Hayley Boyle, ’12, followed in her father’s footsteps and attended La Salle University. Her time as an Explorer and Christian Brothers’ Scholarship recipient set the foundation for her future.
Hayley Boyle, ’12, remembers when she heard she’d been accepted to La Salle University and would be a recipient of the Christian Brothers’ Scholarship.
“I remember getting the call one night in the early spring of 2008 from the late John Grady Sr., who was the Honors Director at the time, to share with me that I was being awarded one of the Christian Brothers’ Scholarships,” she said. “I remember standing in my childhood bedroom, and in my disbelief, shouting, ‘You’re kidding me!’ to Mr. Grady over the phone. Who, of course, assured me that he was not kidding me, and congratulating me.”
After thanking Grady, she began jumping up and down, while celebrating with her mom that she’d earned the scholarship and had made the decision to attend La Salle.
“That phone call was, without a doubt, a life-changing moment for me,” she recalls.
The Christian Brothers’ Scholarship, which provides full tuition assistance to qualified first-year students, meant Boyle would be doing more than just becoming an Explorer. She’d be attending college close to home and following in her dad’s footsteps, who was a 1972 graduate. It was an honor to carry on his legacy as he had passed in 1999, and Boyle always remembered him speaking highly of his La Salle experience.
Boyle pursued a bachelor’s degree in sociology and was also a part of the Honors Program.
The experience in the Honors Program was a fulfilling and challenging one, Boyle remembers. She said professors including the late George B. Stow, Ph.D., Joe Volpe, Ph.D., and Vincent Kling, Ph.D., made a profound impact on her personal growth, pushed her to be a resilient student, and helped her achieve a higher level of intellectual curiosity. She thinks back on their lessons often and has kept books from her coursework for regular revisiting.
“I’m brought back to how profound and real our professors made learning for us. It was never just about a simple lesson or a straight lecture—what we learned always tied back to the human condition and existence, and I think it really shaped me into an even more empathetic, analytical, and creative person,” she said.
Boyle’s learning did not stop in the classroom. She immersed herself in La Salle’s mission and emphasis on service, including a service trip to Tanzania during her freshman year. Alongside her fellow Explorers, she spent several weeks in Dar es Salaam learning and volunteering at a school for girls. They supported teachers by providing English lessons and other cultural activities.
Boyle was incredibly grateful for the experience that allowed her to be immersed in another culture and build relationships internationally.
“That trip sparked an interest in the world for me, and I think set me on the path to care more deeply about the world and how interconnected we are. I had so little experience outside of the Philly region prior to that trip, but it inspired me to travel more and engage with every opportunity I could to travel and learn about the world around us,” she said.
With Boyle already predisposed to giving back and supporting her community, she found additional ways to give back on and around campus. She participated in the Mighty Writers program hosted by Professor Robert Vogel, Ed.D., studied in the Leadership & Global Understanding minor, attended service trips, and committed to putting theory into practice using what she learned in her sociology classes.
Today, her commitment to service continues. Boyle volunteers for Love Your Park clean up days in South Philadelphia or Fairmont Park, serves on the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Area Disc Alliance (PADA), and gives back to the British American Business Council and the Global Philadelphia Association.
She’s attended the LEADERSHIP Philadelphia core program for nonprofit leaders, as well as the POWER of Professional Women’s Empower-U Mentoring Circle leadership program. What she learned in these programs allowed Boyle to lead volunteer projects at local nonprofits Broad Street LOVE and Cradles to Crayons.
Boyle has also built a community with artists and writers through a monthly online literary and mixed-media magazine she co-founded in 2020, Wild Greens Magazine, that publishes art, handcrafts, poetry, essays, short fiction, music, and more.
“Service and community are so deeply important to me,” she added. “It brings me happiness, hope, and fulfillment. I know that even when the world feels challenging and scary, community built at home can lift people up, create space for meaningful connection, and impact people’s quality of life in tangible ways.”
Boyle’s service work bleeds into her professional career as well. As the Chief Programs Officer at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, she is a senior-level nonprofit manager overseeing strategy, development, and implementation for all of the organization’s programs. This includes its public programs and speaker events, youth programs, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and other professional exchanges.
The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia also offers professional education like Cultural Diplomacy Training and the Global Leadership Institute, along with its partnership with the City of Philadelphia for the Sister Cities program, promoting cultural, economic, and educational exchange with 11 international cities.
As Boyle continues to find ways to give back, she wants to support Explorers as they embark on their college journey. She said the financial support she received through the Christian Brothers’ Scholarship was a pivotal part of her story, and she hopes to open doors for others in a similar way.
“I want to continue to make sure that young people have opportunities to attend college if that’s what they want. And I want it to be attainable without going into crippling debt. Although it’s not the case for everyone to achieve that goal in the U.S. higher education system, if I can give back, and others who have the capacity to give can build a philanthropic mindset, then there’s still a chance for more young people to achieve that goal,” she said.
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