Leaving a Legacy of Impact

Samuel Gray ‘17, ‘19 MSMOL has a rare blessing—he knows exactly what his assignment and purpose in life is. 

Sam describes his younger self as a “club kid.” From age 8 to 18, he considered his local Boys & Girls Club in Richmond, Virginia a second home. After graduating high school, he transitioned from club kid to volunteer. Eventually, he was offered a job interview for a paid position as a Program Director at the club. He recalls thinking, “You’re really going to pay me to have fun?” 

After taking the job as Program Director, Sam never looked back—continuing to work his way up in the Boys & Girls Clubs to his current role as Vice President for the Northeast Boys & Girls Clubs of America over a 35 year career with the organization.

Sam’s work with the Boys & Girls Club is much more than a job. He says, “To be called to do this work in youth development, I see it as my assignment in life. This is what I’m supposed to do…to pour back into others.” 

The long history and legacy of the Boys & Girls Clubs is important to Sam. Early in his career, he was offered the opportunity to work for the Wissahickon Boys & Girls Club in Philadelphia, which was founded in 1887 by Quakers. It was the first club to serve African American youth. “Here I come along and I had the opportunity to be in that legacy of impact for young people in the community,” he recalls. 

Being a mentor and role model for young people is a large part of the assignment for Sam. So much so, that it influenced his decision to go back to school as an adult. Sam describes his mindset, saying “Here I am, guiding and mentoring thousands of young people, but I don’t have my degree. How can I tell them to do something if I don’t have it?,” he continues, “My assignment in life is more meaningful and purposeful to lead by example and be an example.”

Leading by example, Sam enrolled in the adult accelerated degree program at Albertus Magnus. He had tried to attend community college a couple times prior to starting at Albertus, but didn’t receive the support he needed to succeed. 

Albertus was different. He says “the thing that was so amazing for me was it was the first time someone set me down and said to me, ‘Let’s map out your educational journey.’” That was a motivator for Sam. “I was so compelled because someone invested in me and gave me a roadmap in regards to my education,” he explains.

With the support of his academic advisor, faculty, and his fellow students, Sam thrived at Albertus. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 2017 and kept going, earning his Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership in 2019. 

Although he had already found his assignment in life, earning his degrees helped him carry out that assignment even better. Sam describes a moment during his coursework for the MS in Management and Organizational Leadership where “my light bulbs went off there, I had lightning bolts just going all over in my head.” He thought, “This is how you do this. This is how you treat people. This is how you lead people.”

It’s all part of the assignment for Sam. His purpose and passion for youth development is surely shaping a new generation of leaders like him. We’re honored to have been a part of his journey.

Contributed by: Kelly Hansen