Campaign Viewpoint from the President
University President William P. Leahy, S.J., and trustee and campaign co-chair Kathleen M. McGillycuddy, NC'71, met at Boston College for a conversation about the Light the World campaign. McGillycuddy and her husband, Ronald E. Logue '67, have established the McGillycuddy-Logue Center for Undergraduate Global Studies with a gift of $10 million to Light the World.
KMM: I understand that you've been spending a great deal of your time on the campaign trail this year.
WPL: I have. Florida, New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles—and of course around Boston. It's a huge priority for me because this is a pivotal time for Boston College.
Q: What have you been hearing from alumni?
A: The primary thing I hear is interest in Boston College and care for its future. BC has come a long way since the early 1970s, and alumni are very aware of this. They frequently tell me they're eager for even greater progress, and they want to know what the next steps are. And I respond that those next steps are going to depend so much on them, on their generosity and commitment. More than ever, Boston College needs its alumni as partners in building greatness.
Now, for some, a campaign of this size and scope feels ambitious. But I point out that we have 150,000 alumni and dedicated parents and friends within the Boston College community, many who've been very blessed by God. Now they have a great opportunity to give back and enable others to have the opportunities of a Boston College education.
When I was in Philadelphia not long ago, a recent graduate said to me, “I can't give much, and so I don't know what I can do for this campaign.” And my response was: “All I want from you every year is what you would spend on a night out on the town.” I believe that every alumnus should support Boston College according to the individual's means, and we need each alumnus to join us in this campaign. It's not entirely about the bottom line. Money is an important goal, but so too are engagement and participation and being part of a community that is on the move.
Q: Tell me a little bit about the timing. Why are we launching this campaign now?
A: As you know, we're approaching our 150th anniversary in 2013, and we need to be preparing ourselves for the next stage in Boston College's development. It's also true that if we don't keep strengthening ourselves, we're going to fall back, both in comparison to competing universities, and in regard to the goals weve already set for ourselves. A university moves forward or it falls back. Standing still is not an option.
We began preparing for this campaign three years ago, in fact, by conducting a major assessment of Boston College. Based on what we learned, we developed seven strategic directions to guide institutional growth.
In final analysis, our goals and priorities reflect our mission, strengths, and opportunities. We've asked critical questions: What does BC want to be in view of its heritage, its gifts, and the needs of the world? How might BC live out its purpose as a Jesuit, Catholic school committed to undergraduate education and selected graduate and professional programs? To move forward, BC must remain focused and add significantly to its resources.
Q: In that context, what do you think makes BC unique as an educational institution?
A: It's hard to establish uniqueness in any institution. But I do think there are elements that make BC distinctive. BC is in a great city. It's sited on a wonderful, and recently expanded, campus. Boston College also has a special educational mission that integrates intellectual excellence and religious commitment, that brings reason and faith together.
Our commitment to the liberal arts and to research programs that aid society is strong, and so is our goal of forming students in all dimensions of their lives. I say that those qualities and strengths together are what make BC distinctive.
Q: Is there something in the campaign that you feel most directly supports BC's mission and heritage?
A: Financial aid endowment. It's absolutely critical if we're going to continue recruiting the very best and most deserving students without regard for their financial circumstances. We need more endowment for financial aid to enable succeeding generations of students to receive the benefits of a Boston College education.
Q: Boston College's endowment is now $1.7 billion, which just seems remarkable to some of us. What do you say to those who wonder how we could possibly need more?
A: We are, of course, fortunate to have a significant endowment. But our endowment income per student is way behind that of virtually every school in our peer group. If we do not grow the endowment, some of our most important priorities will be imperiled.
As regards endowment, the frame of reference for us has to be that our mission includes great goals, and those require significantly more support from endowment than we can currently provide.
Q: The term "light the World" clearly embodies the ambition you just referred to. What does the phrase mean to you?
A: I think of it this way: As an intellectual enterprise, Boston College is committed to enlightening individuals and developing knowledge. Also, the word light captures the missionary impulse of the Society of Jesus. We started schools for apostolic purposes, to help people develop their talents and to grow in religious faith so they might become a leaven for good in society—a light to the world. Light has religious significance for many faiths, but particularly for Christians, for whom Christ is the light of the world, dispelling darkness and offering hope.
Q: The 150th anniversary is in the subtitle to this campaign. How do you view that milestone?
A: I think an anniversary like this one offers a time to look back and to look ahead. It's also a time to invite more people into the BC enterprise, talk to them about what we're about and say: Come join us. We have a compelling vision. We have a strong sense of mission. Come join us in this enterprise. Connect to it. Sustain it. Improve it. What you've received as a gift, give to the next generations of the Boston College family. And a 150th anniversary is a perfect gathering time, a wonderful moment to be part of this great endeavor.
For me, Gasson Hall, which is now being renovated, seems to stand at the center of this anniversary. I say this not only because the renovations will be completed just in time for the 150th celebration, but because the building aptly reflects the themes and commitments of Boston College.
Boston College is like that tower building. It stands large on the horizon. It signifies a steeple of excellence. And the work of its renewal and improvement is a sign of hope on the horizon every day, for thousands of people.
Q: Thank you, Fr. Leahy.
A: Thank you for taking this time, and thank you for your generous gift. You and Ron should be very proud.