The Boler Family Foundation, a Chicago-based nonprofit focusing on healthcare, community and education, has a long history at John Carroll University. Founded by alum John Boler and his wife Mary Boler, the foundation has gifted John Carroll numerous grants and scholarships in the past. When the foundation gifted $10 million to transform The Boler School of Business to The Boler College of Business in 2018, John Carroll President Alan Miciack, Ph.D., said, “The Boler gift will make a tremendous difference for our students.” Six years later, John Carroll seeks to expand that difference with “Go National,” a component of its Inspired Futures Initiative.
Inspired Futures is John Carroll University’s strategy to “expand programs and curricular innovations that will spark creativity…and claim a leadership position in higher education.” So far, the initiative has included renovations for student spaces and The Grasselli Library, the construction of an Athletics, Wellness & Event Center and the launch of a new College of Health. A core component of this strategy is “Go National,” an attempt by John Carroll to reach students beyond its typical midwestern demographic.
Once again, The Boler Family Foundation is helping John Carroll reach its goals. Recently, the foundation granted John Carroll another $5 million for its “Go National” strategy. This gift marks the 17th grant of over $1 million John Carroll University has received in the past four years.
The new funding will be used primarily for outreach rather than on-campus purposes. John Carroll Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment Carolyn Noll Sorg said, “The university will use the gift to support marketing, events, and staffing in new metropolitan areas where we have not historically made our brand visible.” Sorg listed Boston, Baltimore, South Florida and Washington D.C. as some of the locations the university is targeting.
In a press release, Miciak said, “This gift … will enable us to accelerate our enrollment growth beyond the Midwest and showcase the power of a John Carroll education to students in new geographic markets.”
John Carroll students had both positive and negative opinions on the use of the funding. Nick Colbert ’26 said, “With the other investments being made around campus, I can’t wait to see the campus community grow.” Preston Anthony ’28 said, “I feel that the grant should be split; part of it should go to national advertising while another part goes to the students.”
John Carroll feels confident in its strategy. The university cites an 8% increase in enrollment in the fall of 2024 as evidence of its marketing success. The university also claims that early deposits for the class of 2029 are already outpacing the previous five classes. While the funding will not be utilized on campus, John Carroll insists it will still benefit current students. Sorg said, “Our goal to broaden JCU’s name recognition and reach will add to the value and power of your degrees.” Until current students receive those degrees, however, they are unlikely to notice the new grant.