At the annual event, Jeffrey Boyle, ’88, CPA, of PwC, received the Lasallian Leadership Award.  

La Salle University celebrated the anniversary of its founding at the 29th annual Charter Dinner.  

Nearly 300 supporters of the university—including alumni and current administrators—attended the event, held March 12 at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Charter Dinner celebrates La Salle’s founding in 1863 and pays tribute to the generations of Christian Brothers, laypeople, and clergy whose dedication have made La Salle the prominent institution it is today. Over the past 29 years, La Salle University’s Charter Dinner has raised more than $5 million. Proceeds enhance the University’s Scholarship Fund, benefiting La Salle students.

This year’s event raised more than $358,000—the highest sum in Charter Dinner’s history.

“Charter Dinner is an opportunity to reflect upon La Salle University’s rich history and legacy and celebrate our future,” said Vice President of University Advancement Daniel Joyce, M.A. ’01. “Ours is a Lasallian institution that for nearly 160 years has changed the lives of countless students and their families. This year’s record-setting fundraising total will make a difference for Explorers of today and tomorrow.”

The event also celebrates a recipient of the Lasallian Leadership Award. This year Jeffrey Boyle, ’88, CPA, a consulting services partner with Big 4 professional services firm PwC, accepted the honor. The award recognizes an individual who displays outstanding leadership in the corporate, civic, governmental, or religious communities.

Boyle said Charter Dinner was memorable for multiple reasons, one of them being the record-setting fundraising numbers that will assist La Salle students in becoming future leaders. He also said being honored as an awardee left a lasting emotional impact.

“I truly believe that this is a team award and everyone in that room played a part in making something possible,” he said. “Each person played a part in showing me how to lead, love, give back, teach, and have an impact on making the world a better place because of their having lived. I am so thankful for the support of partners, friends, fraternity brothers, teachers, and of course most importantly, my family. I am forever grateful for their leadership.”

Boyle followed in the footsteps of his father, Ronald Boyle, ’72, and attended La Salle.

The younger Boyle was, at first, enrolled as a chemistry major and later switched to accounting in his junior year to pursue his interest in business—again, like his father. At graduation, he began his career at Coopers & Lybrand, now PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

Boyle has spent his entire professional career at the firm, advancing from his work in the audit department to now serving as a consulting solutions partner. He worked in PwC’s Tokyo office to help build the firm’s multinational financial services consulting business and later returned to the states to lead the firm’s Washington Metro advisory business. Today, Boyle works with two of the firm’s most technologically advanced financial services clients as a lead client partner in consulting services.

Outside of the office, Boyle stays involved at La Salle by leading PwC’s recruitment efforts, resulting in the hiring of more than 50 La Salle graduates. Boyle also regularly speaks at the University’s Executives on Campus events, is a member of Sigma Phi Lambda’s Committee of Explorers, and a past member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Sponsors for the event included PwC as the presenting sponsor and Independence Blue Cross as the platinum sponsor.

— Meg Ryan