PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
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Around Campus
Meaningful Honor
Familiar Territory
Acappella student group Common Tones (right) draws national interest; BC found to be among safest campuses.
BCSSW’s Karen Bullock wins award for work on health-related inclusion and equity issues.
Alumni playwrights’ “Cleveland Circle” evokes undergrad years.
PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
FEBRUARY 15, 2024 VOL. 31 NO. 11
$25 Million Gift
STM to Be Named for Cloughs
BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry (STM) will be named the Gloria L. and Charles I. Clough School of Theology and Ministry in honor of two of the University’s most loyal and generous benefactors, whose $25 million gift—one of the largest ever to a school of theology, ministry, and divinity—will further bolster the school’s standing as a global leader in theological study. Charles “Chuck” Clough Jr. ’64, the chair and chief investment officer of the Boston-based investment firm Clough Capital Partners and an ordained permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Boston, has served BC as a trustee or trustee associate since 1994, including a term as board chair from 1999-2002. He also co-chaired the University’s Light the World capital campaign and is chair emeritus of the Wall Street Council. He is the 1991 recipient of
Gloria and Charles Clough, namesakes for the School of Theology and Ministry. photo by lee pellegrini
the William V. McKenney Award, given to a BC graduate whose service reflects honor on the University, and the James F. Cleary ’50, H’93 Masters Award for a lifetime of
NIH Awards Biologist Grant for His Work on Viral Insulins
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‘Adaptable, Resilient’ UGBC Head Reflects on Four Years at the Heights BY JOHN SHAKESPEAR SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
Assistant Professor of Biology Emrah Altindis has been awarded a five-year, $2.5-million grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance his research on viral insulins into the understanding of mechanisms related to IGF-1 receptor protein inhibition and its potential applications in cancer treatment. Altindis said the grant will enable him and the researchers in his lab to learn more about how to use specific viral insulins that mimic human insulin so as to inhibit IGF-
service to Boston College. Gloria Clough M.Div.’90, M.S.’96, is a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist who earned a master’s degree from BC’s Connell
School of Nursing and a master’s degree in divinity from the former Weston Jesuit School of Theology, which reaffiliated with Boston College to form the School of Theology and Ministry in 2008. She established the chaplaincy program at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass., where she served as the first Catholic chaplain. She is also chair of the Emerson Hospital board of directors and a board member and past chair of Bridge Over Troubled Waters, a non-profit organization serving homeless and at-risk youth. STM Dean Michael McCarthy, S.J., said that having the School of Theology and Ministry named after the Cloughs is a blessing, given their personal alignment with the school’s mission, values, and culture. “In so many ways, Gloria and Chuck Clough represent everything the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry stands for: a deep faith; a commitment to the Catholic Church over so many years of
Emrah Altindis photo by lee pellegrini
1 receptor action, which is increased in a range of diseases, including human cancers. “I am very excited about our viral insulin project and grateful to the National In-
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For a self-proclaimed “people person,” Jonah Kotzen ’24 has spent a lot of the last year examining fish skeletons. Since the fall of 2022, the biology and classical studies double major has worked as a research assistant for Associate Professor of the Practice of Biology Christopher Kenaley, studying different species of centrarchids— known as sunfish—to better understand how their jaws have evolved to help them survive in different habitats. At first glance, this research might seem unrelated to Kotzen’s role as the president of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC), which is all about working with BC students, faculty, and ad-
ministrators. But for Kotzen, the common thread is adaptability. “I’ve experienced a lot of change in my life, and it has made me adaptable and resilient,” Kotzen explained. “Just as that helps me connect with people and be a good advocate, it also makes me appreciate how other animals have evolved to fit the environments around them.” Kotzen grew up in Palm Beach County, Fla., as the fifth of seven half-siblings. His parents both had stable careers, but they moved often and he split time between their houses, never living in a single place for more than four years. Amid these changes, he was also learning to support his brother Jonathan, who has a genetic disorder called Fragile X syndrome. Continued on page 4
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February 15 , 2024
Around Campus
An Uncommon Experience for University Acapella Student Group Since late 2022, the Common Tones of Boston College, an acapella student group, has been posting content on TikTok that features the music they’re working on and highlights their upcoming shows. So no one in the group thought much of posting a cover of “Carol of the Bells” this past December—that is, until the video got more than 70 million views in a matter of weeks. Inspired by the many people clamoring to hear more from them, the Common Tones continued posting videos to the 300,000-plus followers they quickly accumulated; as members recalled, it seemed that thousands more supporters would appear as soon as they refreshed their account page. The group had just adjusted to this new-found virality when the Grammy Awards TikTok account commented on their “Carol of the Bells” video, asking them to create and sing a mashup of the songs nominated for Song of the Year. The dream in which they found themselves had just gotten even better. Immediately, the students got to work on an arrangement. The Tones collaborated with the Office of University Communications video team to shoot the video accompanying their mashup during a lengthy session in Bapst Library. Director of Creative Video Services John Walsh and Senior Digital Content
The Common Tones of Boston College in Bapst Library last month during the shooting of their video for the Grammy Awards TikTok. photo by ariana cho
Producer Ariana Cho said they “enjoyed coming together with this talented group of students for a memorable project. Everyone on the cast and crew played a key role in the production and helped to create a fun and collaborative environment in Bapst that evening. We’ll always find it inspiring to see talented, passionate people come to-
gether around a shared goal.” While the Grammys did not end up airing the video that the Tones filmed, the group is in no way discouraged. For these students, spending time together making music, whether on campus or at children’s hospitals and women’s centers around Boston, is all the reward they need.
Common Tones President Ella O’KellyLynch ’24 said she is grateful not only for the exposure her group has gotten but for those around her who helped create an environment where the arts could be appreciated. “The Grammy video was a very cool experience to be a part of and the culmination of two weeks of intense work. Our student arrangers put together a great eight-song mashup, and it was wonderful to collaborate with the University Communications team to produce the final product. We appreciate the opportunity to share our music with a wider audience.” For O’Kelly-Lynch, the group’s service component is her favorite part of the Common Tones experience: “There is something so special about sharing our love of music with the Boston community, and bringing joy into the lives of so many going through tough times.” Lucy Liu ’27 said the video project deepened her love for the Tones. “We were spending so much time together to complete the video by the deadline, and I would still leave rehearsal looking forward to the next time I’d see everyone.” The Common Tones Song of the Year mashup can be viewed on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=IDC0BFyetUk. —Meghan Keefe is a senior in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
Study Finds Boston College Among the Country’s Safest Campuses Boston College is among the safest college campuses in the United States, according to a national company that creates global and American-centric rankings of higher education in academic and nonacademic categories. Academic Influence ranked BC 12th in its recent study, “The Safest Colleges in America: Top 15 Campuses & Cities,” published in December. According to its website, Academic Influence is a team of academics and data scientists “working to provide an objective, non-gameable, influence-based ranking for the people, schools, and disciplinary programs that make up higher education.” In evaluating each institution’s safety, the study considered factors such as compliance with the Clery Act—which requires colleges and universities to report campus crime data, support victims of violence, and publicly outline campus safety policies ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Jack Dunn
SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Patricia Delaney EDITOR
Sean Smith
and procedures—security officers on campus; blue light emergency phone stations; escort services; shuttles for students; surveillance systems/technology; mental health offices; and lighting maintenance. The capsule profiles for each of the safest top 15 colleges and universities offer a sampling of crimes and incidents reported, and highlight some campus safety measures and resources. BC’s crime rate per 1,000 students is 21.03, according to Academic Influence, compared to the national average of 41.02. The University reported crimes such as drug offenses, aggravated assaults, and burglaries in 2021, the study said. Burglaries decreased by 50 percent between 2020 and
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2021, and after a slight rise in 2022 went back down in 2023. BC complies with the Clery Act, the study reported, and has several initiatives, guidelines, and protocols to guarantee safety: “Since the campus is private property, it is forbidden to trespass or solicit. After regular business hours, buildings are secured and Boston College Police officers frequently check external doors.” Academic Influence also noted the University’s proximity to Newton, where violent crime and property crime rates are below national averages. Purdue University—with a crime rate of 1.60 per 1,000 students—was ranked first in the study, followed by the University of
Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Audrey Loyack Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan
Chronicle
PHOTOGRAPHERS
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Idaho, Brigham Young University, Bridgewater State University (Mass.), and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst; Tufts University placed 11th. The universities of Rhode Island (14th) and New Hampshire (15th) were the other New England institutions that made the top 15. “It’s most encouraging to see the University’s public safety efforts recognized on a national scale,” said Boston College Executive Director of Public Safety and Police Chief William Evans. “At BC, we all strive to make our campus a very welcoming and safe environment, where students can enjoy their college experience and receive an outstanding education steeped in Jesuit values.” To read the study, go to academicinfluence.com/rankings/schools/safest-collegesamerica. —University Communications
The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135 (617)552-3350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135. A flipbook edition of Chronicle is available via e-mail. Send requests to chronicle@bc.edu.
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February 15, 2024
Bullock Honored for Work in Hospice, Palliative Care “There has long been some un-
BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Karen Bullock, the Louise McMahon Ahearn Endowed Professor in the Boston College School of Social Work, and an acclaimed researcher in health-related equity and inclusion issues, recently won a major professional honor named for her one-time mentor. Bullock was selected for the Richard Payne Outstanding Achievement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. AAHPM, the professional organization for physicians specializing in hospice and palliative medicine, nurses, and other health care providers, presents the award in recognition of “strong, lasting, personal, and professional commitment to improving care for diverse, vulnerable, and underrepresented patient populations.” A member of the BCSSW faculty since 2022, Bullock combines considerable mental health experience and expertise in health disparities, health equity, serious illness care, aging and gerontology, hospice, palliative, and end-of-life care decision making. Bullock, who is also an affiliate faculty member in the University’s Global Public Health and the Common Good program, regards the AAHPM honor as doubly gratifying. Given that the AAHPM membership is largely made up of physicians— she was nominated for the award by an oncologist—her selection was an indication of how highly her work is viewed across fields and disciplines, she explained. And
BC Scenes
Women’s Summit The annual Boston College Women’s Summit, which took place on February 3, featured a keynote address in Gasson 100 by attorney, author, and advocate Rachael Denhollander (right). The day also consisted of assorted workshops, a panel discussion titled “Navigating Life After Graduation,” and student performances.
certainty and hesitation within the social work profession about its role in serious illness care, but it’s incumbent upon us to step forward.” —Karen Bullock photo by caitlin cunningham
the award’s namesake—a foremost expert on pain management and palliative care who helped establish clinical guidelines for pain management in cancer patients—was a former colleague and collaborator of hers as well as a trailblazer for diversity, equality, and the inclusion of historically underrepresented health professionals in the interdisciplinary field of serious illness care. “Richard Payne taught me the importance of being steadfast,” said Bullock of Payne, who died in 2019. “He was interdisciplinary in his approach, and getting to know and work with him was critical to my interest in bringing a social work perspective to studying health disparities.
His is a legacy that I and many others seek to carry on.” Bullock’s research interests are two-fold. She champions a meaningful role for social work in the area of hospice and palliative care—now known as serious illness care— because of the specialized skill set and expertise it intersects with those of physicians, nurses, and allied health clinicians on primary care teams. “There has long been some uncertainty and hesitation within the social work profession about its role in serious illness care, but it’s incumbent upon us to step forward,” she said. “The pandemic highlighted the great need for holistic care—including psychosocial and spiritual—which is a strength in social work.” Concurrently, Bullock has had a longstanding concern about disparities and inequities in health care. She has been a principal investigator and/or co-investigator for more than $5 million in federal grant funding focused on equity and inclusion for workforce development, aging, and health network sustainability. Disparities and inequities can be a fraught topic of discussion in the media and public forums, but to assert these gaps exist is not a wholesale accusation of delib-
erate, willful racism, said Bullock: They can often occur due to a lack of awareness of, or consideration for, cultural and historical factors. “A certain philosophy of care may be inconsistent with the cultural norms of a particular group, so they’re reluctant to adopt it,” she explained. “For example, because many Black families are likely to seek—or forego—a particular intervention or resource, there may be an assumption that this is true for all Black families. But the beliefs and lived experiences can be significantly different between African American and other Black people, which therefore influence their attitudes toward health care. Not all Black people are culturally African American. “Remember, it wasn’t until 1965 that racial segregation in hospitals was outlawed, and it took several more years for some hospitals to comply, so there are generations of African Americans who experienced and remember ‘separate but equal’ health care. It takes a lot of work to undo the harm that’s been done—it doesn’t simply disappear because a law has been put in place.” But the pandemic-driven impetus for more holistic care offers social work an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in serious illness care and other areas, she added. “It’s not just about the patient who is being cared for, it’s about the whole family; holistic care is a key focus of social work.” Former professor and head of the North Carolina State University School of Social Work, Bullock is a John A. Hartford Faculty Scholar and has an appointment in the Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She served on several national boards and committees, including the Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network as vice chair and the American Cancer Society Oncology Social Work Research Peer Review Committee. Other affiliations currently include the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness; the Palliative Care Quality Collaborative; and the Steering Committee member for the Duke University REACH Equity Center.
photos by caitlin cunningham
Risk Management Dept. Changes The Boston College Risk Management Department recently announced changes in its senior leadership. Mary Magré, a member of the department since 2019, has been promoted to University risk manager. She succeeds Anastos Chiavaras, who retired from the University on December 31 after having led the department since 2006. Magré came to BC with a broad range of experience in the risk management field across various industries such as higher education, biotech/pharmaceutical, business services, and retail. In addition, Patricia Sullivan has assumed the role of assistant risk manager.
With a background in sales, marketing, and risk management experience, she had previously worked with large- and middlemarket property and casualty clients. Headquartered in the Office of the Associate Treasurer, the Risk Management Department administers self-insurance and commercial insurance programs for the University; oversees the investigation of all insurance claims and suits; monitors for compliance with risk management policies and procedures University-wide; and serves as a resource for the University, its schools, and affiliates on matters relating to exposure, risk, and insurance. —University Communications
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UGBC President Found Voice Through Advocacy Continued from page 1
In 2015, when Kotzen was in middle school, he was diagnosed with StevensJohnson Syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition that affects the skin and the eyes. He nearly lost his vision, but thanks to medical care, he made a full recovery. It was this experience, despite its challenging nature, that sparked his interest in medicine and biology. “The autoimmunity I’ve faced propelled me to become interested in the field of medicine,” he said. “I wanted to understand what I was going through, but I also wanted to be able to help others who were going through similar things.” At Boston College, he quickly found ways to give back, both within the world of medicine and on campus. In his first year, he started volunteering with an organization called Boston Community Pediatrics, coordinating weekly online reading sessions for underserved children in the Boston area. He also won election as a UGBC senator, and as a sophomore, he joined the senate’s Council for Students with Disabilities (CSD). “It was through disability advocacy that I really found my voice,” Kotzen said. “I grew up educating my friends about my brother’s condition and his needs, so to play a role in doing that for others at BC is incredibly important to me.” During his time as the CSD’s policy coordinator and chair of the UGBC’s Intersectionality Committee, Kotzen worked with administrators to expand
“I wanted to understand what I was going through,” says Jonah Kotzen ’24, “but I also wanted to be able to help others who were going through similar things.”
Eagle Escort’s services and the number of wheelchair-accessible vans on campus. He also collaborated with BC Athletics to add closed captioning to the videos that play at football games, so students with hearing impairments could follow along. He was proud of these achievements, but he wondered if he could do more. In his junior fall, he approached Meghan Heckelman ’25, then the director of UGBC’s Student Initiatives, to ask if she’d run
alongside him for the vice presidency. “Meghan had a lot of experience on the programming side, and I had experience on the policy side,” Kotzen said. “I think we’ve made a good duo because we know what it takes on both sides.” Running on a four-pillar platform—acceptance, academics, activity, and adjustment—Kotzen and Heckelman won election as president and vice president in April 2023. Since then, they’ve accomplished several of the goals they campaigned on, including the integration of LGBTQ+ support services into the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center, the distribution of funding for laundry costs to 100 students in the Montserrat Program, and a partnership with BC Libraries Digital Scholarship to create a campus navigation app for students with disabilities. “From the beginning, one of our mottos has been ‘medium-sized, pragmatic steps,’” said Heckelman, a Lynch School of Education and Human Development student. “It’s not the catchiest slogan, but it’s because of our persistence and willingness to collaborate that we’ve been able to secure these resources.” At a large university like BC, effecting change involves steady relationship building, which Heckelman views as one of Kotzen’s fortes. “One of Jonah’s biggest strengths is his ability to connect and build bridges between people from different backgrounds, both within UGBC and with students and administrators outside of it,” Heckelman
said. Part of the reason Kotzen is so involved may have to do with the breadth of his academic and extracurricular interests. Outside of UGBC, he is the founder of BC’s first-ever Classics Club, co-chair of the Resident Hall Association’s Student Programming Council, and a member of the Alpha Sigma Nu honor society. He is also actively involved in Boston College’s Hillel chapter and the Jewish community on campus. “I’m leaving college more literate in so many different things,” Kotzen said, reflecting on his extracurriculars and his double major. “I feel like I’ve become more well-rounded not only academically, but as a person. And ideally, that’s what a liberal arts education does.” After graduation, Kotzen plans to take at least two years to pursue research in organismal biology before he applies to medical school. As the end of his presidency and his BC experience approaches, he is grateful to have found a place that feels like home. At the same time, he’s excited to see what the next change brings. “It’s really the people—UGBC members, friends, faculty, administrators—who have defined my experience at BC and made it possible,” Kotzen said. “I’m so thankful for all I’ve been given, and I’m ready to use the lessons this community has taught me to continue to grow and evolve.” John Shakespear is a senior digital content writer in the Office of University Communications
Work May Have Implications for Cancer Treatment Continued from page 1
stitutes of Health for this essential support as we move forward,” said Altindis. “We have made some important discoveries related to unique functions of these viral insulins that are pointing us in the right direction to develop novel therapeutics to inhibit an important receptor and, ultimately, improve human health.” The Altindis lab has discovered that six viruses mimic human insulin and insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and have special peptides, which his team named “VILPs”—viral insulin/IGF-like peptides. Their research is focused on learning more about how these viral insulins work. Importantly, the lab’s experiments have discovered that only two of these VILPs can uniquely block an important receptor called insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1-R), which is overly active in different diseases including breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers, Altindis said. Scientists have been searching for ways to inhibit this receptor for the past three decades, but have yet to meet with success. With the NIH award, from the agency’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Altindis and his team are trying to more precisely determine how VILPs can block the IGF1 receptor. Learning that could lead to affordable and specific treatments that inhibit the re-
ceptor for a range of diseases. Viruses are known to mimic the host’s immune system proteins to manipulate the host during infection. However, the Altindis lab’s discovery identified another mimicry mechanism. In the case of these viral insulins, viruses mimic two important human hormones, insulin and IGF-1, and act through the insulin receptor and IGF-1 receptor. Insulin regulates cell metabolism, and impairment of insulin receptor signaling causes insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, the IGF-1 receptor stimulates proliferation and cell growth, and any impairment is related to growth disorders and uncontrolled proliferation. “In the last six years, we have shown that these VILPs can bind and activate the human insulin receptor and IGF-1 receptor,” Altindis said. “Unlike others, two of the VILPs we identified have a unique function: binding and specifically inhibiting the IGF-1 receptor without affecting insulin receptor function.” Insulin receptors and IGF-1 receptors are very similar in their structure. Therefore, the challenge for Altindis and his fellow scientists has been trying to stop the cell proliferation triggered by IGF-1 by inhibiting IGF-1 receptors without affecting insulin receptor signaling. Using laboratory models, the Altindis lab will investigate how VILPs interact
with IGF1R using advanced techniques, including CryoEM imaging and TurboID labeling. In addition, they will use phosphoproteomics to understand the unique signaling events stimulated by the VILPs. Additionally, experiments will explore the effects of VILPs on IGF-1 signaling and growth in different tissues. Finally, Altindis said the team should be able to determine the effects of these VILPs on cancer cell proliferation in the lab focusing on breast cancer and in related mouse models. “To our knowledge, VILPs represent the first potent and specific peptide inhibitors of the IGF-1 receptor,” Altindis said. “In this project, our focus is to understand their mechanism of action. Addressing this question will guide us in developing even more effective inhibitors of the receptor.” Altindis said there is an urgent need to develop potent, specific, and affordable IGF-1 receptor inhibitors to treat IGF1R-related cancers and other diseases like Graves’ disease. Ideally, these inhibitors could be used in combination with other therapies to treat cancer in humans. He believes the project has the potential to impact both the basic understanding of the IGF-1 receptor action as well as lead to the development of novel treatment approaches for breast cancer. “The challenge lies in translating these findings into practical treatments for dis-
eases,” Altindis said. “This study lays the foundation for future research and clinical developments in the field of IGF-1-related disorders. We hope to generate significant new insights into our understanding of IGF-1 signaling and inhibition that will eventually lead to the design of inhibitors that can be used to treat human disease.” Altindis said the NIH grant is the result of collaborative work with peers, including Indiana University’s Richard diMarchi, Jiri Jiracek of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, in Prague, Nicholas Kirk of Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Australia, and the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School’s Jason Kim. He also acknowledged Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School Professor C. Ronald Kahn, his postdoc supervisor, for introducing him to the insulin/IGF field in 2014 and to fellow researcher François Moreau. “I also want to express my gratitude to all members of my lab who have been very supportive and productive in the last five years at BC, especially our former postdoc Martina Chrudinova, who did extensive work on this project,” Altindis said. “A big thanks to our Core Facilities at BC, administrators, and colleagues in the Biology Department and the University for their extensive support of our research.”
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February 15, 2024
E&ES Faculty Member a CAREER Award Winner Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Hilary Palevsky
BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
Supported by nearly $1 million in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Awards grants program, Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Hilary Palevsky will continue her work to make remote ocean monitoring data accessible and accurate in real time, and produce a series of educational videos to guide students using the data. Palevsky, whose research focuses on marine biogeochemistry and the mechanisms that enable the ocean to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, said the funding will allow her to build upon the work she has done to help scientists use the ocean data collected through the NSFfunded Oceans Observatories Initiative (OOI). She will also conduct her own research in the “high latitude” ocean, the remote northern and southern waters where the OOI has been collecting year-round data for about a decade. “I’m very grateful for this award,” said Palevsky, who joined the BC faculty in 2019. “It will make a huge difference and enable me to do the type of work I am really passionate about during the next five years. I appreciate this vote of confidence from the oceanographic community that this work I’ve done in data calibration and quality control is really valued.”
photo by christopher soldt/mts
The massive OOI endeavor is described as an ocean-observing network “that delivers real-time data from more than 900 instruments to address critical science questions regarding the world’s oceans.” Primary goals of the project are to understand natural changes to the oceans, but also the impact of climate change driven by human activity. The data is collected in some of the most remote maritime locations through a variety of sensors. The information is available to researchers, educators, and the general public at any time. But before that data can be analyzed, they must be “cleaned” or calibrated to account for the many variables at play as measurements are collected from sensors
on buoys and submarine devices beneath the ocean’s surface and then fed from remote locations to OOI databases. Palevsky has spearheaded efforts to create protocols to ensure that researchers and other users can access data of high quality by using a uniform set of calibration standards. Leading a working group for two years, Palevsky and colleagues wrote a 100page guide for users to ensure data quality control. The CAREER Award, a signature NSF initiative to support early-career scientists, will fund Palevsky’s further work in this area as well as her own analysis of biogeochemical activity in the oceans, particularly in relation to climate change. The funding
will also support one of Palevsky’s graduate students to sail on one of OOI’s monthlong research expeditions to the North Atlantic Ocean to assist in maintaining remote sensors and gather data. With the assistance of BC’s Center for Digital Innovation in Learning, Palevsky will also produce a series of short videos that will be made available to educators in order to give students far from the ocean a chance to see how the data is gathered. “Doing this kind of collaborative science and trying to create products that are usable and valuable for people beyond my research group is a chance to respond to something I saw as a need in the broader oceanography community,” Palevsky said. Palevsky looks forward to using the data in her own research. She hopes to clarify the mechanisms at play when the ocean transfers carbon from near the surface to its lower depths—a process referred to as the ocean’s biological pump. Professor and Chair of Earth and Environmental Sciences Noah Snyder said the CAREER award is fitting recognition of Palevsky’s work as a researcher, teacher, and mentor. “This is an outstanding accomplishment and reflects the cutting-edge work that Hilary is doing with graduate and undergraduate students in her lab,” Snyder said. “The project is to study the marine carbon cycle in the high latitude ocean, which is a hugely important way that anthropogenic carbon gets removed from active cycling.”
New ‘Clough’ Name Honors STM Benefactors Continued from page 1
change, crisis, and renewal; an understanding of the importance of theological education; and a personal experience of ecclesial ministry,” said Fr. McCarthy. “Their many virtues are so evident to me, as well as their real vision for the school’s contribution to the Church in years to come. Not only am I grateful for them and this amazing gift, I am proud that their name will grace our school.” Hosffman Ospino, STM associate professor and chair of the school’s Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry Department, offered similar praise. “Gloria and Chuck Clough’s gift is a resounding affirmation of the vital role the STM plays as a national and international center for Catholic theological and ministerial formation,” said Ospino. “As a professor and researcher focused on preparing the next generation of ecclesial ministers that truly understand what it means to serve in a diverse church and a complex world, I am grateful for this support and the trust to forge ahead with pioneering spirit.” Margaret Guider, OSF, Professora Ordinaria on the school’s ecclesiastical faculty, added: “Over the years, Gloria and Chuck have embodied what it truly means to be persons for others. Together, they have embraced and shared the vocation of diakonia, and in countless ways they have modeled what it means to be of service to the
people of God—in the Church and in the world. Through their gift, the generosity, self-giving, and leadership that have characterized their lives now takes the form of a legacy of inspiration and support for the future of theology and ministry here in the United States and throughout the world.” The Cloughs said they were honored to have their name permanently associated with a school they so greatly admire, and one that plays such a vital role in preparing religious and lay leaders for the Church. “The School of Theology and Ministry is providing the highest quality talent for the Catholic Church for the next 50 years,” said Chuck Clough. “It attracts terrific young people who really want to serve the Church. That is a tremendous promise for the future, one that will help us to fulfill Pope John XXIII’s understanding of the Church as the people of God.” “My desire for the Church is for laypeople to play a bigger role in helping it to be more open,” said Gloria Clough. “The STM is a place where Jesuits, religious, and laypeople are formed side by side in a vibrant, loving community. It creates a context in which these diverse groups of people come together and learn from one another. The School of Theology and Ministry gives me such hope for the Church and its future because of the critical work that goes on here.”
A magna cum laude graduate with a major in history and a minor in economics at Boston College, Chuck Clough earned an M.B.A. at the University of Chicago before embarking on a distinguished 57year career in securities and investments. As a deacon, he has served as a Catholic chaplain in prison ministry and at his local parish, the Concord Carlisle Collaborative in Concord. He and Gloria, who recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, have hosted Catholic spiritual retreats for students, young professionals, and couples for decades and remain active in parish ministry. In gratitude for the significant role Boston College has played in their lives and in the lives of their four children, three of whom earned degrees from BC, Chuck and Gloria established the Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy in 2008, which is dedicated to interdisciplinary reflection on the promise and problems of constitutional government in the United States and throughout the world. They also established the Clough Colloquium in the Carroll School of Management, which features national and international leaders from all fields and backgrounds who share lessons and insights from their personal and professional journeys. “My years at BC were very formational,” said Chuck Clough. “I really matured here,
and it is where I caught the idea of aspiration. I studied very hard under some of the best teachers I have ever had and developed self-confidence and discipline as a student. I got so much out of Boston College; I am happy to be able to give back.” Added Gloria Clough, “I wanted to go to BC, but my father died when I was 16 and my mother could not afford to send me here, so when I enrolled to get a master’s degree in nursing while my youngest was a sophomore, I got to experience firsthand what a truly special place it is. Earlier in my life, STM’s first dean, Richard Clifford, S.J., welcomed me at Weston Jesuit, which prepared me to become a hospital chaplain. Boston College has played a special role in the life of our family. We are honored to support BC and its outstanding School of Theology and Ministry.” A global center for theological study rooted in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition, the Gloria L. and Charles I. Clough School of Theology and Ministry [bc.edu/stm] prepares ministers, scholars, and leaders to serve the needs of the Church and the world. Along with the Theology Department in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, it is ranked 10th worldwide in theology, divinity, and religious studies by the QS Global rankings, and draws students from throughout the nation and more than 24 countries.
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Chronicle
Collection of Belgian Art Is Donated to McMullen
“Retour à la ferme (Back on the Farm)” by Hippolyte Boulenger, one of 36 Belgian landscape paintings donated by Charles Hack to the McMullen Museum of Art.
BY ROSANNE PELLEGRINI STAFF WRITER
Charles Hack, a New York City-based real estate investor and prominent art collector, has donated 36 outstanding landscape paintings by 23 artists, mostly members of the 19th-century Belgian School of Tervuren, to the McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College. Hack is the owner of the Hearn Family Trust which, among other areas of specialization, holds the largest private collection of Belgian art in America. These important landscapes, which comprise the Charles Hack and the Hearn Family Trust Collection at the McMullen Museum, are now part of its permanent collection. With this donation, the McMullen Museum holds the foremost assemblage of Belgian landscapes in North America. Hack was a major lender to the McMullen Museum’s acclaimed fall 2017 exhibition “Nature’s Mirror: Reality and Symbol in Belgian Landscape,” curated by Professor Emeritus of Art History Jeffery Howe. That exhibition, and Hack’s involvement with its McMullen principals, inspired this gift. “The McMullen is delighted to add to its permanent collection this landmark gift from Charles Hack of 36 outstanding paintings from Belgium’s School of Tervuren,” said Nancy Netzer, Inaugural Robert L. and Judith T. Winston Director of the McMullen Museum and Professor of Art History. “The refined eye and discernment with
which Hack selected these works makes this the premier collection of Belgian landscapes in North America. Originally researched and chosen by Jeffery Howe, an acclaimed scholar of Belgian art, for inclusion in the exhibition ‘Nature’s Mirror,’ these paintings will now play a significant role in perpetuity in the research of our faculty and the education of both our students and the broader public.” “I believe that the McMullen Museum is an ideal recipient and custodian for the entire collection of School of Tervuren landscape paintings,” Hack said of his gift. “From the moment that consideration had been given to mounting ‘Nature’s Mirror,’ Nancy Netzer and Jeffery Howe expressed unqualified admiration for the lesser-known School of Tervuren landscape paintings.” Hack added that “the special quality in the treatment of light in these paintings sets the Tervuren school apart from the better-known Barbizon and Hague school paintings of that period. Besides adorning the walls of the McMullen for the public to enjoy, these paintings are to be actively used as teaching tools to benefit Boston College students.” Most of the paintings are on display at the McMullen, throughout its atrium and
Biology Professor Philip Landrigan, second from right, speaking at the roundtable hosted by Senator Edward Markey, at far left, in Chicopee, Mass.
Landrigan Offers Expertise on Danger from Lead in Cables Professor of Biology Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., founding director of the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good, joined a roundtable discussion last week that sought to raise awareness of health risks from lead contamination in degrading telecommunications cables. The event was hosted by United States
Senator Edward J. Markey ’68, J.D. ’72 (D-Mass.) on February 5 as part of a site visit to Chicopee, Mass. Testing revealed unsafe levels of lead in soil under hanging lead-covered phone lines that telecommunications companies installed across the U.S. in the 19th and 20th centuries—many of which still remain in communities such as
offices, and are available for public viewing during museum hours. BC faculty are also using the works for study in their classes, and they will be the subject of ongoing study and future exhibition and publication. “Charles Hack has long been a champion of this art, and he has carefully and wisely assembled the foremost collection of modern Belgian art in private hands,” Howe said. “Boston College is fortunate to have been granted a portion of these treasures. This foundational gift will provide students, scholars, and art lovers with generations of pleasure and knowledge. In studying them, students will see how the development of modern art was a widespread international phenomenon with rich and diverse local traditions.” According to Howe, the late 19th century was a revolutionary period of artistic and social change. “The development of modernism was harnessed to the simultaneous focus on nature. Science and art came together to explore light, color, and ecology. Although less known in the United States, these Tervuren school paintings are of the highest quality and stem from the rich tradition of art in Belgium, the country where oil painting was invented and perfected.” Chicopee. During the last six months, investigations by The Wall Street Journal, the Environmental Protection Agency, and independent researchers have found detectable levels of lead contamination in water and soil samples collected near lead-sheathed cables in sites across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that lead exposure can affect children’s development and neurological, renal, and reproductive health in adults. Speaking at the roundtable, Landrigan said, “Lead in telephone cables is a hazard for workers who come into direct contact with leaded cables in their jobs and for children who live, play, and go to school in communities underneath lead cables. In adult workers, lead from telephone cables increases risk for hypertension, kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke. In children, lead causes brain damage with loss of IQ, shortened attention span, and lifelong disruption of behavior. “Prevention of exposure is the key to preventing lead toxicity. To effectively prevent exposure to lead from telephone cables in both workers and children, we urgently need to develop detailed maps showing the location of all lead-containing telecommu-
February 15 , 2024
Rejecting the centralizing tendencies of 19th-century urbanism, many artists turned their attention to local terrain as a statement of independence. Less constrained by academic principles, they felt greater freedom to be innovative by painting landscapes. “The ‘School of Tervuren’ is a handy, if imprecise, name for Belgian landscape artists who sought beauty in nature as a counterpoint to the industrialization that was transforming European cities,” Howe explained, as there was no formal organization of artists associated with it. “Belgium was famed for its coal, steel, and railroad industries. These artists shared a common goal with other groups that emphasized landscape, such as those in the Barbizon region and the Hudson River Valley. The new emphasis on landscape reflected a shift from academic subjects to individual perceptions of nature, executed with innovative styles.” The School of Tervuren artists painted in the forests and fields of a small village just east of Brussels. Influenced by the artists of the French Barbizon school, especially JeanFrançois Millet and Gustave Courbet, they devoted themselves to quiet scenes of the Belgian countryside. By 1863 they established a small artist colony in Tervuren, and shared a Romantic response to the region and to nature, and a commitment to a realist approach that faithfully records natural phenomena in a modern style. They viewed nature as offering an escape from the industrialization, burdens, and dizzying spectacle of the modern city. Among the artists whose works comprise the collection are Hippolyte Boulenger, Joseph-Théodore Coosemans, Louis-JosephDésiré Crépin, Théodore T’Scharner, Jean Pierre François Lamorinière, Théodore Fourmois, and Léon-Henri-Marie Frédéric. Go to mcmullenmuseum.bc.edu for more on the the Charles Hack and the Hearn Family Trust Collection, including a mobile guide written by Jeffery Howe nications cables across the United States.” Appearing at the event with Landrigan were James Contentas and Lawrence Graham, retired members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, as well as researcher Jack Caravanos, a professor of environmental health at New York University’s School of Global Public Health. Also present were EPA Regional Administrator David Cash, Massachusetts State Senator Paul Mark, Occupational Health and Safety Administration Area Director Mary Hoye, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Deputy Branch Chief for Emerging Technology Lilia Chen, and Sarita Hudson of the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. “We need to protect the families in the 21st century from corporate decisions made in the 19th and 20th centuries,” said Markey. “We need more information on where these lead-covered cables are and if they pose a threat to workers and communities in Massachusetts and across the country. Telecommunications companies own these cables, and now they must own the solutions. It’s time they give us answers.” —University Communications
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Chronicle
February 15, 2024
BC in the Media Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley was among leaders interviewed for a U.S. News & World Report feature on what distinguishes a Jesuit education. For the first time, a Sinn Fein politician holds Northern Ireland’s top political office, a landmark moment for the party. Prof. of the Practice Robert Savage (History) offered comments to The New York Times.
The Boston College Connors Family Retreat and Conference Center in Dover photo by justin knight
Connors Center Cited As a Top Wedding Venue in U.S. Many newly engaged couples confronting that ever-important question—where to have the wedding of their dreams—turn to The Knot [theknot.com], recognized as the most trusted authority on wedding planning, and go-to guide of top wedding vendors across the country. This year, for the fourth time, The Knot selected Boston College’s Connors Family Retreat and Conference Center as among the nation’s premier venues, in its prestigious “The Knot Best of Weddings.” The annual award recognizes the top wedding vendors in the United States, and honors The Knot’s highest-rated professionals who are trusted, dependable, and consistently deliver quality service. As a recurring winner—in 2020 and 2022-2024—of that coveted honor, the Connors Center achieved a further distinction this year: elevation to The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame. “The entire Connors team is honored and humbled to receive these awards,” said Susan Burton, general manager of the Connors Center. “Being recognized by The Knot affirms the great work our team does as we strive to make all guests feel comfortable and walk out happier than when they arrived.” “These winners represent the top wedding professionals that best embody what matters to couples in their wedding planning journey,” according to The Knot’s announcement. It is an “outstanding achievement” bestowed upon the nation’s “exceptional wedding professionals.” The Connors Center was lauded by The Knot for its historic and majestic “main house, rustic pavilion, and landscaped gardens,” which provide “memorable indoor and outdoor settings for weddings, situated on 80 acres in Dover, Massachusetts, just 20 miles from downtown Boston.” The center hosted its first wedding in May 2006, began actively promoting the venue as a wedding site in 2008, and has been going strong ever since, according to Burton. To date there have been more than
180 nuptial celebrations for BC alumni, faculty, children of staff members, and outside guests. Its attraction to betrothed couples is a testament to its beauty and the excellence of all involved in planning memorable wedding celebrations. “Upon entering the property, couples are immediately struck by the beautiful grounds and gardens,” said Burton. “When entering the house, they feel the openness and warmth the house exudes. And when they walk out the door after a celebration, hands down they are extremely grateful for the care and attention they received through the wedding experience.” The center offers a popular Wedding Weekend Package, Burton notes, where couples can rent the house from Friday evening through Sunday morning. This enables them to both celebrate their wedding and have family and other guests stay onsite, with exclusive access to the property. The Knot assesses thousands of user reviews of some 200,000 wedding professionals to select winners in such vendor categories as planners, venues, caterers, and others that reflect what matters most to couples in their wedding planning journey. Approximately 25 million couples have taken inspiration from The Knot to plan a wedding authentic to them. “As a staff, we have been blessed with witnessing a number of unique weddings,” Burton said. “From Catholic sacraments to mariachi bands, to homemade paper origami centerpieces, homemade huppahs, and baraat ceremonies, every season brings excitement, family traditions, and love—and we get to witness and participate in every detail of the celebration. We are honored and humbled that couples put their trust in us for some of their most important life celebrations.” The Connors Center is available for weddings only during the summer and on holiday weekends. For more information, see bc.edu/connorscenter. —University Communications
If Milton, Mass. residents vote against the town’s plan to comply with the law requiring municipalities served by transit to write land-use rules that allow more multifamily housing, the Massachusetts attorney general’s photo by caitlin cunningham office may consider suing the town. Prof. Lisa Alexander (Law), above, discussed the controversy with The Boston Globe. Prof. Thomas Groome (STM) was interviewed by The Boston Globe for a story about Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM, Cap., and his more than 20 years at the helm of the Catholic Church in Greater Boston. School of Theology and Ministry student Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, who as undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops is one of the highest-ranking women in the Vatican, has been named to Forbes magazine’s 2023 list of top women influencers and achievers.
The biggest banks are effectively barred from engaging in merger activity after the 2008 financial crisis, but a new proposal from a federal regulator is making that restriction even more explicit. Boston College Law School Liberty Mutual Insurance Professor Patricia McCoy weighed in for Bloomberg Law News. Prof. Brian Quinn (Law) spoke about a Delaware judge’s decision to toss out Elon Musk’s record-breaking $56 billion Tesla pay package—calling it “an unfathomable sum” and unfair to shareholders—in interviews with The Wall Street Journal, Reuters (via Yahoo Finance), BBC News, and The Guardian (U.K.). How can caregivers help children exposed to the trauma of war? BC School of Social Work Salem Professor in Global Practice Theresa Betancourt, director of the Research Program on Children and Adversity, shared her insights in an interview with BOLD. What does the continued cancellation of school—as was the case in the recent strike by Newton teachers—mean for the students? Prof. Emerita Mary Walsh (LSOEHD), executive director of City Connects and senior fellow of the Walsh Center for Thriving Children, shared her thoughts on WBUR Radio Boston. The McMullen Museum of Art’s ongoing showcase of women ceramicists and the Cuban avant-garde was highlighted by The Wall Street Journal and Art Daily.
Jobs The following are among the recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/jobs or scan the QR code at right. Director, Formacion Continua Program Director, Ever to Excel Service Center Representative Senior Unix Systems Administrator Information Systems Manager, Sponsored Programs Physician/Assistant Director, Sports Medicine
Admissions Specialist, Lynch School
Network Systems Engineer
Staff Nurse
Food Service Worker
Assistant Director, Employer Engagement
Accounting/Fiscal Assistant Assistant Director, Finance and Operations
Construction Project Manager
Public Safety Dispatcher
Patrol Officer
Regional Director, Major Giving (Northeast)
Second Cook
Academic Support Assistant
Manager of Data Integration Services
Associate Director, Student Financial Systems
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Chronicle
February 15 , 2024
BC Arts
Alumni Playwrights Circle Back to Their BC Days BY ROSANNE PELLEGRINI STAFF WRITER
Two creative Boston College alumni will showcase their writing talents this semester, when their play—the aptly titled “Cleveland Circle”—premieres next month at the University’s Robsham Theater Arts Center (RTAC). Featuring a cast of eight performers, the new work by 2023 graduates Aidan O’Neill and Lily Telegdy explores the web of human connections through the lens of 20-somethings living in Boston, in the titular neighborhood near BC. “Cleveland Circle” will be presented at Robsham’s Bonn Studio from March 21-24 as part of the RTAC/Theatre Department spring line-up [see separate story]. “The road to happiness is marked with jarring potholes and unexpected detours,” the play’s description states, as the protagonists “grapple with life’s basic questions.” Some are as trivial as where to get a good cup of coffee. But others are troubling and complex: “Who am I really? What is the right thing to do? Is there life after 30?” Though neither describe the play—inspired when they were undergraduates in part by the great unknown of life after college—as autobiographical, “there are many traits about myself I see in the characters, and I share many of their fears about the future and being an adult,” Telegdy said. O’Neill concurred. “The overarching sense of ‘what to do next’ is definitely true to our experiences. I lived in Cleveland Circle for two years during my time at BC; it’s a special place to me and it perfectly fit the transitory, circular nature of our play” as a backdrop to the characters’ stories, struggles, and connections. The duo were frequent collaborators during their undergraduate years as theatre majors. They began writing “Cleveland Circle” during senior year as their thesis project with Professor of Theatre Scott T. Cummings, who is directing the play. He first directed their work in 2022 as part of a “New Voices” showcase of original plays. “I’ve developed a number of new plays
Snapshot
Black History Month Poet/orator Michael “Warrior” Bonds spoke at the opening event for Boston College’s Black History Month celebration on February 1 in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons. photo by patrick mills
“Cleveland Circle” authors Lily Telegdy and Aidan O’Neill photo at left by caitlin cunningham
at Boston College by students or former students, but this is the first time I am directing a play written by two people,” Cummings said. “It’s different. It’s almost like there are three playwrights: Lily, Aidan, and the curious blend of their voices.” Though Cummings describes them as very different people, “they have symbiotic sensibilities,” he said. “At this point, when I’m working on the script, I don’t remember who wrote what at first—unless I come across a real Lily-ism or Aidan-ism. They definitely have distinctive senses of humor.” “Working with Scott again means so much to me,” Telegdy said. “Ever since I met Scott, he has encouraged me as a playwright, and working on ‘New Voices’ was one of the most rewarding experiences. We started writing this play in an independent study with Scott, and he is as important to ‘Cleveland Circle’ as either myself or Aidan.” “Scott was one of my favorite professors, biggest mentors, and a frequent collaborator,” O’Neill said. “He’s still all of those things and a great friend as well, so it’s a joy to work with him. It wouldn’t be happening without him.”
Of their continued collaboration, Cummings said: “I’ve worked with each of them for years: two semesters of playwriting when they were sophomores, a year developing their separate one-act plays as part of ‘New Voices 2022’ in their junior year, a joint independent study in their senior year, and now work on ‘Cleveland Circle’ when they are out in the world and confronting ‘life after college.’ It’s a privilege to
have sustained working relationships like this and to see them grow not just as playwrights but as people, too.” Both playwrights are happy that “Cleveland Circle” will premiere on campus. “It makes me really excited that this play is premiering at a college,” Telegdy said. “It feels right: that a play about what’s it’s like to be a young person is first presented to young people, by young people.” Added O’Neill, “It’s weird but very exciting to be coming back to BC and premiering this play. Since I just graduated in May, it’s certainly a bit of déjà vu, but I love and am so thankful for the BC theater community, so it’s pretty special. “One of my favorite parts of the whole ‘Cleveland Circle’ process has been co-writing with Lily. You don’t frequently get to co-write with someone and it’s been a very special collaboration with a great friend.” Both are pursuing careers in theater: Telegdy, a drama teacher and technical director, focuses on theater for young audiences, and plans to continue her work as a playwright; O’Neill has a job in events in addition to theater work, which is their long-term pursuit. For more information on the production, including performance times and ticket prices, see bc.edu/theatre. For tickets, go to bc.edu/tickets or call the RTAC Box Office at ext. 2-4002.
Robsham Spring Schedule “These Shining Lives”—which tells the true story of the strength and determination of young female factory workers in the 1920s and ’30s who were exposed to radium in the workplace—launches the Boston College Theatre Department/Robsham Theater Arts Center (RTAC) spring season. The production, directed by Milly Caballero ’24, will be presented February 22–25 in RTAC’s Bonn Studio. The acclaimed work by Melanie Marnich follows the “Radium Girls” of the Radium Dial Company, who painted the faces of luminous watches and clocks with radioactive paint. Though protagonist Catherine and her friends are dying as a result, theirs is a story of survival, as they refuse to allow the company that stole their health to kill their spirits—or endanger the lives of those who come after them. “‘These Shining Lives’ is a wonderful production,” said Theatre Department Chair and Professor of the Practice Luke Jorgensen. “It is such a powerful story about a group of women struggling to survive dangerous workplace conditions, and is equally triumphant and tragic. A tale about, written by, and directed by women—in this case super talented senior Milly Caballero.” Next month will see the premiere of “Cleveland Circle,” a play by 2023 alumni Aidan O’Neill and Lily Telegdy that follows a group of young Bostonians as they navigate life after college. Directed by Pro-
fessor of Theatre Scott T. Cummings, the production will run from March 21–24 in RTAC’s Bonn Studio [see separate story]. “‘Cleveland Circle’ is exciting not only because the writers are recent BC graduates, but also because it is a funny play that speaks to people about relationships and revenge. It is about, and created by, people in their 20s,” Jorgensen said. RTAC’s main stage will be the setting from April 25–28 for Qui Nguyen’s “She Kills Monsters,” under the direction of Associate Professor of Theatre Courtney Elkin Mohler. The story centers on Agnes Evans, who leaves her childhood home following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When she finds Tilly’s notebook for the fantasy role-playing game “Dungeons & Dragons,” she is catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. “‘She Kills Monsters’ is a wild combination of role-play fantasy and reality,” said Jorgensen. “A woman seeking to better understand her sister enters a world of reallife dungeons and dragons—complete with amazing stage combat, magic, and puppetry on a very grand scale.” For more information on these productions, including performance times and ticket prices, see bc.edu/theatre. For tickets, go to bc.edu/tickets or call the RTAC Box Office at ext. 2-4002. —Rosanne Pellegrini