all different backgrounds and locations, which has helped me immensely in several different areas of my life.
Question: Are you still in touch with people from the conference? How do you stay in touch?
Sean's Response: I went to the conference in 2016 and came back as junior operations in 2017. I am in a group chat with several alumni from 2016/2017 and we all keep in contact throughout the years. I find myself hanging out with people I met through MYL as much as my high school, college, and work friends. We all love to stay in contact and make an effort to get a group of us together at least once a month. Whether it is planning a ski trip, a beach trip, dinner in Boston, or visiting each other at our houses or colleges, I try my best to stay in touch with my family from the MYL Foundation.
Question: How would you describe the conference to somebody who hasn't/won't be able to experience it?
Sean's Response: Crazy. When I was a delegate, I was terrified about the conference because I didn't know what to expect. It can be a lot at first if you have never went to a conference like this before. I didn't think I would like it at all, but it slowly grew on me. I learned lessons and grew more in three days than I had in years. I learned the most about myself, because I had never taken the time to look at myself and what I value. I left the conference in awe of how much I had changed and how much I had learned.
Question: What is your favorite activity from the MassSTAR Conference?
Sean's Response: My favorite is the ice cream game because I get to watch the progression of the groups and get to watch them learn each leson.
Question: What is your favorite MassSTAR cheer?
Sean's Response: Mac and cheese. 2017 Junior Ops members were forced to do this one against our will and it has been a running joke between all of us. It is a great memory every time it comes up.
Question: What is a fun fact about yourself or something on your bucket list?
Sean's Response: My biggest bucket list item is heli skiing in British Columbia. I was born and raised skiing in Maine, which isn't known for its backcountry skiing. I've gone skiing in the backcountry powder with my sister in Colorado, but British Columbia is like the holy grail for backcountry skiing. The nature in BC is gorgeous and the views are unbelievable. I am in the process of saving and planning a trip up to BC with my sister in the next couple years.
Want to talk with Cristian? Contact him at [email protected]
Responses were collected January 2023