As both a student and an alumnus, Patrick F. Cadigan '57 has always embraced his ties to Boston College. Now his $15-million gift to name the University's new alumni center will ensure all BC graduates have a place to reconnect when visiting the Heights.

The newly renovated building, which opened in February, serves as a "home away from home" for BC's 165,000 alumni, who will frequent the center when on campus for volunteer meetings and special events or simply to enjoy a social visit and catch up on the latest BC news.

"With the Sesquicentennial Celebration forthcoming, it seemed like an ideal time for me to make a commitment to my alma mater," said Cadigan. "I hope the alumni center will provide lasting benefits to this outstanding institution and its graduates."

He and his wife, Tandra, joined University President William P. Leahy, S.J., at the Cadigan Alumni Center dedication on June 29, with more than 175 alumni, family, and friends attending the Brighton Campus festivities. 

"Pat Cadigan never forgot his Boston roots and his affection for Boston College," said Fr. Leahy. "We are grateful for his generous support and delighted to have our new alumni center bear his name."

LAYING A FOUNDATION

Cadigan's gift reflects his remarkable bond with his alma mater and his desire to guarantee its continued rise among the nation's leading universities. 

The son of Irish immigrants, Cadigan worked at his father's Cambridge, Mass., pub to help pay for school and placed a premium on the University's Jesuit instruction. "My education instilled in me values and discipline that stayed with me throughout my years," reflected Cadigan. "The foundation I received left an indelible impression on me and prepared me for success in business and in life."

After launching his career at Sylvania Electronic Systems, Cadigan followed the high-tech boom to the West Coast and became one of Southern California's industry leaders, rising to president and CEO of the Electronic Engineering Company of California.

Upon retiring from that role, he held leadership positions in several other high-tech companies. He also expanded his equally successful career in real estate investment and is now one of the largest private real estate holders in Orange County.

CREATING A LASTING IMPACT

The Cadigan Alumni Center is one of several building projects made possible by Light the World campaign support. Stokes Hall, BC's new center for the humanities, will open for classes in January, and a baseball and softball complex is planned for Brighton Campus. 

Such projects advance the University's mission to "educate the whole person" and evolve the student experiences that Cadigan found so formative. Toward this end, he also funded a biology laboratory in Higgins Hall and a faculty office in Stokes. He additionally created a legacy gift that will help the University address its most urgent needs in the future. 

Cadigan has coupled his BC philanthropy with a record-setting $12–million pledge to another local alma mater, Boston College High School, to build a new arts and recreation center. "Ever since I graduated," said Cadigan, "I've felt a very personal responsibility to give back to those wonderful schools that educated and shaped me."