Each year, Boston College distributes a general graduation announcement to students' hometown newspapers. This general news release is submitted automatically -- you don't need to request it -- for every graduating senior shortly after Commencement, and includes the name, hometown, and degree/honors of each undergraduate, as well as information about Commencement itself.

If you would like to submit a more detailed news release that includes personal information specific to the graduate (e.g., interests, other awards, plans, high school, parents' names, etc.), you may find it helpful to follow a template that is provided here each year.  A template will be available on this website after May 11, 2012. (The 2011 template is below.) Simply copy the entire template onto your own document or paste it into an e-mail message, insert information about the graduating student where specified in brackets or by asterisk, then send  the finished release to the news desk of your local newspaper. You may also want to include a photo of the graduate; if you do so by mail, remember to write his or her name on the back of it. If you do so by e-mail, it is helpful to compress the photo; very large file attachments sometimes interfere with message delivery.

Hometown News Release 2011

CONTACT: [your name and telephone number or email address]

SPECIAL TO:  [name of your local newspaper]

RELEASE DATE: AFTER Monday, May 23, 2011

[CITY] RESIDENT [STUDENT NAME] GRADUATES FROM BOSTON COLLEGE

CHESTNUT HILL, MA (Monday, May 23, 2011) -- [Student's name], [select one: son/daughter] of [names of parent(s)/guardian(s)] of [city], was awarded a [cite degree received*] at the 135th Commencement of Boston College on Monday, May 23. Approximately 3,000 graduates received degrees.

The 2011 Commencement speaker was U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who during his term has led federal efforts to combat distracted driving and has launched initiatives to build a national high-speed passenger rail network, strengthen commercial bus and driver safety, and protect airline consumers. LaHood received an honorary Doctor of Public Administration degree at the ceremonies.

Boston College also presented honorary degrees to four other distinguished individuals: New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. Chairman James S. Davis and Vice Chairman Anne M. Davis, managing trustee of the New Balance Charitable Foundation (both Doctor of Business Administration); alumnus and Boston College Senior Vice President James P. McIntyre  (Doctor of Science in Education); and alumna and University Trustee Associate Sylvia Q. Simmons (Doctor of Humane Letters).

The Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., 25th president of Boston College, presented the degrees to the graduates.

[Student's name] is a graduate of [name/city of high school]. At Boston College, [cite here any academic honors, memberships in clubs, athletics activities, et. al. **]

Boston College was founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus - the first institution of higher education in the city of Boston. Today, it is one of the foremost universities in the nation, with a coeducational enrollment of approximately 14,500 undergraduate and graduate students drawn from all 50 states and 85 countries. It also is one of the nation's most selective universities, with more than 33, 000 applications for its 2,250-member freshman class received this year. Its faculty of eminent scholars is dedicated to teaching, both at the undergraduate level and in its nationally-noted graduate programs in education, law, management, nursing, social work and theology and ministry. Though it has grown in size, stature and diversity, Boston College remains focused on its founding Jesuit mission to offer students a transforming educational experience: to help them develop both their intellect and their character, and to encourage them to lead lives of faith, integrity and service to others.

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* If the degree is awarded with honors (cum laude, etc.) include that information here.

**If the graduate's plans are known, a new paragraph including that information could be added after the activities list.