William Hardiman ’19, a political science major from Brockton, Massachusetts, can attest to the power of scholarships and internships in shaping a college experience. With generous support from the family and friends of John Waldron ’79, a Waldron Scholarship has helped support his educational experience at Saint Joseph’s College. One highlight of his program occurred as an outcome of a partnership between the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC) in Portland and Saint Joseph’s College; this partnership opened an internship opportunity for Hardiman in the Governor Joseph E. Brennan Archives this spring. With his mentor and a fellow student, Hardiman dedicated himself to making the archives more accessible to the public.
Hardiman said, “The Brennan Archives were one of the most interesting things I have ever experienced. It was amazing to see how Governor Brennan was able to serve as a congressman, but also still feel the pulse of his constituents’ concerns, especially in his second term in Congress when he was seeking the governorship. By working on this project, I hope that I have helped keep the legacy of Governor Brennan alive for generations to come.”
As Hardiman neared the end of his internship, he enjoyed an opportunity to meet not only former Governor Joseph Brennan (Hon. ’82) but also former Governor John Baldacci. Of Brennan he asked the questions that had bubbled up during his research: what drove you to run for office? How did you stay involved after losing an election?
Brennan told Hardiman, “If you want to make life better for people there is no better place than political service. It's an exciting life. Believe in something. Argue for it, but don't get committed to it until you hear the other side. You must listen to the other side!”
Hardiman already has direct experience in the politics, having worked for two city councilor election campaigns in Massachusetts. He connected those experience with what he learned from Brennan, Hardiman said, “Meeting the man himself, I could see how he was extremely humble and intelligent. He was able to let others take large responsibility within his administration. He knew when people knew more about something than he did. He was a lawyer prior to being a politician which was very interesting as I plan to go to law school after graduating here at Saint Joseph’s.”
With the help of generous donors like the Waldrons, Saint Joseph’s College works to inspire and educate students so that they can graduate as knowledgeable professionals who work with the values of compassion, integrity, justice, faith, excellence, respect and community. As Hardiman said, “I have very fond memories of the Waldrons, going back to when I was very little. Their kindness and generosity are well known in the Brockton area. I am very grateful to them for supporting me and the other Waldron scholars.”
Our goal is to increase the number of scholarships for students so that they can remain enrolled at Saint Joseph’s College, graduate, and use Mercy values to better our world. Please consider supporting a student this year through the 2018 Annual Fund www.sjcme.edu/donate.
When her husband, John Waldron ’79, passed away suddenly in 2012, Mary Waldron (second from left) wanted to honor his memory. Mary and John’s close friends, Mike Perotto ’78 and Reis Hagerman ’79, as well as his sister, Sheila Veideman, and John’s home community of Brockton, MA, raised more than $17,000 for John Waldron ’79 Scholarships for students from the South Shore of Boston through a wiffleball tournament, raffles, and the gifts of individuals. Waldron Scholars Ryan Gorham ’18, James Stevens ’19, and Will Hardiman ’19 are shown here. Absent from the photo was David Free, ’19. Photo: Emma Deans.
