Saint Michael’s College receives $1M gift in support of Career Services

Henry “Bud” Boucher ’69

A gift of $1 million to Saint Michael’s College from Antonietta “Toni” Boucher to honor her late husband, Henry “Bud” Boucher, Jr., will support the institution’s Career Education Center. Mr. Boucher died in January 2021.

The Career Education Center long has been an integral part of the student experience at Saint Michael’s, offering comprehensive career readiness training throughout each student’s four years. “With this transformative gift, the College will be able to enhance and expand career services available to students and cement a main pillar of the school’s current strategic plan, Forward with Purpose,” Saint Michael’s President Lorraine Sterritt said.

Following graduation in 1969, Henry “Bud” Boucher served as captain in the U.S. Air Force. Later, after a long and distinguished career as a senior partner for some of the country’s top consulting firms, he headed a public company while also owning a small business in Wilton, CT. He also volunteered his time to numerous charitable organizations.

Henry “Bud” Boucher ’69 served in the Air Force, and wears the uniform in this file photo from those days.

“Henry “Bud” Boucher was all that a ‘Michaelman’ of his era strove to be — dedicated to his country, his family and his community,” said Krystyna Davenport Brown, Saint Michael’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement.

She said prior to his death, Bud and his wife, Toni, had discussed leaving a lasting gift to Saint Michael’s College. Together with Bud’s close friend and classmate, Dr. Bob Minetti ’69, Toni Boucher visited Saint Michael’s to meet with school administrators and staff, to find just the right place to honor Bud’s legacy.

President Sterritt said this gift from the Boucher family “will have a tremendous and immediate impact on our College community.”

President Lorraine Sterritt

“Through the Henry ‘Bud’ Boucher, Jr., ’69 Career Education Center, we will ensure that every student is engaged with our Career Readiness program and connected with internships, graduate and professional schools, volunteer programs, networking applications, and alumni and business resources,” Sterritt said. “With their strong foundation in the liberal arts, our students are career-ready and highly marketable as they seek to go out into the world and fulfill the Saint Michael’s College vision: Do Well and Do Good.”

Saint Michael’s College is in the midst of a successful capital campaign, All in for St. Mike’s, which raised $10 million in FY21 alone. The College has also approved a three-year strategic plan, Forward with Purpose, with plans to evolve the “Saint Michael’s Promise,” a new team-based strategy to support students on their paths to purpose-driven careers. Learn more at smcvt.edu/outcomes/career-education.

Saint Michael’s students Colleen Biglin ’22 and Isabelle Ruprecht ’23, peer career advisers in what will now be called the “Henry ‘Bud’ Boucher, Jr., ’69 Career Education Center,” conduct a mock job interview in the Center’s new offices in St. Edmund’s Hall recently. The large image behind the headline shows Colleen and Izzy with Mariah LeVangie ’22, student marketer for the Center.