The Boston College
Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of University Communications february 16, 2017 VOL. 24 no. 11
Coping with Uncertainty
INSIDE 2
BC administrators, faculty, students try to sort out potential impact of executive order on immigration
•New ‘Making History Public’ exhibit
By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer
•Lynch looks back at his BC career •Arts Council seeks nominees for art awards hosts Ibero-American 3 •BC theological conference
After a fairly uneventful first two months, winter finally made its presence known in the Boston area with a series of snowstorms during the past week, forcing Boston College to close on Feb. 9 and delay opening on Monday. (Photo by Gary Gilbert)
World of Good
What does it mean to be a global citizen? A new BC interdisciplinary seminar seeks the answers
Jerusalem: Q&A 5 •From with Rabbi Ruth Langer •Second Intercultural Skills Conference •Photos: ‘Creating and Sustaining an Inclusive Work Environment’
Wilson and the 6 •Pete journey from ‘me to we’ •Obituary: John McManama ’37, MD Additons; BC 7 •Welcome in the Media; BC Briefings; Notabene; Jobs
•Reaccreditation self-study is now available
8 •Park Street Series •Photos: ‘bOp! in the Name of Love’
credentials – to confront problems with compelling human dimensions. How, they were asked, should we If the mark of a good class is that each be a citizen of the world? it’s as much a learning experience for “The course title conveyed the the teacher as the student, then Bos- idea perfectly,” said STM student ton College’s Global Citizen Semi- Madeline Jarrett. “To me, the word nar qualifies – three times over. ‘citizen’ implies accountability to A collaboration between the the society or community of which schools of Law, Social Work, and you’re part. In an increasingly inTheology and Ministry, the seminar terconnected world, we are part of a made its debut last fall, bringing much larger community – what are together three faculty members and our obligations to it?” 20 graduate students to explore some Starting out with an exploration of today’s most pressing global issues into attitudes, values and beliefs that – including poverty, ecology, migra- shape perceptions of the world – tion and refugee crises – through the from Ignatian insights to cultural prisms of different academic and humility to human rights – the semiprofessional disciplines. nar delved into areas such as poverty, But there was more: Participants inequality, food security, environFormer US Ambassador to were called to consider the respon- mental justice, international migra- NATO and Under Secretary of sibility of the individual – whatever tion, and asylum and refugee issues. State R. Nicholas Burns ’78, H’02, his or her background, profession or Continued on page 4 whose distinguished career in international diplomacy spanned four presidential administrations, will be the featured speaker at the University’s Laetare Sunday celebration on March 26 in Conte Forum. Laetare Sunday marks the midpoint of Lent, and this annual communion breakfast – hosted by the silver jubilarian class – is the Alumni Association’s oldest tradition. The day begins with a 9:30 a.m. Mass followed by breakfast. Global Citizen Seminar faculty and students during their educational imBurns is the Roy and Barbara mersion trip last month to Haiti, which included visits with Jesuits, activGoodman Family Professor of the ists, educators and community leaders. By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor
Ex-NATO Ambassador Burns to Speak at Laetare Sunday Harvard Kennedy School of Government
•Liane Young earns earlycareer award
As the legal and political fallout continues over President Trump’s executive order seeking to restrict immigration and foreign travel to the US, Boston College – like many institutions nationwide – is facing uncertainty over how current and future international students or visiting scholars might be affected. Last week’s ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upholding a stay on Trump’s order may have brought some short-term relief, but BC international students and international programs administrators readily acknowledge that the longterm situation is still unsettled. “While we’re very happy about the ruling, it’s not alleviating the anxiety because there are going to be appeals,” says Assistant Dean and Director for the Office of International Students and Scholars Adrienne Nussbaum. “Our students are still going to be very anxious because it’s just temporary and it could change.” Of particular concern is Trump’s order banning entry by visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, So-
malia, Syria, and Yemen – for at least 90 days, according to administrators. “We do have international students and scholars from the seven impacted countries, specifically Iran and Iraq,” says Nussbaum. “Luckily, we don’t have any students from the seven who are stranded outside of the United States. But there are others who have plans to travel and now are pretty much stuck here. If they left, they may not be able to return.” One Boston College student affected is Mousa al Mosawy, a law student and Iraq native who is here on a student visa. “If I were to step out of the country, I wouldn’t be able to come back in,” says al Mosawy. “It’s an unfortunate situation. The Trump administration is clearly trying to bar Muslims from coming into this country.” Al Mosawy – who uses a wheelchair – doesn’t think he’d be able to finish his education if he was forced to return to Iraq because he says there’s no infrastructure in Iraq to support education for those with disabilities. That would mean an end to his dream of becoming a lawyer. “Part of the current executive order puts on hold issuance of green Continued on page 4
QUOTE:
R. Nicholas Burns ’78
Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He also is director of the Continued on page 3
“The Boston Intercultural Skills Conference is helping to put BC on the map as a leader in international education – a place for critical and substantive dialogue about the ways in which we as educators can help students become more interculturally competent, and able to embrace diversity in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.” –Office of International Programs Director Nick Gozik, page 5
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A ROUND
C AMPUS FOND FAREWELL
Suhee Vesper Yun ’18, above, and George Boateng ’18 described their projects at last week’s opening of “Righting Historical Wrongs at the Turn of the Millennium,” the latest exhibit in the “Making History Public” series.
GOING PUBLIC
The History Department unveiled the latest student-produced exhibit in its “Making History Public” series last week, titled “Righting Historical Wrongs at the Turn of the Millennium.” The exhibit is on display in the department, located on the third floor of Stokes Hall, for the rest of the semester. It’s the seventh exhibit created through the department’s Making History Public course, in collaboration with University Libraries.
Photos by Julia Hopkins
The History-Libraries partnership helps undergraduates gain valuable experience in planning, researching and organizing a research project, and learning how to utilize archival material. Past “Making History Public” exhibition subjects have included the Boston Common, the history of the book, and the depiction of historical and social trends in popular comic books. “Righting Historical Wrongs at the Turn of the Millennium,” which grew out of a class taught last fall by Associate Professor of History Franziska Seraphim, examines recent historical justice issues from interdisciplinary, global,
local and comparative perspectives. Among the case studies are Japanese-American internment compensation, indigenous movements worldwide and global human rights. “This exhibit marks the first time students did not select from existing materials but rather made their own poster-size infographics, using digital mapping and graphic design to visually analyze a large, complex topic both conceptually and through case examples,” said Seraphim, who credits O’Neill Library staff for their help. Seraphim says “Righting Historical Wrongs at the Turn of the Millennium” goes beyond specific, isolated cases to capture “global connections” and the use of digital mapping with help from the library “seemed like a promising thing to do.” Shane Ewing ’18, who worked on the exhibit, affirmed the global scope of the project. “We do not want people to focus exclusively on the injustices they care most about,” he said. “We encourage viewers to analyze injustices with which they are unfamiliar. “Like the global networks of researchers, museums, and NGOs which learn how to better advance memory and justice from each other, I hope those who view this exhibit will see how interwoven justice movements are. We do not exist as communities in isolation and we have much to learn from those outside our immediate communities.” –Siobhan Sullivan
Associate Vice President of UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONs Jack Dunn Deputy Director of NEWS & Public AFFAIRS Patricia Delaney Editor Sean Smith
Contributing Staff Melissa Beecher Ed Hayward Sean Hennessey Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Siobhan Sullivan Photographers Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini
About 100 colleagues and friends turned out Feb. 2 in Gasson 100 to fete retiring Boston College School of Social Work Continuing Education Director Vincent Lynch, who in his 30 years at BC launched a groundbreaking annual conference on HIV/AIDS and later played a key role in an initiative on clergy sexual abuse issues. “It was wonderful. I appreciated seeing so many people from just about every chapter of my career,” said Lynch, interviewed the next day, as he reflected on his association with BC – one that began when he arrived in 1980 to pursue a doctorate in social work. “I’ve seen BC grow in ways I couldn’t have imagined, and I’m glad to have been part of that. But even as we moved in that direction, for me BC has maintained that ‘mom-and-pop’ feel – a place where relationships are important, as are discussions about values and ideas.” Lynch was the first continuing education director in BCSSW history when he took the job in December of 1986, at a time when the social work profession had put more focus on continuing education. To meet the challenge of creating such programs, Lynch conferred with focus groups of practitioners and other stakeholders to identify needs and interests. The discussions invariably centered on one area: HIV/AIDS. “It was just becoming clear how extensive and challenging this problem was for social work,” he recalled. “HIV/AIDS affected a number of the populations with whom social workers engaged. The solution was to have a conference where everyone could compare notes, share experiences and come up with practices and ideas to enable social workers to meet their clients’ needs.” Originally envisioned as a oneday event, the inaugural National Conference on Social Work and HIV/AIDS ran four days – June 12-15, 1988 – with more than 400 attendees from the US and abroad. It remains the only conference of its type, organized by and for social workers, noted Lynch, who was honored by the Council on Social Work in 1998 for his work as
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founder and co-organizer. What shouldn’t be overlooked, Lynch added, is the “stigma and shame” attached to HIV/AIDS at the time. Many segments of society – including the Catholic Church – struggled with their response to the crisis. But then-University President J. Donald Monan, SJ, was supportive of the conference, Lynch said, and also asked Lynch to do an interview with America magazine on Jesuit education’s role in dealing with HIV/AIDS. “BC has built up a lot of expertise on HIV/AIDS, and I think perhaps the conference helped advance the thinking on it,” he said. “For a Catholic university to co-sponsor this conference was no small thing at the outset. But I always felt supported by the school and the BC community.” When the clergy sexual abuse scandal surfaced early this century, Lynch said, it was clear that social work, mental health and other pro-
fessionals providing care to abuse survivors needed deeper insights to grasp the full dimensions of the problem. In 2004, he co-organized a conference – sponsored by BCSSW and the Church in the 21st Century initiative in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Boston – with workshops and talks on such subjects as family relationships, treatment for various abuse-related conditions such as anxiety disorders and PTSD, and the theological and psychological role of the priest. “I never felt like I was a maverick, or in over my head,” said Lynch, who also provided consultation to priests and seminarians on issues related to sexual abuse. “Having the support enabled me to feel empowered to address critical areas of need. I always appreciated that.” Lynch will work at St. John’s Seminary as a consultant on social work-related issues. –Sean Smith
Vincent Lynch during his farewell reception on Feb. 2. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
The Boston College Arts Council seeks nominations for the 2017 Arts Council student awards, with a Feb. 23 submission deadline. These awards recognize students who have made an outstanding and continuous contribution to the arts by participating in, fostering and expanding the arts on campus or in the community. Candidates become eligible for nomination in their sophomore year and may receive the award once for their ongoing contribution. The awards will be presented in tandem with the Alumni Art Award (to producer, writer and actor Tracey Wigfield ’05) and the Faculty Art Award (to Professor of the Practice in Studio Art Andrew Tavarelli) at the Boston College Arts Festival. The ceremony will take place on April 28 at 4 p.m., in the Stokes Art Tent. Award criteria, nomination form, details on the alumni and faculty honorees and other information is available via the Arts Council website [www.bc.edu/offices/artscouncil/awards.html]. –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)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.
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By Ed Hayward Staff Writer
Through its ministry and evangelization, the Catholic Church should focus on economically excluded communities, eliminating inequality, and uplifting disadvantaged people throughout the world, according to Hispanic theologians from Latin America, Spain and the US who convened last week at a conference organized by the School of Theology and Ministry. That message – in many ways distinctive of theological movements of Latin America – will be delivered to Pope Francis in a sign of support for reforms within the Church and throughout societies of the world, according to STM Visiting Associate Professor Rafael Luciani, one of the organizers of the historic Ibero-American Conference of Theology, which concluded last Friday. The weeklong conference examined the role of liberation theology as Pope Francis and the Catholic Church respond to issues of globalization, migration and economic exclusion, said Luciani, who worked with his STM colleague, Visiting Associate Professor Felix Palazzi, to bring the scholars to BC. The theologians – among them professors, priests and Vatican officials – will return to their communities in the US, Latin America, and Spain with a renewed commitment to the Pope’s reforms and a deeper understanding of the pontiff’s own thinking, rooted in the “theology of the people” and liberation theology, said Luciani. Two papal representatives, Cardinal Baltazar Porras, of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and Bishop Raúl Biord Castillo, SDB, together will present the group’s work to Pope Francis. A volume of research and analysis from the theologians is scheduled to be published later this year, said Luciani, a lay theologian from Venezuela. The work of the conference is of particular importance in efforts to better serve Hispanic Catholics, who make up the fastest growing demographic in the US church. Worldwide, more than 65 percent of Catholics live in the “Global South,” which includes Latin America and Africa. Attending the conference were some of the leading figures in the birth of liberation theology, including Juan Carlos Scannone, SJ, a founding philosopher of the “theology of the people” and the pope’s seminary instructor, and
Notre Dame University Professor Gustavo Gutiérrez, OP, regarded as the founder of liberation theology. Fr. Scannone reminded participants that the pope has called the
form and renew the structures of the Church itself,” Fr. Sosa said. “The Society of Jesus wants to be included in that path, that process of renewal that we feel as a call of the Lord to the whole Catholic
Theologians – among them professors, priests and Vatican officials – from Latin America, Spain and the US gathered last week at the first IberoAmerican Conference of Theology, organized by the School of Theology and Ministry. (Photos by Gary Gilbert and Lee Pellegrini)
Associate Professor of Psychology Liane Young has been named a recipient of the 2017 Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformational Early Career Contributions, given by the Association for Psychological Science. The award recognizes the best of new and cutting-edge ideas coming from the most creative and promising investigators who embody the future of psychological science, according to APS. “I am honored to be receiving the APS Spence Award,” said Young, who will be presented with the award at the APS annual convention in May. “Now, more than ever, understanding social interactions and moral decisionmaking in context is crucial. I’m excited that the importance of this work, as well as its use of multiple methods and approaches in psychology and neuroscience, is being recognized.” She is the second member of BC’s Psychology Department to be honored with the Spence Award; Professor Elizabeth Kensinger was among the inaugural recipients in 2010. Young, whose interdisciplinary research focuses on the psychology and neuroscience of moral judgment, is principal investigator of the Morality Lab at Boston College, which uses behavioral measures, transcranial magnetic stimulation and neuroimaging to understand moral
Gary Gilbert
Pope’s ‘Theology of the People’ Was Psychology’s Liane Young Focus of Ibero-American Conference at BC Adds to Her List of Honors
Assoc. Prof. Liane Young (Psychology)
judgment and social cognition. A leader in the field of moral psychology, Young delves into the emotional as well as cognitive underpinnings of moral judgments, the brain areas involved in this kind of reasoning, and what happens when these brain areas are disrupted. Her scholarship has been recognized by the Society for Philosophy and Psychology, which awarded her its 2016 Stanton Prize and 2006 William James Prize for writing, and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which awarded her a prestigious Sloan Research Fellowship in 2012. In addition, she has received a 2013 Theoretical Innovation Prize and a 2017 SAGE Young Scholar Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, among other distinctions. –Kathleen Sullivan
Laetare Sunday Features Talk by Former Diplomat Continued from page 1
poor “protagonists” and “makers of history.” He told the conference: “The poor should not just feel at home in church. They should feel like the heart of the Church.” Society of Jesus Superior General Arturo Sosa, SJ, delivered a video message [https://vimeo. com/202433293] of support to the conference, extolling the pope’s call for Catholics to work hard to find God’s presence in everyday life. “That discernment is the path suggested by Pope Francis to renew the Church’s mission of evangelization around the world and is the only true way to actually trans-
Church.” The conference concluded with a program last Friday, Together We Overcome Fear, which brought members of Boston-area social and religious organizations – Catholic and non-Catholic – together to support Hispanic immigrants in their struggles to integrate into new lives. Following a homily by Cardinal Porras, prayers were offered for “the marginalized,” the poor, migrants and refugees. For more about the conference, see bit.ly/ibero-american-theology. Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu
Future of Diplomacy Project, faculty chair for the Programs on the Middle East and on India and South Asia and is on the board of directors of the Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. As under secretary of state for political affairs from 2005-08 during the George W. Bush administration, Burns dealt with major international issues such as negotiations with India on its nuclear weapons program, resolution of the conflict over Kosovo, and efforts to impose sanctions on Iran. During his four-year tenure as ambassador to NATO, Burns headed the combined State-Defense Department US Mission to NATO at a time when the alliance committed to new missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and the global war against terrorism, and accepted seven new members.
Burns also served as ambassador to Greece, State Department spokesman, National Security Council director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia affairs under President Clinton and director for Soviet affairs for President George H.W. Bush. A native of Wellesley, Burns has received 12 honorary degrees, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service from Johns Hopkins University, the Boston College Alumni Achievement Award, and the Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award from Tufts University. For information on attending Laetare Sunday, go to www. bc.edu/alumni. –University Communications
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Global Citizen Seminar Offers Wide Perspective Continued from page 1 A weeklong educational immersion trip to Haiti last month brought to real life – sometimes in stark fashion – the concepts that had animated class discussions, and provided some meaningful lessons for faculty and students alike. “I feel we three learned a lot,” said BCSSW Associate Professor Margaret Lombe, who taught the seminar with STM Assistant Professor André Brouillette, SJ, and Associate Clinical Professor Mary Holper, director of BC Law’s Immigration Clinic. “Perhaps the most important thing was about needing the discipline to ‘make haste slowly.’ It’s not easy to do, when we see the problems of poverty and injustice play out before us, and we feel we must act. But it’s crucial to first reflect on and process what we see, without automatically thinking in terms of a solution.” The Global Citizen Seminar came out of discussions more than two years ago between deans and senior administrators from Law, BCSSW, STM and the University Mission and Ministry division on initiatives to promote interdisciplinary learning and Jesuit values. Several different faculty members were involved at the outset, and eventually Lombe, Fr. Brouillette and Holper were asked to create the seminar. The three didn’t know each other, but set about getting acquainted and sharing ideas – including what
to call the seminar. “One possibility for the title involved the phrase ‘working professional,’ but while that was appropriate for the social work and law students, it didn’t seem to fit for STM,” said Fr. Brouillette. “The idea of being a neighbor – who is my neighbor, who do I need to take care of? – was a major theme in the discussions. And then we talked about getting students to see themselves as neighbors in a wider context, where they could put their interests, skills and backgrounds to use on behalf of others – ‘global citizens.’” Working with assistance from Mission and Ministry, the three faculty members hammered out a syllabus and format, whereby each would present a weekly lecture as “lead professor” (or occasional guest speaker) with complementary talks from the other two, followed by small interdisciplinary and large group discussions. Seminar participants were intrigued and inspired by the enhanced perspectives they developed through the various talks and supplemental discussions and readings. “I have interest and experience in refugee issues, so this class really appealed to me,” said BCSSW student Lazaro Silva, whose family were Cuban refugees. “What I liked was how the seminar pushed you to think outside your territory: What are the laws that support, or work against,
refugees? What does Catholic teaching say about helping refugees?” “Margaret spoke about how international aid can sometimes be harmful to communities in need,” recalled Jarrett. “The aid can sometimes strengthen one part of a community at the expense of others; or it may prevent people from holding their government accountable for not doing its duty. To me, it demonstrated how compassion for those in need may lead to counterproductive results.” Holper was similarly impressed. “André gave a lecture on Jesuit discernment, and finding one’s vocation: ‘What am I good at? What do I like doing? What does the world need me to do?’ I felt it was a revolutionary way to talk to law students – these are great questions that they should ask themselves.” Haiti presented a fascinating, complex application of the seminar’s themes and concepts: a nation that has struggled with poverty, political corruption, natural and environmental disasters, and a contentious relationship with its neighbor, the Dominican Republic. During their visit, seminar participants met with Jesuits, activists, educators, community leaders and others with insight into Haitian life and society. For the BC group, some aspects of the trip raised troubling points about race, inequality, impacts of
American foreign policy and other questions that had no easy answers. But it also showed them that devastating and desperate circumstances often bring out the best human qualities. “Despite all they’ve been through, the Haitian people are incredibly resilient,” said Ryan Shannon ’15, a Lynch School of Education graduate student in the seminar who served as trip coordinator. “It’s impossible not to be moved by the hope they have for their country and for each other.” The BC visitors were particularly struck by a Jesuit, Ambroise Dorino Gabriel, SJ, who talked about the determination he and his fellow Haitians felt to improve life in their country. Fr. Gabriel, along with his colleagues, urged the group to be “ambassadors” for Haiti – to tell others about the good, as well as the bad, and do whatever they can to help. The Jesuits’ charge provided the perfect impetus for post-seminar conversations and actions, according to the faculty and students. In addition to sharing thoughts and impressions among themselves, participants are considering how they might present these to the wider University community – perhaps through several campus events. What happens after that? The students are continuing to reflect
Visiting with Haitians was eyeopening for the seminar. “It’s impossible not to be moved by the hope they have for their country and for each other,” said one student.
on and process what they learned through the seminar, and how it might affect their respective career paths. The three faculty members hope to run the seminar again in the near future. “I think one important thing to come out of this,” said Lombe, “is that when we adapt the languages of our different professions and disciplines to one another, there is a lot of new understanding – and a lot of grace.” Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu
University Feeling the Impact of Immigration Ban Controversy so she could help people who had been detained at Logan Airport. She and another Mintz Levin colleague provided strategy consultation to the ACLU and immigration lawyers that led to a temporary restraining order against the ban. Mintz Levin is now co-counseling on that lawsuit against the executive order. Photo courtesy Boston College Law School
Continued from page 1 cards and issuance of new visas,” says al Mosawy. “I was expecting to hear about a green card and now I think it’s been curtailed by the order and the longer I don’t have a green card, the less likely I am to be able to work.” Also caught in the middle was al Mosawy’s mother, who runs the Iraq Health Access Organization and spends four to five months a year in the United States. She was denied entry into the US on Feb. 1 and told to wait 90 days – but her visa was set to expire March 1. A ruling by a federal judge in Seattle lifting the travel ban provided a window of entry, and al Mosawy’s mother arrived a week ago. “Not only is this an unfair ban, but it’s not smart,” says al Mosawy. “I know there’s a difference between people and policy. I think it’s a matter of whether you know someone really impacted and once you do, it becomes evident the ban is not serving its purpose.” One BC Law alumna, Susan Finegan JD’91, found herself on the front lines in the fight against the executive order. A litigation and pro bono partner at Mintz Levin in Boston, Finegan hurried to the Moakley United States Courthouse the night after the order was issued
Finegan says the president’s executive order is troubling in a number of areas. Much of the chaos resulted because the order was drafted “in an overly broad and discriminatory manner, without meaningful input from those in government – like the Department of Homeland Security – charged with implementing it.” Also distressing, she says, is that, while the purported purpose of the order was to curtail terrorist threats,
“the administration could not point to any facts that demonstrated that visa holders from these countries committed terrorist acts.” Finegan says the executive order’s implementation, and the uncertainty surrounding travel for people with valid visas, caused widespread disruption in Massachusetts in the
“I would encourage everyone not to look at executive orders as partisan issues. They change people’s lives overnight and it’s not something to take lightly. Reach out to families separated by a ban or deportation lately, get a better sense of their scope, then see how you feel.” –BC Law student Mousa al Mosawy
business, academic and health care communities. “From a human perspective, it was also simply heartbreaking to hear about refugee families who had successfully made it through the two years of vigorous vetting to obtain the right to come to the United States – only to be stranded overseas or detained upon arrival.” BC Law Professor Daniel Kanstroom, co-director of the Center for
Human Rights and International Justice, says the executive order is an example of “spectacularly poor legal analysis, poor drafting, and the consequences of inadequate forethought and consultation. Deference to national security does not require complete abdication of the judicial role.” Kanstroom says last week’s decision by the Ninth Circuit clearly rejects the notion that executive action — even when it relates to immigration or national security — is completely immune from judicial scrutiny. “This is an important principle to maintain, though a more carefully and narrowly drafted executive order might well be upheld, as courts have historically given the government great latitude in such arenas, especially as to noncitizens abroad who have not resided in the United States. “We are witnessing a complex struggle between a new, inexperienced president who tends to be skeptical, if not scornful, of the role of courts in our constitutional democracy and federal judges who see important issues of basic rights and separation of powers at stake.” Caught in the middle of this struggle is the University’s Office of
International Students and Scholars, which in addition to the uncertainty regarding current international students also faces questions about prospective students: If there is a visa backlog, will students be able to undergo in-person interviews, which are required for visa renewals? Will students from the seven restricted countries be able to gain admission? “I don’t like to advise on rumors because it creates more panic, so we are reaching out to our international students and scholars with the best information we have,” says Nussbaum. “We’re doing the best we can in this situation but it’s extremely challenging and frustrating. I’m afraid this is not the end – this is the beginning. It’s just going to get worse.” Al Mosawy says that as the political debate continues, it’s important to realize the human dimension. “I would encourage everyone not to look at executive orders as partisan issues. They change people’s lives overnight and it’s not something to take lightly. Reach out to families separated by a ban or deportation lately, get a better sense of their scope, then see how you feel.” Contact Sean Hennessey at sean.hennessey@bc.edu
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Q&A: Rabbi Ruth Langer
Teaching and Learning in Jerusalem Professor of Theology Rabbi Ruth Langer, associate director of the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning, is spending the academic year researching and teaching in Jerusalem. Chronicle’s Sean Hennessey spoke with her about, among other things, life in the Middle East, the Israeli take on President Trump, safety in a place of conflict, and things people might not know about this holy city.
there was a raucous debate about how to learn from the last Gaza war and its problems. This is where I see hope and health. This is a dynamic society and one not characterized by complacency. Your fellowship requires you to teach one semester there. Is the teaching experience there much different than in America? Yes, the teaching experience
their home the center of the world. To be a successful visitor, one needs to try to see how and why. That is very much the case here: For Israelis, Israel is the center of the world, and everything revolves around it. But we need to remember that this is not so much different from other places – consider the Boston Globe’s placement of national and international news and the priority it gives to local news.
[The interview has been edited here for space. Read the full article at http:// bit.ly/langer-qa]
This is the fifth time you’ve spent an academic year in Israel. Tell us about your affinity for the land and its people, and about the research resources. My first two years here, I was studying as part of my PhD training, taking courses that were not available in the US but that were critical to my curriculum. The other three have been sabbaticals from BC, and on all three of these years (and a number of summers), we have been members of a synagogue in Jerusalem. We therefore have a community of friends here to whom we return. We feel like we belong, in many ways. Given your vast experiences in Israel, what are some misconceptions about the land and people you’ve come across? What should everyone know? The news, as in the US, tends to report only the bad things. Nothing else is newsworthy. Over the years that I have been coming here, life has become more and more like living in America. The food available, whether in stores or restaurants, has gone from mediocre – or worse – to excellent. It is safer for women and children to walk the streets alone here than in most places in the US. Yes, there are terrorist incidents, but for the most part, there are more Israelis killed in genuine auto accidents and more Americans killed by gun violence than victims of terrorism. So life here does not feel dangerous. Israel has matured much as a society since 1948, but in many ways it is still a young nation with its share of growing pains. Israelis are passionate people, and there is freedom of press and freedom of expression here. That means that the various social problems – including between religious and secular Jews, Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians – do receive attention and are not being shoved under the rug. The country has a very impressive Supreme Court that does hold the Knesset and the Prime Minister regularly to account, as well as ensure that the military does the best it can to proceed according to its own high ethical standards. Even today, on the morning news show,
Photo courtesy Rabbi Ruth Langer
here is very different. In the US, we presume and demand that the students are students first and foremost, and can expect that they will make every reasonable effort to come to class prepared. Students here are older, as most start their bachelor degrees after their army or national service. Many also marry younger, and they have young children while they are studying. Last but not least, my students (all women) also have full-time jobs, and their husbands have regular reserve duty in the army – affecting their wives, of course, who have to have childcare. So it is about as much as one can ask that they show up to class most of the time having done a bit of the reading. This affects one’s ability to run an effective seminar with active student participation. The United States is one of Israel’s most important allies; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made that clear. How do the Israeli people see America? I can’t pretend to speak for “Israelis,” who are a very diverse community. How Israelis see America depends on whether they have ever lived there – many are woefully ignorant of US realities – what the current US administration is doing, or not, within Israeli-Palestinian politics, and whether they think it is the right thing or not. But Israel is not a third-world nation any more, totally dependent on the outside world for economic survival, and that has changed many things. When I was a participant in the Experiment in International Living many years ago, in our orientation they taught that everyone considers
“Israel has matured much as a society since 1948, but in many ways it is still a young nation with its share of growing pains. Israelis are passionate people, and there is freedom of press and freedom of expression here. That means that the various social problems – including between religious and secular Jews, Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians – do receive attention and are not being shoved under the rug.” -Rabbi Ruth Langer
President Trump says he wants to see peace in the Middle East and has assigned his sonin-law to make it happen. Are people in Israel hopeful about a peace deal? Do they want peace with the Palestinians or are they content with how things are? Yes, Israelis in general want peace. But they want a secure peace achieved ethically, and how to get there isn’t obvious. Most people I know also dream that their children and grandchildren will not have to do their growing up by spending time in the army, or by actually confronting war. So I don’t know anyone who is content with the status quo. I also don’t know anyone who has a realistic solution to the crisis, especially while Hamas governs Gaza and the PA is governed by an elderly prime minister who has significantly exceeded his term of office without calling for new elections and who has no obvious successor. Netanyahu is pulled to the right as well by his parliamentary coalition, so whatever he personally might be willing to yield cannot be spoken of publicly. We must remember, though, that Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon were the most unlikely peacemakers, but because of their right-wing credentials they had more ability than most to take courageous steps. This is where I see a glimmer of hope.
Read more at http://bit.ly/langer-qa Contact Sean Hennessey at sean.hennessey@bc.edu
On Feb. 1, the Office for Institutional Diversity hosted a program for employees to learn the characteristics, benefits and skills needed to create, lead, and sustain a diverse and inclusive environment. Participants in “Creating and Sustaining an Inclusive Work Environment” also included opportunities for discussion on an inclusive strategic direction for current and future best practices across campus.
Photos by Lee Pellegrini
BC to Host Second Boston Intercultural Skills Conference The integration of intercultural learning at home and abroad will be the focus of a forum next week at Boston College for faculty, international education professionals and others focused on the internationalization of campus communities and the promotion of inclusion. Launched at BC last year, the Boston Intercultural Skills Conference (BISC) will take place on Feb. 24 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Corcoran Commons. This year will see an expansion of the event’s topic and reach, according to Office of International Programs Director Nick Gozik, the conference organizer. “We will be looking at intercultural learning, yet also broadening the theme to include discussions of inclusion,” he said. “[BISC] is helping to put BC on the map as a leader in international education – a place for critical and substantive dialogue about the ways in which we as educators can help students become more interculturally competent, and able to embrace diversity in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.” Conference keynote speaker Alma Clayton-Pedersen, CEO of Emeritus Consulting Group, is a senior scholar at the Association of Colleges and Universities – where she served as vice president for education and institutional renewal – and consults on programs that prepare faculty, ad-
ministrators and institutions for the future of higher education. She led the establishment of “inclusive excellence” as a national imperative, said Gozik, adding that the concept has “taken off and been applied in a variety of contexts across the US.” The conference will feature breakout sessions to explore topics that go beyond education abroad alone, which include student resiliency, mental health, and strategies for working with international students. According to organizers, the BISC will facilitate “dialogue across traditional university silos [which] will enrich the conversation as we work towards the common goal of providing resources that enable faculty and staff to navigate increasingly diverse campus communities, support students of all backgrounds, and prepare students to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world.” The BISC is free of charge for BC staff, faculty and graduate students. Conference registration is open to BC community members; registrants will be accepted until the allotted number of spots is full. For information on registration, the conference schedule and other details, see www.bc.edu/offices/international/events/BISC1.html. [Read the Chronicle story about last year’s conference at http://bit.ly/bisc2016] –Rosanne Pellegrini
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle february 16, 2017
obituary
John McManama, 100; ‘Dr. Mac’ By Reid Oslin Special to the Chronicle
John C. McManama ’37, MD, who treated generations of Boston College students and student-athletes with skill, care and compassion during a nearly 40-year career at the University, died on Feb. 10. He was 100 years old. A funeral Mass will be celebrated this morning at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 133 School St., Waltham. “Dr. John was a great doctor,” said University Health Services Director Thomas Nary, MD. “Great physicians have a ‘knack’ – not unlike a great football player – in the ability to stay cool, not get rattled, and to play best when the big game is on the line. He had that ability. “No matter how old he was, I don’t think he ever missed a day,” Dr. Nary added. “Even in the worst weather, he would clear his own driveway – and usually those of a couple of his neighbors – and show up right on time. You could always count on Dr. John.” A Waltham native and graduate of Tufts Medical School, Dr. McMa-
we could better treat them,” said Dr. Nary. “Most colleges at that time did not do that.” “Dr. Mac loved BC,” said Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine Steve Bushee. “He would be at practices even when he wasn’t ‘on duty.’ You could always find him walking the halls of the old Roberts Center and McHugh Forum, and later Conte Forum and Yawkey Center, and of course, Alumni Stadium. He was omnipresent.” Dr. McManama, said Bushee, was an “old-time, old-school physician who had the ability to respond to the patient and provide what the patient needed to hear. He knew when to be compassionate and gentle and he knew when a kid might need a little kick in the butt. His practice, his wisdom and his knowledge of medicine were superb. He was always a great mentor to me.” Dr. McManama retired from BC in 2009 at age 93. In addition to his decades of work at Boston College, Dr. McManama was the patriarch of a large and supportive family. He and his wife of 49 years, Barbara (known as “Maggie”), John McManama ‘37, MD, receiving a citation from Massachusetts Rep. Peter Koutoujian at a 2006 Boston College reception honoring Dr. McManama – who had recently turned 90 – for his years of work with University Health Services.
nama served in the US Army during World War II, earning a Bronze Star award for his work as a battlefield surgeon in the Philippines and Okinawa. When he returned home, he followed the career of his physician father in establishing a private practice Waltham. From there, he served residents for decades – making house calls, delivering about 3,000 babies, and performing the wide-ranging medical trade of a small-city general practitioner. “Dr. John would sometimes see a student in Health Services and tell them that he had delivered both their mother and father,” said Dr. Nary. “In this age of specialization, that type of thing just does not happen any more – and never will. He was just wonderful.” Joining the University Health Services unit in 1972, he teamed up with athletics physician Dr. J. Joseph Burns to help provide medical services for BC’s growing population of student-athletes. “He and Dr. Burns were ahead of their time in insisting that all athletes get physical examinations and that we collect a medical history of athletic injuries and concussions so that
were the parents of nine children – eight of whom graduated from Boston College. His daughter Susan McManama Gianinno ‘70 serves on the University’s Board of Trustees. In later years, when Maggie suffered through a long, debilitating illness, Dr. McManama stayed by her side and took care of her. When she finally had to be moved to a nursing care facility, he was a daily visitor to her bedside. Dr. McManama established a scholarship in women’s basketball in Maggie’s memory. “She and the children were just about the only things that were more important to him than BC,” said Bushee. Boston College bestowed two major honors on Dr. McManama in recognition of his many contributions. He was presented with the Alumni Association’s Medal of Excellence in Medicine in 1990, and, a year later, was inducted into the BC Varsity Club Athletics Hall of Fame. “Dr. John McManama is a gentleman’s physician,” said Dr. Nary in 2006 as University officials gathered to celebrate his 90th birthday, “and that is the highest compliment I can give.”
The Art of Teaching
Carroll School professor Pete Wilson's award-winning 'journey from me to we' NOTE: This story was adapted from a profile written by William Bole for the Carroll School of Management newsletter Carroll Connection. To read the full piece, go to http:// bit.ly/wilson-art-of-teaching. G. Peter Wilson — holder of the Joseph L. Sweeney Chair in Accounting at the Carroll School — came to Boston College in 1997, having taught at the business schools of Stanford, MIT, and Harvard. Over the years, he has been honored in many ways as a master teacher. In August, he accepted the inaugural Innovation in Financial Accounting Education Award at the American Accounting Association’s annual meeting. At that same gathering, he also received the J. Michael and Mary Anne Cook Prize for “superior” teaching at the graduate accounting level. Wilson does not hide the honors: Gracing several bookshelves in his fifth-floor Fulton Hall office are crystal, silver, mahogany, and other varieties of award clocks. And yet, the professor isn’t the most lenient grader when it comes to his own performance in class. Wilson’s way of thinking about his teaching — and just about everything else in life — has to do with what he calls “the journey from me to we.” When asked about the undisputed view that he’s a great teacher, he disputes the point: “It’s just not true,” he says. By way of analogy, Wilson says that he considers himself a “very good” husband and father but that he has a “great” family. “I’m a very good teacher, but I have great classes,” he says, noting that students are held largely responsible for the success of his classes. “It’s all about us, not about me.” Wilson adds, “You have to say it for years before you believe it. And then you wake up one morning and say, ‘I can’t do this without them.’” He believes it’s a lesson for not only professors but also students who, in his classes, do much of their work in teams. For more than a decade, his professional “we” has included his wife, Carolyn R. Wilson. In 2002, Carolyn — who had held senior positions in accounting at Hewlett-Packard and Agilent Technologies — teamed up with her husband to launch the multimedia website Navigating Accounting [www.navigatingaccounting.com]. It is “a free portal for accounting educational content for global educators and learners, including corporate and
Gary Gilbert
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Wilson lets his students know on the first day of class that he is struggling with Parkinson’s, not to gain sympathy but to make them feel comfortable. “They know that if I mumble, they could ask me to repeat something,” he says. self-learners,” according to its “About” page. The website includes video lessons consisting of PowerPoint-style slides and voice-over by Wilson. It is used by his students at Boston College as well as others around the world. Seven years ago, Carolyn officially became an unpaid lecturer at the Carroll School, focusing mainly on the use of technology, such as interactive clickers, in Pete’s classes. Her role has expanded as Pete’s famously animated stride across the classroom has become a little slower, his chirpy voice a little softer. Wilson lets his students know on the first day of class that he is struggling with Parkinson’s, not to gain sympathy but to make them feel comfortable. “They know that if I mumble, they could ask me to repeat something,” he says. He wears a lapel mic in class and no longer needs to write on the whiteboard because Carolyn is operating the screen. These challenges haven’t slowed the pace of innovation in a Wilson class. Though the Wilsons embrace new tools for presenting information, Pete’s largest innovation over the past decade or so has been pedagogical rather than technological. It has been his use of the so-called “flipping the classroom” model of teaching, in which students get their first exposure to new material outside of class, usually through readings and lecture videos. Then they use class time to do the harder work of digging more deeply into problems that go beyond assigned material.
During a lecture on teaching to fellow Carroll School faculty in March of last year, Wilson explained: “With the flipped class, students learn lower-level thinking skills on their own prior to class, which frees up class time to cover higher-level critical thinking.” The need for students to prepare well for class discussions is part of what Wilson means when he says his classes’ success depends in no small part on the students. “Whatever you put into the class, you get out of it, and then some,” Will LaHera ’18 of East Greenish, NY. “At first it’s a hurdle. And you might be afraid to give a wrong answer but then you realize it’s a safe place. You hear Professor Wilson talk about celebrating the wrong answers” — ones that are well-reasoned if not accurate at the final step. Alluding to the intensive preparation outside of class, Paola Pesant ’19 of Miami interjected, “We make a lot of the mistakes before we get to class.” Wilson frequently recalibrates the difficulty of the problems presented to the students in each class. “There’s a fine line between challenging them and killing them,” he acknowledges, saying there have been instances when he and Carolyn have apologized for asking too much. “You have to know when you’re wrong. That’s part of the journey from me to we.” Pete Wilson says he loves hearing from former students and invites all to get in touch with him at wilsongp@bc.edu.
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle february 16, 2017
7
BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MEDIA An introduction to new faculty members at Boston College
Shanta Pandey
Professor of Macro Practice Boston College School of Social Work DEGREES: Tribhuvan University (Certificate of Science, BS); Delhi School of Social Work (MSW); Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University (PhD). WHAT SHE STUDIES: Women’s empowerment, gender equity, maternal and child health, social welfare policy and program evaluation. WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: The Social Welfare System; Doctoral Teaching Practicum Your research shows postsecondary education as a reliable predictor of economic wellbeing of women with children. What programs/initiatives seem effective in helping young mothers consider, and pursue, higher education? “Educated women are more likely to earn a higher income, enjoy better socioeconomic status, stay healthy and live longer compared to their less educated counterparts. I am seeking to test the most effective strategy to help collegeadmitted, low-income, single-parent students stay in college. We are proposing to dispense a package of programs to these students in Greater Boston and test its effectiveness. A program I have been watching carefully and would like to test in the US is the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program that is being widely promoted in many developing countries to promote children’s education and health. Evaluations suggest these programs have improved children’s enrollment, retention, reduced child labor, and empowered their mothers. Most universities already offer a stipend to graduate students, many of whom have children. Instituting some form of CCT to low-income single-mother students who are enrolled in college will reduce their financial stress, homelessness, and help them realize their dream of finishing a college degree.”
Joseph E. Weiss, SJ
Professor of the Practice of Liturgy School of Theology and Ministry DEGREES: Benedictine College (BA); Weston School of Theology (M. Div.); University of Notre Dame (MA, PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Liturgical history, Sacramental theology, Liturgical formation, Homiletics, Christian spirituality, Church art and architecture, Popular devotions. WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Liturgical Preaching
-Kathleen Sullivan and Sean Smith Photos by Lee Pellegrini
Reaccreditation Self-Study Available Boston College will undergo a comprehensive evaluation visit on March 13-15, 2017, by a team representing the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The CIHE is one of seven accrediting commissions in the United States that provide institutional accreditation on a regional basis. Accreditation is voluntary and applies to the institution as a whole. The commission, which is recognized by the US Department of Education, accredits approximately 240 institutions in the six-state New England region. Boston College has been accredited by the commission since 1935 and was last reviewed in 2007. Its accreditation by the New England Association encompasses the entire institution. For the past year-and-a-half, Boston College has been engaged in a process of self-study, addressing the commission’s Standards for Accreditation. An evaluation team will visit the institution to gather evidence that the self-study is thorough and accurate. The team will recommend to the commission a continuing status for the institution. Following a review process, the commission itself will take the final action.
The public is invited to submit comments regarding the institution to:
Public Comment on Boston College Commission on Institutions of Higher Education New England Association of Schools and Colleges 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100 Burlington, MA 01803-4514 E-mail: cihe@neasc.org.
Public comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution. The commission cannot settle disputes between individuals and institutions, whether those involve faculty, students, administrators, or members of other groups. Comments will not be treated as confidential and must include the name, address, and telephone number of the person providing the comments. Public comments must be received by March 8, 2017. The commission cannot guarantee that comments received after that date will be considered. Members of the Boston College community who wish to review a print copy of the Boston College SelfStudy for Accreditation may sign out a copy at the O’Neill Library reference desk for use within the library.
Boston College faculty members as a “shock event” – that garnered states that allow them for relioffered analysis and comment more than 80,000 shares. gious and private school costs, said for media coverage of President Roche Center for Catholic EducaTrump’s controversial executive or- Asst. Prof. Matt Sienkiewicz tion Executive Director Patricia der regarding immigration: (Communication) wrote on Presi- Weitzel-O’Neill in an interview Clough Millennium Profes- dent Trump’s statement on Ho- with Education Dive. sor of History James O’Toole spoke with the BosInternational faculty are ton Globe about the response an increasingly important to Trump’s immigration part of the global acaorder from Boston Mayor demic labor force, wrote Martin Walsh, which has elResearch Prof. Phil Altevated him to the national bach (LSOE) in a piece stage. for UniversityWorldAsst. Prof. Kari Hong (Law) News.com. weighed in on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals WBUR News reported hearing on the immigraon a study by Associate tion order in interviews Professors Henrik Hagtwith CNN, USA Tovedt and S. Adam BraErin O’Reilly ’01 with Patriots quarterback Tom day, Bloomberg Radio and sel (CSOM) on the disBrady in the recent Shields MRI commercial. the Tampa Bay Times. covery of a subliminal, The Boston Globe and USA Today locaust Remembrance Day in an automatic, irresistible way to diran stories on a Facebook post by op-ed for Tikkun Daily. rect sight and focus attention usProf. Heather Cox Richardson ing sound frequencies – findings (History) – in which she referred Catholic schools are making use that could lead to techniques for to the Trump immigration order of modest tuition tax credits in influencing perceptions as well as purchases. Leaving Russia: A Jewish Story, a Mackey (School of Social Work); memoir by Prof. Maxim D. Shray- “Retirement Writing: Stories and Morrissey College of Arts and Scier (Slavic and Eastern Languages, Poems,” Paul Doherty (English); ences alumna Erin O’Reilly, a English), has now been released “Ecological Euchology: Why Dar- theater and English double main a paperback edition. Originally win, Einstein, and Hubble Should jor who graduated in 2001, appublished in 2013, Leaving Russia is Shape Praying and Preaching,” Rob- peared with New England Patrithe first English-language, autobio- ert Daly, SJ (Theology); “A Biog- ots quarterback Tom Brady – and graphical and nonfictional account raphy of Louis Adrien Favre: Priest, his five Super Bowl rings – in a of growing up Jewish in the former Poet and French Resistance,” Mar- commercial for Shields MRI. The ian St. Onge (Inter- commercial, which debuted folUSSR, and chroninational Programs); lowing the Patriots’ Feb. 5 victory cles the experiences RIEFING “Adam, Eve, and in Super Bowl LI, was directed of Shrayer’s family Noah: Do the Early by Bobby Farrelly, whose credits in their search for Chapters in Genesis with his brother include “Dumb a better life. [Read more about the book at http://bit. Have Meaning for Us Today?” Rich- and Dumber,” “There’s Something ard Clifford, SJ (School of Theology about Mary,” and “Fever Pitch.” ly/leaving-russia] and Ministry); “Beauty and Its ComBoston College Association of Re- plications: Plato’s Thinking,” Robert tired Faculty Members hosted the Faulkner (Political Science); “Advenfollowing seminars during the past tures in World History: Writing for The following are among the most recent positions posted by the Deyear: “Learning from Couples in the Oxford Illustrated World Hispartment of Human Resources. Relationships That Last,” Richard tory,” David Northrup (History). For more information on employ-
BC B
JOBS
NOTA BENE Four Boston College students recently won honors for their work at a regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, a national theater program that involves some 18,000 students from more than 600 academic institutions. KCACTF’s event for Region 1 – including colleges in New England and upstate New York – was held Jan. 31-Feb. 4 at Western Connecticut State University. The BC winners were: Ryan Gardner ’19, StageSource Excellence in Stage Management Award; Taylor Tranfaglia ’18, Barbizon Award for Scenic Design (honorable mention); Kyle Hanscom ’17, KCACTF Award for Achievement in Sound Design and the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas One-Week Internship Award, and Michael Pisaturo ’17, National Ten-Minute Play Award (Region 1 finalist). BC’s dozen student participants had the opportunity to showcase their work in the areas of acting, vocal performance, stage management, scenic and sound design, and playwriting. They also had the chance to see and learn from fellow student work and attend workshops led by New England-area industry professionals.
ment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/offices/hr:
Assistant Director of Field Education, Academic Affairs/Provost Associate Dean, School of Social Work Senior Associate Director, Alumni Chapters, University Advancement Public Safety Dispatcher, Public Safety Service Center Representative, Academic Affairs/Provost Manager, Data Center Operations, Information Technology Lead Project Manager, Information Technology Senior/Prospect Management Analyst, University Advancement Gift Management and Reporting Assistant, University Advancement
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle february 16, 2017
8
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Closing Ceremony
Feb. 24, 5 p.m., The Commons, Thomas More Apartments bowmancenter@bc.edu
‘Histories & Futures’ Is Theme for Park Street Speaker Series Patrick Downes ’05 returns to campus next week to discuss the recent HBO documentary that recounts the challenges he and wife Jessica Kensky faced after the Boston Marathon bombing. Downes will present “Recovery: The Making of HBO’s ‘Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing’” on Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. in Gasson Hall. The event is part of the Park Street Corporation Speaker Series in Health, Hu-
Lee Pellegrini
them to highlight important issues such as trauma care, military and civilian medical collaboration, disability rights, veterans care and community responses to terrorism. A Lynch School of Education graduate, Downes recently earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from William James College. [Read more about Patrick and Jessica at http://bit. ly/and-now] The Park Street Series contin-
nent magazines and elsewhere. She teaches at Princeton University and in New York University’s Creative Writing Program, and is at work on a book about chronic illness and autoimmune disease. “Moral Agency and the Neuroscience of Addiction” is the subject of an April 19 lecture by Steve Hyman, MD, at 7 p.m. in the Murray Function Room of Yawkey Athletic Center. Dr.
Sarah Shatz
(L-R) Park Street Corporation Series speakers Patrick Downes ’05, Meghan O’Rourke and Steve Hyman, MD.
manity and Ethics, which this academic year focuses on the theme of “Histories & Futures.” Downes and Kensky’s story is one of three survivor tales chronicled in the documentary, in which they participated to help foster understanding of the complexity and nuances of recovery after tragedy. The couple use the attention focused on
BC SCENES
ues on March 30 with award-winning author Meghan O’Rourke, who will present “What’s Wrong With Me?: The Mysteries of Chronic Illness,” at 7 p.m. in Gasson 100. O’Rourke wrote the memoir The Long Goodbye and poetry collections Once and Halflife. Formerly an editor of several high-profile publications, she has been widely published in promi-
Hyman, the Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, directs the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, and is a core faculty member at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. He also has served as director of the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), where he emphasized investment
in neuroscience and emerging genetic technologies. “We have been having sensational audiences,” co-director Canisius Professor James Keenan, SJ, said of the series, which he co-directs with Professor of English Amy Boesky. “There is a real interest at BC for health care matters that are beyond medicine. The Park Street Series responds to that interest. It is why our medical humanities minor is so popular.” Boesky, who is director of the minor in Medical Humanities, Health, and Culture, said the series reflects the interests of late Park Street Corporation founder and director Robert F. Quinn, CSP, whose bequest established the forum. Fr. Quinn, she said, was “dedicated to conversations enhancing civic life and the com-
mon good among leaders in various sectors. “We have been very fortunate to continue the spirit of those discussions. Some of this year’s speakers have explored ethics and health through the lens of history; others consider challenges of the future, challenge students to consider who gets care, or address the question of what constitutes ‘health.” Boesky said next year’s series theme, “The Health of the Planet,” will address the interconnections between climate change, disease transmission, and the public good. For more information on the speakers and series, sponsored by the Institute for the Liberal Arts, see www.bc.edu/offices/parkstreet-series. –University Communications
“From the Variety Stage to the Shamrock Band: A Brief History of Irish Music in Boston, 1890-1930” Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m. Theology and Ministry Library Brighton Campus
Ethnomusicologist Daniel Neely will give a talk about Boston’s rich legacy of Irish music, focusing on the period from the Gaelic revival and the variety stage through the dance bands of the 1920s and the Depression. Following the lecture will be a concert with BC faculty member Sheila Falls and Boston-area musicians Joey Abarta and Sean Clohessy. Sponsored by the Gaelic Roots series [www.bc.edu/gaelicroots].
bOp!LOVE In between snowstorms, student pop-jazz ensemble BC bOp! presented “bOp! in the Name of Love” this past Saturday, featuring big band favorites, love songs, pop hits and plenty of dancing.
Photos by Linda Hexler