Boston College Chronicle

The Boston College

Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of University Communications NOVEMBER 30, 2017 VOL. 25 NO. 7

Administrators Respond to Student Leaders Regarding Campus Racial Incidents

INSIDE and Nancy Frates to 2 •John share family story •A round-up of campus holiday events

•Photos: Irish hurlers come to Alumni Stadium

3 •BC hosts Refugee Portal •Advancing Research and Scholarship Day •Athletics graduation rate is sixth in the country for three 4 •Honors BC theologians professor se5 •Psychology lected as global scholar Down the Toilet’ 6 •‘History exhibit in Stokes Hall •Photos: BC Veterans Day Mass and Ceremony

Members and guests of the Boston College community gathered for the annual Multi-Faith Thanksgiving Celebration. Page 8. (Photo by Gary Wayne Gilbert)

Economics, Finance and Bio Again Are BC’s Top Majors

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

Economics, finance and biology remain the three most popular majors or concentrations at Boston College, according to enrollment statistics for 2017-18, continuing a decade-long trend.

Several other recent or longterm patterns among the mostenrolled majors are holding, the

report indicated.

•The 1,296 economics majors enrolled through the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences and Carroll School of Management constitute the largest major/concentration in University history for the fourth straight year.

•Finance, with 1,042 students, again established a new standard for the largest concentration in Continued on page 4

A group of administrators, appointed by University President William P. Leahy, SJ, to meet with student leaders following several racial incidents that occurred on campus this fall, has issued a letter to the students outlining the University’s plan of action to address diversity and inclusion matters.

The letter [available at http://bit. ly/diversity-letter] proposes concrete measures to build a more respectful and inclusive community at Boston College, including implementing a learning module on diversity and inclusion for all incoming undergraduate students, creating a student experience survey, continuing ongoing efforts to hire a more diverse faculty and recruit a more diverse student body, and enhancing learning and training opportunities.

Condemning the racial incidents as unacceptable and in conflict with the educational and religious heritage of Boston College, the letter calls on all members of the BC community to treat each other with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Its signatories are Vice President for Student Affairs Barb Jones, Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, Vice President for University Mission and Ministry Jack Butler, SJ, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Thomas Mogan, Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations Joy Haywood Moore, Executive Director for Institutional Diversity Patricia Lowe and Dan Bunch, special assistant to the vice president for Student Affairs.

The letter also summarizes progress that has been made in recent years – including the recruitment of the highest percentage of AHANA students ever (31 percent for the Class of 2021), and a record number of tenure-track faculty of AHANA descent (46 percent) in 2017 – but states that more “can and should be done for Boston College to live up to its mission.”

As stated in the letter, the University will: •Implement a learning module Continued on page 6

‘When I Take on a Task, I Do It Full Force’

Teaching at her alma mater or working on the cutting edge of biotech, Elizabeth O’Day has a busy life

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Additions; BC in 7 •Welcome the Media; Nota Bene; Jobs Eastern Ensemble 8 •Middle to perform on campus

Accomplished 2006 alumna Elizabeth O’Day is back at Boston College, this time teaching undergraduates – just one of the many meaningful ways she’s advancing science and making a difference.

This fall, the former biochemistry major began teaching the weekly elective course Human Metabolism, Disease & Entrepreneurship (HMDE), which aims to provide an understanding of biochemical pathways to human disease, and to learn how to use this information to help patients.

Her energy and drive extends well beyond the Merkert Chemistry Center classroom, however.

O’Day is the founder and

CEO of Olaris Therapeutics, a Cambridge-based venture capitalfinanced pharmaceutical company that develops “tailor-made” medicines for diseases with little to no treatment options and dismal survival rates. Launched in 2013, the company predicts that its technology will fundamentally change how these diseases are treated and diagnosed.

“When I take on a task,” says the Braintree, Mass., native, “I do it full force.”

O’Day achieved what no one at BC – and few, if any, at other universities – has done, winning four of the nation’s most coveted academic awards for her scientific research: Beckman and Goldwater fellowships; a Winston Churchill Scholarship to study

QUOTE:

Accomplished 2006 alumna Elizabeth O’Day brought her impressive resume to the Chemistry Department faculty this fall. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

at Cambridge University (in lieu Research Fellowship. She also of accepting a Fulbright grant received BC’s most prestigious recommendation); and a National undergraduate honor, the Rev. Science Foundation Graduate Continued on page 5

“It was a good reminder that as much as we sensationalize the global refugee crisis, behind the horrors of the situation the people behind the politics are just regular people, with passions, interests, and dreams just like those of us on the BC campus.”

–Michaela Simoneau ’18 on her experience in the Refugee Portal, page 3

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle NOVEMBER 30, 2017

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A ROUND

C AMPUS HOLIDAYS ON THE HEIGHTS

’Tis the season for holiday merriment on the Heights. A slate of festive annual events provide a welcome diversion from study days, finals, and end-of-semester academic activities for University community members.

The University Chorale and Symphony Orchestra, under

Nancy Frates ’80 and son Pete ’07 during a 2015 appearance at Boston College.

She and her husband and fellow 1980 grad John will be on campus next week to talk about Pete’s ALS diagnosis and other topics. (Photo by Christopher Huang)

FAMILY AND FAITH “I’m thinking about leaving my job,” the young man told his father. “I’m not passionate about it. I’m supposed to be doing something else. It’s not anything I’m going to jump into, but I think I’m supposed to be doing something else.”

The above conversation, recounted in the book The Ice Bucket Challenge by Pete Frates ’07, took place only months before he was diagnosed with the terminal disease ALS. As John Frates puts it, his son did not have a plan, but what he did have was a hunch.

Neither of them could ever have imagined what that “something else” would turn out to be.

Now, John Frates and his wife Nancy – both 1980 graduates of Boston College – will share their family’s story with the University community and discuss the miraculous events that led to the largest viral sensation in history, the Ice Bucket Challenge.

The couple are the featured speakers at this year’s Christmas Agape Latte on Dec. 5 at the Hillside Café in Maloney Hall.

Sponsored by the Church for the 21st Century Center and Campus Ministry, Agape Latte is a monthly event designed for students seeking to learn more about faith and religion in an

inviting social environment.

High school sweethearts whose romance continued through and well beyond college, Nancy and John will talk about their journey from the Heights, enduring friendships, family, Pete’s ALS diagnosis, the impact of the Ice Bucket Challenge – and, most of all, the constant presence of God as a companion in their lives.

“The Agape Latte stories aren’t always wrapped in a Christmas theme, but they are always powerful and help students students see God working,” said C21 Center Associate Director Karen Kiefer. “We are so grateful that John and Nancy agreed to share their family story with our students, especially during this season of miracles. Their lives are defined by hope, peace, joy and love and they truly are gifts that keep giving.”

Prior to the Frates’ talk at 8:30 p.m., the event will feature live musical performances beginning at 7:45 p.m. and trivia at 8:25 p.m. There will also be Christmas t-shirt giveaways throughout the night, along with Christmas desserts and lattes.

The event will be livestreamed via the Agape Latte Facebook page [facebook.com/AgapeLatte]. For more information, email agapelatte@bc.edu.

–Siobhan Sullivan

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Jack Dunn DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Patricia Delaney EDITOR Sean Smith

CONTRIBUTING STAFF Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Siobhan Sullivan PHOTOGRAPHERS Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini

the direction of conductor John Finney, will perform “Christmas on the Heights” this weekend.

The concerts take place tomorrow and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Dec. 3 at 2 p.m., in Trinity Chapel on Newton Campus. Contact the Robsham Theater Box Office (RTACtickets@bc.edu; ext.2-4002) for ticket information, prices and purchase.

On Dec. 5, Santa Claus makes his special appearance on campus to celebrate the Christmas tree lighting. Officiated by University President William P. Leahy, SJ, the ceremony on the Plaza at O’Neill Library will take place from 4-6 p.m. Caroling and performances by student groups, including the Heightsmen and the Dynamics, are part of the festivities.

The Gaelic Roots series will host “A Celtic Christmas,” on Dec. 7 at 6:30 p.m. in the Cadigan Alumni Center, featuring worldrenowned singer and keeper of Irish culture Nórín Ní Riain. She and her sons, Owen and Mícheál Moley Ó Súilleabháin, will present an evening of song and story which celebrates the Celtic tradition. According to Ní Riain, the event will be “a great gathering of

The Boston College

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song, spirit, and a bit of fun too.”

The concert is free, but registration is required for attendance; go to http://tinyurl.com/ybwbuqdc.

More merriment comes at the Cadigan Center with the Alumni Association’s popular seasonal celebration for alumni, their families and friends: Winter Wonderland,

Children.

Register for Winter Wonderland at www.bc.edu/winterwonderland; the cost is $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12; there is no charge for children under age three. Hot cocoa and cookies will be available for guests; other snacks and lunch items will be sold.

In conjunction with Winter Wonderland, Second Saturdays at the McMullen Museum of Art will feature a holiday celebration with activities throughout its hours of noon to 5 p.m. Visitors of all ages are welcome to enjoy holiday-themed vocal performances by BC’s Madrigal Singers and live music by the Millis Berfield Band, hot chocolate and holiday treats, to tour the exhibitions and listen to Flemish Christmas tales in the galleries, and Lee Pellegrini on Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 make tree ornaments and holiday p.m. Among the attractions will decorations. be photos with Santa and Mrs. The festivities continue the folClaus, gingerbread house decorat- lowing day, Dec. 10, when BC ing, musical performances and a Bands presents “A Christmas Fesholiday puppet show, crafts, vis- tival.” This family-friendly perforits with baby animals, and rides mance will feature seasonal music, around campus on a horse-drawn a sing-along, treats and a visit from carriage or a holiday train.

Santa Claus.

Attendees are encouraged to For more information on these bring new, unwrapped toys for events, see http://events.bc.edu. boys and girls, ages six to 14, for –Rosanne Pellegrini donation to the Italian Home for Boston College Athletics hosted a team of Irish hurlers at Alumni Stadium on Nov. 18, the day before a special hurling competition took place at Fenway Park.

Members of BC’s baseball and softball teams and the Irish athletes exchanged tips on their respective sports.

Photos by Suzanna Ollove

The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135 (617)5523350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135.

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

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle NOVEMBER 30, 2017

Refugee Portal gives BC community a window onto world refugee crisis

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

The young man on the video screen, his features and voice slightly distorted in the video feed, introduced himself to the Boston College students as Rami. He had lived most of his 19 years in the city of Mosul, he told them, but is now more than 50 miles away from home at the Harsham refugee camp near Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

The conversation was among some two dozen that took place over four days earlier this month when – as part of its observance of International Education Week – BC hosted the Refugee Portal, a shipping container converted into a videoconferencing chamber where students, faculty and administrators spoke with Iraqi, Kurdish and Syrian refugees on various topics – including music.

Music, Rami told the BC students, has helped to sustain him during his three years at Harsham, where he had gone with his mother and two sisters to escape the ISIS invasion. He described himself as an aspiring DJ, songwriter and rapper, and presented some of his compositions, singing and rapping – alternately in Arabic, English and, on one occasion, Kurdish – along to the tracks he had posted on his YouTube channel.

The students applauded enthusiastically to each, and Rami reciprocated when one of them – sophomore Rachel Drew – sang Brandi Carlisle’s “That Wasn’t Me.” Rami said one of his songs was a call-out to the world not to turn its face away from refugees in Harsham or elsewhere, he explained; another was an exhortation to rebuild now-liberated Mosul and begin a new era. Then there was the song he’d written for a friend, upset because his girlfriend had left him; the friend had asked Rami to write a song that would bring her back.

“It worked!” said Rami, with a smile.

Reflecting on the session, Drew said, “With all the complexities of what is happening in Iraq, it is very easy to overlook the simple statement of, as Rami put it, they ‘just want peace,’ they just ‘want the war to end.’

“His song was really powerful in that he brought that fact back to the forefront of my mind – often very easy to forget with the media constantly portraying these conflicts as an ‘us vs. them’ situation, without any regard for the innocent civilians who just want peace.”

The portal, one of several dozen designed by Shared Studios

and made available around the world, was set up near the Higgins Stairs. From outside, it looked like any other shipping container one might see at a port or warehouse.

But the interior was upholstered, and a video screen took up the entire back wall, providing most of the illumination in the space; the portals from where the refugees spoke had similarly spare, darkened interiors (some had been set up inside existing structures).

“Humbling” was how Michaela Simoneau ’18 described her

tatives from the BC men’s and women’s soccer teams also took part in a “soccer clinic” – see a video at https://youtu.be/wHgis18H2hg].

Among other topics, Volunteer and Service Learning Center Director Daniel Ponsetto and his group discussed the teaching of Islam at BC with two members of a humanitarian organization in the Jordan camp. The two were impressed by the efforts of BC and other colleges and universities to fairly represent Islam, said

Boston College students participating in a session in the Refugee Portal during its four-day stay on campus earlier this month. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

time in the portal with Rami.

“I think I went in with some visions about how extraordinary of an experience it was going to be, and while I did have an incredible time, the conversations I participated in were very ordinary, if we removed the context.

“It was a good reminder that as much as we sensationalize the global refugee crisis, behind the horrors of the situation the people behind the politics are just regular people, with passions, interests, and dreams just like those of us on the BC campus.”

In organizing the portal sessions, Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life Associate Director Erik Owens followed a set of guidelines prepared by international organizations that deal with refugee issues. Participants were required to register in advance, and urged to read and view provided materials to familiarize themselves with the refugee crisis.

Session groups were limited to usually a half-dozen or less people each. Ken Ogot, SJ, a graduate student in the School of Theology and Ministry, helped to curate and facilitate a number of sessions.

The guidelines also encouraged conversations to touch more on everyday interests and activities, as a means for participants to find common ground. Some discussions were themed – on religious topics, family migration stories or music, for example – while others were more general. [Represen-

Ponsetto, but from their perspective, most Americans have little understanding of the Middle East, of Islam, and how most Muslims live.

From Erbil, Rami told the students that for him, “Music is light. Your life will be dark, maybe things won’t be good. But music will make you intelligent; it will change your life.” The BC students nodded approvingly, and talked about the place of music in their lives.

“I like playing piano for myself – if someone wanted to pay me, that would be on them,” said Nicolas Thompson-Lleras ’19, who had complimented Rami on his rapping (“You have a good flow”). “If I’m angry or stressed, music helps me. It’s kind of like meditation.”

Simoneau, a member of the Screaming Eagles Marching Band, took out her trombone and played “For Boston.”

“You won’t believe how many times I’ve done that song these past few years,” she quipped.

Turning more serious, she talked about her band experiences: “It’s powerful to play with a lot of people who love music.”

At the end of the session, Rami praised the students for their musical interest and skills.

“Keep playing music,” he said.

“It’s the light.”

Read the full version of this story at http://bit.ly/bc-refugee-portal

Advancing Research and Scholarship Day Dec. 11 Former US Ambassador to the Holy See Kenneth Hackett ’68, H’06 will be the keynote speaker at the annual Advancing Research and Scholarship at Boston College event, which will take place Dec. 11 from noon-5 p.m. in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons.

“Research and the Common Good” is the theme for this year’s symposium, which is aimed at inspiring and fostering collaborations across the BC community.

Faculty members and students from throughout the University will share their research and insights to address societal problems and contribute to the common good.

Following Hackett’s talk, which will include a Q&A session, there will be two faculty presentation sessions featuring Connell School of Nursing Assistant Professor Nadia Abuelezam; Law School Liberty Mutual Insurance Professor Patricia McCoy; Associate Professor of Moral Theology Andrea Vicini, SJ, chair of ecclesiastical faculty at the School of Theology and Ministry; Lynch School of Education Kearns Professor Mary Walsh; BC School of Social Work Associate Professor Rocio Calvo; Carroll School of Management Professor Mary Cronin; and Assistant Professor of Sociology Gustavo Morello, SJ.

Gary Wayne Gilbert

Across a Great Distance

Kenneth Hackett

The research highlighted at these sessions addresses issues such as HIV and health disparities, global public health and sustainability, social protection and immigration, and aging in a digital society.

Between the faculty presentations will be a Q&A and panel discussion, “Common Good in the Jesuit-Catholic Place of Research,” moderated by Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, SJ, and School of Theology and Ministry Dean Thomas Stegman, SJ. The symposium will close with student research presentations, followed by remarks by University President William P. Leahy, SJ, who also will present Hackett with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

For more details, and to register for the event, see www.bc.edu/ research/research-day.

–University Communications

BC Contines to Rank Among the Best in Athletics Graduation Rate Boston College once again ranks sixth in the nation in overall Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in all sports among FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools, according to a report released by the NCAA. BC boasted a GSR of 95 for the class of student-athletes that entered in 2010, a rate topped only by Notre Dame (98), Stanford, Duke and Northwestern (97 each), and Vanderbilt (96).

Boston College has earned a mark of 95 or better in each of the 13 GSR reports, which first date back to the class of studentathletes that entered in 1998.

Thirty other FBS schools earned a GSR of 90 or more, up from 12 in the last report, released in November 2016. The Atlantic Coast Conference led all FBS conferences with nine of its 15 members earning a score of 90 or better. The Southeastern Conference followed with six of its 14 members drawing a 90 or better.

The BC football team’s score of 90 is tied for ninth-best nationally and remained level from the 2016 GSR release. BC is one of only 10

3

FBS programs to earn a score of 90 or higher. The others are: Northwestern (99), South Carolina (98), Notre Dame, Stanford and Duke (all with 96), Wake Forest (93), Central Florida (92), Rice (91) and Vanderbilt (90).

Thirteen Boston College teams earned a perfect GSR score of 100: women’s cross country/track and field, field hockey, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s hockey, lacrosse, rowing, men’s skiing, women’s skiing, women’s soccer, women’s swimming and diving, and men’s tennis and volleyball.

Twenty-two of the Eagles’ 23 programs reviewed earned GSR scores of 80 or better, including 20 with marks of 90 or more. In total, 22 of BC’s 23 programs reviewed earned a GSR mark higher than the national average.

The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiatives, which were established to more accurately assess the academic success of studentathletes.

More information about the GSR is available at ncaa.org.

–Boston College Athletics

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Chronicle NOVEMBER 30, 2017

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Enrollment Trends Show Growth in STEM, More Double Majors Continued from page 1 Carroll School history.

•Biology’s upward trajectory (a 34 percent rise from 2007-16) has taken it to its highest-ever enrollment, 927, this year.

•Political science (893) and communication (751) round out the top five majors at BC, as they have the past four years.

Comprising the rest of the top 10 majors are psychology (485), nursing (436), English (433), applied psychology/human development (411) and marketing (390).

Sixty-eight percent of BC students are enrolled in at least one of these majors.

Other notes from the enrollment statistics: STEM on the rise–Twentythree percent of BC students now major in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) field, compared to 14 percent in 2007.

STEM majors also accounted for 25 percent of the undergraduate degrees awarded by the Morrissey College between August 2016 and May of this year.

Faculty members in STEMrelated disciplines aren’t the only ones experiencing this trend – it’s keeping administrators and staff at the Career Center busy, too.

For example, last fall the Career Center held an inaugural STEM Career and Internship Fair that attracted nearly 40 employers and more than 300 students. Having had another successful fair this fall, the center plans to make it an annual event.

The center also holds networking events like “Careers in Health and Healthcare” and “Green Careers Night” and offers career preparation events specifically for STEM majors, including resume and job search workshops – often offered in collaboration with student groups that have a STEM focus.

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Career Center Director Joseph Du Pont notes that members of the center’s Career Engagement team serve as liaisons with the University’s academic departments, including those in STEM fields.

“Forming these relationships has been instrumental in ensuring that we are providing resources, creating programming, and building external employer relationships that meet the needs of the growing population of STEM students,” he says.

Du Pont adds that according to BC’s First Year Destination Survey, almost 16 percent of the Class of 2016 that pursued employment are working in healthcare, physical sciences, and the environment – a percentage he predicts will increase.

Doubling up–Nearly a quarter of BC undergrads are majoring in two disciplines. The most popular combination is economics and political science, with 80 double majors this academic year. But don’t get the idea that BC encourages this practice, say academic administrators.

Professor of English Amy Boesky, director of the Medical Humanities minor, says its interdisciplinary approaches to health is what draws students. Courses explore narrative medicine, the history and sociology of medicine, health disparities, HIV/AIDS and ethics, and the literature of mental

The Earth and Environmental Sciences Clean Analytical Geochemistry Laboratory (known as the “clean room”). Almost a quarter of BC students now major in a STEM field. (Photo by Gary Wayne Gilbert)

“Many students mistakenly believe that doing a double major is more impressive to employers or graduate schools,” explains Morrissey College Associate Dean Clare Dunsford, “but in fact the transcript still includes the same number of courses and credits as the single major.”

A double major is no more rigorous than a single major, says Dunsford, but students who undertake it are unlikely to have much room for electives or to do a senior thesis or independent research.

“Freshman and sophomore years are meant to be a time for discernment and exploration,” says Associate Dean and Academic Advising Center Director Rory Browne. “Fulfilling the requirements for two majors limits your opportunity to sample different courses and possibly find a new interest or direction.”

Still, it’s not that double majors should never be considered, say Dunsford and Browne. Perhaps the student is thoroughly certain of his or her path, and strongly believes one major will complement or enhance the other. Or perhaps, as Browne says, there is “a certain synergy” between the two fields – music and mathematics, for example, or art and communication.

Minor consideration–History (137 students) has supplanted International Studies (133) as the most popular undergraduate minor.

Meanwhile, Medical Humanities – in only its third year – is third, with 131 students enrolled, and philosophy is next with 114.

health, among other areas.

“Minors are proactive and engaged – in the few years since we’ve launched the program, students have spearheaded an interdisciplinary journal and two national con-

ferences, and have collaborated in readings and workshops with Harvard and Brigham and Women’s Hospital,” says Boesky. “It’s exciting to see recent graduates pursuing careers in public health, policy, counseling, medicine, and law. BC is unusual in offering this program at the undergraduate level, and those of us who teach courses in the program are delighted to see students’ passion for combining courses of study with a wider commitment to social justice.”

A consistent presence among the top five minors is Hispanic Studies, currently fifth with 104 students. Professor Elizabeth Rhodes, a faculty member in Romance Languages and Literatures who directs Hispanic Studies, notes that with Spanish the second most-spoken language in the world, “the practical reasons for Spanish fluency are obvious.”

But Hispanic Studies requires students to become culturally literate as well.

“In contrast to ‘what,’ Hispanic Studies students learn ‘why,’ acquiring strategies to understand the complexities of an increasingly complex world,” says Rhodes.

A perfect complement to many majors, says Rhodes, Hispanic Studies attracts students from the

Carroll School – the majority of the minor’s enrollees – as well as undergraduates from International Studies, Political Science, Economics and Communication, among others. Some of the hot topics in the curriculum nowadays, she says, include texts (in Spanish) about ghosts and other kinds of hauntings; Amazon environmental culture; films about immigration from and into Spanish-speaking lands; Hispanic Nobel Prize winners; and tales of the “conquest” of the Americas.

“My conversations with Hispanic Studies minors usually wind up with their confession that they’re in the program simply because they love the language, its cultures, and the classes. We teach something students study because they want to, something that has concrete, life-long benefits. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

It was 20 years ago today–In 1997, the list of BC’s five most popular majors looked like this: English (931) Finance (743) Psychology (694) Political Science (671) Biology (665)

The Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment provided assistance for this story.

Three BC Theologians Receive Awards Three members of the Theology Department have been recognized for their scholarly work and its impact on their field.

The University of Dayton presented Professor M. Shawn Copeland with the Marianist Award, which honors a Roman Catholic scholar for lifetime contributions to the Catholic intellectual tradition.

Copeland researches and teaches theological anthropology and political theology as well as the African and African intellectual history and religious experience. She is the author of the books Enfleshing Freedom: Body, Race, and Being and The Subversive Power of Love: The Vision of Henriette Delille, and principal editor of and contributor to Uncommon Faithfulness: The Black Catholic Experience. At the Nov. 1 award ceremony, Copeland delivered the lecture “Traces of the Cross: Theology and Social Suffering.”

J. Donald Monan, SJ, Profes-

sor of Theology Lisa Sowle Cahill was awarded the Civitas Dei Medal, which recognizes Catholics whose work has enriched the Catholic intellectual tradition and who have shown particular commitment to the pursuit of truth, beauty and goodness. An ethicist, Cahill is the author/editor of Global Justice, Christology and Christian Ethics; Genetics, Theology, Ethics: An Interdisciplinary Conversation, and Family: A Christian Social Perspective, among many other titles. Cahill received the award on Nov. 2 at Villanova University, where she presented “Augustine, Pope Francis and Social Change.”

Barry University selected Theology chairman Richard R. Gaillardetz, the Joseph Professor in Catholic Systematic Theology, for its Yves Congar Award for Theological Excellence. The award honors contemporary theologians who embody the spirit of Cardinal Yves Congar,

OP. Gaillardetz is the author/ editor of 13 books, including An Unfinished Council: Vatican II, Pope Francis, and the Renewal of Catholicism and Keys to the Council: Unlocking the Teaching of Vatican II. He will be presented with the award on Jan. 11, and give a lecture on “Beyond Dogmatism: The Case for Normative Tradition in an Age of Scandal.”

“These awards reflect the overall excellence of our Theology Department,” said Gaillardetz. “Boston College has assembled a remarkable group of scholars, many of whom are internationally recognized leaders in their field. This excellence has been reflected not only in these individual awards but also in our recent ranking as one of the top schools in the world for the study of theology.”

–Kathleen Sullivan Photos by Caitlin Cunningham and Justin Knight

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Chronicle NOVEMBER 30, 2017

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O’Day Returns to BC, with Full Slate rified and a little angry. I didn’t understand why the doctors couldn’t just make him better. I remember being told to pray that Rob’s medication would work; believe me, I did. However, now, with our increased understanding of disease, and technology advancements, I think we can use science to complement prayer to help patients like my brother.”

O’Day, who identified biochemistry as her profession in seventh grade, says she’s always been more interested in the prospect of creating drugs than prescribing them as a physician.

“I believe we will ‘cure’ cancer one day. Cure could mean completely eradicating the disease, but it could also mean we use

degenerative disorder that afflicts former BC baseball captain Pete Frates ’07.

Mendoza, no more than two years older than most BC seniors in the class, spoke frankly about his life and future with an incurable disease of the brain and spinal cord nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement. The students were noticeably moved.

“Many of these students will eventually work in scientific or medical professions,” explains O’Day. “It’s important that they not only achieve a deep understanding of the science, but appreciate the application of the science and its potential impact on people. It’s equally imporElizabeth O’Day with Osiel Mendoza, who discussed his experiences as an ALS patient at one of her recent classes. “It’s important for students to hear about scientific or medical gaps hindering our ability to serve patients,” she says. “I hope they imagine ways they could fill in those gaps.”

(Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

of Science and Technology, a learning community that provides professional women with the inspiration, knowledge, and connections to reach their full potential.

While earning a doctorate at Harvard in biological and biomedical sciences, she founded Lizzard Fashion, an online, ecofriendly T-shirt company that promotes science through fashion. A portion of the profits supports cancer research.

In 2010, O’Day launched Proyecto Chispa (Project Spark), which recycles electronics and uses the resale of parts to build computer centers in Latin American orphanages.

Three years ago, she was selected as a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, which recognizes young professionals with exceptional potential, achievements and the drive to make a contribution to their communities.

What motivates her? She credits a biologist uncle with igniting the spark, but when O’Day was six years old, her older brother Rob was diagnosed with neuroblastoma and spent two years in successful treatment at Boston’s Children’s Hospital.

“That experience surely influenced me,” she recalls. “I was ter-

science to completely manage it,” O’Day declares. “When someone is diagnosed with cancer, clinicians will be able to identify the most effective treatments for that patient and use tailored medicines to keep that cancer at bay.

“We’re also moving into an era of preventative medicine where technology will let us identify disease at its earliest onset, which could allow patients to implement lifestyle changes so that they never even develop the disease. It’s an exciting time in biotech.”

If she can’t accomplish it herself, she’s betting on the next generation of scientists, one or more of whom may be students in her HMDE class, which is uniquely characterized by two guest speakers for every session.

Following a lecture on the biochemistry that undergirds and influences conditions and diseases that afflict humans today, a patient suffering with a specific diagnosis shares his or her story.

A recent class featured Osiel Mendoza, a 22-year-old advocate and fund raiser at the ALS Therapy Development Institute in Cambridge, Mass. A year ago, Mendoza was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), the same progressive neuro-

tant for students to hear about scientific or medical gaps hindering our ability to serve patients; I hope they imagine ways they could fill in those gaps. That’s why nearly every class has a guest patient.”

In an essay for the World Economic Forum, O’Day – who serves on the WEF’s Global Future Council on Biotechnologies, a knowledge network that provides a forward-looking think tank for the forum – mused on the outlook for what she described as “personalized medicine.”

“In the future, monitoring your health could be like a realworld video game. Future biomarkers will be able to more accurately identify increased risk of stroke or cardiovascular disease, the onset of dementia, macular degeneration, diabetes, and many other health related issues.

“By empowering patients with the ability to access and monitor their own molecular data, patients can take center stage in controlling their own health.”

Read the full version of this story at http://bit.ly/oday-HMDE Contact Phil Gloudemans at philip.gloudemans@bc.edu

Lee Pellegrini

Continued from page 1 Edward H. Finnegan, SJ, Award.

While at BC, she founded Women in Science and Technology because she and her fellow female scientists saw too many young women repress their science interest due to the “geek” stereotype. WST, now entering its 12th year, has provided more than 600 female high school and college students the opportunity to learn about science careers through a month-long, weekend program of research, lectures, field trips, and sessions with mentors from scientific disciplines.

O’Day also found time to play on the BC rugby club team.

Today, O’Day is busy as ever.

She serves on the advisory board for Women in the Enterprise

“It’s a chance to learn about taking on leadership roles in the academic environment.

Part of that involves improving communication between academia and the general public, to show the importance of research and its potential application in everyday life.”

–Katherine McAuliffe

Psychology’s McAuliffe Earns Early-Career Honor Named to Azrieli Global Scholars program; will have opportunities for networking, public outreach

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

Assistant Professor of Psychology Katherine McAuliffe, whose research focuses on how children develop an understanding of fairness and cooperation, has received a two-year appointment to the Azrieli Global Scholars program by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

McAuliffe is one of 15 scholars to be selected for the program, which helps exceptional earlycareer researchers build research networks and develop leadership skills. Each participant receives $100,000 in research support and becomes part of one of CIFAR’s 12 research programs; they also are mentored by the world’s top researchers in their area of interest.

Azrieli Global Scholars extend their research beyond academia by engaging with knowledge users across sectors, including policy-makers, business leaders and practitioners, and through public outreach.

“Connecting with other scholars at the same stage of their careers as me, and working with established, renowned researchers, is an exciting opportunity,” said McAuliffe, who joined the BC faculty in 2016. “It’s a chance to learn about taking on leadership roles in the academic environment. Part of that involves improving communication between academia and the general public, to show the importance of research and its potential application in everyday life.”

By joining CIFAR’s Brain, Mind and Consciousness research program, McAuliffe seeks to build on her exploration of children’s acquisition and enforcement of fairness norms.

One of her major projects was as co-investigator of a global study, published in the journal Nature,

that examined how children from different cultures recognize and respond to situations involving unfairness.

McAuliffe and her fellow researchers found that by middle childhood, children across all populations recognized when they were being put at an unfair disadvantage – and took steps to avoid it. But when placed in a position of unfair advantage, the response differed: In only three of the seven countries studied did children show an aversion to being in the superior position, and then only by late childhood (nine or 10 years old).

The experiment is the first in an emerging inter-disciplinary effort to understand how humans in very different societies develop a sense of the seemingly universal value of fairness. Prior research suggested that adults have widely different approaches to fair resource sharing, which pointed to the potential role culture plays in shaping the development of fairness during childhood.

[Read more about this study at http://bit.ly/mcauliffe-fairnessstudy] “The question is, how do kids become aware of what they’re doing?” said McAuliffe. “We can ‘prime’ children with ideas of generosity, and tell them that ‘most kids’ will do what’s fair in a certain situation – such as when they’re playing a game.”

McAuliffe is at the beginning stages of a collaboration – known as “The Virtue Project” – with her colleague Associate Professor Liane Young, a widely acclaimed researcher who uses behavioral measures, neuroimaging and other psychological tools to understand moral judgment and social cognition.

Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu

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Chronicle NOVEMBER 30, 2017

6

‘History Down the Toilet’

The Story of Boston Immigrants, Told Through Discarded Objects ing History Public” subjects have included historical justice issues such as Japanese-American internment compensation and global human rights; the history of the Boston Common; the history of the book; and the depiction of historical and social

“History Down the Toilet” may be a rather blunt-sounding title, but it’s also an aptly literal description of an exhibit organized by 13 Boston College undergraduates that is now on display in the History Department at Stokes Hall.

The students used objects recovered from late 19th-century/ early 20th-century latrines in three Boston locations as a means to offer insights into the lives of the city’s immigrants from that period. Because indoor plumbing and municipal trash service were rare during the late 19th and early 20th century, many household items wound up being disposed of in neighborhood outhouses, and subsequently buried over years of development and demolition. These everyday items – including tea cups, jewelry, clothes buttons, cap guns, animal bones and hair care products – provide glimpses into a changing city, and a changing American society.

The exhibit is the latest installment in the “Making History Public” series, through which undergraduates in selected history courses plan, organize and pursue a research project and learn how to utilize archival material – with the aim of presenting it to the general public. Past “Mak-

finding, organizing and presenting research. For “History Down the Toilet,” Fleming and the students went to the City of Boston Archeology Lab and its chief archeologist, Joe Bagley, to sort through a host of materials recovered during the Big Dig. Flem-

Photos by Gary Wayne Gilbert

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

Prof. Robin Fleming (History) and her students visited the City of Boston Archeology Lab to find materials for the “History Down the Toilet” project.

trends in popular comic books.

This latest exhibit grew out of the course History Down the Toilet: Rewriting Boston’s Past with Objects Recovered from Three Nineteenth-Century Latrines, taught last spring by Professor of History Robin Fleming.

A hallmark of the “Making History Public” series is that classes collaborate with University Archives, BC Libraries and Media Technology Services staff on

ing’s students selected artifacts that pertained to their respective areas of interest, and would serve as the basis for historical research.

(The objects themselves are not on display at the exhibit, but are represented on photographs and posters.)

Annie Iannazzi ’17, now a graduate student at Fairfield University, was intrigued to find sea coral among the detritus and learned that it had been a popular home decoration among 19thcentury middle-class families – but also, apparently, among poor families as well. This revelation was among many in her

study of home décor during the period.

“As I looked into it, what struck me was how intentional and meticulously placed the objects were in the household to express family values,” she says.

“There might be some carry-over of that today, but you just don’t see the same care and attention as it was in the 19th and early 20th century.”

Similarly, noted another student, a jar in the archeology lab that had contained pomade suggested the growing consumer culture of the era, where mass marketing helped spur low-income male immigrants to buy a product normally associated with more affluent men.

Yet the persistence of class differences was still apparent, as Bridget Halstead ’17 found when she looked at dishware. She discovered some quite fashionable dishes that had belonged to an industrial school for girls – a seeming contradiction.

“These nicer dishes were a sort of ‘plaything’ for the girls in the school, who for the most part were being prepared to work for affluent families,” she explains.

“So in essence, the school was saying, ‘You’ll use these someday, but for other people.’”

Scrutinizing the different styles, fashions and quality of clothes buttons recovered from

a North End latrine, sophomore Michael Zuppone saw evidence of a gradual transition in the neighborhood.

“When we think of the North End today, we automatically think ‘Italian,’” he says. “But what I saw was a neighborhood that was still very English beginning to have an influx of Irish families. So it really expands your awareness of the social history of Boston, in just that one area.”

Fleming has been tremendously impressed by the students’ enterprise and resourcefulness.

“They totally embraced what we were doing. It’s a very demanding class: Besides planning and organizing your particular project, you have to edit your research to 600 words for the paper, and 60 words for each illustration. That’s a life skill, boiling down and explaining your ideas in a concise, understandable manner.”

Fleming adds that the “Making History Public” concept has energized her colleagues as well as their students: “It’s encouraged a lot of faculty to take a more collaborative approach with students, and have their classes be more experiential.”

Read a Boston College Magazine story on “History Down the Toilet” at http://bit.ly/the-peoples-stuff.

Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu

Response to Campus Racial Incidents

HONORING SERVICE Photos by Lee Pellegrini

Archbishop of Military Services USA Timothy P. Broglio ’73 (above) was the keynote speaker at the 17th annual Boston College Veterans Remembrance Ceremony held Nov. 10 at the Boston College Veterans Memorial on Burns Library lawn. The ceremony, preceded by a Mass in St. Ignatius Church, honored all alumni who have served, or are currently serving, in the armed forces.

Continued from page 1 on diversity and inclusion, simiStudent leaders, led by UGBC lar to AlcoholEdu and Haven, President Akosua Opokua-Achamwhich will be required of all en- pong ’18, had met with administratering undergraduate students. tors to request new programs and •Develop and implement a sur- policies that would help heal the vey to understand how students community in the aftermath of experience Boston College in is- a student’s racially charged social sues ranging from diversity and media post and the defacement of inclusion to residential liv- several Black Lives Matter signs ing and classroom teaching. that raised tensions on campus.

•Work with all eight schools and colThe students, including George leges to continue the ongoing efforts Boateng ’18, Nina Bombole-Boimto hire a more diverse faculty and bo ’21, Francesca Araujo ’20, Mirecruit a more diverse student body. chael Osaghae ’20, Taraun Frontis •Enhance learning and training ’19, Victory Adikema ’20 and Naopportunities for faculty and staff jat Goso ’18, said they appreciated based on best practices for sup- the meetings with administrators porting diversity and inclusion and planned to share the letter with in the classroom and on campus. fellow students once they returned •Review and identify opportunities from Thanksgiving break. through Student Affairs, Academic Administrators confirmed that Affairs, Mission and Ministry and the student involved in the social Human Resources to strengthen media posting was no longer endiversity and inclusion efforts that rolled at Boston College and that enhance the culture of care and the BC Police investigation into the welcome at Boston College. defaced signs is ongoing.

—University Communications

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BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MEDIA An introduction to new faculty members at Boston College

Elizabeth Antus

Assistant Professor of the Practice Theology Department Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: University of Virginia (AB); University of Notre Dame (MTS, PhD) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Catholic theology; theological anthropology; feminist theology; theology and disability; theology and sexuality; theological and psychological approaches to mental health and mental illness.

WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Person and Social Responsibility I and II (PULSE) What drew you to the PULSE Program? “I gravitated toward BC’s PULSE program because it shows the heart of BC’s mission: College education in a Jesuit context has a formative component by which students are shaped to be not only intelligent but also justice-oriented. While college professors need to help students engage creatively with multiple perspectives about the great questions posed by life, this process should specifically be about empowering students to participate in the pursuit of justice within a deeply unjust world. And now that I have been teaching the PULSE Core for a few months, I can gladly say that the PULSE students are intellectually fierce and also aflame with a love of justice. It’s a beautiful thing to witness as a professor.”

Media outlets reached out to Boston College for analysis and commentary in their coverage of the proposed US tax reform plan.

Assoc. Prof. Robert Murphy (Economics) commented on President Trump’s goal to reduce the US trade deficit – and whether or not the tax plan could further that objective – in an interview with Marketplace Radio; Kenealy Professor of Law James Repetti spoke with Marketplace Radio about the real impact on US families of state, sales and healthcare taxes, and with Metrowest Daily News on its effect on Massachusetts; in a piece for The Conversation, Assoc. Prof. Gil Manzon (CSOM) recommended replacing the mortgage interest deduction with a tax credit; The New York Times, in a piece on the tax plan’s potential impact, noted that Robsham Theater nightshift cus-

todian Fred Vautour – who made national news last May when the last of his five children graduated from BC – may not have been able to realize that dream.

the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, wrote about the US entertainment industry’s relationships with China in a piece for the American Interest.

Prof. Ann Burgess (CSON) and BC’s Collegiate Warrior Athlete Program project director Erin Flaherty ’20 discussed issues of homelessness and healthcare with WalletHub.

Assoc. Prof. Daniel Lyons (Law) discussed AT&T’s planned $85.4 billion takeover of Time Warner in an interview with Bloomberg News.

Men get credit for voicing ideas, but not problems – and women don’t get credit for either, according to research co-authored by Carroll School Mancini Family Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor Sean Martin, who wrote about the findings in the Harvard Business Review.

Martha Bayles, a lecturer in

Marcus Breen

Assistant Professor of the Practice Media Lab Director Communication Department Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: Australian National University (Bachelor of Letters); University of Queensland (BA; Bachelor of Human Movement Studies); Victoria University (PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Communication and media at the intersection of culture, technology and public policy in their disruptive and emergent forms due to the Internet and digital innovations.

WHAT HE TEACHES: Social Media; New Media and Society; Communication Ethics.

How do the projects that students undertake in the Media Lab their academic studies in the Communication Department? “The Media Lab offers communication majors courses in audio and video production, and digital storytelling, introduced last year to train students in the production of short smartphone videos on topics that impact social, cultural and economic development in society. These courses assist students in the development of knowledge and skills about broadcast production industries: radio and television studio production, live recording of events, image production, manipulation and management, with a focus on positive communication outcomes. Significant changes are in development for the lab, including reviewing the integration of digital technologies into the department curriculum.”

Gabrielle Oliveira

Assistant Professor Lynch School of Education DEGREES: Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado (BA); Columbia University (MA, PhD) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Immigrant education across the globe with a focus on early childhood and K-12; transnational motherhood and global parenting and the impacts on education achievement and school experience; gender and education: how culture and immigrant identity influence education experiences in the US. WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Psychological Responses to Humanitarian Crises What are the challenges and opportunities of understanding immigrant education experience in this day and age? “As an anthropologist of education, I believe that understanding cultural identity in the education and school spaces is a major asset to local and national discussions. When thinking through macro policies, as well as in class teacher student relationships in the classroom, it is important to consider not only the different languages students speak, but their transnational contexts. Who takes care of them at home? Is there a connection with the country of origin? What are the experiences they have had at home or their parents have had at their home countries? These are all important pieces of the puzzle.”

–Phil Gloudemans, Rosanne Pellegrini and Kathleen Sullivan Photos by Gary Wayne Gilbert and Lee Pellegrini

The sale of a Leonardo da Vinci painting for $450.3 million has drawn questions from art experts, including McMullen Museum of Art Director Nancy Netzer, who offered comments to The Boston Globe.

Interviewed by The New York Times, Asst. Prof. Michael Serazio (Communication) weighed in on challenges related to Facebook’s efforts to verify accounts.

Assoc. Prof. Hosffman Ospino (STM) reflected on the experience of meeting Pope Francis in a commentary for Catholic News Service.

JOBS

Alumni actors Wayne Wilderson ’89 and Maile Flanagan ’87 visited Theatre Department Chair Luke Jorgensen’s acting class earlier this month, where they discussed their experiences in stage, film, television and other media. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

NOTA BENE Professor of Biology Thomas Seyfried received distinguished career honors last week from the American College of Nutrition at the organization’s 58th Annual Conference.

Seyfried, who has conducted pioneering research into the therapeutic uses of the ketogenic diet, received the ACN Award Lecture, which “recognizes career accomplishments of senior scientists in the field of nutrition and acknowledges distinguished achievements and contributions to the field.”

Jack Penglase, a doctoral student in the Economics Department, won best poster honors at the Northeast Universities Development Consortium held earlier this month at the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

NEUDC has organized annual conferences on development economics since 1967, with about 400 participants per year from all over the world.

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: Assistant Director of Biology Labs, Academic Affairs/Provost Director of Development, Law School Assistant Director, Marketing and Communications, Lynch School of Education Campus Minister, University Mission and Ministry Associate Vice President, Principal Gifts, University Advancement Director, Boston College Campus School Network Engineer, Information Technology Senior Philanthropic Advisor, University Advancement General Service Worker, Dining & Catering/Auxiliary/Public Safety Human Resources Officers, Human Resources Fiscal and Operations Administrator, Academic Affairs/Provost

The Connors Family Retreat and Conference Center was recognized by Unique Venues as the 2017 Best Small Market Venue. Owned and operated by Boston College, the 80-acre estate is used for meetings, conferences, retreats, corporate outings, weddings and social functions.

Utility Worker, Dining and Catering/Auxiliary/Public Safety Research Statistician, Academic Affairs/Provost Director of Development, Carroll School of Management

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Chronicle NOVEMBER 30, 2017

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HOLIDAYS AT THE HEIGHTS See page 2

BY ROSANNE PELLEGRINI STAFF WRITER

cas formed the ensemble to teach students different styles of music from the Middle East and to allow them to experience different cultures through the act of learning and making music.

“I was brought to BC to broaden students’ horizons in the study of music, to teach them about different ways of making

she said. Students relate to the idea of “music as part of the enjoyment of friends and family, of fun and social engagement.”

The eight BC students in the ensemble play under musical director Nizar Ballout, a Lebanese singer and oud player who is a renowned performer in the Middle East, according to Lucas.

“He has years of performance and teaching experience that serve our students well. He is also curious and still learning new music, and very good at teaching the music completely by ear – the traditional way of teaching this music.”

“When I came up with the name ‘Astaza,’ which means ‘masterful,’ I wasn’t expecting less from our students – though microtones in Middle Eastern music and pronunciation of Boston College’s Astaza Middle Eastern Ensemble during a recent rehearsal.

Oriental dialects could “the Mozart of Egypt”; a lively music throughout the world, but be challenging,” said Ballout. “But debkah song (an athletic line dance also about the complex relation- so far, I am amazed at our studone in the Eastern Levant), and a ship between music and its social dents’ commitment, professionalTurkish repertoire. The music will contexts,” she explained. ism and their continuous desire to be played on instruments such as Astaza “is a great way for stu- explore music of different cultures, violin, cello, nay (reed flute), oud dents to simultaneously interact with new vocal and instrumental (a fretless Middle Eastern lute), qa- with different music and a differ- forms.” nun (trapezoidal zither), and three ent culture. I want students to see Musicians from the commutypes of drums: the goblet-shaped the Middle East I see, which is full nity round out the 13-member tabla, duf (frame drum), and riqq of music and poetry, parties and ensemble, and “are thrilled to see (small frame drum with tambou- dancing. This isn’t a side of the our students learn their music, rine cymbals).

Middle East that gets talked about and very helpful to them,” said An ethnomusicologist, Lu- a lot, but it is part of everyday life,” Lucas. In addition to its campus Yiting Chen

When the Astaza Middle Eastern Ensemble performs its campus concert “Oriental Vibes” on Dec. 4, its members not only expect, but encourage, lively audience participation – they consider it to be a measure of success.

“Oriental Vibes” will take place at 8 p.m. in Gasson 100, sponsored by the Islamic Civilization and Societies Program and the Music Department. The ensemble will play several types of musical repertoire and actively respond to the preferences of the audience, which will include the group’s following of local community members.

“This is something new for the students and I love for them to experience it,” said the group’s academic director, Assistant Professor of Music Ann Lucas. “They learn a program, but things change based on how the musicians feel and what the audience wants. People from the community will yell as soon as they hear something they like.”

Such audience interaction is the norm in many places in the Middle East, according to Lucas.

“It’s not polite to sit quietly if you are enjoying the performance, you have to tell us. When that happens, we adjust the program.”

So if the audience is active – cheering a particular verse or a short improvisation – they can have a role in shaping what comes

next: The popular verse may be repeated, or the improvisation lengthened.

The upcoming concert, free and open to the public, will feature Arabic songs that use old Andalusian poetry (muwashshahat); a song and an instrumental composition from 20th-century composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab, known as

BC SCENES

appearances, Astaza performs for Boston-area Middle Eastern cultural organizations.

For accomplished violinist Dan Fitzgerald ’19, the ensemble offers “a strong sense of community. We are a group of musicians from different backgrounds united under the common purpose of doing justice to great Middle Eastern works. Most importantly, it’s fun.

It excites the audience, who join in with clapping, hooting and celebration, which excites us.”

The ensemble also benefits from a professional musician: Artist-in-residence Jamal Sinno helps with teaching and intonation.

His instrument, the qanun, has a special quality that helps students learn the many scales that are not part of Western music. Students also have access to master musicians through workshops.

Lucas credits the Office of the Provost and Dean of Faculties and the Institute for the Liberal Arts with support for these resources.

“Middle Eastern music is fundamentally different than Western music: much of it exists as oral tradition, played by musicians who know the songs by heart without the need for sheet music,” Fitzgerald said. “Learning to approach music in this way has increased my understanding of the instrument I’ve played for 15-plus years, and opened me up to a refreshingly different musical world.”

For information about the concert, call ext.2-6004.

‘FOR THIS I AM GRATEFUL’ Photos by Gary Wayne Gilbert

The University’s annual Multi-Faith Thanksgiving Celebration, which took place Nov. 16 in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons, featured blessings and prayers from the Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and Bahá’í traditions, a Caribbean gathering song, performances by the Liturgy Arts Group, the School of Theology and Ministry Liturgical Choir and, at right, Asst. Prof. Ann Lucas (Music) and PULSE Program Assistant Director Shanteri Baliga, who presented a selection of Turkish music. At left, Associate Vice President for Mission and Ministry and Campus Ministry Director Fr. Anthony Penna offered an opening prayer and welcome. Those attending were encouraged to bring donations of bread and canned goods to assist several multifaith food pantries.