Matthew Freitag’s family adopted a puppy while he was at college, a yellow Lab they named Bentley. Everyone agreed it was an appropriate fit: Matt ’16 (above) is one of five in his extended clan to attend the university.

The other Falcons are Shamus McBride, who is a cousin of Matt’s father; Shamus’s wife, Claudine (Bono) McBride; her brother, Mark Bono; and, as of last May, Claudine and Mark’s nephew, Matthew Bono.

Mark ’83, MBA ’90 (below far left) was the first to enroll. He liked that Bentley was a commutable distance from his home in Medford. Moreover, says the former Accountancy major, it was a good-size school without being so big that he couldn’t get to know his professors.

Claudine ’89, MBA ’94 (third from left) followed, impressed by Mark’s experience. “I thought Bentley would prepare me to go out in the world,” she remembers.

Meanwhile, her future husband (far right) was heading to campus from his hometown of Adams, Mass. Shamus ’89, MST ’94 had been drawn by Bentley’s proximity to Boston, beautiful setting and top-notch academics. He particularly liked being part of a groundbreaking program that, in fall 1985, issued a portable personal computer to every first-year student.

“I will never forget being in the auditorium and seeing those computers,” says Shamus, who applied the technology in his Accountancy major.

Post-Bentley life has been good. Mark is the founder and managing partner of financial services firm PTG Consulting. Finance major Claudine joined a company accounting department and became its controller before staying home to raise her family. Shamus is a managing director at Goldman Sachs.

All three made return trips to their alma mater to earn graduate degrees. Their collective endorsement of Bentley is not lost on the next generation.

“The family connection wasn’t the driving factor, but it was a consideration. It was a legacy I wanted to carry on,” says Matthew ’18, a client associate at Merrill Lynch. The former Finance major (pictured) decided to study business while in high school, just like his aunt and uncle.

Matt Freitag tells a similar story, noting that networking with Shamus helped him prepare for college and his own professional career. He is a client adviser at RINET Company LLC and pursuing the MS in Financial Planning at Bentley.

Could more family members follow? College sweethearts Claudine and Shamus have twin boys who are now seniors, with Bentley on their short list of college picks.

“It’s hard not to show favoritism,” Claudine admits. “Bentley has a lot to offer.”