Adrienne, MA’12, MBA’20, and Paul Chiozzi ’07, MA’12, MBA’18

Two incomes, three children under 10, one goldendoodle named Charlie, and countless pickups and drop-offs. That’s what Adrienne and Paul Chiozzi share.

They also share deep roots with their alma mater, with five degrees from Boston College between them. Paul earned his undergraduate degree from BC in 2007, followed by a master’s from the Lynch School of Education and Human Development in 2012 while working in the Office of First Year Experience. Adrienne also earned her master’s at Lynch in 2012, and spent nearly a decade in student affairs and HR roles on campus. They each later added degrees from the Carroll School of Management—Paul in 2018 and Adrienne in 2020—before building careers beyond the Heights. Today, Paul works in fundraising and Adrienne is in HR at a pharmaceutical company.

Their combined connection to BC is why, amid the demands of their day-to-day schedules, they found time to make a significant estate commitment to the University through a beneficiary designation. It’s not the kind of gift they could afford today. But naming BC in an existing retirement account costs them nothing now, secures a meaningful future gift to the place that shaped their lives and careers, and counts toward Soaring Higher: the Campaign for Boston College. They earmarked their support for the Boston College Fund, an account that covers everything from tuition assistance to the unexpected.

“Throughout my career, I have seen up close how estate gifts can make an impact, so naming BC as a beneficiary never felt big, scary, or complicated,” says Paul.

“We are leaving something to add to the University’s momentum,” Adrienne adds.

Along with hiring an estate attorney to set up their will, the couple worked with their financial advisor to plan what they could afford to leave BC after making sure their children were taken care of. “Right now, with young kids and the day-to-day hustle, our monthly costs can feel tight,” Adrienne says. “But our long-term looks very good, which helps me keep the bigger picture in mind.”

In the meantime, they stay connected to the University as members of the Shaw Society, which recognizes alumni, parents, and friends who have made a gift to BC via their estate or other planned gift. Paul serves on his class Reunion committee, and the family cheers on the Eagles at home games when their schedule allows.

Like clockwork twice a year, between the pickups and chores, they take time to review their estate plan and check it against how they are actually living, earning, and spending. They find comfort knowing one day it will reach new generations of BC students they will never meet.

And that’s the point, says Paul. “It’s a good feeling knowing we can give back to the place that made us who we are today.”