Keith A. Francis Discovery Weekend
2026 Dates Coming Soon
Congratulations on your admission to the Boston College Class of 2029! We are excited to welcome you to the Keith A. Francis (KAF) Discovery Weekend: a unique three-day event that offers less represented students and those seeking community with them an introduction to academic and extracurricular life at Boston College. Attendees have a chance to stay overnight on campus (with an awesome student host), explore clubs and extracurriculars, and chat with students and administrators about what it's like to be an Eagle.
Keith A. Francis Discovery Weekend is open to all. To register for KAF, please log in to your Applicant Status Portal and click on the "Register for Admitted Student Events" button. You will see a tab for Keith A. Francis Discovery Weekend, as well as tabs for On-Campus Events, Off-Campus Events, and Virtual Events. Select the KAF Weekend tab, then fill out and submit the registration form. During the registration process, you will also need to fill out the Admitted Student Permission & Agreement Form, which requires signatures from you and a parent/guardian. You can print out the form, fill it out, and upload a picture of it to the registration form.
If you don't see the registration form on your portal, but have looked through the KAF Weekend website and are interested in attending and participating in all of the KAF programming and activities, please click here to register.
Admitted Student Permission & Agreement Form
Note: KAF Weekend is limited to admitted students only, however, one of the required events of KAF Weekend is Admitted Eagle Day, which takes place on Sunday, April 13th, and family members are welcome to attend. A separate sign-up for Admitted Eagle Day is required on your Applicant Status Portal.
Note these events occured in 2025. Discovery Weekend 2026 information will be provided at a later date.
Saturday, April 12th (subject to change)
- 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Arrival and Check-In
Location: Devlin Hall Lobby - 4:00 PM - 4:15 PM: KAF Kick-Off and Welcome
Location: Devlin Hall 110
- Grant Gosselin, Dean of Undergraduate Admission & Financial Aid
- Katrina Baradi '26 and Steven Yao '25, Student Admission Program, Co-Coordinators for Access & Outreach - 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM: Alumni Stories
Location: Devlin 110
- Kwani Lunis '15, Producer & Host of The Hub Today on NBC Boston, Co-Host of the Big 3 NBA Podcast on the CLNS Media Network
- Lisa Vu '17, Lead Strategic Sales Executive at Oracle - 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM: Small Group Check-Ins
Locations: Various in Devlin Hall - 7:00 PM: Dinner and Free Time
Sunday, April 13th (subject to change)
- 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM: Admitted Eagle Day
Check-In Location: Conte Forum - 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM: Small Group Check-Ins
Locations: Various - 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Boston College Arts & Dance Showcase
Location: Yawkey Athletics Center (4th Floor - Murray Room) - 5:15 PM - 6:30 PM: Boston College Community Closing Dinner
Location: McElroy Commons (2nd Floor - Eagle's Nest Dining Hall) - 6:30 PM: Free Time
Monday, April 14th
- 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM: Campus Resource(s) Sessions
Location: Various - 12:00 PM: Departures from Campus Begin
Check-Out Location: Devlin Hall (Kane Information Room - 101)
One of Boston College’s remarkable alumni, Keith A. Francis graduated from the School of Education in 1976. He went on to become a University Trustee and member of the BC Varsity Club Hall of Fame. A native of New Bedford, MA, Mr. Francis spent 30 years in Washington, DC after graduation and went on to become a senior intelligence analyst for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms, yet always remained a strong and prominent member of the BC community.
He brought many prospective AHANA students to campus and ensured that other AHANA alumni remained connected to the University. While Mr. Francis sadly passed away in July 2011, his efforts continue to help shape the Boston College of today. In 2012, Boston College paid tribute to the legacy of Mr. Francis by renaming this admitted student program in his honor.
For information on hotels, directions, and parking, please visit the Visit BC section of our website.
IS THIS AN OVERNIGHT PROGRAM?
Yes, the Keith A. Francis Discovery Weekend is a three-day, two-night program. You will be sleeping on campus on both Saturday night and Sunday night. Your host for KAF Weekend will be a current Boston College student.
IS THERE AN OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM WITHOUT STAYING OVERNIGHT?
While we recommend staying overnight at Boston College for the full experience, we welcome the opportunity for you to participate in the programming offered throughout the weekend if you have your own accommodations or live close to campus. Please select that option when you register.
WHEN DOES THE PROGRAM BEGIN AND END?
The Keith A. Francis Discovery Weekend begins during the afternoon on Saturday, April 12th and ends after morning sessions on campus resources on Monday, April 14th. By registering for KAF Weekend, you are agreeing to attend all KAF Weekend events from beginning to end. Given the number of admitted students who attend the program, we are unable to accommodate anybody planning to attend only a portion of KAF Weekend.
WILL MEALS BE PROVIDED?
Yes, you will be provided with breakfast and lunch on Sunday, April 13th as part of Admitted Eagle Day. In addition, we will hold a celebratory dinner on Sunday, April 13th for all admitted students attending KAF Weekend. Last but not least, you will receive a pre-paid meal card to be used in dining halls for all additional meals, snacks, refreshments, etc.
WHEN AND WHERE SHOULD I ARRIVE ON CAMPUS?
Please arrive on campus between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 12th. With over 100 admitted students expected to attend, we need all attendees to arrive within that window of time. For those driving to campus, please visit the BC website for information on Directions and Parking. Please take a parking ticket as you enter the Commonwealth Avenue Garage and once you park, you can walk across to the rear of the 7th floor of the garage, taking a left to follow the sign to Devlin Hall. Once you arrive there, members of the Admission Office can validate your parking ticket.
IF MY PARENTS/GUARDIANS ARE DRIVING ME AND WE NEED ACCESSIBLE PARKING, WHERE SHOULD WE PARK?
If you have a state disabled parking placard, enter campus from Commonwealth Avenue onto Linden Lane, bear to the right of the golden eagle statue, and look for a very limited number of parking spots next to Gasson Hall and Lyons Hall marked as Accessible Parking. You will find those buildings on this map.
WILL ANYBODY BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER FINANCIAL AID QUESTIONS?
Yes, we plan to have members of the Financial Aid Office present during check-in on Saturday, April 12th. Please try to complete your financial aid application prior to arriving on campus that day, but if you know that additional forms and documents are required, please bring them with you to campus. When you arrive to Devlin Hall for check-in, feel free to ask anyone at the check-in tables to point you in the direction of the financial aid counselors.
MAY I BRING A CAR TO CAMPUS AND LEAVE IT OVERNIGHT?
Unfortunately, due to parking regulations, you may not leave a car on campus overnight. If it is necessary to have a car on campus overnight, please reach out to Paul Bonitto and Katie Phung through email by Tuesday, April 1st to discuss further.
MAY MY PARENTS/GUARDIANS ATTEND THIS WEEKEND AS WELL?
KAF Weekend is limited to admitted students only. As noted above, we welcome parents and/or guardians to Admitted Eagle Day on Sunday, April 13th, but are only able to accommodate admitted students during the remainder of KAF Weekend. Since Admitted Eagle Day is a required part of KAF Weekend, you must complete a separate registration for Admitted Eagle Day on your Applicant Status Portal.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM FLYING INTO LOGAN AIRPORT?
For those KAF Weekend attendees who are flying into Boston's Logan International Airport between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 12th, Boston College is pleased to provide a free shuttle to campus. Please contact Paul Bonitto, one of the Associate Directors in the Office of Undergraduate Admission, as soon as you receive the confirmation email that your spot for KAF Weekend is confirmed. He will provide you with more information about the location of the shuttle. A free shuttle will also be provided from campus back to Logan Airport on Monday, April 14th between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
At a minimum, you should bring a sleeping bag, pillow, bath towel, toiletries, and clothing for the weekend. The dress for KAF Weekend is casual, but you will have time to attend social events during the evening. Most attendees have found it helpful to bring a cell phone charger. While all meals will be provided, attendees have also brought along spending money. Last but not least, the weather in the Boston area can be unpredictable so you may find it helpful to check out the forecast for Chestnut Hill, MA.
More Than Just an Acronym
The term “AHANA” (short for African, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American descent) was coined by two Boston College students in 1979 to replace the “Office of Minority Programs.” The students objected to the word “minority,” which they defined as “less than,” and proposed instead to use the term “AHANA,” which they felt celebrated the cultural differences present in our society. — from BC’s Thea Bowman AHANA & Intercultural Center
KAF Traditions
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Panel discussions are an important part of learning more about Boston College during KAF. Here, students representing the Learning to Learn Office share insights with KAF attendees.
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Members of the AEROdynamiK Dance Crew, or AeroK, perform for KAF attendees, showing off their hip-hop infused choreography.
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KAF attendees learn more about the Compass Mentoring Program, which helps incoming first-year AHANA students connect with upperclass mentors and form community during the start of their BC careers.
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Members of PATU (Presenting Africa To You), Boston College's African Dance group, perform for KAF attendees.
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KAF attendees cheer on the dance groups.
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A panel of BC students who participated in the Options Through Education program (OTE) share their experiences as OTE Scholars.
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Members of SC, Boston College's only all-male step team, perform for attendees during the KAF dance showcase.