Bean Town Times

For years, Boston College athletics enjoyed tremendous support from Bill Flynn, and his legacy continues to live on through a fund named in his honor.

In 1988 the Flynn Fund replaced Blue Chips as the primary fundraising arm of Eagles athletics. Flynn, who graduated from Boston College in 1939, was associated with the BC athletic program for seven decades in the roles of student-athlete, faculty member, coach and athletic director. The Boston College athletic website reported that Flynn was known for loyalty, dedication, foresight and integrity. His tenure as athletic director spanned 1957-1991.

The Flynn Fund currently provides student-athletes and coaches the resources to compete at the highest level of college athletics as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Each of the college’s sports programs have benefited from the fund.

Boston College has its challenges, which places the Flynn Fund in a significant role for athletic success. There are 31 athletic programs that have 272 full scholarship athletes to support. The BC website reported that the donations allow athletes to be successful not only on the field but in the classroom and local community.

A number of donations can be made to the Flynn Fund. Donors can contribute an unrestricted gift, which gives the athletic program the ability to use funds as it sees fit. There also are restricted gifts geared toward specific programs. The Flynn Fund Scholar-Athlete Program funds an athletic scholarship. 

Endowments goes toward long-term stability, while capital projects are the special plans that Boston College develops for facilities. Gifts can come through recurring giving and payments, gift-in-kind, matching gifts, planned giving and transfer of stock, the website reported.

Among the benefits Flynn Fund donors receive include access to premier seating in football, men’s basketball and ice hockey, on-campus parking for events, tax deductions, access to individual game tickets and access to special events such as Breakfast with the Eagles.

All is done in the name of one of biggest champions of Eagles athletics.

"Bill would be so honored that his name will live on at Boston College through the Flynn Fund because he was always so interested in the welfare of the student-athletes," said Marie Flynn, widow of the former athletic director, according to the BC website. "Our whole family is so honored."