The Joseph R. N. Maxwell, SJ, President's Office Records contain administrative records, correspondence, manuscripts, architectural drawings, legal documents, reports, awards and certificates, writings, slides, and newspaper clippings documenting the life and tenure of Joseph R. N. Maxwell, SJ, twenty-first president of Boston College. These records chronicle a notable period of growth for the College, including the expansion of Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) activities on campus; the construction of five on-campus dormitory halls and other building projects; and the 1957 opening of Alumni Stadium. Maxwell presided over both Ignatian Year and Marian Year celebrations. The Ignatian Year commemorates the lives of the first three members of the Society of Jesus: St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Francis Xavier, and Blessed Peter Faber; the Marian Year of 1954 was selected by Pope Pius XII to study and discuss the Church's relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary. These records also document some campus discussion, particularly among faculty and administration, about Communism. Maxwell's interaction with politics is documented by materials related to his membership and interest in state and national committees on education. Personal materials provide evidence of speeches he gave during his presidential tenure; his 1958 visit to Brazil; and the numerous accolades he received throughout his life.

Selected student materials in Series I. Boston College schools are closed due to privacy restrictions.