Growing up on a sprawling farm in New Jersey, Michaela “Mikey” Murphy Hoag ’86, P’14, was never afraid to get her hands dirty—she fed chickens, baled hay, and mucked out stables with gusto. Devout Catholics, her parents raised each of their six children with a robust work ethic and a belief in the power of direct, personal action to make a difference in the world.

For Mikey, this has translated into a life defined not only by her giving—she and husband Jay are among Silicon Valley’s most notable philanthropists—but by her hands-on approach to the causes she supports. When she lost her father to early-onset Alzheimer’s, she launched Part the Cloud, a biennial gala that’s raised $63 million and counting for research. 

Now, after nearly three decades as two of BC’s greatest supporters, Mikey and Jay have made a $15 million lead gift to tip off the Hoag Basketball Pavilion, a state-of-the-art practice facility they hope will elevate BC’s men’s and women’s basketball programs to the next level. They hope their giving will inspire other BC fans to support the project, which is fully donor-funded and part of a comprehensive $50M investment in basketball at BC.

“I understand what it means to compete—and to win—and that having the right equipment, tools, and facilities can make the difference,” says Mikey, who spent two seasons on the U.S. Equestrian Team and was a finalist for the 1988 Olympics. 

She and Jay—founder of the venture capitalist firm TCV and an avid basketball player himself—saw that BC’s basketball teams were getting squeezed out of the national rankings in part because their facilities were not on par with their ACC peers. Currently, basketball competes with volleyball and other teams for practice time in Power Gym, and they share training and sports medicine facilities with more than 600 student-athletes.  

“We could see it was hurting our teams’ performances and our coaches’ ability to recruit,” Mikey says. “But we believe you can’t just complain from the sideline, you have to do something.” 

I come from a big Irish Catholic family, and that Jesuit mentality of ‘roll up your sleeves, get involved, and give back’ has always been something we were raised with.

“Culturally, experientially, and financially, BC benefits from having the best teams—and facilities—possible,” adds Jay, who played point guard in high school and managed intramurals as a student worker in college. “The pavilion has the potential to not only drive success for the basketball teams but also to elevate the University’s profile on a national level.”

Grounded in Mission

Mikey followed her sister Patricia Murphy Steube ’78 to BC and immediately fell in love with the Heights. She found joy in the welcoming atmosphere, the retreats and spiritual encouragement, and the way students from all walks of life came together. And, as a young athlete herself, she threw herself into the role of Superfan, cheering the Eagles on at countless games on campus and away.  

In her second year, Mikey had an experience that altered her life—one of her roommates was killed by a drunk driver. Within two hours, then-University President Donald Monan, S.J., was sitting with Mikey and her other roommates, offering consolation and support. He continued to stay in touch, determined not to let the grief-stricken girls slip through the cracks.

Married 31 years, the Hoags share a love for college sports—and an ever-growing collection of BC Eagles gear.

“I thought to myself, How lucky am I, that I have a guardian angel watching over me?” Mikey recalls, and from that moment on, Fr. Monan was a constant in Mikey’s life until his passing in 2017. “I was just another student. There wasn’t anything special about me, and yet, he cared so much.” It was Fr. Monan’s compassion, and later that of former academic vice president and dean of faculties William B. Neenan, S.J., that defined the charism of a BC education for Mikey. It’s why BC remains her spiritual home, a place that fills her soul with each return.

It’s also why Mikey and her husband Jay were comfortable sending their youngest son, Timothy ’14, across the country to attend BC. Jay, who attended Northwestern University and has sat on multiple university boards, contends, “I’ve seen a lot of schools, but when we were here for Tim’s Admitted Eagle Day, I knew Boston College was special. Though Tim would be 3,000 miles away, we knew he was in good hands.”

Rolling Up Their Sleeves

After graduation, Mikey spent two years competing in equestrian events before moving to New York City to live with her BC roommate.  There, her boundless energy and athletic background drew her first to sports marketing and then to a role at the Multiple Sclerosis Society. She met Jay in 1989, married him a year later and—on their wedding night—moved west to be part of the burgeoning tech scene. In California, the couple became ardent supporters of several local charities, actively working to raise money and awareness among their friends in tech, sports, and finance. 

When Mikey founded Part the Cloud in 2012, she had sat on both sides of the fundraising table, as a national nonprofit staff member and as a philanthropist in her own right. What began as a one-time event has become a major driver in Alzheimer’s research, funding 64 human trials in nine countries, entering into a partnership with Bill Gates, and earning multiple awards.  

Despite the many accolades—and the countless hours that go into each event—it’s all in a day’s work for Mikey, part of what makes her life meaningful. 

“I like being busy; I like feeling that we’re working towards something,” says Mikey. “I come from a big Irish Catholic family, and that Jesuit mentality of ‘roll up your sleeves, get involved, and give back’ has always been something we were raised with.”

An Alumna Ambassador

In her first years out of school, however, Mikey says she only gave back a small amount to BC at first: “I couldn’t afford it!” But after she and Jay found professional success, they looked for ways to give back to their alma maters. An active churchgoer, Mikey had particularly fond memories of the spiritual life she had found at BC, and she was eager to help advance the Jesuit mission through the new Center for Ignatian Spirituality, which opened in 1998. 

Since then, the couple has become more involved in life at the University, both as donors and as volunteers. Their philanthropy has touched nearly every part of campus, from the Carroll School of Management’s Portico program to multiple student scholarships, including an endowed scholarship for a point guard on the men’s basketball team. They give generously of their time and expertise as well: Jay is regularly invited to speak with students interested in technology and investing, Mikey serves on the Board of Trustees and multiple leadership committees.  

From their home in Silicon Valley, Mikey and Jay have nurtured a growing network of Eagles on the West Coast. “We love getting together,” says Mikey, who has hosted countless parties, game watches, and service activities for local alumni. “It’s become a family within a family, all because we share this special bond in Boston College.” 

Now she flies to Boston and back 10 or more times a year—a pace she relishes. “It is a place that fills up my soul,” says Mikey. “When I step on campus, it’s where I feel inspired, wanting to do more, to make a difference.”

Advocating for Student-Athletes

When they visit BC, Mikey and Jay make a point of meeting with student-athletes and coaches to talk about the current season, find out what’s next, and ask how they can help. They have worked closely on a number of BC Athletics initiatives over the years, and in 2010, Mikey received the John P. Curley ’13 Award in recognition of volunteer leadership in service of the University and its athletics department. 

“From my first day at BC, Mikey and Jay have been there at every turn to encourage and advise,” says Pat Kraft, the William V. Campbell Director of Athletics. “Their love for BC and their unique insights as fans, fundraisers, and investors make them a formidable asset to the athletics department and the University.”

Mikey’s real passion is working directly with student-athletes and helping them make the most of their time at the Heights. She tries to get to know as many players as possible, asking them about their classes, their season, their plans for the future. 

“In my four years here, I’ve never seen an alum who is so interested in improving our student-athlete experience and actually puts action to it,” says Jewel Strawberry ’22, an outside hitter for BC’s volleyball team. “It’s incredible, and such an inspiration to us all.” 

Jewel is president of Eagles for Equality, a student-athlete organization focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, which invited Mikey to speak at their Women’s History Month town hall event in March 2021. Mikey spoke about her work and answered questions about her own experiences as a student-athlete and BC grad.

“I know they wanted to hear that I had it all figured out at their age, but that’s now how it works,” Mikey said later. “Never would I have thought I’d live in California, that I’d be working on Alzheimer’s research, or be on the BC Board. Life takes you on so many different paths, and that’s what I want them to hear—that there’s more than one path they can follow.”

As Jewel weighs her own post-grad options—whether to continue playing or pursue law school—she says Mikey’s message was well-received. And, as someone directly impacted by practice space constraints, Jewel says the Hoags’ gift will have ripple effects across BC Athletics. “Being able to have a whole new facility—and it looks gorgeous—it’s going to level us all up in the ACC; it’s going to make a way bigger impact than most people realize,” Jewel says. 

That sort of broad and multifaceted impact is what the Hoags hope for, says Jay, particularly as today’s college athletes are under such great pressure, both academically and competitively. “Fundamentally, I think that providing access to the best facilities—including nutrition, training, and recovery—empowers them to manage their stress and come out on top.” 

True to form, Mikey and Jay have done more than make the lead gift; they are actively involved in every aspect of the pavilion, from reviewing design iterations to soliciting the remaining $20 million needed to begin construction. “We’re hoping to be that pebble in the water, because none of us can do anything alone,” says Mikey. “It’s so invigorating to know that, together, we could do something really monumental for BC.”

Practice Made Perfect:
The Hoag Basketball Pavilion