David Sheehan graduated from Lasell with a degree in criminal justice, two-year co-captainship of the men's lacrosse team, All-America honors from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA), Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) all-conference and player of the year awards, and the Yeardley Reynolds Love (YRL) Unsung Hero Award from the One Love Foundation.
Now, the former captain is ready to take on a new mission.
Sheehan hopes to enlist with the United States Army this year. The aspiration is, for him, a fulfilling combination of teamwork and civil service.
"The question I asked myself was, ‘What am I good at and what do I like to do?' Protecting people and developing a team connection combines everything I've enjoyed in life so far," he says.
As a freshman on the men's lacrosse team, Sheehan participated in the One Love Foundation's Escalation workshop. He was drawn to the power of domestic violence prevention and partnered with Assistant Professor of Legal Studies Karin Raye to support further athletic team trainings and increased community awareness.
"The power of that work and the impact it has on people is emotional and honest," he says. "You can't fake it."
Sheehan used his thirst for competition to offset the emotional strain of such a heavy and personal topic, and to buoy his investment in helping others.
"Competition on the field has always been my reset button," he says. "For me to be able to think of nothing but lacrosse, to have my world be just 110 by 60 yards for two hours a day, helped me do my best work on the field and in the classroom."
As he heads into unknown territory, Sheehan frequently reflects back on those who motivated him at Lasell. Raye, Men's Lacrosse Coach Bill Mason, and former team captain Mike Pino '16 helped him grow from an inquisitive teammate and student to a powerful captain and advocate. In the Army, he sees potential to take that transformation to the next level.
"Professor Raye once told me that overachievers don't become that way overnight. You push yourself to do your best, but there will be days where you just don't feel it," he says.
"That advice clicked for me. There are some days where you have to recognize what it is to be human - not perfect or better than others, but the best version of yourself."
Photo by Martha Stewart