William James McGarry SJ (March 14, 1894 – September 23, 1941) was an American Catholic priest, Jesuit, and theologian who was the president of Boston College from 1937 to 1939.

When the dean of the university and high school fell ill, McGarry took over his position in an acting capacity for six months, while continuing to teach classes.

[6] In his fourth year, McGarry taught astronomy, French, and mathematics, as well as a philosophy class for pre-medical students, at the university.

[8] Completing his studies in two years rather than the ordinary three, he was awarded a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture in 1930,[8] graduating summa cum laude.

During the academic year of 1936 to 1937, he also taught a class on the history of Israel at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at Boston College.

[13] While he initially attempting to maintain a full undergraduate and graduate teaching load in addition to his presidency, this proved untenable after one semester, as his health began to deteriorate.

[14] He also reorganized the administration of the college's Intown Division,[12] which was a two-year, accelerated, pre-law program for preparation to enroll in the Law School.

McGarry also invited 30 prominent businessmen from Boston and New York City to join the business school's advisory board.

[18] Physicians discovered that he had a heart condition since childhood,[19] and he spent time recuperating at the Jesuit retreat center in North Andover.

[21] In July 1938, McGarry presided over a conference held at Inisfada,[8] at which theology professors from Jesuit colleges in the northeastern United States gathered to decide whether to establish such a journal.

[19] The provincial superior, James H. Dolan, permitted McGarry's appointment even though he had been president of Boston College for only two years,[23] an unusual occurrence.

[13] In January 1939, the Jesuit Superior General formally appointed McGarry the editor in chief of Theological Studies, and he took up residence at Campion House in New York City.

[27] On September 23, 1941, while traveling from Campion House to the Sisters of the Cenacle's convent in Ronkonkoma to lead a retreat, he collapsed inside the 59th Street–Columbus Circle subway station.