This Alumni of Distinction profile was originally published in Universitas 2025-26, Notre Dame of Maryland University’s award-winning magazine.
“I suddenly realized that so much of my professional work over the years had a counseling component to it.”
For much of his career, John Boyle M’16 dedicated himself to helping others through nonprofit leadership. Today, he continues his passion for helping others in a different and personal way, as a counselor. Guiding individuals and families through life’s most difficult moments is where he has found a renewed sense of enthusiasm in his service to others.
After graduating from NDMU, Boyle built a career in nonprofit leadership, working closely with organizations focused on chronic illnesses and rare diseases. As a fierce patient advocate, he witnessed firsthand how individuals and families navigate complex health systems and the emotional toll those challenges can take.
Boyle credits his time at NDMU with helping him develop the perspective that has guided his evolving career. He says the University’s liberal arts approach reinforced the idea that learning and experience build upon one another. “What you study now is only one part of the journey,” Boyle said. “How you apply those lessons, and how you adapt as the world changes, is what helps you find meaning in the work you do.”
In 2020, shortly after graduating, Boyle was recognized for his professional accomplishments and dedication to the University. He received the Regina Russo Hammel ’41 Outstanding Recent Graduate Award, which recognizes alumni who demonstrate professional achievement and contributions to community life.
“Nonprofits exist to solve some of the world’s biggest problems,” Boyle said. “But sometimes people still need help processing the experience of living within those systems.”
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Boyle found himself reflecting on his professional future. He began to think about how he could continue making a meaningful impact while drawing on everything he had learned throughout his career.
The answer became clear. “I had an ‘aha’ moment,” Boyle recalled. “I suddenly realized that so much of my professional work over the years had a counseling component to it.”
Throughout his nonprofit career, Boyle spent years listening to patients and families, helping them navigate complex challenges and find ways forward. Counseling, he realized, would allow him to continue that work in a more direct and personal way.
Today, Boyle works in a group practice where he sees individuals and couples, drawing heavily on the life experiences and professional insight he developed over decades in the nonprofit sector. His background often helps him connect with clients who are facing health challenges, caregiving responsibilities, or systemic barriers.
“When someone has really lived through something difficult, it helps when they know you understand their world,” Boyle said. “The relationship between the therapist and the client is the most important part of therapy.”
Boyle’s nonprofit experience continues to influence his approach. He encourages many clients to find ways to engage with the issues that matter to them—sometimes through volunteer work or advocacy.
“Helping others can be incredibly meaningful,” he said. “Sometimes getting involved in something bigger than yourself can help people regain a sense of purpose and control.”
While some days in counseling can be emotionally challenging, Boyle says the work is deeply fulfilling. “I love what I do,” he said. “More than anything I’ve done before.”
Looking back, Boyle believes every step of his journey, from his education to his years in nonprofit leadership, prepared him for the work he does today. “All of those experiences shaped the person I am and the counselor I’ve become,” he said. “I’m doing the right thing at the right time.”
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best “Regional Universities North” by U.S. News & World Report.
