
Winter 2023
A Home Away From Home
April and Peter Kelly, P’22, ’26
Chairs, Parents Leadership Council
As parents of two Boston College Eagles and chairs of the Parents Leadership Council, we are fortunate to have a unique window into the powerful elements that make the University the beloved institution that it is. We have experienced many of these over the last few years through the eyes of our son, Miles ’22, and now through the perspective of our daughter, Rachel ’26, who is off and running on her own BC journey.
The Boston College education has met our highest hopes and expectations and we are proud to share that opportunity with others by funding scholarships, especially through Pops on the Heights: The Barbara and Jim Cleary Scholarship Gala. That is why we’re so excited that this edition of Beacon celebrates 30 years of this University tradition that means so much to BC students and their families.
From our perspective as PLC chairs, it’s wonderful to see many families creating BC memories both during Pops and throughout Family Weekend. Of the many special families we’ve come to know, Tammy and Steve Barry stand out in the ways they inspire others, including us, with their commitments to the University.
Even from our home in California, we knew from the beginning that Boston College was a special place. Its distinctive, formative education and Jesuit mission spur its faculty and students to consider how they can connect their minds and talents to what our society—and the world—needs the most. There are few better examples of that work in practice than the new human-centered engineering program, led by John W. Kozarich ’71 Chair Glenn Gaudette and guided by Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J.
At the Heights, our children have found boundless sources of creativity, started wonderful new friendships, and taken part in transformative experiences that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Above all, they have become Eagles for others. Thank you for your thoughtful engagement with BC—and for everything you do to make this University a “home away from home” for our children.
IN THIS ISSUE
Pops 2022 Behind the Scenes
How does Boston College prep for its annual fundraising spectacular? Here’s a peek behind the curtain courtesy of a few key figures in the final hours before Pops.
Celebrating Pops on the Heights
For the last 30 years, on one of the last Fridays in September, thousands of alumni, parents, and students have gathered in Conte Forum for dinner, dancing, singing, celebrating—and the biggest balloon drop on campus.
The Power of Faculty Support
Impacting Boston College students starts with a commitment to those that guide them. Here’s how it can make a difference across campus and beyond.
Man on a Mission
By balancing Jesuit history with forward thinking, Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., is leading Boston College’s biggest school toward a mission-driven future grounded in the liberal arts.
Heart on his Leaf
As the inaugural John W. Kozarich ’71 Chair of BC’s new engineering department, Glenn Gaudette is in the vanguard of a revolution in how engineers are trained and the work they do.
Ambassador Eagles
Regents play a role in spreading the good word about Boston College.
Boston College: A Love Affair
For Tammy ’85, MEd’87 and Steve Barry ’85, P’14, ’17, what started as a chance meeting turned into an Eagle legacy and an unrelenting commitment to Boston College.
Pops 2022 Behind the Scenes
How does Boston College prep for its annual fundraising spectacular? Here’s a peek behind the curtain courtesy of a few key figures in the final hours before Pops.
Celebrating Pops on the Heights
For the last 30 years, on one of the last Fridays in September, thousands of alumni, parents, and students have gathered in Conte Forum for dinner, dancing, singing, celebrating—and the biggest balloon drop on campus.
The Power of Faculty Support
Impacting Boston College students starts with a commitment to those that guide them. Here’s how it can make a difference across campus and beyond.
Man on a Mission
By balancing Jesuit history with forward thinking, Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., is leading Boston College’s biggest school toward a mission-driven future grounded in the liberal arts.
Heart on his Leaf
As the inaugural John W. Kozarich ’71 Chair of BC’s new engineering department, Glenn Gaudette is in the vanguard of a revolution in how engineers are trained and the work they do.
Ambassador Eagles
Regents play a role in spreading the good word about Boston College.
Boston College: A Love Affair
For Tammy ’85, MEd’87 and Steve Barry ’85, P’14, ’17, what started as a chance meeting turned into an Eagle legacy and an unrelenting commitment to Boston College.