The Heckler’s Hoya of the Week goes to Sophomore Tom Ashburn (MSB ’17) for his selfless actions in briefly considering sitting with a student eating alone in Leo’s.
Ashburn, a native of the heartland of our proud nation, Hartford, Connecticut, was seen perusing the deli section of Leo’s early Wednesday morning when he noticed the familiar sight of an individual freshman eating by himself near the soda machines.
Ashburn (center) is also an active member of the CSJ.
Unlike so many other Hoyas who simply walked past the socially-isolated freshman, Ashburn decided to do something and thought about pulling up a chair and engaging the lone individual at the table in conversation.
While waiting for his burger to be cooked by the Leo’s staff Ashburn reportedly went on to day dream about what it would be like to see a huge smile on the freshman’s face as he joined him at his table and the how touched and grateful the student would be.
Although, Ashburn, forever humble, declined to say this was his “Hoya Saxa” moment, many individuals long to experience a moment as profound and thoughtful as Ashburn did.
Ashburn also could have not displayed any more humility after his good deed on Wednesday. According to the friends who he eventually met for dinner on Wednesday, Ashburn “made no reference” to the actions he had just thought about taking and was just “his normal self.”
The freshman in question declined to give a formal interview but said he was “a little bit overwhelmed with emotion” that a stranger could think about doing something so kind.
“I had a lot of options when it came to schools,” Ashburn told the Heckler in an exclusive interview. “But what separates Georgetown for a huge state school is really the way we think about taking care of each other and the way we think about helping each other out.”
“This is really the way we need to think about treating each other here at this school,” said President John DeGioia in a press release.
Bravo Mr. Ashburn, the campus needs more heroes like you who think about doing things.