Historic moments marked students’ experiences at Boston College this year. From the return of Showdown to Jerry York’s retirement, The Heights takes you through the biggest stories of 2022.

As always, thank you for reading.

New Science Building Opens on Campus  

245 Beacon Street, previously referred to as the Integrated Science Building, officially opened on Jan. 18 after two years of construction and a $150 million cost. The building is a part of the University’s $300 million investment in the sciences and provides space for engineering and computer science classes and extracurricular opportunities. 245 Beacon Street stands five stories tall with 150,000 square feet, containing an auditorium, classrooms, labs, a digital innovation studio, maker spaces, “active learning” classrooms, and a cafe.

BC Continues Adjusting as COVID-19 Pandemic Changes

In January, Boston College announced new COVID-19 protocols for the semester, including a temporary masking period, isolation and quarantine procedure modifications, and testing requirements with penalties for noncompliance. 

BC parents published a petition on Jan. 3 requesting the University modify its booster vaccine mandate to incorporate four exceptions. The petition, collecting 830 signatures by Jan. 16, gained the attention of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who tweeted about it on Jan. 7. Associate Vice President for University Communications Jack Dunn stated that BC was resolute in its COVID-19 plan.

As the spring semester continued, BC lifted its mask mandate for University shuttle passengers, required that all new University members be fully vaccinated, and held vaccination and booster clinics. Over the summer, the University announced that students who tested positive for COVID-19 would now quarantine in their residence halls or homes instead of the Pine Manor campus. On Sept. 20, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reported it would reimburse BC for over $4 million in COVID-19 testing costs between August 2020 and January 2022.

BC Establishes Messina College and The Academy

BC announced its plan to establish Messina College and the Academy on Jan. 20. Erick Berrelleza, S.J., is the inaugural dean of Messina College—a two-year residential college where students will be able to pursue their associate’s degree. The Academy functions as a cost-free summer enrichment program for underrepresented local middle and high school students. Over the summer, the University hosted its first Academy class of 43 students.

Calls for Fossil Fuel Divestment Continue

Climate Justice at Boston College (CJBC) members marched to the residence of University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., writing Valentine’s Day cards urging the University to “break up” with fossil fuels. Following the Feb. 17 and Feb. 18 protest, BC placed CJBC under probation for vulgar language in the cards.

CJBC continued its efforts on Oct. 26, joining EcoPledge, FACES Council, Real Food BC, and Students for Justice in Palestine at BC (SJP) for the Environmental Justice Town Hall. At the town hall, numerous organizations said divestment leads to a “snowball effect” where more companies will continue to take their money out of fossil fuels, helping to combat climate change. At the Hosting Earth Conference, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson also called on the University and other local institutions to divest from fossil fuels.

Bias-Related Incidents Occur on Herrd

BC’s South Asian Student Association released a statement on Feb. 9 condemning numerous posts on Herrd, an anonymous social media app used by BC students, that targeted specific individuals, negatively compared South Asians to other racial minority groups, and commented offensively on South Asian physical features. Carter Beaulieu, co-founder of Herrd and BC ’20, said that after one user commented 10 to 15 derogatory posts in a short period of time, Herrd administrators removed the comments. 

The platform later reevaluated its reporting process in response to posts targeting students with physical disabilities in the fall semester. UGBC and University administrators also met with Herrd’s co-founders to discuss finding more student ambassadors—students with the power to delete posts and suspend users—to ensure the app’s safety and inclusion.

Bat Found in Walsh Hall, Released by BC Facilities Management

Walsh Hall residents identified a bat loose in their room after one roommate woke up to the creature brushing against her shoulder. The resident assistant (RA) then notified the Boston College Police Department (BCPD) and BC’s Facilities Management. After facilities captured the bat, the residents asked to test it for rabies. The RA said facilities agreed to keep the bat in a bucket and bring it to BCPD. 

The next morning, the residents said BCPD told them there was no record of the incident. Later that day, facilities informed the roommates the bat had been released. Because rabies is typically fatal if left untreated, two of the potentially exposed residents said they paid for and received rabies vaccines at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. Dunn said facilities’ decision to release the bat aligned with its standard wildlife protocol, but its policy will change moving forward.

Turning Point USA Repeatedly Contacts UGBC Candidates 

Michael Yurkovskiy, a senior victory coordinator at the Campus Leadership Project (CLP), repeatedly contacted UGBC candidates, reflecting a nationwide pattern of the Turning Point USA offshoot offering resources to student governments. Yurkovskiy messaged members including Gianna Russi, UGBC vice president in 2021 and BC ’22, and Julia Spagnola, UGBC vice president and MCAS ’23, during their separate elections.

Yurkovskiy was spotted on election day at the Kudzai Kapurura, former presidential candidate and MCAS ’23, and Caleb Wachsmuth, former vice presidential candidate and MCAS ’24, campaign table with donuts. Wachsmuth said he was unaware of Yurkovskiy’s connection with CLP—a conservative leadership development organization—at the time. As a result of receiving support from an outside organization, Kapurura and Wachsmuth lost 15 votes for “violating endorsement policy.”

BC Pauses Plans to Restructure the BAIC, Incorporate LGBTQ+ Resources in the Center 

On April 7, BC announced its decision to rebrand the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center (BAIC) as the Thea Bowman Intercultural Center and incorporate LGBTQ+ resources into the center. A month later, Vice President for Student Affairs Shawna Cooper Whitehead said the University will pause its plans to restructure the BAIC after receiving input from students, alumni, and the Board of Trustees. 

Local politicians also called upon the University to create a designated LGBTQ+ resource center on campus. A petition urging BC to create an LGBTQ+ resource center and include gender identity in its discrimination policy received signatures from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, nine former and current Boston city councilors, and multiple Newton city councilors.

Online Scammers Ask Students to Purchase Gift Cards

Online scammers targeted BC email addresses by offering students jobs that paid $350 per week. The emails were typically designed to appear to come from BC faculty members offering students part-time jobs. After students were “hired,” scammers sometimes told them to buy and share gift card information. David Escalante, BC’s director of computer policy and security, said the University struggled to block the emails because scammers usually send around 300 to 400 emails before being blocked by anti-spam AI.

SOFC Runs Out of Budget for Fall Semester 

The Student Organization Funding Committee (SOFC) notified clubs on Sept. 16 that the organization ran out of its allocated semester budget after approving over 170 budgets. Therefore, the SOFC could no longer accept appeals or line item requests for the rest of the semester. While SOFC Chairman Ethan Guell said this benefits clubs because it indicates more initial budget approval, club leaders in Phaymus, German Club, Hollywood Eagles expressed concerns about it limiting club opportunities and events for the remainder of the semester.

Off-Campus Students Face Break-Ins, Safety Concerns

At least five separate off-campus break-ins occurred from Feb. 18 to Feb. 19, when a burglar stole students’ Apple laptops and other valuables. 

In October, a series of “peeping Tom” incidents started near off-campus housing. Residents reported a man for peeking into a window of a house on Braemore Road on Oct. 2. On Oct. 13, students spotted a masked man on camera attempting to break into an off-campus house on Kirkwood Road and then leaving in a dark-colored vehicle. BCPD and the Boston Police Department (BPD) responded to the incident. Six days later, a man was again observed lurking around Kirkwood Road. This time, the masked man did not attempt to break in. 

On the morning of Oct. 29, the BPD identified and arrested Oqueli Pascual-Hernadez as the suspect from the Oct. 2 incident after receiving a call about a suspicious person. Pascual-Hernadez pleaded not guilty to charges of trespassing, criminal harassment, and disorderly conduct.

Eagles in the Olympics

Five current and former Boston College hockey players—three women’s players and two men’s—were named to the United States’ men’s and women’s hockey rosters for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. Cayla Barnes, Megan Keller, and Alex Carpenter were named to the United States Women’s Olympic Hockey Team, while Drew Helleson and Marc McLaughlin were named to the United States Men’s Olympic Hockey Team. 

BC women’s hockey associate head coach Courtney Kennedy was named as an assistant coach for the U.S. women’s team, and former BC men’s hockey forward Jack McBain was named to the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team. 

Nearly a year later on Dec. 6, BC was inducted into the Team USA Collegiate Impact Award Class of 2022. The induction recognized the contributions of current and former BC student-athletes toward Team USA’s performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics. 

Jerry York Era Ends

After 28 seasons with BC men’s hockey, former head coach Jerry York announced his retirement on April 13, concluding a 50-year career as a Division I hockey coach. In that time span, York won five national championships—four with BC and one with Bowling Green—and became the winningest coach in NCAA hockey history. 

On May 6, BC hired Greg Brown, a former All-American for the Eagles, as its next men’s hockey coach. Brown helped bring three national championships to the Heights in 2008, 2010, and 2012 as an assistant coach, and he served as the associate head coach at BC from 2012 to 2018.

On Dec. 10, Brown led the Eagles to a 9–6 win over then-No. 7 Boston University in the 288th Battle of Comm. Ave. BC hosted “Jerry York Night” during the game, honoring York by showing a tribute video.

Charlotte North Claims Second Consecutive Tewaaraton Award

After the conclusion of BC lacrosse’s 2022 season, Charlotte North won the Tewaaraton Award—given to the top player in college lacrosse—for a second straight year. She is the first repeat winner since Maryland’s Taylor Cummings won the award in 2014, 2015, and 2016. 

North led Tewaaraton finalists in 2022 in goals with 92, goals per game with 4, draw controls per game with 6.04, and free-position goals per game with 1.39. After winning the national title in 2021, North led the Eagles to their fifth straight National Championship berth in 2022. 

BC fell short of repeating its title in a 12–11 National Championship loss to North Carolina, the two teams’ third meeting of the season. In arguably college lacrosse’s biggest rivalry game, North’s four goals weren’t enough to squeak out a win. The matchup featured a sold-out crowd of 8,500 fans at John Hopkins’ Homewood Field and was the first women’s lacrosse title game to be played on ESPN. 

New Athletics Director Arrives on the Heights

After two years as BC’s athletics director, Pat Kraft signed a contract to become Penn State’s next athletics director on April 29. Kraft was the third athletics director to depart the University since 2017. On June 2, BC named Blake James its new athletics director. James served as the athletics director at Miami from 2013–21 and Maine from 2005–10. 

Eagles Go Pro

In 2022, Eagles from four different programs were drafted in their respective professional leagues. On April 29, the Los Angeles Chargers selected former BC offensive lineman Zion Johnson with the 17th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. His selection marked the second time in four years that a BC offensive lineman was drafted in the first round. Johnson’s career culminated in a number of postseason of accolades and awards that included All-ACC First Team honors.

BC lacrosse’s Charlotte North and Courtney Taylor were selected in the 2022 Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse Draft on May 31. North was selected with the No. 1 overall pick while Taylor was selected with the No. 7 pick.

On July 7, the Philadelphia Flyers selected BC men’s hockey’s Cutter Gauthier with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The selection marked the 22nd time in program history that a BC player was chosen in the first round. So far in his freshman year, Gauthier leads the Eagles in goals with 10 while also totaling a team-high 16 points.

Less than two weeks later, four BC baseball players—Luke Gold, Mason Pelio, Joe Mancini, and Max Gieg—were selected on days two and three of the 2022 MLB Draft. The Detroit Tigers selected Gold in the fifth round with the No. 147 overall pick and the Cincinnati Reds selected Pelio in the 12th round with the No. 363 pick. Mancini and Gieg followed in the 15th and 18th rounds, joining the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels, respectively.

Excitement Builds Around New Athletics Facilities

Construction on the Hoag Basketball Pavilion, which includes approximately 40,000 square feet of basketball-specific space, began in 2022. BC women’s basketball head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee and men’s basketball head coach Earl Grant both acknowledged their optimism for what the new facility may bring to their programs. Both coaches said they believe the construction of a new facility will help put BC on the same playing field as its ACC competitors.

BC volleyball found a new home in the Margot Connell Recreation Center during the 2022 season, its winningest season all time. Head coach Jason Kennedy said the relocation brought an improved gameday atmosphere, higher-quality training facilities for players, and matches that were more accessible to the BC student body. 

Eagles Upset No. 17 NC State 21–20 in Morehead’s Second Career Start

After suffering four straight losses to then-No. 5 Clemson, then-No. 13 Wake Forest, Connecticut, and Duke, BC football narrowly escaped its Week 11 matchup against then-No. 17 NC State, pulling off a 21–20 upset over the Wolfpack. The victory marked the Eagles’ first ranked win since 2014. 

After BC trailed NC State 17–10 heading into halftime, backup quarterback Emmett Morehead bolstered BC’s offense in the second half and threw the game-winning touchdown to Joseph Griffin Jr. with 14 seconds left to play. Morehead finished the game with a career-high 330 passing yards. 

Through Eagles for Equality, BC’s Student-Athletes Advocate for Marginalized Voices

Student-athletes such as BC women’s track and field’s Marne Sullivan and women’s basketball’s Maria Gakdeng, fought to build an inclusive environment for marginalized student-athletes on campus through Eagles for Equality, BC’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committee for student-athletes. The group started out as a subcommittee of BC’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in 2020 before separating from SAAC with the goal of becoming recognized as an official student group on campus. Eagles for Equality consists of the disability, race and ethnicity, gender, and LGBTQ+ subcommittees.

Football Roster Shakeups

BC football quarterback Phil Jurkovec’s three-year career on the Heights ended when he announced that he was entering the transfer portal with one year of eligibility on Dec. 2. Jurkovec found his new home on Dec. 5, when ESPN reported that he would transfer to Pittsburgh and reunite with Pitt head coach Frank Cignetti Jr., who served as BC’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

BC football wide receiver Zay Flowers’ historic four-year career on the Heights also came to a close, as the wideout declared for the 2023 NFL Draft on Dec. 1. During the 2022 season, Flowers became BC’s all-time leader in receiving yards, receptions, and receiving touchdowns. His 2022 success led him to being named a 2022 All-ACC First Team honoree. 

BC Captures National Invitational Volleyball Championship

BC volleyball started off the 2022 season with a 10–0 record, its best start in program history. Nearly two months later, the Eagles extended their historic season with a 3–0 win over St. John’s in the second round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). The victory marked BC’s 21st win of the season, which broke the program’s single-season win record. BC head coach Jason Kennedy earned his 82nd career victory to become the winningest head coach in program history during BC’s 3–1 defeat of Southern Mississippi in the NIVC semifinals. 

Junior outside hitter Alayna Crabtree tallied a career-high 19 kills to lead BC to its first-ever postseason championship with a 3–2 win over Drake in the NIVC finals. Senior Silvia Ianeselli—who notched the final point of the contest—was named the tournament’s MVP. 

Newton Looks to Normalcy as COVID Restrictions Ease

While the first few weeks of the new year coincided with a surge of COVID-19 cases, the City of Newton reported few deaths. As the trend subsided, Newton ordered an end to the indoor mask mandate in designated public spaces. Government officials emphasized their desire to return to a sense of normalcy, pointing to the high vaccination rate among residents—and the 100 percent rate among city employees—as reasons to be optimistic for the future of COVID-19 in the city.

Rediscovering Newton Through Food

The Heights’ 2022 food guide demonstrated that restaurants across the city were back in business and ready to serve customers after the pandemic forced establishments to close or keep operations limited. From an Irish pub in Nonantum to a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant in Newton Centre, eateries all over Newton welcomed eased COVID-19 restrictions with open arms. The result of restaurants reopening their doors revealed a city whose cultural diversity manifests itself in the wide array of food various establishments offer. Within the city, there are decades-old restaurants and locations that opened recently, all of which contribute to Newton’s status as a city filled with options—from a quick bite to eat to an upscale night out.   

Russian Invasion of Ukraine Sparks Local Action

Though thousands of miles away, Newton residents showed support for Ukrainians after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. 

In the early days of the invasion, residents joined Newton leaders like Congressman Jake Auchincloss and Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to advocate for support for Ukrainians and economic sanctions against China for its support of Russia at a rally in Newton Centre. 

Others showed support in different ways, including a resident who recently moved to the city who baked macaroons in exchange for donations to an organization that helps refugees fleeing the crisis. Ukrainian immigrants in Newton who were still in contact with relatives residing in the war-torn country shared their stories. 

Newtonians Were Ready to Rally 

Later in the year, two issues—job cuts in Newton Public Schools (NPS) and the various proposals for Newton Center for Active Living (NewCAL)—struck a nerve in the community.

The NPS preliminary budget proposal included job cuts as a result of declining enrollment rates and a budget gap, David Fleishman, then-superintendent of NPS, said. The announcement set off discussions to “stop the cuts” in school committee meetings and at a rally in front of Newton City Hall. After weeks of meetings, Newton School Committee passed its proposed budget—which included almost 20 job cuts—and Fleishman announced he was stepping down as superintendent soon after.

Demonstrators called for the City of Newton to completely tear down the current Newton Senior Center building and replace it with a newer, more accessible facility. Some representatives from the Newton Historical Commission (NHC) disagreed with the developers of the new building at a design meeting, arguing that the city should preserve some aspects of the structure that the NHC believes are historical. Eventually, the NHC rejected a proposal to landmark the physical building as historical, paving the way for design proposals and a tentative timeline for construction.

Elections in the City Make History

Newton voters made history at the polls in the fall of 2022 in different ways—not only did they turn out to vote, they elected a plethora of groundbreaking candidates to statewide office. Most elections in the commonwealth were either uncontested—like Auchincloss’ reelection—or lacked serious competition, with Democrats winning easily up and down the ballot. 

Another election, scheduled for March 2023, also has the chance to make history as the first potential override of Proposition 2 ½—which limits how much a municipality can raise property taxes—in a decade. Fuller called for an override vote in order to raise funds for the renovation of several public schools in Newton, improvements to parks and recreational facilities, and increased efforts to promote sustainability, among other initiatives. 

The proposal sparked debate among residents and local business leaders, who questioned the effectiveness of the tax hike and its potential financial drawbacks during an economic downturn.

Showdown Returns With Sold-Out, In-Person Performance

After being canceled in 2020 and 2021, Showdown, hosted by the AHANA+ Leadership Council, returned to its original stage in Conte Forum for an in-person, sold-out show on March 19. As Showdown typically takes place in April, the planning committee had to secure extra practice spaces for teams to perfect their routines in time for the earlier competition date. 

This year, instead of competing in either a culture or competition category, all teams competed against one another, with the criterion of including a cultural component. Boston College Dance Ensemble won first place, Fuego del Corazón came in second, and Sexual Chocolate won the crowd choice award.

Jason Derulo Performs At Marathon Monday Concert

Students in quirky outfits flocked to Comm. Ave. on April 18 to cheer on runners in the 2022 Boston Marathon. As part of BC’s celebration of Marathon Monday, the Division of Student Affairs invited Jason Derulo to perform in the Mod Lot. Derulo, a pop star and TikTok influencer, performed classic hits, such as “Whatcha Say” and “Talk Dirty,” and new songs, including “Jalebi Baby.”

Students arrived in their inventive Marathon Monday outfits, including shark and cowboy costumes and neon ensembles, to sing and dance along with Derulo. 

Arts Festival Holds Completely In-Person Programming Around Campus

Arts Council held multiple events across campus between April 28 and 30 as a part of BC’s 24th annual Arts Festival. WZBC opened its doors for students and faculty to get a glimpse into the lives of student DJs. Artists such as Mikaela Savage, MCAS ’24, displayed their work at the Arts Walk. Students’ art pieces decorated the walls of 245 Beacon, Gallery 203 in Carney Hall, Devlin Hall, Maloney Hall, and Robsham Theater.

Student band Photo Negative won the BC’s Best competition during Arts Fest, earning it the opportunity to open for Dominic Fike at Modstock, an annual concert held on the last day of classes. Modstock returned in 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pops on The Heights Gala Breaks Fundraising Record

Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician Jon Batiste performed for a sold-out crowd at the 30th annual Pops on the Heights. The Boston Pops, University Chorale of BC, BC Marching Band, and soloist Maxwell Korman, MCAS ’23, joined Batiste in performing at the gala. According to Patti and Jonathan Kraft, the co-chairs of the event, this year’s gala broke its fundraising record, raising more than $14.5 million.

The 2022 gala was John Finney’s last as director of the University Chorale, a position he’s held since 1993. Finney will retire at the end of the spring 2023 semester. Finney has been a part of Pops on the Heights, also known as the Barbara and Jim Cleary Scholarship Gala, since its inception in 1993. 

Student Creativity Flourishes

In 2022, the students’ creativity shined around campus. The Hatchery—equipped with sewing machines, vinyl cutters, and woodworking materials—opened at the makerspace in 245 Beacon to provide students a free space to express their creativity on campus. The Hatchery opened at the end of the spring semester but increased its training classes and grew its student-led team for the fall semester.

Nina Khaghany, MCAS ’24, organized a 24-hour live reading of James Joyce’s monumental novel Ulysses with her English class in November. Irish studies professor Joseph Nugent’s class called Joyce’s Ulysses staged the reading for an event on Nov. 10 titled “BC Bloomsday,” named after the novel’s protagonist Leopold Bloom. Live readings typically take place annually on June 16 in Dublin, the day and location in which Ulysses takes place.

New Voices 2022 showcased the original works of student playwrights under the direction of Scott Cummings, a professor in the theatre department. The event marked the sixth iteration of New Voices, which started in 2005. The program featured All the Bad Kids Go To Mars by Lily Telegdy, LSEHD ’23; Appassionata by Aidan O’Neill, MCAS ’23; and Channels by Katie Meade, MCAS ’22. Each one-act play ran in the Bonn Studio Theater between Feb. 18 and Feb. 20.