Neenan Challenge: Success and a New Goal. William B. Neenan, S.J., vice president and special assistant to the president (center), was at Conte Forum during the BC men's basketball team's victory over Duke on February 22 to meet alumni and to promote the Neenan Challenge's second phase. The challenge's first phase was a resounding succcess, bringing in more than 5,000 new donors by year-end and a $500,000 gift for financial aid. Spurred by this triumph, the anonymous donors have pledged an additional $500,000 for financial aid if BC can reach a total of 25,000 donors by May 31. Be one of the 11,500 new donors needed to meet the challenge.
Learn more about the Neenan Challenge.
Tickets are still available for the upcoming Laetare Sunday celebration, which will feature Mass at 9:30 a.m., brunch with seating by class, and keynote speaker William B. Neenan, S.J. Join your classmates on March 22 for this special liturgical experience that connects us in a distinctive way as graduates of Boston College. Register now.
Legacy gifts secure the long-term future of Boston College and allow alumni to leave a lasting impact at their alma mater. These planned gifts are part of a rich philanthropic tradition that dates back to BC's founding and are now part of a key Light the World campaign initiative—with the goal to secure a legacy gift for the University from 5,000 BC alumni, parents, and friends.
Legacy gifts are not only a sound investment in BC, they are a wise investment for donors. Many gifts provide valuable tax benefits or a secure income stream that lasts a lifetime. To learn more, visit the website or contact the Office of Gift Planning at plannedgiving@bc.edu or 888-752-6438.
Tickets are on sale now for the 17th annual Pops on the Heights Scholarship Gala. This spectacular event will be held on Friday, September 25 at Conte Forum on the Boston College campus in conjunction with Parents' Weekend. This year's performance will feature conductor Keith Lockhart, soloist Bernadette Peters, the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and our own University Chorale. Reserve seats today by calling 1-800-767-5591 or visiting the website.
Inside the "Dean's List" with Fr. Neenan — March 5
Alumni and friends are invited to join Fr. Neenan for a lively presentation and discussion of his "Dean's List" of 27 books—his "recommendations for an evening of good reading." To RSVP or for more information, contact alumni.classes@bc.edu. You may also register online.
"Sonnets of Shakespeare" with John L. Mahoney — March 18
Celebrate some of the finest love poetry in the world when Rattigan Professor of English Emeritus John L. Mahoney brings William Shakespeare's words to life. Professor Mahoney will read treasured verses from a selection of Shakespeare's sonnets that he recently released on a compact disc. To attend the reading, contact Julie Nuzzo, NC'74, at 617-552-4577 or julie.nuzzo@bc.edu by Friday, March 13. The event is free and will take place at 7 p.m. in Alumni House.
Alumni Association Volunteer Information Night — April 14
Discover how you can stay connected, engaged, and involved with Boston College at the Alumni Association Volunteer Information Night. Join us for hors d'oeuvres and refreshments at the Boston College Club on Tuesday, April 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to learn about specific volunteer and leadership opportunities. For more information, contact alumni.comments@bc.edu or 617-552-4700.
Alumni National Day of Service — April 18
The Alumni Association's fourth annual National Day of Service promises to be the best ever in volunteer participation. More than 24 chapters led volunteer groups last year in an impressive array of worthwhile programs. This year's event will add a new wrinkle: a competitive challenge among the chapters. The Day of Service is an exciting opportunity for all alumni, parents, and friends to show once again that they are making a difference in their communities across the country. More details will follow in the weeks ahead. Visit your chapter website.
Fear, Finances, and Faith:
Alumni Lenten Evening Series at BC Club
Alumni and friends are invited to a three-person panel discussion that will probe some of the ethical issues and personal faith challenges raised by the current economic crisis. Jack Butler, S.J., director of vocations, New England Province of Jesuits, will lead the first program, and Thomas Massaro, S.J., a professor of social ethics at BC's School of Theology and Ministry, will lead the last two. The series will be held on three Wednesdays—March 11, March 25, and April 8, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.—and is free, though space is limited. For reservations, contact Dianne Duffin at 617-552-1171 or dianne.duffin.1@bc.edu.
Service Opportunity for Lent: Cor Unum Meal Center
Looking for a service opportunity this Lent? Join fellow alumni on Friday, March 13, to serve meals at the Cor Unum Meal Center in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The center serves food to nearly 600 people each day. The group will work from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. To volunteer, contact Dianne Duffin at 617-552-1171 or dianne.duffin.1@bc.edu.
The 21st annual Wall Street Council Tribute Dinner on April 23 will honor Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., P '09, '11, president, American Express Company, with the President's Medal for Excellence for his exceptional personal and professional contributions to society. Over the past 20 years, the Tribute Dinner has raised more than $12 million dollars for the Presidential Scholars Program at Boston College. For more information, contact Renee LeBlanc at 617-552-2234 or Renee.Leblanc.2@bc.edu.
2009 Awards of Excellence Nominations
The Alumni Association is accepting nominations for this year’s Awards of Excellence, which will be bestowed upon four alumni. The awards include: the William V. McKenney Award, the highest honor given by the Alumni Association; the Ignatian Award, which recognizes an individual who lives the mission of "men and women for others"; the GOLD Award, given to a graduate of the last decade; and the Alumni Award for Professional Excellence. Visit the website to make your nominations.
Board of Directors: Your Alumni Leaders
Alumni are encouraged to submit nominations for the Boston College Alumni Association Board of Directors. Members of the board serve three-year terms. Please submit the name of any graduate you feel would best serve Boston College and represent its nearly 150,000 alumni. To nominate a BC grad, please complete the nomination form and e-mail it to Maggie Edmonds at maggie.edmonds@bc.edu or fax it to her at 617-552-4626.
J. Keith Motley, Ph.D.'99
Rick Canale '93 hit a marketing homerun for his company, Exotic Flowers, by sponsoring the Boston Red Sox. More
As chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston, J. Keith Motley, Ph.D.'99, is leading the school's transformation. More
Mary Tomer '03 writes an ad agency–sponsored blog about First Lady Michelle Obama's fashion. More
More news stories about alumni
The Alumni Association's travel study program offers many adventures through the spring and summer. Substantial savings are available for trips to Dordogne (PDF) and the Italian Lake District (PDF) if booked by April 6 and April 8, respectively. Discover more.
Make plans now to join the Reunion Weekend festivities on May 28–31. Reconnect with old friends, attend your class party, and tour the Brighton Campus. More than 5,000 alumni attended last year's celebration; don't miss out! Discover more.
Join alumni and friends such as (from left) Tsedal Beyene, Alycia Sarjeant, and Katty Peña—all members of the Class of 1991—at the AHANA event in July.
All alumni, students, parents, and friends are welcome to take part in Reconnect, which promises to be BC's largest gathering of AHANA alumni, July 17–19. For registration information, corporate sponsorship opportunities, and all general inquiries, please contact Eva Maynard at eva.maynard.1@bc.edu.
For more than 10 years, the BC Connections program has brought together BC women undergraduates with alumnae mentors who provide life and career guidance. On February 11, 130 alumnae and students packed the Heights Room to meet each other for the first time over dinner and to enjoy a panel discussion. This year, the program matched 103 pairs, up from 48 last year. More mentors are always needed, however. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please contact Robert Sherwood at 617-552-3471 or robert.sherwood.1@bc.edu.
Laetare Sunday
Legacy Gifts
Pops Tickets on Sale
Upcoming Alumni Events
Spirituality and Service Events
Wall Street Council Dinner
Support Your Fellow Eagles
Alumni in the News
Alumni Travel Study Program
Reunion Weekend 2009
AHANA Celebration
BC Connections
As hundreds of BC students get ready to serve as Appalachia volunteers over spring break, share with us your most meaningful service experience at BC. Send stories to uacommunications@bc.edu.
Philosophy Professor Peter Kreeft answers 35 frequently asked questions about eternity in Christianity Today. Read more.
Dean Joseph M. O'Keefe, S.J., commented on the future of K–12 Catholic schools during the economic downturn. Read more.
When you purchase a copy of the C21 book, Take Heart, Catholic Writers on Hope in Our Time, a care package will be sent to an American soldier overseas. Donate a book to the cause, and a copy will be placed in a care package for the troops. Also, be sure to read C21 Resources (PDF) during this Lenten season.
Sponsored by the School of Theology and Ministry, C21 Online offers courses for Lent and Easter, including "Sacraments in Catholic Life" and "Parents Handing on the Faith". The website features videos and online discussions, available 24/7.
Catch the BC hockey and basketball teams at Conte Forum in March before they begin postseason play. Purchase tickets.
Ralf Yusuf Gawlick, composer and assistant professor of music, will play a benefit concert for a CD recording project on March 16. The concert is free and open to the public. Gasson Hall 100. For more information, please contact ralf.gawlick.1@bc.edu .
Interested in coming back to campus? Check out what else is happening on the Heights in March. More
Baldwin the Eagle has a special kid’s club that lets your children celebrate BC while enjoying exclusive benefits! Perks include a Baldwin’s Bunch welcome packet, free tickets for you and your children to select games, private events with Baldwin and BC athletes, and many more exciting opportunities! Join now.
The Alumni Association aims to provide you with valuable alumni benefits. You should have received information in the mail recently about Life for Life, an insurance plan with exclusive features and benefits available through your affiliation with the Alumni Association. Life for Life can: provide supplemental coverage, replace lost benefits if you become unemployed, and provide coverage for family members.
The Boston College Alumni Association and Liberty Mutual are pleased to announce a program called Group Savings Plus. Alumni can now enjoy group discounts on auto and homeowners insurance. Liberty Mutual also offers a multi-policy discount on homeowners insurance when you insure your auto with them. Learn if you could save money by starting a quote on the website, or by calling 1-888-393-GOBC.
Enter your child's youth sports team for the chance to become the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Team of the Game. If you win, your team will receive tickets to a BC Eagles basketball game! For more information, visit the website.
Affinity Programs
Career Services
Chapters
Classes/Reunions
Council for Women of BC (CWBC)
Newton College
Tech Council
Travel/Study
Spirituality and Service
Wall Street Council
Got ideas for programs or services you'd like us to consider? Contact a member of our staff.
Do you have the BC Rewards Platinum MasterCard—the card that lets you earn exclusive BC rewards like season tickets and trips with the team?
Boston College Alumni Association, 825 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02458; 800-669-8430
www.bc.edu/alumni | alumni.comments@bc.edu