By David Nathan

Trustee Lori Hindle doesn't merely go the idiomatic "extra mile" to support Lasell students through her AMP Up Great! scholarship. The accomplished triathlete actually goes nearly 140 miles: 2.4 in the water, 112 riding a bicycle, and another 26.2 on land, to be precise.

Since 2015, the 44-year-old has completed four Ironman triathlons, a grueling swim-bike-run medley widely recognized as the sports world's ultimate endurance test.

Through donations from friends, family, and members of her professional network, Hindle raised more than $19,000 for the Lasell scholarship at the 2018 Ironman Arizona. After taking a year off in 2019, she hopes to raise enough money to endow the scholarship at $50,000 when she returns to Tempe, Arizona, to compete again in November 2020.

"Raising money for Lasell brings together my passion for participating in Ironman triathlons with my passion for the University and our students," Hindle says.

Once fully funded, the scholarship will provide financial aid to students, with a preference given to foster children who have been in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families.

"These are young people who find themselves in challenging situations through no fault of their own," Hindle explains. "I see my support as an investment in the future of students who have worked hard in high school and deserve an opportunity to attend college."

The AMP Up Great! scholarship honors Hindle's mother, Alice M. Proietti. When Hindle graduated from Bridgewater State University in 1997 with a bachelor's in business management, she became the first person in her mother's family to earn a degree.

"My mother had her sights set on college for me," Hindle remembers. "She said, ‘You graduate from high school, you graduate from college, and then you will be able to do whatever you want in your life.'"

That life brought Hindle to the Lasell Board of Trustees in June 2017. She and chair Keon Holmes became friends while serving together on the board of MassDevelopment.

"I knew about Lasell through my work in higher-education financing and was intrigued by Keon's invitation to join the board," Hindle says. "It's been an amazing experience to be a trustee during this exciting time in Lasell's history."

She's helping the University one mile at a time.

To learn more about supporting Hindle in Ironman Arizona on Nov. 22, visit www.lasellalumni.org/AMPupGreat.

For more information on how to make a planned gift to Lasell University, please contact Terri Houston, philanthropy and engagement officer, at thouston@lasell.edu or at 617-243-2165.