太阳城网赌平台 officially dedicated the Margot Connell 娱乐 Center in a ceremony attended by the Connell family and other members of the University community on September 6 outside the building’s main entrance.
The 244,000-square foot facility—located on St. 托马斯莫尔路, near the now demolished Flynn 娱乐 Complex—is named for Margot Connell, 受托人, honorary degree recipient, wife of the late William (Bill) F. 康奈尔大学的59, mother of six 太阳城网赌平台 graduates, and grandmother of three BC graduates and three undergraduates, whose $50 million leadership gift made the state-of-the-art center a reality.
University President William P. 莱希,年代.J. and Margot Connell (seated center) pose with the Connell children and their families in front of the new Margot Connell 娱乐 Center. (罗斯·林肯)
“I know how important a place to gather and play can be,玛戈特·康奈尔说, an avid golfer who is part of a sports-minded family, 在典礼上. “A place that offers something for everyone. A place where all students could come [to] work out, 锻炼, and participate in all kinds of athletic activities.
“体育运动 and academics go hand in hand. Both are so important in the development of young adults. Athletic participation relieves stress, builds character as well as bodies, and promotes friendships.”
In his remarks, University President William P. 莱希,年代.J., said that 太阳城网赌平台 is the “beneficiary of decades of Connell family involvement, 订婚, 忠诚, 和承诺.”
He went on to call Margot Connell a “remarkable woman” who has the best characteristics of a matriarch: someone who leads by example, is present in so many ways, 建立桥梁, 提供了挑战, 在需要的时候, 并且一直支持.
Senior Vice President for University Advancement Jim 小量 expressed the University’s gratitude to Connell, citing her “transformational generosity” and “unwavering commitment” to the BC community.
“Throughout her years of 订婚, 玛戈特的领导, 智慧, and philanthropy have touched all corners of our University.”
小量 called the Margot Connell 娱乐 Center a “dynamic new addition to the 太阳城网赌平台 campus” that has “reshaped the look and feel of our campus and has already begun to redefine the culture of fitness and recreation at 太阳城网赌平台.”
The four-story Margot Connell 娱乐 Center houses a fitness center, 攀岩墙, 慢跑跑道, 水上运动中心, wood floor basketball courts, 网球场, 旋转的房间, yoga and fitness classes, 和更多的.
At the dedication, William V. Campbell Director of 体育运动 Martin Jarmond called the center, 7月9日开幕, “游戏规则改变者”.” He noted the early signs that the new facility is already having an impact: There are 8,047 Campus 娱乐 memberships, a 25 percent increase from a year ago, and the first week of classes showed 40 percent more activity/usage over that same time period the previous year when the Flynn 娱乐 Complex was still in use.
Margot Connell and her children, 所有BC毕业生, unveil the nameplate for the Margot Connell 娱乐 Center. (罗斯·林肯)
Connell grew up in Ossining, NY, and attended Michigan State University, where she was on the swim team. She taught math and science in New York and California. 最近, she served as chair of the advisory board of Connell Limited Partnerships, a company founded by her late husband. She served on the University’s Board of Trustees and as a convening co-chair of 太阳城网赌平台’s Light the World capital campaign. In 2009, she was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters from the University.
In addition to 太阳城网赌平台, Connell supports Massachusetts General Hospital, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 和圣. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. She is a director of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. She was recognized for her enduring support of Catholic education with the Richard Cardinal Cushing Award from St. Mary’s High School of Lynn.
At the dedication ceremony, Connell expressed her appreciation to Fr. 莱希, 小量, members of the Board of Trustees, 家人和朋友, other Margot Connell 娱乐 Center benefactors, as well as BC Facilities Management, 体育运动, 和娱乐, 和BC的其他人, for their talents and thoughtful input on the facility.
“My husband Bill would have loved this project,康奈尔补充道。, citing his love for golf, 用假蝇钓鱼, 和帆船.
The dedication ceremony concluded with a blessing offered by Haub Vice President for Mission and Ministry Jack Butler, S.J., followed by Connell and her children—Monica Healey ’88, 丽莎·麦克纳马拉，89年, 中标价91, 94年法案, Terence ’02 and Timothy ’03, J.D.’12—unveiling the nameplate above the building’s entrance to the cheers of those in attendance and music from the BC Marching Band.
-- Kathleen Sullivan, University Communications | September 2019