RECONNECT III
Boston College welcomed hundreds of AHANA alumni back to campus this summer for RECONNECT III, a weekend-long gathering for reuniting with old friends, making new ones, and sharing memories of time spent on the Heights.
One of the largest and most-anticipated events for the BC AHANA alumni community, RECONNECT on July 26-28 marked the third gathering since its inception in 2009. Pioneered by late University Trustee and varsity hall-of-famer Keith A. Francis ’76 in collaboration with other alumni, trustees, and University leadership, the celebration was designed to encourage members of BC’s AHANA alumni community to become more involved in their local Alumni Association chapters.
More than 400 AHANA alumni returned to campus for this year's RECONNECT celebration.
This year’s RECONNECT program included addresses from University President William P. Leahy, S.J., and other BC senior leaders; an AHANA Alumni leadership reception; a RECONNECT III Gala and Keith A. Francis '76 Tribute; a Keep the Faith service and brunch; and a Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center Open House, where alumni heard remarks from Vice President for Student Affairs Shawna Cooper Whitehead, Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center Director Yvonne McBarnett, and current students.
The first RECONNECT still influences current programming, according to Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations Leah Spencer.
"Events like the gala and the Keep the Faith service are innate to RECONNECT,” she said. “The first RECONNECT also included events that focused on networking and remarks from key leaders within BC, including Fr. Leahy. Those are elements that you still see in the programming to this day.”
Spencer said some of the most impactful moments from RECONNECT III were those in which alumni spoke about their continuing involvement in the AHANA community and with the University. She cited the AHANA leadership reception, which featured a panel of volunteer leaders including University Trustee Darcel Clark ’83, founding co-chair of the AHANA Alumni Advisory Council; University Trustee René Jones ’86, P’25, a Soaring Higher campaign co-chair; AHANA Alumni Advisory Council Executive Committee Chair Robert Marshall ’88, P’17, a member of the BC Board of Regents; and member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and Soaring Higher Campaign Executive Committee Esther Chang ’02, J.D.’ 07.
“The goal of the event was to inspire those alumni in the audience to become more engaged with the University,” said Spencer.
AHANA Alumni Advisory Council Vice-chair Arivee Vargas Rozier-Byrd ’05, J.D. ’08, H’22, also announced that Jones and his wife, Soaring Higher campaign co-chair Brigid Doherty ’96, P'25, have committed to creating an endowed scholarship that will support AHANA students at Boston College.
The gala—which this year had a “black tie sneaker ball” theme where guests came dressed in their best formal attire and favorite pair of sneakers—featured presentation of the Keith A. Francis ’76 Inspiration Award, which recognizes a graduate whose work and service at Boston College and beyond best reflects Francis’s own relentless pursuit of excellence and social justice.
This year’s winner was Juan Fernando Lopera ’99, the inaugural chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for Beth Israel Lahey Health.
In the award citation, the Alumni Association noted that Lopera has devoted his career to combining his passion for social justice and health equity to progress the mission of Beth Israel Lahey and the Jesuit values of Boston College: “While sitting on several boards, Juan also has found time to return to Boston College and participate as a panelist with the AHANA Alumni Advisory Council on health equity matters. His devotion, service, and commitment through his life’s work to the AHANA community embodies the values and morals that Keith stood for and lived by.”