Boston College announces $3 billion Soaring Higher campaign
Boston College has announced the largest capital campaign in its history, a $3 billion initiative to raise money for key priorities in academics, financial aid, and student life.
Soaring Higher: The Campaign for Boston College, doubles the goal of the University鈥檚 2008 Light the World campaign, which ultimately raised $1.6 billion upon its completion in 2016.
Funds raised through聽Soaring Higher聽will enhance teaching and scholarship across all of BC鈥檚 schools and colleges, and enable the University to double the number of endowed faculty chairs and fellowships, strengthen faculty research, and support curricular innovation.
Central to the campaign is an initiative to raise $1 billion to boost financial aid for low- and middle-income families, helping BC to maintain its commitment to need blind admissions and meeting the full demonstrated need of undergraduate students. It will also increase student internships, graduate fellowships, and support for international study. This academic year, Boston College will award $166 million in undergraduate need-based financial aid, an allocation that will be significantly increased through the campaign. 聽聽
Soaring Higher聽will also generate additional funding for the University鈥檚 student life priorities in formative education, campus ministry, service immersion, and intercollegiate and intramural sports, while providing resources for the construction and renovation of campus facilities, including residence halls and space for student activities and wellness programs.
In addition, the campaign will provide support for Messina College, a residential, two-year program for underserved students that will open at Boston College in 2024.聽
Money raised through聽Soaring Higher聽will be allocated for the following strategic priorities:
* Academic Programs聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 $1.15 billion
* Financial Aid聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 $1.1 billion
* Student Life Initiatives聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 $750 million 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
To date, a total of $1.13 billion has been raised towards the $3 billion campaign goal.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
鈥淪oaring Higher聽represents the largest fundraising effort in the history of Boston College and invites consideration not only of BC鈥檚 heritage and mission, but also its future, which is full of such promise,鈥� said University President, William P. Leahy, S.J.聽 鈥淚 am confident that the campaign鈥檚 focus on obtaining additional resources for academics, financial aid, and student life will help the University to maintain its upward trajectory.鈥澛犅犅�
鈥淏oston College鈥檚 rise during the past 40 years to its place among the nation鈥檚 best universities is one of the greatest success stories in American higher education,鈥� said BC Board of Trustees Chair John Fish, chair and CEO of Suffolk Construction.聽 鈥淚 take pride in BC鈥檚 consistent momentum and am honored to be a part of a campaign that will help Boston College to achieve its goal of being the world鈥檚 preeminent Catholic university.鈥�
罢丑别听Soaring Higher聽campaign will be co-chaired by Fish and his wife, Cyndy; Trustee Phil Schiller 鈥�82 and his wife, Kim Gassett-Schiller; Trustee Marianne D. Short, NC 鈥�73, JD 鈥�76 and her husband, Raymond Skowyra; Trustee Ren茅聽Jones 鈥�86 and his wife, BC Regent Brigid Doherty 鈥�96; and Trustee Patti Kraft and her husband, Jonathan.
Soaring Higher聽was launched at a September 28 kickoff gala on the Middle Campus for 300 University trustees and benefactors. In addition to Fr. Leahy, John Fish, and Phil Schiller, the event featured remarks by Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, Haub Vice President for University Mission and Ministry John Butler, S.J., Vice President for Student Affairs Shawna Cooper Whitehead, and BC student Rowah Ibnaouf 鈥�25, a Goldman Sachs Alumni Scholar and informations systems major in the Carroll School of Management. The evening also included a violin performance by Nova Wang 鈥�21 and a moving rendition of 鈥淔or Boston鈥� by the Screaming Eagles Marching Band.
Photo of Gasson Hall by Gary Wayne Gilbert