NORTHBROOK, IL – Johns Hopkins University rising senior linebacker Thomas Grehan is among 178 college football players nationwide who have been nominated for the 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® it was recently announced.
 
Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team recognizes college football athletes for their unwavering commitment to community service and their "good works" off the field. This year's 178 nominees champion causes including mental health awareness, youth mentorship, hunger relief, domestic abuse prevention, and many more. In addition to being actively involved with a charitable organization or service group, each player must also maintain strong academic standing to be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
 
From the 178 nominees, the final roster of 23 award recipients announced later in September will bring together:

• 11 players from the NCAA FBS
• 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Divisions II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
• 1 honorary head coach

 
All members are selected by a voting panel of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team members, current and former head coaches and journalists who look for exceptional leadership on and off the football field.
 
To be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^®, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.
 
Grehan is majoring in molecular and cellular biology with a minor in bioethics and carries a 3.88 cumulative grade point average.  He has been named to the Dean's List in each of his six semesters at Johns Hopkins and had a perfect 4.0 GPA during both semesters of the 2023-24 academic year.
 
One of the most visible and active Johns Hopkins student-athletes, Grehan has been involved in a number of off-the-field volunteer and community service initiatives during his time at Homewood.  Among his key initiatives:
 
BLUE JAYS FOR BALTIMORE NONPROFIT
Baltimore, MD
President and Founder | January 2023-Present
• Founded an IRS-approved charity dedicated to the improvement of the physical and mental health and well-being of the youth in the Baltimore area.
• Assembled a motivated group of 40 student-athletes from across five varsity sports teams at Hopkins to participate.
• Partnered with local nonprofit school, Henderson Hopkins Elementary, and youth mentorship nonprofit, Next One Up.
• Founded and organized an annual fundraising golf tournament drawing a variety of local businesses and community members to support the work of Blue Jays for Baltimore.
• Raised over $20,000 in revenue in the first year of operation. The profits were used to fund youth sports teams,
mentorship programs, and career development opportunities for elementary through high school kids.
• Helped coach both track and flag football teams.
· Founded a Baltimore city-wide high school 7-on-7 football camp which included a competitive tournament and important team coaching on mental health, career readiness, and athletic training from professionals in their respective fields
· Organized multiple social fundraising events on and around campus to benefit BJB
 
JOHNS HOPKINS FOOD PANTRY
Baltimore, MD
Head Student Organizer | Spring 2022-Present
• Responsible for organizing and coordinating volunteer groups, weekly restocking of pantry food shipments, and inventory bookkeeping.
 
MEDSTAR HOSPITAL VOLUNTEER
Baltimore, MA | Fall 2023-Present
Cardiac Surgery and Orthopedic Surgery patient care volunteer
• Weekly volunteer working to assist doctors and nurses in providing care to post-surgery patients. Responsible for keeping patients comfortable and spending time with them to make connections and improve their hospital stays.  With future plans to attend medical school, this volunteer opportunity has allowed him to experience first-hand the impact of building relationships can have when providing medical care.
 
TUTORIAL PROJECT
Baltimore, MA
Elementary School Tutor | Freshman & Sophomore years at Johns Hopkins
• Worked one on one with a local Baltimore student tutoring math and reading through 2nd and 3rd grade.  It was this interaction and the impact it had on a young student that provided the inspiration to start Blue Jays for Baltimore
 
Since its inception, Johns Hopkins has placed five players on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team:  Jim Sanders (2005), Brian Nickel (2006), Tim Miller (2009), Alan Gorny (2022) and Spencer Uggla (2023).