University Students Show the Power of the Peer Group

Today our focus on powerful peer group stories brings us back to school, to Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.

Bruce C. Boynick was well-known for his knack for listening and remembering the smallest details in a conversation. Perhaps it was this natural skill that propelled him to pursue a degree in journalism at Northwestern, where he eventually received his undergraduate degree and went on to get his masters in business.

He was well-liked among his classmates at Northwestern and respected by colleagues in his position as a consultant to industrial cleaning industries. But after a long battle with cancer he passed away on July 3, 2012, leaving his wife, family members and friends behind.

Bruce’s passing had an immediate ripple effect among his Northwestern classmates, who found his sincerity and attentiveness in nurturing lasting relationships to be extremely special.

To remember the loss of an amazing friend and the lives he touched, a group of friends and former colleagues with and without Northwestern University affiliation established a scholarship fund named after Bruce.

The goal of the scholarship was to support generations of students who show promise in making social change in their campus communities. The scholarship fund was supported by many strangers who had one thing in common: their respect and love for the friendship they had with Bruce.

More than a hundred friends got together to build the scholarship fund, which easily surpassed the target goal the scholarship board had in mind.

Bruce’s legacy lives on to this day with each scholarship recipient supported continuously from the day they receive the scholarship to the day they leave Northwestern.

We invite you to visit our Facebook page to tell us about how you joined together with like-minded peers to make a difference in your business or community. We will publish some of those stories over the next few months in this blog.

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