Roughly a hundred people from every corner of Boston – including many of Boston’s most influential in business and politics – gathered to celebrate the retirement of Suffolk University’s Vice President John Nucci Sept. 30.
The event’s guests shared seemingly endless stories of Nucci’s impact on both the city of Boston and Suffolk University, highlighting his selfless, people-first leadership that transformed Suffolk into the residential campus it is today, including with the university’s footprint in East Boston, Nucci’s home neighborhood.
Speakers included Suffolk President Marisa Kelly, former Boston Mayors Raymond L. Flynn and Martin J. Walsh, Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, Massachusetts Rep. and Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Aaron Michlewitz. Suffolk alumnus Kerri Abrams Perullo, who donated a kidney to Nucci in 2018, Suffolk senior political science student Ayan Mohamed and Nucci’s sons also addressed the crowd of staff, alumni and city leaders leading up to Nucci’s own reflections of his career and retirement ahead.
“Suffolk has meant so much to me,” said Nucci. “It’s about access, it’s about opportunity, it’s a school with a heart in the heart of the city. Coming to work each day here was not work, it was fun and it was meaningful.”
Sept. 30, 2025 was named John Nucci Day after a proclamation from Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu that was presented by State Rep. Adrian Madaro for his service as a Boston city councilor, MassPort board member, school committee member, educator and leader.
When the pandemic first started, Walsh said the city was grappling with how to keep its people safe, especially those without who were most vulnerable — that’s when Nucci stepped in. Nucci called Walsh to offer Suffolk University’s dorm buildings as temporary housing for the homeless.
“All we knew was that people were dying,” said Walsh. “John Nucci and Suffolk University saved hundreds of lives in that gesture of kindness, to give something away to somebody who has nothing, the most vulnerable people in our society. This man stood up, took some hits for it and John, we’ll never forget you for it.”
This solution was one of many that Nucci guided Suffolk and Boston to that had lasting and profound impacts, leaving a career and a legacy for future leaders to aspire to, said Walsh.
“We need more people like John Nucci in politics today,” said Walsh. “John, from the bottom of my heart, as the mayor of Boston, as the labor secretary of the United States of America, more importantly as a kid from Dorchester who saw your signs everywhere, I want to say thank you, congratulations on an absolutely incredible, incredible career.”
At the beginning of Nucci’s time as in the Suffolk public affairs department, Suffolk students living in the North End were bringing some issues for the historic neighborhood with parties and property upkeep. That’s when, said Michlewitz, Nucci sat down with residents in the North End to hear every one’s concern.
“John Nucci’s belief has never been about being in elected office, it’s been about helping people, it’s been about focusing on how to make people’s lives a little bit better,” said Michlewitz. “He did that while as a councilor and then he did it afterwards at Suffolk University.”
Nucci’s journey has not always been easy – after being diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease at age 33, Nucci needed a kidney transplant, facing a daunting system of organ donations that has more people in need of a transplant than live donors and available organs.
“Donating a kidney to John was one of the most impactful things I’ve ever done,” said Abrams Perullo, who graduated from Suffolk with both a bachelor of science and her law degree. “But when I reflect on it, I realize that Suffolk helped prepare me for that, too. Suffolk taught me about service, about community and about stepping up when you’re needed.”
During his tenure at Suffolk, Nucci’s leadership helped guide Suffolk from its small, commuter school roots to its current major footprint in Downtown Boston.
“Your name might not be on any of the buildings built and transformed during that time, but your work, your passion and your drive are reflected in each and every one of them,” said Nucci’s son, Daniel Nucci, who received his bachelors of science and law degree at Suffolk. “That transformation of Suffolk’s campus allows students from all over the city, the state, the country and even the world to come to this city and this great school because of your hard work.”
Nucci left the celebration with one message: invest in public service, work together and never stop the dialogue.
“There are no sides – we’re American. We have to work together, that is the only way we as a country are going to survive,” said Nucci. “Don’t stop talking.”
