Boston College Chronicle by Boston College

The Boston College

Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs november 13, 2014 VOL. 22 no. 6

•‘Election Night Central’ was place to be Nov. 4, page 2 •YouTube’s Allocca beams back to BC, page 2

Center to Educate Students on Real Estate, Urban Action

Webb Chappell

INSIDE

By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer

Boston College Law student Jonathan Atwater, left, works with G. Valentino Ball, co-founder and editor-in-chief of KillerBoomBox.Com, one of five high-tech start-ups in Roxbury receiving legal assistance from BC Law.

•International Education Week update, page 2 •Photo: ‘GSSW’ becomes ‘BCSSW,’ page 3 •Connell School a Center of Excellence in gerontological nursing, page 3 •BC ranks fifth in graduation rates for athletes, page 3 •New England education leaders to speak, page 4 •Photo: Saudi Arabia’s Prince Turki visits, page 4 •Student-designed website aims to help undergrads survive Organic Chemistry, page 5

•Stage and TV star Pinkham to visit alma mater, page 6 •Q&A: Burns Scholar in Irish Studies John Horgan, page 6 •Burns Library celebrates key acquisition, page 6 •Welcome Additions: new faculty members, page 7 •BC hosts forum on future of Catholic health, social services, page 7 •Exhibition, lecture mark 25th anniversary of Jesuit murders in El Salvador, page 8 •Photos: Veterans Day, page 8

At the Starting Point

BC Law aids Smarter in the City, a unique initiative for Boston-area minority entrepreneurs By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs

Dudley Square in Roxbury is not a place readily associated with entrepreneurs. So when Gilad Rosenzweig, an MIT-educated architect, urban planner and founder of the high-tech accelerator Smarter in the City, announced his plans to provide six months of free workspace and professional mentorship for minority entrepreneurs in the heart of one of Boston’s poorest neighborhoods, his vision was met with some cynicism from those accustomed to seeing entrepreneurial investment directed across the Charles River to Kendall Square. One of the exceptions, Rosenzweig says, was Boston College Law School Dean Vince Rougeau, who immediately offered the services of BC Law students to provide all facets of legal assistance to the five high-tech start-ups Rosenzweig had chosen for Smarter in the City’s first cohort. Less than three months into the semester, both parties say, the result has been a highly successful, mutually beneficial collaboration that has provided coveted hands-on experience for BC’s third-year law students, and invaluable legal work in incorporation, contracts, taxation and intellectual property that the aspiring entrepreneurs desperately need and could not otherwise afford.

It is an exercise in experiential learning, Rougeau says, that provides a new way of thinking about what law students can do to prepare themselves for the ever-changing world of corporate law. Just as importantly, he says, it is an investment in the inner city and in minority-led innovation that reflects the mission and core values of BC Law. The leaders of the five startups — Post Game Fashion, Practice Gigs, Mbadika, HeadThought and KillerBoomBox.com — all describe the legal expertise they have received from the students as indispensable to their quest to successfully launch their businesses, with many saying they have actually restructured their business models as a result of the legal advice. “The work of our law student, Andrew Lee, has provided an amazing benefit for us that has redefined our corporate structure,” said Hazel Zengemi, the chief technology officer for Mbadika, a social venture startup committed to fostering youth-driven entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa. “We were set up as an LLC as a result of an MIT competition, but it did not seem to resonate with our business plan. Andrew listened to our concerns and then advised us to pursue nonprofit status. I am an MIT graduate and technology expert who does not know the law, and legal advice is so expensive, so getting this service for free was indispensable to us. Continued on page 5

QUOTE:

He is the real estate developer who pioneered the concept of mixed-used housing, giving hope and new beginnings to generations trapped in sub-standard public housing. Not only did Joseph E. Corcoran ’59 revitalize Dorchester’s crime-ridden Columbia Point Housing Project into Harbor Point, where lowincome families live side-by-side with middle class families, he also created a national model that proved such developments could be successful — and profitable, too. Now Boston College has created the Joseph E. Corcoran Center for Real Estate and Urban Action. Housed in the Carroll School of Management, the center is designed to educate and inspire the

next generation of professionals to use real estate as a catalyst for turning struggling neighborhoods into stable, flourishing communities. “The center will bring the best minds together with industry experts to determine how to make our communities better,” says Corcoran, whose transformational gift through the University’s Light the World campaign helped establish the center. “What we’re going to do is give the rest of the world a model for how to transform the poorest areas into communities where people can lead viable lives.” Speaking at last week’s launch of the Corcoran Center, University President William P. Leahy, SJ, said the center is a reminder of the University’s mission of educating men and women to serve Continued on page 3

Library Courier Kim Hoy, a participant in Boston College’s Supported Employment Program for adults with developmental disabilities. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

Jobs with Special Meaning

BC’s Supported Employment Program brings persons with special needs into ‘a great community’ By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer

Every weekday, Boston College School of Social Work Clerical Assistant Mindy Beaulieu rises at 5:30 a.m. to travel by commuter rail from her North Shore home to North Station in Boston, where she catches a ride to the Chestnut Hill Campus. She is always punctual and has not missed a day of work in three years.

That dedication is a hallmark of the 23 BC employees who are part of the University’s award-winning Supported Employment Program (SEP), which provides jobs for adults with developmental disabilities. Beaulieu distributes mail and oversees the office supplies inventory at BCSSW, where she has worked since 2006. She also serves as an unofficial ambassador for the Continued on page 4

“Organic Chemistry has a stigma of being really, really scary. It is a hard subject, but if you study for it well, maintain a focus on it, and stay calm, then you can succeed.” –Max Ruge ’15, co-designer of the Orgo Made Simple website, page 5

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Chronicle november 13, 2014

A ROUND

C AMPUS

Visiting BC Law Professor Juan Carlos Portilla spoke at a panel discussion on international justice held Monday afternoon, among the events held as part of International Education Week. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

Boston College’s celebration of International Education Week (IEW), which began Monday, continues through next Friday with lectures, films, panels and discussions centering on this year’s theme, “Social Justice in the World: Is It Possible?” Upcoming IEW events include: a talk this afternoon on US contributions to the Irish peace process; an “International Dining Night” in campus dining halls this evening; a panel discussion on Saturday, “International Education: What We Can Never Learn from Wikipedia”; a lecture on ISIS and its impact on Middle East relations Monday night; and, closing out the celebration, an “International Prom” in the Vanderslice Hall Cabaret Room. Detailed information about these and other programs can be found at www.bc.edu/offices/ international/iew2014.

NEW NAME, MISSION THE SAME The School of Social Work isn’t the only University entity of late to change its name by putting “Boston College” at the front [see page 3]: Eagle EMS, the studentrun, all-volunteer, quick response, emergency medical service founded in 1997, officially announced it will now be called BCEMS. In an interview with The Heights, BCEMS President Kristen DiBlasi ’15 said the new name and acronym reflects the organization’s evolution, including its increased interaction with area public safety agencies and providers. “We have much more exposure and we thought the name ‘Boston

College EMS’ better clarifies who we are now in 2014,” she said. “It associates us more heavily with the University – I think it represents a higher level of professionalism from the organization. So, ‘Eagle EMS’ sort of sounds like a club, but ‘Boston College EMS’ sounds like an organization.” BCEMS activities and resources encompass a network of medical services, educational classes and its own emergency response, non-transporting ambulance. It is staffed by more than 100 members and about 20 executive officers and coordinators. –Office of News & Public Affairs Being head of YouTube culture and trends for Google requires him to be part technologist, part anthropologist and part business manager, Kevin Allocca ‘06 told students gathered for a Nov. 7 talk sponsored by the Career Center and the Office of News & Public Affairs. As he discussed the non-traditional path that led him to the job he now loves, he stressed the value of the critical thinking and persuasive communication skills he learned at BC. [More on his talk will be posted to bostoncollegesocialmedia.com] Photo by Lee Pellegrini

Director of NEWS & Public Affairs Jack Dunn Deputy Director of NEWS & Public AFFAIRS Patricia Delaney Editor Sean Smith

Contributing Staff Melissa Beecher Ed Hayward Sean Hennessey Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Michael Maloney Photographers Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini

While it didn’t have quite the cachet of a presidential contest, as was the case two years ago, the second student-run “Election Night Central” last week once again proved a popular destination for members of the BC community looking to follow election returns – and enjoy some lively, but civil, political discussion as well. An estimated 150 to 200 people attended the event in the Vanderslice Hall Cabaret Room, where they had the choice of watching election coverage on three bigscreen TVs. As in 2012, organizers positioned each set according to the perceived ideological bent of the network to which it was tuned: MSNBC on the left side of the room, Fox News on the right side, and CNN in the middle. Over the course of the evening, results were scrawled in red or blue on two large maps, one of the US and the other of the Senate. In an era when many Americans regard partisanship as being at toxic levels, Election Night Central co-organizer and BC Eagle Political Society member Lily Lorbeer ’17 said she and her colleagues – along with EPS, the event sponsors were No Labels, Americans for Informed Democracy, the Undergraduate Government of Boston College and the BC Civic Engagement Initiative – were pleased to see a cross-section of views represented. “We wanted everyone – Democrat, Republican, Independent, liberal, conservative, etc. – to attend and feel welcome,” said Lorbeer, a Long Beach, Calif., native majoring in political science and communication. “We had people excited for election victories on both sides of the aisle, especially students who campaigned in the Massachusetts governor race or the US Senate race in New Hampshire.” As a run-up to the 2014 elections, EPS held three open discussions this fall that each focused on a specific topic – ISIS, Russia and the Israel-Palestine conflict – and featured faculty speakers. EPS also co-sponsored a panel the night before Election Day, with Moakley Professor of Political Science Kay Schlozman, O’Neill Profes-

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Chronicle www.bc.edu/chronicle chronicle@bc.edu

Caitlin Cunningham

RED AND BLUE, MAROON AND GOLD

Students talked politics (above) and kept track of the changing electoral landscape at last week’s “Election Night Central” event in Vanderslice Hall.

sor of American Politics H. Shep Melnick and Carroll School of Management Lecturer Thomas Wesner offering thoughts on potential election outcomes. Election Night Central, however, was less structured, Lorbeer said. “We wanted to keep the atmosphere informal. People were able to watch the coverage, meet friends, grab a bite, and stay for as long as they wished. A majority of people stayed for the entire time.” While there is considerable pessimism about the level of political discourse nationally, Lorbeer says efforts by EPS and others at promoting nonpartisanship are striking a chord on campus. “When we started the EPS a few years ago, some meetings were just five to 10 people in a room having

a discussion. This year, we’ve had meetings and events with almost 100 people in a classroom, we’ve developed awesome relationships with professors, and we are starting to see a real openness to our club on campus. We’ve had people from all different political backgrounds come to us and want to join the discussion; every meeting we have students stay afterward and say they were so happy to find a club where they can be open and honestly talk about politics. “EPS still has a lot of work to do, but we can confidently say we have successfully started a movement toward respectful political discussion, civic engagement, and a sense of community across party lines.” –Sean Smith

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 News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (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 News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.

A flipbook edition of Chronicle is available via e-mail. Send requests to chronicle@bc.edu.

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Chronicle november 13, 2014

“The [Corcoran Center for Real Estate and Urban Action] will bring the best minds together with industry experts to determine how to make our communities better. What we’re going to do is give the rest of the world a model for how to transform the poorest areas into communities where people can lead viable lives.” -Joseph E. Corcoran (below at last week’s launch of the Corcoran Center) Photos by Rose Lincoln

Administrators, faculty, students, staff, alumni and guests gathered in McGuinn 121 Tuesday night to commemorate the Graduate School of Social Work’s change of name to the Boston College School of Social Work – its original name at the time of the school’s founding in 1936. The event included faculty, student and staff celebrations and presentations of BCSSW initiatives and programs, and congratulatory messages displayed through videos, photos, tweets and displays. (Photo by Chris Soldt, MTS)

Connell School Named Ctr. of Excellence By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer

The Connell School of Nursing has been named a National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE), a designation that recognizes CSON’s commitment to gerontological nursing. The NHCGNE is a collaboration between the Gerontological Society of America’s Coordinating Center and schools of nursing across the nation that have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to the field of gerontological nursing. Funded primarily by the John A. Hartford Foundation, NHCGNE’s mission is to enhance the quality of nursing care for older adults through faculty development, advancing gerontological nursing science, facilitating adoption of best practices, fostering leadership and designing and shaping policy. Connell School Dean and Professor Susan Gennaro called this designation “a wonderful benchmark” and praised Associate Professor of Adult Health Marie Boltz and Assistant Professor of Adult Health Stewart Bond, nationally known gerontological nurse experts, for their efforts in helping achieve NHCGNE membership. “Both Dr. Boltz and Dr. Bond are nurses who are not only dedicated to the care of the elderly but are also visionary leaders. They value the power of being able to work with other nurse leaders across the country in ensuring that the best care is being given to our older patients,” said Gennaro. “This designation will help our other gerontological nurses thrive and ensure that our

students will also thrive.” “This is an honor and a recognition,” said Bond, who cited CSON faculty comments and the support of the school’s leadership as aiding the application. “The Hartford Center recognizes the strengths in the Connell School of Nursing’s research, practice, education and leadership in gerontological nursing.” Boltz called the NHCGNE “the gold standard in gerontological nursing.” The two noted that NHCGNE membership offers CSON faculty the potential to collabo-

rate and consult with other educators on research and curricula, as well as with linkages to international and interprofessional partners in the field, to strengthen and deepen CSON’s strong base in gerontological nursing. “Only schools of nursing that have demonstrated a commitment to the field of gerontological nursing and share a vision of optimal health and quality of life for older adults are invited to apply for membership,” said Boltz. Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu

BC Is Fifth in Country for Athletics Graduation Rate Boston College ranks fifth in the nation for overall Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in all sports among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools, according to data released by the NCAA recently. BC’s GSR score of 95 was only topped by Notre Dame (99), Stanford (98), Duke (97) and Northwestern (96). Central Florida also achieved a score of 95. Only nine other FBS schools received an overall GSR of over 90: Wake Forest (94), Miami (92), Rice (92), Alabama (91), Clemson (91), Tulane (90), Air Force (90), Army (90) and Vanderbilt (90). The football team’s score of 92 was tied for best in the Atlantic Coast Conference with Duke and tied for sixth in the nation. Only 10 FBS institutions received a football GSR of 90 or better, including Stanford (99), Northwestern (97), Rice (95), Notre Dame (94), Air Force (93), Northern Illinois (91), Central Florida (90) and Wake Forest (90). Twelve Boston College teams received a perfect GSR score of 100: men’s golf, men’s skiing, women’s basketball, women’s rowing, field hockey, women’s ice hockey, women’s skiing, women’s soccer, softball, women’s swimming, women’s tennis and volleyball. The NCAA developed the Graduation Success Rate as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The rate holds institutions accountable for transfer students unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees and is calculated for every sport. More information about the GSR report may be found at the NCAA’s website, www.ncaa.org. –Boston College Athletics

Corcoran Center Launched

Continued from page 1 others, but also a testament to The son of Irish immigrants Corcoran’s vision, tenacity, and who was born in Dorchester, generosity. Corcoran focused on transform“This center would not be es- ing the urban landscape for those tablished without Joe Corcoran’s most marginalized in the nation’s vision,” said Fr. Leahy at the poorest housing projects. That event, held Nov. 6 in Corcoran ideal and lesson are captured in Commons (named for Corco- the course Corcoran inspired, ran’s late brother, John, a 1948 Real Estate and Urban Action, alumnus). “His idea of what we which has been taught in the might do together at Boston Carroll School for the past five College to help link up the en- years. thusiasm, talent, and energy of “We take students out to Harstudents and faculty, and use bor Point and show them the those gifts to help the Greater place, they talk to the people Boston community around is- – the original people who were sues of housing, education, and there 25 years ago and who are jobs – that’s what this center will still there,” says Corcoran. “The contribute.” students are blown away. It’s not Echoing that sentiment, Car- your typical class. This is real life roll School Dean with real people, Andy Boynton and when they says the opsee this, they portunities the get psyched. It’s center provides really inspiring may point unfor us to teach dergraduates the students; toward a career they come out they might not of class and they have otherwise want more.” considered. While stu“This center dents will get is all about real Joseph Corcoran, flanked by Univer- more through estate and ur- sity President William P. Leahy, SJ, the Corcoban action,” says and Carroll School of Management ran Center, its Boynton, “but Dean Andy Boynton, at last week’s namesake hopes launch of the Corcoran Center. to me, it’s also they follow his about connecting those issues to path as “agents for change.” our undergraduates, providing “It’s very much a BC thing,” them with the academic back- says Corcoran. “We want to conground, the engagement in the vert entire neighborhoods. The communities, the ability to take name wasn’t my idea – I was their careers in that direction, to going to call it the name of the serve others in Boston. This cen- course, Real Estate and Urban ter opens up a whole new win- Action, but the powers that be dow of opportunity that doesn’t had other ideas. My wish was just exist in the Carroll School of to get this thing going.” Management. It’s exciting. It’s a great business school that just got Contact Sean Hennessey at a little bit greater.” sean.hennessey@bc.edu

PUBLICATION SCHEDULE NOTE Due to the Thanksgiving holiday break, Chronicle will publish its next edition on Dec. 4. Check online Chronicle [www.bc.edu/ chronicle] and BCInfo [www.bc.edu/bcinfo] for news and updates.

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LSOE Event to Spotlight New England K-12 Reform By Ed Hayward Staff Writer

The Lynch School of Education will host K-12 education leaders from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont on Dec. 1 for a discussion about education reform across New England. “States of Success: Achievements and Aspirations” will take place at 4 p.m. in the Heights Room in Corcoran Commons, hosted by Lynch School faculty moderators Andrew Hargreaves and Henry Braun. Massachusetts Secretary of Education Matt Malone, M. Ed. ’95, PhD ’02, New Hampshire Commissioner of Education Virginia Barry and Vermont Secretary of Education Rebecca Holcombe are the featured speakers. The New England states outperform most others on indicators of education achievement, mental health, and wellbeing. Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont routinely rank at or near the top of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as “The Nation’s Report Card.” The forum will highlight commonalities, examine what can be learned from each state, and identify important challenges that remain, said Hargreaves, the Thomas More Brennan Professor of Education. Speakers will explore how to support educational performance in these states and across the nation to attain higher levels of success for all. As states across the US implement the Common Core national educational standards, these three states face the challenges of adjusting frameworks and curricula to conform to the new regulations, Hargreaves said. “Basically all states support Common Core, but not necessarily their unions. They differ

on the high-stakes testing package they want and are rolling them out at different rates, so we won’t see the effects for a year or two or three.” Braun, the Boisi Professor of Education and an expert in educational measurement, said the three states have adopted different policies around testing and assessment. “I can say that all three states have pursued an assessment agenda that is consistent with their overall education strategies and their traditions with respect to the balance between state and local responsibilities,” said Braun. Malone was appointed secretary of education by Gov. Deval Patrick in January, 2013. As director of the Executive Office of Education, he works closely with the departments of Early Education and Care, Elementary and Secondary Education and Higher Education, as well the University of Massachusetts system. Malone also was superintendent of schools in Brockton and Swampscott, Mass., and worked as an administrator for the San Diego and Boston school systems. Barry has served as education commissioner in the Granite State since 2009, supervising the administration of the state’s elementary and secondary schools. She has more than 30 years of experience in both K-12 education and higher education. Holcombe became the leader of Vermont’s K-12 system in January. She has worked as a teacher and principal in Vermont, where she helped form the Rivendell Interstate School District, which educates students from four towns in Vermont and New Hampshire. Prior to her appointment, Holcombe was the director of the Teacher Education Program at Dartmouth College.

Study: Lynch Grads Among Highest-Paid in Education The University’s Lynch School of Education is fifth on the list of the top 10 US colleges with the highest-paid graduates in the field of education. Based on salary data provided by PayScale, the ranking – compiled by College Factual – includes many specific majors in the education field, such as special education, student counseling and curriculum development, among others. San Francisco State University finished first, followed by Southern Methodist University, New York University, Washington University in St. Louis and BC, whose graduates earn a high average starting salary of $42,000 and $70,000 at mid-career, according to statistics. The average salary of those who majored in education is $41,000. Rounding out the list is Hartwick College, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, Brown University and Wake Forest University. –Office of News & Public Affairs

SEP Helps University Fulfill Mission Continued from page 1

school, greeting new employees. Ask Beaulieu what she likes most about her job, and she’ll list two things: taking care of the plants (a cactus named Spike is her favorite) and “having responsibility.” In her spare time, Beaulieu is busy writing a book and doting on her two cats, Bella and George. “It’s very nice having Mindy around,” said her supervisor Sveta Emery, BCSSW associate dean for finance, research and administration. “She is very responsible and pays attention to detail.” Boston College’s Supported Employment Program started in 1987 with seven employees, six of whom – Joanne Annello, Kevin Browne, Jimmy LaCroix, Margie Richardson, Kevin Slattery and Sandy Tuttle – are still working in BC Dining Services. In total, there are 17 SEP participants working in Dining Services, which has been a steadfast SEP partner since the program’s inception. In addition to BCSSW, other SEP participants are employed in the Connell School of Nursing, BC Libraries, Human Resources, Mail Services and the BC Bookstore. SEP participant Kim Hoy works as a library courier in the Social Work Library in McGuinn. Twice a day, Monday through Friday, she makes the trip to all the libraries on the Chestnut Hill campus – O’Neill, Bapst, Social Work and the Educational Resource Center — to transport books. According to her supervisor, Senior Library Assistant Elvira Reynolds, Hoy has also assisted with a labeling project and catalog searching. Hoy said the best part of the job has been meeting so many nice people. “Boston College has its mission and this is a really concrete way for BC Libraries to take the mission to heart,” said Reynolds. “Kim and I have a great relationship.” Each SEP participant works one-to-one with a job coach who handles training and assessment and provides ongoing support as needed. “The coaches’ energy and creativity is what makes this work so well. They give a lot of time and effort to each individual,” said SEP director Mary Brown, who has been with the program for 24 years. “Kim’s job coach, Ted Hannigan, has been great. There’s a good channel of communication between us,” reported Reynolds. That support is key, according to Reynolds, who has supervised SEP participants for more than a decade. “You’re not on your own. SEP is fully behind you. It’s been a wonderful experience.” BC’s Supported Employment Program is considered a model work program for people with dis-

abilities and was honored by the Arc of Massachusetts, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and services for Massachusetts citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Brown says there is is a large demand for SEP positions and she has a wait-list that runs three to five years. According to a survey by the International Disability Network, only 35 percent of

tion, as well as the social interaction, enjoyed by the SEP workers. “It’s the right thing to do.” “Mary and her team are so dedicated and compassionate. The program is tremendous,” said Hoy’s father, Facilities Services Manager Rich Hoy. Kim Hoy also participates in BC’s Best Buddies program, where she has been matched with Connell School of Nursing student Kim

Elizabeth Ryan, a Connell School of Nursing clerical assistant, is one of 23 participants in the Supported Employment Program at BC. Each SEP employee works one-to-one with a job coach who handles training and assessment and provides ongoing support as needed. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

adults with disabilities are working; the majority of those unemployed cannot find jobs. Any department on campus is eligible to participate in SEP. Brown says she is seeking positions that are five days a week, 15-18 hours a week. Salaries are paid from the employing department’s budget, while funding from the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services covers the cost of training and supporting each participant. Funding for the six remaining inaugural SEP workers comes from the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. “These jobs are so precious to these employees,” said Brown, citing the pride and personal satisfac-

Bretta. They spend every Thursday afternoon together after Hoy finishes work. “Kim feels good about herself and tells everyone she meets about her job at Boston College,” said Rich Hoy. “My wife and I have spent our lives trying to make Kim as independent as possible, but as a parent of a child with special needs, you always worry about what’s going to happen to them. But here, I know, Kim is safe and well-taken care of. There are always people looking out for her. She is surrounded by a great community.” Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu

Prince Turki bin Faisal al Saud, the former Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, spoke in Devlin 008 on Nov. 6. The son of King Faisal and nephew of the current Saudi king, Prince Turki formerly served as minister of intelligence for Saudi Arabia. His talk, “Makkah and Medina,” was sponsored by the Islamic Civilizations and Societies Program and the Office of University Advancement. (Photo by Caitlin Cunningham)

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Local Entrepreneurs Get Valuable Aid from BC Law Students

“Andrew is also directing our incorporation and patent efforts in our proposed markets of Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa, all of which frees us up to focus on our entrepreneurial strengths.” The law students, in turn, say that the partnership has given them direct transactional experience in the innovation economy, experience that will be crucial to their own future success as business lawyers. “All of us have studied corporations, but until you have practical experience you can’t fully realize what transactional law entails,” said Laura Gallo of Cranford, NJ, who received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University. “I am writing bylaws, forming a non-profit organization, researching tax laws and addressing issues of intellectual property for a client I greatly admire. Working with Gilad on behalf of Smarter in the City gave me a unique opportunity to help him see his vision come to fruition. It is dynamic, exciting work that is also very satisfying.” Kelly Hinkel of North Smithfield, RI, a Lafayette College graduate, works with entrepreneur Keith Donaldson of the startup HeadThought, which has devised a mobile application to improve information flow and conversations across multiple channels.

“This internship has helped me to gain direct, practical experience in a way I would not have been afforded as an intern at a law firm,” she says. “There are a lot of issues to be dealt with on a moving basis, which makes it challenging, and the direct contact with my client and opposing attorneys is so helpful in applying what I have learned in the classroom. My classmates who do transactional law tell me they are jealous of my experience.” The internships at Smarter in the City are made possible through the Legal Services LAB in the Law School’s Center for Experiential Learning, which is described by Associate Dean for Experiential Learning Paul Tremblay as a “law firm within a law school.” “Our LAB clinics offer students the opportunity to practice law as lead counsel with full responsibility for all of the legal work on behalf of inspiring new businesses,” said Tremblay. “The Smarter in the City projects are especially exciting because the entrepreneurs working at the incubator are engaged in such cutting-edge work. The startups need sophisticated and complex legal assistance, which our students are ready to offer. “It also helps that the Smarter in the City cohort is developing innovative startup projects that could really take off someday. This is a

Webb Chappell

Continued from page 1

“In addition to the practical experiential opportunities it provides, this collaboration connects us to our social justice commitment in our outreach to people of color in Boston,” says BC Law Dean Vincent Rougeau. “It’s a most productive and empowering way to fulfill our mission.”

BC Law student Matt Perkins, right, chats with Toni Oloko, founder and CEO of Practice Gigs.

terrific way for students to learn how to be effective, productive lawyers.” BC Law Professor Alfred C. Yen, who directs the school’s business law program, agrees. “The Smarter in the City partnership is valuable because it gives students first-hand experience in how disparate areas of our curriculum combine in the business world,” said Yen. “It’s particularly valuable to the education we provide because, although teachers

mention how intellectual property, contract, and corporate law combine with others, it isn’t until a student sees the importance of different areas of law to a single client that the message really hits home.” The partnership is central to the vision that Rougeau has articulated for BC Law: to prepare his students to use their talents to reshape the world around them. “In addition to the practical experiential opportunities it provides, this collaboration connects us to

our social justice commitment in our outreach to people of color in Boston,” said Rougeau. “It’s a most productive and empowering way to fulfill our mission.” That vision resonates with the program’s founder. “From day one, entrepreneurs must learn answers to questions regarding how to start a company: What do I need to know regarding trademark infringements and protecting intellectual property? Where might I be liable?” said Rosenzweig. “The BC Law students provide answers to these questions. They tell me that they love the experience because there are wonderful problems and learning opportunities here, but I know they also love being a part of something bigger. “We are addressing the lack of opportunity for entrepreneurs in inner-city neighborhoods and minority communities. We are showing a new face to the city and the high-tech sector to get over the misconception of what people are capable of. We are creating equality in the city, and thanks to the entrepreneurs, the mentors and BC Law students, I know we can make a difference.” Contact Jack Dunn at jack.dunn@bc.edu

Undergrads Create Website to Help Make ‘Orgo’ Simpler for Students By Ed Hayward Staff Writer

Organic Chemistry. Few two-word course titles inspire as much dread in students as the yearlong journey through the structures, properties and reactions of carbon-laden organic compounds and materials. It is the gateway through which all aspiring chemists and physicians must pass. “Orgo” is a tough class. No way around it. But a group of Boston College students think they can demystify the topic and help students survive the course through a new website they designed last summer called Orgo Made Simple [www.orgomadesimple.com]. Their idea is to use straightforward language and clear graphics to supplement the technically focused chemistry textbook materials some students struggle to comprehend, according to the editors. “We’re not throwing a lot of technical language at them, we’re speaking to students in a much less formal way, a more conversational way,” said Max Ruge ’15, a psychology major who is also in the pre-med program. Launched this fall, the site has

Orgo Made Simple website designers (L-R) Max Ruge ’15, Elaine Hynds ’15, Alexandra Lucas ’15 and Andrew Francl ’16. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

attracted approximately 6,000 visits from both BC and other universities where the word has been passed along, Ruge said. He hopes the site will attract users from around the world. The inspiration for the website grew out of Ruge’s experience as a tutor at the Connors Learning Center, where he has helped students who were struggling with the course. Some students found the class and the stress nearly overwhelming, he said. “For some, Organic Chemistry would just wear them down,” said Ruge. “They would be so stressed

and some were at the point of tears. It made me think that something could be done beyond the text. A class should be tough, but it shouldn’t bring anyone to tears.” Other BC students – nearly all pre-med students – joined in the project: Elaine Hynds ’15, Alex Lucas ’15, Andrew Francl ’16 and Christopher Karousatos ’16. Last spring and summer they wrote content, designed graphics and built the website in their spare time, working around summer job schedules. Most team members drew on their own experiences with the class while refining the website’s topic

chapters. “My own experience in organic chemistry taught me a fundamental lesson about determination,” said Hynds. “I found myself having to study it every day in order to be on par with the rest of the students. The most challenging part for me was thinking about the abstract concepts.” Margaret & Thomas Vanderslice Professor of Chemistry T. Ross Kelly said the subject’s reputation as a supremely challenging course is well earned. “It’s hard work – no apologies for that,” said Kelly, a legendary Organic Chemistry instructor, who has let students know about the website, though he hasn’t evaluated it entirely, nor endorsed it. The cumulative nature of the course means students need to master each section, then apply those lessons to later sections, said Kelly. For many students – even those who aced their high school science courses – Organic Chemistry tests not only aptitude and experience, but work ethic, study habits and perseverance. “For many students, it’s the first time they have had to work really hard,” said Kelly. “There are a lot of really smart students here at BC and for the ones taking Organic Chemistry, they have to work really hard.

You need a lot of self-discipline. If you fall behind, it’s pretty hard to play catch up.” One BC student user, Caroline Repetti ’17, said she reviews the site in advance to work through the chapters of the course text. “I’ve found that I often get lost while reading our Orgo textbook, as it can be pretty overwhelming,” said Repetti. “To help, I usually read the Orgo Made Simple section before I even open the corresponding textbook chapter. Since [the site] does an awesome job of clearly emphasizing and explaining the key points, I then go into the textbook reading already aware of the major concepts and I’ve found that I end up understanding the material a whole lot better as a result.” Ruge hopes the site will help students work smarter while they work harder. The trick to learning Organic Chemistry, he said, is that there is no trick. “Organic Chemistry has a stigma of being really, really scary,” said Ruge. “It is a hard subject, but if you study for it well, maintain a focus on it, and stay calm, then you can succeed.” Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu

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The Theatre Department will host a lecture on Nov. 24 by Broadway actor and Tony Award nominee Bryce Pinkham ’05 as part of the Matthew R. DeVoy and John H. DeVoy IV Perspectives on Theatre Series. Pinkham’s talk, which is free and open to the public, will take place in Robsham Theater at 7 p.m. An accomplished and acclaimed stage and television actor, Pinkham currently stars in the title role of the Broadway production “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Beginning this coming February, he will play the role of Peter Patrone in the Broadway revival of “The Heidi Chronicles,” alongside “Mad Men” star Elisabeth Moss. During his campus visit, Pinkham will be a guest artist in two Theatre Department courses. His evening lecture will focus on his life and career as a Broadway actor, and on the importance of creating educational and social change through the arts. “Bryce Pinkham is a gifted artist and devoted humanitarian,” said Theatre Department Chair and Associate Professor Crystal Tiala. “At the stage door after a performance of ‘A Gentleman’s Guide,’ Bryce not only took the time to greet his fans but also made his way through the crowd to give special attention to a child in a wheelchair sitting on the sidelines. That is how I always picture Bryce: a beautiful mix of talent, kindness and joy. It is that model I hope our students will follow.” Pinkham’s acting credits include the original Broadway cast of “Ghost: The Musical” and “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson.” He has performed at Lincoln Center Theatre, the Guthrie Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, Hartford Stage and Williamstown Theatre Festival, as well as in Shakespeare in the Park’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” He has also been seen on television in episodes of such popular network television programs as “The Good Wife” and “Person of Interest.” His New York City stage performances have included appearances with sixtime Tony winner Audra McDonald, five-time Tony nominee Keli O’Hara, Oscar winner Anne Hathaway, and three-time Tony nominee Kate Burton, among others. He also teaches his craft

A 2005 Boston College graduate, Bryce Pinkham has pursued a successful acting career while also devoting time to social issues.

as a faculty member at New York University’s Meisner Studio. In addition to his rigorous performance schedule, Pinkham works on a number of art and social responsibility projects. He serves as the executive director of Zara Aina (a Malagasy phrase that means “share life”), a company he co-founded in 2012 with fellow Broadway actor Lucas Caleb Rooney to help children in developing countries expand their capacity for achievement through theatrical performance and storytelling. He also is a collaborator with Outside the Wire, an international theater company that uses performance and a variety of other media to address public health and social issues such as combat-related psychological injury, prison reform and domestic violence. Pinkham majored in communication and theater at BC and went on to earn an MFA in acting from the Yale School of Drama. He was awarded the Leonore Annenberg Foundation’s prestigious and selective Fellowship for the Performing and Visual Arts Foundation as an “exceptionally talented” actor. Up to only 10 Arts Fellows are selected each year, with the goal of helping individuals in their early careers become successful and go on to serve as leaders in their field. The DeVoy Perspectives on Theatre Series is made possible by a gift from the DeVoy family, whose members include Boston College graduates. The series brings leading professionals and creative forces in theater and the performing arts to BC annually to share their experience and vision with the campus community, alumni and members of the Greater Boston arts community. RSVPs to the event are requested: Send e-mail to whitneju@bc.edu. For more information, see www.bc.edu/theatre. –Office of News & Public Affairs

Visiting Scholar in Irish Studies for this semester, draws on multiple perspectives from careers in journalism, public life and academia for his teaching and research. Currently teaching a course on the politics of constitutional change in Ireland from 1922-2013, Horgan will present a free public lecture, “Journalism: The First Draft of History?” on Nov. 19 at 4:30 p.m. in the Burns Library’s Thompson Room. From 1962-76, Horgan worked as a writer and editor for the Irish Times covering religious affairs, education and foreign press coverage. While still at the Times, he was elected to the Irish Senate and later to the Dáil – Ireland’s principal legislative chamber – and the European Parliament. In 1983, Horgan became a professor of journalism at Dublin City University (then known as the National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin), where he taught until his retirement in 2006; a year later, he became Ireland’s first press ombudsman. The author of biographies on major Irish political figures such as Mary Robinson, Sean Lemass and Noel Browne, Horgan – who earned his doctorate in history from University College, Cork – has published several books on Irish media. Horgan recently spoke with the Chronicle’s Sean Smith about his three careers, his impressions of Boston College, and why he’s not ready to declare print journalism dead. [For the full interview, go to http://bit. ly/1GI4zEC.] Give us a little flavor of your upcoming lecture. You think a lot about the interplay between history and journalism, don’t you? I’m fascinated by newspapers’ role in history, something I think is undervalued. A well-written newspaper is a cultural artifact in its own

Gary Gilbert

Tony Award Nominee Bryce Q&A: Burns Scholar John Horgan Through the Journalistic Eye Pinkham to Speak Nov. 24 History like being counter-intuitive. Burns John Horgan, the Burns Library

right; if you read the old papers carefully, they’ll give you a wellrounded idea of what society was like at the time. That doesn’t mean everything they write is “right,” but it is often vivid reading and can give you a valuable missing piece or two. A good journalist does a balancing act between audience and voice, and even if they get it right they have to add spice to the sauce in the recording of specific details. Historians go for the big picture, but it’s those details that illuminate the events. Journalism won’t replace history, and it’s not the “first draft.” I think it’s more accurate to regard journalism as history shot on the wing: a lot of feathers but hopefully the bird as well. As Burns Scholar, you get to use the Burns Library’s Irish Collection for your research. What kind of project are you working on? I’m interested in Irish-American newspapers, particularly 19th-century Irish Unionist papers. Irish history has tended to be the history of Irish nationalism, so material from the Unionist side of things may seem counter-intuitive, but I

has really good stuff of this kind, too. I think a rounded approach is a good confidence-building exercise in defining national – as opposed to nationalist – culture, and covering material that historians neglect. You started out as a journalist, of course, practically right after finishing college. Were you inspired by anything in particular to make that a career? Not really, I just discovered while in school that I loved writing. I was supposed to become a lawyer, but I wound up getting my degree in the arts. I said to my parents, “I don’t want to be a lawyer, I want to be a journalist,” and they weren’t very happy about that so I took a job at the Irish Times without telling them. They gradually came around. I was fortunate to work for the Times in that they had a bit of money to spend, and an editor, Douglas Gageby, who loved to give reporters freedom. And in timing I also was fortunate, because in the 1960s the Irish media were taking people straight out of college and giving them a lot of very important assignments, whereas in the past you had to start at the bottom of the ladder. So in 1965, I was able to cover the Second Vatican Council, and for six days a week I wrote thousands upon thousands of words – and every comma was published. I also got to write about education abroad, and about political developments in Africa and Cuba, which was fascinating. As I said, I had a lot of freedom, but with that freedom I felt a great measure of responsibility to get things right and go beyond the stuff that had already been reported. Read the full Q&A at http://bit.ly/1GI4zEC

Burns Celebrates Donation of Papers by Famed Historian A scholar of European, British and Irish history, Emmet J. Larkin (1927-2012) was a key figure in the establishment of Irish Studies as an academic discipline. Now, his personal and professional papers reside at Boston College, which has earned international recognition for its programs and resources in Irish Studies. Last week, the University officially marked the donation of the Larkin papers at an event in the Burns Library that featured remarks from some of his former students as well as Center of Irish Programs Executive Director Thomas Hachey and University Librarian Thomas Wall. “Emmet Larkin helped Irish Studies come of age,” said Hachey, who expressed his appreciation to Larkin’s widow, Diane, for donating the materials last year. He also praised Wall and the BC Libraries archive staff for their work in processing the collection to make it ready for use.

Center for Irish Programs Executive Director Thomas Hachey looks on as University Librarian Thomas Wall speaks during last week’s event marking the donation of the Emmet J. Larkin papers to Burns Library. (Photo by Gary Gilbert)

Speakers noted that the Larkin papers not only included records of the groundbreaking American Conference for Irish Studies (ACIS) Larkin co-founded, but archival materials he used in his nine-volume history of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland from 1850-1900, regarded as one

of the most extensive studies of the Church’s presence in Ireland. The Larkin collection also features correspondence, research materials, drafts of books and other publications, records of professional activities, and teaching materials. –Sean Smith

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Newsmakers

A musicologist, Assistant Professor Daniel M. Callahan specializes in choreomusicality, the interrelationship between music and dance. Prior to joining the Music Department, he taught at the University of Chicago, where he was the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Music and the Humanities. He currently teaches Introduction to Music and next semester will offer a course for music majors on modernist music and dance collaborations. The Dancer from the Music, his book project, bridges the gulf between music and dance studies and spans the history of US modern dance. Callahan has presented papers to professional organizations including the Society for Dance History Scholars, which awarded him the 2011 Selma Jeanne Cohen Award. Callahan co-founded the American Musicological Society Music and Dance Study Group, and organized and chaired its inaugural panel the society’s 2013 meeting. He received his bachelor’s degree from New York University and doctorate from Columbia University, supported by a 2012 Whiting Dissertation Fellowship and a Beinecke Scholarship. Connell School of Nursing Assistant Professor Kyung Hee Lee, whose specialty is the psychological well-being of people with dementia, earned a bachelor’s of science in nursing and master’s in public health from Yonsei University in Korea and her master’s of science in nursing and doctorate from the University of Michigan. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University School of Nursing. Her current research explores emotional responses to specific nursing care in long-term care facilities. A member of the Gerontological Society of America, Lee has published research in Nursing Research, International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Journal of the American Geriatric Society, among others. Assistant Professor of Psychology Michael McDannald, who is teaching Behavioral Neuroscience this semester, researches the neural basis for predicting the presence and absence of aversive events and how adverse experience early in life alter these predictive abilities in adulthood, among other aspects of neuropsychology. He is currently working under a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) – where he was a postdoctoral fellow for three years prior to arriving at Boston College – to study neural encoding of reward and safety; his previous research has been supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute of Mental Health. A graduate of the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, he earned his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. Assistant Professor of Political Science Lindsey O’Rourke is a scholar in international relations theory, US foreign policy, military strategy and the Cold War, and currently doing research on the causes and consequences of covert regime change. She also has studied female suicide terrorism and published an op-ed, “Behind the Woman Behind the Bomb,” in The New York Times. She holds two bachelor of arts degrees from Ohio State University, and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Chicago. O’Rourke spent 2013-14 as a postdoctoral fellow for international security and US foreign policy at the Dickey Center for International Understanding in Dartmouth College. She is teaching The World Wars and US Foreign Policy from 1945-2014 this semester. –Kathleen Sullivan, Rosanne Pellegrini and Sean Smith Photos by Caitlin Cunningham and Lee Pellegrini

In a piece for The New York Times Magazine, Director of American Studies Prof. Carlo Rotella (English) profiled Bernard Hopkins, the 49-year-old fighter known for using mental acumen to weaken, and eventually defeat, his opponents. Assoc. Prof. of the Practice Tiziana Dearing (Social Work) wrote a retrospective on late Boston Mayor Thomas Menino for WBUR’s “Cognoscenti,” while Prof. Thomas Groome (STM) discussed how faith guided the former mayor’s conduct in office in interviews on WBZ-AM and during NECN’s live coverage of the Menino funeral. Currently home to Europe’s largest Muslim and Jewish communities, 2014 France will be remembered as the year that record numbers of French Muslims and Jews heeded the old populist call to “love it or leave it,” wrote Assoc. Prof. Jonathan Laurence (Political Science) in an op-ed for Brookings “Upfront.” He also commented on burqa bans in a recent interview with the Washington Post. Adjunct faculty member Alice Noble (Law) appeared on WGBH “Morning Edition” to discuss the controversy surrounding the quarantine of Maine nurse Kaci Hickox, who returned to the US after treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone. Centuries of Biblical interpretation make it difficult for us today to appreciate Adam and Eve as characters in a well-told story that deftly probes the ways of God with humans, wrote Prof. Richard Clifford, SJ (STM), in America. A new app solves mathematical problems. Is it a useful learning tool or a way to cheat? Prof. G. Michael Barnett (LSOE) weighed in on Fox News Boston. Prof. Mark Brodin (Law) discussed with Bloomberg News the implica-

A panel of experts mulled the future of Catholic health and social services at an event held last week in McGuinn 121. The forum, sponsored by the Church in the 21st Century Center, Boston College School of Social Work, and the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, featured remarks by Michele Broemmelsiek, vice oresident of overseas operations for Catholic Relief Services; Catholic Charities USA President Fr. Larry Snyder; and Fr. J. Bryan Hehir, secretary for health and social services for the Archdiocese of Boston. “I was very impressed with the panelists,” said BCSSW Dean Alberto Godenzi, who served as the event’s moderator. “They agreed that local, national, and international Catholic health and social welfare agencies offer unique and crucial services to the poor and marginalized. As such, they are core to the Church’s mission and purpose, and therefore essential institutions in the present and in the future. “The panelists acknowledged that there are challenges ahead, but none that will be insurmountable. Their approach is to work with the people and communities in need to help them improve their lives.” –Office of News & Public Affairs tions of a recent audit that found the US Postal Service granted 49,000 requests by law enforcement to track people’s mail in 2013. Dow Jones MarketWatch noted a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston by Asst. Prof. Scott Fulford (Economics) that offers an

BC BRIEFING explanation as to why some people continue to hold both high interest debts and low interest savings at the same time. Assoc. Prof. Andrea Vicini, SJ (STM), was quoted in the article, “How Much Genetic Information is Too Much Information?” that was published in Clinical OMICS. He also was among the reviewers and commentators participating in an online conversation on the Syndicate Theology website concerning the recently published volume, The Anticipatory Corpse: Medicine, Power, and the Care of the Dying, by Jeffrey P. Bishop.

NOTA BENE University Chancellor J. Donald Monan, SJ, was honored as one of four recipients of the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities from the Mass Foundation for the Humanities at its 40th anniversary gala Sunday at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. Governor’s Awards recognize individuals whose public actions have been grounded in an appreciation of the humanities, and have enhanced civic life in the Commonwealth. In addition to Fr. Monan, who as University president from 1972-1996 was credited with leading Boston College through a dramatic transformation into a successful national university, Governor’s Awards were presented to Jill Ker Conway, Smith College’s first woman president; Hubie Jones, civic activist and former Boston University School of Social Work dean; and Malcolm Rodgers, who this year announced his retirement as Museum of Fine Arts director.

Honors/Appointments “Getting Ahead of the Joneses: When Equality Increases Conspicuous Consumption among BottomTier Consumers,” an article co-published in the Journal of Consumer Research by Asst. Prof. Nailya Ordabayeva (CSOM), was selected as the winner of the 2014 Journal of Consumer Research Best Article Award.

Time and a Half Senior Lect. Rita R. Owens (CSOM) presented “Simulating a Business Engagement to Explore Writing and Use of Technology” at the Association for Business Communication’s 79th Annual International Conference in Philadelphia. Owens is also a member of the Teaching with Technology SIG for the organization.

JOBS The following are among the most recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/offices/hr: Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Technology Manager, Career Center Systems Manager, Lynch School of Education Digital Scholarship Librarian, O’Neill Library Associate Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations Program and Outreach Manager, Office of International Programs Assistant Director for Finance, Auxiliary Services Manager, Network Operations Associate University Librarian

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Chronicle november 13, 2014

TONIGHT

Career Night for the Arts 7-9 p.m., McMullen Museum

Conversation and networking with dozens of BC alumni who have forged successful careers in a range of artistic fields, including film, fashion, studio art, writing, photography and performing arts. All majors are welcome.

By Rosanne Pellegrini Staff Writer

The title “One Night in November” is a compelling one for a Boston College exhibit commemorating the 25th anniversary of the murders at the University of Central America (UCA) in El Salvador. And with good reason, according to Campus Minister Donald MacMillan, SJ, the exhibit curator. “This event touches the hearts and souls of the Jesuit Community and its colleagues at Boston College,” said Fr. MacMillan of the murders of six Jesuits and two women – the Jesuits’ housekeeper and her daughter – that took place on Nov. 16, 1989. “These were our brothers and educational partners who were in solidarity with their colleagues at the UCA, raising their voices for human rights and justice,” At that time, he says, El Salvador was mired in a civil war in which more than 70,000 people – most of them civilians – were slain by the Salvadoran government’s armed forces and paramilitary death squads. “The Jesuits were living the gospel and imitating Christ, who did the same for his people and instructed them to pass it on to succeeding generations,” said Fr. MacMillan. “We espouse the religious history not only of the United States but of our neighbors throughout Central America.” The exhibit, on display through Jan. 7 in the main lobby of O’Neill Library, was co-curated by Michael Burke ’18, who was hired by Burns Library Conservator Barbara Ad-

Lee Pellegrini

A Quarter Century Later, UCA Jesuit Murders Still Resonate

Campus Minister Donald MacMillan, SJ, surveyed white crosses in the Quad prior to Monday’s prayer service for the six Jesuits and two women killed at the University of Central America 25 years ago.

ams Hebard to work with her on its preparation over the summer in her conservation lab. O’Neill Library Conservation and Preservation Specialist Francis Bates also worked on the display. “One Night in November” comprises numerous books – including those featuring biographies of the Jesuit martyrs – several photographs, relevant Heights articles and other related materials, along with background information on the slayings. “This exhibit is a small token of reverence for these martyrs, meant to spark an interest in the hearts and minds of students, as well as faculty, administration and staff, to search for ways to establish peace, equality and unconditional love with our neighbors on the same continent,” said Fr. MacMillan. He hopes the exhibition challenges viewers to ask “Why did these Jesuits and others like them say what they said and live the way

BC SCENES Photos by Gary Gilbert

they lived? How do their deaths influence, and have an impact on us, in this country? “I hope viewers will read up on the causes of that civil war and understand that the call of the gospel left these Jesuits no other choice but to be voices for the voiceless. It cost them their lives, but the call to justice has been raised and is still being voiced today.” In addition, Fr. MacMillan said, “I hope we all become or remain aware that the struggle continues – not only in El Salvador but in every land. Seeking peace and having faith that does justice honors these martyrs.” The University community’s reaction to the UCA massacre was one of solidarity with the Jesuits and the poor of El Salvador, notes the exhibition statement, and has remained so. In the wake of the slayings, thenUniversity President (now University Chancellor) J. Donald Monan, SJ, worked to marshal the Jesuits’

response to the murders, and urged Congress to pressure the Salvadoran government to bring the killers to justice. The exhibition statement quotes Fr. Monan: “I return to the full set of events that took place [in November 1989] very, very often. It sounded an alarm to me as an educator, as a university person, as a Jesuit and as a human being. What happened was so atrocious and such a public attack on all of these things, we wanted to do something.” A Boston College High School graduate, Burke was familiar with the martyrs of El Salvador but said “the most powerful things I learned were about Boston College’s amazing response. I was in awe of, and inspired by, the way [the community] fought for justice in such an impactful way.” He feels grateful for the experience of collaborating on an exhibit “that commemorates not only the lives of those who were martyred, but gives recognition to the people at BC who were profoundly important in working for justice – a living tradition in the Jesuit community and our own student community. “I want people to reflect on the way the martyrs fought for justice and effected change – in the same way the BC community has – and continue to create a better world by following that example.” An annual display of white crosses with the names of the UCA martyrs has been placed on the Quad, as a reminder of the example they set and the justice the world still works to achieve. Contact Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu

The 25th anniversary of the UCA murders also will be marked on Nov. 19 with an appearance by poet and activist Carolyn Forché. “A Poet’s Journey from El Salvador to 2014: Witness in the Light of Conscience,” which is free and open to the public and presented by the Center for Human Rights and

International Justice, will be held at 7 p.m. in in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons. Forché, who is Lannan Professor of Poetry, Professor of English and director of the Lannan Center for Poetics and Social Practice at Georgetown University, has witnessed, reflected on, and memorialized in her poetry some of the most devastating events of 20th century history. She is working on In Another Country, In Another Time, a memoir of her years in El Salvador just before the country became fully engulfed in its long civil war. The event is co-sponsored by BC’s Jesuit Institute, English Department, Latin American Studies program and the Ignacio MartínBaró Fund for Mental Health and Human Rights. –Office of News & Public Affairs

REMEMBERING SERVICE AND SACRIFICE Scenes from the annual Boston College Veterans Day Remembrance Ceremony, held Tuesday at the Veterans Memorial on Burns Library lawn. The featured speaker was Larry Rawsom ’63 (below), Emmy Award-winning track and field commentator for ESPN who served in the US Marine Corps.