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The World Needs Boston College

BC delivers on its mission to graduate into the world leaders who value service to mankind more than just themselves. Whether you believe in supporting ground-breaking research, helping student-athletes reach greater heights, or in investing in future leaders through financial aid, your continued support keeps BC’s mission alive and its flame lit for generations to come.

Alumni BC Magazine

Taking the Scenic Route

Sometimes it takes a trip down the road less traveled—figuratively and literally—to discover what the world needs from you.

Alumni BC Magazine

Proof Pawsitive

BC alumna says there’s a place in heaven for our beloved pets.

Alumni

Building Tomorrow’s Leaders

How Yolana Coentro ’00, MSW’01, is Shaping the Future for Nonprofits

Alumni

Playing Through

Entrepreneurial Eagles Patty and Greg Bartoli leverage their BC experience and the resulting success to support the next generation.

Alumni

A Decade as Roommates

Jonathan Shaffer ’17 and Brendan Lynch ’17 met at BC orientation and decided to room together. Little did they know they’d still be living under the same roof for the next ten years.

Connections Philanthropy

The More The Merrier

Formation activities at Boston College encourage student growth and ignite their desires to be Eagles for others.

Alumni

A Perfect Match

Former gaming executive Bernard Kim ’98 brings his love for all things digital to his role as CEO of Match Group, the online dating juggernaut.

Alumni BC Magazine CWBC Philanthropy Soaring Higher

Celebrating Our “Sheroes”

How Women Helped Shape the Heights

Alumni Campus/Community Philanthropy

Called to Service

The incoming president of the BCAA is as proud of his roots at the Heights as he is excited about the future the University is charting.

Alumni Philanthropy

“People Are My BC”

For quadruple Eagle Juan Concepción, Esq., ’96, MEd’97, MBA’03, JD’03, the people are what makes Boston College special.

Alumni Points of Light

Celebrating the Popolo Family Executive Directorship

On May 11, 2023, at the Boston College University Conference Center, Chris and Joe Popolo ’89, P’20, ’23, ’25, celebrated the naming of the Popolo Family Executive Directorship, a position in the Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship that the family has endowed.

Alumni

Mission Driven

Whether he’s balancing the state’s budget or building community among recent BC grads, Chris Marino ’14 carries his formation everywhere.

Alumni

The Colossal Power of Small Gifts

A $25 gift to BC may seem like a drop in the ocean. But the truth is, a little can go a long way.

Alumni Connections

Dua Lipa signs his paychecks: Who is Brennan Carley ’13?

Brooklyn-based Brennan Carley ’13 is an entertainment editor, writer, producer, talent booker, and media trainer who has pitched, reported, and written for The New York Times, Vulture, Vogue, Bustle, Vice Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, MTV News, Grammy.com, Elle, Esquire, Billboard, and more.

Alumni Connections

Protecting Our Oceans

Susan Whelan ’81, P’11, ’16, Legal Advisor to the Holy See Mission at the United Nations

Connections

Getting to Know Andrew Davidson, Senior Vice President for University Advancement

BC’s Jesuit mission and an enthusiastic alumni base excite this veteran fundraiser as he takes on a new role at the Heights

Alumni

Lessons in Leadership

A Double Eagle reflects on living the BC motto, “Ever to Excel”

Alumni

Full Circle

For Alex ’95, P’25 and Chris Noon ’95, P’25, there was nothing like seeing their daughter, Lauren ’25 follow their footsteps through the PULSE program at BC

Connections

Robert “Boots” Chouinard: From Battlefields to Boston College

Robert Chouinard ’50 dreamed of a college football career. After getting drafted into the Army, he thought his opportunity was lost, but it was only just beginning.

Connections CWBC

Small Island, Big Impact

Glori Alvarez’s ’88, P’16, is recognized for her passion for BC and her commitment to fostering community through the Puerto Rican chapter of the BCAA.

Connections

Breaking the Mold

Most 24-year-olds don’t spend their summer evenings fielding interview questions in the office, but Natalie White makes a habit of breaking the mold.

Alumni GOLD

You Can’t Become What You Can’t See

For Angela Donkor, it’s not enough to reach new heights on your own; the view’s even better when you help up the people who come after you.

Alumni Featured

You Had to Be There

Bill McDonald ’68 has a lifetime of BC stories to tell; pull up a chair, you don’t want to miss one.

Connections

Fashion/Business: Q&A with Libby Wadle ’94

As an Eagle, she majored in English. Post-graduation, she took her own advice: Follow something that excites you. Here, Libby Wadle ’94, the CEO at J.Crew Group, answered our questions—in style—from her home office in Brooklyn, surrounded by her three dogs.

Alumni Philanthropy

The Great Teacher Inspires

With a new gift, John Kenneth Felter ’72, MA’72 aims to provide Eagles with the same kind of life-changing education that he received at the Heights.

Alumni

A Seat at the Table

From their time on the Black Student Forum as BC undergraduates to their volunteer and philanthropic leadership on the AAAC, CWBC, Reunion committees, and more, Tanji ’86 and Bob ’88 Marshall, P’17 remain steadfast in advocating for Eagles of color.

Alumni

This Must Be the Place

Under James Lizzul’s leadership, the New York City Alumni Chapter has flourished, bringing a robust community together around their common passion for all things BC.

Alumni

Always Be Growing

A common thread runs through everything Arivee (Vargas) Rozier-Byrd does: investing in and uplifting others.

2020

Congrats to the Class of 2020

Pops

Pops 2021

Beacon Philanthropy

BC Lynch Prof Eric Dearing to lead Walsh Center for Thriving Children

Eric Dearing, a professor of applied developmental psychology in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, has been named the executive director of the Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children.

Points of Light

For helping poor kids thrive, Mary Walsh deserves a medal

Mary Walsh, the Daniel E. Kearns Professor in Urban Education and Innovative Leadership at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, received the Saint Robert Bellarmine, S.J., Award, which recognizes a distinguished faculty member whose contributions have significantly advanced the mission of Boston College.

Points of Light

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Romer to join Boston College as the Seidner University Professor

2018 Nobel laureate will also lead new Center for the Economics of Ideas in the Carroll School of Management.

Alumni GOLD

Candor Raises $5M To Build The Next Generation, Authentic Professional Social Network

Job candidates don’t know exactly what they are getting themselves into when joining a specific team at new company. Candor, a professional network that encourages people to share how they work, was founded by Kelsey Bishop and has raised a $5M seed round.

Alumni GOLD

Margaritas on the go

Female-owned and operated Damn Right Cocktails launches on the Front Range

Philanthropy Spirituality

Support for earthquake relief efforts

Campus initiatives are under way at Boston College in response to devastating earthquakes in Turkey and northern Syria

CWBC

Rent the Runway co-founder to speak at Council for Women of Boston College Colloquium

Entrepreneur and intrapreneur Jenny Fleiss will speak on October 12.

CWBC

A Player Coach Approach

Michaela “Mikey” Murphy Hoag ’86, P’14, gifts the Hoag Basketball Pavilion.

CWBC

Driving Change at the Heights and Beyond

Rochelle Webb ’01, a former lecturer in the Carroll School, is a professor of entrepreneurship at Loyola Marymount University.

CWBC

Law School Deanship to be Named

Boston College Law School Marianne D. Short, Esq., Law School Deanship to be named for donor Marianne D. Short NC’76.

CWBC

Diane Green

Diane Green speaks on the CWBC BC Connections Mentoring Program.

Campus/Community Students

Fresh ideas

BC Dining has purchased local and sustainable seafood for a decade. This year, student seafood ambassadors helped get the word out.

Alumni

98-year-old North Shore vet returns to Europe for first time since WW2

For decades, millions of World War Two veterans put the war behind them. But now in their 90′s, some are heading back to Europe to revisit one of the biggest parts of their life, including one North Shore veteran

Campus/Community

BC CIO John Zona named to inaugural Vatican Investment Committee

Boston College’s Chief Investment Officer John J. Zona has been appointed to the Vatican Investment Committee, joining three other internationally respected investment officers in service to the Holy See.

Athletics

How Jerry York paved a path as maybe college hockey’s ‘greatest coach’

Jerry York retired this spring after a 50-year career as a college coach

Alumni Athletics

Eight Gain Induction to BC Varsity Club Hall of Fame

Eight individuals have been selected to the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame for the fall of 2022. Seven of the eight inductees graduated from BC between 2000 and 2016 with one honoree graduating in 1986

Athletics

Color of Hockey: McCoy was goalie for first Boston College women’s team

Founding member of an inaugural club in 1973 helped build the legacy of eventual NCAA powerhouse

Alumni

These Two Female Fitness Instructors Were Dismissed by Investors. Now, the Joke’s on Them.

Their success came from leaning into their background, not shying away from it.

Alumni

Smile app makes dating a laughing matter

Boston College alumna Melissa Mullen wanted a dating app for people who ‘value humor in a relationship.’ So she made one.

Alumni

Sarah Merricks: 5 Things We Must Do To Inspire The Next Generation About Sustainability And The Environment

Sarah Merrick’s environmental knowledge and vast institutional experience have earned her a reputation as a changemaker, agile marketer, and leader within the sustainability sector. Most recently, Sarah spent nearly nine years as chief of staff in the U.S. Green Building Council

Alumni Spirituality

Father Sam Sawyer named 15th editor in chief of America magazine

America Media will have a new leader beginning Dec. 1. Sam Sawyer, S.J., will take the helm of the 113-year-old magazine following the departure of the current president and editor-in-chief, Matt Malone, S.J., later this year

Alumni Athletics

Brooks Orpik completes college degree from Boston College three years after retiring from NHL

Brooks Orpik has done a lot of great things in his career, but he may have saved his most impressive accomplishment for last

Alumni GOLD

In Napa Valley, a Commitment to One Another, and to Showcasing Diversity

As an interracial couple, Erika Graves and Brad Cameron felt it was important that their wedding reflect their reality, so they hired a roster of vendors from diverse backgrounds.

Campus/Community

BC experiences record year in undergraduate admission

University admits the most highly qualified, diverse class in school history

Athletics

Why Boston College football star Zay Flowers turned down big-money offers to transfer

Flowers received a football scholarship to Boston College in 2019 and earned All-ACC honors as a wide receiver with a breakout 2020 season. He enters 2022 as one of the sport’s best receivers and a strong NFL draft prospect

Alumni GOLD

Positive trend continues for recent Boston College graduates

Survey results show 96 percent of alumni from the Class of 2021 are employed, in graduate school, or engaged in a fellowship or meaningful volunteer experience

Athletics

Catching up with new BC athletic director Blake James, who says he’s in it for the long haul

Boston College is breaking in a new athletic director who has grand designs for college sports in Boston

Campus/Community GOLD

Boston College will offer year-round employment in Dining Services

Boston College will offer year-round employment to BC Dining Services employees who are currently working less than 52 weeks a year, in an effort to attract and retain what it calls “the best-in-class employees” in the Greater Boston area.

Academics

Racial Justice Expert Named to Rappaport Professorship

Jeffery Robinson to teach about anti-Black racism and its prevalence in American law.

Academics Points of Light

Barry Family/Goldman Sachs Endowed Professor in Nursing

Connell School of Nursing’s Christopher Lee, a cardiovascular nurse scientist, is named to the endowed chair

Athletics Points of Light

Boston College Receives Gift to Endow Head Ski Coaching Position

Boston College Athletics has received a $1.25 million gift from James “Jim” Maher ’71 to endow a full-time head coaching position for the BC skiing program. The James R. Maher Head Ski Coach Endowment will help propel a program that has made great strides in recent years.

Alumni Athletics

Barry Gallup to Retire After 46 Years with Boston College Football

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Football & Alumni Relations Barry Gallup ’69, who has spent more than 45 years at Boston College as a player, coach and administrator, has announced his retirement.

Academics Points of Light

The New Dean

On January 15, Odette Lienau, global political economist, legal scholar, and humanist will become the first woman to lead BC Law as the inaugural Marianne D. Short, Esq., Dean.

Philanthropy

Pops on the Heights raises $13M

BC’s largest fundraising event for financial aid features the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and special guest Lionel Richie

Philanthropy

A stellar Pops

BC’s 25th annual Pops on the Heights gala featured the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, guest soloist Jennifer Hudson, a tribute to John Williams, and a record $14M raised for student scholarships

Philanthropy

Pops Off the Heights 2020

Singer, songwriter, and actor Josh Groban will headline the virtual scholarship gala, BC’s largest fundraising event for financial aid

Alumni Philanthropy

For the Greater Good

A pair of CGAs toward his scholarship fund will impact generations of BC Law students.

Alumni Philanthropy

A Legacy of Love

Their steadfast commitment to Boston College spanned decades; their final act broke records.

Anne Marie Kitz, M.A.T '80, M.Div. '84 and STM Professor Emeritus and Founding Dean Richard Clifford, S.J

Beacon Points of Light

School of Theology and Ministry receives gift to establish endowed chair

A gift intention will establish the Clifford and Kitz Chair in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, in honor of STM Professor Emeritus Richard J. Clifford, S.J.

Beacon Points of Light

BC leading the way in Pell grant graduation rates

Boston College placed fourth in the Chronicle of Higher Education’s list of private colleges and universities with the best six-year graduation rates for Pell Grant students.

Campus/Community

Boston-based artist named new Monan Professor in Theatre Arts

Director, producer, and educator Summer L. Williams joins BC’s Theatre Department this year.

Thomas “Tom” Rattigan ’60 and Jane Rattigan

Philanthropy Points of Light

Boston College Receives Gift to Endow Women’s Hockey Head Coaching Position

BC Athletics has received a $3.5 million gift from Thomas “Tom” Rattigan ’60 and Jane Rattigan for the Jane Rattigan Head Women’s Hockey Coach position.

Philanthropy Points of Light

Peter Lynch donates more than $20 million in art from his private collection to McMullen Museum at Boston College

Peter Lynch, vice chairman of Fidelity Management and Research Company and trustee associate at Boston College, has gifted 27 paintings and three drawings—worth in excess of $20 million—from his and his late wife Carolyn’s private art collection to Boston College’s McMullen Museum of Art.

Private art collection of Carolyn and Peter Lynch

Beacon

Collectors’ Items

Treasure trove of artwork from the private collection of Carolyn and Peter Lynch set to inspire generations of BC students.

Campus/Community

The Lacks Legacy

William F. Connell School of Nursing Dean Katherine Gregory makes her selection for the book list that honors the legacy of Fr. Neenan.

Beacon

Irrational Persistence: Andy Boynton ’78, P’13

John and Linda Powers Family Dean Andy Boynton ’78, P’13 of the Carroll School of Management reflects on his leadership philosophy, life during the pandemic, and the many ways that the Carroll School and Boston College have—and have not—changed over the years.

Athletics Campus/Community

Double Team: Joanna Bernabei-McNamee and Earl Grant

Boston College Basketball is on the cusp of an exciting new era. Head coaches Joanna Bernabei-McNamee and Earl Grant are running point on a return to greatness.

Beacon

Devoted: E. Paul Robsham Sr., LGSOE ’83, and Joyce L. Robsham, P’86

Their steadfast commitment to Boston College spanned decades; their final act broke records. Here’s the story of the local couple behind the largest estate gift to Boston College.

Campus/Community Philanthropy

What a time to be at BC

Hello, fellow Eagles! When I joined the Boston College community in mid-2020, I shared with all of you that our students will be at the center of every decision that we make. In this edition of Beacon, you will read about several other individuals who share my belief in putting students first.

Alumni Philanthropy

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