BU CPO

Meet Calyn Hoerner, Senior Communications Specialist for CPO and , for this month’s . After graduating from , Calyn honed her communications skills by managing marketing and communications for a variety of businesses while at Red Window Communications in Mississippi.

Working with these clients to build a name and reputation for themselves helped Calyn realize how passionate she was about using her skills to help others reach their goals and to make a difference in her community.

“To me, the most important aspect of my job is shedding light on those who work so hard to keep @ bostonu running. CPO, @ bupolice, and our Operations group as a whole are full of people who have dedicated their lives to ensuring our community is safe, comfortable, and in an environment that sets Terriers up for success.”

Today, Calyn works closely with teams across CPO and SSP to tell their stories. One of her favorite projects has been helping to introduce @ bean_bupd, BUPD's Community Resource Dog, to the University. Always a dog lover, Calyn jumped at the opportunity to spread the joy of having a four-legged friend around.

When she is not at work, Calyn is usually spending time with her dog, Jax, talking to her mom on the phone, or baking her famous chocolate chip cookies.

We are introducing Benjamin Reale, a Campus Planner on our Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) team for this month’s ! Originally attracted to Boston University's PEMBA program, Ben is on track to graduate from the program in spring 2026 and has been with CPO for one month.

Before joining CPO, Ben held several other positions at BU, first as a Laboratory Technologist in CTL, BU’s Covid-19 testing laboratory, and later as an administrative manager, both in Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering.

“This is the first step in developing my career in campus planning and architecture/design, and I am excited to grow in this position and continue down this field,” Ben said.

Ben is eager to apply his previous career experiences to his current position with CPO—designing better campus spaces.

“No two projects are the same. Whether it’s refurbishing historic buildings, integrating cutting-edge technology, or addressing the unique needs of a growing student body, there’s always a new challenge to tackle.”

With a passion for sustainability, Ben hopes to make a lasting impact on BU’s campus!

“With the growing emphasis on environmentally friendly practices, I would like to use my time in this role to have a hand in innovating our campus with green buildings, and sustainable landscaping.”

For , we want to highlight the incredible transformation of the Boston University Women's Ice Hockey facilities at Walter Brown Arena, a major renovation led by our Planning, Design & Construction team!

This project nearly doubled the team’s locker room space and added key upgrades like a new athletic training room, hydrotherapy space, expanded equipment facilities, and a dedicated lounge with study and recovery areas. These enhancements provide the team with the space, technology, and resources they need to train, recover, and compete at the highest level.

The project also included a full renovation of the arena entrance and the installation of a new 360-degree video board, elevating both the team and fan experience.

From training to game day, this space is designed to elevate the team’s experience, and we’re excited to see it in action. Go Terriers!

Happy Women’s History Month to the amazing women of BU’s Campus Planning & Operations! 🤍🚧 Your dedication, leadership, and commitment to creating a better campus for all are truly inspiring. Thank you for the incredible work you do every day! 👷‍♀️

Our paint night was all about brushes, laughter, and a whole lot of creativity! 🖌️💕 There’s nothing better than spending time with coworkers. We snacked and made some masterpieces (or at least we like to think so 😉).

A HUGE shoutout to Simply Homemade by Karen for the adorable cookies she made for the event! 🍪👏 Not only were they almost too cute to eat, but they were absolutely delicious.

Here’s to more nights filled with good vibes, good people, and good cookies!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Terriers!☘️ One of the best parts of our work at CPO is helping to keep Boston University green! Here are a few of our favorite spots.

For , we surprised our staff with a visit from Queen Bean! ❤️🐾 Our team works hard every day to keep Boston University running, so we thought hugs from Bean would be the perfect way to celebrate them! We are thankful every day for the people of CPO 🥰

Happy 1st birthday to BU's LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center! 🎉 It was so rewarding to help create such a welcoming space at Boston University. Here’s to many more years of connection and support! 💖🏳️‍🌈

It's not hard to guess who our Valentine is🥰
📸

Don Ellis, Director of Labs & Special Projects for Planning, Design & Construction University, was born to be in the construction industry. Don's family had always been involved in construction management, and by high school Don's interest had been sparked. To set himself up for success, Don earned degrees in Business & Economics and Construction Management. If that wasn't enough, Don also became an Unrestricted Construction Supervisor, Master Plumber, and Master Pipefitter.

Don has a strong track record delivering capital projects for top healthcare and research organizations. He's led the charge on building everything from operating rooms and radiology centers to complex labs like BSL-1, 2, and 3. With hands-on experience in real estate development and other clinical settings, Don loves seeing projects through from start to finish and making a real impact.

“I take pride in knowing that collectively our work significantly impacts the University's infrastructure and contributes to a thriving academic environment. The sense of accomplishment that comes from transforming ideas into results is incredibly rewarding and continues to fuel my passion for this field.”

As the Director of Labs & Special Projects here at BU, Don says he finds great satisfaction in the unique blend of challenges and opportunities his role offers. Leading a diverse team of project managers, Don appreciates the team's dedication and collaboration on construction projects that advance both the University's goals and the individual goals of each department we partner with. Don also takes pride in knowing that his team's work significantly impacts the BU's infrastructure and contributes to a thriving academic environment. The sense of accomplishment that comes from transforming ideas into results is incredibly rewarding and continues to fuel his passion for this field. Ultimately, Don's goal is to create a thriving project management team that exceeds the needs of BU's faculty, staff, and students, making sure Boston University remains at the forefront as an academic institution.

Don lives on the South Shore with his wife, Michelle, and their golden retriever, Macie. They live in a home that he, of course, designed and built. His family loves the rural setting, which allows them to enjoy the outdoors steps away from their front door. In his downtime, Don enjoys working on carpentry projects, landscaping, hiking, and kayaking. He also loves to travel overseas, exploring different countries and experiencing new cultures.

Last week, we had the privilege of celebrating the grand re-opening and 4th anniversary of the newly renovated Newbury Center!🎉We’re excited to see how this refreshed space will continue to empower its team and drive their mission forward in the years to come.