"We give to Boston College because it has been a great experience for our kids," says Kenneth P. Nolan, managing partner of Speiser, Krause, Nolan and Granito in New York. Both he and his wife Nancy, while not alumni, are enthusiastic supporters of BC not only because of the academics, but also because of the values that it reinforces.
"The fact that BC is an academic school, and a school that also expects its students to give back to society, makes it a very positive learning experience," Nolan says. "We found it to be a wonderful school values-wise as well as educationally."
Parents of two BC alumni and one current undergraduate, the Nolans are pleased that BC offers a variety of service programs beyond the classroom that enrich students' lives. "Both our son Ken, who graduated in 2003, and our daughter Caitlin, who graduated this year, joined the Appalachia Volunteers programs. Caitlin also was involved in 4Boston, as is our daughter, Elizabeth, now a sophomore," Nolan says. Students who join the Appalachia Volunteers spend their annual spring break helping the needy in poverty stricken areas of the country, while 4Boston volunteers commit to four hours weekly of urban service during the academic year.
"It was our son Ken who first convinced Caitlin to go to BC, and then she, in turn, had such a terrific experience that she persuaded her sister, Elizabeth, to also choose BC. Our kids are why we give," Nolan says, noting that BC also has a "very decent athletic program with one of the highest graduation rates in the country."
As to why they give to the BC Fund in particular? "That's easy," Ken Nolan says, "it's because we feel that the University knows where they need the money most, and we have confidence in their management."
Photo by Gary Wayne Gilbert