From The Heart: Bonaventure Athletes Team Up With Muscular Dystrophy Association

The 'From The Heart' feature series takes an in-depth look at St. Bonaventure student-athletes and coaches. Named for the beloved Merton's Heart that overlooks campus, this series will tell the stories of Bonnies athletic programs on and off the field. Click here for previous installments in the series. 

St. Bonaventure student-athletes Arjun Pindiprolu and Patrick Shanahan understand the importance of their health. Being Division I student-athletes requires them to be in peak physical shape to compete at some of the highest levels. However, they also look out for those less fortunate than themselves.

This past summer, the pair of Bonaventure athletes volunteered a week of their time to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Pindiprolu, a junior on Bona’s men’s tennis team, and Shanahan, a junior on the men’s lacrosse squad, were counselors at one of the organization’s summer camps hosted in Hardwick, N.J.

The MDA works with individuals living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and other neuromuscular disorders. The association runs programs for individuals with neuromuscular conditions, provides support for families, educates about these disorders, and funds research into therapies to help those affected.

MDA summer camp volunteer work provided a new experience for the Bonnies athletes.

“It seemed like a pretty cool opportunity to get involved with something I hadn’t previously,” said Pindiprolu, who heard about the camp and their need for volunteers from a friend.

When Pindiprolu suggested the camp to Shanahan, they agreed it was a great opportunity. Neither had any previous experience working with someone who had a neuromuscular disorder, but it didn’t stop them.

“I was extremely interested in this,” Shanahan said. “Getting to experience it and meet new people who had the same values as me was a big part of why I wanted to go.”

The summer camp was six days long for participants, who ranged in ages 8-17. Pindiprolu and Shanahan arrived two days before the campers and left a day later. At the camp the Bonnies’ pair was at, there were 27 camp participants and 35 counselors. This allowed each participant to have a 1-on-1 caretaker through the week.

“It’s the participants’ chance to hang out with kids who are in a similar situation, which they may not get at home,” said Pindiprolu. “It was such a special environment.”

Over the week, the campers and volunteers participate in a range of events. The camp offers as close to a traditional summer camp experience as they can, including arts and crafts, sports, and other outdoor activities. Pindiprolu and Shanahan say swimming was a favorite among the campers.

“They loved swimming,” said Pindiprolu. “There was a lot of adaptive games to get children with different capabilities involved.”

While the experience was a unique one for the campers, Pindiprolu and Shanahan felt as though they learned a lot themselves.

“One thing I learned the most from this camp was the resiliency these kids have,” Shanahan said.

Pindiprolu quickly agreed with Shanahan’s sentiment.

This isn’t the first time the Bonaventure duo has been involved in their communities.

Shanahan volunteers with Community Ambulance Company in his hometown of Bayport, N.Y. Pindiprolu works with Greater Buffalo Adaptive Sports, an organization that offers athletic opportunities to people around Buffalo with a range of disabilities, and also volunteers with Williamsville Pediatric Urgent Care.

Both athletes are also involved in the Olean community. The pair can often be found at the Warming House, one of the oldest student-run soup kitchens in the nation. They also participate in St. Bonaventure’s Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT), a student-run emergency medical services agency.

St. Bonaventure student-athletes and teams are no strangers to getting involved in the community. Every team is involved with local organizations to give back to their community; Bonnies student-athletes put in over 3,500 volunteer hours during the 2024-25 academic year.

Pindiprolu and Shanahan believe the volunteer work benefits both parties.

“It’s about who you’re with, and building a culture within your team,” Shanahan said. “You’re going to have fun, while also doing a really good deed.” 

By the end of their time at the MDA summer camp, Pindiprolu and Shanahan had a chance to reflect on how the camp impacted them.

“It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve done,” said Pindiprolu. “A lot of what we do in school and sports are for ourselves, and for the first time my work was directly benefitting a kid and impacting a kid’s life.”

“When I watched these kids leave at the end of camp, I never thought I’d feel like that,” Shanahan said. “I told Arjun, ‘We’re coming back next year.’ We had that much fun and enjoyed it that much.”