Steady as a Beacon
We must, in the best Christian sense, be a light, a beacon that helps our own and the world’s communities to distinguish good from ill, love from hate, truth from falsehood.”
—University President William P. Leahy, S.J., October 18, 1996
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For part of the afternoons of October 17 and 18, 1996, classes at Boston College were canceled. It wasn’t simply a kind gesture from the administration or a nod to the brilliant autumn sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures that would make any prospective Eagle fall in love with the Heights, but rather because a once-in-a-generation event was about to take place.
The inauguration of William P. Leahy, S.J., as Boston College’s 25th president was a two-day campus affair, replete with a Mass of the Holy Spirit, an academic symposium, a student musical spectacular, and, of course, a grand installation ceremony. The festivities formally commenced what would become the longest tenure of any president in University history.
Flanked by some 500 robed BC faculty, deans, vice presidents, trustees, and representatives of universities from around the world, Fr. Leahy urged the Conte Forum audience to remember BC’s values and rededicate to its mission, saying, “I and so many others are certainly committed to ensuring that Boston College be the strongest university it can be, and also remain faithful to its religious and educational heritage.”
Over the past three decades, BC community members have heeded this call. Through capital campaigns and philanthropic contributions, they have enabled BC to grow in ways that directly shape lives: opening doors for students through financial aid, strengthening academic excellence and faculty innovation, and supporting the programs and people who embody the University’s mission. In turn, the quality of BC’s student body, its community impact, its research prowess, and its physical footprint have expanded.
As Boston College continues to evolve—while remaining grounded in its Jesuit, Catholic foundations—the true impact of philanthropy lives in thousands of individual stories. Here, Beacon highlights some moments and milestones of the last 30 years that have led to where BC stands today.
1996
Where We Came From
Since BC’s founding in 1863, philanthropy has always played a pivotal role in its growth. A real turning point was the New Heights Advancement Campaign from 1976 to 1981, which focused on construction, endowment, renovation, and modernization. Ultimately the campaign exceeded its goal, raising more than $25 million.
“That was the first serious, sustained campaign,” says James M. O’Toole ’72, PhD’87, Clough Millennium Chair in History emeritus and University historian. “Prior to that, any kind of fundraising work was building-specific. New Heights really changed that, and the successive campaigns, including the present one, are its descendants.”
At the conclusion of New Heights, the Boston College endowment stood at $7 million, and then–Vice President of University Relations James P. McIntyre ’57, MEd’61, DEd’67, H’11, saw limitless potential for future development, saying, “I can’t imagine a time when [the University’s] needs will be met.”
Where We Were
In early 1994, J. Donald Monan, S.J., announced his decision to step down from his role as president, telling The Heights, “I believe this is, for the University, the proper time to effect a transition. Boston College is in sound condition academically and fiscally. We have ambitious but reasonable plans in place. I would like to assure that the transition take place in a manner where there is no slowing down of momentum or of activity.”
BC did indeed have momentum. By the summer of 1996, the University was receiving approximately $31 million in gifts annually and the endowment had grown to nearly $600 million.
Where We Were Going
When he left the presidency, Fr. Monan expressed confidence in BC’s ability to realize the high expectations it had set for itself, recognizing that the University was in a wonderful position to succeed under its new leadership and with the supporting hands of many. “These past 24 years have taught me, if teaching was ever needed, that ambitions for an institution as complex as a modern university do not depend on its president,” he said. “The talent, dedication, goodwill, and generosity of literally thousands of people will play their part in shaping its future.”
Timeline of Moments and Milestones 1996–2026
2026
Where We Came From
Since 1996, Boston College has undertaken a number of successful capital campaigns, including Ever to Excel, which surpassed its original goal by 10 percent; Light the World, the first BC campaign to generate more than $1 billion in support; and, currently, Soaring Higher, with its ambitious $3 billion goal and focus on three priorities: financial aid, academics, and student life.
Where We Are
In February 2026, BC announced that Soaring Higher had surpassed the $2 billion mark, making it the most successful campaign in University history. Gift commitments now readily exceed $300 million per year, and the endowment has surpassed $5 billion.
Philanthropy has shaped and strengthened BC’s mission as a Jesuit, Catholic university over the last three decades. “It has provided fuel for our initiatives,” says Fr. Leahy. “Without philanthropy, we would not have had the financial resources to invest in programs, in faculty, and in financial aid. I think of it as rocket fuel. It allows us to think big and act according to our mission.”
Where We Are Going
When it was announced that Jack Butler, S.J., would become BC’s 26th president in 2026, Board of Trustees Chair John Fish said that Fr. Butler possessed the vision, leadership, and relational skills needed to help the University maintain the institutional stability, continuity, and momentum it has experienced in recent times.
“I promise to devote myself to continuing BC’s upward trajectory and making this great university an even stronger beacon of light and hope for the world,” Fr. Butler said. “Boston College is a university blessed with wonderful opportunities to become stronger, better, and more distinctive. I believe our future is full of promise because what we offer—an education with a heart, soul, and imagination—is essential for the world today and in the decades to come.”