Chestnut Hill, Mass (9-9-10) – To formally recognize the University’s 150^th anniversary and its extraordinary transformation from a local school for the sons of Irish immigrants to one of the nation’s premier institutions of higher learning, Boston College will host a Sesquicentennial Celebration from May of 2012 through the fall of 2013, University President William P. Leahy, SJ, announced today.

To oversee the effort, Fr. Leahy has appointed a Sesquicentennial Steering Committee to outline plans to commemorate the anniversary.  The committee has begun organizing the celebration around the University’s motto “Ever to Excel,” with specific emphasis on the University’s excellence in scholarship, student and alumni formation and in bridging the gap between faith and culture. 

Major events proposed for the sesquicentennial celebration include a convocation of national and international Catholic college and university presidents to address the critical issues facing American Catholic higher education; a Founder’s Day celebration scheduled for April of 2013; a Sesquicentennial Speakers Series featuring leading dignitaries; the unveiling of historical markers throughout campus; an outdoor Mass at Fenway Park for students and graduates of Boston College and Boston College High School; and a series of school-specific and student-sponsored events that will engage the wider University community in the celebration.

Sesquicentennial Celebration Chair Mary Lou DeLong, vice president and university secretary, said that the committee, consisting of representatives from the offices of the Provost, News & Public Affairs, University Advancement, Student Affairs, Marketing Communications, Council of Deans, University Libraries, Jesuit Community and BC faculty, has offered many creative ideas, while also welcoming new suggestions from all facets of the University community.  

“Our goal is to plan a comprehensive sesquicentennial celebration that is inclusive of students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as neighbors and friends of Boston College,” said DeLong. “We welcome input as we continue to outline plans for this special celebration.”

Fr. Leahy said he looked forward to the 150^th anniversary and to the opportunity it affords Boston College to celebrate its history and its service to Boston and the wider community. “Our sesquicentennial celebration will give us the opportunity to reflect on how Boston College has evolved over the decades, to give thanks for God’s blessings, and rededicate ourselves to the educational and religious vision that has animated BC since its founding in 1863,” said Fr. Leahy.

Economics Professor and former College of Arts & Sciences Dean Joseph Quinn, who sits on the steering committee, will convene a Sesquicentennial Academic Committee to work with deans and faculty from BC’s eight schools to plan “signature” events that reflect the University’s distinct mission and heritage. “Our faculty members are the heart and soul of our academic mission, and are central to the international reputation we now enjoy,” said Quinn. “Representatives from each school will convene in the fall to plan a series of events that will illustrate how Boston College research has made this a better world. Suggestions are encouraged from all our faculty, to your school representative or to me.”