Originally published in聽Carroll Capital, the print publication of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. .
When Carla DeStefano transferred into Boston College鈥檚 School of Management in 1971, Fulton Hall only had one women鈥檚 restroom. More weren鈥檛 needed鈥攚omen hadn鈥檛 been allowed to attend the school. Now executive director of a community development corporation in Rhode Island, DeStefano was part of the class of 1974, which included the first women graduates from what was later named the Carroll School of聽Management. That group of about 20 women celebrates the 50th anniversary of their graduation this year.
Carla DeStefano '74
When DeStefano arrived on campus, classmates warned her that not all professors approved of the Carroll School鈥檚 admission of women, but she soon learned that they had two influential allies鈥攖he associate dean of the undergraduate program, Justin Cronin, and Frank Campanella, a finance professor who鈥檇 become Boston College鈥檚 executive vice president. DeStefano says Cronin would regularly have one-on-one chats with the women students. 鈥淗e monitored everyone鈥檚 progress."
Those experiences eventually led her to SWAP Inc., which develops and manages affordable housing and commercial real estate in Providence. DeStefano says her Boston College education鈥攁nd those who believed in her pioneering cohort of women鈥攊nfluenced her path. 鈥淭he Jesuits taught us progressive values鈥攈ow to take what you learn and do something good. At SWAP, we call ourselves social workers who build houses.鈥�
