From the hockey boards to the boardroom, Jeremy McDonald's path to graduation

Courtesy of Jeremy McDonald

By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief Framingham State senior and Student Trustee Jeremy McDonald has made the most of his two years on campus, balancing a full academic course load, collegiate hockey, internships in public service, and successful law school applications. Originally from Buffalo, New York, McDonald arrived at Framingham State in Fall 2023 after playing two years of junior hockey. His path to the University was driven by a long-standing dream to play college hockey - but once on campus, his goals quickly expanded. “I’ve always known I wanted to be a lawyer,” he said. “Even in high school, I saw it as a way to create real change. That’s been a driving force for me.” That early passion shaped not only his academic pursuits but also his professional aspirations. “I want to help people - especially those facing systemic barriers - navigate a legal system that can work against them,” he said. But before law school, there was hockey - and a bit of a detour. After high school, he spent two years playing junior hockey, a common path for competitive players. He first stayed in Buffalo, New York, playing for the Buffalo Junior Sabres, then moved on to play for the Utica Jr. Comets in Utica, New York. Though many players take an extra year before entering college, he was recruited early to Framingham State and made the leap - a decision that allowed him to begin his college education while pursuing his dream of playing NCAA hockey. McDonald entered Framingham State as a second-semester sophomore, thanks to advanced placement and dual-enrollment credits earned during high school. He completed his degree in just two years by enrolling in winter and summer courses and earning academic credit through internships. In addition to his academic achievements, McDonald became deeply involved in student leadership. He joined the Student Government Association in October 2023 after attending the University’s Club and Organization Fair. Encouraged by Professor Maria Bollettino, he saw SGA as a platform to make meaningful change on campus. President of SGA Evelyn Campbell said from the moment McDonald joined Student Government, “he jumped into meaningful work.” “In the past two years, he has truly grown as a leader and left a lasting impact on campus,” she said. Campbell highlighted some of McDonald’s accomplishments on campus, including arranging for the RamTram to bring students to the hockey games and working to improve the meal swipe system to better accommodate athletes. Campbell said McDonald also organized a lawyer panel to support students interested in pursuing law. He also helped students earn more credit for their internships through academic policy changes. “His leadership is thoughtful, student-focused, and impactful,” she added. Campbell said what makes McDonald such an incredible leader on campus is that he “leads with integrity and heart. “He’s thoughtful, dependable, and always willing to step up for others. His leadership comes from a genuine desire to make a difference, and he’s the kind of person people naturally look to for guidance. With his drive and dedication to helping others, I have no doubt he’s going to make an incredible lawyer one day,” she said. By April 2024, McDonald was elected student trustee and officially sworn in the following September. “I was initially planning to run for vice president of SGA, but after a conversation with a fellow student leader, we realized our strengths would be better suited in different roles,” he said. “I had already been working on administrative committees, and I knew I wanted to focus on university governance.” He said, “It just made sense. I’d already been serving on the Strategic Planning Committee and I was really interested in administrative work.” As a student trustee, he followed in the footsteps of Ryan Mikelis, who mentored him through the transition. “[Mikelis] showed me the ropes, and I’ve really tried to make the role my own since stepping into it,” he said. Ann McDonald, general counsel of Framingham State and secretary to the Board of Trustees, said his determination led him to where he is today. [ Editor’s Note: Ann McDonald and Jeremy McDonald are not related. ] Ann McDonald said, “He wanted to get involved on campus and stepped up” when he saw the opportunity. She said Jeremy McDonald has a sense of perspective and approaches problems with a unique set of skills and a lens of equity. She said his decision-making abilities “reflect a level of maturity, in the way of looking at a fairly simple issue, but really, truly understanding all the details of it, just versus taking it at face value.” Ann McDonald added, “I'm thankful to have had the time to work with him, and he absolutely has a great future ahead of him.” Despite a demanding schedule, McDonald has remained committed to the hockey team. He described team bus rides and shared meals in the dining hall as among his favorite campus memories. “People underestimate how important those moments are,” he said. “Having a built-in group of 30 friends made the transition to college so much easier.” That sense of camaraderie extended to campus life, too. “We had this table in the dining hall right next to the salad bar. We called it the hockey table,” he said, laughing. “No matter when you went in, you’d find someone from the team sitting there.” Time spent with his teammates off the ice was just as important to McDonald. “People underestimate the time spent on the bus to away games,” he said. “Those trips gave us a chance to really bond.” Many of his teammates also played on the club lacrosse team in the off-season, creating another layer of team spirit and community support. “Even if you didn’t play, you’d go out and cheer them on. It made campus feel like home.” Teammate Luke Yubeta said McDonald inspired him to become more involved on campus. He is now running for the student trustee position. “I would not be as involved as I am without his influence. I think just seeing him has encouraged me to do more with myself at Framingham State and just strive to be the best I can be,” Yubeta said. Yubeta said the entire hockey team saw McDonald’s potential both on and off the ice. “We all love playing hockey, and that's why we're all here, but it's been pretty clear that Jeremy has a bigger plan past hockey. We're all very happy for him, very excited for him,” Yubeta said. In the summer of 2024, McDonald interned with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which helped confirm his interest in labor and employment law. “It was so eye-opening to see how the federal government helps people facing workplace discrimination,” he said. He is currently interning with Congresswoman Katherine Clark’s office, where he has participated in local events and engaged with the community in Massachusetts’ Fifth Congressional District. Reflecting on the internship, he said, “It’s meaningful to give back to the community where I’ve lived these past two years. “The EEOC gave me insight into workplace discrimination, and working with Rep. Clark allowed me to connect with the local community.” He also cited two classes as particularly impactful: “Moot Court,” which helped him build legal reasoning and oral argument skills, and “Race, Politics, and the Law,” with Professor Julia Maycock, which examined systemic inequities in the legal system. Political Science Professor Giuliano Espino, who taught Moot Court, said, “He gives his full heart to” everything he accomplishes. Espino said McDonald showed up to every class having read the material multiple times and even offering points that Espino himself did not think of. "Some of those points he made I would actually incorporate into my own teaching and argument around the cases,” Espino said. He added, “The thing that's great about Jeremy is, you can tell he has that team spirit from being a hockey player because he was so collaborative and cooperative with classmates.” Espino said he was a “blessing” to have in his class and he was just one of those students “every professor dreams of.” After taking the LSAT in the fall of 2024, McDonald applied to several law schools and toured campuses across the Northeast. In the end, he chose the University at Buffalo School of Law - just 15 minutes from his childhood home. “I’ve had a connection to that university my whole life,” he said. “My artwork hung in their performing arts center when I was a kid, and I ran on their track. Returning there as a law student is incredibly rewarding.” Reflecting on his time at Framingham State, McDonald emphasized the relationships he’s built and the University’s commitment to access and community. “The size of this University allows for deep, meaningful connections,” he said. “Whether it’s faculty, staff, or trustees, so many people here have invested in me. “This school has helped me grow in so many ways - personally, professionally, and academically,” he said. As he prepares for graduation in May, as a commencement speaker and his college’s marshall, no less, McDonald said he’s proud of what he’s accomplished and grateful to the community that helped him get to where he is today. “Hockey brought me to Framingham,” he said. “But what I found here was so much more.”