‘Superheroes are not born in quiet times': BC graduates enter a turbulent world with a call to lead

Boston Globe

19-05-2025

'You look resplendent in your brightly-colored maroon and gold robes, rather like superheroes with capes,' the Irish-born scholar and philanthropist told thegraduates seated
beneath brightskies , their gowns billowing behind them.
'This is not an idle comparison,' said Richardson, the first woman to lead the New York-based philanthropic foundation. '...As freshly-minted graduates, you are the new guardians of this galaxy.'
Dame Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation in New York, received a honorary degree from BC President William P. Leahy.
David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
Richardson, a terrorism expert, was the first woman vice chancellor at Oxford University in England and at St. Andrews University in Scotland. BC awarded her an honorary doctorate on Monday.
The students are poised to start their careers in
an era of unprecedented uncertainty. In recent months, the Trump administration has moved to slash scientific research funding,
shrink the the federal workforce, and provoke a global trade war.
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In her address, Richardson pointed to broader international concerns, such as
'clouds of misinformation' and the mounting challenges of climate change.
'Superheroes are not born in quiet times,' Richardson said. 'As new graduates going out into a difficult world, unstable and divisive and in need of fresh ideas... with you lies the burden of difficult responsibility. With you a marvelous universe of infinite possibility.'
During the nearly 90 minute ceremony, families cheered as graduates' faces appeared on the jumbotron, bright with excitement as they waved and embraced one another.
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BC, run by the Society of Jesus, is the largest Catholic university in New England. The school, whose sports teams are known as the Eagles, has long instilled in its students a mission of service.
The university's president, the Rev. William P. Leahy, called on the class of 2025 to become 'engaged citizens and to use their talents to help transform existing issues,' from age-old problems like violence and poverty to contemporary conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Haiti, and Sudan.
Graduates held on to their caps during gusty winds at the BC commencement.
David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
'You graduates of Boston College are more needed today than ever,' he said. 'I pray that you strive to be forces for good and powerful examples for those around you.'
Abby Duffy, 21, of Wellesley, who graduated Monday with a degree in criminal and social justice, said the Jesuit philosophy of
'It's about reaching out, bridging divides, and supporting those in need,' said Duffy, who plans to attend law school at the University of California-Irvine in the fall.
Meghan Heckelman, 22, of Mineola, N.Y., who earned degrees in political science and applied psychology and human development,
said BC 'inspired me to always put people at the center of my work.'
A family huddled under an umbrella providing shade while seated in the bleachers at Alumni Stadium.
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'At BC, the Jesuit ideals are really infused in everything,' Heckelman said. 'Even in the business school, there's an intense emphasis on ethics and understanding the human condition.
Honorary degrees were also awarded to Richardson, Boston's Archbishop Richard G. Henning, presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, educator and activist Geoffrey Canada, and Salim Daccache, S.J., rector of Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Lebanon.
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Speaking after the ceremony, Henning described the honor as a testament to Boston College's status as a 'world class university,' dedicated not only to professional training but also to nurturing students' spiritual growth and compassion for others.
'I am still very new to the city,' added Henning, who was installed as
Archbishop of Boston last October following Cardinal Seán O'Malley's 20-year tenure. 'So I'm at the beginning, too, of a long journey of making my contributions.'
Doris Kearns Goodwin was an honorary degree recipient.
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In a separate interview, Goodwin— known for her biographies of the Kennedy family and presidents including Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Johnson - offered her own advice to the graduates.
'I hope they can find a sense that they're part of something that's larger than themselves, and they're able to contribute and make a difference,' said Goodwin, who
'History shows that leaders matter, but citizens matter as well. We can't just depend right now on the leaders, we have to depend on us,' Goodwin said.
'This generation has what FDR said about an earlier generation—a rendezvous with destiny. And we old people are depending on them,' she laughed. 'So I'll be glad to see them battle for their values.'
Undergraduate Malaine Diop from Texas waved to family and friends during the Boston College commencement.
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Rita Chandler can be reached at