Boston College announced Vice Provost for Enrollment Management John L. Mahoney will retire after working at the University for 39 years on Thursday morning.
“John Mahoney concludes a remarkable career and leaves a lasting mark, not only on Boston College, but on the admission profession itself,” Director of Undergraduate Admission Grant Gosselin said in an email to The Heights. “John is one of the most respected leaders in our field and has taught and mentored generations of admission and school counseling professionals throughout the nation.”
Mahoney graduated from BC with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English in 1979, later returning to his alma mater in 1984 as the assistant director of undergraduate admission, according to a University release. He then became the director of undergraduate admission in 1990, eventually becoming dean of undergraduate admission and financial aid in 2018 and vice provost later that year.
“I have enjoyed every single minute of my career at Boston College,” Mahoney said. “It’s been a blessing and a privilege to work here, and it just feels like a good time to pass the baton to the next generation of great admissions and financial aid leaders here at BC.”
During his tenure in the Office of Undergraduate Admission, BC saw a significant uptick in freshman applications, most recently drawing a record-breaking 40,477 applicants for the Class of 2026. The student body also became increasingly characterized by greater academic achievement and diversity, resulting in BC’s emergence as an elite university, the release said.
“Since joining the team in Devlin Hall nearly 40 years ago, John Mahoney has been an indispensable leader as he and his colleagues have admitted nearly 100,000 young women and men who are today Boston College alumni,” Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley said in the release. “John remains one of the most eloquent voices in articulating what makes this a special place among the nation’s best universities.”
Mahoney attributed his accomplishments at BC to the University’s faculty and leadership—crediting University Presidents Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J. and Rev. J. Donald Monan, S.J., as well as the Board of Trustees.
“What I’ve observed is complacency is not in the lexicon here at Boston College,” Mahoney said. “It just doesn’t exist. I’ve watched the leadership, they’re never satisfied. It’s always forward thinking and thinking about ‘How do we improve. How do we get better?’”
Mahoney said he was especially proud of BC’s recent partnership with QuestBridge, a nonprofit organization that helps low-income students applying for college, which began with the Class of 2025.
“That’s what BC does,” Mahoney said. “The fact that we’re need-blind … means that we can recruit the most talented students across the country, regardless of the financial circumstances they come from.”
Following his retirement at the end of this academic year, Mahoney said he is confident the division is in good hands.
“I’ve hired some really remarkable people and been able to retain them here at BC, and I think it’s because they love BC in the same way that I do,” Mahoney said. “They love the whole culture of the place, they love the students that they interact with.”
