Foundation Grant Boosts CSON Undergrad Program
BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
The Connell School of Nursing has been awarded a $1.8 million grant from the Bedford Falls Foundation to support its undergraduate nursing program. The award will provide funding for scholarships for undergraduate nursing students, a new learning specialist to oversee student success programming, and an emergency fund for students.
The Bedford Falls Foundation, a private foundation started by Carlyle Group Co-Chairman and co-founder William “Bill” E. Conway Jr. and his late wife,
INSIDE
2 Around Campus
Cheney to speak October 29.
3 Decision 2024
BC faculty talk about what may, or may not, happen on November 5.
6 BC Arts
“From Rome to the Heights” showcases Renaissance vocal music.
Joanne, focuses its philanthropy on nursing education, among other endeavors.
The grant will establish the Joanne and William Conway Nursing Scholarship, which will provide financial aid to undergraduate nursing students with demonstrated financial need. Over the course of the five-year grant, Conway Scholarships totaling $1.25 million are expected to be awarded to an estimated 47 BC nursing students.
The Bedford Falls Foundation grant will also support a new, full-time learning specialist at the Connell School who will oversee a broad range of activities aimed
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EARLY CLOSING FRIDAY
Boston College administrative offices will close at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow, October 25, due to the BC-Louisville football game starting at 7:30 p.m. in Alumni Stadium. The University asks that all vehicles be removed from campus as close as possible to 3:30 p.m.
Cybersecurity Program Will Move to BC Law
To be launched in the fall of 2025 as Master of Legal Studies in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance program
BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance program, anchored at the Woods College of Advancing Studies since its inception in fall 2015, will be reconfigured as a new Master of Legal Studies in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance program at Boston College Law School, following an announcement from Odette Lienau, the Marianne D. Short, Esq., Dean
AADS Director
Sees a World of Possibilities
BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Professor of History Lorelle Semley felt she was onto a good thing when she came to Boston College as director of the African and African Diaspora Studies (AADS) Program in 2023.
A year later, she is just as—if not more—upbeat about her decision.
Semley is a historian of Africa who also has incorporated African diaspora history into her research and teaching by working creatively across many archives, source materials, and large spans of time and space. As a researcher with expertise in West African history, Black French Studies, gender history, legal history, and urban history, she sees AADS as a multifaceted program that approaches questions of history, society, politics, and intellectual traditions through an array of disciplines.
“In most programs that combine Africa and the African diaspora, there are often a couple of ways to organize the curriculum,” said Semley, who previously taught at the College of the Holy Cross and Wesleyan University. “One model is a distribution requirement based on departments such as History, English, Sociology, etc. The departments may also be grouped into larger categories as ‘humanities’ or ‘social sciences.’ Another popular approach uses
of BC Law.
BC Law will launch the M.L.S. program as a new graduate degree offering in the fall of 2025 with Kevin R. Powers, founder and current director of the M.S. program, as director and lecturer. The M.S. in Cybersecurity program has stopped accepting applications and will continue to operate at Woods College until the end of the 2026 spring term, which will allow all currently enrolled students the opportunity
Continued on page 5
regional classifications such as ‘Africa’ or ‘African American/African Diaspora’ or ‘Latin America.’
“What I appreciated about the Boston College program is use of thematic frameworks: ‘Intellectual Traditions and Cultural Production’ or ‘Politics and Social Inquiry.’ In addition, there is a Black Atlantic course requirement for students to take four courses that are comparative or global in approach. I like that Africa is integrated into the curriculum and not only seen as part of the past but in dialogue with the global African diaspora throughout the past and present.”
The African and African Diaspora Studies Program at Boston College [bc. edu/aads] dates back to the 1969-1970
Continued on page 8
Lorelle Semley is in her second year as director of African and African Diaspora Studies.
photo by caitlin cunningham
Alison Crowther addressed participants in this past Saturday’s Welles Remy Crowther Red Bandanna 5K. The annual campus race, held for the 20th year, celebrates the memory of Crowther’s son Welles, a 1999 alumnus and 9/11 hero. More details at www.crowthertrust.org.
photo by seho lee
Around Campus
Building Spaces That Encourage Students to ‘Just Relax and Take a Break’
Students looking to de-stress and unwind during midterms last week were able to visit one of the University’s two new WellNest Hubs—calming spaces dedicated to relaxation and wellbeing.
Located on the first floors of O’Connell House on Upper Campus and 825 Centre Street on Newton Campus, the Hubs featured comfortable couches and chairs, baskets of snacks and drinks, and relaxing activities like coloring pages and space for meditation. On their way out, students could pick up wellness kits stocked with small items for managing stress and anxiety, like tactile stickers and worry stones.
“College can be a high-stress environment at times, so we wanted to build in some spaces that encourage students to just relax and take a break,” said Associate Vice President for Student Health and Wellness Melinda Stoops earlier this month. “If you want to come take a nap, go ahead—we want students to use the space in whatever way makes sense for them.”
Inside O’Connell House, the WellNest occupied a cheerful sunroom at the rear of the building, with windows looking out on Upper Campus. A small fountain was repurposed to hold smooth stones that students could paint and take with them, or leave for others to enjoy. Stacks of resource cards lined the windowsill, offering health
tips on topics like sleep, nutrition, and relationships.
The WellNest on Newton Campus included a similar common space, with cozy floor cushions and a box encouraging students to store their phones and enjoy some screen-free time. Next door was a small yoga/meditation studio stocked with mats, and a private room that students could reserve for telehealth appointments (a sound machine sat outside for added privacy).
Post-pandemic, an increasing number of college students nationwide are struggling with their mental health, with surveys showing rates of depression and anxiety at an all-time high. BC students with mental health concerns can visit the Counseling Center, join a therapy group, or meet with a health coach through the Center for Student Wellness. The WellNest Hubs are designed to complement those resources, said Stoops, and promote self-
Last week, BC’s Center for Student Health and Wellness unveiled its two WellNest Hubs to help students decompress during midterms. Organizers said the Hubs are part of efforts to promote self-care and stress management. [The center also held a Mental Health Fair earlier this month.
See photos on page 8.]
care as a way for all students to manage the inevitable pressures of being in college.
“Counseling is so valuable for those who need it, but those who don’t still need to figure out how to manage stress,” she said. “We’re trying to increase students’ ability to think proactively. Are you feeling stressed during midterms? Take a break and come over here.”
—Alix Hackett is a senior digital content writer in the Office of University Communications
Council for Women of BC Colloquium to Welcome Liz Cheney on Oct. 29
Former United States Representative Liz Cheney, who served as the vice chair of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol, will be the featured speaker at the Council for Women of Boston College Colloquium on October 29. The event will take place in the Murray Function Room of Yawkey Athletics Center beginning at 6 p.m.; doors open at 5 p.m.
Odette Lienau, Marianne D. Short, Esq., Dean and Professor at the Boston College Law School, will serve as moderator for the event.
Established in 2015, the CWBC Colloquium hosts exceptional thought leaders to consider contemporary issues through the lens of women’s leadership. The CWBC Colloquium is free and open to the public, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cheney is the author of the bestselling book Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning, which offers her eyewitness ac-
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Jack Dunn
SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Patricia Delaney
EDITOR Sean Smith
count of the January 6 insurrection and her role as one of the few Republicans to take a stand against it and help lead the investigation into how it happened. According to the book’s publisher: “In Oath and Honor, she tells the story of this perilous moment in our history, those who helped Trump spread the stolen election lie, those whose actions preserved our constitutional framework, and the risks we still face.”
Cheney was the U.S. representative for Wyoming’s at-large congressional district from 2017 to 2023. She chaired the House Republican Conference, the third highest position in the House Republican leadership, from 2019 to 2021. She was also a member of the House Armed Services Committee, China Task Force, Natural Resources Committee, and the House Committee on Rules.
Previously, she served at the State Department as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, and in positions for USAID and the State
CONTRIBUTING STAFF Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward
Audrey Loyack Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin Cunningham Lee Pellegrini
Department working in Poland, Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine. The colloquium is made possible by the Council for Women of Boston College and the Institute for the Liberal Arts. Established in 2002, the CWBC is a welcoming network of Boston College alumnae dedicated to inspiring one another and supporting the University’s future.
—Kathleen Sullivan
Correction
An article in the October 10 issue of Boston College Chronicle incorrectly cited the “Secret Life of Humans” playwright as David Byrne, co-founder, singer, and guitarist of the band Talking Heads. Its author, also named David Byrne, is the artistic director of the Royal Court in London. Chronicle regrets the error.
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.
Liz Cheney, a former member of Congress who helped lead the House inquiry into the January 6 insurrection, is the author of Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning.
photo by ariana cho
Prognostication always feels like a fool’s errand; perhaps never more so than in (another) coin-flip election. Since I’m genuinely 50-50 on the fence of who I think will win, I decided to flip a coin and then rationalize post-facto. It came up Kamala Harris.
For 50 years, abortion was an animating, get-out-the-vote issue driving Republican voters; post-Dobbs, that political energy has basically reversed. In that, some irony: The most consequential policy victory for the first Trump administration—along with the tax cut bill—will be the factor that precludes a second term. Reproductive rights have been regularly cited as the reason for Democrats’ state and Congressional wins and, if Harris is victorious, that’s likely the narrative that emerges.
That said, remain suspicious of narratives: Elections are not social science experiments and the media often conflates correlation with causation, when myriad factors could influence definitively. Caveat stipulated, the Trump campaign’s alienation of female voters—not just against those who hold pro-choice views but a seeming-general, Vancian hostility to cultural rights— winds up delivering the White House to its first female occupant. That will, I suspect, matter more than democracy preservation in driving voters (too abstract, perhaps, as a campaign frame), though we should celebrate democracy preservation in equal measure.
Elections come and go, but accepting the peaceful transfer of power must endure. If that’s the stakes, hope the coin flip is right.
—Michael Serazio (Communication)
Even though Kamala Harris is clearly favored to win the popular vote, it is hard to determine which candidate will win the election. The Electoral College selects the president based on the popular vote in each state. Each state is granted a number of Electoral College votes by population. The Electoral College, like many things in the Constitution, was born from a compromise between different groups. Smaller
DECISION 2024
Boston College faculty members assess the upcoming presidential election
states wanted to make sure their interests were not drowned out by the interests of more populous states, and Southern states were against the selection of a president by direct vote.
However, something peculiar has occurred over the last few decades.
Even though the Republican Party has lost the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections, they were able to win the electoral vote in two of those seven elections.
So even in situations where it looks pretty clear who is going to win the popular vote, it can still be a toss-up as to who is going to win the Electoral College. Because of the way that electoral votes are spread out across the states, it is extremely unlikely that the Democratic nominee will lose the popular vote but still win the Electoral College. The outcome of the election hinges on a handful of voters in crucial swing states. And it is a real nail-biter of an election.
—Masha Krupenkin (Political Science)
If I were a prophet, fortune-teller, or political scientist, I might know who will win this election. Still, I can guess who will lose. Kamala Harris has evened the odds since Biden bowed out, with the advantages of widespread support for women’s reproductive rights and an (apparently) improved economy. But much will depend on getting out the vote, because there are few undecideds and the traditional Democratic base seems to be wavering, due to culture war issues and the Gaza war.
Donald Trump has the advantage of deep anxiety about the economy, immigration, government ineffectiveness, and global disorder, but he seems unable to articulate any coherent policies, relying ever
more on a rhetoric of hate, divisiveness, resentment, and lawlessness that appeals only to his base.
If Harris wins, Trump will be cornered, facing prison and bankruptcy. He will have nothing to lose by claiming electoral fraud, inciting refusal by electoral boards and states to certify the votes, and encouraging violence among his most zealous supporters, as he has already done, and the country will drift further into polarization. If Trumps wins, by means fair or foul, he will do everything in his power to mimic the dictators around the world whom he so admires by tearing down the remaining guardrails of our constitutional republic, for “retribution” against all who oppose him and for his own vainglory, power, and enrichment.
So, whoever wins, the American people will be the loser, and the real winner will be Vladimir Putin.
—Gregory Fried (Philosophy)
Yale economist Ray Fair has done extensive research on the potential impact of the state of the economy on election outcomes, particularly presidential and congressional elections. His approach is to boil things down to the most important factors that have predictive power, both political and economic. Of course, there are many other random factors which can affect outcomes, such as a candidate’s “charisma” or other major events such as wars or natural disasters.
There are two political variables that turn out to be important: whether there is a Democratic or Republican incumbent, and whether a Democratic or Republican incumbent president is running again. For 2024 there is a Democratic incumbent, but the incumbent is not running again.
A third political variable captures duration, defined as how many terms the Democratic party or the Republican party has been in the White House. For 2024, the duration variable is “one-term Democratic.”
There are three important economic variables. The annual growth rate of real GDP per capita in the first three quarters of 2024; the number of quarters under the current administration that annual real GDP per capita growth has exceeded 3.2 percent; and the annual growth rate of the GDP deflator during the current administration. Put simply, higher and
more frequent growth has a positive impact on the share of the vote for the incumbent, while higher inflation is a negative for the incumbent. These three variables, based on estimates for the third quarter of 2024, are 2.4, 3, and 4.6 percent, respectively. Solid growth numbers are offset by the higher inflation for the incumbent Democratic share of the vote.
Plugging these economic values into the Fair model yields a Democratic share of the presidential vote of 49 percent. Given that third party candidates could receive roughly 2 percent of the popular vote, effectively, the model is predicting a toss-up: 49 percent to 49 percent, which is consistent with the recent public opinion polls.
This leaves the potential for “random factors” to have a disproportionate impact. Those would include recent hurricanes, the somewhat ambiguous incumbency factors of the two candidates that are running, and the relative “charismatic allure” of one candidate versus the other, which could swing the results by two to three percentage points either way.
—Brian Bethune (Economics)
It is impossible to predict the winner. Polling is an art, not a science, and in this instance the pollsters’ art is not serving them well. In 2020 and 2024, they underpredicted the Trump vote. In 2022, they overpredicted how many seats the Republicans would win. At this point, it is impossible to say who the undecideds are and—if they really exist—whether or not they will turn out. The key to the election is which side is better at turning out their less enthusiastic supporters.
—Marc Landy (Political
Science)
High Marks for Woods College Sports Admin. Program
The Boston College Master of Science in Sports Administration (MSSA) program, offered through the Woods College of Advancing Studies, placed 21st worldwide and 14th in North America in the 2024 ranking of postgraduate sports management programs released this month by SportsBusiness, a daily news and analysis service.
The SportsBusiness Postgraduate Rankings are based on responses to surveys completed by program leaders and by alumni who graduated three years prior to publication; this year’s assessment queried the class of 2021.
In the 2024 survey, BC’s MSSA scored high on quality of faculty and curriculum, professional mentorship and advocacy, career support, and current employment of graduates.
“It’s gratifying to see our M.S. in Sports Administration program recognized in an international survey,” said MSSA Program Director Patty Raube Keller. “We are committed to providing our students with opportunities to learn from and network with industry leaders, and to supporting them as they work toward their career goals. This
ranking is an affirmation of both our program and its outcomes for graduates.”
Launched in 2017, the BC MSSA was originally a concentration within the Woods College master’s program in leadership, but became a discrete master’s program in 2020. Designed to propose new thinking and broaden leadership competencies for those in sports management as well as administrators and coaches, the program is tailored to the needs of individuals seeking to advance their careers.
MSSA courses are taught by scholarpractitioners and sports industry experts, whose affiliations range from the National Football League and National Basketball Association to ESPN and FBI Sport Security, as well as Boston College Athletics and other organizations.
“All of the MSSA faculty members are experts in the subject area that they teach in our program. Most have terminal degrees [the highest-level university degree that can be achieved and awarded in a discipline or field], as well as at least 10-15 years of sports industry experience,” Keller said.
The MSSA program also guarantees
Master of Science in Sports Administration Program Director Patty Raube Keller: “We are committed to providing our students with opportunities to learn from and network with industry leaders, and to supporting them as they work toward their career goals.”
students an internship with a sports organization. Since joining the Woods College in 2021, Keller, who previously had worked at every level of the NCAA in compliance and internal operations, has strengthened the program’s external relationships, including developing a partnership with the National Junior College Athletic Association, whose president, Christopher J. Parker, is an MSSA faculty member.
The ranking is one of several indicators of the MSSA’s momentum, Keller said, noting that interest in the program is on the rise: the number of new students admitted this fall is triple that of last spring.
Graduates of the program hold positions with the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, and Toronto Blue Jays, as well as with Major League Baseball, Madison Square Garden, PWHL Boston, Wasserman, and a number of college athletics operations.
“As the MSSA expands and our students continue to gain jobs in the sports industry, we look forward to its reputation continuing to grow as well,” Keller said.
—University Communications
Forum Examines Nursing Impact on Law, Forensics, Care
BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
The Connell School of Nursing’s fall Pinnacle Lecture—which for the first time will be presented in a panel discussion format—on October 28 will address the topic “Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing and Its Effect on the Law, Forensics, and Patient Care.”
The Dr. Maureen P. McCausland Pinnacle Keynote Speakers will be CSON Professor Ann Burgess, CSON Assistant Professor Victor Petreca, and Jeff Wood, a retired personal security specialist and supervisory special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Burgess, Petreca, and Wood will bring their expertise to bear on the intersection of psychiatric/mental health and forensics, law, and patient care. CSON senior Johany Jeune, a member of the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program, will serve as moderator. The event takes place at 5 p.m. in the Yawkey Center Murray Room.
Each semester, the Connell School brings a recognized leader to campus to speak on an issue at the forefront of health care. Pinnacle is free and open to all Boston College students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as preceptors and practitioners.
Burgess is an internationally recognized pioneer in the assessment and treatment of victims of trauma and abuse. She, along with BC sociologist Lynda Lytle Holmstrom, co-founded one of the first hospitalbased crisis counseling programs at Boston City Hospital. She then worked with FBI Academy special agents to study serial offenders, and the links between child abuse, juvenile delinquency, and subsequent per-
petration. Burgess and co-author Steven Constantine published the book A Killer by Design: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind, which served as the inspiration for “Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer,” a 2024 Hulu docuseries about Burgess.
Her work continues today in the study of elder abuse in nursing homes, cyberstalking, and Internet sex crimes. She has received numerous honors including the Sigma Theta Tau International Audrey Hepburn Award, the American Nurses’ Association Hildegard Peplau Award, and the Sigma Theta Tau International Episteme Laureate Award. She was designated a “Living Legend” by the American Academy of Nursing and is the namesake and inaugural recipient of the Ann Burgess Forensic Nursing Award from the International As-
sociation of Forensic Nurses.
A board-certified advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, Petreca is director of the Connell Schoolbased Center for Police Training in Crisis Prevention. His research focuses on forensic psychiatry and mental health, examining issues related to victimology, sexual trauma, sexual offending, and violent behavior. With funding from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, he studies jail diversion programs, working closely with law enforcement and forensic clinicians to assess and optimize behavioral crisis responses.
In his clinical work, he has conducted psychiatric evaluations and managed the mental health care of individuals in several correctional facilities. He also does psychiatric evaluations and psychopharmacological management for individuals who are under
supervision of the Federal Bureau of Prisons as they reintegrate into society.
As an FBI special agent, Wood conducted complex criminal investigations targeting violent street gangs. An expert in interviewing and interrogations, violent crime investigations, and the creation of multi-agency investigative task forces, he provided expert witness testimony in federal and state courts. A United States Army veteran, Wood spent two years in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, protecting U.S. and foreign dignitaries. He also served as assistant regional security officer in the U.S. Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He now is a program manager for Protection Strategies Incorporated.
To register for the event, or learn more about the lecture series, go to bc.edu/pinnacle.
photo by lee pellegrini
Ann Burgess will be a panelist at the October 28 Pinnacle Lecture.
Sam Sawyer, S.J., '00, M.Div. '14, editor in chief of America Media, presented “From Polarization to Communion” on October 10 in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons. His talk was sponsored by the Clough School of Theology and Ministry and Church in the 21st Century Center.
photo by lee pellegrini
photo by gary wayne gilbert
BC Law Will Be New Home for Cybersecurity Program
Continued from page 1
to complete their program of study. Preparations for the new M.L.S. in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance will not affect students currently in the M.S. program.
“This change results from a recent University review process, which considered the current program’s strong curriculum, connection to law and regulation, and many prospective synergies with existing juris doctor and master of laws programs at BC Law,” said Lienau. “Although the Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance degree program currently provides students with an excellent experience and the education, training, and skills needed to excel in the cybersecurity field, the program will be enhanced by a redevelopment and relaunch as a new M.L.S. program housed, overseen, and managed by the Law School.”
She added that although there are core continuities, the M.L.S. program is a separate degree, which received formal acquiescence from the American Bar Association (ABA) last June.
“In preparation for the fall 2025 launch, BC Law is undertaking a curriculum review of the program, aligned with the conditions of the ABA,” she said.
The M.S. in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance degree program was launched nine years ago following a Woods College curriculum overhaul focused on applicability and practicality. It was designed with input from industry professionals and an advisory board that researched the cybersecurity field and determined that BC could fill a substantial gap by creating a more ho-
According
ers, “there is a high demand for non-lawyer professionals with a deep understanding of the complex legal and regulatory frameworks governing cybersecurity, data privacy, and artificial intelligence.”
listic approach to the course of study.
Powers emphasized that online crime has exponentially increased since 2015, along with the legal and regulatory requirements for private and public organizations, fueling a high demand for professionals with skills in cybersecurity, data privacy, and artificial intelligence.
“As technology evolves and business risks increase, there is a high demand for non-lawyer professionals with a deep un-
Lynch School’s Dougherty Is Named DOE Senior Advisor
Shaun M. Dougherty, professor and program director for research and evaluation methods in the Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment Department at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, has been named a senior advisor in the Office of the Chief Economist, located within the Office of the Undersecretary at the United States Department of Education.
Dougherty, who is on leave from the Lynch School, began his one-year appointment in May. His responsibilities include economic analysis and providing guidance on policy related to education.
“I’m grateful for the chance to serve the Biden-Harris administration, and to the BC community for providing the space to share my expertise in another setting in the spirit of service,” said Dougherty.
The Office of the Chief Economist provides analysis and advice to guide real-time higher education policy while building a culture of experimentation, including partnerships with leading social science researchers to pilot-test new ways to serve students and borrowers. The staff serves as liaisons to the research community so that leading researchers’ insights and evidence inform their agenda, and the office can build the
review considered the M.S. in Cybersecurity program’s “strong curriculum, connection to law and regulation, and many prospective synergies” with juris doctor and master of laws programs at the Law School.
derstanding of the complex legal and regulatory frameworks governing cybersecurity, data privacy, and artificial intelligence,” said Powers. “Our M.L.S. in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance provides those professionals with the necessary legal, risk management, and technical knowledge and skills to advance their careers, lead compliance and information security teams. They are able to work with in-house and outside counsel to develop, implement, and oversee cybersecurity programs that are not only aligned to organizations’ business strategies, but also protect their networks, business
evidence and research base on how best to strengthen education.
“We’re excited that Shaun Dougherty has been appointed to this important position in the U.S. Department of Education,” said Stanton E.F. Wortham, the Charles F. Donovan, S.J., Dean of the Lynch School. “It recognizes his important research on policy-relevant issues and reflects very well on Boston College to have him on our faculty.”
—Phil Gloudemans
operations, and sensitive data.”
Cybercrime Magazine reported that global cybersecurity job vacancies grew by 350 percent, from one million openings in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021, according to Cybersecurity Ventures, a global cyber economy research firm. “Industry efforts to source new talent and tackle burnout continues, but we predict that the disparity between demand and supply will remain through at least 2025,” the editor noted.
The Identity Theft Resource Center reported in January that there was a 78 percent increase in data compromises year-to-year, from 1,801 in 2022 to 3,205 in 2023—the worst year yet for data breaches—both in the United States and globally. According to cyber security outlet SecurityWeek, ransomware scams had more than twice the number of victims in 2023 compared to 2022, and based on current trends, ransomware threats will continue to increase and evolve in 2024. More than 353 million individuals were affected by data compromises, including data breaches, leakage, and exposure.
Since 2017, the M.S. program in Woods has annually co-hosted the Boston Conference on Cybersecurity with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, featuring lectures and panel discussions given by international leaders in the disciplines of emerging technologies, operations and enforcement, and real-life cyber and national security concerns. The initial conference featured former FBI Director James Comey, followed by current FBI Director Christopher A. Wray as the keynote speaker in 2018, 2020, and 2022. This forum will continue at the BC Law School.
to program director Kevin Pow-
BC Law Dean Odette Lienau said a recent
photo by peter morenus
Shaun Dougherty
The fall Theatre Department/Robsham Theater Arts Center schedule began last week with a production of “Secret Life of Humans,” by award-winning stage and television writer and director David Byrne [see page 2 for a note on a previous Chronicle article about the play]. The musical comedy “Pippin” will be presented from November 20-22 and 24. More at bc.edu/robsham.
Snapshot
“Secret Life of Humans”
photo by lee pellegrini
photo by lee pellegrini
‘Rome to the Heights’: Musical Treasures Brought to Life
BY ROSANNE PELLEGRINI STAFF WRITER
Special campus appearances next week by a renowned Renaissance vocal ensemble—which recently won the classical music equivalent of an Oscar—will showcase the intricate musical compositions of that period, and bring to life musical treasures from the collection of Boston College’s John J. Burns Library.
“From Rome to the Heights” features Dutch vocal group Cappella Pratensis [cappellapratensis.nl/en/HOME], whose residency at BC will culminate in a rare opportunity to experience Renaissance polyphonic music, a style that interweaves melodic lines, performed directly from historical notation provided by the Burns archives.
On October 29, the group will conduct a daytime workshop/demonstration and perform an evening concert, offering opportunities for immersion in the artistry of Renaissance musicians. These appearances are sponsored by the Netherland-America Foundation “Bridging Worlds,” the Office of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean, the Music Department, and University Libraries.
The group, which appears in prominent venues worldwide to critical acclaim, recently was presented with a Gramophone Classical Music Award—regarded as the most important prize in classical music—in the “Early Music” genre.
“For almost 40 years, Cappella Pratensis has been renowned for its innovative approach to the performance of Renaissance polyphonic music,” said BC Music Department Chair and Professor Michael Noone. “It is one of only a handful of professional ensembles in the world that perform directly from historical notation, as opposed to transcriptions in the form of a modern choral score. Just two weeks ago at the Catholic
University in Belgium, the group sang twice for Pope Francis.”
Noone said the October 29 events promise to be “a memorable experience,” citing the importance of collaboration with Burns Library, which as part of the workshop will exhibit some of its very rare sacred music books from as early as the 14th century. The event will take place at noon in Gasson 100; lunch will follow.
Titled “Experience Renaissance Music Up Close: Witness a Guidonian Hand Signals Demonstration,” this exploration of Renaissance music performance will bring new life to the Burns Library’s rare Renaissance treasures. Cappella Pratensis will sing from the original notation, illustrating the complexity of Renaissance music through an interactive experience that illuminates their historical context and focuses on the lost art of hand signals as integral to the art of performance.
Among works to be explored is the Josquin des Prez composition “Inviolata,” to demonstrate the Guidonian hand and improvisation techniques, a mnemonic device used in the Middle Ages to help singers learn and memorize music. “Students will have the singular chance to sing with the Cappella Pratensis and experience firsthand the beauty of polyphonic music,” Noone said.
“Students, faculty, and visiting researchers come to Burns Library to see and study the rare and historical materials we hold in our varied collections, including the thoughtfully curated collection of choir books and manuscripts that we have developed over the years in consultation with Professor Noone,” said Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Resources and Burns Librarian Christian Dupont. “Yet it is an experience of another order to hear trained voices sing the early musical notations directly from their pages. It enriches understanding and appreciation literally beyond
measure.”
At 7:30 that evening, Cappella Pratensis will perform the “Missa Ecce Ancilla Domini” (“Behold the Handmaiden”), a setting of the Mass text by Franco-Flemish Renaissance master Guillaume Dufay, in St. Mary’s Chapel.
“Composed for the feast of the Annunciation, Dufay’s famous Mass has a special resonance for us at Boston College,” Noone said. “The Annunciation is exquisitely depicted in a painting at the center of the Gothic altarpiece that adorns the private oratory of the Loyola family in Azpeitia, Spain.” This beautiful Flemish painting was given by the Catholic Queen of Castile Isabella I to Magdalena de Araoz, her ladyin-waiting, when she married St. Ignatius’s elder brother, Martín.
Noone said that in 1915, then-BC President Charles W. Lyons S.J., commissioned Alexander Locke to produce stained glass windows for St. Mary’s Chapel. “It must
have been this direct connection with the Loyola family oratory that led to the choice of the Annunciation as a theme for one of the north wall windows. In choosing to quote the archangel Gabriel’s words ‘Ave Maria,’ Locke was clearly acknowledging our chapel’s patron.
“Renaissance composer Palestrina’s magisterial setting of these words will resound in the chapel, brought to life by our visiting musicians.”
Cappella Pratensis will sing the Ave Maria from the original notation “as preserved in an exemplar of Palestrina’s motets printed in Venice in 1585,” Noone added. “This rare and exquisite publication found its way into the collection of the French conductor and pianist Alfred Cortot (1877-1962), and was acquired by Burns Library in 2019.”
For more information on these events, which are open to the public and free of charge, see the University events calendar [events.bc.edu].
at improving undergraduate students’ academic and learning outcomes. This person will work closely with CSON’s Student Services team and develop new programming and resources to ensure students are supported in all aspects of their nursing education.
In addition, the grant will establish the Joanne Barkett Conway Student Success Fund, a student emergency fund that will support a range of emerging student needs as determined by Connell School Dean Katherine Gregory.
“We are deeply grateful to Bill Conway and the Bedford Falls Foundation for their transformational gift,” said Gregory. “Through their generosity, the Connell School can better support and ease the financial burden of the next generation of exceptional nurses—nurses whose talents and skills will improve
health and the common good.”
“Our nation needs more nurses, but the cost of a nursing education can make it seem like an unattainable dream to some,” said Conway. “I feel blessed to be able to partner with Boston College to reduce the financial burden of a nursing education, so that students can get a high-quality nursing education, achieve their dream, and help reduce the nursing shortage.”
As a Jesuit, Catholic institution of higher education, the Connell School is dedicated to formation of the whole person with a focus on social justice and service to others, and partners with Boston’s world-class health care institutions and offers programs at the baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral levels, as well as continuing education programs. The Connell School faculty—a community of educators, researchers, clinicians, and innovators—is widely published and recognized as leaders in their field. Its undergraduate nursing program is ranked ninth nationally in the latest U.S. News & World Report survey.
“I feel blessed to be able to partner with Boston College to reduce the financial burden of a nursing education,” said Bedford Falls Foundation head William Conway Jr., “so that students can get a high-quality nursing education, achieve their dream, and help reduce the nursing shortage.”
photo by caitlin cunningham
As part of their Boston College residency, Dutch vocal group Cappella Pratensis will perform Renaissance music using historical notation from the Burns Library archives.
photo by hans morren
Zeljkovic Named Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigator
BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has named Professor of Physics Ilija Zeljkovic among its third annual cohort of Experimental Physics Investigators, a group they expect will yield new insights and open new frontiers in physics.
Along with the 18 other researchers in the select group, Zeljkovic was awarded a five-year, $1.25 million grant to support his research goals and try new ideas.
“I am honored to receive this award and very grateful to the Moore Foundation for selecting our project,” said Zeljkovic. “It will enable us to perform exciting, cutting-edge experiments.”
The Experimental Physics Investigators initiative provides flexible funding to pursue imaginative research ideas, allowing the investigators to explore new and uncharted areas and advance the scientific understanding of the natural world, according to the Moore Foundation announcement.
“This initiative is designed to support novel and potentially high-payoff projects that will advance the field of physics but might be hard to fund through traditional funding sources,” said Theodore Hodapp, the Experimental Physics Investigators program director. “Via an open call for proposals, we have lowered the barriers for researchers from a wide range of institutions and experiences to apply. We are delighted with the variety of ideas and projects this year’s cohort represents.”
Among the awardees, Zeljkovic is joined by colleagues from institutions that include the University of California-Berkeley, California Institute of Technology, University of Rochester, Stanford University, Yale University, and the University of Pennsylvania.
With the Moore Foundation award, Zeljkovic will examine quantum materials for their atomic defects and impurities, which are either intentionally introduced to generate new collective behavior or an accidental byproduct of material synthesis. These
imperfections themselves can possess special properties. Developing and expanding the use of characterization tools with atomicscale spin sensitivity that can uncover new information related to impurity sites is at the forefront of experimental progress, he said.
“Our research program will employ electron-spin-resonance scanning tunneling microscopy, a budding technique for quantum sensing and manipulation of spin states, and establish its use in the realm of quantum materials,” said Zeljkovic. “The overarching goal is to build the foundation for the understanding of spin state dynamics associated with individual impurities in quantum materials, which is currently difficult to achieve using other tools.”
The grant will support hiring a postdoc, as well as a graduate and an undergraduate student. The grant will also support upgrading lab equipment, such as the acquisition of electronics for fine control of magnetic fields in all three dimensions and the apparatus to enable imaging of smaller samples, Zeljkovic said.
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation advances scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and preservation of the special character of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Panel to Discuss Christian Nationalism
The Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life will hold a pair of panel discussions on “Christian Nationalism and the 2024 Election” on October 29 from 3-6 p.m. in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons.
Leading off will be “Christian Nationalist Traditions,” with Boston College Libby Professor of Law and Theology M. Cathleen Kaveny; Boston University Professor Emeritus of Sociology Nancy Ammerman; Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor Emerita of African-American Studies and Sociology at Colby College, and an assistant pastor at Union Baptist Church in Cambridge, Mass.; and Northeastern University Assistant Professor of Religion and Anthropology Sarah Riccardi-Swartz.
Trinity College Professor of Religion in Public Life Mark Silk, author of Spiritual
Politics: Religion and America Since World War II, will moderate the discussion.
Following a break, the event will resume at 4:45 p.m. with “The State of Play Today.” Panelists will be Ruth Braunstein, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut; University of Massachusetts-Boston Assistant Professor of Sociology Evan Stewart; Aaron Weinstein, assistant professor in the Fairfield University Department of Politics; and Clark University Associate Professor of Sociology Jack Delehanty.
Loyola University Chicago Sociology Chair Rhys Williams, director of the McNamara Center for the Social Study of Religion, will serve as moderator.
The panel series is free but an RSVP is requested. See the Boisi Center website at bc.edu/boisi.
Transitions
Long-time Boston College Athletics administrator Jamie DiLoreto was recently named as senior associate athletics director for external relations. In this role, DiLoreto oversees all communications, creative services, gameday presentation, marketing and promotions, ticket sales, and ticket operations for athletics. He is a primary contact for corporate sponsorship partnerships with Van Wagner for athletics as well as athletic concessions and liaison for the Boston College Varsity Club and the Hall of Fame. He also oversees the licensing program for the University and is program administrator for men’s and women’s skiing
Nota Bene
Jacqueline V. Lerner, a professor in the Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology Department of the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame on October 14.
Lerner and her collaborator Richard M. Lerner, the Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science at Tufts University, were both cited by the organization for their 25 years of research on positive youth development.
The two were among 16 inductees
Jobs
The following are among the recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/jobs or scan the QR code at right.
Director of Assessment and Accreditation, Lynch School of Education and Human Development
Estate Planning Fellow, ILH&PR
Development Assistant
Classroom Technology Specialist
Vice President for Facilities Management
Credit & Collection Associate
Middleware Systems Administrator
Temporary Office Pool
Physical Security Technician
Campus Minister for Liturgical Arts
Director, Center for Isotope Geochemistry
Associate Director, Campus Ministry
Senior Research Associate, Child & Behavioral Health Research Innovations (CABHRI) lab
Liaison Librarian for Nursing and Health
Science
Concessions
Proposal Development Specialist
and the Spirit Program. DiLoreto’s previous positions in BC Athletics have been associate director of marketing, assistant athletics director for marketing, and most recently associate athletics director for marketing. He joined Athletics in 1993 and worked as a ticket office assistant until 1999.
A former president of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators, DiLoreto teaches sports marketing and communications courses in the Woods College of Advancing Studies graduate program. He holds a master’s degree in administration from Boston College.
—University Communications
honored by the Hall of Fame, which recognizes 4-H volunteers, extension professionals, staff employees, donors, and others who have made a significant impact on the program and/or members through the contribution of time, energy, and financial resources at the local, state, or national level.
4-H, a program of the United States Department of Agriculture and the Cooperative Extension Service of land-grant universities, is the world’s largest youth development initiative.
Custodian III, Monday-Friday
Assistant Director, Member Services & Operations
Vocal Director
Fiscal and Grant Specialist
Football Recruiting Specialist
Director, Research Information Systems & Education
Lead Catering Staff
Senior Budget Financial Applications Analyst
Associate Director, Education, Advisory & Online Programs
Patrol Officer
Ilija Zeljkovic
photo by lee pellegrini
One Year In, AADS Head Upbeat About Program’s Future
Continued from page 1
academic year, when the Black Studies Program was created as part of the University’s efforts to recruit talented Black students. The program was renamed in 2006 and was introduced as a major in 2019-2020. Its core faculty members are drawn from departments in: Art, Art History, and Film; Communication; English; History; Psychology and Neuroscience; Sociology; and Theology.
AADS, which offers both a major and minor, considers the history, culture, and politics of the African continent and African-descended peoples in the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, according to the program website. “Covering vast historical periods and geographies, AADS acquaints students with the multiplicity and diversity of the African Diaspora and the world in which we all live.”
In addition to the AADS signature course, Introduction to African Diaspora Studies, the program’s offerings also include: Food Justice across the African Diaspora; Black and Popular; History of Medicine and Public Health in the African Diaspora; and Introduction to African Art and Visual Culture.
Semley’s current research examines Black populations in Bordeaux, France, from the 18th to 20th centuries. She has also published To Be Free and French: Citizenship in France’s Atlantic Empire—co-winner of the World History Association Bentley Book Prize in 2018—and Mother Is Gold, Father Is Glass: Gender and Colonialism in a Yoruba Town. She is finishing up her terms as editor-in-chief of History in Africa, one of the two flagship journals of the African Studies Association, and as associate review editor for the American Historical Review Semley points to recent joint faculty hires—including new core faculty who arrived this fall in Communication and in Art, Art History, and Film, along with two others in Psychology and Neuroscience—as adding strength upon strength to AADS offerings, which will be further enhanced
through an open search now being conducted by the program. Semley believes these new faculty colleagues, and the teaching and research avenues they represent, can enrich and broaden the curriculum.
For example, for the current open search there is an interest in Haitian Studies—a particularly good fit given the large, vibrant Haitian community in Boston, she said—which would strengthen the program’s Caribbean content while adding a Francophone component. Another area is the intersection of STEM and AADS, and Semley sees several ways to address this issue through research questions or outcomes related to African and/or African diaspora communities.
“Scholars may also be examining questions of diversity in relation to their own discipline,” she said. “AADS already has a strong contingent of faculty in disciplines like history, sociology, and psychology who examine issues related to public health and health disparities. Courses cross-listed with STEM fields would offer students new ways of thinking about AADS in relation to their interests and identities as scientists. They could imagine different ways that health, technology, or AI, for example,
Earlier this month, the
“African and African Diaspora Studies courses teach about more than what happened in the past,” says Semley. “Our courses give students the tools to enact change in their own ways for their own futures.”
photo by caitlin cunningham
in the McMullen Atrium. In the social media flurry afterward, 1990s rap icon MC Hammer commented on a tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter) by conference attendee Robin Mitchell; he mused about “all the books that have yet to be written.”
Yet the content, and even the existence, of academic programs like AADS has become a subject of national controversy, especially in political circles, with critics charging that such teaching is divisive or inappropriate. But this debate, which Semley noted is not unique to the U.S., overshadows a key facet of higher education: to expand, even challenge, what we know.
might relate to the history and experience of African and African diaspora communities around the world.”
AADS also seeks to make its presence felt outside the classroom, Semley added: The program is co-sponsoring the McMullen Museum of Art fall exhibition, “States of Becoming” [mcmullenmuseum.bc.edu/ exhibitions/states/], showcasing 17 contemporary African artists whose work reflects their own journeys of self-realization while living in the United States and in European countries. “Like our courses, these works reveal the global nature of the African diaspora,” Semley told the Chronicle earlier this fall. “The tension between transformation and belonging emerges because the African diaspora is ‘everywhere’ yet often erased.”
Semley also co-sponsored an international conference on “Global Black French Studies” [mcmullenmuseum.bc.edu/exhibitions/states/] earlier this month with five colleagues based at other American universities. Highlights included what Semley describes as “an incredible keynote” by scholar/director/artist Mame-Fatou Niang of Carnegie Mellon University and performances by the Boston College Symphony Orchestra Ensemble and Voices of Imani
“In some classes, I’ve taught about the Haitian Revolution of 1791-1804. A few years ago, students in one of my classes had never heard of it, but now, most seem to have learned the general outlines of the event as an important one. However, they may not understand fully the ramifications for Haitians, for France, and even for the U.S. Even the most current events cannot be fully understood without knowing the complexity of the Haitian Revolution and its aftermath.
“Students sometimes struggle with the details of other aspects of history and society. For example, some students in one of my classes are surprised by the arguments some activists have made in their quest for—what is ultimately—full citizenship and belonging. In those instances, I tried to focus on the idea of ‘imagination.’
“Sometimes we have to recognize that we may not have the words or imagery to envision the world in other ways. However, by taking an AADS class, a student has accepted an invitation to learn about other perspectives.
“Sometimes the impact of historical events we never heard of are hidden in plain sight all around us, all around the world. In the end, AADS courses teach about more than what happened in the past; our courses give students the tools to enact change in their own ways for their own futures.”
BC Scenes Mental Health Fair
PHOTOS BY CAITLIN CUNNINGHAM
Center for Student Health and Wellness held a Mental Health Fair in the Plaza at O’Neill Library—an opportunity for students to learn more about dealing with mental health challenges and connect with campus groups and resources.