What is BC Companions?
The Jesuit charism animates BC Companions, a yearlong immersive education program for individuals looking to renew purpose, explore discernment, and deepen their spirituality at one of the world’s leading Jesuit, Catholic universities.
The program, which combines academic study at Boston College with elements of Ignatian spirituality, is designed for accomplished leaders and professionals who want to reflect on their experiences, find deeper meaning and purpose, and consider the next chapter in life’s journey.
A cohort of 15–20 Fellows will be selected each year to pursue academic experiences at BC’s schools and colleges. On-campus experiences will be complemented by off-campus immersions in the Boston area and beyond, allowing Fellows to explore existing and emerging areas of interest.
Jesuits, faculty, and other members of the BC community will accompany cohort members, serving as resources for the Fellows—advising, assisting with selection of courses and other program elements, and serving as conversation partners.
Grounded in the Jesuit Tradition
BC Companions is rooted in an essential element of the Jesuit way of proceeding that goes back five centuries in forming men and women for transformative service and leadership. From the time of St. Ignatius to the present day, companionship has been a hallmark of the Jesuit commitment to the common good, which is fundamentally relational.
The twelve-month program invites cohort members to journey with each other and the larger community while sharing their lives, gifts, and hopes together. Fellows will have the time and space to assess their experience of living and working, while discerning the life to which they are called. Cohort members will accompany each other as they examine their lives and imagine how one might live differently and more deeply while forming new relationships—within and beyond the program—that will last a lifetime.
“This new program combines the best of what Boston College offers as a Jesuit, Catholic university committed to formative education and makes it accessible to individuals searching for a transformative experience.”