![Alumni Spotlight: Victoria Schneider ’20]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1775482477/vwdacjuamwg1p85rwax5/schneider.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1775482477/vwdacjuamwg1p85rwax5/schneider.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1775482477/vwdacjuamwg1p85rwax5/schneider.jpg","width":620}])
For Victoria Schneider ’20, running has always been more than a sport. It’s been a source of connection, purpose, and inspiration. This spring, she’s taking that passion to one of the world’s most famous races: the Boston Marathon.
“This year, I’m getting to follow a dream of mine: running the Boston Marathon,” Victoria shares. “Running has become such a huge part of my life, but my love for running really started in high school.”
At Cannon, that love was shaped in large part by her friendship with former teammate Amelia Andretti ’19. “My dear friend, Amelia, was my first true training partner. We were inseparable in workouts and in races, and running with her was part of what made me fall in love with the sport,” Victoria recalls.
That bond and the impact of Amelia’s family inspired Victoria to dedicate her Boston Marathon run to the Andretti family, in loving memory of Amelia’s father, racing legend John Andretti.
Diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017, John Andretti used his platform to raise awareness about the disease, launching the #CheckIt4Andretti movement to encourage life-saving screenings. His openness and advocacy helped spark conversations and action, ultimately saving lives. Though he passed away in 2020, his mission continues through the CheckIt4Andretti Foundation.
Victoria’s commitment to this cause is also deeply personal. Her grandmother, Samuella Brown, passed away at just 49 after a battle with cancer that began as colon cancer and later spread. “Although I never had the chance to meet her, I’ve been told about her fiery spirit and how strong of a woman she was,” Victoria says. “I know that I carry pieces of her with me.”
This April, Victoria is running not only in pursuit of a lifelong goal, but in service of something greater than herself. She is raising funds for the CheckIt4Andretti Foundation, which partners with free and charitable clinics to provide colonoscopies to low-income, high-risk patients.
Through every mile in Boston, Victoria carries with her the memory of loved ones, the strength of her Cannon community, and a lasting commitment to making a difference, one step at a time.