would be unrecognizable to the collection of 22 students that met every day in the city’s South End for the inaugural classes in 1864. Father Thomas Gasson also likely would not have pictured that the 36-acre farm overlooking two reservoirs in Chestnut Hill that he purchased in 1907 would be home to a world-class R1 research university a century later. What has always remained true, though, is the heart of this Jesuit, Catholic university’s mission: a call to serve others and, as St. Ignatius of Loyola famously directed, to “Go forth and set the world on fire.”
Every step of BC’s transformation has only been possible because of the visionaries and benefactors who saw the promise of where we stand now. Boston College is a better place because of the energy, creativity, perseverance, and generosity of all Eagles through the years. Time and again, they
have risen to the challenges the world has presented them, not solely as individuals but also as members of a global community. Our world today desperately needs people of intelligence, faith, and commitment to work for the good of society, to help root out racial, social, and economic inequality, and to strive to bring an end to poverty, ignorance, and prejudice. It needs Boston College Eagles.
Following in the footsteps of those that built our University, we proudly launch Soaring Higher: the Campaign for Boston College.
This ambitious $3 billion effort will write the next chapter in BC’s history. It will help BC fulfill its potential as the preeminent Jesuit, Catholic university in America. It will grant an unmatched formative experience to all students. And its legacy of impact on future generations called to serve others will live on “til the echoes ring again.”
BOSTON COLLEGE was founded on the hopes and dreams of its students and a commitment to providing access to education that still stands. BC remains one of only 21 national private universities that accept students on their merits alone and that also meet the full demonstrated financial need for U.S. undergraduates. Increasingly, the best and brightest students in the nation want to come to the Heights. In fact, 94 percent of applicants admitted to the Class of 2027 came from the top 10 percent of their high school class. From South Boston to South Africa, L.A. to the UAE, today’s Eagles represent all 50 states and dozens of countries. Nearly 35 percent identify as African, Hispanic, Asian and Native American (AHANA) and 12 percent are the first in their family to attend college.
The varied life experiences and perspectives of our student body make for an educational ecosystem that benefits all at the Heights. Accordingly, our commitment to access resonates in the University’s admissions— from our undergraduate and graduate schools to the new Messina College, BC’s two-year residential institution that will welcome an increased number of underrepresented and firstgeneration students to the University—and epitomizes the very best of our Jesuit, Catholic identity.
Maintaining a high standard of support for the best and the brightest has become increasingly challenging. Boston College has the second smallest endowment of our fellow need-blind institutions. Only 12 percent of our financial aid budget is covered by endowment compared to as much as 60 percent at peer schools such as Princeton, Notre Dame, and Harvard. In the past decade, BC’s annual financial aid budget has soared past $170 million, with 38 percent of all undergraduates now receiving need-based grants for an average grant of $56,000. To meet this growing need, the University is forced to rely heavily on its operating budget.
To that end, it is critical that the University increase its financial aid endowment in order to sustain BC’s needblind commitment and ensure that the Heights is attainable for all students with ability and promise, not just the families that can contribute to tuition.
“Being able to enjoy my college experience and form incredible connections without financial worries is a gift for which I’m endlessly grateful. Thank you for making this my home.”
Hailing from Greensboro, North Carolina, Rowah Ibnaouf ’25 is flourishing at the Heights, where she is concentrating in information systems with a minor in global public health at the Carroll School of Management with support from the Goldman Sachs Alumni Scholarship. In just the last year, she’s won national diversity and business ethics case competitions and co-led a session at BC’s Forum on Racial Justice.
“Growing up, I was taught to help others and build community over the self because you’re stronger with a community. If I can help build a community or maintain one, that’s what’s meaningful.”
Luke Sanford ’25 grew up two blocks from Notre Dame University, but when it came time for him to choose a college, he was drawn instead to Boston College for its beauty, reputation, and emphasis on holistic education. A computer science major in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Luke earned a Sophomore Scholar Award along with a coveted student researcher position in Professor Donglai Wei’s machine learning research lab. Outside of class, Luke is president of BC’s Full Swing Dance Team.
“I want to see that smile on a parent’s face, to see a kid I’ve taken care of go on to live their life as if nothing happened. That’s how I want to serve others, and my scholarship helps make that possible.”
From his earliest days in New Jersey, Miguel Ramon Castro ’26 heard stories of the heroic nurses and doctors who’d saved his life when, born several months premature, he was sent to neonatal intensive care. Inspired by their work, he applied early decision to BC’s Connell School of Nursing. With support from several endowed scholarships, Miguel dreams of sharing the gift of healing with other families.
“We all have a civic duty to serve the community and fill it with love, intentionality, and purpose. I am just honored to do my part.”
We lift as we climb. That’s one of the maxims that drives Reginé “Ré” Cooper, JD’24, a BC Law scholarship recipient with a zeal for helping others. Raised by her grandmother in Fort Myers, Florida, Ré battled homelessness but remained a determined student and earned top grades while staying with friends, classmates, and even the school bus driver. Through it all, she’s always offered a hand to others, mentoring young girls, volunteering in group homes, and advocating for diversity at school and work. Her passion for justice brought her to BC Law, where she is co-president of the Black Law Students Association and co-host of the Just Law podcast.
“The support and opportunities at BC have surely changed the trajectory of my college experience, and I am very grateful.”
Scholarships do more than just bring students to campus—they open up a world of possibilities. Case in point: Ashley McKnight ’24, a neuroscience major from New Jersey in the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program who’s volunteered with PULSE, interned at a diagnostic imaging firm, served as a teaching assistant, and is on the board of the Acoustics a cappella club and the Student Health Equity Forum. She’s most proud of her work as a research assistant in Professor Michelle Myer’s RNA Lab.
“My BC experience has been amazing, and it’s 100 percent because of the donors that I’m here.”
For Sami Benayad ’24, Boston College has been a place of transformation. Originally a computer science major, he found a love of history and now dreams of teaching high school. Raised in a multi-faith family, he has explored his spiritual side in theology classes, through personal study, and as a student leader for Appa Volunteers and Kairos. And, after a childhood in rural Maine, he’s become fascinated by urban design and development and interned at a local affordable housing association. The recipient of the Hale Family Pops Scholarship, Sami is emphatic about the role financial aid has played in his formation.
“I chose BC because of the community. All the faculty really care about their students and the school spirit is unmatched—it’s a great place to call home!”
Haley Cuthbert ’25 of Easton, Massachusetts, was over the moon when she was accepted to BC— but with her single mother reliant on disability income and two younger sisters, she worried that finances would ground her dream of becoming an Eagle. Her financial aid package made that dream possible. Haley is in a dual degree program, earning a bachelor’s in applied psychology and human development through the Lynch School and a master’s of social work from the School of Social Work.
“Sometimes
I think, how did I even get to a place like Boston College? It really took a village. And now that I’m here, I’m able to take all my gifts and talents and start to pay it forward, something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a young person.”
As a first-generation student from a low-income family, Lubens Benjamin ’23 realizes his education was a privilege. During his time at the Heights, the Cambridge, Massachusetts, native certainly lived a full BC experience thanks in part to the Kirwan Family Scholarship. Lubens’s role as student body president taught him the inner workings of BC and how to better the experience for his classmates and peers. He was also involved in a number of Campus Ministry activities: leading an Appa trip and a Kairos retreat, building homes with Habitat for Humanity, participating in the Arrupe service immersion program, and volunteering with the BC Bigs program.
>$170 million annual financial aid budget (20% of BC’s annual expenses)
40% of first-year students receive some form of need-based aid
2/3 of all undergraduates receive some form of financial assistance
12–14% of BC’s incoming first-year students in recent years received Pell Grants
QuestBridge
To help expand access to BC’s transformational education, the University began a partnership in 2021 with QuestBridge, a highly respected nonprofit that helps high-achieving, low-income students gain admission and scholarships to the country’s top-ranked colleges and universities. Through QuestBridge, Boston College is able to reach exceptional students from across the country who meet or exceed the average Eagle’s academic profile but who may not have considered BC due to financial or other concerns. Already, more than 300 QuestBridge students have come to the Heights with full four-year QuestBridge Match Scholarships, among others who receive traditional financial aid. These students bring a wealth of diversity to BC, with more than three-quarters identifying as Black, Hispanic, Asian, or as part of other underrepresented communities and more than 60 percent coming from outside the Northeast.
“The QuestBridge membership affirms both the University’s reputation for academic excellence and the work we have done in supporting low-income students to succeed. This partnership will go a long way in enhancing the great work of our Admission staff in attracting the best and most diverse students at Boston College.”
DAVID QUIGLEY, Provost and Dean of Faculties
Messina College
As part of the Pine Manor Institute for Student Success and BC’s commitment to addressing gaps in educational access, the University has launched Messina College, a two-year residential program designed to meet the unique needs of first-generation and low-income students. Named after the Sicilian city in which the Jesuits opened their first school, Messina College provides students with a liberal arts foundation grounded in the BC Core Curriculum, with associate degree programs in high-demand areas such as business, health sciences, psychology, and data science. Students will receive generous financial aid along with customized academic support, mentoring, and internship opportunities designed to prepare them for professional careers or to transfer to four-year institutions. Messina students will live and study on BC’s Brookline Campus (formerly Pine Manor College), with full access to the University’s facilities, programs, and events.
FOR EXCELLENCE Academics
BOSTON COLLEGE’S history can be broken up into three distinct eras: the School that was the vision of its founding fathers; the College, which coincided with the move to Chestnut Hill; and the University, BC’s current form that began around the middle of the 20th century and involved a transformed campus that made BC a residential institution, a shift toward coeducation, and an expanded and reimagined curriculum. Universities exist to enhance understanding of the world and to provide fresh thinking and innovative solutions to its problems. They do this by crossing disciplines, blurring boundaries, and building bridges where it might seem impossible. BC’s unique contributions to society are driven by combining academic excellence with a service mindset.
There are no limits to the reach of our classrooms and labs, where students and faculty affect real change every day. On campus and off, faculty and students are tackling how homeless K–12 students navigate schools, exonerating innocent prisoners through the Law School’s Innocence Program, studying the social dimensions of climate change mitigation, and examining how data science can help reduce incidences of gun violence in Los Angeles.
Some of the University's greatest impact on our communities is led through academic institutes, programs, and initiatives. The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society focuses on energy, health, and the environment through the lens of designing solutions that benefit everyone. Its impact is magnified by programs like human-centered
engineering and Global Public Health and the Common Good. The BC Prison Education Program and Urban Catholic Teacher Corps draw on Jesuit traditions as they travel away from campus to work with incarcerated populations and train urban Catholic school educators, respectively. The Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children uses research and data to help scale the chance for all students to develop, learn, and thrive, transforming schools and communities into systems of opportunity.
Boston College faculty are more than instructors—they drive research and foster creativity and discourse. As mentors they are the University’s primary drivers of formative education, helping students develop not only intellectually, but also personally, ethically, and spiritually. Simply put, faculty are the key to making BC the best academic institution it can be—the more BC is able to invest in our faculty, the richer the student experience can become and the more academically competitive we will be.
Overwhelmingly, what attracts outstanding faculty to BC and keeps them here are endowed professorships. Institutions boasting larger endowments have faculty-student ratios as low as 1:6; BC’s remains around 1:11. Recent faculty hires from Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, and New York University—including BC’s first Nobel Prize winner—demonstrate the powerful draw of our mission.
The Soaring Higher campaign will carry this tremendous momentum forward, allowing the University to add top talent to its roster while creating mission-driven resources to support the intersection of ideas and opportunity.
LEADING FROM THE FRONT
Boston College faculty are known researchers, consultants, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. They are also exceptional and dedicated teachers who share a deep commitment to educating, advising, and mentoring their students.
BC professors inspire students to approach their studies with intellectual curiosity, a global perspective, strong leadership, and well-rounded thinking. Many come to BC from elite universities, finding the Heights to be the best fit for their teaching and research as well as their passion for social justice.
“I appreciate BC’s commitment to advancing the lives of the most vulnerable, the most stricken by poverty, war, crises of migration. That social justice orientation is very much the Jesuit ethos, and it’s what attracted me to the University.”
—Theresa S. Betancourt, inaugural Salem Professor in Global Practice at the Boston College School of Social Work and Director of the Research Program on Children and Adversity, was recruited from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 2017. Betancourt is an internationally renowned child trauma and human rights scholar.
“I have long admired the Boston College Law School community, faculty, student body, and alumni. I also believe that this is a very significant moment in legal education—a moment in which BC’s mission and heritage speak to me so deeply.”
—Odette Lienau, inaugural Marianne D. Short, Esq., Dean at BC Law, was recruited from Cornell University Law School in 2022. Lienau has also served as a consultant and expert for the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank.
“I am excited and grateful for this opportunity to build and lead the human-centered engineering program at Boston College. Our faculty and students will use engineering to make the world a better place for the greater good.”
—Glenn Gaudette, professor and inaugural John W. Kozarich ’71 Chair of the Department of Engineering, was recruited to BC in 2020 from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is a biomedical engineer who has pioneered the use of plants as scaffolding for heart regeneration.
“There’s great overlap between BC’s values and my values, especially in the area of commitment to social justice—both in Massachusetts and beyond.”
—Thomas W. Mitchell, the Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Chair and director of the Initiative on Land, Housing, and Property Rights. A renowned scholar, professor, legal reformer, and dean, Mitchell received a 2020 MacArthur Fellowship.
“I am thrilled to join Boston College. The most exciting part is the Schiller Institute’s mandate of fostering collaborations among different fields, especially between natural sciences and social sciences.”
—Yi Ming, Professor of Climate Science and Society, is known as one of the world’s leading climate scientists. Ming joined the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society in 2022 from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and Princeton University.
“I’m very excited about the course that Boston College is setting with the new Center for the Economics of Ideas.”
—Paul M. Romer, the Seidner University Professor in the Carroll School of Management and winner of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Romer joined Boston College in 2023 after 13 years at New York University and is known as one of the most influential economists of this century.
MISSION-DRIVEN RESEARCH,INNOVATION, AND OUTREACH
Boston College’s academic initiatives empower students and faculty to pursue passions, engage with some of the world’s most pressing and complex problems, and deliver what society needs most.
The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society
Contributing to the common good
The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society draws on the expertise of students and faculty from all of BC’s schools and colleges to address society’s most challenging problems, particularly in the areas of energy, health, and the environment. Academic programs and initiatives include Global Public Health and the Common Good and Global Observatory on Pollution and Health.
“I love the fact that woven into the fabric of Boston College is a mission for public good, for common good. That is front and center for the University, and that’s exactly what the Schiller Institute is about.”
—Laura J. Steinberg, inaugural Seidner Family Executive Director of the Schiller Institute and professor of earth and environmental sciences
245 Beacon Street Investing in the sciences
A state-of-the-art science facility at the heart of the Heights, 245 Beacon Street represents the pioneering future of Boston College. Home to the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, the new humancentered engineering and computer science departments, and the Edmund J. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship, the 150,000-square-foot facility is the hub of innovation on campus. With its cutting-edge maker spaces and teaching labs for prototyping and research, 245 Beacon Street affords our students and faculty with unprecedented opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and experimentation.
“There is a level expectation, but also genuine excitement that there is something really new here and something that is going to make an impact, both on campus and in the world. You can sense that when you walk in the building.”
—Thomas Chiles, Vice Provost for Research and Academic Planning and Professor and DeLuca Chair of Biology
The Pine Manor Institute for Student Success
Supporting underrepresented youth
Established in 2020, the Pine Manor Institute expands access and educational opportunities for underrepresented, first-generation, low-income students. The four pillars support students in middle school, high school, college, and beyond.
· The Academy: A cost-free summer readiness program for students entering grades 8–12
· Mentoring and Academic Achievement: BC’s academic support and mentoring initiatives—Learning to Learn, Options through Education, TRIO Student Support Services, and the McNair Scholars Program
· Messina College: BC's two-year residential, associate-degreegranting college
· Alumni Outreach: Support for graduates of the Academy and Messina College for up to two years after graduation
“The Pine Manor Institute for Student Success is an extension of BC’s commitment to give students from all backgrounds access to a transformative educational experience. This initiative is firmly aligned with our mission and values and is close to the hearts of many in the BC community.”
—Joy Moore ’81, H’10, vice president and executive director
Catholic Religious Archives
Preserving the mission
Part of Boston College Libraries, this new repository to be housed on the Brighton Campus will assist in the collection, preservation, and study of institutional records and documents belonging to Catholic religious orders and congregations in the United States and Canada. Materials will be available for use by students and scholars seeking to learn about the contributions of religious communities of men and women to the Catholic Church, Catholic life, and wider culture.
“In education, health care, social policy, and service to the poor, men and women religious have played an invaluable role. Their archives provide evidence of dedication, commitment, and impact and must be maintained to enrich historical understanding of the influence these religious congregations have had on the Church and American society.”
—Thomas B. Wall, University Librarian
The Mary E. Walsh Center for
Thriving Children Creating opportunities
The Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children uses strategies that successfully transform schools and communities into systems of opportunity for all students. The Center and its signature initiative, City Connects, have grown to serve 50,000 students annually in public, charter, and Catholic schools in Massachusetts and other states, and in Dublin, Ireland.
“We saw student teachers in the same schools as student social workers, often working with the same students, but they never connected, there was no communication. I knew what schools could do—and were trying to do—but they didn’t have the practical processes in place or the data to show effectiveness. And out of that came City Connects.”
—Mary Walsh, Founding Director and Senior Fellow, Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children, and Executive Director of City Connects
CORE STRENGTH
A commitment to rigor, integration, and education of the whole person—the heart of the liberal arts in a Jesuit, Catholic context— remains essential to the Boston College Core Curriculum.
Through the Core, students from all the undergraduate schools partake in intellectual discovery and interdisciplinary inquiry to discover how to think about the world. The BC Core consists of 15 course requirements that cover a range of disciplines—from art to music to mathematics to the natural sciences—and at least one course that emphasizes cultural diversity. This focus allows students to explore new ways of knowing and being, helping them discern who they want to be, how they want to live—and why.
“We
want students to become good discerners who can reflect on their experience in ways that help them make good decisions. We want them to be people who will use all of their skills and talents and gifts to promote the common good, to help create societies in which everybody can flourish.”
—Gregory Kalscheur, S.J. Dean, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
ADVISING & STUDENT VOICES
Guiding students intellectually, personally, ethically, and spiritually, BC’s exceptional faculty are at the heart of helping students discern their life’s calling. As teachers, researchers, subject experts, and mentors, they help guide students to becoming conscientious, compassionate, and well-rounded professionals who are ready to lead. Students cite influential professors as an essential part of their formative BC education.
“I took Environmental U.S. History with Professor Conevery Bolton Valencius, and it quickly became one of my favorite courses. Her passion for and knowledge about the history she discussed kept the class engaged and made for many meaningful discussions. She went above and beyond, caring for both her students and their futures by consistently recommending internship or job opportunities of interest.”
“I AM INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR PROFESSOR NATALYA SHNITSER’S GUIDANCE. IT WAS THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS DURING OFFICE HOURS THAT I DECIDED TO PRACTICE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS LAW. SHE PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN MY BC LAW EXPERIENCE, AND HER PASSION AND COMMITMENT CONTINUE TO INSPIRE ME.”
“Distinguished Senior Lecturer of French Andrea Javel was my instructor throughout Intermediate French. She taught with such passion for the language that I developed a love of learning the language and the culture. I hope to live in France in the future and use the skills she taught me.”
“PROFESSOR THOMAS WESNER IN THE CARROLL SCHOOL WAS MY FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR. I JUST LOVE STUDYING LAW, BUT HE HAS A VERY UNIQUE WAY OF TEACHING. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE CASES WE'RE GOING TO LEARN. IT'S ABOUT THE HUMAN IMPACT ON SOCIETY OF THOSE CASES. AFTER THAT CLASS, I TOOK EVERY SINGLE COURSE HE TAUGHT AT BC.”
“In Engaging Catholicism, Professor Maria Cruz allowed us to explore our personal thoughts and ideas in a way I never imagined doing in a classroom. I loved the discussions we had about faith, and it led me to do APPA and Kairos.”
FOR THE HEIGHTS
Student Life
HALF A CENTURY AGO, Boston College made two crucial decisions that would alter its trajectory and redefine today’s University: the admission of women to all programs on equal terms with men and the transition to becoming a fully residential institution.
When stacked against peer schools—those also seeking to provide access and unparalleled academics—the residential experience is a true differencemaker for BC. The campus and its culture profoundly affect the students who are drawn to the University and the lives they lead after they graduate. The University dedicates significant resources to fostering rigorous intellectual development as well as religious, ethical, and
personal experiences that prepare students for citizenship, service, and leadership—also known as student formation. BC’s reputation as a leader in formative education and student formation is one of its greatest distinctions.
The drive to serve others is a critical part of the BC student identity and a powerful reason students choose to come to the Heights. Each March, hundreds of Eagles opt into alternative spring break programs like Appa or the international Arrupe Service Immersion. Faith programs and retreats are a staple of student life on campus, with more than 100 offerings through the Division of Mission and Ministry, including Kairos, 48Hours, Halftime, and much more. The PULSE program, one of the most popular student
selections each semester, has offered 3.2 million hours of service to the greater Boston community throughout its 50-year history, placing students in direct dialogue with marginalized populations and organizations to find solutions to social justice issues.
As BC students leave their mark on the world, the Soaring Higher campaign will also leave its mark on BC through the physical spaces that touch every part of the student experience—from residence halls to academic and research buildings, and from community gathering spaces to game-changing athletics fields and facilities.
Yet our donors’ impact vastly exceeds what is visible. From the hours spent cheering on the Eagles in Alumni Stadium or Conte Forum to the friendships formed over meals at Corcoran Commons, studying in the stacks of O’Neill, and weekends visiting the Mods, these buildings become home at the Heights while students create memories that last a lifetime.
Philanthropic support through the Soaring Higher campaign is critical to continuing BC’s success, particularly through the divisions of Student Affairs, Mission and Ministry, and Athletics. The entire package is what makes BC competitive and excellent; fosters a rich, vibrant campus community that is strengthened by its diversity of experiences and perspectives; and increases the value of a BC degree for all alumni.
COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE
Athletics are at the heart of the Boston College experience and are a crucial part of the University’s identity. For generations, students, alumni, families, and friends have come together in the stands of Conte Forum, Alumni Stadium, and all over the world to cheer on the Eagles.
Taji Johnson ’24 calls Atlanta, Georgia, “home,” but that hasn’t stopped him from working to make the Heights a more welcoming place for all Eagles. The wide receiver and applied psychology and human development major aspires to be a sports psychologist. As president and co-founder of the Black Male Initiative at BC, Taji is a tireless advocate for racial equity and social justice on campus and beyond. In 2022, he received the Lou Montgomery, LaVerne Mosley, and Doxie McCoy Unity Award, given to BC student-athletes who work to be change-makers and create inclusive and just environments.
“The most rewarding part about being a president of the Black Male Initiative is seeing everybody come together in service of something greater. Whether it's the Unity Walk, or talking to the kids at elementary schools, or hosting panels, I’m all about growing that brotherhood and showing people how we can make things better for everyone.”
—Taji Johnson ’24, Football
With robust support from the University community, BC lacrosse has risen to the top of collegiate athletics, claiming the program’s first NCAA and ACC championships in recent years. So much of this progress and success can be attributed to the indefatigable Acacia WalkerWeinstein, who took over as head coach in 2012. Under her leadership, the program has grown into a national powerhouse, competing for the biggest trophies and attracting top recruits year in and year out. With a holistic approach to caring for her student-athletes and preparing them for game day, Walker-Weinstein has turned BC into a lacrosse school and developed a blueprint for achieving competitive excellence while prioritizing the complete well-being of her Eagles.
“We always talk about finding that extra inch competitively, whether it’s in how we train or how we fuel through specialized nutrition. The support we receive from the BC community has afforded us that competitive edge.”
—Acacia Walker-Weinstein, Head Coach, Lacrosse
Hailing from Madison, Alabama, Kamryn Warman ’25 makes being an Eagle for others look easy. On the softball field, she’ll play anywhere her team needs her, bringing leadership and excitement every time she laces up her cleats. She studies in the Connell School of Nursing, balancing a packed schedule of clinical placements and classes. Kamryn is passionate about serving those in need, especially families going through medical crises and brings her personal experience to bear to meet families in the midst of their struggles.
“I chose nursing after my dad had a heart transplant in 2015. We spent a long time in the hospital, and seeing how everything worked around there and the support they provided for our family and my dad was eye-opening. I knew then that I wanted to be able to do that for other people.”
—Kamryn Warman ’25, Softball
Since taking over in 2021, Clement and Elizabeth Izzi Family Head Men’s Basketball Coach Earl Grant has rebuilt the team with a solid identity of hard work, intensity, and relentless hustle. Fostering a relationshipbuilding approach, Grant has gotten the team to buy in by showing them how invested he is in the personal success and well-being of each player, as well as the team as a whole. Moreover, Grant continues to recruit top talent to BC, aided by the addition of the brand new Hoag Basketball Pavilion.
“I wanted to lead a program to the highest level of college basketball, and BC presented a great opportunity. Also, it fits my values—men and women for others, caring about somebody other than yourself—and it’s a hard worker’s place. The players I like to try to recruit are guys who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and work hard.”
—Earl Grant, Clement and Elizabeth Izzi Family Head Men's Basketball Coach
THE THRIVING STUDENT
A flourishing Division of Student Affairs at Boston College means that the whole person of our students is being cared for—from their personal, social, and spiritual needs, to their intellectual and professional development.
“College is a pivotal time in a person’s life… That’s why we try to provide a lot of guidance to help them identify healthy interests and find support for whatever obstacles they may encounter. …It’s a time to learn, to try new things, to make mistakes, and then get right back up—and that’s what we are here to help them do.”
—Shawna Cooper Whitehead, Vice President for Student Affairs
170+ staff members
13 affiliated departments
30 residence halls
10 career fairs and networking nights each year
550 appointments with student health coaches per year
300+ student organizations
ANSWERING THE CALL
Central to BC’s Jesuit, Catholic identity is the Division of Mission and Ministry, which coordinates the personal, spiritual, and societal development of students, faculty, and staff at the Heights. With an array of programs and departments, including Campus Ministry, First Year Experience, the Volunteer and Service Learning Center, and more, Mission and Ministry helps to shape Eagles into men and women for others, ready to discern and rise to their calling in the world.
Center for Student Formation
Helping students integrate their social, intellectual, and personal pursuits is the core charter of the Center for Student Formation. Deeply informed by the Jesuit tradition, the Center offers a wide array of programs that compel students to consider who they are and what they desire, as well as where they are going and for what purpose.
Halftime retreats are an apt example of the Center’s work. Held each semester, these weekend-long exercises give BC upperclassmen an opportunity to step away from campus life and consider three questions that permeate the BC experience: What brings me joy? What am I good at? Who does the world need me to be? Below are a few answers provided by Eagles:
“The world needs me to be someone who’s conscientious in my business pursuits.”
“A great leader, a great mentor.”
“A person who brings out the good in others and helps them discover their gifts.”
“BC promotes every student to be the best version of themselves.”
“Compassionate, kind, and selfless.”
CAMPUS RENAISSANCE
Iconic as it is beautiful, Boston College’s campuses have attracted generations of Eagles to the Heights. Forward-looking support for athletics facilities will help recruit the top student-athletes to BC, while investments in residence halls and gathering spaces will promote community while enhancing the overall well-being of our student body.
Attached to Conte Forum, the Hoag Basketball Pavilion provides our men’s and women’s basketball teams with the resources needed to compete at the highest level of the ACC. Made possible by a lead gift from University Trustee Michaela “Mikey” Hoag ’86 and her husband, Jay Hoag, P’14, the 10,700-square-foot practice space, complete with six courts, enables our Eagles to get the most out of their practice time, while the sports medicine and nutrition centers give them an edge in terms of preparation and recovery. Additionally, the Hoag Pavilion is equipped to care for the whole person of our student-athletes, providing ample study and relaxation areas, as well as a video room for coaches and athletes to brush up on scouting and strategy.
Dedicated to the late captain of BC baseball Pete Frates ’07, BC’s new indoor baseball and softball facility features locker rooms and player lounges, along with sports medicine, strength and conditioning, and equipment space on the first floor. On the upper level, Eagles can fine-tune their technique in the eighttunnel hitting facility or take in the view from the hospitality deck overlooking the pristine baseball field. This new facility in the Harrington Athletics Village helps recruit top talent to our programs and provides current Eagles with the equipment they need to achieve competitive excellence.
Hoag Basketball Pavilion
Pete Frates Center at Harrington Athletics Village
“Boston College has opportunities to accomplish even more as a Jesuit, Catholic university among the top tier of institutions of higher education, not only in the United States, but around the world. Soaring Higher ’s focus on obtaining additional resources to enhance financial aid, academics, and student life will help the University continue its upward trajectory.”
William P. Leahy, S.J., University President
The Jesuit, Catholic heritage of Boston College stresses the importance of giving as a gift what has been received as a gift, and urges that BC graduates live lives marked by integrity, conviction, engagement, and generosity of spirit.
Eagles always have and always will move society forward. They lead global companies with a conscience. They teach our children and nurse our sick. They fortify our legal systems and our social safety nets. They create art, they solve problems, they expand our knowledge base, and they engineer the future. What shaped them, before they went on to shape the world, was their time at the Heights.
Philanthropy has played a crucial role in BC's 160-year history. Every buy-a-brick effort, every shovel in the ground, every scholarship created, every professorship established, every step forward BC has taken was because of the legacy of alumni and supporters who believed in all that this University could become.
