Heather O’Donnell Darney ‘03

Purple Friday certainly isn’t optional in my family.

While everyone else seems to be focused on the game on Sunday, “gameday” for my department actually occurs on the players’ day off. As the director of community relations for the Baltimore Ravens, it’s my responsibility to maximize the little free time our players, coaches, and staff have and use it to connect them to the community.

I am truly grateful to have a job that combines my passion for philanthropy with my love of sports. While overseeing all community relations for the team, I help to develop and implement strategic outreach efforts supporting the Baltimore community– feeding the hungry, providing clothing to the homeless, finding creative ways to thank our servicemen and women, supporting education, and so much more.

Additionally, I serve as the executive director of the Ravens Foundation where I manage all fundraising initiatives executed by the team’s charitable arm. I select well-deserving high school seniors each year to receive our college scholarship, launch education programs like our Ravens Bookmobile, and give new equipment to local youth football teams.

This job, however, certainly was not what I envisioned when I graduated from Mount de Sales in 2003. Honestly, I felt like I was the only student at graduation who had no idea what she was going to do. But over the years, I never forgot the greatest lesson that I learned at MDSA – trust God and His plan for your life.

He has always had this unbelievable plan for my career and while I did not know where it would lead me, He did. Without my deeply-rooted faith, planted at MDSA, I don’t know if I would have heard His direction for every decision along this journey.

Mount de Sales taught me so much academically, but I believe that the teachings we learned about faith and living as Jesus called us to live were the most important. Those lessons can be applied to every Sailor’s life after graduation, no matter where their journey takes them. I’m glad mine has allowed me to serve others, be a positive influence in our community, and wear jeans and purple t-shirts every Friday.

Go Ravens!