The 2026 Boston College Summit—an annual event dedicated to topics of identity, action, and leadership—will host three faculty speakers, including Belle Liang, and introduce a newly condensed program this January.
The restructured event will span only two evening hours—instead of an entire day—and feature TED Talk–style speeches, roundtable discussions, and guided reflections.
“The topics will be about leadership, identity, and then action items so that you can bring those lessons that you learned out into the community at BC and beyond,” said Kayla Edwards, graduate director of the BC Summit and LGSOE ’26.
The event’s goal is to serve “as a catalyst for attendees to engage with intersectional issues and topics that foster greater self-awareness and a stronger community of belonging while serving as a launching pad for future action,” according to this year’s registration form.
Liang, a professor of counseling, developmental, and educational psychology, will deliver the event’s opening address, followed by speeches from Aziz Rana, the J. Donald Monan, S.J., university professor of law and government, and Rachel Spooner, an associate professor of the practice in business law.
Liang, whom Edwards calls a “BC legend,” is a nationally recognized leader in the study of purpose, belonging, and formative education.
She co-authored How To Navigate Life, a widely used guide to purposeful living, and secured a $2.25 million grant earlier this year to increase engagement for educators and students in K-12 schools.
Rana, an expert on constitutional governance, will discuss the overlap between social justice and identity at the Summit, Edwards said. The Boston College Law School professor received a 2025 Freedom Scholars Award this year, which recognizes scholars whose research advances social movements that seek economic and racial justice.
Spooner’s subsequent speech will discuss applying these leadership and identity ideas and bringing them into the community, according to Edwards. Spooner authored Tales from a Professor’s Office: An Insider’s Guide to Thriving in College, which offers practical advice on navigating college life.
“We have people that our students think are legends, but also professionals that could be introduced to our students in a different way,” Edwards said. “None of our undergrads are ever [going to] have interaction with a law professor, but I think that’s someone to hear from and get connected with if that’s something you’re interested in.”
The Summit is sponsored by multiple of the University’s offices, including the Women’s Center, Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center, Career Center, and Office of Student Involvement.
Last year, the BC Summit was rebranded by merging the themes of previous conferences, such as the Women’s Summit, the AHANA Summit, and Leadership Day, into a single program.
The inaugural BC Summit featured ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott as its keynote speaker and spanned a full Saturday.
Organizers chose to downsize the Summit this year after finding that attendees were reluctant to commit to a full day. This year’s event will span just two hours from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Liz Payne, a student organizer and MCAS ’26, will lead the event’s closing reflection. Payne shared her excitement to see attendees recognize their potential as leaders.
“You don’t become a leader overnight,” Payne said. “And it’s really about the idea of demystifying leadership, that students can be able to see themselves in the roles that they have currently and the roles that they want to be in in the future—as leaders.”
