Boston College Athletics
Eagles Join In Sesquicentennial Celebration
August 31, 2012 | Boston College Athletics
Aug. 31, 2012
What's your favorite Boston College sports memory?
Beginning Saturday, the Boston College Athletics Department will join in the celebration of the University's Sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) by celebrating 150 great moments in BC sports history. In addition, the Eagle football team will wear a special Sesquicentennial sticker on its helmets beginning with the season opener vs. Miami.
To honor its 150th anniversary, Boston College is set to embark on a three-semester Sesquicentennial Celebration that will include a Mass at Fenway Park, a Sesquicentennial Speakers Series, six academic symposia, a Founders Day celebration, a student concert at Symphony Hall and a convocation of leading Catholic college and university presidents.
The celebration will officially begin on Sept. 15 with a 4 p.m. Mass at Fenway Park in Boston. The Mass is open to all members of the Boston College community -- students, faculty, staff, alumni, and their families -- and will be concelebrated by members of the Jesuit community and alumni priests. It will be followed by a reception that will include a walking tour of the ballpark and field.
The University will unveil several features to celebrate its history, including: two books, An Illustrated History of Boston College and the new History of Boston College; historical markers highlighting significant sites throughout campus; a GPS-guided mobile website for on-campus and virtual tours; a documentary film on the history of Boston College; a portrait gallery of the 25 University presidents; and several library exhibits from Boston College University Libraries that will address themes ranging from "Student Life at Boston College" to "Alumni Service." All Boston College students will be asked to perform 150 minutes of community service in either Boston or Newton during the three semesters of the Sesquicentennial, joining thousands of BC students and graduates who currently volunteer in the cities' schools, hospitals, food pantries and social service agencies. Alumni will also be asked to perform 150 minutes of service through the National Day of Service on April 13, 2013, or the more than 25 alumni service programs offered through alumni chapters.
In addition to the football helmet stickers, BC men's and women's basketball and hockey teams will wear Sesquicentennial logos on their uniforms during the 2012-2013 seasons.
"The Sesquicentennial Celebration gives us an opportunity to celebrate Boston College's history and also to emphasize our continued commitment to intellectual excellence and our Jesuit, Catholic heritage," said University President William P. Leahy, SJ. "Our 150th anniversary is a time when all members of the Boston College community can renew their sense of our progress as a University and our goals for the future."
"The Sesquicentennial Steering Committee, which included representatives from all areas of the University, has arranged an array of programs and events that will make this anniversary meaningful and enjoyable for the entire Boston College family," said Vice President and University Secretary Mary Lou DeLong, who chairs the committee. "With the exception of the Symphony Hall concert, all of our public events are free, and we extend a welcome invitation to our students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends to join us as we commemorate the 150th anniversary of Boston College."
A website detailing specifics on the Sesquicentennial events has been launched at www.bc.edu/150. The site features an interactive timeline called "Day by Day" that will chronicle 150 years of Boston College history. Beginning April 1, a new image will appear on the website every day at 12:01 a.m., with a caption highlighting a significant moment from that day in BC history. The website will also be the designated site through which to register for Sesquicentennial events, beginning with registration in June for the Sept. 15 Mass at Fenway Park.
