Wherever she goes, community grows

Mina Takayanagi, P’28, will never forget the generous act that changed her life. She pays it forward by supporting Boston College students. 

Every October, Madison Square Park in New York City plays host to an epic Halloween party. Dozens of partygoers and their families arrive dressed as bumblebees, astronauts, sharks, pirates, and, ironically, hot dogs. Treats are handed out and countless photos are taken to document the cuteness. It’s a fun community event not unlike one you’d find in any American city, except for an important detail: the guests of honor are all dachshunds. 

Two of those dogs, Minnie and Biscuit, belong to Mina Takayanagi, P’28. A driving force behind Madison Square Doxies, Mina arranges weekly meetups and annual events like the “Haloweenie” costume parade, an Easter egg hunt, and a fashion show. She also organizes a city cleanup group in her neighborhood of Gramercy Park.

Everywhere Mina goes, she seeks community. She has always been involved with her children’s schools, so when her son, Tyler ’28, enrolled in the Carroll School of Management, it was an easy decision to join the Parents Leadership Council as a Parent Partner. “I’m very into community and knowing the parents of my son’s friends,” Mina says. “I think it helps us stay involved and stay connected, not only so we can know what’s going on [at BC], but we can also do fun activities during the year. I’d really like to get involved as much as I can.”

Growing up in Southern California, Mina attended public schools and was a first-generation college student, receiving her undergraduate degree from UC Irvine. She was accepted to the Wharton School’s MBA program, but could not afford to pay tuition. Mina took a leap of faith by asking a colleague to cosign a loan, which he agreed to do. That act of generosity changed her life.

Having completed a career on Wall Street and service on the board of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, Mina understands that parent investment in BC is necessary because of how it can expand the University’s ability to offer whole-person formation. “That holistic experience is not going to be covered just by tuition alone,” she says. “I believe these ‘extras’ are just as important as the classroom work, so the more funding we can give the school, the better educated our children will be and the more they will gain the skills that will make them successful in life.”

As Tyler continues his BC journey, Mina hopes his experience as an Eagle will not only result in a rewarding career, but also friendships and a network that will serve him throughout his life. She’s set her sights on expanding her own network of BC alumni and parents in NYC—regardless of whether they are dachshund owners. 

While she is building her next community, Mina never forgets the support that put her in the position to give back, and urges others to do the same: “Many of us parents tend to forget where we’re from, who helped us along our journey, the financial aid packages we may have received. I told myself that whenever I got to that point where I had the wherewithal to support my kids’ education, or someone else’s who needed it, that I would do my best to pay it forward.”

Karen and Jay Foreman, P’26, are grateful for the formative education—and serendipitous moments—that are shaping their son’s future.

Nine cities. Fourteen colleges. Six days.

During his high school senior year, Ethan Foreman, his dad Jay, and a few friends traveled from Boston to Atlanta on an epic college tour. Exhausting as the trip may have been, Ethan came away from it with a clear goal: to go to Boston College. He applied Early Decision and enrolled in the Carroll School of Management as a member of the Class of 2026.

“The experience totally delivered for Ethan,” recalls the elder Foreman of the initial BC tour. “Right from the beginning we felt this connection with the school, almost through osmosis or kismet—there was just something magical about it.”

Since arriving at BC, Ethan began his management concentration and is focused on landing a career in sports management. Outside the classroom, he joined the Chinese Student Association, one of the largest student organizations at the Heights, graduated from the Emerging Leader Program through the Office of Student Involvement, participated in a Kairos retreat with Campus Ministry, and became a member of the Fulton Leadership Society within the Carroll School.

To show their appreciation for the formative education Ethan has received at BC, Jay and his wife, Karen, made a generous contribution to the Carroll School Dean’s Innovation Fund, which provides essential resources for John and Linda Powers Family Dean Andy Boynton ’78, P’13,  to respond to student and faculty needs as they arise and to invest in the innovative programs that have led to the school’s incredible ascent. “When we felt welcomed at BC and thought this was going to be a really special place for our child, we felt that supporting it to the level we could was a great opportunity. We want to see BC’s business school continue to elevate its reputation and its reach,” says Karen.

Despite a busy schedule, Ethan finds time every night to message or call his family in South Florida, including his younger sister, Kaylee. The Foremans chat about Ethan’s classes, his involvement in campus activities, and his passions like soccer, especially when his favorite club, Arsenal, plays. Jay has embraced the sport his son loves in order to bond with him more and the family has been season ticket holders for Inter Miami since it joined Major League Soccer in 2020 (three years prior to the arrival of global superstar Lionel Messi).

In the summer of 2025, heading into his senior year, Ethan worked with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) as it prepared for the 2026 World Cup. He hopes the experience is his first step toward a career working in soccer and sports management. So, how did he score such a dream opportunity?

“He met a BC grad at an Inter Miami soccer game totally accidentally,” Jay explains. “This young guy was sitting in our seats, and Ethan—who was wearing a BC shirt—asked him to please move over. He said, ‘No problem’ and ‘What's your connection to BC?’ It turns out he graduated from BC and works in global soccer as a liaison to the team. He helped make some introductions for Ethan in the soccer world. Now he’s totally focused on that as a career.”

Now that is kismet.