For Aidan Sauter, the support he finds within the St. Bonaventure community feels just like what he’s always known at home.
“Instead of having one house, you have a whole school. Everyone is a Bonnie here. They are all so warm and welcoming,” he said.
The freshman psychology major from Livonia, New York, is the final of four siblings to attend Bona’s.
He followed in the footsteps of Mary, ’18, who now teaches English in Vietnam; Peter, ’16 (’18 MBA), who works in finance in Columbus, Ohio; and Lucy, an education major who graduated in December 2019.
“I always knew I would attend Bona’s. My siblings loved it. They’d come home on break with all these stories, and I knew I wanted to go here.”
With a 4.0 GPA, Sauter’s freshman year has been one of focusing on his studies. He is committed to doing the work needed to succeed but also knows the importance of exploring what campus life has to offer.
He can often be found in the Richter Center, playing basketball, dodge ball or volleyball. On Saturday afternoons, look no further than the local nursing home, where he volunteers with Silver Wolves and plays cards and trivia games with the residents (his sister Lucy is a coordinator of the student-run program).
Sauter can also be found in the Bonathon room four nights per week, calling alumni and encouraging them to support The Bonaventure Fund.
“It’s wonderful talking to the donors,” he said. “I don’t know if they know the impact on us callers, but we clearly feel their energy. Every time we have a conversation and they say ‘Go Bona’s!’ it really makes a difference. What we’re all doing is helping to make Bona’s a better place.”
One of his favorite conversations during the fall semester was with a donor who has been married 60 years and met her husband while at St. Bonaventure. Other calls included alumni sharing stories of campus life, offering pointers for his future and reminiscing about friendships forged here.
“Friends for life — that’s what I’ve seen at Bona’s. It’s a lifelong bond. Once a Bonnie, always a Bonnie,” he said.
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