Boston College Chronicle

PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

OCTOBER 24, 2019 VOL. 27 NO. 5

Class of 2023 Profile

INSIDE

‘Remarkably Diverse and Talented’

2 Around Campus

C-SPAN visits historian’s class; Affiliates Program marks 20th year.

3 Neuroscience series

Major symposium highlights “Neursocience in the Liberal Arts.”

BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

8 BC Global

Fulbright scholar from Ireland working in Woods College of Advancing Studies cybersecurity program.

An Eye for Mystery

photo by lee pellegrini

There was intrigue aplenty in Robsham Theater earlier this month, as the Theatre Department staged a production of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Nile.” More photos on page 8.

Boston College has enrolled the most talented and diverse class in its 156-year history, thanks to the 2,297 undergraduates officially registered in the Class of 2023, according to admission and enrollment management statistics.

Accepted from a total of 35,552 applicants—the highest number in University history—the first-year class comes from 45

Continued on page 3

OBITUARY

Lai Named Boston College Mourns Alberto Godenzi Buehler Prof. Former BCSSW dean, 66, was key figure in University’s global engagement efforts

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Betty S. Lai, a member of the Lynch School of Education and Human Development’s Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology faculty, was named the second Buehler Family Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor, announced Stanton E. F. Wortham, the Charles F. Donovan, S.J. Dean at the Lynch School.

She succeeded colleague David Miele, now an associate professor in applied developmental and educational psychology and director of the doctoral program in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology at the Lynch School.

Lai, who came to BC in 2018 after five years as an assistant professor at Georgia State University’s School of Public Health, and two years as a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Pediatrics and Psychology at the University of Miami—where she Continued on page 4

Alberto Godenzi, who brought vitality and world vision to Boston College as dean of its school of social work and through his leadership as University vice provost of global engagement, died on Sunday from complications after a three-month battle with leukemia. He was 66.

A memorial Mass for Dr. Godenzi will be held tomorrow at 10 a.m. at St. Ignatius Church in Chestnut Hill.

During the 14 years Dr. Godenzi served as its dean, the BC School of Social Work achieved international prominence, rising to 10th in the US News rankings of social work schools and programs. Applications for the BCSSW Master’s Degree in Social Work program rose from 400 to 1,200, and the school’s AHANA representation increased from 10 percent to 40 percent.

The school simultaneously attracted a national pool of top graduate students for its MSW and PhD programs. In addition, faculty publications rose steadily, and re-

Alberto Godenzi

photo by suzanne camarata

search funding quadrupled.

A native of Switzerland who was fluent in five languages, Dr. Godenzi pursued interests in comprehensive internationalization—leveraging the dynamic interplay between strategic global partnerships, internationalizing learning, faculty global engagement, and student mobility. His research focused on violence against women, and he was part of the Council of Europe’s Group of Specialists for Combating Violence Against Women.

As BCSSW dean, he incorporated innovation and entrepreneurship into the curriculum, resulting in the creation of nationally recognized programs such as the Latinx Leadership Initiative, the Center for Social Innovation, the Immigrant Integration Lab, and the Global Practice Program, helping brand the school as a leader in pioneering responsiveness to emerging social issues. He also attracted the attention of

Continued on page 4

I’m equally concerned about the damage that has already been done—to our civic discourse and our ability to live as a pluralistic nation—by the way that Brexit has been debated so far.

– joseph mccrave, doctoral student in theology, page 5

Chronicle

2

October 24, 2019

Around Campus

BC Professor to Appear on C-SPAN’s ‘Lectures in History’ Series The Vietnam War inherited by Lyndon B. Johnson when he became president was not a conflict he sought or embraced, or one he felt comfortable leading, according to Professor of History Seth Jacobs, particularly since it distracted him from his domestic passion: building the Great Society.

Jacobs shared his insights about Johnson and the tumultuous, misunderstood war earlier this month during a session of his class, Vietnam: America’s War at Home and Abroad, that was filmed by C-SPAN’s American History TV (AHTV) division, as part of its “Lectures in History” series. Launched in 2011, AHTV provides history aficionados with 48 hours of weekend programming that examines the people and events that document the complete American story.

Recent shows included a lecture on Herbert Hoover’s World War I relief work and a tour of the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibit “Votes for Women.”

As the cameras rolled during the class, Jacobs described how Johnson was intimidated by the highly educated and erudite members of his cabinet—all Kennedy Administration holdovers—and flummoxed by a battle over 9,000 miles from his humble, Stonewall, Tex., farm home. Afraid of appearing weak and clumsy with foreign policy, Jacobs explained, and already driven by a domineer-

C-SPAN filming Seth Jacobs’s class lecture on Vietnam earlier this month. photo by lee pellegrini

ing, aggressive personality, Johnson escalated the American military force in Southeast Asia, resulting not in victory but in soaring casualties, and an ensuing angry antiwar movement on college campuses and cities throughout the U.S. “‘Lectures in History’ allows our viewers to go into college classrooms around the country on a weekly basis to hear lectures on a variety of American history topics,” said

Russell Logan, producer at AHTV. “Because these are real classes, they look and feel a bit different than many of our other programs, which are often talks or panels taped at public venues. Our viewers have responded positively to the series, and the ‘Lectures in History’ page at our website is one of most visited on a weekly basis. We also podcast these classroom tapings and it is the most downloaded of the C-SPAN podcasts.”

Jacobs’s class was recommended for AHTV taping by more than one source, noted Logan, but it was the 20th century U.S. political and cultural historian’s first “on-camera” lecture experience.

“I’m very glad they decided to go with the Johnson/Tonkin Gulf lecture because that functions better as a ‘stand-alone’ piece than most of my Vietnam War talks,” said Jacobs, who teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in American military and diplomatic history, the Cold War, and America in the 1950s, in addition to the Vietnam War. “I thought the C-SPAN folks were remarkably thorough and professional.”

Jacobs’s History Department colleague Professor Heather Cox Richardson was the subject of an AHTV program in April 2016, when she was filmed giving a lecture on the new roles women assumed in the workforce and in politics during the late 19th century.

She was the first BC professor to have a class documented by C-SPAN. Logan said Jacobs’s class will debut on Jan. 4 at 8 p.m. and midnight on C-SPAN 3, available in 49 million digital cable households. Once the program appears, the full video will be available on the AHTV website, c-span.org/history.

—Phil Gloudemans

Affiliates Program Enters Third Decade Marking its 20th year, Boston College’s University Affiliates Program is preparing for a new cohort of 14 employees that will begin the professional development series in November.

Administered by the Department of Human Resources Office for Institutional Diversity (OID), the Affiliates Program aims to enable members of underrepresented groups to enrich their professional skills and build connections with colleagues throughout the University. Through the program, African American, LatinX, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Native American professional staff have opportunities to expand their understanding of critical issues in higher education.

The group meets nine times throughout the academic year to get a broader view of the University’s work and mission, develop career and leadership skills, and hear from University leaders about their roles and responsibilities. Affiliates also are paired with a mentor— either a member of senior leadership or an alumnus of the Affiliates Program—whom they meet once a month.

One hundred and 85 employees have ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Jack Dunn SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

completed the program since its inception and 130 are still with the University.

A member of last year’s cohort, Fabiola Aguilera, assistant director for communication and events in the Roche Center for Catholic Education, said the program gave her a better understanding of the mission of the University. “It helps to feel like you are part of something bigger and it gives more purpose to your work.”

“We want folks in this program to feel like they are part of the BC community in every way,” said OID Associate Director of Diversity and Inclusion Damita Davis.

“When you have people who love being at work and love being in a space that appreciates and wants to support them and help develop them, you get the best out of them.

And when you get the best out of them, that enhances what we’re able to do across the University for our faculty and staff, for our students, for visitors to the community.”

For more information see www.bc.edu/ affiliates.

–Christine Balquist

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Christine Balquist Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan

Chronicle

PHOTOGRAPHERS

www.bc.edu/bcnews chronicle@bc.edu

Patricia Delaney EDITOR

Sean Smith

October sunlight and fall foliage made for a dazzling campus scene last weekend, captured by Ang Lorza ’20 on #bc360.

Lee Pellegrini Peter Julian

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Chronicle

October 24, 2019

3

University to Host Neuroscience Symposium Newly launched campus series seen as complement to undergraduate major in neuroscience

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Boston College will host the NeuroBoston Fall Symposium on Nov. 7, a highlight among a yearlong series of neurosciencefocused, on-campus events coincident with this fall’s launch of the new neuroscience major in BC’s Psychology Department.

Keynote speakers at the one-day session at the Yawkey Athletics Center Murray Room will be Ziv Williams, associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Rebecca Shansky, an associate professor of psychology at Northeastern University. The symposium is organized by Boston Area Neuroscience Group, the local Society for Neuroscience chapter, which brings together neuroscience researchers from Greater Boston and New England for engaging scientific talks, community outreach, and networking.

The regional symposium follows two Neuroscience in the Liberal Arts (NiLA) “dialogues” earlier this fall: “Rethinking of the Neuroscience of Emotion,” with Eliza Bliss-Moreau, an associate professor of psychology and a core scientist at the California National Primate Research Center at the University of California-Davis; and “Bringing Sight to Blind Children: Merging Science and Service,” with Pawan Sinha, a professor of vision and computational neuroscience in MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Upcoming NiLA keynotes include “Drug Use for Grownups: A Human Rights Perspective” by Carl L. Hart, a professor of psychology at Columbia University (Nov. 14), presented in concert with the Lowell Humanities Series; and “Calm Down, It’s Not a Mammoth! Rethinking Our Body’s Reaction to Stress” by Sonia Lupien, a professor at the University of Montreal, and director of the Center for Studies on Human Stress (Jan. 31).

The NiLA series, which brings to campus neuroscience thought leaders whose research and scholarship addresses recurrent themes in liberal arts, helps showcase the debut of BC’s neuroscience major, which enables undergraduates to earn a research-focused degree in a field whose interdisciplinary nature and application has made it increasingly popular among college students nationwide.

The major, which has co-requisites in biology and chemistry as well as elective natural science co-requisites, is a researchfocused degree for students interested in understanding the biological basis of brain function in relation to thought and behavior. Courses related to evolution, genetics, physiology, neurobiology, and the neural basis of humans’ higher cognitive and emotional processes provide students with a strong foundation in the neurobiological processes that underlie behavior, motivation, and cognition.

“Establishing the neuroscience bachelor of science major addresses a longstanding

“The neuroscience major provides students with an interdisciplinary approach toward understanding the human experience, examining research on topics ranging from cellular interactions to interpersonal interactions.”

—Elizabeth Kensinger

photo by peter julian

student demand for the program, capitalizes on departmental strengths, and puts the University on par with many peer institutions,” said Associate Professor of Psychology John Christianson, who led the committee that designed the major. “Neuroscience is a means to understand the chemistry of the brain, to make connections between biology and behavior. How the mind works is of fundamental interest in so many contexts, such as the way we make decisions in regard to money, work, family, or love.”

Psychology Professor and Department Chair Elizabeth Kensinger added, “The neuroscience major provides students with an interdisciplinary approach toward understanding the human experience, ex-

amining research on topics ranging from cellular interactions to interpersonal interactions. Students will develop as critical thinkers and will become informed consumers of the scientific literature while reflecting on topics of relevance to their daily life.”

Events sponsored by NiLA, a program of BC’s Institute for the Liberal Arts, are free and open to the public, although some require advance registration. The NeuroBoston Fall Symposium is free but a ticket purchase is requested to support the organization’s programing and outreach.

Registration information is available at neuroboston.org, or by e-mail at BeantownBANG@gmail.com.

Class of 2023 Sets New Standards for Diversity, Excellence Continued from page 1

states and 41 countries, with a record 36 percent AHANA enrollment. More than seven percent are international students.

They are also the most academically gifted class, with an average SAT score of 1412 and ACT score of 32. On average, their unweighted GPA was an A/A-, and more than 80 percent were in the top 10 percent of their high school class. A total of 303 are Pell Grant recipients (demonstrating high financial need), and 256 are first-generation students. Fifty-three percent are female.

“The Class of 2023 is a remarkably diverse and talented group of young women and men from around the world,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley. “I am enjoying teaching 17 of them in my class, but the entire University community has been enriched by their arrival on campus.”

Director of Undergraduate Admission Grant Gosselin described the freshman class as “the most gifted ever assembled on the Heights,” as well as the most diverse.

“As Boston College’s reach continues to grow, our students reflect this growing diversity, as evidenced by our record AHANA enrollment and the fact that nearly 70 percent of the class comes from outside of New England,” said Gosselin.

“In recruiting this class,” he added, “the students routinely mentioned their admi-

ration of Boston College’s longstanding commitment to educational excellence and social justice, while also expressing enthusiasm about the myriad opportunities that are unfolding at BC every day. From the announcement of the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, to newly created majors and minors, to the opening of the Margot Connell Recreation Center, the energy and excitement unfolding at Boston College is clearly being noticed by the world’s top high school students.”

In total, the Class of 2023 comes to the Heights from 1,254 high schools, 48 percent of which are public schools, 26 percent Catholic/Jesuit, and 27 percent private/ independent.

Geographically, 32 percent of students in the class are from New England, 31 percent from Mid-Atlantic states, eight percent from the Midwest, nine percent from the South/ Southwest, and 12 percent from the West.

The top five feeder states are Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, California, and Connecticut, while the top five countries are China, South Korea, Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Sixty-six percent of the class is enrolled in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences; 24 percent in the Carroll School of Management; five percent in the Connell School of Nursing; and five percent in the Lynch

School of Education and Human Development.

“In addition to their keen intellect and the varied co-curricular talents they bring to campus, these students have demonstrated a desire and commitment to use their edu-

cation to make a positive impact on the world,” said Gosselin.

“We are delighted to have them on campus, and look forward to their many contributions to the BC community in the years to come.”

Snapshot

Council for Women of BC Colloquium

PHOTO BY YITING CHEN

Journalist Gayle King (left), co-host of “CBS This Morning,” spoke with Associate Professor of English Angela Ards, director of Boston College’s interdisciplinary journalism major, last Thursday at the Council for Women of Boston College Colloquium in Robsham Theater.

Chronicle

4

October 24, 2019

Lynch School Names Lai as Buehler Professor Continued from page 1

earned her doctorate in clinical psychology—will hold the endowed chair for three years.

“We’re very pleased that Betty Lai is the new Buehler Family Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor,” said Wortham. “She has already received many awards for her research, and it’s wonderful to recognize her important work on how children and families respond to trauma.”

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in 2002, Lai was teaching middle school math and science in New York City’s Washington Heights when she realized that some of her students were suffering from trauma-related issues, but lacked an in-school means to discuss it.

That revelation spurred a career in studying how major stressors—including community violence, peer victimization, natural disasters, and war—affect youth’s psychological distress symptoms, health behaviors, and health outcomes.

Her research subjects were primarily children, but she’s now focused on a new line of study on a population she sees every day: college students.

“We are developing a new study to examine how natural disasters—such as Hurricane Harvey or Colorado’s Front Range floods—impacted college students,” said

Betty S. Lai, the Buehler Family Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development. photo by lee pellegrini

Lai, who was recognized in 2017 by the American Psychological Association with an Early Career Award for Outstanding Contributions to Benefit Children, Youth and Families. “Were their graduation rates affected, for example? Were the students able to find meaning and purpose in their lives following these disasters?”

Lai said she and her colleagues plan to meet with school advisors to capture the lessons from their experience in counseling college students who survived these catastrophes, so effective measures can be applied and implemented in advance—before crises occur.

Lai had noted in a previous BC News

interview that children who experience trauma may exhibit symptoms of distress related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can last months or even years.

“The data on the impact of disasters on young adults are incomplete,” said Lai. “What is universal, however, is that most people will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime, and our plan is to help prepare young people, whether K-12 or young adults, to effectively cope with these events when they occur.”

Lai teaches Health Psychology and a graduate course, Psychosocial Issues and Their Impact on Learning.

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 earlycareer development, the Lynch School professorship was made possible by a gift from former University Trustee John E. Buehler Jr. ’69 and family, long-time benefactors of the University. The former senior advisor at Ares Management now serves as a trustee associate.

Godenzi a Leader in Social Work, Global Engagement Continued from page 1

leading academics with his interdisciplinary approach to social work education, which led to the hiring of top faculty in fields such as sociology, neuroscience, epidemiology, and public health.

“I am very happy about what we have accomplished as a school of social work,” said Dr. Godenzi, when he announced in August of 2015 that he would step down as dean of BCSSW. “We are known as a place that does cutting-edge work in areas such as neuroscience, immigration and naturalization and environmental justice, in addition to the more traditional fields of social work. It has resulted in a cultural shift for the school that has distinguished us in academe and enabled stakeholders outside of the academy to see us as partners in helping to resolve the world’s most compelling challenges.”

“I was blessed to serve alongside Alberto Godenzi as a fellow dean from 2008 until 2014 and greatly enjoyed partnering on a range of initiatives over the years,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley. “Alberto was a remarkable leader for the School of Social Work and for the field at the national and international level. His most recent leadership for the University focused on developing a vision for Boston College’s global engagement.”

Added Gautam Yadama, who succeeded Dr. Godenzi as BCSSW dean, “Alberto Godenzi led the school to national prominence. He was a leader among the deans in social work and a tireless advocate for Boston College. Alberto was gracious in

Alberto Godenzi speaking at a campus forum on the University’s global engagement initiative in 2018. photo by lee pellegrini

helping me transition when I arrived in 2016 and generous with his time. Subsequently, we worked together to strengthen BC’s global engagement. We will miss him dearly.”

After stepping down as BCSSW dean, Dr. Godenzi took on a new task, serving as a special assistant to University President William P. Leahy, S.J., on Boston College’s global engagement—an area of great potential outlined in the University’s 2017 Strategic Plan. As co-chair of the Global

Engagement Committee, Dr. Godenzi helped lead an extensive review of BC’s international activities, with an additional charge of identifying best avenues for growth, and determining the resources and structures necessary to fulfill these opportunities. He and the committee held discussions and town hall events to glean perspectives and ideas from the University community on how BC could continue to bolster its international presence through academics, research, service, and other avenues.

Interviewed by the Boston College Chronicle in 2018, Dr. Godenzi explained the importance of global engagement: “Boston College has evolved from a local to a national to an international university.

Today, many of our faculty are engaged in global activities, and the number of international students is at a new high.

Moreover, we have a strong global base of loyal alumni. A strategic and coordinated approach to global engagement will allow us to be more intentional and more effective in our international endeavors. This in return will increase opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

“Global awareness and global competence are essential skills in today’s interconnected world. An enhanced global brand will position us well to address complex issues of our time and to engage in meaningful and impactful partnerships.”

Dr. Godenzi was president of the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work and served on

the board of directors of the Council on Social Work Education. He also was a member of the Commission for the Protection of Children of the Archdiocese of Boston.

Dr. Godenzi’s interest in international and cross-cultural initiatives was reflected in his long-term study on the use of nonviolent conflict resolution to ease family problems. The project involved assessing the effectiveness of conflict resolution training given to 800 parents, who received home visits from social workers. It is an approach that Massachusetts helped to pioneer, Dr. Godenzi noted, and his observations of its application in Greater Boston helped to shape his own efforts.

Dr. Godenzi came to BC from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, where he chaired the Department of Social Work and Social Policy and served as a professor of social research. He also was an associate scholar of social psychology at the University of Zurich—where he had earned a graduate degree in psychology and sociology and a doctorate in philosophy—and in the Department of Child and Juvenile Psychology at the University of Bern in Switzerland. He taught in the Sociology Department at the University of New Hampshire and was an international research associate for the UNH Family Research Laboratory.

Dr. Godenzi is survived by his wife, Brigitt, daughter, Franca, and son-in-law, John Nurczynski.

–Office of University Communications

Chronicle

October 24, 2019

5

Brexit, Faraway So Close Will the UK leave the EU? If so, when and how?

It’s not just an academic question for BC’s UK and Irish natives.

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

With the clock ticking down to Brexit— the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, which had been scheduled to take effect a week from today—UK and Irish students at Boston College are closely following developments back home a pluralistic nation—by the way that Brexit with no small amount of trepidation, and has been debated so far,” McCrave said. equally little certainty as to what will, or William Peters, a doctoral student in the won’t, happen.

Lynch School of Education and Human Of course, it’s not only students who Development from the city of Guilford are tracking Brexit news at BC. Peter Mosouthwest of London, said his major conloney, an adjunct faculty member in the cern about Brexit is that it reflects a rise Woods College of Advancing Studies from in self-interest and cynical, nationalistic Limerick, has regularly shared his expertise tendencies that threaten the concept of colon the history of the EU and related areas lective responsibility. with the media. Late last week, as the UK “I believe the ethical problems with and EU agreed on the conditions for the Brexit outweigh any personal financial UK’s departure—a deal that drew strong gain. At home, I can tell a lot of people are opposition in Parliament, further muddling furious with a government that has conthe Brexit outlook as this week began and tinually lied to the people and manipulated Chronicle went to press—he took a longer voters into a position of uncertainty, based view of the situation. on potentially harmful ideological reasons “Even if all these hurdles are negotiwhile simultaneously promising fiscal benated successfully, the past three years have efits.” just been chapter one of the Brexit book, Hollie Watts, a political science major in focused on the divorce bill,” he said. “The BC’s Class of ’21 studying in Geneva this actual future deal that governs the UK-EU semester, said that the progress of Brexit, relationship has yet to be negotiated and however drawn out and suspenseful, had this could take years of minute haggling. reached a point where it was in the best inHow this impacts the UK economy has terests of both the UK and EU to hammer yet to be seen, but it doesn’t suggest the out a deal beneficial to each, as opposed to period of consistent stability that businesses a no-deal break-up. crave.”

“Britain’s history of isolationism gets Economic consequences and potential brought up a lot,” she said, “but Brexit related societal impact of Brexit are among was not about ending its relationship with the concerns cited by a Europe: It had to do sampling of BC’s UK “Brexit was not about end- with changing the terms students, as well as a of the relationship. The ing Britain’s relationship general anxiety over EU can be inefficient, with Europe: It had to do and trying to enact national values. Irish students, meanwhile, reforms is not an easy with changing the terms have been apprehensive process.” of the relationship. The EU about one of Brexit’s The oft-cited parallels most controversial can be inefficient, and try- between the Brexit refquandaries: whether a erendum and the elecing to enact reforms is not tion of Donald Trump “hard border” will be an easy process.” established between have some validity, Northern Ireland and –Hollie Watts ’21 Watts said, in that both the Irish Republic. events showed the imJoseph McCrave, a pact of populism. But doctoral student in theology from Preston, in her view, Trump is a more polarizing worried whether Brexit would have damfigure: “Trump was elected as a right-wing aging economic consequences that, along populist with little support from Demowith restrictions on freedom of movecrats. Labor and Conservative politicians ment between the UK and Europe, would were evenly split on Brexit, and within weaken the country considerably—for exfamilies or groups of friends, people held ample, in fields such as academia, it would a variety of opinions about the issue—you be harder to attract talent and investment could have the same political identity and from across Europe. vote different ways.”

“But I’m equally concerned about the While she is anxious about possible damage that has already been done—to economic and social turmoil ahead, Fiona our civic discourse and our ability to live as Binns, a University of Bristol student at

“Even if all these hurdles are negotiated successfully, the past three years have just been chapter one of the Brexit book.”

–Peter Moloney

BC for the fall, has a nuanced outlook on Brexit. A native of the Outer Hebrides off the coast of Scotland, Binns sees a scenario where, after the UK leaves the EU, Scotland declares its independence and then joins the EU. But that possibility is a bittersweet one, she adds.

“I’ve dreamed of an independent Scotland my whole life, but if it happens it might not be so good for the rest of the UK,” Binns explained. “It’s just a very complex issue which will have some positive and some negative impacts, and also really depends on the deal we leave with.”

Ciaran Conway, a University of Liverpool exchange student, is a native of the Northern Irish county of Tyrone, near the border with the Irish Republic. Like many students from Ireland and Northern Ireland, he has been leery about the “Irish backstop” issue that has bedeviled Brexit negotiations.

“I believe that many of those in government currently are unaware of how important the open border is for local communities and the economies of both Northern Ireland and the Republic,” he said. “As I myself have family from both sides of the border, I will be affected if any checkpoints are set up. Furthermore, any physical rep-

resentation of a border has the potential to ignite violence among dissident republican groups such as the Real IRA or Continuity IRA, and would likely be the target of attacks in one shape or another from disillusioned members of the Nationalist/ Republican community.”

BC freshman Leah Temple Lang, a native of Rathmines, near Dublin, agrees that a hard border would exacerbate old tensions. “If the backstop is not sorted out, the Troubles that were apparently ‘fixed’ by the Good Friday Agreement—but have been getting increasingly worse in the years since Brexit—may start again. And we will be back to square one with terrorist activities happening on a regular basis and innocent people being victimized and persecuted on both sides, especially if there is no free movement of people and free trade between the North and the South.”

Pádraig Barry, an exchange student from University College Cork—who described Ireland as “a very proud nation; too proud at times”—also called for a “soft” border.

“Not only will that retain both the interest of Unionists and Republicans, but it will maintain efficient transport links between both sides of the invisible border,” he said.

“Creating a hard border will create a hard reaction in the minds of the people on both sides.”

Moloney, however, said the UK-EU deal now under discussion may create a “new” Irish problem. “The deal seems to have guaranteed no land border. However, if it passes, the new customs border will be along the Irish Sea, effectively dividing the UK in a way that has not occurred before, and perhaps pushing Northern Ireland towards a closer relationship with the Republic of Ireland. This is a long way from a united Ireland but it is still a step towards further unity and will guarantee the opposition of the largest Unionist party in Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party.”

Snapshot

Career Night for the Arts

PHOTO BY YITING CHEN

WBZ-TV reporter Kristina Rex ’15 at last week’s 20th annual BC Arts Council “Career Night for the Arts and Entertainment” event, which brings to campus alumni with careers in art, music, broadcasting, and other fields for informal chats with undergraduates.

Chronicle

6

October 24, 2019

A Provocative Look at America’s Russian Jews Shrayer’s triptych offers a compelling portrayal of the Russian immigration experience in America

BY ROSANNE PELLEGRINI STAFF WRITER

Compelling portraits of the daily lives of Russian immigrants illuminate the latest book by Professor of Russian, English, and Jewish Studies Maxim D. Shrayer, A Russian Immigrant: Three Novellas.

In A Russian Immigrant, Shrayer’s Boston-based protagonist Simon Reznikov is prevented from putting down roots in his new country; he has unresolved feelings about his Jewish and American present, and his Russian and Soviet past.

“Immigrants bring with them both material baggage and the baggage of memory,” said Shrayer, who will formally launch the book at an Oct. 30 campus event. “In a sense, A Russian Immigrant is about a gradual acquisition of American-ness and an expenditure—always partial and often painful—of Russian and Soviet memories.”

Told both linearly and non-linearly, with elements of suspense, mystery, and crime, the three interconnected novellas gradually reveal many layers of the characters’ Russian, Jewish, and Soviet identities, as Reznikov moves from adolescence to early adulthood. A visit to a decaying summer resort in the Catskills, now populated

by Jewish ghosts of Soviet history—including a famous émigré writer—reveals to Reznikov that he, too, is a prisoner of his past. A scholarly expedition to Prague in search of clues for an elusive Jewish writer’s biography exposes Reznikov’s own inability to move on. A chance reunion with a for-

photo by lee pellegrini

“Immigrants bring with them both material baggage and the baggage of memory.”

–Maxim D. Shrayer mer Russian lover, now also an immigrant living in an affluent part of Connecticut, unearths memories of Reznikov’s last Soviet summer and reanimates many contradictors of a mixed, Jewish-Russian marriage.

Though a work of fiction, A Russian Immigrant is highly personal, inspired by the plight of Shrayer’s Jewish-Russian family and their American assimilation and acculturation. Like his protagonist, Shrayer

was born in Moscow; he spent nearly nine years as a refusenik with his parents. They left the USSR and immigrated to the U.S. in 1987, when he was a young man.

“While I have written and published a number of short stories, many of which deal with the destinies of refugees and émigrés from Russia and the former USSR, the bulk of my literary publications have been in the form of creative and autobiographi-

cal non-fiction,” said Shrayer, author of the internationally acclaimed memoir Waiting for America: A Story of Emigration.

This new work of fiction holds special significance for him, he noted: “It is central to my life as a Russian immigrant of 32 years, and, I hope, to the lives of my fellow immigrants from Russia and the former USSR.” Not only a Jewish-Russian-American immigrant story, A Russian Immigrant is also a New England story, Shrayer explained. Large sections are set in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and the Boston area, and sections of the book were composed in Boston, both in Brookline where he has lived for 24 years—and where the cover photo, in his neighborhood park, was taken—and in South Chatham on Cape Cod, where he writes during the summer months.

A Russian Immigrant, he added, “bridges my shorter fictional explorations and my dilogy about growing up Jewish and emigrating from the Soviet Union.”

The Oct. 30 launch for A Russian Immigrant, which will be held from 7-9 p.m. in Devlin 101, will include a reading and discussion, followed by a book signing and reception. The event is sponsored by the departments of English and Slavic and Eastern Languages, and the Jewish Studies Program. For more details, contact Korina Tazbir, tazbir@bc.edu or ext. 2-3910. A complete list of events related to A Russian Immigrant is available at shrayer.com/ events.html.

CSON Faculty to Enter American Academy of Nursing Connell School of Nursing faculty members Susan DeSanto-Madeya, Holly Fontenot, and Susan Kelly-Weeder will be inducted into the American Academy of Nursing at the academy’s annual meeting this weekend in Washington, DC. The three are among the 231 distinguished nurse leaders in the 2019 class of AAN fellows.

The AAN is a group of more than 2,600 nurse leaders in education, management, practice, policy, and research who have been recognized for their extraordinary commitment to the promotion of the public’s health through evidence and innovation. The new fellows are selected based on their contributions to increase access, reduce cost, and improve quality through nursing theory, practice, and science.

DeSanto-Madeya, a clinical associate professor whose research focuses on palliative care and end-of-life issues, has developed and implemented an interdisciplinary palliative care certificate program for BC graduate students in the Connell School, School of Social Work, and School of Theology and Ministry. She was named a Sojourns Scholar by Cambia Health Foundation in 2016, as part of its initiative to advance palliative care in the U.S. DeSanto-Madeya received her doctorate

(Clockwise from lower left) Connell School of Nursing faculty members Susan DeSantoMadeya, Susan Kelly-Weeder, and Holly Fontenot. photos by lee pellegrini

from Widener University.

An associate professor and women’s health nurse practitioner, Fontenot is an expert in sexual health and the prevention of sexually transmitted disease. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Cancer Society. She was named a Nurse of the Year by the Massachusetts Chapter of the March of Dimes in 2012. Fontenot received her doctorate from Boston College.

Kelly-Weeder is an associate professor and associate dean for graduate programs who led the effort to establish the Connell School’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program. A family nurse practitioner, she is president-elect of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and a fellow in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Her research is on high-risk eating and drinking behaviors. KellyWeeder earned her doctoral degree from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

“I am proud to welcome this incredible class of leaders to the American Academy of Nursing,” said AAN President Karen Cox. “Their amazing accomplishments have changed health and health care across the country and around the globe.”

–Kathleen Sullivan

Chronicle

October 24, 2019

WELCOME ADDITIONS

BC in the Media

An Introduction to New Faculty at Boston College Christopher Higgins

Associate Professor, Lynch School of Education and Human Development DEGREES: Yale University (BA), Columbia University(PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Formative education; virtue ethics; hermeneutics; philosophy of work; existential dimensions of teaching; dynamics of the teacher-student relationship; aesthetic education; humanism; education as a public good.

WHAT HE’S TEACHING: A seminar on democratic education and a directed reading on philosophy of education.

You have stated that we are currently operating with an “impoverished” definition of an educated person. What does that mean?

“We are living through a period of profound educational amnesia and disorientation.

When we don’t preempt it altogether with test preparation, we talk about teaching as if it were delivery of content, forgetting that education worthy of the name involves transformation of persons. We treat schooling as a tool for securing advantage in the labor market, and then distribute this private good unjustly, forgetting that education sustains public life. We slash the humanities in the name of ‘return-oninvestment,’ speeding the collapse of the university into a cynical credential auction, forgetting that it is not technical training but humane vocational development that makes work into something of genuine value to self and others. We basically ignore everything but the intellect, only to mis-educate that, sacrificing decades of students’ lives to a cruel ritual that sorts students according to their ability to recall information and manipulate symbols under time pressure and threat of failure. The time has come to reorient education around a humane, holistic vision of educational formation.”

Kellie LaPierre

Clinical Assistant Professor, Connell School of Nursing DEGREES: Boston College (BS); University of Massachusetts, Lowell (MS); Regis College (DNP) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Gerontology WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Primary Care Adult & Older Adult/Advance Practice Nursing

How might the approach to caring for elderly people be improved?

“It takes [older adults] all day to get into the office for a 20-minute appointment. It makes more sense for us to go into their homes.”

—LaPierre, on bringing back the concept of the house call for nurse practitioners caring for older adults, Voice magazine.

María de los Ángeles Picone

University (MA, PhD).

Assistant Professor of History, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: Universidad Católica Argentina (Licenciada en Historia); Emory

WHAT SHE STUDIES: Spatial history;

nation-making; nature and culture; border regions; Latin American borderlands; digital humanities.

WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Space before

7

Google Maps: Geography and Power

You’ve been involved in “Power of Attorney,” an on-going long-term digital research project to analyze and express the history of native people’s engagement with Mexico’s colonial and post-independence legal systems. What key insights did you draw from this experience?

“The project ‘analyzes socio-spatial networks and flows of knowledge and power created by power of attorney’ and specifically asks how native people used power of attorney to bridge geographical and spatial networks created by indigenous litigation. My job was to read through legal documents, identify the powers of attorney, and, within each power, transcribe the basic information— who was giving what power to whom, and where. This opportunity allowed me to learn about multiple aspects of how we, scholars, design and develop research projects. The information I transcribed was then standardized so that it could be used for data visualization. In addition, I witnessed the importance of data management (how you organize and save data) so that you can use it later on or so you can share with other scholars. Overall, the project became the first stepping stone to further my interest in spatial history and digital humanities.”

Dieter Roth

Assistant Professor of Theology, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: University of North CarolinaChapel Hill (BA); Reformed Theological Seminary (MDiv); University of Edinburgh (PhD); Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (Habil.theol.)

WHAT HE STUDIES: Synoptic gospels; parables; New Testament textual criticism; Marcion.

WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Inscribing the Word: The New Testament; Parables of Jesus; Synoptic Studies: Recent Issues.

One of your interest areas is the parables of Jesus. Can you give an example of under-appreciated or under-studied aspects of the parables, either from the perspective of Biblical studies scholars or from Christians in the pews?

“Though parables are sometimes thought of as simple stories illustrating a point, the history of the interpretation of parables is actually fraught with challenges, debates, and disagreements. There is much truth in the classic quip that if you ask ten theologians about the interpretation of a particular parable, you are likely to get 11 answers.

An important German scholar named Adolf Jülicher wrote a massive two-volume work on the parables at the end of the 19th century in which he, on the one hand, rightly decried the wild allegorizing that was found in parable interpretations but, on the other hand, also insisted that the meaning of parables could be condensed to one point. More recent scholarship, with greater sensitivity to literary issues and the role of the reader in interpretation, has been more open to polyvalent understandings of the parables; however, there may still be a sense in which the ‘openness’ of parables is often under-appreciated.

“Parables are not designed to end debate, but rather to instigate it—to continually invite readers and hearers to grapple anew with issues of theology, ethics, and truth.”

—Phil Gloudemans, Sean Smith, Kathleen Sullivan photos by lee pellegrini and peter julian

Assoc. Prof. Michael Serazio (Communication) wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post on the NBA’s handling of its relationship with China in the aftermath of a team GM’s tweet in support of protesters in Hong Kong.

QuartzAfrica did a feature on a collaboration between the Boston College School of Social Work and nonprofit FXB Rwanda, Sugira Muryango (“Strengthening Families”), a home-visiting program that targets Rwanda’s poorest households with children under three to help the nation’s parents—especially fathers—become more supportive caregivers.

Larry Gennari, an adjunct faculty member and head of the Boston College Law School Project Entrepreneur program, advocated for the elimination of unnecessary and punitive restrictions that prevent people with criminal records from getting a job, in an op-ed for Bloomberg News.

Study findings suggest that emphasizing the transformational nature of recycling—providing products with a future use—would better motivate people to do it, according to researchers including Assoc.

Prof. Gergana Nenkov (CSOM), writing in The Conversation.

Neenan Millennium Professor of Economics James Anderson spoke with WBUR News on the Trump administration’s threat to impose a 25 percent tariff on a variety of goods imported from the European Union.

Prof. Heather Cox Richardson (History) provided historical perspective on the impeachment investigation on WGBH’s “Greater Boston” and WBUR News; her comments on similarities between current and pre-Civil War America were highlighted by Newsweek.

Liberty Mutual Insurance Professor of Law Patricia McCoy, who helped found the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Nota Bene On Sept. 20, the Boston College School of Social Work co-sponsored the symposium “Acculturation, Trauma and Mental Health Services for Hispanic and Latino Communities,” organized by The National Hispanic and Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center and co-sponsored with the Boston University School of Social Work. The keynote speaker was Roberto Lewis-Fernández, professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and director of the New York State Center of Excellence for Cultural Competence. BCSSW Assistant Professor Maria Piñeros-Leaño was among the presenters.

with U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, was quoted in a profile of the presidential candidate in The New York Times.

School of Theology and Ministry faculty members Assoc. Prof. Hosffman Ospino and Assoc. Prof. of the Practice Rafael Luciani commented to National Catholic Reporter on the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon—the fourth synod of Pope Francis’ papacy, but the first to focus on the church’s work in a particular region of the world.

Assoc. Prof. Henrik Hagtvedt (CSOM) discussed the business of luxury goods, while Woods College of Advancing Studies adjunct faculty member Peter Moloney provided an analysis of Brexit on Bloomberg “Baystate Business.”

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, Center for Retirement Research, Academic Affairs/Provost Assistant Director/Educational Administrator, Campus School, Academic Affairs/ Provost Residential Life Administrator, 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 Insurance Specialist, Risk Management, Financial/Budget

Chronicle

8

October 24, 2019

BC Global

‘Connecting Tech and Management’ Irish Fulbright scholar is relishing his stint with Woods College cybersecurity program

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

Dublin native Conor Quinn is helping the Woods College of Advancing Studies break new ground—and potentially aiding his own country’s efforts—in the increasingly vital field of cybersecurity, as Boston College’s inaugural Fulbright Ireland-USA TechImpact Cybersecurity Scholar.

Quinn is approaching the mid-point of his four-month Fulbright sojourn at Woods College, where he is working with the school’s Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance program.

An assistant manager at Deloitte Ireland specializing in cybersecurity and digital forensics, Quinn is studying new methods of implementing strategies to help bridge the communication gap between information technology security professionals and key business stakeholders.

When he returns to Ireland in December, he will share the fruits of his Fulbright experience, seeking to help improve the communication and leadership skills of cyber professionals and the effectiveness of cybersecurity functions for Irish organizations.

But Quinn’s stint at Woods College is no one-way street: He brought with him the expertise and skills honed through working in Ireland, which has become a key focal point for European and transatlantic cybersecurity interests.

“Conor is a true professional,” said Kevin Powers, director of the Cybersecurity program. Because of his maturity, outgoing personality, and drive to learn, I’ve included him in everything we’re doing, and at the highest levels—whether assisting me in developing online courses, meetings with the U.S. Assistant Attorney General, researching complex legal and policy issues, representing our Cybersecurity program at FBI Boston, IBM Security, MIT, and at meetings with other senior executives from

“I’ve been very impressed with the Woods College faculty, and the professional experience and insight they bring from the working world—whether the public or private sector—to their teaching,” says Conor Quinn, who is working at the Woods College of Advancing Studies as BC’s first Fulbright Ireland-USA TechImpact Cybersecurity Scholar. photo by peter julian

private industry and local, state and federal governments. Conor really set the bar high for the next Fulbright.”

Powers, an assistant professor of the practice at the Boston College Law School and Carroll School of Management, credits Global Leadership Institute Robert Mauro and his staff for working with the Fulbright program. “We looked at this as an opportunity to not only solidify BC’s relationships in Ireland, but to also to be the ‘hub’ for collaboration between academia, industry, and government—and a chance for BC to take the lead in the cyber and national security space. We are excited that this is going to be an ongoing relationship.”

Quinn, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University College Dublin, said the Woods program addresses a critical need in cybersecurity—not just in Ireland but throughout the field.

“Cybersecurity is not just about having technical know-how, but also a management perspective: seeing cybersecurity from an organizational standpoint, where you have to set priorities, direct resources, and set policy,” he explained. “What I like about this program is how it is aimed specifically at professionals who want to fill that role in connecting tech and management.”

BC Scenes

‘Murder on the Nile’

The Theatre Department and Robsham Theater Arts Center presented Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Nile,” directed

by Associate Professor of Theatre John Houchin, from Oct. 10-13. Information on this production and upcoming shows is available at www.bc.edu/theatre.

PHOTOS BY LEE PELLEGRINI

As home to the European headquarters of Google and Facebook, and with companies such as IBM, McAfee, Symantec, and Microsoft having a significant presence, Ireland is a major base for international technology and security, Quinn said. With uncertainty looming over Brexit and its impact, Ireland has emerged as a crucial link between Europe and the U.S. in global cybersecurity efforts, he added, pointing to the creation of Cyber Ireland, a national cluster of both private firms and governmental organizations formed to represent the needs of the country’s cybersecurity ecosystem.

“Ireland,” he said, “has to be at the center of cybersecurity at this point.”

Boston College has long been a wellknown entity to Quinn, who notes that the BC-Ireland campus in Dublin is “five minutes from my office,” and when he heard about the Fulbright-TechImpact opportunity he was quick to apply. Whether observing classes, making site visits to the FBI or IBM, or aiding research projects for Cybersecurity program research fellow James Burrell, a former FBI deputy assistant director, he has been delighted to find BC is as good as advertised.

“I’ve been very impressed with the

Woods College faculty, and the professional experience and insight they bring from the working world—whether the public or private sector—to their teaching,” he said.

“Kevin [Powers] is one of the most wellconnected people I’ve ever met, which helps enormously when you’re trying to network.

He also respects my opinions and views on research, and gives me the opportunity to contribute to it.”

One project in which Quinn is taking part is a collaboration between the Woods program and MIT that seeks to better define how a company or organization can meet legal as well as technological standards of cybersecurity. “It’s possible for you to be compliant with regulations regarding data security yet not be actually secure—or vice-versa,” he explained. “We’re looking at court decisions on the meaning of ‘reasonably secure’ and best practices that can be used to achieve that threshold. It’s a complicated matter for the U.S., because with 50 states you have 50 different environments of cybersecurity. And beyond that, there is the challenge of creating a unified approach on a global scale.”

Fulbright participants are expected to be involved with their host university’s community, so Quinn is working with the BC women’s field hockey team, assisting with training, video, and other off-the-field tasks.

“I am a field hockey player back home,” he said, “so getting to volunteer and contribute with a high-ranking NCAA program has been great.”

Even after he returns home, Quinn will seek to keep firm his ties to the Cybersecurity Policy and Governance program, especially once its online component begins next year. “BC’s footprint in Ireland is substantial, and it makes staying connected that much easier. So even after my time as Cybersecurity Scholar is ended, my relationship with BC will not be.”