The 1929 Fund collaborated with Beta Theta Pi to help honor Godbout, a chapter member and Quinnipiac student who passed away in June 2025. Founded in 2021, the student-powered 1929 Fund is dedicated to helping remove financial barriers so that first-year students can pursue their academic dreams at Quinnipiac.

A biomedical sciences major who entered Quinnipiac as an undergraduate in 2024, Godbout courageously endured a seven-year battle with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia before his passing, said his mother, Jill Godbout. She said her son lived a life filled with hope and goodwill.

“Tommy was an amazing human being who loved to gather people together. So to see everybody here to remember him and the person that he was is so lovely. It’s such a nice philanthropic event to help fellow students, and that was what Tommy represented — taking care of others,” she said.

More than 50 Godbout family members and friends traveled from the family’s hometown of Bristol, Rhode Island to the Mount Carmel Campus to join Quinnipiac students and community members swarming Bobcat Way for the start of the 5K on September 19.

Alexis Murray ’27, MBA ’28 and 1929 Fund president said it was a great turn out, especially for a new fundraising event and the 1929 Fund’s very first 5K at Quinnipiac.

“It’s in honor of Tommy and it’s about community and bringing everyone together for a great cause. This is our first time doing this, and we hope to keep it running in the future,” said Murray.

As 1929 Fund ambassador, Jack Raso ’28 organized the 5K in collaboration with Beta Theta Pi rush chair Alexander Anastos ’27, and with help from both organizations’ Eboard members and volunteers.

“I’m super happy that everyone made it out today,” Raso said. “It’s for a great cause, so I’m happy that we have so many people who’ve come out to do it.”

Anastos helped to gather event support from local Hamden businesses including Ground Up Coffee, Whitney Donut and Sandwich Shop and Frankie’s Bar & Grill as well as player-autographed baseball raffle prizes donated by the New York Yankees organization. He’s also grateful to 1929 Fund advisor and Quinnipiac Chief Experience

Officer Tom Ellett for helping to connect Beta Theta Pi with the 1929 Fund to develop the 5K and scholarship tribute to Godbout.

“A bunch of the alumni and current brothers wanted to remember Tommy, so we were brainstorming ideas, and I was very fortunate to be put in touch with Tom Ellett who helped guide us and make a connection with the 1929 Fund. They were super easy to work with and very helpful. We feel very fortunate to be able to help remember Tommy with this event and with a scholarship in his name,” said Anastos.

Ellett said event organizers, volunteers, supporters and everyone who walked and ran helped to make the day meaningful.

“Events like this one and others of the 1929 Fund are developing a funnel for young people who want to come here and can do so because of a scholarship in their first year," Ellett said. 

Ryan Elwood ’26, MS ’27 served as 1929 Fund president last year and assisted with pulling the 5K event together. Elwood has been involved with the fund since he first came to Quinnipiac in 2023. Since that time, the 1929 Fund has awarded numerous scholarships to assist first year students.

“The impact that we’ve been able to make since I was a first-year student — just seeing more scholarship recipients coming to the school and seeing how the students have progressed through the years, has been incredibly impactful for me,” Elwood said. “I was an RA and one of my residents was a recipient. Seeing him come to Quinnipiac and have that experience — that’s why we do it.”

The difference that the 1929 Fund can make in students’ lives still resonates with Jake Cedor ’24, MBA ’25, who was an early fund member and Eboard member. As an alumn, Cedor continues to provide philanthropic support to the 1929 Fund and came out to join the 5K.

“I just feel like I had a great experience here, and it matters to be able to try and give others that experience who maybe can’t afford it,” Cedor said. “Whether you love Quinnipiac or you just believe in higher education in general, I just feel like you should try to give back to institutions that helped you to succeed.”

With brilliant blue skies overhead, the 5K course traversed the scenic Mount Carmel Campus and perimeter roads before winding back to the finish line outside the Recreation & Wellness Center. Connor Smith, ’30 crossed the finish first with a time of 19:27. Noting he almost ran “a perfect 1929,” Smith said he registered to run after spotting the 5K event flyer on campus.

“I ran in high school, and I still run consistently every day, so any run that’s for a cause, I’ll do it,” Smith said.

Beta Theta Pi Eboard member Graham Kane ’28 was one of many brothers completing the 5K.

“All of us are here today and we’re all involved in some way,” said Kane. “Tommy meant so much to us as a friend and as part of our fraternity.”

Kane met Godbout at orientation and the two shared the same major.

“We had all the same classes together. He pushed me to be better person and a smarter person,” Kane said. “He actually joined the fraternity before me and convinced me to join. It was nice to meet a group of people who knew him and understood his message. We thought doing something like this in his honor would be a way we could also talk to people about who Tommy was and what he was about.”

At the closing ceremony, Raso thanked everyone who participated in supporting the event and presented Jill and Peter Godbout and their children with commemorative T-shirts.

“It’s great to have Tommy’s family and friends here and to see the Quinnipiac community’s support for who he was as a person,” said Peter Godbout. “It’s an emotional day for us, for sure. We’re just happy that our son’s friends were nice enough to put it together for us and him and the school. It’s a great way for kids to give back.”