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Young Catholic Leaders Program
Explore the Boston College Young Catholic Leaders Program
The Boston College Young Catholic Leaders Program encourages high school students to explore the world around them in the context of their Catholic faith. Developed by Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century Center in consultation with religious educators and University faculty, the program encourages students to grow in leadership and civic engagement, modeling a lived Catholic faith.
This monthly, five-part seminar and discussion series is designed for 11th and 12th grade students in the Greater Boston area who have been Confirmed in their parishes. Highly motivated 10th grade students will also be considered for admission to the program, as space permits.
The program is free of charge; additionally, students who attend and successfully complete the program will receive a certificate of completion. Sessions will be led by Boston College faculty and staff, who will speak to the intersection of faith and their area of academic expertise. Current BC undergraduate students will also attend the sessions, serving as mentors to accompany the high school students.
Past Topics explored
- Walking in Faith in a Polarized Society
- Seeking Solutions to the Global Migration Crisis
- Facing Environmental Challenges to our Common Home
- How to View Media with a Catholic Eye
- Living Your Faith in High School, College, and Beyond
Session dates for the upcoming 2025–26 academic year will be announced soon!
Applications for the 2025–26 academic year will open soon.
Please contact the Boston College Church in the 21st Century Center at church21@bc.edu with any questions.
YCL Ambassador Program FAQs
To be considered for the YCL Ambassador Program, you must be a rising high school senior or junior (Class of 2026 or 2027) and you must have successfully completed participation in a previous Young Catholic Leaders program.
You can apply through the Young Catholic Leader Ambassador Google Form emailed to all past participants. The application is brief and includes two short answer essay questions about why you want to be a YCL Ambassador. The deadline is August 1, 2025 at 11:59pm.
To be considered for the YCL Ambassador Program, you must be a rising high school senior or junior (Class of 2026 or 2027) and you must have successfully completed participation in a previous Young Catholic Leaders program.
- Learning and building your leadership skills through training and hands-on experience
- Meeting and connecting with current BC students, faculty, and staff, as well as the new YCL cohort
- Access to resources from the C21 Center to help grow in your faith
- Early information about and invitations to Boston College events -- maybe even free tickets to BC Athletics games!
- Sign-off on community service hours
- 3–4 hours per month for the YCL sessions (arriving early and staying later at each session for training and updates)
- Sunday, October 19 from 4–6:30 p.m. (Ambassadors 3pm-7pm)
- Sunday, December 7 from 5–6:30pm (Ambassadors 4pm-7pm)
- Sunday, January 25 from 5–6:30pm (Ambassadors 4pm-7pm)
- Sunday, February 22 from 5–6:30pm (Ambassadors 4pm-7pm)
- Sunday, March 29 from 5–6:30pm (Ambassadors 4pm-7pm)
- Sunday, April 26 from 5–6:30pm (Ambassadors 4pm-7pm)
- Occasional additional time commitments for YCL socials throughout the program
- Help spread the word about the YCL program at your school and parish through word-of-mouth, announcements, flyers, social media, etc. The C21 Center will provide a marketing tool kit
- Stay actively involved by attending the majority of YCL sessions this coming school year and giving helpful feedback to the program team
- Assist the BC mentors with small group discussions at each session
We ask that you do not apply if you are not available for most program dates. Please consider the following conflicts before applying: church and school activity schedules (theatre, sports, etc.) in both the fall and spring semesters, family vacations, college trips, or other school events.
There is no fee to participate in the YCL Ambassador Program; it's entirely free!
All meetings will primarily take place on Boston College’s Chestnut Hill campus. We will provide more specific location information prior to the start of the program. Ambassadors are responsible for their own transportation, and paid parking is available in the Commonwealth Avenue Garage.
The C21 Center is a nonprofit, so the answer is very likely yes. If your school has community service requirements, please speak with a C21 Center staff member about applying the Ambassador Program to your community service requirement.