Boston College Chronicle

BC’s “Hidden Heroes”

Auxiliary Services’ best work has been on display during pandemic

BY MEGHAN KEEFE SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Associate Vice President for Auxiliary Services Patricia Bando’s office is not the easiest to locate. Housed in 129 Lake Street on Brighton Campus, Bando’s workspace is at the end of a circuitous walk up three flights of winding stairs and a long loop around the third floor.

Bando may operate out of sight of much of the University community, but she is more interested in pointing out the work her Auxiliary Services colleagues ac complish each day, though many of them may be similarly overlooked or underap preciated. Specialists in the art of “getting things done,” these administrators and staff work to make sure that their labors blend into the background, creating an appear ance of effortlessness.

Q&A: Natana DeLong-Bas

“We have so many good people who have just been so rigorous in their work,” Bando said, “and they don’t get any recog nition.”

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many alterations to Boston College’s complex ecosystem—everything from the campus shuttle bus service operation to the daily cleaning and maintenance of University buildings to how BC students and faculty order food. Administrators and staff in Auxiliary Services worked tirelessly to implement such changes with as little disruption as possible, according to Bando, who believes this behind-the-scenes dili gence of the department’s “hidden heroes” deserves notice and appreciation.

When the pandemic began affecting factory production and supply chains, it was Assistant Director for Procurement &

Iranian Protestors’ Desire for Freedom “Greater Than Their Fear of the Regime”

Protests have rocked Iran since the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody, three days after she was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women. There were reports that officers battered the Kurdish woman with a baton; the police claimed she suffered a heart attack.

More than 200 protestors have report edly been killed by security forces during

the fierce government crackdown, and hundreds of women and girls—often removing and burning their hijabs in defi ance of the authorities—have been arrest ed. The protests have continued across Iran despite efforts to detain not just the protes tors but also men and teenage boys, and Iranian public figures, who have expressed their support; meanwhile, rallies in the United States and Europe have proclaimed

Financial Aid Fund to Honor Fr. Stegman

BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

A student financial aid fund has been established to honor the legacy of former School of Theology and Ministry (STM) Dean Thomas D. Stegman, S.J., whose leadership and commitment to promoting academic excellence within a nurturing community inspired students, faculty, and alumni across all corners of the University.

The Dean Thomas D. Stegman, S.J., Fi nancial Aid Fund was established through a lead gift from Carroll School of Manage ment graduates Kenneth “Ken” Mostello ’79, M.S. ’93 and Michelle Maglaty Mo stello ’79, and four other families who have contributed anonymously. Once the fund has secured $250,000 in cash gifts, it will begin to provide a graduate fellowship for an STM student each year.

The fellowship addresses a key priority for Fr. Stegman, who during his six years as dean sought to make the STM experience accessible to all qualified students, regard less of financial need. Currently, 100 per cent of the STM’s master’s degree students receive some level of financial aid.

The graduate fellowship also fulfills a desire of the Mostellos to support a school that they call “the soul of the University,” by adding an endowed fellowship to the Mostello Family Financial Aid Fund they established in 2010.

“As Michelle and I look back at our years at Boston College, the education we received was invaluable, but the faith for mation we were blessed with was priceless and everlasting,” said Ken Mostello. “We have the Jesuit community and spiritual luminaries like Tom Stegman to thank for continuing that tradition for a new genera tion.

“Knowing how selfless Tom is, it is im portant to us that he have a legacy, but it is equally important for the STM and for the University.  As I recall from my years at the Heights, it is ultimately a very few special people who inspire you and that is what you take away and recall years later.  So,

we are happy to lay the cornerstone on this scholarship in Tom’s honor.”

STM Dean Michael McCarthy, S.J., said that the graduate fellowship will be of great assistance to STM students, while also honoring the legacy of his friend and predecessor.

“From my first conversations with Tom about the STM, he stressed the importance of finding ways to increase financial sup port for lay students, ensuring that access to graduate theological and ministerial

INSIDE

3 Spirit of BC Strong

Jennifer Castro ’26 is this year’s BC Strong Scholarship recipient.

4 Equal Access?

Economist Mariana Laverde looks at BPS school-choice program.

5 “Cultivating Talent” BC hosts conference on Hispanic educators and Catholic schools.

Former School of Theology and Ministry Dean Thomas Stegman, S.J.

photo by tony rinaldo

Sharyl Thompson and Pedro Garcia are among the members of the Auxiliary Services team whose efforts at “getting things done” have drawn praise from department leadership.

photos by lee pellegrini

Around Campus

New Direction, and Partnerships, for Civic Engagement Efforts at BC

The 2022 midterm elections have come and gone, and if recent trends hold, Boston College undergraduates likely went to the polls in greater numbers than in previous elections of the past decade.

Boston College participates in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) conducted by the In stitute for Democracy & Higher Education at Tufts University. According to the most recent NSLVE report, the registration rate of eligible BC students increased from 65.7 percent in 2014 to 79.6 percent in 2018 and 86.9 percent in 2020, and the Election Day voting rate, or yield, of registered stu dents likewise grew: 24.2 percent in 2014; 47 percent in 2018 and 83 percent in 2020. The overall voting rate—or percentage of eligible students voting on Election Day— went from 15.9 percent in 2014 to 37.4 percent in 2018 to 72.2 percent in 2020.

Colleges and universities have long en couraged and assisted students in taking part in the political process, such as through holding voting registration campaigns or hosting panel discussions on key issues of the day. For the past six years at BC, the Student Affairs division has organized such activities through its Civic Engagement

Initiative (CEI), aimed at helping students think about how they can make a difference in the civic life of their communities—both political and non-political—or on a larger scale.

Recently, the CEI has undergone a tran sition from being a purely Student Affairsrun operation to partnering with other offices and departments across campus. Among those represented on the committee are Boston College Libraries, the BC School of Social Work, Connell School of Nurs ing, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Campus Ministry, Veterans Programs and Services, the Volunteer and Service Learning Center, Office of Gov ernmental and Community Affairs, Mont serrat Coalition, and Office of University Communications.

Administrators said that the CEI, in stead of creating or organizing civic-related resources or programming, now focuses more on directing students to those already existing or available. Most importantly, they added, the CEI is expanding efforts to help undergraduates realize the full implications of the phrase “civic engagement”—and that it doesn’t end with Election Day.

STM Offers MOOC on Synodality

The School of Theology and Minis try’s Formación Continua, the continuing education program offered in Spanish, has launched a free, multi-language massive open online course (MOOC) on building a synodal Church that has drawn more than 65,000 participants worldwide.

The course, Common Discernment and Decision-Making in a Synodal Church, is offered in five languages (Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian, and French) and is de signed to teach Catholics the theology and practice of synodality.

Synodality, the focus on the upcoming Synods of Bishops [www.synod.va/en.html], is what Pope Francis has called “a style, it is a walk together, and it is what the Lord ex pects from the Church of the third millenni um.” Synodality deepens the ecclesiology of the People of God developed at the Second Vatican Council and asks the laity, priests, bishops, and religious to listen to each other and discern a path forward that generates reconfiguration of relationships, communica tive dynamics, and structures in the current institutional Church.

According to Formación Continua Di

rector Félix Palazzi, the goal of the course is to educate the general public and instruct parish and ecclesial community leaders on theological formation and the practice of communal discernment/decision-making in the Church.

Common Discernment and DecisionMaking in a Synodal Church has drawn participants from more than 25 countries. The countries with the most participants are Spain, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States.

One of the instructors is STM Associ ate Professor of the Practice and Professor Extraordinarius Rafael Luciani, an appointed expert on the theological commission of the General Secretariat for the Synod. He re cently authored the book Synodality: A New Way of Proceeding in the Church.

The first phase of the course went live in July, and is still available online. The second phase will begin January 25. The course is asynchronous and participants can complete all elements of the course in their own time. To learn more or to register, see formaciononline.bc.edu/en/courses/synodaldiscernment.

—Kathleen Sullivan

Interim Associate Director for Student Organizations and Programming Kyle Neary said, “Most of our students are partic ipating civically here: voting in the UGBC elections, for instance, or doing service, or belonging to a campus organization. But that doesn’t always translate to being active members in their communities, of being men and women for others: ‘When you move to a new place after BC,’ we’re asking them, ‘how and where can you make a dif ference?’”

“We want students to think more broad ly—about not just being politically active, but being global citizens,” said Women’s Center Director Katie Dalton. “The idea is to get them to reflect on what they do in the context of BC —through PULSE or Arrupe or Appalachia Volunteers, for example—and link it to civic engagement.”

In its earlier years, the CEI sought to bring students into election-year dialogue by organizing or co-organizing campus events, such as public viewings of the presidential and vice-presidential debates, and panel dis cussions and lectures on election-related top ics; on Election Night 2016, the CEI held a reception in Vanderslice Hall so students could watch and discuss the results.

Snapshot

First-Gen Celebration

But as Dalton noted, a recent search of the online University Calendar by CEI ad ministrators found 85 campus events iden tified by the hashtag “#civicengagement.”

“There are already many of these kinds of events on campus, so rather than add to that, we said, ‘Let’s get students to the things that are already happening.’”

A major challenge for CEI outreach is that students’ methods of accessing informa tion are constantly changing, and adminis trators are trying to stay up to date—such as utilizing TikTok videos to offer reminders about voting. Meanwhile, BC is continuing its collaboration with the website Turbovote to provide students with election informa tion and materials and assisting them in registering to vote.

Invariably, CEI administrators say, some students encounter election-related issues— confusion over absentee ballots, for example, or where they’re supposed to vote—that are at the heart of the initiative’s purpose.

“We just want to be sure students have the details they need, or know where they can get them,” said Neary.

—Sean Smith

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ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Jack Dunn

SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Patricia Delaney

EDITOR

Sean Smith

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Christine Balquist

Phil Gloudemans

Ed Hayward

Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Caitlin Cunningham

Lee Pellegrini

Boston College observed the National First-Gen College Celebration on Tuesday, honoring members of the University community identifying as first-generation college students or graduates. Activities included “Sending Love Home,”above, an opportunity for students to write letters to parents and other family members about their college experiences. The event was held as part of BC’s First-Gen Week, which ends tomorrow.

PHOTO BY FRANK CURRAN

BC Strong Scholarship Winner Shares Inspirational Story

BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Jennifer Castro ’26, a marketing major in the Carroll School of Management, has been awarded the 2022 Boston College Strong Scholarship, which each year cele brates a student with a permanent physical disability who has overcome adversity.

Castro, from New Fairfield, Conn., was born without a left arm below the elbow after developing amniotic band syndrome in her mother’s womb. She was named the sixth recipient of the scholarship, which was established by a group of 2005 BC graduates to honor their friend and class mate, Patrick Downes and his wife Jessica Kensky, who were wounded in the Boston Marathon bombings in April of 2013.

At the October 25 ceremony at 245 Beacon Street, Director of Undergraduate Admission Grant Gosselin, who selected Castro for the scholarship, said she epito mized the spirit of “BC Strong.”

“Each year after reviewing all of our ap plicants, we identify students who meet the qualifications of the BC Strong Scholarship and then bring them before the commit tee,” said Gosselin. “This year was different. Jen came to us through Early Decision, and after I got to meet her and her parents and talk about her goals, we decided not to wait. She is an individual who is incredibly talented both academically and athletically, and who fits everything the scholarship is about. I am pleased that she has shared her gifts and talents with the BC community since her arrival this fall.”

Castro shared her inspirational story of growing up facing the everyday challenges of her disability—from riding a bike to tying her shoes—and the pain of being viewed as “different” at an age when every child wants nothing more than to blend in.

“As I would walk in my mother’s shad ow, I always seemed to pass the little boy or girl who would tug on their own mother and say in a loud whisper, ‘Mommy, what’s wrong with that girl’s arm?’”

She ultimately learned to embrace her condition with the help of a loving fam ily and supportive community to become a star athlete in lacrosse and basketball,

BC Scenes

captaining her high school basketball team at the Canterbury School in New Milford, Conn.

“My parents and older brothers have always supported me and taught me that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to,” said Castro. “As a result, I wanted to focus on what I had and not what I did not have. I would not change a thing be cause I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the obstacles I faced.”

Castro credits the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Camp, which she was se lected to attend at age nine, for giving her confidence after being in the company of 30 Wounded Warrior veterans and men tors who taught her the Wounded Warrior motto: “Life without a limb is truly limit less.”

“At camp, I was immediately broken out of my shell by the Wounded Warriors and the 19 other kids who faced the same issues I had dealt with all of my life,” she said. “For the first time, I felt like I was not alone.”

Castro also credits the Canterbury School for providing a supportive commu

nity that enabled her to excel both in the classroom and in athletic competition, and to become a mentor for young kids with disabilities.

“I wanted to focus on what I had and not what I did not have. I would not change a thing because I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the obstacles I faced.”

—Jennifer Castro ’26

“After high school ended, I was afraid that I would never again experience the warmth that the Canterbury community provided me. However, here at BC, I have been welcomed into one of the best places I could be by a community that is just as warm. I can’t wait for my next chapter to unfold at Boston College.”

Downes praised Castro as an individual who exemplifies the mission of the BC Strong Scholarship.

“Jen’s infectious spirit, resiliency in the face of obstacles, and determination to care for others breathes fresh inspiration into the mission of the BC Strong Scholarship,” he said. “When you are in her presence you just know she is special and that she will leave a lasting imprint on any community she is a part of.”

Downes and Kensky, who were joined at the ceremony by BC Strong founders Kev in Collins ’05 and Elizabeth Stowe Fennell ’05, also presented BC Strong certificates to the current scholarship recipients AnselIkaei Kufta ’24 and Cathryn Cheevers ’23, whose award ceremonies were not held due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“After Jess and I were injured, my dearest friends got together to see how we could take the spirit of what we had received and spread it throughout the BC community,” said Downes. “We have been the recipients of so much love, and we have challenged a lot of people to think differ ently about how we can make the commu nities we live in more welcoming, inclusive, and celebratory of all people. We wanted to bring that spirit here to BC, and each year we are so inspired by the BC students who are chosen for this scholarship.

“It has been so exciting to see how the scholarship has also sparked new conversa tions and initiatives around making the Heights more accessible and welcoming to all, and we know there is so much more to come.”

Vice Provost for Enrollment Manage ment John Mahoney said the scholarship and the examples set by its recipients have helped to improve the entire campus com munity.

“The BC Strong Scholarship has suc ceeded in doing three important things: It has raised in a profound way our awareness regarding disabilities, helped Boston Col lege to make progress on accessibility, and welcomed great students to BC, includ ing those we are recognizing today,” said Mahoney. “We have seen the momentum. There is tangible progress that has been made, and it is only going to get better.”

Jennifer Castro ’26, the 2022 BC Strong Scholarship winner (second from left), and current scholarship recipient Ansel-Ikaei Kufta ’24 are flanked by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes ’05, who presented the honor to Castro at a ceremony on October 25.

photo by patrick mills

A Cappella Showcase

Student singers were out in force Saturday night at the A Cappella Showcase held in Robsham Theater.

PHOTOS BY ZEKE COLEMAN

BC Economist Scrutinizes Boston’s School-Choice Program

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

For more than three decades, centralized school-choice programs have been touted as a means to equalize access to high-perform ing schools across racial and income groups. But a study by Boston College economist Mariana Laverde finds that such a system has had limited success in promoting edu cational equality in Boston Public Schools (BPS).

Laverde, an assistant professor in her second year at BC, found that white prekindergarten children are more likely to be assigned to higher-achieving schools than Black and Hispanic students. Moreover, the study points out that cross-race school achievement gaps under the BPS choice system are no lower than would be the case if students were assigned to schools on the basis of their neighborhood of residence.

While it may seem a discouraging rev elation for a school system in the midst of considerable turmoil—BPS narrowly avoided a state takeover this past summer and hired its fifth superintendent in 10 years—the study’s results point to a larger issue hardly specific to Boston, according to Laverde, a researcher in the economics of education and applied market design.

“Because school-choice programs dis connect neighborhoods and schools, the theory goes, that will reduce segregation in the school system, improve the match qual ity between school and student, and also make the system’s high-quality schools ac cessible to children from under-represented groups,” she explained. “Based on the analy sis, the impact of choice systems in equal izing access to high-performing schools is limited, for reasons that may not be readily apparent or are beyond the capacity of the school-choice program to address.

“Choice has a lot of good things about it, but clearly we can’t assume choice-based systems will solve everything.”

For Laverde, the BPS study represents a classic use of market design, a discipline focusing on the development and behavior of certain markets, especially those that op erate outside of archetypal financial-based scenarios. For example, in private educa tion, the amount of tuition a student is able or willing to pay is a key determinant in what school he or she attends. But given that public education is free, she said, “how do we decide which student goes to which school? How do we set the assignment rules for this market in such a way as to make everyone as happy as possible?”

One option is to uniformly assign chil dren to schools that are closest to their neighborhoods, said Laverde. Among the advantages of this system are a short travel from home to school for students and a reinforced sense of community among the families in the district. But neighborhoodassigned schools tend to replicate residential segregation and perpetuate educational inequality, Laverde pointed out, which runs counter to their mission as mandated by law.

In theory, a choice-based system—where

families are asked to rank their school pref erences—will reduce segregation within the given school system while enabling students from lower-income households, which tend to be Black or Hispanic, to attend highperforming schools. So why hasn’t that been the case for Boston Public Schools?

A key factor in parental preferences for their children’s school—in Boston and elsewhere—is its proximity to home. Some parents may not have flexible schedules that allow them to take their children to schools farther away, or may be concerned that their children face longer commutes in school buses. For these parents, said Laverde, a lower-achieving school that is closer may be preferable than a more dis tant higher-achieving school—and given that these parents tend to be low-income and Black or Hispanic, this invariably causes cross-race gaps in access to such schools, as is the case in BPS.

Even though the system prioritizes stu dents for assignment based on their prox imity to schools, and white students tend to live closer to higher-achieving schools, the assignment algorithm does not contribute in a meaningful way to the observed gap, Laverde found.

Analyzing data from families’ schoolchoice applications and DOE statistics on school characteristics from 2010 to 2013, Laverde constructed different models to identify possible factors affecting access to high-performing schools. In models where the residential location of students was changed (for example, if Black or His panic students lived in neighborhoods near high-achieving schools), the gap in school achievement between minority and white students was reduced by about 50 percent.

Eliminating the proximity priorities and the school choice menu restrictions had a negligible impact on distribution of school achievement by race, which indicated rules are not an important driver of the gap— and instead, pointed to longer home-school distances as the main cause for differences in access between minority and white stu dents, Laverde said.

“There are important policy implica tions here,” she said. “Even though choice systems give all families the option to sort into the city’s best schools, gaps in access to high-achieving schools will persist if fami lies face different costs in accessing those schools. This also implies that competitive pressures within the school system are low ered, reducing the potential for system-wide improvements in quality.”

There are limitations to the scope of her study, Laverde notes. It doesn’t predict how, or if, access to high-achieving schools would be different if school locations changed or if the achievement level at a particular school were to increase. Neither scenario can predict families’ housing choices and their demand for the hypothetical school, she explained, which will determine the equilibrium distribution of distance to high-achieving schools by race.

Nor is the study intended to imply a de liberate or conscious effort to shortchange equal access to high-performing schools, Laverde said: It is simply a lens onto the “market” of school choice as it pertains to BPS.

“There is nothing specific that points to a flaw in BPS. The bottom line is, even under a choice system, some of the resi dential segregation patterns will permeate the school assignment. The idea that school districts are solely responsible for solving segregation and inequality in schools is er roneous. Instead, these policy objectives should include the joint effort of housing and transportation authorities, to name a few.”

Immigration Expert Shah Joins BC Law School Faculty

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Bijal Shah, whose research lies at the intersection of administrative law, structural constitutionalism, and critical theory, with a focus on the dynamics of immigration and interagency coordination, has joined the Boston College Law School as an associate professor and a Provost Faculty Fellow.

Shah, who was a visiting professor of law at University of California Berkeley School of Law last spring, is teaching administra tive and criminal law. Previously, she was an associate professor of law at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, and an acting assistant professor at New York University School of Law.

“I am thrilled to join the Boston Col lege Law School community,” said Shah. “It’s an honor to be part of a faculty that is collegial and accomplished in equal parts, and to work with such a thoughtful and

committed group of students. As a scholar of constitutional, administrative and im migration law, whose work is grounded in the realities of bureaucracy, I am excited by the Law School’s interest in and support of my data-driven, critical, and reformist ap proach.”

Shah’s scholarship can be found in publications such as the Harvard Law Re view, Stanford Law Review, Yale Journal on Regulation, and the Minnesota Law Review, among others. In addition, she is the chair emeritus of the Association of American Law Schools Section on Legislation & Law of the Political Process.

Prior to entering academia, Shah served as associate general counsel for the Depart ment of Justice/Executive Office for Im migration Review, drafting immigration regulations and national policies on behalf of the attorney general, White House, and Congress. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Presidential Management Fellow in the Department of Homeland Security

United States Citizenship and Immigra tion Services. She also served stints in the Department of Justice, Homeland Security headquarters, and the State Department.

Shah earned a juris doctorate from Yale Law School, a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard University

Kennedy School of Government, and a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis Univer sity. While at Yale, she was senior editor of the Yale Law Journal and a Kirby Human Rights Fellow. Before entering law school, Shah was an investment banker at UBS PaineWebber.

“Given the growing enthusiasm at Bos ton College for diversity and inclusion, I am looking forward to applying my ex pertise in these areas to build institutional capacity at the Law School and beyond,” she said. “And as a native of Massachusetts, I am delighted to move my young family back home.”

“We are delighted to welcome another outstanding scholar to our faculty,” said BC Law Interim Dean Diane M. Ring, the Dr. Thomas F. Carney Distinguished Scholar. “Bijal Shah’s expertise in constitutional, ad ministrative, and immigration law deepens our strength in these areas, and she will serve as a wonderful resource and mentor for our students.”

The concept of school-choice programs “has a lot of good things about it”, says Mariana Laverde, “but clearly we can’t assume choicebased systems will solve everything.”

photo by lee pellegrini

Bijal Shah

photo by allison anne johnson

Summit Eyes Role of Hispanic Educators in Catholic Schools

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

The Boston College Roche Center for Catholic Education and School of Theol ogy and Ministry hosted a groundbreaking conference this fall on the role of Hispanic educators in Catholic schools, drawing more than 125 Catholic school leaders, theologians, and researchers.

“Cultivating Talent: A National Sum mit on Hispanic Educators in Catholic Schools” (October 2-4) was the first major initiative stemming from a report co-au thored by Roche Center Executive Director Melodie Wyttenbach and STM Associate Professor Hosffman Ospino, chair of the school’s Department of Religious Educa tion and Pastoral Ministry, and supported by the Crimsonbridge Foundation.

The pair and their team conducted a comprehensive, yearlong study of Hispanic leaders and teachers in United States Cath olic schools which detailed the context, framework, process, findings, and results of a pioneering overview of a critically impor tant sector of the Catholic education work force. With more than 29 million Hispanic Catholics in the U.S.—who represent 42 percent of the nearly 70 million Catholics in the nation—the future of Catholicism and the Catholic schools that serve the Church will be significantly defined by the Hispanic population, said Wyttenbach.

“This summit brought together vari ous stakeholders in the world of Catholic education to review and discuss the results and analysis of the national study,” she said, “and to envision strategies to support Hispanic teachers and leaders, as well as the Catholic schools where these educators serve.”

Participants heard from leaders in the field and engaged in meaningful dialogue on topics including the value of affinity mentoring programs, the role of Hispanic ministry partnerships, vocational calling and theological grounding of Hispanic educator discernment, and the assets immi grant educators bring to their role strength ening the Catholic school system.

Opening day keynote speaker Amanda Fernandez, the chief executive officer and co-founder of the Belmont, Mass.-based Latinos for Education—the first Latino founded and led national organization solely dedicated to creating leadership pathways for emerging Latino leaders in education—said that Latino educators “tell us that when they feel isolated as teach ers of color in their schools, they begin to doubt their purpose and value.

“This often makes them either leave the profession or move on to schools where they can see themselves and feel seen,” she said. “Establishing professional learning networks and affinity groups for Latinos and other teachers of color are critically important tactics that can be done imme diately to create a system of support.”

One example of cultivating Hispanic talent was presented by Elena Sada, direc tor of the Roche Center-based TWIN-CS Network, a national collaboration of 24 dual-language Catholic schools that share research, ideas, techniques, and resources to support students in becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. In consultation

with TWIN-CS regional coaches, school leaders, and teachers, Sada guides the design and refinement of curriculum and assessments; develops the program’s an nual summer dual language academy; and works to strengthen the schools’ Catholic identity, school culture, academic excel lence, and operational vitality.

“Our TWIN-CS Network allows stu dents’ identities to thrive with Spanish as the dominant language of instruction in primary grades, and where multilingualism and multiculturalism are celebrated,” she said, noting that the network’s popularity is rising nationally, particularly due to the opportunity for students to connect more authentically and broadly in an increas ingly globalized world.

The second day’s keynoter, Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, shared per sonal stories of encountering racism and discrimination, but underscored how the Hispanic Catholic community has endured

and flourished. He emphasized that Catho lic parishes and schools should be authen tic places of welcome for this thriving, faith-filled community, where languages of diverse backgrounds are centered, and cul tural traditions celebrated, but that more could be done.

Ospino said that strengthening the presence of Hispanic children and families is a priority for Catholic schools, as well as increasing the presence and support of Hispanic teachers and leaders in these in stitutions.

“Evidence suggests that Hispanic teach ers and leaders play a significant role in transforming school culture, making Cath olic schools places where Hispanic children thrive and find themselves at home. How ever, when Hispanic teachers and leaders were asked who had motivated them to become Catholic school educators, it was their friends, relatives, and teachers who were far more frequently cited than pastors and other church leaders. We must change that if we really believe that Catholic schools are at the service of evangelization. Pastors, bishops, and other ecclesial lead ers need to be more proactively cultivating Hispanic teachers and leaders to serve in these institutions.”

Wyttenbach said the Roche Center and STM will continue to collaborate on researching the diversification of Catholic educator pipelines, and expand program ming to support teacher and leadership de velopment of culturally sustaining schools.

“Boston College plays a leading, nation al role in the transformation of our Catho lic school system. Recognizing the shifting demographics of our country, we have a great opportunity to embrace the cultural and linguistic richness of this community and create pathways for Hispanic educators to thrive.”

Beiner to Present Lecture Nov. 16Fund Named for Fr. Stegman Established

Continued from page 1

studies is within reach for all applicants,” said Fr. McCarthy. “Since I was named dean, it has become more clear to me how much the future of the Church depends on the formation of dynamic lay leaders. So I’m delighted at the creation of the Dean Stegman Financial Aid Fund, not only as a way of advancing the work of the STM but establishing Tom’s legacy and honoring his clear intentions.”

Director of Development for Schools and Programs Amanda Angel, who has led the school’s fundraising efforts, said that in dividuals can contribute to the Dean Steg man Financial Aid Fund as a way of paying tribute to a beloved dean.

“Fr. Stegman was made aware of the establishment of the fund at a dinner this summer, and I know he was moved by the news,” said Angel. “We can begin offer ing the graduate fellowship once we reach $250,000 in contributions received. Our goal is to continue to raise money so that one day we will be able to offer multiple Stegman Fellowships each year.”

Fr. Stegman, who served as dean from

2016-2022, is an internationally respected New Testament scholar and expert on the Pauline letters. A popular dean and teacher and the author of six books, he is credited with building a close-knit, caring academic community of students, faculty, and staff while elevating the STM to the upper ech elons of global rankings. He stepped down from the deanship in June due to compli cations from glioblastoma, an incurable form of brain cancer.

“I am honored that this fund has been established to assist students at the STM, and grateful to the Mostellos and the other donors for their friendship and generos ity,” said Fr. Stegman. “Providing access to a STM education for people from all socioeconomic backgrounds has been a pri ority for me and all of the school’s deans. I am pleased that this fellowship will help present and future generations of STM students.”

Information on how to contribute to the Dean Thomas D. Stegman, S.J., Fi nancial Aid Fund can be found at bc.edu/ honorstegman.

Award-winning historian Guy Beiner will give his inaugural lecture as the Craig and Maureen Sullivan Millennium Professor of Irish Studies at Boston College on Novem ber 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Burns Library Thompson Room. The event is free and open to the public.

Beiner, who was appointed as the Sul livan Chair in 2021 and serves as director of the University’s Center for Irish Programs, will present “Paddies in Space: Irish Studies in the 24th Century”—his examination of science fiction depictions of the Anglo-Irish conflict in popular culture that reveal how imagining the future draws on cultural tra ditions from the past, and what this suggests about current attitudes toward the prospect of the reunification of Ireland.

Beiner’s unique expertise in memory studies has earned him honors such as a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship and the National University of Ireland Irish Historical Research Prize—the latter one of four major international awards he received for his 2018 book Forgetful Re membrance: Social Forgetting and Vernacular Historiography of a Rebellion in Ulster.

“Memory is not only about recalling who we were in the past,” said Beiner, “it is also about our identity in the present, with an

eye towards where we see ourselves in the future.”

During Beiner’s tenure as Sullivan Chair, Irish Studies has hosted events commemo rating key events in Irish history, including Bloody Sunday (the 1972 killings of pro testors in Northern Ireland by the British Army) and the 1922-1923 Irish Civil War, as well as a conference on novelist, play wright, and satirist Flann O’Brien.

Preceding Beiner’s talk at 4:30 p.m. will be a reception in the Burns Library Irish Room.

Melodie Wyttenbach: “We have a great opportunity to embrace the cultural and lin guistic richness of this community and create pathways for Hispanic educators to thrive.”

photo by caitlin cunningham

Guy Beiner

photo by caitlin cunningham

Behind the Protests in Iran

international solidarity with the demon strators, who frequently chant “women, life, freedom,” and “death to the dictator” (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei).

Natana DeLong-Bas, an associate professor of the practice in the Theology Department, recently spoke with Chronicle staff writer Phil Gloudemans about the current Iranian protest movement and the context for the government’s repres sion. The past president of the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies, she is an expert on Islam and Christianity, comparative scripture, women and gender, Islamic law, the environment, extremism, and Arabian Gulf countries.

Iran has had a number of significant uprisings, including the revolution that brought the Islamic Republic into power in 1979; the 2009 Green Movement to protest massive fraud in presidential elections; the 2019 uprising over rising gasoline prices, and now the protests that erupted since the death of Mahsa Amini. What is new or different about today’s demonstrations compared to the past?

DeLong-Bas: First, there are no clerics involved and the protests are neither reli gious nor anti-religious in nature. Religion has been carefully, and I think intention ally, excluded, even though the issue that sparked the current demonstrations—an assault on a woman for “improper” veil ing—is understood to be a reflection of the state’s religious commitment. The protests are focused on “Women, Life, Freedom,” all of which are interconnected in protest ing a totalitarian regime. A major aspect of these protests has been the centrality and visibility of women—as victims and as voices—claiming the right to personal autonomy. Finally, unlike the past, today’s ongoing protests, from demonstrations to sit-ins, are leaderless and seem to be or ganic and spontaneous, yet far-reaching in impact, visibility and resonance.

The majority of the protesters seem to be under the age of 25. Iranian sources indicate that the average age is 15, and the women who have died at the regime’s hands range from ages 16 to 22. Other than their youth, what defines these pro testors?

DeLong-Bas: What is so poignant about these protests is the fact that so many of the victims—those killed, arrested, and detained—are so very young. Protest im ages frequently highlight young girls and young women, apparently of high school and university age, stripping off and setting fire to their veils, and cutting their hair, as demonstrations of their claims to personal autonomy. Children as young as 10 are seen carrying posters and placards, dem onstrating their support for the protesters. These young people literally represent the country’s future, and they are taking charge of their destiny even though they are too young to have government representation.

In a country where culture is largely rooted in obedience to age and power, and submission of individual to collective iden tity, the fact that so many young people are banding together as an alternative col

lectivity sends a strong message about the refusal to abide by rulings they have had no voice in legislating. Rather than accept ing powerlessness in favor of the powerful, these youth are finding ways to make their voices heard. The question that remains is not just whether anyone is listening, but whether any alternative outlets for fulfilling youth demands and the desire for a stake in determining Iran’s future will be offered outside of joining with existing powers in policing and denouncing others.

How would you characterize the chances that today’s protest movement will result in some significant, long-last ing changes to the Iranian government’s rule?

DeLong-Bas: The issue of a “proper” hajib has proven to be the match that’s lit the ticking time bomb of a population frustrated with a regime that not only fails to meet people’s expectations, but is also mired in a mindset that doesn’t resonate with large portions of the citizenry dissatis fied with the unnecessary restrictions on their personal autonomy and life choices— everything from clothing and personal appearance to the freedom to attend soccer matches. Those who protest are not nec essarily demanding the overthrow of the government; instead, they are insisting that the regime hear their voices and grievances. If there is a turning point, it will be if and when the state’s arms of violence—the po lice, military, and courts—question their orders, which is already transpiring among some members of the Basiji (morality po lice) since Mahsa Amini’s death, who have expressed distress with directives to fulfill arrest quotas for “improperly” dressed young people or who appear in “morally questionable” ways in public places. If the state’s enforcement mechanisms refuse to carry out draconian measures, particularly against Iranian youth, it could spark real change.

Even as Iran has restricted and slowed Internet access to blunt dissent, alterna tive forms of civil disobedience have emerged. President Ebrahim Raisi, an ultraconservative cleric who insists on hajib rule enforcement, has accused the protestors of misusing Amini’s death to destabilize the country. What do you think of his claim, and do you anticipate any short- or long-term changes by Raisi to quell the unrest?

DeLong-Bas: Blaming social media and youthful impulsivity for creating social un rest, rather than scrutinizing long-standing and widespread frustration with repression, and the limited freedom of expression, has been the regime’s standard tactic to deny the legitimacy of popular demands. Ac cusations of destabilization tend to lead to criminal charges of treason, sedition, and even terrorism, resulting in more draconian regime responses, as we are seeing now with sham trials that conclude with death sentences.

None of that is helpful in terms of ad dressing the issues that have led to so much unrest. Use of civil disobedience is nothing new in Iran; Iranians have long proven to be creative in expression of grievances,

frustrations, and pointing to the absurdities of daily life restrictions in nonviolent ways. But peaceful protests only last so long when no tangible results are produced. While nothing is inevitable because hu man choice is always involved in decisionmaking, the lack of positive government response increases the likelihood of turns to violence, and responding to it with more hostility. No one wins in that scenario.

The Biden administration has con demned Iran’s brutality and subjugation of its citizens, and imposed sanctions. Will those measures decrease or end the violence? If not, are there any external forces that could sufficiently influence the Iranian government to ease the con servative Islamic dress and behavior rules that have governed daily life for Iranians since the 1979 revolution?

DeLong-Bas: Regime brutality against protesters is increasing over time and is a serious concern, particularly because many of those who have been killed and violently arrested and detained are children—a show of control by a regime desperate to hold onto its power through repression and hostility against its own people. The regime clearly expects its iron-fist rule to stir fear and quell the protests, but the government is missing the protesters’ points: Their de sire for personal freedoms and autonomy is greater than their fear of the regime; that there is power in numbers; and that they will continue to express their defiance.

I don’t see the violence or the protests coming to an end without some form of resolution, and that solution needs to come

Natana DeLong-Bas: “Any government that demonstrates ongoing willingness to arrest, detain, and kill its own children and youth cannot reasonably expect the population to be obedient to it.”

from within Iran on the basis of what the Iranian people want for themselves. The most important support external powers can provide is to back the Iranian people by assuring that any measures undertaken to apply pressure to the Iranian govern ment do not have a negative impact on the general population, which is already under tremendous economic stress.

Clashes between Iranian security forces and protesters were reported in Saqqez, Amini’s home city, after crowds gathered near her grave on October 26 to mark the 40-day mourning period ob served under Islamic tradition since her death. Will this religious milestone end the protests? If not, what can be expected to follow?

DeLong-Bas: A number of analysts have noted that this 40-day marker could have brought an end to mourning specific to Amini, but the clashes that resulted made it clear that the government persists in repressing any expression of human emo tion, thereby ruling out any possibility of an end to the protests. The reality is that many people have been killed during these demonstrations, and the 40-day mourn ing clock starts anew with each death. If the government wants an end to protests of regime killings, the regime needs to stop killing people. Any government that demonstrates ongoing willingness to arrest, detain, and kill its own children and youth cannot reasonably expect the population to be obedient to it. The moral conscience of any human being demands respect for the life and dignity of children.

photo by lee pellegrini

Barnes-Jewish Hospital Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nurse Executive Angelleen Peters-Lewis, Ph.D.’06, right, spoke with Connell School of Nursing student Sasha Du Bois prior to giving the school’s fall Pinnacle Lecture on November 1.

OBITUARY

Robert Mauro, Led University’s Global Leadership Institute

Robert Mauro, who contributed to the rise of Boston College’s international profile as director of the University’s innovative Global Leadership Institute (originally the Irish Institute), died on October 31. He was 46.

Dr. Mauro joined BC in 2011, bring ing his experience as a political scientist and academic administrator who had done extensive work in Irish social and political relations. As director of the Irish Institute— launched in 1998 and formerly known as the Center for Irish Management—he oversaw the design and implementation of its highly acclaimed political, educational, and corporate exchange programs for lead ers from Ireland and Northern Ireland, offered as a means of helping build lasting peace and prosperity. The institute also held conferences, seminars, and meetings, sup ported by funding from Congress, and in collaboration with the United States State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Three years later, the institute began expanding its geographical scope, offering leadership training to professionals from around the world—notably the Middle East and North Africa—in areas of business, management, social sciences, and natural sciences. In the summer of 2014, the in augural Global Leadership Institute (GLI) program welcomed M.B.A. students from the Gulf University of Science and Technol ogy in Kuwait for a session on international business development. A cohort of Brazilian business professionals attended the second GLI program, on innovation and social media.

In an interview that year with the Boston College Chronicle, Dr. Mauro cited several factors for the institute’s new direction, par ticularly shifts in America’s geopolitical pri orities and the world’s regional economies. Once the 1998 Northern Ireland peace agreement was in place, he noted, the U.S. turned its attention to other parts of the world, or to matters at home, and resources for work such as that being done by the in stitute were simply not as available.

“Situations and needs never stay constant in this field. There are certain realities we have to face, which are that some resources and opportunities are simply not present in the way they once were. So we’ve asked ourselves, ‘Are there elements of the Irish Institute’s model that are appropriate, and can succeed, outside Ireland and Northern Ireland?’ We believe the answer is ‘Yes.’”

Exemplifying this new direction, in 2016, the GLI hosted a leadership program for Kuwaiti youths and formed a partner ship to assist Bahrain-based Arabian Gulf University in developing a doctoral program in innovation management. Other GLI ini tiatives included a program to assist in the professionalization of Mexico’s police force.

But the institute retained its ties to, and interest in, Ireland in the midst of various political and economic changes, including Ireland’s emergence as a landing place for major technology firms and the advent of Brexit.

In 2018, the GLI hosted policymak ers, legal experts, academics, developers, and others involved with cybersecurity in government institutions, the private sector, law enforcement, and advocacy groups from Ireland and Northern Ireland for an 11-day program in Washington, D.C., and Boston. In collaboration with the Consulate General of Ireland in Boston, the institute held a se ries of fireside chat-style events in which Dr. Mauro discussed current events and trends with prominent Irish governmental and business figures.

Such activities reflected the GLI’s view of Ireland as both a “transatlantic bridge” con necting the U.S. with Europe and a rising global leader in its own right. As Dr. Mauro explained in a 2020 Chronicle interview, these and the institute’s other endeavors helped cultivate a highly favorable impres sion of the University in Irish circles.

“BC has a reputation of being able to find resources, bring people together, and get things done,” he said.

“Bob Mauro brought together leaders in academia and the private and public sectors on both sides of the Atlantic over the past 12 years, and he was an indispensable leader for Boston College in both the Republic of Ireland and in the North,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley. “His global collaborations opened new possibili ties for our students and faculty, and he was always eager to explore new horizons.  His many friends around the world will long remember his legacy in the programs he launched and the partnerships he enabled.”

“Bob worked diligently to build bridges between communities in Ireland, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, and here in the United States,” said Robert Savage, a professor of the practice in the History De partment and member of the Irish Studies faculty. “Throughout his tenure at BC, he earned a well-deserved reputation for devel oping innovative programming and bring ing politicians, civil servants, educators, and business people together to encourage meaningful dialogue and partnerships. He was a wonderfully warm, imaginative, and engaging man who will be missed by all of us in Irish Studies.”

Dr. Mauro is survived by his wife, Bar bara Pyke, his daughters Dara and Tess, and his parents and sister.

—University Communications

Read the full obituary at: on.bc.edu/RobertMauro

Nota Bene

The National Communication Associa tion (NCA) Interpersonal Communication Division has chosen Professor of Commu nication Ashley Duggan to receive the Ger ald R. Miller Outstanding Book Award for her 2019 book Health and Illness in Close Relationships.

Synthesizing empirical evidence and associated theoretical constructs from the literature on health/illness in close relation ships, Duggan compares foundational assumptions of research on relational processes and research on health and ill ness. Using this approach, she provides a cohesive, cross-disciplinary understanding of relevant theoretical and empirical issues and why health/illness provides a unique context for understanding close relation ships.

This latest professional honor for Dug gan follows her selection earlier this year for a senior-level Fulbright Fellowship in Medicine. During 2023, she will serve as a senior scholar with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, working with the Cen tre for Positive Psychology and Health.

The NCA advances communication as “the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media, and consequences of com munication through humanistic, social scientific, and aesthetic inquiry.” Its Inter personal Communication Division seeks to stimulate research and scholarship, devel op and disseminate instructional methods and materials, facilitate discussion, and organize events related to interpersonal communication.

Professor of Music Ralf Yusuf Gawlick’s new oratorio “O Lungo (D)rom (The Long Road)” had its world premiere in the re nowned Konzerthaus Berlin on October 23, featuring distinguished soloists Johanna Zimmer (soprano), Georg Gädker (bari tone), László Racz (cimbalom), and the Alban Berg Ensemble Wien. The work sets the words of 13 different Romani poets and writers in 10 languages and Romani dialects—contemporary texts that deal with the centuries-old history of this con tinuously persecuted ethnic minority in

Jobs

The following are among the recent posi tions posted by the Department of Hu man Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/jobs or scan the QR code at right.

Admission Associate

Staff Psychologist or Staff Clinician UI/UX Designer/Developer Director, Institutional Planning Senior Events Specialist Assistant Director, Continuing Educa tion

Staff Nurse Director, Cleanroom Facility Associate Director, First Year Experience

Europe and address both the painful and hopeful moments.

“O Lungo (D)rom (The Long Road)” was the musical centerpiece of an international conference, “Commemora tion of the Holocaust against the Sinti and Roma: Current Developments and Chal lenges,” sponsored by the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma; it was orga nized for the 10th anniversary celebration of the inauguration of the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Social ism. Keynote speakers included FrankWalter Steinmeier, president of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the oratorio’s dedicatee Romani Rose, chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma.

Graduate Student Life Director Carole Hughes was named as a Pillar of the Pro fession by the National Association of Stu dent Personnel Administrators (NASPA), a student affairs organization of more than 13,000 members at 1,400 campuses in 25 countries. The NASPA Foundation Pillar of the Profession awards honor student af fairs professionals who have provided sig nificant service to NASPA through regional and/or national leadership roles; created a lasting impact on the institutions or organi zations at which they have worked, leaving a legacy of extraordinary service recog nized by a cross-section of institutional/ organizational stakeholders; and/or have demonstrated sustained, lifetime profes sional distinction in the field of student af fairs and/or higher education.

During her 28-year career at Boston Col lege, Hughes has served as assistant and associate dean for student development, deputy Title IX coordinator, project coor dinator in facilities for the Campus Master Plan, a founding member of the University Arts Council, and University harassment counselor, among other roles. Her publica tions include a co-edited a book of essays, Roads Taken: Women in Student Affairs at Mid-Career, inspired by a panel discussion on women and student affairs careers she co-organized at the 2002 NASPA annual meeting.

Administrative Assistant, Law School Associate University Librarian Senior Network Systems Engineer Systems Librarian Development Assistant Assistant Manager, Dining Services Report Developer

Public Safety Dispatcher

Robert Mauro

photo by lee pellegrini

Auxiliary Services Steps Up During COVID

Vendor Relations Caroline Brokamp and Director of Operations and Procurement Thomas Williams who ensured that Boston College’s dining experience would maintain its standard level of excellence. The two “not only sourced alternate products, but made sure that we could get them here,” explained Director of Finance and Business Services Robert Goyette, emphasizing the office’s dependence on the pair and prais ing their navigation of such unforeseen circumstances and their abilities to make modifications in BC’s dining sectors appear seamless.

The Human Resources department went above and beyond their job descriptions to reinvent Boston College’s new normal. Hu man Resources Manager Beth Burns never once worked from home throughout the pandemic, said Bando. Burns “saw it as her part to come in…to be proactive.”

Employee Relations Officer Marcela Norton shared this level of commitment, said Bando. At a time of widespread con cern about COVID, Norton and Burns were unstinting in their efforts to quell their staff members’ anxieties through their creation of COVID protocols.

“They were on the front lines of helping employees,” said Bando—boosting staff morale and meeting the personal needs of their teams when circumstances called for such support. “They kept things running.”

Sharyl Thompson, BCDS general man ager for McElroy Commons, has been involved in numerous forms of outreach, including the Every Bite Counts program to aid those who are food-insecure in neighboring communities and an initiative through the Boston Private Industry Coun cil to give high school students employ ment opportunities—many of which led to full-time hires.

“For some, going to work is a chore, for others a means to an end,” said Thompson. “On reflection, looking at my Boston Col

crises. The pair were placed in many dif ferent roles as their department numbers dwindled and responsibilities piled up.

Goyette applauds their flexibility. “No one ever took the attitude of ‘not my job,’” he said. Bando echoed Goyette’s praise: “They were the heroes back here. They didn’t complain.”

Transportation and Parking Manager Gabriel Parker is another member of the Auxiliary Services team who thrived under the extensive demands created by COVID, noted Goyette. “We had to add buses, we had to make space on the buses, we had to have monitors who had to be standing out there…[Parker] had a lot of pressure on bus services.”

This line of work takes the proverbial village to succeed, said Bando, and Parker exemplifies such a perspective: He can not put himself in the spotlight without mentioning all those who make his work possible.

found a chance to smile and celebrate the smallest of victories.”

Reflecting on the past few years, Bro kamp noted other pandemic-related chal lenges, such as redesigning dining halls for social distancing and coordinating donations to local shelters of “thousands of pounds of food in storage” left in the wake of students’ departure from campus in the spring of 2020. Overcoming obstacles was rewarding, she said, “but my favorite part was the people that I did it with.  My col leagues in Dining and Facilities, Cindy and Mary, and the other members of the Aux iliary Services team, are the magic of BC.  They have taught me lifelong lessons about teamwork, collaboration, and how to find a smile on the toughest days.”

Bando’s Auxiliary Services colleagues have appreciated her efforts to uplift the department, and are quick to say she de serves recognition more than anyone.

Norton, who earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Boston College, attested that working through COVID was one of the “toughest and most chal lenging times” in her experience with the University. Such demanding circumstances have not diluted her appreciation of work ing at BC, nor her passion for service and impactful interaction in her job.

“Each workday can be different: One moment I may be answering questions and helping employees, the next moment deal ing with a complaint,” said Norton, who co-chairs the Romero Scholarship Com mittee and sits on the steering committee for Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month celebrations. “My goal is to promote a pos itive work environment for the department and to make certain that our employees feel valued and respected.”

lege employment journey, I do so with one particular word that resonates: opportunity. While the work has been challenging to say the least, I am honored to have had the opportunity to play an instrumental role in the professional development of numerous BC Dining college employees.”

Auxiliary Services senior management also lauds the leadership and dedicated service of Pedro Garcia, Dining Services production manager for Newton Campus, who has more than four decades of experi ence at BC.

Fiscal Manager Jane Hasselback and Assistant Director of Finance & Business Systems Marie-Laure Siri, who Bando af fectionately deems the “two-lady team,” recognized the financial challenges coming Boston College’s way in the pandemic’s wake and fought to get ahead of such

Parker’s dedication and excitement was clear when asked for a comment on his experience at Boston College. (“I could write pages on this,” he exclaimed.) Origi nally working in a more corporate sphere of the parking industry, Parker found he was drawn to the emphasis that BC places on collaboration and the cultivation of an “open and honest” work environment. While he acknowledged that “people tend to only notice parking and transportation services when they aren’t operating per fectly,” he is grateful for the immense effort put in by his team and external partners each day. A true team player, he is “proud” to be a part of the BC community and tre mendously grateful for all those who work alongside him.

Brokamp said her team has navigated “some of the most challenging and com plex problems the industry has faced. Just as people experienced food shortages and inflation at the grocery store, we came into work day in and day out trying to solve those problems, ensuring the students got the best possible ingredients and services.”  She credited Assistant Buyers Cindy Yen and Mary Keady for ensuring “we received food every day and that our team always

Bando, Norton said, changed the land scape of BC Dining: “We had a leader who cared and wanted our students to have the best dining experience.” She added that Bando’s leadership saw the introduction of comprehensive training programs and revolutionized lines of communication, creating an environment which enabled her coworkers to flourish.

The fact that Auxiliary Services employ ees’ efforts often go unnoticed does not correlate with the quality of their work, say Bando and Goyette.

“The processes that students encounter and use every day—and can, if it becomes routine, take for granted—don’t happen by themselves,” said Goyette.

“What we do is not magical,” Bando said. “There are real people who put blood, sweat, and tears, and a lot of thought into the process of getting things done.

“The most important thing that this team can get back from the BC commu nity is a ‘thank you,’ and just the recogni tion that all of their accomplishments and the work they put into finishing a task are appreciated.”

Meghan Keefe is a junior in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences

(L-R) Caroline Brokamp, Gabriel Parker, and Marie-Laure Siri

Beth Burns, left, and Marcela Norton

all photos by lee pellegrini