School of Theology and Ministry to be named for BC benefactors Gloria and Chuck Clough
The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry will be named the Gloria L. and Charles I. Clough School of Theology and Ministry in honor of two of the University’s most loyal and generous benefactors, whose $25 million gift—one of the largest ever to a school of theology, divinity, or religious studies—will further bolster the school’s standing as a global leader in theological study.
Charles “Chuck” Clough Jr., ‘64, the chair and chief investment officer of the Boston-based investment firm Clough Capital Partners and an ordained permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Boston, has served BC as a trustee or trustee associate since 1994, including a term as board chair from 1999-2002. He also co-chaired the University’s Light the World capital campaign and is chair emeritus of the Wall Street Council. He is the 1991 recipient of the William V. McKenney Award, given to a BC graduate whose service reflects honor on the University, and the James F. Cleary ’50, H. ’93 Masters Award for a lifetime of service to Boston College.
Gloria Clough, M.Div. ‘90, M.S. ’96, is a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist who earned a master’s degree from BC’s Connell School of Nursing and a master’s degree in divinity from the former Weston Jesuit School of Theology, which reaffiliated with Boston College to form the School of Theology and Ministry in 2008. She established the chaplaincy program at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass., where she served as the first Catholic chaplain. She is also chair of the Emerson Hospital board of directors and a board member and past chair of Bridge Over Troubled Waters, a non-profit organization serving homeless and at-risk youth.
Gloria Clough, M.Div. ‘90, M.S. ’96 and Charles “Chuck” Clough Jr., ‘64 (Lee Pellegrini)
STM Dean Michael McCarthy, S.J., said that having the School of Theology and Ministry named after the Cloughs is a blessing, given their personal alignment with the school’s mission, values, and culture.
“In so many ways, Gloria and Chuck Clough represent everything the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry stands for: a deep faith; a commitment to the Catholic Church over so many years of change, crisis, and renewal; an understanding of the importance of theological education; and a personal experience of ecclesial ministry,” said Fr. McCarthy. “Their many virtues are so evident to me, as well as their real vision for the school’s contribution to the Church in years to come. Not only am I grateful for them and this amazing gift, I am proud that their name will grace our school.”
Hosffman Ospino, STM associate professor and chair of the school’s Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry Department, offered similar praise.
“Gloria and Chuck Clough’s gift is a resounding affirmation of the vital role the STM plays as a national and international center for Catholic theological and ministerial formation,” said Ospino. “As a professor and researcher focused on preparing the next generation of ecclesial ministers that truly understand what it means to serve in a diverse church and a complex world, I am grateful for this support and the trust to forge ahead with pioneering spirit.”
Margaret Guider, OSF, Professora Ordinaria on the school’s ecclesiastical faculty, added: “Over the years, Gloria and Chuck have embodied what it truly means to be persons for others. Together, they have embraced and shared the vocation of diakonia, and in countless ways they have modeled what it means to be of service to the people of God—in the Church and in the world. Through their gift, the generosity, self-giving, and leadership that have characterized their lives now takes the form of a legacy of inspiration and support for the future of theology and ministry here in the United States and throughout the world."
In so many ways, Gloria and Chuck Clough represent everything the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry stands for: a deep faith; a commitment to the Catholic Church over so many years of change, crisis, and renewal; an understanding of the importance of theological education; and a personal experience of ecclesial ministry. . . Not only am I grateful for them and this amazing gift, I am proud that their name will grace our school.
The Cloughs said they were honored to have their name permanently associated with a school they so greatly admire, and one that plays such a vital role in preparing religious and lay leaders for the Church.
“The School of Theology and Ministry is providing the highest quality talent for the Catholic Church for the next 50 years,” said Chuck Clough. “It attracts terrific young people who really want to serve the Church. That is a tremendous promise for the future, one that will help us to fulfill Pope John XXIII’s understanding of the Church as the people of God.”
“My desire for the Church is for laypeople to play a bigger role in helping it to be more open,” said Gloria Clough. “The STM is a place where Jesuits, religious, and laypeople are formed side by side in a vibrant, loving community. It creates a context in which these diverse groups of people come together and learn from one another. The School of Theology and Ministry gives me such hope for the Church and its future because of the critical work that goes on here.”
A magna cum laude graduate with a major in history and a minor in economics at Boston College, Chuck Clough earned an M.B.A. at the University of Chicago before embarking on a distinguished 57-year career in securities and investments. As a deacon, he has served as a Catholic chaplain in prison ministry and at his local parish, the Concord Carlisle Collaborative in Concord. He and Gloria, who recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, have hosted Catholic spiritual retreats for students, young professionals, and couples for decades and remain active in parish ministry.
In gratitude for the significant role Boston College has played in their lives and in the lives of their four children, three of whom earned degrees from BC, Chuck and Gloria established the Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy in 2008, which is dedicated to interdisciplinary reflection on the promise and problems of constitutional government in the United States and throughout the world. They also established the Clough Colloquium in the Carroll School of Management, which features national and international leaders from all fields and backgrounds who share lessons and insights from their personal and professional journeys.
“My years at BC were very formational,” said Chuck Clough. “I really matured here, and it is where I caught the idea of aspiration. I studied very hard under some of the best teachers I have ever had and developed self-confidence and discipline as a student. I got so much out of Boston College; I am happy to be able to give back.”
Added Gloria Clough, “I wanted to go to BC, but my father died when I was 16 and my mother could not afford to send me here, so when I enrolled to get a master’s degree in nursing while my youngest was a sophomore, I got to experience firsthand what a truly special place it is. Earlier in my life, STM’s first dean, Dick Clifford, welcomed me at Weston Jesuit, which prepared me to become a hospital chaplain. Boston College has played a special role in the life of our family. We are honored to support BC and its outstanding School of Theology and Ministry.”
A global center for theological study rooted in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition, the Gloria L. and Charles I. Clough School of Theology and Ministry prepares ministers, scholars, and leaders to serve the needs of the Church and the world. Along with the Theology Department in the BC's Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, it is ranked 10th worldwide in theology, divinity, and religious studies by the QS Global rankings, and draws students from throughout the nation and more than 24 countries.
Jack Dunn | University Communications