His first legacy commitment was a charitable gift annuity (CGA) that benefited his sister, Mary, who also had a strong affinity for BC and who for decades attended Eagles football games with her brother. When she died in 2010, two years after Sottile, the remainder of the annuity was added to and bolstered an endowed fund in Italian Studies that Sottile established with one of his annual contributions.

"His gifts have generated incredible opportunities," says Associate Professor of Italian Franco Mormando, who became friends with Sottile, often inviting him to lunch at the Heights. "His generosity has helped us to de­velop new courses, invite guest lecturers, and purchase new pedagogical resources that enrich all of our classes."

In addition, Sottile's CGA supports the "Lectura Dantis" on campus. Named after the author of the "Divine Comedy," Sottile's favorite poem, the popular series features public readings of Dante's epic work.

He also left a bequest of more than $1 million that endowed a scholarship for talented BC students in financial need—with the inaugural awardee being an Italian Studies major, his preference for the scholarship.

Such associations were significant to Sottile, who, during World War II, participated in the invasion of Sicily and was one of the first American soldiers to reach Rome during its liberation. Born into a working-class family, the lifelong Waltham, Mass., resident re­turned from war to begin a long and suc­cessful career as a realtor.

"Nick had to work his way through school," says Mormando, "and he didn't want others to shoulder the same burden. Through his philanthropy, he hoped to make life better for students he'd never meet. He was very concerned about the destiny of those at Boston College."