PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
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Book Award
New Innovator
BC Arts
Communication’s Matthew Sienkiewicz earns honor from Alpha Sigma Nu for The Other Air Force.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Jia Niu receives award from National Institutes of Health.
Gaelic Roots to host campus concert by legendary Northern Irish singer-songwriter-activist Tommy Sands.
OCTOBER 10, 2019 VOL. 27 NO. 4
PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
University Launches Prison Education Program BY ALIX HACKETT SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Big Night at the Heights
photo by justin knight
Audience members were caught up in the pageantry of the annual Pops on the Heights concert Sept. 27 in Conte Forum. The event raised $12.3 million for the Boston College Scholarship Fund. More on page 8.
Getting the Picture C21’s Kiefer hopes new book inspires conversations, even ‘uncomfortable’ ones, about God BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
After viewing Picasso’s artwork in a museum, a young girl is inspired to create a drawing that is “beyond spectacular,” so she decides to draw God. That’s the starting point of Drawing God, a new book authored by Church in the 21st Century Center Director Karen Kiefer that follows Emma’s attempts to draw God and the contagious effect her expression of faith has on her friends. “My hope is that people will read this
book and it will get them talking about God and how they see God, and how they see God in themselves and in others,” said Kiefer, adding that Emma’s story is grounded in positivity and possibility. In the book, Emma draws a dazzling sun, a loaf of bread, and a big red heart because she sees God as light, warmth, and love. Emma shows confidence in her God drawings even when her friends don’t see God in her artwork, said Kiefer. “It sometimes takes great courage to stand up for our faith and to stand up for what we believe.” Drawing God was officially introduced at a book launch event on Sept. 18 in Gasson 100 and is available for purchase at the BC Bookstore, as well as other Continued on page 5
A week after classes began for more than 9,000 Boston College undergraduates, a smaller group of new students were excited to begin their own BC journeys. Sixteen incarcerated men housed at the Massachusetts Correctional Institute (MCI) in Shirley, Mass., are the first cohort in Boston College’s newly launched Prison Education Program, which brings college-level liberal arts courses to inmates. Launched with generous support from an anonymous donor, the program is part of a network of prison education programs
affiliated with the Bard Prison Initiative [https://bpi.bard.edu/]. This fall, course offerings include introductory philosophy, algebra, and writing, all taught by Boston College instructors and based on curriculum taught to traditional BC students. Each course is worth three college credits. Within MCI, competition to participate in the program’s inaugural semester was fierce, said program director Isabel Lane. Nearly 100 inmates signed up to take an admission exam, and 45 finalists interviewed for a coveted seat in the classroom. Applicants were judged on
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Koh Appointed to New BC Law Endowed Chair BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
Steven Arrigg Koh, whose legal focus is the intersection of U.S. and international criminal law, has been named the inaugural Marianne D. Short and Ray Skowyra Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor at Boston College Law School. Koh joined the Boston College Law faculty this summer after completing the Associate in Law fellowship at Columbia Law School. “We are thrilled to welcome Steven Koh to BC Law,” said BC Law School Dean Vincent D. Rougeau. “His academic work in international and criminal law brings important expertise to our faculty, enhancContinued on page 4
Steven Arrigg Koh, the Marianne D. Short and Ray Skowyra Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor at BC Law. photo by lee pellegrini
Students benefit so much from speaking to alumni about their career paths and we want to do everything we can to make that process easier. – associate vp of student affairs/career services joseph du pont, page 6
ADDRESS GOES HERE
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October 10, 2019
Around Campus
University and MWRA Celebrate the Opening of Pine Tree Preserve Boston College and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority hosted a dedication ceremony on Sept. 25 to officially mark the opening of Pine Tree Preserve, a previously inaccessible four-acre parcel of land located on Thomas More Road next to the Margot Connell Recreation Center and adjacent to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. The site, owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, had been enclosed by fencing for the past 50 years. It now features pedestrian walkways, park benches, lighting, and a beautiful view of the reservoir and surrounding area. The agreement to open Pine Tree Preserve resulted from conversations between the MWRA, which has sought to open enclosed parcels of state land to the public in recent years, and Boston College, which had long viewed the fenced-in woodlands as an underutilized resource. Under the agreement, BC funded the improvements and will oversee maintenance of the property, while the MWRA will retain ownership. University President William P. Leahy, S.J., and MWRA Executive Director Frederick Laskey addressed state administrators,
University President William P. Leahy, S.J., at the Pine Tree Preserve dedication ceremony, joined by MWRA Executive Director Frederick Laskey, center, and University Vice President for Governmental and Community Affairs Thomas Keady. photo by lee pellegrini
Fifth Endeavor Program Set for Jan. 8-10 Registration began last week for Endeavor, the three-day career exploration program for Boston College sophomores and juniors that will take place on Jan. 8-10, just prior to the beginning of the spring semester. Endeavor was introduced in 2016 by the Career Center to help undergraduates gain clarity about career options and learn how to connect the value of their liberal arts education to their potential careers. During the three days, participants reflect on their skills and interests during workshops, practice networking with alumni, faculty, and staff, and take a “career trek” to various Boston companies and organizations. They are assisted by Endeavor Fellows, highly trained student leaders and former Endeavor participants who help students contemplate their experiences during the program, and empower them to reach their goals following its conclusion. The featured speaker at Endeavor 2020 will be Grace Zuncic ’05, chief people and culture officer for Chobani, who graduated from BC with a BA in philosophy and political science. Since joining Chobani six ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Jack Dunn SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Sean Smith
Snapshot
To Your Health
PHOTO BY PETER JULIAN
years ago, she has played an integral role in its industry-recognized initiatives including parental leave, employee volunteerism, and inclusion and diversity programs. Associate Vice President for Student Affairs/Career Services Joseph Du Pont and Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., also will offer remarks. More information on Endeavor at www. bc.edu/endeavor. –University Communications With National Estate Planning Awareness Week coming up Oct. 2127, the Office of Estate Planning at Boston College notes that, according to estimates, more than half of American adults lack an estate plan. To help organize your estate planning, go to bc.edu/ estateplanning to get a free Estate Planning Guide, compliments of the office. For general questions, feel free to contact the office at giftplanning@bc/edu or 877-304-SHAW.
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
The Office of Health Promotions recently held its annual Healthapalooza fair on the Plaza at O’Neill Library, offering information and resources on health and safety. Above, Luke Murphy ’20 of BC EMS gave a student instruction on how to make a tourniquet.
Christine Balquist Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan
Chronicle
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Patricia Delaney EDITOR
elected officials, local residents, and BC community members who gathered for the ceremony at the newly opened public space. “This is a place that will be increasingly special for all of us at Boston College and in our surrounding neighborhood,” said Fr. Leahy. “It is a moment where we see the benefits of an effective partnership between BC and the MWRA. I believe all of us will enjoy this space for years to come.” “I’m proud of everyone who worked on this project, and am especially grateful to Fr. Leahy for his incredible leadership and vision,” said MWRA Executive Director Frederick Laskey in his remarks. “This is a beautiful place that will be enjoyed by all members of the community.” In addition to Boston College and the MWRA, others recognized for their contributions to the project included State Representative Kevin Honan, Boston City Councilor Mark Ciommo, the McCourt Construction Co., Stephen Stimson Associates Landscape Architects, Brighton community activist Eva Webster, and members of the Boston College/Allston-Brighton Community Task Force. —University Communications
Lee Pellegrini Peter Julian
The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135 (617)552-3350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135. A flipbook edition of Chronicle is available via e-mail. Send requests to chronicle@bc.edu.
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October 10, 2019
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Sienkiewicz Earns Alpha Sigma Nu Book Award BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
Associate Professor and Chair of Communication Matthew Sienkiewicz was recognized by Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society of Jesuit colleges and universities, with a 2019 Professional Studies category award for his book, The Other Air Force: U.S. Efforts to Reshape Middle Eastern Media Since 9/11. Sienkiewicz’s book, published by Rutgers University Press in 2016, was one of four winners and the only recipient from Boston College. The other honorees represent Fordham University, Loyola University Maryland, and Santa Clara University. The Other Air Force reveals how the U.S. has poured millions of dollars into Middle Eastern television and radio programming in a post-9/11 effort to win the hearts and minds of citizens in the Muslim world, but
the media producers relying on these funds actually resist American manipulation and contribute their own political and creative agendas within existing constraints. “It’s a great honor to be recognized by Alpha Sigma Nu,” said Sienkiewicz. “The Other Air Force was a truly collaborative endeavor, one in which people across the Middle East not only participated but also helped shape the core ideas, and I’m thankful to Boston College for its generous support, without which field research in Afghanistan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories would have simply been impossible.” The judging panel, comprised of Jesuit university faculty, described The Other Air Force as “an excellent work on many fronts...[that] sits at the crossroads of media studies and international relations. It deploys a savvy theoretical concept that’s woven throughout the book and builds upon
Associate Professor Matthew Sienkiewicz, chair of the Communication Department. photo by gary wayne gilbert
an impressive level of field and interview research. It also tackles one of the defining geopolitical conflicts of the 20th century through a clever, ‘side door’ entrance of mediated creativity.” Established in 1979, the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Book Awards recognize outstanding publishing achievement at Jesuit colleges and universities in the humanities, the sciences, and professional studies. Books are judged on the basis of scholarship, significance of the topic and its continuing importance to scholars in several disciplines, mastery of extensive literature, research findings, authority in interpretation, objectivity, and readability. The 2019 competition is the award’s last; 135 books and authors from 22 Jesuit institutions have been honored over the past 40 years, including 22 BC faculty, the most of any member school.
Betancourt Speaks at Forum on Children and Armed Conflict protection: Safety from harm; Access to basic needs such as food, shelter and medical care; Family or connection to “attachment figures”; and Education and economic security. The framework has been employed by Betancourt in India, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and northern Uganda, as well as by other researchers in Haiti, Pakistan, and Lesotho. Her work in Sierra Leone remains very vibrant today, Betancourt said, with an emphasis on mental health services research and collaborations with development actors to test strategies for integrating evidence-based mental health interventions with youth entrepreneurship programs. A book recounting the experiences of Betan-
BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Boston College School of Social Work faculty member Theresa Betancourt, an internationally recognized expert in war-related childhood trauma, gave a talk on her groundbreaking research at a major global conference in Beirut in late September. Betancourt, who is the BCSSW Salem Professor in Global Practice, spoke at the International Society for Social Pediatrics & Child Health (the organization’s official acronym is ISSOP) four-day annual meeting, titled “Children in Armed Conflict: Rights, Health and Wellbeing,” attended by child health professionals from around the world. Betancourt presented a keynote address that offered perspectives from her landmark 17-year study of emotional trauma experienced by former child soldiers. Chairing the address was Nick Spencer, MD, past president of ISSOP. BCSSW Dean Gautam Yadama and Associate Professor Scott Easton also attended the ISSOP conference. ISSOP is a non-profit organization of health professionals seeking to share experiences and knowledge in social pediatrics and child health. In addition to holding its annual meeting, ISSOP issues public statements on, among other matters, the treatment of migrant children at the U.S.-Mexican border, funding of pediatricrelated initiatives or programs by the baby food industry, and the impact of austerity policies on child health and wellbeing. The aim of the conference was to provide information about the effects of children exposed to armed conflict and its impact on their physical and mental health, and to serve as a forum for how pediatricians, child health professionals, and child advocates can respond. “It was a tremendous honor to speak at the event, but also an important opportunity to bring together the various topics that had been discussed, and to look at
court and her colleagues in Sierra Leone carrying out the 17- year study is also underway. “As a faculty member from a school of social work, I appreciated having a forum in which to talk about my work, given that several health professions—pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, among others— were represented at the conference,” said Betancourt, noting that ISSOP is preparing a statement summarizing key points from the Beirut meeting. “An interdisciplinary response is sorely needed to deal with the intergenerational challenges that result from war and other situations of violence globally.”
Snapshot BC School of Social Work Salem Professor in Global Practice Theresa Betancourt. photo by
Talk of the Trade
PHOTO BY YITING CHEN
chris soldt
ways the allied health sciences could work together on them,” said Betancourt last week. “There is a critical role for pediatricians involving children in armed conflict, so the fact that ISSOP made this the conference theme indicates the importance they attach to the issue.” Betancourt’s research in Sierra Leone has been cited as the most extensive examination of post-war intergenerational relationships since studies of Holocaust survivors. She has also undertaken projects in Rwanda, Uganda, India, Ethiopia, and the Russian Federation. Betancourt is currently involved in intervention studies to help promote early childhood development and prevent violence among families in extreme poverty in Rwanda, and works with refugees in Boston and in communities around the world. She has devised her own child protection framework, SAFE, which reflects the basic and interrelated security needs and rights that are central to promoting child
WBZ News anchor Paula Ebben chatted with her fellow Class of 1989 member Jere Shea, an accomplished actor whose credits include the 2019 Showtime series “City on a Hill,” at a recent “Alumni Conversations” event held in the Bonn Studio Theater.
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October 10, 2019
BC Chemist a ‘New Innovator’
Jia Niu is first University faculty member to be honored in NIH High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program port my group in a new research direction: Developing multiplexable genomic editing tools and applying them to understand the interplay of genes in a complex gene network,” Niu said. “We anticipate that the new findings coming out from these studies could provide a deeper understanding into the gene networks and their roles in disease.” BC Professor and Chemistry Department Chairman Dunwei Wang praised the selection of Niu.
BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Jia Niu has received a $2.3 million National Institutes of Health Director’s New Innovator Award, part of the NIH’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program, which funds highly innovative biomedical or behavioral research proposed by extraordinarily creative scientists. “I am honored and very grateful for the generous support from NIH through the New Innovator Award, as well as to Boston College and my department for providing me the opportunity and encouragement in developing my research program,” said Niu, the first BC researcher to be selected for a High-Risk, High-Reward New Innovator grant. “I would also like to thank the postdocs and graduate and undergraduate students in my group whose hard and creative work made this award possible.” The High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program catalyzes scientific discovery by supporting research proposals that, due to their inherent risk, may struggle in the traditional peer review process despite their transformative potential, according to the NIH. Program applicants are encouraged to think in new ways and to pursue trailblazing ideas in any area of research relevant to the NIH mission. At Boston College, the Niu lab conducts interdisciplinary research centered on creating precision functional macromolecules to address the pressing needs in biomedicine, materials, and environmental sciences. Earlier this year, Niu was one of 10 researchers from across the U.S. to be named a Beckman Foundation Young In-
“This NIH award and other honors Jia recently received highlight the creativity and promise Jia has shown as an early-stage researcher,” said Wang. “This recognition is most deserved. My colleagues and I are extremely proud of his achievements. Jia’s research in the general area of health not only contributes significantly to the strategic priority of our department, but also plays an important role in the ongoing initiatives of BC’s Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society.”
Asst. Prof. Jia Niu (Chemistry) says his research “could provide a deeper understanding into gene networks and their roles in disease.” photo by peter julian
vestigator, which carries with it a four-year, $600,000 grant to support the chemist’s research into sustainably-oriented polymers. He is also the recipient of a Thieme Chemistry Journals Award. Currently, Niu is working to develop a new platform technology for creating new sustainable polymers with precisely controlled backbone structures, thereby generating novel materials that can selfassemble, become elastic, or respond to external stimuli. With the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, Niu said his team will expand his research agenda through the project “Development of Compact CRISPR Editors for Multiplexed Editing of Complex Gene Networks.” “The funding from this award will sup-
Stokes Hall was the venue for an informal discussion on life sciences and health professions held last month as part of the “Professors, Pastries, and Professions” series. The receptions, sponsored by the Academic Advising Center and the Career Center, offer an opportunity for students, faculty members, administrators—including Maureen Simmons, director of prehealth programs in the Academic Advising Center, above—and Career Center staff to socialize and talk about interests outside of the classroom. photo by lee pellegrini
Koh an Expert on International, Criminal Law Continued from page 1
ing our scholarly profile and curricular coverage in this important area. Additionally, Steve’s professional experience prior to entering the academy offers our community an important example of the challenging and inspiring work lawyers can do through public service careers. Steve has already provided great support and mentorship to our students interested in government service and public interest law.” “I am incredibly honored and humbled to serve as the inaugural Marianne D. Short and Ray Skowyra Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor at Boston College Law School,” said Koh. “As a new member of this academic community, I look forward to contributing to its remarkable scholarly and educational mission.” Koh teaches and writes in the areas of criminal law and procedure, international law, and legal theory. His publications have appeared in journals such as New York University Law Review, Cornell Law Review, and Columbia Journal of Transnational Law. As a contributor to the Just Security law blog, he also provides analysis on U.S. criminal cases with a foreign nex-
us—an emerging area that he has termed “foreign affairs prosecutions.” At BC Law, he is teaching Criminal Procedure this fall and Criminal Law in the spring. A former trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, he advised U.S. federal and state prosecutors on international, criminal, and constitutional legal issues arising in U.S. criminal cases with transnational dimensions. At DOJ, he also served as counsel to the deputy assistant attorney general and counselor for international affairs, and participated in multilateral meetings of attorneys general and justice ministers of the Organization of American States. During this time, Koh also taught international and transnational criminal law as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center. His international legal experience spans multiple continents, highlighted by positions in two prominent international criminal courts in The Hague, the Netherlands. As a visiting professional at the International Criminal Court, he advised the legal adviser to the ICC Presidency on matters such as
the enforcement of sentence agreements with states party to the Rome Statute of the ICC. Secondly, as an associate legal officer at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, he served in Chambers on the Prosecutor v. Radovan Karadžić trial, one of the capstone cases in the tribunal’s prosecutorial history of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. Additional international experiences include service as visiting scholar at Seoul National University; study at the Cornell Summer Institute in International & Comparative Law at Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris; representation of the Robert F. Kennedy Center of Human Rights before the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; and human rights research in Colombia, co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy. He has also been senior fellow and interim-attorney editor at the American Society of International Law in Washington, D.C., and a law clerk for Carolyn Dineen King of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Koh earned his JD from Cornell Law School, where he served as senior article editor of the Cornell Law Review. In 2019, Cornell awarded him the Law School Alumni Exemplary Public Service Award for “commitment to the highest standards of public service.” He earned an AB degree cum laude from Harvard College and an M.Phil degree in Social and Developmental Psychology from the University of Cambridge. He is currently a member of the bar in New York, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. In 2014, an anonymous BC alumnus sparked the creation of the Sesquicentennial Challenge Gift initiative by offering to match $500,000 for every $1 million donated by other benefactors to create the $1.5-million endowments required to fund an assistant professorship. Designed to support junior faculty research and early-career development, the Marianne D. Short and Ray Skowyra Sesquicentennial Assistant Professorship was established in 2017 through a gift from Short, NC ’73, JD ’76, who is executive vice president and chief legal officer at UnitedHealth Group.
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October 10, 2019
Journalist Gayle King to Speak at CWBC Colloquium on Oct. 17 Award-winning television journalist Gayle King, a co-host of “CBS This Morning” and editor-at-large of O, the Oprah Magazine, will speak at the annual Council for Women of Boston College Colloquium on Oct. 17 at 5 p.m. in Robsham Theater. The CWBC Colloquium is free and open to the public. Seating is available on a firstcome, first-served basis. Following the lecture, Associate Professor of English Angela Ards, director of the University’s interdisciplinary journalism minor, will moderate a Q&A with King. Launched in 2015, the CWBC Colloquium hosts exceptional thought leaders to consider contemporary issues through the lens of women’s leadership. The colloquium is made possible by the Council for Women of Boston College and the Institute for the Liberal Arts. Since joining CBS News in 2011, King has interviewed world leaders, political figures, and other newsmakers for all CBS News broadcasts and platforms. Her interviewees include Barack and Michelle Obama, Beto O’Rourke, Paul Ryan, Tina Turner, Cher, Taylor Swift, Dave Chappelle, R. Kelly, Elizabeth Smart, and Dylan Farrow, among many others. King also contributed to CBS News’ election night coverage in 2014, 2016, and 2018. She has reported from across the country, including from Newtown, Conn., in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and from the U.S.-Mexican border. She has won three Emmy Awards and was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in 2018. She has been honored with the American Women in Radio and Television Gracie Award for Outstanding Radio Talk Show and the New York Women in Communications’ Matrix Award. Earlier
“CBS This Morning” co-host Gayle King.
this year, Time magazine selected King for the TIME 100, its annual list of the most influential people in the world. King previously hosted “The Gayle King Show,” a live, weekday television interview program on OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. The program, which featured a discussion of a broad variety of topics, was also broadcast on XM Satellite Radio. Before moving into print and radio, King worked for 18 years as a television news anchor for CBS affiliate WFSB-TV in Hartford, and at television stations in Kansas City, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. Established in 2002, the Council for Women of Boston College is dedicated to furthering the roles of women as leaders and active participants in the University. The CWBC seeks to help shape the University’s future and to support its mission through the engagement of the women of Boston College. –Kathleen Sullivan
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Prison Education Program Continued from page 1
“promise, passion, and intellectual curiosity,” Lane said. “Ultimately what that results in is a really interesting mix of people,” she said. “For some, it’s been years since they’ve been in a classroom, while others have just taken a math class several months ago.” Recent years have seen a rise in prison education programs, with support coming from both sides of the political aisle. A soon-to-be-released Ken Burns documentary series, “College Behind Bars,” shines a spotlight on the Bard Prison Initiative and the power of higher education to combat America’s “criminal justice crisis.” To Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, a formal prison education program seemed like a natural extension of BC’s Jesuit Catholic tradition. “If you study the history of the Jesuits, there’s so much evidence of remarkable work being done in prison settings,” he said. “Some of the most inspiring Jesuits I’ve met around the world and on the BC campus are men who are living out their vocation working with the incarcerated.” The University already has plans to expand the program. Courses in history, theology, and literature will be added in the spring, and a second cohort of students will be admitted next fall. Within a few years, Quigley hopes the program will be fully accredited, allowing MCI students to earn a Boston College diploma. “Our goal is to make this program not just a few classes or a few discrete experiences,” he said. “We want it to be a degree program.” So far, said Lane, that level of commitment has been matched by MCI students, many of whom have begun following BC sports and hatching plans to paint a mural of the BC logo on the classroom wall.
Isabel Lane, director of BC’s prison education program at MCI-Shirley. photo by lee pellegrini
“It’s been so fun to see them identify as BC freshmen,” she said. “When the door closes and your class starts, it’s not MCIShirley, it’s Boston College.” Excitement has also been growing among BC faculty, including Assistant Professor of the Practice of Philosophy Cherie McGill, who teaches the program’s Intro to Philosophy class. Bringing the educational opportunities of BC to students normally excluded from higher education is gratifying work that serves the common good, she said. “Education has the power to reshape a life, and with that comes the potential for our graduates to contribute great value to their communities,” she said. “These students bring such talent and dedication to their work, and I have every expectation that they will go on to do great things.” —Alix Hackett is a senior digital content writer in the Office of University Communications
C21 Director Kiefer Publishes New Book, Drawing God Continued from page 1
booksellers, including Amazon. Paraclete Press [www.christianbook.com], which published Drawing God, offers a discount on book orders of three or more. Nov. 7 has been designated as World Drawing God Day, said Kiefer. Individuals, families, religious education classes, and Catholic schoolchildren are encouraged to draw their own pictures of God and post them online using the hashtag #drawinggod. Kiefer acknowledged that adults as well as children can find talking about God uncomfortable. In response, she said, “we need to get more comfortable with being uncomfortable. That’s when we open our minds and hearts to God and faith. Each one of us sees God differently, and that’s the beauty and the gift. I also think God looks different during different stages of our lives.” Though the word “Ignatian” is never used in Drawing God, she said, readers familiar with Ignatian spirituality will recognize a connection to the Jesuit idea of “finding God in all things.” Jesuit priest and bestselling author
Karen Kiefer at the launch of Drawing God: “My hope is that people will read this book and it will get them talking about God and how they see God, and how they see God in themselves and in others.” photo by lee pellegrini
James Martin, S.J., praised Drawing God as “a charming and inspiring book that will help children and their parents begin to understand the beauty and mystery of God.” Kirkus Reviews calls Drawing God a “welcome book about children’s relationships with God.”
“I hope readers have really treasured conversations as a result of Emma’s story,” said Kiefer, who envisions parents and grandparents reading the book to the children in their lives. Kiefer said her daughter Emma, a Boston College senior, was her muse. She
even shared images from when Emma was younger with the book’s illustrator, Kathy DeWit, with whom she collaborated on an earlier book, The Misfit Sock. Kiefer also hopes the book, which begins with Emma’s imagination being invigorated by a school field trip to a museum, serves as a reminder of how important the arts are, especially in youth education. Drawing God is the Church in the 21st Century Center’s first children’s book. It joins other C21 books, events—such as Agape Latte, Espresso your Faith, and Faith Feeds—and C21 Resources as catalysts for conversations about faith. For more about Drawing God and related events, see c21engage.org.
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October 10, 2019
Online Mentoring Platform Links BC Students, Alumni Boston College’s ever-expanding global reach now extends to an online mentoring platform that links Boston College undergraduate and graduate students with alumni worldwide. Eagle Exchange, a collaboration between the Boston College Alumni Association and the Career Center, facilitates careerrelated connections, conversations, and networking by providing alumni the opportunity to share professional expertise and serve as a resource for both students and fellow alumni. “Eagle Exchange will be the touchpoint connecting the talents and good will among our nearly 183,000 alumni throughout the world,” said Alumni Association Board of Directors President Kevin McLaughlin ’78. “It incorporates superior best-in-class technology to introduce, connect, build and maintain impactful relationships between students and alumni—and among alumni themselves—for meaningful ongoing career and personal development. The Alumni Association is very pleased to collaborate with the Career Center on this important offering.”
With alumni representation in some 145 countries, the platform has enormous potential to help students and alumni build a community of personalized career support, according to its architects. “We are thrilled that Eagle Exchange is a space where the global BC network will come alive through professional conversations, connections, and mentorship,” said BC Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations Leah M. DeCosta. “Our alumni have always expressed an interest in giving back by way of supporting current students as mentors, and
we anticipate an overwhelmingly strong response from our alumni to join Eagle Exchange. We are now able to provide our alumni the opportunity to engage in a more meaningful way by sharing their career journeys and experiences with not only current students, but fellow alumni.“ Through Eagle Exchange, alumni participants select the ways to engage, whether serving as a mentor, sharing industry
University President William P. Leahy, S.J., with new Board of Regents chairs Susan Martinelli Shea and Marc Seidner, and former chair John Fish.
New Leadership for Board of Regents The Boston College Board of Regents, formed in 2017 to advise the University President and Board of Trustees on strategic priorities and matters essential to the University’s future, has announced a leadership change, as inaugural chair John Fish P’13, ’18 completed his term and was succeeded by Marc Seidner ’88 and Susan Martinelli Shea ’76. All three are current University trustees. Seidner, managing director and CIO of non-traditional strategies for PIMCO, has more than three decades of investment experience. A frequent participant in the Carroll School of Management Finance Conference, he moderated a discussion with Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President and CEO Robert Steven Kaplan this year; at past conferences, he has taken part in a panel on global investment and led a Q&A with VISA Inc. Chief Executive Officer Alfred F. Kelly Jr. He also has been a featured speaker at the Winston Center for Leadership’s “Lunch with a Leader” series. During the past year, Seidner committed a gift to endow the executive directorship of the University’s Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society. Shea is founder and president of Dancing with the Students, a non-profit organization that offers ballroom dance instruction to students in grades five through
nine in the Philadelphia area, to promote respect, civility, exercise, and enjoyment; a group of students in the program performed for Pope Francis during his 2015 visit to the U.S. The mother of a 2004 BC graduate, Shea made a gift establishing the Charles F. Donovan, S.J., Deanship in the Lynch School of Education. The 98-member Board of Regents, which will hold its annual campus meeting Nov. 14 and 15, provides opportunities for alumni, current and former BC parents, and friends of BC to serve as University ambassadors and thought leaders. Regents are selected on the basis of their professional, charitable, and civic pursuits, and for their capacity to bring diverse and unique perspectives to the work of the University. They are expected to experience and model practices of reflection and discernment, and to prioritize philanthropic support of the University. In addition to participating in periodic conference calls and off-campus experiences, regents serve on advisory committees, each working with a senior administrator or academic leader and focused on a priority area of the University. The committees are Financial Aid, Formation, Global Engagement, Integrated Science and Society, and Leadership Development. –University Communications
insights, discussing work/life balance, or helping with resume or interview preparation. BC staff members are also invited to join the community. Once alumni complete profiles, students and other alumni may view them and reach out to ask a question or request a conversation. Participants can expand their networks by making direct connections, gain valuable perspective from the global BC community, and make career-related queries through industry and affinity groups. Associate Vice President for Career Services Joseph Du Pont underscores the value of Eagle Exchange in connecting students online to the power of the BC alumni community. “Students benefit so much from speaking to alumni about their career paths and we want to do everything we can to make that process easier. We have been looking for a way to scale student access to alumni worldwide for career advice, and Eagle Exchange helps us do that without losing the personal component of these relationships,” said Du Pont. “That was important to us.” Carroll School of Management sopho-
more Bijoy Shah likens Eagle Exchange to a LinkedIn for Boston College students. “Not only do I get all the features of LinkedIn,” said Shah, “but I can also join groups and discussions particular to my interests and get advice from alumni. The best part about Eagle Exchange is that it is just within the Boston College community. I’ll be making the most of it, and I highly recommend it to any BC student who needs career advice.” Alumni will be eager to embrace Eagle Exchange, predicted BCAA Board Vice President Ileana Jiménez Garcîa ’87. “BC alumni were ‘paying it forward’ before the term was coined. We have some of the most engaged and active alumni in the country. It’s a blessing and a tribute to the sense of community instilled in us by our alma mater. Eagle Exchange is a great way to continue to live in service to others and stay involved with the University, using the tools of our digital age.” For more information on the Eagle Exchange, and to access the registration process for participants, see bc.edu/eagle exchange. –University Communications
BC Introducing Palliative Care Certificate Program Boston College is launching a new interdisciplinary Palliative Care Certificate Program for graduate students this fall, thanks to a collaboration between the Connell School of Nursing, BC School of Social Work, and School of Theology and Ministry. The 12-credit program is designed to provide future social workers, nurses, and ministers with the skills, knowledge, and interdisciplinary expertise they will need to care for people and families who are living with serious illnesses. Palliative care, which aims to ease suffering and optimize quality of life for these people and families, is one of the fastest growing fields in U.S. health care. According to research by Cambia Health Foundation, approximately 90 million Americans live with serious illnesses, and this number is expected to double in the next 25 years. Hospitals and universities are responding to this growing need—a 2018 report by the Center to Advance Palliative Care indicates that the number of hospitals with palliative care programs has nearly tripled since the year 2000. To obtain a certificate, BC students must take at least two program-specific interdisciplinary courses—on topics such as Interdisciplinary Leadership in Palliative Care and Responses to Suffering in Serious Illness, Death, and Dying—as well as two other related elective courses from the Connell School, BCSSW, or STM. The certificate’s eight-member advisory board is directed by Connell School Clinical Associate Professor Susan DeSanto-Madeya, a Cambia Foundation National Palliative Care Sojourns Scholar Leader. Palliative care
is inherently interdisciplinary and comprehensive, she said, because it involves tending to “the full range of patients’ emotional, physical, spiritual, and social needs. As nurses, we need to call on the expertise of social workers and pastoral care providers, just as they need to call on our expertise as nurses. It’s a team approach to care.” BCSSW Associate Professor Tina Matz, who serves as chair of the Older Adults and Families field of practice and teaches the course Practice with Older Adults in Home and Community Settings, noted that social workers’ training makes them uniquely equipped to address the social and emotional needs that can accompany illness. “When people become seriously ill, it’s not just about how changes in health have changed their bodies but also how it has changed their lives,” said Matz, who added that the new certificate program will train BCSSW students to help patients with changes in their relationships, friendships, and home lives. In similar fashion, STM Associate Professor Melissa Kelley is hopeful that the certificate program will open doors for STM students preparing for careers in pastoral care. “Many of our students consider the possibility of health care ministry when they leave the STM,” she said, “so this is tremendous preparation for what they may do after.” In the larger scheme of things, Kelley sees the certificate program as representative of Boston College’s “commitment to interdisciplinary education.” Read more at https://on.bc.edu/palliative —Boston College School of Social Work
Chronicle
October 10, 2019
WELCOME ADDITIONS
Students, BCDS Aid St. Francis House
An Introduction to New Faculty at Boston College Andrey Malenko
Hanno Foerster
Assistant Professor of Economics, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: University of Bonn (MSc, BSc), University of Mannheim (PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Labor and Family Economics, Applied Microeconomics. WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Econometrics; Labor Economics.
You work on labor economics and family economics. How are these two fields connected?
“My two research areas may at first seem like an unusual combination, but in fact combining labor and family economics is quite fruitful. Many labor market decisions are made within families, such as how much to work or whether to relocate for a job. At the same time, family decisions are typically high-stakes decisions: whom to marry, whether to have another child, or whether to get divorced. These decisions have substantial economic consequences, which in part depend on labor market prospects and economic policy. Taking into account families when studying labor markets can lead to some interesting new answers to classic questions in labor economics. Some topics immediately related to family decisionmaking can be studied using tools from labor economics. “In one of my projects, I use an economic model together with micro-data to study how alimony and child support affect economic decisions and well-being of married couples and divorcees. I find child support payments work well in supporting low-earning single parents, while alimony payments are less successful in providing insurance, as they pose severe work disincentives for both alimony payer and receiver.”
Angie Johnston
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Morrissey College of Arts and Science DEGREES: University of Texas at Dallas (BS, BA); Yale University (MPhil., MS, PhD) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Evolutionary origins of human teaching and learning WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Mind of a Dog: How Canine Cognition Informs Human Psychology
You investigate the origins of human teaching and learning by comparing human learning to that of domesticated dogs. In what ways do dogs demonstrate similarities to humans in their capacity to learn, and why are dogs an ideal species for testing these questions?
“Dogs learn from us in a way that is highly similar to that of human children. For instance, young puppies will follow human pointing to find a hidden treat—a skill that even our closest primate relatives do not share. Moreover, this is a skill that dogs have picked up over domestication given that non-domesticated canids, like wolves, do not follow human pointing. This makes dogs an ideal species for tracing the origins of human learning because we can explore how these traits evolved across domestication with humans.”
University (PhD)
7
Associate Professor of Finance, Carroll School of Management DEGREES: National Research University, Moscow (BSc, MSc); New Economic School (MA); Stanford
WHAT HE STUDIES: Corporate finance;
corporate governance; auction theory; economics of information; optimal financing of firms facing significant uncertainty and the design of corporate governance regulation. WHAT HE TEACHES: Corporate Finance
How do you share your interest in corporate finance through your teaching?
“I am passionate about teaching how to deal with applied practical problems in corporate finance. Whenever possible, I tie in the concepts to academic research, including my own work. For example, when I teach the concept of leveraged buyouts, I tell students about my research on mergers and acquisitions.”
Alejandro OlayoMéndez, S.J.
Assistant Professor, Boston College School of Social Work DEGREES: Universidad Pontificia de Mexico (BA); Universidad Iberoamericana (BA); Loyola University Chicago (MSW); Boston College (MDiv); University of Oxford (MSc, PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Migration, refugees, and humanitarian interventions. WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Migration and Refugee Issues; Social Welfare.
Migration has become one of the most divisive issues of our age. What will help us better understand it?
“It’s critical to inform and educate yourself and others. There are several myths around migration that need dispelling: For example, migration is not a problem and recent migration patterns are not an invasion— global migration has remained around three percent in the last four decades. Research shows that migrants do not drain the resources of the host country and are less likely to use social services. The largest number of irregular migrants comes not from irregular crossings but from people who overstay their visas. For all the talk about coming to the U.S. the ‘right way,’ the requirements and processes are so lengthy and costly for poor people that it is almost impossible to do so. “The U.S. is one of the richest countries in the world. In spite of all the challenges and inequalities, people living here have many more opportunities to better their lives than people in other countries. We need to consider if our standing challenges us to reflect on the responsibilities we have towards others. As Pope Francis says, migration is more than an issue, it is about people. The way we encounter migrants and refugees will speak volumes of our own values.”
—Phil Gloudemans, Ed Hayward, Rosanne Pellegrini, Sean Smith photos by peter julian and lee pellegrini
Boston College students and BC Dining Services have partnered to donate 1,015 pounds of food to St. Francis House in Boston, the largest day shelter in Massachusetts, through student-organized point drives that raised $250,000 last year. The donation helped to pay for four main meals and two breakfasts for each of the 500 homeless and indigent men and women who visit the Boylston Street facility each day. Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services Pat Bando praised the students for their generosity and the staff at BC Dining and Auxiliary Services for volunteering their time to deliver the food. “BC students asked if we could help St. Francis House because so many of them volunteer there,” said Bando. “This is what BC is all about. We teach our students
OBITUARY
Alexis Anderson, Retired Law Prof. Associate Clinical Professor Emerita Alexis Anderson, who taught future lawyers in a variety of settings during her 36 years on the Boston College Law School faculty, died on Sept. 20 at the age of 68. Professor Anderson’s academic work included serving as a clinical supervisor and, for five years, director at the Boston College Legal Services Bureau—known as “LAB,” and now part of the school’s Center for Experiential Learning—which provides civil representation to low-income clients in the greater Boston community. She also taught first-year experiential courses and classes on professional responsibility and legal history. Her clinical teaching included courses in BC Law and University programs in London, Paris, Beijing and Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Professor Anderson also was a project director for the State Department’s Fulbright Summer Institute for International Scholars, a six-week graduate-level course for foreign university professors. Professor Anderson authored numerous publications and presentations, principally in the field of clinical legal education. She retired from BC Law this past June. Professor Anderson is survived by her husband, Alexander A. Notopoulos Jr.; their daughters, Andrea and Margaret; and a sister-in-law, Patricia Notopoulos. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date. Donations can be made in her memory to benefit the Boston College Legal Services LAB via the BC Law Advancement Office, Cadigan Alumni Center, 2121 Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton, MA 02135, or at www.bc.edu/givelaw (select “Other” and designate Law-BC Legal Services LAB under “I wish to make my gift to”). Read an appreciation of Alexis Anderson in BC Law Magazine at lawmagazine. bc.edu/2019/09/shes-in-our-dna. —University Communications
to be giving and to use their skills to help others, and they always respond. They are very generous, and our staff in Dining Services and Auxiliary Services were pleased to work with them as the vessel to deliver their donations in the form of food.” Each year, BC Dining budgets for up to $250,000 in donations through point drives conducted with student groups selected by BC’s Volunteer and Service Learning Center, Bando said. St. Francis House, open 365 days a year, serves 210,000 meals annually to Boston’s most vulnerable population. Since its founding in 1984, it has had a deep connection to Boston College, particularly through the University’s PULSE and 4Boston student placements. Seth Green, kitchen manager at St. Francis House, lauded BC students and Dining Services staff for their efforts. “Your donation not only helped with our costs, but allowed us to make high-quality meals for our guests,” said Green. “They are as excited as we are.” –Jack Dunn
Jobs The following are among the most recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/offices/hr: Research Associate, Academic Affairs/Provost Director, Event Management, Dining and Catering/Auxiliary/Public Safety Resident Director, Student Affairs/Residential Life Senior Integrated Security System Technician, Dining and Catering/Auxiliary/ Public Safety Assistant Director, Financial Aid, Academic Affairs Development Assistant, University Advancement Communications Specialist, Center for Retirement Research, Academic Affairs/ Provost Senior Research Consultant, Information Technology Engineering Projects Manager, Facilities/ Trades Systems Manager, Academic Affairs/Provost Assistant Manager, Dining Services, Dining and Catering/Auxiliary/Public Safety Director, Institutional Research Intern, Business Administration, Athletics Housing Assignments Specialist, Student Affairs/Residential Life Graduate Programs Assistant, Academic Affairs/Provost Report Writer, University Advancement Tenure-Track Professor in Computer Science, Academic Affairs/Provost
Chronicle
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October 10, 2019
Campus Arts
Fair Playing
Tommy Sands brings his music of peace, reconciliation, and social justice to BC BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Northern Irish singer-songwriter and activist Tommy Sands, who has used music to promote peace, reconciliation, and social justice—especially during Northern Ireland’s “Troubles”—will perform at Boston College on Oct. 16 as part of Boston College’s Gaelic Roots series. The concert, which is free and open to the public, takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Theology and Ministry Library on Brighton Campus. A native of County Down who recently released his 10th album, “Fair Play to You All,” Sands also has appeared on recordings with his family as well as other performers, including renowned folk singers Joan Baez and Pete Seeger, who called Sands “the most powerful songwriter in Ireland, if not the rest of the world.” His songwriting has drawn praise from such luminaries as Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney and former Irish President Mary McAleese, and a number of his songs, notably “There Were Roses” and “Daughters and Sons,” have become standards in the folk music community and beyond—some are even included in the English language syllabus for German secondary schools. Although he has performed on stages throughout many parts of the world, Sands also is famous for bringing his music into unlikely settings as a means of advocacy and inspiration. In 1986, he organized a “Citizens Assembly” of artists and literary figures to call for peace in Northern
“I was really singing about people’s hopes and dreams before I had consciousness about them,” says Tommy Sands, who performs at BC next week. “I learned that music connected the secret and sacred things between us all.”
Ireland. Twelve years later, he brought together several musicians (including Vedran Smailovic, known as the “Cellist of Sarajevo”) along with schoolchildren from Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic for a “sing-in” to help galvanize the negotiations that resulted in the Good Friday Agreement; one Northern Irish politician described it as “a defining moment in the peace process.” In 2002, Sands got members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to record a special Christmas feature for his radio show, prompting one legislator to remark that Sands “is the only man, without a private army, who can intimidate me.” In recent years, he has taught songwrit-
BC Scenes
Pops on the Heights
The 27th annual Pops on the Heights Barbara and Jim Cleary Scholarship Gala, held Sept. 27 in Conte Forum, raised $12.3 million for the Boston College Scholarship Fund in support of students in need of financial assistance. In addition to Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra (bottom), this year’s event featured "Hamilton" Tony and Grammy Award-winning performer Leslie Odom Jr. (near right), who performed a number from the show and a set of jazz and popular songs. Student participants included the Boston College Marching Band, the University Chorale, and soloist Natalie Marsan ’21 (center, top).
PHOTOS BY GRETCHEN ERTL AND CAITLIN CUNNINGHAM
ing to underprivileged prisoners in Nevada as a tool to help them defend themselves in court, aided interfaith initiatives in the Middle East, and collaborated on a theatrical production in which survivors of The Troubles—including people who lost loved ones to violence, and a former British soldier who served two tours in Northern Ireland—tell their own stories. “I was really singing about people’s hopes and dreams before I had consciousness about them,” said Sands, in an interview earlier this year with the Boston Irish Reporter. “It all just happened naturally, organically: Neighbors came from both sides—Catholic or Protestant—to hear my
dad and mom make music, and their feet all tapped to the same rhythm. I learned that music connected the secret and sacred things between us all.” Perhaps his most iconic composition, “There Were Roses,” is based on a true story: When a Protestant friend of Sands was killed by Republican paramilitaries, Loyalists retaliated by killing a Catholic who, as it turned out, had been a friend of the earlier victim. In the song, Sands personalized the human cost of conflicts like The Troubles, not only to individuals but their communities, as expressed in the chorus: “And the tears of the people ran together.” “Tommy is truly extraordinary,” said Brian O’Donovan, host of WGBH’s “A Celtic Sojourn.” “Whenever I see him live, I feel I am at a concert, rally, and therapy session, and visiting with a favorite cousin, all at the same time.” O’Donovan recalled leading a WGBHsponsored tour that included a stop in County Down, where the group heard Sands sing “There Were Roses”: “There were tears in the audience—many had not even heard of Tommy before that night. Tommy recounted someone asking him once why he sang songs that made people sad. His response was, ‘I don’t sing to make you sad, I sing them to take the sadness out of you.’ There was a collective recognition in the room that they were witnessing something very profound. Whenever I meet one of the many people who have toured with me over the years, that concert is probably what they remember most.”