27 minute read
Honoring a Legend: Board Member Dr. Martin J. Dunn ’53
by BC High
BC HIGH BOARD OF TRUSTEES onoring a LegendH
The name Dr. Martin J. Dunn ’53 has long been synonymous with Boston College High School and its Board of Trustees. Dr. Dunn hasn’t just lived up to the values of being a “man for others,” he’s blazed the trail for so many to follow. It wasn’t long after he graduated from Boston College and then Tufts Dental School that Marty returned to BC High to help the school leaders chart a path for the future. In a practical sense, he has had a voice in many of the key decisions in BC High’s recent history.
Dr. Dunn’s legacy on the Board, and in life, has been that of service to others. His work in helping the poor and marginalized through the Por Christo organization receive first-class oral and maxillofacial care has been widely recognized for many years. He’s received multiple honorary degrees, been knighted by the President of Ecuador and
Meet Our New Trustees 7
At the annual Board of Trustees meeting on June 2, 2022, the following alumni were confirmed as Board members with terms starting on July 1, 2022. We are excited to have their expertise during this transformational time at BC High.
PAUL J. DONATO ’95
Hometown: Watertown, MA Currently resides: Arlington, VA Professional life: Principal, Ernst & Young, LLP, Business and Technology Consulting practice for the Government & Public Sector practice
BC High is operating from a place of great strength these days. I am excited about the Strategic Plan and look forward to helping the school achieve that vision, which will ensure that future generations of young men will have the same transformative experience that I did as a student.
What’s your favorite BC High memory?
It’s hard to pick one as I have so many amazing memories, but I am forever grateful for all of the time I spent in practice and games with my teammates on the soccer, basketball and baseball teams. Those shared moments created such deep friendships that remain strong today.
honored by Saint John Paul II. But, it is his work at BC High and his commitment to Jesuit, Catholic education that has left an indelible mark on generations of Eagles. Of Dr. Dunn, Pat Landers ’73, a former Board Chair shared, "When I think of a "man for others," I think of Dr. Marty Dunn. His contributions to BC High, over decades of board service, are legendary and his roles in helping to establish the Arrupe Division and chairing the St. Ignatius Awards Committee are well known. Less so is the time, skill and financial sacrifice Marty happily donated to scores of poor children in South and Central America through Por Christo, providing maxillofacial surgeries that were often lifesaving. I have no doubt that while Marty may be less evident on campus, he will continue to find ways to make a contribution wherever life takes him.”
Of the many important initiatives that Dr. Dunn has been involved with, a few highlights stand out as truly pivotal in the history of BC High. It was during discussions in the early 2000s that Marty encouraged President Bill Kemeza to begin imagining what BC High would look like with a middle school. Aware of the declining numbers among Catholic feeder schools, Dr. Dunn encouraged the Board to consider expanding the school to include seventh and eighth grade. Since opening in fall 2007, the Arrupe Division has enabled thousands of young men to start their BC High experiences early in an environment offering unparalleled academic rigor and support.
Further, because of his deep commitment to service around the globe, particularly in Central and South America, Dr. Dunn was one of the key voices behind the establishment of a global education program. Simply traveling wasn’t enough; students needed to be deeply immersed in the life and culture of other countries to understand and appreciate the experiences of the people living there. This idea for global education took shape in the Hyde Center for Global Education and the program has been transforming students for over 10 years.
To that end, Dr. Dunn was instrumental in helping President Kemeza establish the first ever Jesuit Colloquium on Secondary Education. Together with Dan Carmody, former director of the Hyde Center, they met with Jesuit leaders around the world to bring all Jesuit schools to Boston in July 2012 –a feat never tried. Not only did the first Colloquium bring together schools from around the world, but it was translated in multiple languages, and has become a reoccurring event that continues to connect Jesuit schools.
Dr. Dunn was officially conferred as Trustee Emeritus at BC High. His legacy and commitment to the school, our students, faculty, staff, and alumni will live on for generations. We wish Dr Dunn, his wife Carol, and their daughters the best as they enjoy time together.
AJ OKEREKE ’10
Hometown: Randolph, MA Currently resides: Cambridge, MA Professional life: Investor, Insight Partners
I am thrilled to join the Board of Trustees at BC High and give back to a community that gave me an opportunity to excel academically, athletically, and spiritually. BC High taught me to be grounded in faith and to serve others with competence, conscience, and compassion. I look forward to now serving the BC High community as a Trustee and helping shape the future of our beloved school.
What’s your favorite BC High memory?
My favorite memory at BC High was playing varsity football under Coach Bartlett. We won a state championship during my junior year and I will never forget the perseverance and grit that characterized our journey that season. Football taught me many life lessons that have shaped the man I am today.
A NEW DAY
[ BY MATT MCDERMOTT ʹ’13 ]
on the Boulevard
On April 7, 2022, thousands of alumni, family, and friends watched as President Grace Cotter Regan P’12 announced historic news to the BC High community –a $49 million-dollar gift from the Patrick F. Cadigan Family Foundation to build a 50,000 square foot wellness complex on campus. This largest single gift in school history, and largest ever to a Catholic secondary school in New England, also comes on the heels of a $2.5 million-dollar gift from John V. Murphy ’67, P’98 to build a new athletics stadium.
— President Grace Cotter Regan P'12
The late Patrick F. Cadigan ’52 fondly holding up his BC High yearbook.
The Patrick F. Cadigan ’52 Family Foundation Wellness Complex and Murphy Family Stadium will be among the largest and most visible changes in a transformation brought about by the school’s Vision 2026 Strategic Plan, which includes a comprehensive Campus Master Plan, and aims to enhance the student experience through state-of-the-art facilities.
Although these radical upgrades will bring BC High’s resources in line with and supersede Catholic Conference peers, the projects are hardly a superficial attempt to keep up with the competition. President Regan notes, “This transformation is really rooted in who we are as a Jesuit, Catholic school. In our Strategic Plan, you’ll see language about aligning our philosophical approach to student care with the quality of our facilities. We believe that health and wellness are an incredibly important part of our mission to care for students in their totality – head, heart, and hands. These capital projects will allow us to do that at a significantly deeper level.”
The Eagles have never needed first-rate facilities to be an athletic powerhouse. Indeed, the grit exemplified by those who wear the Maroon and Gold was built up over time: dodging steel beams while playing basketball in the basement of BC High’s original Harrison Avenue campus, running laps around the dirt track before the STAR Complex of the mid-seventies, and even the multiple modern teams who have had to filter through a cramped and aging weight room. Yet, several of those teams have won a state championship in the past decade. In fact, some have won multiple. Under Regan’s leadership, the Eagles have brought six titles home to Morrissey Boulevard in as many years. It’s easy for a fan to delight in imagining what the program can accomplish with best in class facilities.
But it isn’t just about the athletes. In addition to a 6,200 square foot strength and conditioning area, 3,700 square feet of cardio space, and a 1,000 square foot athletic training center, the Wellness Complex will also include a flexible classroom space, complete with a wellness kitchen, to aid students in learning about and incorporating healthy, nutritious foods into their active lifestyles. Students, faculty, and staff have shown incredible interest in healthy pursuits: from Arrupe Division flex periods devoted to cooking – to Ignatian yoga classes held after school that help to destress and unwind.
The eight lane, 25 meter pool should also be a boon for students. BC High’s health curriculum includes the oppor-
The Murphy Family Stadium Groundbreaking June 2. Pictured are BC High Trustees with John Murphy ’67, P’98 (from left to right): Rev. Michael McFarland, SJ, Chair, Stephen Fulton ’83, P’25, ’26, Brian Lee ’02, John Murphy ’67, P’98, Grace Cotter Regan P’12, Matt Maiona ’88, June Matte P’15, ’17, E. Fritz Friedman ’68.
tunity for students to earn their CPR/AED certifications, and with many serving as lifeguards in the summer, the possibility for swim classes and lifeguard training on campus demonstrates the ways the Wellness Complex might affect students’ lives off the playing fields.
Likewise, just as BC High’s existing facilities have been a tremendous asset to community organizations in Boston and beyond, from Boys & Girls Clubs, to Nativity Prep, and Dorchester Little League, these additions to campus will enable the school to better serve the surrounding area. As a pillar of the Columbia Point community, BC High seeks to model what it means to be a good neighbor by sharing resources and expanding access to external organizations.
Accessibility is also a major factor of the Murphy Family Stadium, which – when completed this fall – will include ADA-compliant ramps and stairs in addition to new grandstand seating for 1,800 fans. Combined with a new press box and upgraded sound system, two permanent buildings housing concessions, ticketing, and restroom facilities, and a scenic courtyard plaza, the gameday experience at BC High will be more inclusive and enjoyable than ever before.
Fans will have to wait a while longer for the Wellness Complex, with construction slated to begin in January 2023. The Vision 2026 Strategic Plan also leaves room for the future possibility of a hockey rink and innovation hub which would truly complete the suite of facilities on campus. However, the bold initiatives envisioned by the Strategic Plan aren’t simply limited to capital projects.
Reverend Michael McFarland, SJ,
Chair of the Board of Trustees, is passionate about the complete picture laid out in the plan: “In addition to these exciting and highly visible changes, BC High is committed to strengthening our position as a leader in the City of Boston, the Jesuit global network, and beyond. We will do this by prioritizing financial sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion through investing more in financial aid to attract and support an economically, racially and ethnically diverse group of students, while also increasing the diversity of our faculty, and staff members, in keeping with our Jesuit, Catholic mission.”
The BC High of 2026 envisioned by Rev. McFarland is a lot like the BC High of today, and yesterday, and even years The full Strategic Plan, which includes an anticipated timeline and comprehensive Campus Master Plan, is available for review online.
The Murphy Family Stadium
and decades gone by. It will, after all, be fueled by the same indelible spirit that has forged BC High students for generations. It is that same spirit that inspired the generosity of both Pat Cadigan and John V. Murphy. At the recent groundbreaking ceremony for the new stadium, Murphy remarked, “Three generations of Murphys have been touched by their student-athlete experience at BC High. It is my hope that [this stadium] will provide students – present and future – with the same comradery that myself, my father, brothers, and son experienced and benefitted from. This school is a special place, and I am so proud to be a part of its legacy.”
Maria Cadigan, Pat’s daughter, similarly noted that BC High truly formed him as a person: “His Jesuit teachers, and the relationships and fellowship he had with his classmates, were powerful influences on him. They instilled in him the values and discipline needed to be successful in every aspect of both his business and his life.”
Tomorrow’s BC High students won’t His Jesuit teachers, and the relationships and fellowship he had with his classmates, were powerful influences on my father. 7
— Maria Cadigan
have to dodge beams in the basement like Pat, or John’s father Jerry Murphy ’35. In fact, they will have access to some of the most premier athletics facilities in the state. But what will remain true, and has always been so, is that the BC High experience is unlike any other. The bonds formed with teammates, coaches, and friends last a lifetime. The fidelity and love for the institution that forever changed you often lasts even beyond this life, as is the case with Pat Cadigan. Tomorrow’s BC High students will be cared for better than ever before – physically, spiritually, emotionally, and academically. It’s a new day on Morrissey Boulevard, and the future is looking bright. n
Maria Cadigan addresses the crowd on April 7.
HOUSES MAKE A HOME
[ BY MATT MCDERMOTT ʹ’13 ]
Ten points to Gryffindor! If those are the first words that come to mind when you hear that BC High is getting a House System, you’re not alone. But this transformative change isn’t about scoring points — it’s about making Eagles feel even more at home on Morrissey Boulevard than they already do.
How it Works...
Head of House
Students will
check in with their house each morning
Every House
meets for a minimum of 1 time/week for 50 minutes Each student will continue to have a Guidance
Counselor
Mentor groups
meet for 10 minutes, 3 days/week The school will be divided into House areas with Head of House offices and student lockers in each house area
ouse Systems are an educational tradition stretching back hundreds of years. Principal Adam Lewis, with a career spanning the globe, is an ardent supporter: “I’ve seen these models succeed firsthand at Jesuit schools in Australia and Europe. They work because they speak to something fundamentally true – that young people, especially boys, need a tangible sense of belonging and connection. BC High is perfectly set up for a House System to succeed. Our boys love their school and crave points of connection to each other. They already want to lead, influence, and shape their experience in a really positive way. Above all, our boys want to develop strong and deep relationships with each other and the adults in our community. The whole premise of the House System allows all these things to happen on a deeper level.”
Lewis recognizes that it is an incredibly difficult time to be an adolescent, and particularly, a young man. Amidst the rise
Hof social media and an increasingly digital world, one mired in what Reverend Adolfo Nicolás, SJ termed a “globalization of superficiality”, and against the backdrop of a generational public health crisis, ensuing economic instability, and renewed violence on the global stage, today’s students are maturing into uncertainty. Social constructs like masculinity are being reconsidered and deconstructed, and while reexamination is necessary, Lewis notes that it isn’t always easy for
boys to understand.
In the face of these societal challenges, the traditional expectation of BC High students has remained the same: get into a good college or university so you can get a good job. However, the thresholds have increased exponentially. Nearly every major institution of higher education has reached historic levels of selectivity. Put simply, the goalposts have been moved on what is expected of young people, leading to increasingly diminished mental health and quality of life.
BC High has always been known for its quality of care — the cura personalis that is so distinctive to the Ignatian tradition and our community. But true innovation requires forward motion when systems are good, and even when they are truly great, to become all that they can possibly be. And nothing is as important, and ultimately worth improving, than the health and wellbeing of our boys.
Canisius High School in Buffalo, New York is one of the first Jesuit secondary schools in the United States to introduce a House System, which Principal Adam Lewis helped consult. Faculty members there noticed a distinct growth of peer mentoring, cooperation, unity, and belonging in the student body. Lewis attributes this to the organic emphasis on leadership instilled by the House System. “Opting out of leadership isn't possible,” said Lewis. “The boys naturally progress through the years and take on increasingly important roles in leading the school community. But it’s not just the loudest voice in the room. Our leadership is rooted in service and justice.”
Lewis notes that the key to identifying these leaders and giving them the space to grow lies in the vertical integration of the House System.
Each of the twelve houses is led by a Head of House, faculty members chosen for their outstanding commitment to Ignatian education and pastoral care. These twelve leaders — supported by additional adult advisors, the Dean of Students, and the Vice Principal of Student Life — are responsible for daily operations of the house. By developing strong relationships with their students, Heads of House will truly come to know them, and be able to help discern and develop their special talents.
Collectively, these houses will build a sense of “home” at BC High. And not just the sense of home that generations of students have felt completing homework in Corcoran Library with friends, or walking over the footbridge with a group of fellow Eagles to catch their train. These houses are the primary point of contact for the student’s whole education and formation. In a large school like BC High, data indicates that continuity of care is strongest when students are organized in subgroups of no more than 100.
“The whole concept of a house is about creating smaller ‘communities within communities’,” said Lewis. “Places where the boys are known in their totality. The sole responsibility of our Heads of House will be to know their boys’ story inside and out, and to develop strong relationships and an authentic understanding of their context. They have to feel deeply loved and cared for, because we want them to grow into young men who love and care deeply.”
Mrs. Jennifer Manning, formerly Director of the Michael D. White ’70
House Patrons
HOUSE PATRON ~ Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA HOUSE PATRON ~ St. Aloysius Gonzaga, SJ
GONZAGA GONZAGA GONZAGA
EMPATHY TOLERANCE TENACITY
HUMBLE VIRTUOUS SELFLESS GONZAGA GONZAGA GONZAGA
DAY DAY DAYHOUSE PATRON ~ Servant of God Fr. Walter Ciszek, SJ KING KING KINGHOUSE PATRON ~ Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM
FABER DAY FABER DAY FABER DAY RESOLUTE GROUNDED IN FAITH EVANGELIST & TEACHER KING KING KING
HUMILITY LOVING SERVICE EMPATHY
HOUSE PATRON ~ Blessed Miquel Pro, SJ
FORTITUDE VIGOR CHARITY
TERESA TERESA TERESAHOUSE PATRON ~ St. Oscar Romero XAVIER TERESA XAVIER TERESA XAVIER TERESA PEACEMAKER COURAGEOUS CHAMPION OF THE POOR XAVIER XAVIER
Center for Emerging Leaders and recently named Vice Principal of Student Life, is passionate about the synergy between care and learning. “We know that boys are relational learners; they learn best when they feel known, loved, and when they have a close connection to their teachers. The House System allows us to bring together care and learning in a concrete way and will be a catalyst for greater depth in both learning and relationships.”
The House System provides increased opportunities for student leadership and mentoring at all levels. It provides the support for this to happen naturally, while also putting into place formal structure. Through student-led inter-house competitions that encompass athletic and co-curricular activities, students gain a vested interest and genuine curiosity in each others’ talents and pursuits. The House System fosters an environment where a co-curricular chess match might have as much buzz in the student body as Friday’s big football game.
As is tradition, each house has chosen a patron, designed a crest to reflect the patrons good works, and come up with a motto accordingly, to represent the students in the house. Through a community-wide process, students nominated and voted on key figures in faith, culture, athletics, and history that carry special meaning to them — from Mother Teresa, to the late Chadwick Boseman. John Mark, Director of the Center for Ignatian Identity and Formation shared that “patrons might include people tied to the history of BC High, of Boston, and represent our global outlook as a Jesuit school. Patrons might also symbolize or represent aspects of the Grad at Grad that animate who we are, how we educate, and what we strive for.”
House Captain Denzel Cofie ’23, the student leader selected to represent Judge House, reflected on what it meant to bear the name of the famed FDNY chaplain Father Mychal Judge, OFM, who perished on September 11, 2001 as he administered last rites to a wounded firefighter: “Fr. Judge was a Franciscan priest and fire chaplain to the New York City fire department, dedicating his life to showing compassion towards others, accompanying those especially in need. He is well known for his ministry with those suffering from AIDS, homelessness, addiction and the LGBTQ+ community, extending a hand to those on the margins. In remembering the legacy of love Fr. Judge left behind, the members of House Judge will be guided by the values of humble service and compassion.”
GONZAGA GONZAGA GONZAGA
All of the houses have really strong names. From Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to some influential Jesuits like Francis Xavier and Peter Faber, all of these people are legendary figures who can model and animate leadership for our students. They show us what its like to care for others and give us something to aspire toward.”
— Principal Lewis
HOUSE PATRON ~ Servant of God Dorothy Day
GONZAGA GONZAGA GONZAGA HOUSE PATRON ~ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. DAY DAY DAY KING KING KING
COMMITTED FABER DAY FABER DAY FABER DAY LOVING HUMBLE KING KING KING
FORTITUDE PERSERVERANCE COMMITTED TO JUSTICE
HOUSE PATRON ~ St. Peter Faber, SJ
FABER FABER FABER
LOYAL SINCERE CONTEMPLATIVE HOUSE PATRON ~ St. Paul Miki, SJ
VALIANT RESILIENT COMPASSIONATE HOUSE PATRON ~ St. Teresa of Calcutta
TERESA TERESA TERESA SELFLESS XAVIER TERESA XAVIER TERESA XAVIER TERESA COMPASSIONATE DEVOTED HOUSE PATRON ~ St. Francis Xavier, SJ XAVIER XAVIER XAVIER
PATIENT PERSERVERANCE ADVENTUROUS
and Inspiration
THE
“My Sojourn experience was something I will never forget. This may be a cliché statement but
my entire perspective on life has changed for the better because of this
experience.”
n March 25, six students and five adult members of the BC High community traveled from Morrissey Boulevard to Atlanta, Georgia to begin a journey that would take them to key cities of the civil rights movement through the Sojourn Project. The Sojourn Project is described as a “wholly unique, transformative academic, moving classroom immersion program, and a catalyst for humanity. Empowering young people’s voices and search for purpose. Through the lens and lessons of the modern civil rights movement, Sojourn’s living history Journeys – for middle and high school students – forge new pathways of understanding and awareness toward personal and civic responsibility.”
Together with students and adults from schools around the country, the group from BC High visited Atlanta, then traveled to Alabama, stopping in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma, before finishing in Memphis, Tennessee and Little Rock, Arkansas. Throughout their journey, they read, reflected, and studied in a remarkably intense way, the people, sites, and actions of those most critical to the movement.
n LUKE HUGO ’24
“The Sojourn trip was truly life-changing for me. It educated me greatly and allowed me to better understand the truth and the way I felt and reflected on the truth. The speakers that were present gave great insight into the past and were able to move everyone. Learning this material in school will never be the same as learning this where it happened and standing in the locations. I loved this trip and it helped me grow closer to the boys I went with. I now feel that my story has been heard.”
n ISH HAZLEWOOD ’23
Gonzaga House Captain
“My Sojourn experience was something I will never forget. This may be a cliché statement but my entire perspective on life has changed for the better because of this experience. Throughout the week I found myself drained emotionally, spiritually, and physically due to the tougher topics we covered and learning how America has lived up to its foundation, of life, liberty, and equality for all promised by our “founding fathers.” I think I can speak for every individual that joined me on that trip that those “tough” moments were necessary for growth. One of BC High’s principles is to be “Open to Growth” and we all had to understand that experiencing those tougher moments throughout the trip was an opportunity to grow. Especially being an African American man, this trip really resonated within me and realizing that I need to take more action and become more aware of political issues in America and understanding that the laws being passed and other rules and regulations being proposed are not only going to affect me in the future but my entire family.
Overall this trip was phenomenal I will never forget the opportunity I was given. It was a blessing to be around such intellectual excellence and well-rounded individuals that helped make my trip all the more memorable.”
n JASON BBOSA ’22
Boston College ’26
“I still remember the first day like it was yesterday. To be quite honest, I did not think that I was going to like it. However, to my surprise, I was entirely mistaken. Despite daily three-hour lectures and an interesting learning environment to say the least, this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just being there, I was at a loss for words, and, oftentimes, I was touched to my core. It was an honor to learn about the civil rights movement more in-depth as well as all of the unsung heroes—some of whom we even got the chance to meet— who got lost in the endless expanse that is history. At the same time, I was privileged enough to visit so many breathtaking and thought-provoking sacred spaces such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s gravesite in Atlanta, the Legacy Museum in Montgomery,
and the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. To top it all off, the students that we met from all of the other schools in California and Ohio were some of the most intelligent, articulate, and outspoken people I have ever met, and we are still friends to this day. Over the course of those eight fateful days, I experienced a whirlwind of emotions. I felt overwhelming grief, sadness, and despair, but I also felt power, courage, and strength. In the end, not to sound like a cliché, but this trip truly changed my life for the better. It makes me want to research and further educate myself about some of the history of the movement that I do not know. It makes me want to be more vocal regarding issues of race. It makes me want to honor the legacy of the people before me and continue their struggle by being a young changemaker in my community as best I can. For this reason, my way of reigning down justice that rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream on the people around me is by including those who have been silenced or sidelined. In my eyes, that is what justice is all about. Thus, through this trip, which has manifested itself as my own personal journey of self-discovery, I have finally come across my true purpose in life, and it is fair to say that the Sojourn Project has brought that out of me and to the forefront of my existence.”
n DR. RUTH EVEE P’18, ’22
Director of the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
“Attending the Sojourn Project was the ultimate experience of bringing the classroom teachings and textbook readings to life. We were not only fortunate to visit actual historic locations and incredible museums, but we also heard from and met people who are prominent figures in the civil rights movement. The entire trip was truly an amazing experience that not only the students, but the adults will never forget. The students said it was life changing and thus far the highlight of their time at BC High. Incorporating this trip into the curriculum at BC High means that we are giving our students an opportunity to really understand what social justice is and why being an antiracist is necessary and impactful for societal growth and caring for others.”
