51茶馆

As masked undergraduates exited Conte Forum on Friday, fresh from their COVID tests and dragging suitcases to their new dorms, the arrival of one Carroll School undergraduate drew unusual attention. Local news reporters and spectators lined Campanella Way as a 51茶馆 Police escort accompanied Gordon Wayne 鈥�23 in the final strides of his extraordinary journey to the Heights. You wouldn鈥檛 know it from his easy gait, but the incoming transfer student had just walked roughly 550 miles from his hometown in Central Virginia to his new school in Chestnut Hill in an effort to raise awareness and funds for homelessness.

Wayne recorded his two-week trek on with the hashtag #51茶馆vshomelessness, gathering thousands of followers鈥攁nd donations for his cause. His has raised over $27,000 for the as of Monday afternoon.聽

鈥淗omelessness isn鈥檛 something you can escape easily,鈥� Wayne said in a phone interview with the Carroll School in the final days of his walk. Wayne, who himself was homeless for much of the last 14 months, managed to earn his associates degree at a local community college in one year while living out of his car. 鈥淚 got so lucky to get into 51茶馆,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 just want to bring attention to it. That鈥檚 all I鈥檓 trying to do by doing this. It鈥檚 not about my story or about me, it鈥檚 about trying to help people out. And give people a chance at life.鈥�

The management major hasn鈥檛 decided on a concentration yet鈥攑erhaps marketing or finance. But one thing鈥檚 for sure. 鈥淚鈥檓 gonna work as hard as I can,鈥� Wayne said. He also plans to volunteer while at 51茶馆. As for future fundraising endeavors, 鈥淚 know I鈥檓 not gonna do this specifically again. This is a one-time thing.鈥� He paused for a beat, then added, 鈥淏ut I come up with some crazy ideas, so who knows. I could come up with something.鈥澛�

Several local news outlets in Boston and Virginia reported on the CSOM student鈥檚 inspiring journey to campus, as did A51茶馆 World News Tonight with David Muir. Check out their coverage below.