Remembering Jennifer Formichelli

“We are devastated and heartbroken by the tragic loss of Dr. Formichelli. She was the very brightest star of a teacher, sensitive, deeply intelligent and caring. The memory of Dr. Formichelli and her good works will always serve as a great blessing to us and all those whose lives she touched.”

“We are shocked and saddened to hear about Dr. Formichelli’s passing. To us, she always was an insightful and kind teacher who understood our son very well. Last year when school had gone remote, our son was able to get extra time to sleep. Jennifer commented on a midterm report that he appeared to be more alert and active in class participation. I couldn’t quite remember her exact wording, but it was warmhearted and with a great sense of humor. It showed how strong a bond she had with our son. Teachers are godsend and Jennifer was exceptional. Our sincere condolences to Jennifer’s family. May she rest in peace!”

“For our daughter, Dr. Formichelli was so much more than a teacher and club advisor. Sally shared with us that Dr. Formichelli was one of the first teachers to teach her to see herself as special, intelligent, and valued in an academic setting, even when she had trouble seeing it for herself. Dr. Formichelli’s ability to foster and facilitate class discussions empowered her students to find their unique voices and we will be eternally grateful to her as a mentor and role model. She will be dearly missed.”

“Dr. Jennifer Formichelli was a wonderful person and one of the best teachers at BUA. Her tragic death was a devastating loss for everyone.”

“I didn’t know Dr. Formichelli well at all, but I had my close friends always tell me how much of a great teacher she was. Friends in my grade made me feel so jealous sometimes for missing out on her classes. Upperclassmen would tell me to pray that I could experience her teaching just once during my time at BUA, and made me promise to take one of her seminars because it was not an experience to miss out on. I had one friend call me gushing about what an amazing person she was and tell me how important she was to them that it became an inside joke between us about how much they loved her as a teacher and as a person. By seeing Dr. Formichelli’s impact on the people around me during her life, and now, tells me that although I missed out on knowing her, she imparted so much love and knowledge while she was here. I didn’t have to know her to see what a devoted and kind person she was, because her impact was so great that it reached me through others.”

“We are so saddened by the sudden loss of Dr. Formichelli. She will be so dearly missed. Jennifer had an amazing gift for teaching, taking great care to nurture each of her students. She inspired so many with her passion for literature and writing. We are so grateful for the joy of learning she elevated in our son and so many other current and former BU and BUA students. Dr. Formichelli touched so many in a such deep and lasting way it is hard to imagine tomorrow without her energy and vitality in the building. Our condolences to her fiancé, her family, her colleagues, and all her former students.”

“Dr. Formichelli’s loss is absolutely devastating. Our son, and our family, were blessed to have known her. She taught our son in his freshman year English class, which remains his favorite class to date. She was his advisor for 9th and 10th grade, and was also teaching his junior year English class. She inspired him and motivated him, and knew him deeply. She was the kind of teacher and advisor that we all hope our children will have. Her influence on him will be part of her legacy. Her loss is the kind of tragedy that we struggle to understand as adults, and that our kids will find even more difficult to process. We are grateful for the BUA community that we know will embrace and support our children and each other. May her memory be eternal, and continue to warm the hearts of the many students, friends and advisees whose lives she touched.”

“Our daughter graduated from BUA in 2020, and Dr. Formichelli made a profound and lasting impact upon her academic and personal growth. Under the guidance of Dr. Formichelli, she became a much stronger writer, developed a love for literature and was awakened to the causes of social justice. She (and we) adored Dr. Formichelli, and her passing is a tragic loss for all of us.”

“It was so sad news to hear about Dr Formichelli passing away in a tragic accident yesterday. We’re so busy with whatever it is that we do that we find ourselves sometimes not paying enough attention to things that we definitely should. Having not looked at my emails until around 3:30, when I picked up my daughter, here she comes, but this time crying her eyes out. Of course, right after I asked what’s going on, while sobbing she asked, haven’t you read your emails today?? That’s how I found out about Dr. Formichelli’s sudden passing. And while this is horrible loss for her family and loved ones, this is a tremendous loss for all BUA community!! I personally met her only twice, and her thoughtfulness, intelligence and and dedication It’s what I will always remember and forever cherish. Reading some of the thoughts and memories of everyone that has known her, it seems, certainly we’ve lost not only a great teacher and educator, but a great human being! I echo my daughter’s feelings for the loss of maybe her favorite teacher. Rest in Peace Dr. Formichelli!”

“Dr. Formichelli was truly an outstanding teacher and a wonderful person. I didn’t have her as my teacher for long, but I knew from coming to her class each day, she loved and cared for her students, always providing a safe space for every single person in the room. She taught us all so many valuable lessons that we will remember for many, many years to come. I am grateful that I had the great opportunity to learn from such a truly remarkable person.”

“In my freshman year, when my normal advisor was unable to make advising times, Dr. Formichelli opened her advisory to me. In the short time we were together, her kindness as a person shone and her love of every student, even those not normally in her class, was clear. I regret not being able to take her class; moreover I regret not opening myself up to such an enlightening soul. I knew she was a resource, and I wish I had spoken to her more while I still had the chance. She will be thoroughly missed in our community, and her indispensable position as a teacher, colleague, and person cannot be replaced.”

“Dr. Formichelli was my teacher, but she was also my friend. She helped me write my thesis, she wrote a college recommendation for me–she made me who I am as a student and I wouldn’t be where I am without her. She was gentle and wise and saw the connections in everything. She was inquisitive and bright. She loved sweets, she genuinely thought I should have applied to culinary school. I didn’t have the heart to tell her it was just the cake recipe from the back of the Hershey’s cocoa box. She loved Henry and Murphy and when our appointments spiraled into just talking she’d show me pictures of her babies. She had such a wonderful, full life. She touched my life in ways that I will forever be grateful for. She lives on in the memories I have of her, in the comments she left, in the words she wrote to me. I miss her, but she isn’t gone.”

“To say that Dr. Formichelli was a tremendously gifted and generous soul is quite an understatement. Her depth and breadth of knowledge, and humorous but intense probing of what the material meant to each student, and society at large, was really quite something to experience. Our BUA class of ‘23 student has shed a lot of tears since hearing the news, as have we. The only comfort is that we are grateful we got to know her, and our daughter is grateful she had the opportunity to learn from her. Dr. Formichelli was one of her favorite people. Her sudden and unexpected death is a tragic loss to this community and the world at large, but her legacy is one of inspiration, justice, and understanding.”

“All of her students could write endlessly about her qualities as a teacher and academic. She was eloquent in language and prose, impressive in her understanding of the material she taught—over 4 millennia worth of literature—and most importantly, kind, compassionate, and caring. I remember our class discussions well, and the essays I wrote for her even better. I remember most fondly, however, the small ways in which she demonstrated her love for us; in the vocab games we played during class, in the extensions she gave out so compassionately, and in her greetings. She was constantly changing her class to fit our needs and wants, altering the material, the pacing, and the homework assignments. It was always evident that she taught for us. As were her parting words to me, Tha mou leipseis Dr. Formichelli.”

“Dr. Formichelli was many things: compassionate, kind, caring, understanding…words can’t even begin to describe who she was as a person. I would look forward to going to her class everyday. It was a safe space for me; she would bring us food and make such thoughtful comments to our comments in class. She is one of the most thoughtful people I’ve ever met. I still remember that one early morning on a Saturday where I volunteered with her at the Daily Table. She came early, probably around 6am and she honestly did most of the work. Even after we were done she still stayed behind to help some more. Not many people would chose to spend their Saturday morning volunteering with some teens. That’s what made her so special, she would go above and beyond to help make the world a better place.”

“Dr Formichelli taught me so much in the 2 1/2 years I had her. I think about what she taught me in each essay that I write. Even more than writing, I remember the vocab quizlet lives freshman year, and the meme bank senior year. She always did everything she could to make class fun. Senior year politics and language is one of my favorite classes ever. I’ll always remember her positive attitude that she brought to class every day. She was a great teacher and will be dearly missed.”

“We were so lucky that our son had the opportunity to have Dr. Formichelli as his teacher for 2 1/2 of his 4 years at BUA. She engaged him as a reader, writer, thinker, and person. We are so grateful for all that she gave to her students. In his senior year, he took her Politics and Language seminar, and it lit him up. He enjoyed that class so much and had the opportunity to further hone his critical thinking skills and ability to make an argument; these skills he will carry with him for the rest of his life. During the summer before his freshman year at college, he was required to submit a writing assignment. I clearly remember my advice to him before he submitted it: “Read it and pretend that you are Dr. Formichelli. What would she say?” We are heartbroken by the loss of her life. The impact of her work and passions will live on through her students, who were so very fortunate to know her and have her as a guide in their lives.”

“I never had the privilege to have Dr. Formichelli as my English teacher but I have seen the profound impact that she had on even my most STEM focused peers. She was genuinely one of the most beloved people in our BUA community and one that we will all dearly miss. Rest easy.”

“I remember helping Jennifer back when I supported BUA. Our interactions always extended beyond ‘business’. I would find myself chatting about cooking or good hiking trails or her family long into the afternoon. She was a pleasure to work with, and I will miss her. My heart breaks for the BUA community. It was a privilege to have known Jennifer.”

“Dr. Formichelli was truly an integral part of my BUA experience. I had the pleasure of being taught by her for 3/4 of my years at BUA, and during that time she helped foster a love of literature that I never knew I had. For that, I will be forever grateful. She had a unique ability to bring stories to life and make ancient works tangible. If I had read Gilgamesh or Homer anywhere else, I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed it nearly as much as I did in her classroom. She pushed her students to be critical thinkers and clear, concise communicators. Thank you Dr. Formichelli for all that you have done for me and the rest of the BUA community. You will be dearly missed.”

“Although there have been plenty of memorable moments with Dr. Formichelli throughout the 3 years that I have been at this school, I will never forget her words to me as I met with her about one of my essays. It was a particularly busy week, I had a few tests throughout the week, and I began to worry that my essay (due at the end of the week) would not be to the standard that I usually hold my writing to. I knew that Dr. Formichelli would understand if I needed more time, as she always held the students’ best interests before any assignments, but I still felt as though I was letting her down by not having things go perfectly. As I met with her, she told me that “nothing is ever perfect, all that matters is that you are proud of it.” To this day, I still remember those words whenever I am faced with overwhelming situations. In just one sentence, she made me see everything differently. She made me feel heard and cared for, allowing me to see my academic work as more than just words on a page, making each assignment feel like a part of me, something that I put care and effort into, something that deserved attention. There is a lot that I wish to say, but I feel like this captures just how caring, engaged, and dedicated she was to not only academic growth, but also the needs and emotions of each and every one of her students. She was a great teacher and an even better person. I, and the rest of our community, will miss her greatly.”

“Your smile, kindness and dedication to your students will not be forgotten. You will live forever in the hearts and minds of students and families you inspired. RIP dearest Jennifer.”

“Dr. Formichelli is a truly remarkable person. Her genuine love for literature, for her dogs, for her students, and everyone is palpable. It was such an honor to be her student in freshman year. I still remember seeing her with her mug in the hallways, seeing her talking about how good the sparkling water she got from the GSU was, seeing her grabbing snacks for Conversation… I still remember the way she encouraged me to speak up in the BUA summer program before freshman year (she was the first teacher who has taught me at BUA), the way she handed me my Odyssey textbook as an year end celebration, the way she nodded and smiled when I made an insightful point in her class… Her feedback on my essays were sometimes hard to read, her comments for me were always touching and reflective, her talk about her dogs always reminded me of my own… Dear Dr. Formichelli, you gave me confidence in a class I was not confident in. You were capable of observing and appreciating every tiny detail. You really made me who I am today. My only regret is that I never got a chance to tell you how much I appreciate you and what a positive influence you had on me. I was always telling myself that there would be millions of opportunities for me to express my gratitude to you in the future, but that hesitation made all these words unheard. The influence she had on me will stay will me forever, and she is so much more than just a simple story. Rest in peace, Dr. Formichelli.”

“Dr. Formichelli was the kind of teacher that wove joy and humor into her lessons in such an awe-inspiring way that students could not help but love her class. She was warm, unbelievably kind, compassionate, and empathetic. She impacted so many students in so many ways. I remember being a timid freshman walking into her class for the first time and feeling completely welcome, and this feeling returned every time I entered her room. I found my love of reading in her classroom. Her encouragement and acceptance shaped me into a better writer, better student, and, above all, a better person. She had a way of making each and every student feel seen, feel genuinely recognized for all of their accomplishments. She spoke with humility and sincerity, with a golden smile and the kindest eyes. Her generosity manifested itself in everything she did, from her kind words to students to her closet full of snacks, readily available to whoever wanted them. She taught me such important lessons in and out of the classroom, and I will forever cherish her.”

“We lost a wonderful family member Dr Formichelli. We lost her beautiful smile and loving kindness for BUA family. May the Lord comfort her family and BUA students, family and staff. It is tough, it is tragic and it is a battle to suppress the sadness. It is to see BUA part of us more than ever now and is a moment that make all of us become just one in suffering with Dr Formichelli family.”

“So heartbroken about Dr. Formichelli’s loss. We are praying for the family and friends who had been impacted by this tragic accident.”

“I feel like an interloper here in the company of those touched so profoundly by Dr. Formichelli’s life. I had met her only two months ago at a BUA picnic and exchanged two brief emails. But even those initial interactions revealed what others attest to so movingly: her warmth and kindness, her wry humor and sharp wit, her passion for social justice and commitment to her students, her broad intellectual interests and nuanced insights — it was all palpable even at first glance, and clearly she was so much more. Her unbidden testimonial to her love of her dogs and cats was also deeply endearing, and it is sadly ironic that her dogs were with her when the tragic incident occurred. My deepest condolences extend to her entire family and to so many others who join in mourning her senseless and untimely passing. May her memory be a blessing as was her exemplary life among us.”

“Dr. Formichelli’s warm words, greetings and smiles made BUA, BUA. I remember her laughter when I said I wanted to own a gentleman’s club in the future, referring to the country club in “Great Expectations”, and her joy at our competitive spirit during quizlet live games and her excitement to share a bag of chopped veggies with me. I’ll never forget her aura of friendliness and light, or that a gentleman’s club has a different connotation now-a-days.”

“I was really nervous about eating at school and she helped me so much.”

“Dr. Formichelli filled the room with her passion and curiosities for literature, social justice and a good mystery. Our daughter had her for English class, freshman year. She continued through years since, meeting with Dr. Formichelli for writing support, all conversations about dogs (a mutual love) and coming up with meaningful titles for artwork. Jennifer’s kindness was encompassing; her remarks ever so clever and funny and whimsical is what often comes to mind when thinking of her. Our family has been ever so fortunate and grateful to be touched by such a remarkable, intelligent, beautiful person. We hold onto our thoughts of Jennifer close and tight and send much warmth and comfort to all she deeply cared about.”

“I will never forget the conversations we had in advisory, from talking about our pets to the movies we watched, and the discussions we had in English class, Conversations, and Shakespeare club. I always looked forward to talking to her and I loved staying after English class because we just couldn’t stop talking about The Scarlet Letter or The Street. In the two and a half years I knew her, Dr. Formichelli has changed my life, and was the best advisor and teacher I could ever ask for.”

“The first memory I have of Dr. Formichelli was from freshmen orientation. She gathered us all around on Zoom and asked us to share our names and the meaning behind them. She then proceeded to make Quizlets of each one of our names and their meanings so that we could better remember one another. She didn’t have to do it, she didn’t have to do any of it, but she still did. And that’s what she continued to do through the rest of my year with her. During our first remote Wednesday class, Dr. Formichelli’s Wi-Fi cut out for a few minutes. It wasn’t long, but it was all it took for her to come back to the zoom to find us with all of our names switched. We giggled like the comedians we though we were and waited for her reaction. She looked around the screen, smiled at our antics, and went right back to teaching. This tradition of remote Wednesday shenanigans continued into the next Wednesday, the Wednesday after that, and all the Wednesdays for the rest of the year. We dresses up as characters from The Odyssey, The Illiad, Raisin in the Sun, Macbeth, Great Expectations, etc. We dressed up as the cast of the Lion King, pieces of furniture, our favorite breakfast foods, our class mascot Brian, our among us characters, and our favorite Italian dishes (at Dr. Formichelli’s request). Dr. Formichelli took all of our wild ideas and bad poker faces and cackles in stride and encouraged us to have fun in class. My favorite memory is when we all dressed up as Bob the minion and upon joining, Dr. Formichelli surveyed the situation and quickly changed her name to Dr. Bob. She not only cared about us, but also, cared about us caring about each other. She cultivated a true sense of community in our own little classroom and had us looking forward to every single class together. The bond and the friendship she nurtured between each of us still lasts today. She was a brilliant teacher who not only helped me to grow as a literary student, but also, she encouraged me to champion the social justice issues I believed in. In such a short time and from 3000 miles away, she shaped the student I have become today, and I’m eternally grateful for her. She was one of the greatest pillars of our community and her memory will be there with me for the rest of my life. Rest peacefully Dr. Formichelli.”

“Dr. Formichelli was one of the most incredible teachers I’ve ever had. She had a spectacular personality which would shine through in every single class discussion we had. She was the reason I became interested in the humanities and she impacted every single person at BUA. Dr. Formichelli was a kind, compassionate and wonderful person who would always make our days better, whether it was by turning regular English classes into well-spirited debates or having her cats show up on her Zoom screen. She made all of us better people and she is loved by every single member of this community. She always made time for us if we needed help and would always think about the positive things in both the points we brought up in class and in our writing assignments. She was an inspiration to all of us and would always find something amazing in everything we shared. She believed in everyone. She helped me see that English and writing aren’t mundane and that writing isn’t impersonal; it’s about having a profound feeling or connection to your compositions that makes them great. Dr. Formichelli will always be loved and remembered by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her. I send my deepest condolences to her family, fiance, and friends and I am so sorry for your loss. Her kindness, her passion, her love, and her dedication to all of us will never be forgotten.”

“For her scholarly work and the enthusiasm she brought to her teaching in the Core Curriculum, Jennifer was a widely respected friend and colleague, and though she moved on from the program nine years ago, she remained in our thoughts and will be missed for her knowledge, good humor, and camaraderie.”

“Last year with BU classes mostly remote, college applications piling up and deadlines looming the single bright spot in our son’s academic life seemed to me to be Dr. Formichelli’s seminar on Language and Politics. Even beyond academics, amongst the uncertainty and pain of a global pandemic and the polarized political landscape, her class was forcing her students, and us, to ignore the irrelevant, to focus on the important, to make certain we stand for what we believe true but also to be a bit more understanding of the others. I have loved from the sidelines of 9th grade how Dr. Formichelli led her class to care for both Achilleas and Hector, to cheer for the Greeks and feel the pain of Priamos. I wish she was the one that introduced me to Homer, almost an eternity ago, and I was grateful that, through Phevos’ essays and his comments around the dining table, I learned from her more about American literature. I should have realized all along what became more evident last year: she made her students not only better scholars but better people. She taught them to care about ideas and ideals, to use eloquent language to force issues of justice and to defend facts, but also to empathize with characters, fictional or not, who are very different from them. She challenged and motivated them; she shared their interests even if this meant cheering the star player of an obscure Greek team. I am not sure she prepared them though for losing somebody so special, so soon and so unexpectedly. Maybe nobody could. We’ll miss you Dr. Formichelli!”

“I am a BU CAS graduate who had Prof. Formichelli for a first-year humanities class in the Core Curriculum program. It has been nearly 13 years, but I still remember her well and was saddened to hear the news of this tragic loss. An anecdote I wanted to share: during the first week of my course with her, Prof. Formichelli took the entire class out to a nearby used bookstore, which she said was one of her favorite places close to the BU campus. She encouraged us to go there and browse for books, introduced us to the owner’s cat, and chatted with the group about what we were hoping to learn together. It really personalized her that she would take the time to do something like this with us outside of the classroom. I also remember how passionate she was about all of the content and great works of literature we covered over the semester. I’m sure other students have similar memories. She left a mark that will not be forgotten. My heartfelt condolences to her family and all others who were lucky to know her.”

“Dr.Formichelli was our daughter’s English teacher last year and, even though our daughter is a math/science kid, she loved English class because of Dr.Formichelli. Our daughter requested having Dr.Formichelli as her advisor this year, and we could see why. Dr. Formichelli showed so much empathy for her advisees and students; they clearly adored her. We were so fortunate to have known her and are grateful for how she inspired all those around her. She will be missed.”

“I had the great privilege to take two Core Curriculum Humanities classes with Professor Formichelli (as I knew her) as a sophomore at BU in 2010 and 2011. She was an incredibly engaging and generous teacher, but also a wonderful mentor and friend. She was one of those rare teachers whose intelligence and passion for teaching makes you want to try even harder to impress them, to be on their level. She cared about the details, so I cared about the details. The essays I wrote on Jane Austen and Paradise Lost, and the class discussions from that time are some of my strongest and fondest college memories. She always encouraged my creativity and pushed me to chase opportunities I otherwise might not have. She became my informal advisor and mentor, encouraging me to apply for journalism internships and offering honest opinions when she thought I was getting off track. We bonded over our love of all things British, dogs and Downton Abbey, among other things. I wonder if I would have gone on to live in London or become a journalist without her guidance. Prof. Formichelli had such an enormous positive influence on my writing and way of thinking, and I can’t believe she’s gone. She was truly one of a kind.”

“Last year, as a new teacher who frequently worried about how I was doing in my classroom, I will never forget the kindness, support, and advice that Jennifer gave me. I heard so many wonderful things about her and her class from so many students, that I knew that her praise carried weight. Her encouragement inspired me to believe in my self, and my greatest regrets are not getting to know her better, and never thanking her for the profound impact of her words. This tragedy is a tremendous loss for the entire BUA community, but I know that she lives on in the students she inspired, the friends and colleagues that she touched with her kindness, and the fond memories of those who were lucky enough to know her, such as myself. May she rest in peace.”

Donations in Jennifer’s memory may be made to the MSPCA, Charles River Alleycats, or to the financial aid program at Boston University Academy.

Gifts to the BUA financial aid program may be made online or by mail.

Online: Gifts may be made online here. Please check the “This is an honorary or memorial gift” box.

By Mail: Checks with “in memory of Jennifer Formichelli” in the memo line may be mailed to:
Boston University Academy
c/o Development Office
One University Road
Boston, MA 02215