THE IMPACT OF LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
BOSTON COLLEGE ○ 2024–2025
YOUR GENEROSITY HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR BOSTON COLLEGE
As a member of our Gasson Circle, in the 1863 Society, you play an indispensable role in advancing the mission of the University. This year, your continued support strengthened the people and programs that make BC thrive in the classroom, on the field, and throughout the community. Committed donors like you continue to make a lasting impact across a wide range of initiatives—from enhancing student life and expanding research opportunities to increasing access to a Boston College education. We are deeply grateful for your belief in the transformative power of the BC experience.
FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS
Expanding Access
People like you make it possible for talented students to pursue their dreams of a BC education. Their stories are powerful reminders of how every gift can make a difference for our students and their families. In their own words last spring:
“All my mom ever wanted was for her kids to go to college, and to be something more than she was. The financial aid package definitely made it possible to come to BC. Now I am applying to law schools. It’s an amazing thing. It’s a blessing, truly.”
ANGEL PRADO ’25
Corbet Family Scholar, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
“Service and leadership were really important to me in high school. Going to BC with financial aid has allowed me to really explore that at the college level and continue to grow.”
Thomas & Dorothy Harkins Scholar, Lynch School of Education and Human Development
MIA CRESTI ’26
ACADEMICS
Expert Faculty
Boston College faculty are at the heart of the student experience. They bring their expertise, their passion for teaching, and their commitment to the University’s mission.
“I love being at a university that values more than just academic and professional achievements. BC’s mission is the formation of whole human beings who reflect on who they want to be and how they can contribute to the world. Helping students craft their own authentic stories and see their lives as adventures has given me such joy and purpose.”
BELLE LIANG
Professor of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology
Inaugural Ascione Faculty Formation Fellow
“I have a mission that transcends me, and I know it’s what I am called to do. That’s in my DNA. It’s not by chance that I lead the LLI; that’s who I am.”
ROCÍO CALVO
Professor of Social Work, Director, Latinx Leadership Initiative (LLI)
“I like teaching students a way of thinking about the world that’s alternative to what they may have learned when they grew up or were in high school. I love when you see that light turn on. And I love when students realize that they can be critical of what they are being taught.”
MARTIN SUMMERS
Professor of History
ACADEMICS
Messina College’s First Year
ERIK BERRELLEZA, S.J. Founding Dean, Messina College
“Formative education needs to be done in a residential setting and I’m grateful that the University is committed to providing that experience to students.”
Messina College opened last summer to its inaugural class of first-generation students.
Dean Erick Berrelleza, S.J., said the first year has solidified in his mind the importance of Messina’s residential experience.
“I don’t think you can do formative education in a commuter model,” he reflected. “Formative education needs to be done in a residential setting and I’m grateful that the University is committed to providing that experience to students.” Outside of the classroom, students engaged with the Chestnut Hill Campus, joining student groups and clubs, playing intramural sports, going to the gym, and attending concerts and athletic events. During spring break, some participated in service trips to Appalachia and Jamaica. Throughout the year, they’ve explored careers through a lunch and learn series featuring executives from
STUDENT LIFE
Murray Center for Student Wellness Opens
Boston College’s student health and wellness services were strengthened through additional staffing, education, and training, and increased access to mental health counseling for all students, thanks to a generous gift from BC alumna, parent, and benefactor Tami Murray ’83, P’09, ’15, ’19.
The gift established the Murray Center for Student Wellness, which launched in the spring. Already, it has increased access to sameday appointment availability for University Counseling Services (UCS); increased education, training, and resource development around health and wellness;
PwC, Morgan Stanley, Commonwealth Financial Group, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and other organizations.
Dani Parkinson of Lynn, an applied psychology and human development major, said her first year has made a distinct impression. “I have enjoyed all my friends, my
roommates, and the people that I’ve met in passing and the experiences that I’ve had so far. I feel like I’ve grown and they’ve grounded me as an individual, and helped me think about what I want to do with my life in the future,” said Parkinson, who thinks she might one day like to attend law school. “The first year really showed me what college has in store for me.”
and expanded the promotion of mental health services. It also integrates campus health and wellness programs, placing University Health Services (UHS), UCS, Sports Medicine, and the existing Center for Student Wellness under the umbrella of the Murray Center, which works closely with the Dean’s
Office in Student Affairs to provide timely support to students in need. The center is directed by Dr. Douglas Comeau, associate vice president, who previously served as director of UHS and Primary Care Sports Medicine.
ATHLETICS
A Winning Year for BC Athletics
This year, BC donors provided student-athletes with excellent coaching, modernized facilities, and holistic wellness resources that enabled them to thrive on and off the field.
Highlights on the field include the lacrosse team reaching its eighth consecutive final four, the sailing team earning its 23rd national championship, and football going to the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl under first-year Gregory P. Barber ’69 and Family Head Coach Bill O’Brien. Off the field, our athletes participated in more than 50 community service events and earned the 2025 NACDA Community Service Award.
In the classroom, our Eagles continue to stand out among the nation’s academic elite, with BC tied for sixth in the nation and second in the ACC with a graduation success rate of 98 percent. In addition, 13 BC teams earned a perfect score of 1,000 on the multiyear academic progress rate released
by the NCAA: baseball, men’s fencing, men’s skiing, men’s tennis, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s fencing, women’s golf, women’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s skiing, women’s tennis, and women’s track & field.
GASSON CIRCLE
132 Members 734 Raised $9.2M At a glance 2024–2025
First-time leadership donors
SHEA DOLCE ’26
Lacrosse
“I look at ‘Ever to Excel’ both academically and athletically. In the classroom, we’re all pushing each other to be the best students we can be. That drive stems from the support of the BC community, our professors, and everyone we interact with. On the field, the coaches don’t just focus on making us better players. They teach us how to be good people, good teammates, and good friends.”
Soaring Higher: the Campaign for Boston College