Stemming from its nickname as "The Heights," persons affiliated with Boston College have been referred to as Heightsmen, Heightswomen, Heightsonians and Eagles, the latter in reference to the university's mascot, the Eagle. The following is a partial list of notable alumni and faculty.
Notable Boston College alumni
Arts and literature Gretchen Andrew, 2010, painter and search engine artist James Balog, 1974, photographer Joseph Bottum, Ph.D. 1994, writer Brendan Galvin, 1960, 76 poet, 2005 National Book Award finalist George V. Higgins, 1961, J.D. 1967, novelist Mary Elizabeth Hirsh, novelist Joseph McLellan, 1951, M.A. 1953, music critic, The Washington Post Mark Mulvoy, 1964, journalist and writer for The Boston Globe and Sports Illustrated Brian Murphy, nonfiction writer, essayist Charlie Pierce (born 1953), writer/journalist, and panelist on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me; attended for two days David Plante, 1961, novelist Maurice Sagoff, poet Mary Sherman, artist and curator Elliot Silverstein, 1949, director; president, Artists Rights Foundation Karen Sosnoski, author, radio contributor and filmmaker C. Dale Young, 1991, poet, physician, editor
Business Nikesh Arora, 1995, president, Global Sales Operations and Business Development, Google Richard Berman, J.D. 1969, CEO, NexMed Wayne Budd, 1963, executive vice president, John Hancock Financial Services Kathleen Corbet, 1982, CEO, fixed income division, Alliance Capital Management Robert B. Ford, chief executive officer of Abbott Laboratories Stephen L. Green, J.D. 1962, founder of S.L. Green Realty Charlie Jacobs, principal, Boston Bruins, Delaware North Companies Christopher G. Kennedy, 1986, president of Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc., a subsidiary of Vornado Realty Trust; son of Robert F. Kennedy Ronald Logue, S.B. 1967, M.B.A. 1974, chairman and former CEO, State Street Corporation David H. Long, CEO of Liberty Mutual Group Karen S. Lynch, 1984, president and CEO of CVS Health Peter Lynch, 1965, mutual fund manager for Fidelity John Mara, 1976, president, CEO, and co-owner, New York Giants Harry Markopolos, 1997, Bernard Madoff whistleblower to SEC Anupam Mittal, 1997, founder and director, Shaadi.com Denise Morrison, 1975, president and CEO, Campbell's Denis O'Brien, MBA 1982, chairman, Digicel Philip W. Schiller, B.S. 1982, vice president of Apple Computer Bill Simon, J.D. 1982, businessman and former gubernatorial candidate in California Patrick Stokes, 1964, president, Anheuser-Busch Richard Syron, 1966, chairman, president and CEO, Thermo Electron Corporation; currently CEO of Freddie Mac Thomas Vanderslice, 1953, CEO of Apollo Computer and CEO of M/A-COM Peter Zaffino, 1989, chairman and CEO, AIG
Education Harold Attridge, 1967, dean, Divinity School, Yale University William Bulger, 1958, professor, Boston College; former president of University of Massachusetts Barry Corey, Ph.D. 1992, president of Biola University Peter Dervan, 1967, former chairman, division of chemistry and chemical engineering, California Institute of Technology Robert Drinan, SJ, 1942, former dean, Boston College Law School Francis Kilcoyne, president of Brooklyn College Paul J. LeBlanc, president, Southern New Hampshire University; former president of Marlboro College Brian Linnane, SJ, 1977, president, Loyola University Maryland Joseph M. McShane, SJ, 1972, president, Fordham University, former president of the University of Scranton Ernest Moniz, 1966, United States secretary of Energy under Barack Obama; chair, Physics Department, MIT; director, Bates Linear Accelerator J. Keith Motley, Ph.D. 1999, chancellor, University of Massachusetts Boston; first African-American chancellor of UMass Boston Vincent Phillip Muñoz (MA 1995), Tocqueville Associate Professor of Religion & Public Life in the Department of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame Thomas P. O'Malley, SJ, 1951, former president, John Carroll and Loyola Marymount universities Michael P. Walsh, SJ, 1929, former president, Boston College and Fordham University
Entertainment Ayla Brown, 2010, singer, American Idol P. J. Byrne, 1996, film and television actor of Horrible Bosses, Final Destination 5, The Legend of Korra and The Game Flora Chan, 1991, Hong Kong television and film actress Jodi Cilley, producer Teddy Dunn, JD 2013, actor best known for portraying Duncan Kane on Veronica Mars Cameron Esposito, 2004, comedian Craig Finn, 1993, lead singer of The Hold Steady (and formerly Lifter Puller) Maile Flanagan, 1987, voice actress for Naruto Gary Gulman, 1993, comedian, runner-up in 2004's Last Comic Standing Alison Haislip, 2003, actress, TV host of Attack of the Show Elisabeth Hasselbeck, 1999, former reality show contestant on Survivor: The Australian Outback, former co-host of talk show The View; host on Fox & Friends Christine Kane, singer-songwriter Clinton Kelly, 1991, co-host of TLC's What Not to Wear,; co-host of ABC's The Chew; former magazine editor Kofi Kingston, professional wrestler Tom McCarthy, 1988, actor, writer, and director; directed and co-wrote Academy Award Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay winner Spotlight Edwin McDonough, actor Ed McMahon, TV host and personality Mike Najarian, drummer, State Radio Eric Nam, 2011, Korean singer and entertainer Leonard Nimoy, 1952, actor Chris O'Donnell, 1992, actor Ellis Paul, 1987, singer/songwriter PH-1, 1989, Korean singer and rapper Bryce Pinkham, stage and screen actor Amy Poehler, 1993, repertory player for Saturday Night Live and Upright Citizens Brigade; star of Parks and Recreation Greg Poehler, 1996, creator and star of Welcome to Sweden Rikishi, 1988, born Solofa F. Fatu Jr., professional wrestler Alex Riley, 2002, professional wrestler and actor David Smalley, 1985, singer for All, Dag Nasty, and DYS Skylar Spence, 2015, musician Tim Stack, 1978, actor Lori Trespicio, 2001, Real World X cast member, singer, writer Nancy Walls, 1988, comedian, wife of Steve Carell Lulu Wang, 2005, filmmaker Tracey Wigfield, 2005, comedy writer Wayne Wilderson, 1989, actor
Law, politics, and public service Ashleigh Aitken, B.A., mayor of Anaheim, California Bruce Ayers, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1998–present) Peter Blute, B.A. 1978, former United States congressman and radio talk show host Edward P. Boland, J.D. 1936, former United States congressman; author of the Boland Amendment Julio Borges, M.A. 1994, 8th President of the Venezuelan National Assembly (2017–2018) Garrett J. Bradley, BA 1992 & JD 1995, member of the Mass. House of Representatives (2001–2016) Joseph Brennan, 1958, former governor of Maine, former United States congressman Scott Brown, J.D. 1985, former Massachusetts state senator; United States Senator Wayne Budd, 1963, former United States Associate Attorney General William M. Bulger, J.D. 1961, former president of the Massachusetts state senate and former president of the University of Massachusetts R. Nicholas Burns, 1978, U.S. under secretary of state for Political Affairs, board member of the Council on Foreign Relations, former US ambassador to NATO, former US ambassador to Greece Andrea Cabral, 1981, sheriff of Suffolk County, Boston, Massachusetts; first woman and first African-American to hold the position Mike Capuano, J.D. 1977, United States congressman Edward Cashman, A.B. 1965, district court judge, State of Vermont Paul Cellucci, 1970, J.D. 1973, former governor of Massachusetts, former US ambassador to Canada Robert W. Clifford, J.D. 1962, Maine Supreme Court justice John Cogliano, 1987, Massachusetts secretary of transportation David Condon, 1996, mayor of Spokane, Washington John Connolly, former FBI agent, currently incarcerated stemming from his relationship with James J. "Whitey" Bulger Silvio Conte, 1949, J.D. 1949, former U.S. congressman W. Edward Crockett, MBA 1986, member of the Maine House of Representatives John Curtin, 1954, former president, American Bar Association Bill Delahunt, J.D. 1967, U.S. congressman Salvatore DiMasi, 1967, speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives John Dooley, LL.B 1968, Vermont Supreme Court justice Robert Drinan, SJ, 1942, former United States congressman, human rights advocate; only Catholic priest to serve in Congress Joseph R. Driscoll Jr., BA, member of the Mass. House of Representatives (2003–2011) Mark V. Falzone, B.A., member of the Mass. House of Representatives (2001–2011) John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, 1885, First Irish-Catholic mayor of Boston, grandfather of John F. Kennedy Martin Foncello, B.S., MBA, member of the Connecticut House of Representatives Linda Dorcena Forry, 1996, second Haitian-American Massachusetts state representative Keith Francis, B.A. 1976, world-class track athlete, senior analyst, ATF and Boston College trustee (2010–2011) William F. Galvin, 1972, Massachusetts secretary of state; 2006 Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Joseph L. Gormley, 1937, M.A. 1939, FBI agent Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis, B.A., Greek business executive and spouse of the prime minister of Greece Anne P. Graham, 1981, B.S. Maine House of Representatives Michael S. Greco, J.D. 1972, president, American Bar Association Patrick Guerriero, MA 1992, executive director, Log Cabin Republicans Ken Hackett, B.A. 1968, president of Catholic Relief Services Jane D. Hartley, B.A., U.S. ambassador to France Margaret Heckler, J.D. 1956, former United States congresswoman, former US secretary of Health and Human Services, former US ambassador to Ireland Charles F. Hurley, 1913, governor of Massachusetts Cheryl Jacques, 1984, first openly gay state senator in Massachusetts;Drabinsk, Emily (2001). "Cheryl Jacques". Out. Retrieved 25 October 2017. former president, Human Rights Campaign Sean M. Joyce, deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Karim Kawar, 1987, Jordanian ambassador to the United States Bill Keating, 1974, MBA 1982, United States congressman John Kerry, J.D. 1976, United States secretary of state, former United States senator, 2004 Democratic candidate for president of the United States Edward J. King, 1948, former governor of Massachusetts and professional football player Pat LaMarche, 1982, Maine gubernatorial candidate, 2004 Green Party vice-presidential candidate Wayne LaPierre, M.A., executive vice president of the NRA Stephen Lynch, 1991, United States congressman Dannel P. Malloy, 1977, J.D. 1980, governor of Connecticut Ed Markey, 1968, J.D. '72, United States congressman Maeve Kennedy McKean, attorney and public health official in the Obama Administration Ernest Moniz, 1966, 13th United States secretary of Energy Tip O'Neill, 1936, former speaker of the United States House of Representatives Grace Poe, B.A. 1991, former chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board in the Philippines; senator of the Republic of the Philippines Pierre-Richard Prosper, 1985, United States ambassador-at-large for War Crimes Issues Mike Rawlings, 1976, mayor of Dallas, Texas Thomas Reilly J.D. 1970, attorney general of Massachusetts, 2006 Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Warren Rudman, J.D. 1960, former United States senator and New Hampshire attorney general Michael Rustad, Ph.D, intellectual property author, professor at Suffolk University Law School R.T. Rybak, 1978, mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota Marie St. Fleur, J.D. 1987, Massachusetts state representative; first Haitian-American elected to the Massachusetts Legislature; 2006 Massachusetts lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Thomas P. Salmon, 1954, J.D. '57, former governor of Vermont James Sandman, B.A. 1973 Bobby Scott, J.D. 1973, United States congressman Francis X. Spina, J.D. 1971, Massachusetts Supreme Court justice Michael A. Sullivan, 1982, J.D. '85, mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts