Parents Give Back
Investing in UMass Boston: Chancellor’s Council Members John and Lori Buccetti
UMass Boston finance major Tyler Buccetti ’13 knows what it means to take the long view. He plays for the university’s baseball team, which won the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championship in 2010. Ty never dreamed he would be part of a squad that would break nearly every team record in school history. Still, he was inspired by Coach Brendan Eygabroat’s goal to assemble the university’s best baseball team ever, even if achieving that goal meant a great deal of mental-endurance training, grueling exercise regimens, and long hours of practice.
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| Chancellor Motley with Tyler Buccetti '13 |
When Ty was selecting a college to attend, Coach Eygabroat’s enthusiasm was certainly a draw for him and his family. Ty’s father, Chancellor’s Council member John Buccetti, says that when the Wallingford, Connecticut high schooler was recruited, it was obvious that the coach had high hopes for the team. “I never doubted Ty was going to be a part of something big,” John says.
But what finally convinced the Buccettis that UMass Boston was the best choice for Ty was the university’s holistic approach to athletics and academics. “From a developmental perspective, UMass Boston just felt right,” says John. Ty’s mother, Lori Buccetti, adds that the family was impressed by the tremendous passion for the university exhibited by practically everyone they encountered, especially Chancellor Motley.
Ty’s experience as a UMass Boston undergraduate has included many high points. From traveling to Ohio for UMass Boston’s first-ever appearance in the Division III College World Series, to serving as a tutor for fellow undergraduates, to being selected for the Honors Program and taking on a fascinating honors thesis project, he has thrived.
Ty’s honors thesis dovetails neatly with his interests outside the classroom. It explores the investment strategies of former college athletes who are now finance professionals, attempting to determine if the long-view perspective necessary for athletic success influences the way the onetime players manage financial risk.
Similarly, John and Lori Buccetti hold a long view with respect to their charitable investment in UMass Boston. They feel it is important to give as a way of thanking the university for their son’s rich experiences there. And they believe that supporting the university now will pay dividends for the students who follow in Ty’s footsteps. “It’s evident that UMass Boston’s stature is rising on so many levels,” says John. “But more important,” Lori adds, “it is exciting to have a role in helping the university become its very best.”
