Thanks to the generosity of the late William F. Connell, Boston College School of Nursing will now be known as the William F. Connell School of Nursing.
Sadly, William F. Connell lost his battle with cancer on August 22, 2001, leaving his wife Margot, three daughters (including our alumna Lisa McNamara), three sons, and seven grandchildren. Mr. Connell was a graduate of Boston College and Harvard Business School and Vice Chair of Boston College's Board of Trustees. He was chairman and chief executive officer of Connell Limited Partnership, one of the largest privately owned companies in the United States, a company that recycles metals and manufactures industrial equipment. An astute businessman, who made the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans by betting on Rust Belt America in the 1980's when others were writing it off, Mr. Connell used to joke humbly that he was a "junk man."
What especially distinguished William Connell was the confidence others had in his judgment and his commitment to giving back. In his 63 years, this son of Irish immigrants made a fortune and gave a fortune away, including $10 million to the Boston College School of Nursing. He took great joy in sharing his wealth and his time. In Mr. Connell's words, "If you get lucky, you're supposed to share. People are rich when they have what they need in the world - a nice family, a good education, the opportunity to participate in the community, to see your children do well. That is rich."
The Boston College School of Nursing will benefit greatly from the generosity of the William F. Connell family. Our mission of service to others, truth through scholarly inquiry, and justice through promotion of equal access to healthcare for all people, was strongly endorsed by Mr. Connell and will help ensure that his legacy lives on.