The Boston College
Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of University Communications march 2, 2017 vol. 24 no. 12
University Is Among the Top Fulbright Producers
INSIDE chat about 2 •Administrators ‘difficult conversations’
•Recycle Mania 2017 Q&A on the Loyola 3 •A House residential program •Campus security upgrade to continue •Bates to leave AD post at end of academic year head Immelt to be 4 •GE honored at dinner researchers look 5 •BC to ‘blank slate’ virus as
weapon against cancer •University to host cybersecurity conference •Photos: Dance Marathon
professor to head 6 •LSOE up study of groundbreaking math program
•Shea Center’s Startup & Entrepreneurship Fair •Photos: Black History Month ceremony
Additions; 7 •Welcome BC in the Media, Nota Bene; job listings
for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. The Fulbright US Student Program operates in more than 140 countries throughout the world. “I am pleased to see Boston College students and alumni enjoying continued success with the Fulbright program, an important marker of the University’s engagement with colleges and universities around the world,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley. “Paul Christensen, BC’s Fulbright director, and his team of dedicated faculty advisors work each year with a cohort of talented Continued on page 5
Fifteen students from Boston College won Fulbright awards for the 2016-2017 academic year, placing the University among the nation’s top Fulbright-producing research institutions, according to an annual tally by the Chronicle of Higher Education. (L-R) BC undergraduates Layla, Matthew and Jude Aboukhater left Aleppo, where BC’s 15 Fulbright awards from they had spent most of their lives, more than two years ago. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini) an applicant pool of 62 raise the total number of Fulbrights won by Boston College students to 194 since 2006. A BC family’s experiences reflect the complexities, Fulbright awards support a and heartbreak, of the devastating conflict in Syria post-baccalaureate year abroad to of the Emerging Leader Program study, teach English or conduct By Sean Smith and Residence Hall Association, research. Recipients are chosen Chronicle Editor and swing-dancer. “One thing I The story belongs to the love about BC is to once again Aboukhater siblings – Layla ’18, be around well-tended trees and Jude ’20 and Matthew ’20 – and to grass.” For Jude, a biology major, their family. It’s a complicated story, woven pre-veterinary student and pianist as it is into the larger narrative of who’ll be going on the Appalachia their former community of Aleppo, Volunteers service trip to South and their former country, Syria – Carolina this spring break, there one that, in turn, has been told and was the day when she happened retold around the world through upon a small building tucked away various media. But along the way, on Newton Campus. Inside, she nuances are often lost or ignored, was delighted to find seven grand misperceptions created, and as- pianos. Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program Director James Keenan, “I basically live in O’Neill Lisumptions formed. Even the three SJ, at the program’s 25th anniversary celebration Tuesday night. siblings don’t necessarily agree on brary,” laughs Layla, a biology major with a medical humanities all facets of the story. Still, one point is beyond dis- minor and vice president of the pute: More than two years after Public Health Club, who plays in they and their parents Hassan and the Flute Ensemble and Middle Noor left the deteriorating situ- Eastern Ensemble (as does Matsupporters, University Trustee ation in Aleppo, Layla, Jude and thew). “But my friends and I do By Kathleen Sullivan and BC parent Mario Gabelli, the Matthew are doing quite well at things like go salsa dancing.” Staff Writer Gabelli Presidential Scholars ProWhere the story starts to get Boston College – immersed in In the 25 years since the first gram (GPSP) nurtures and chalclasswork, extracurricular activities complicated is when people learn and friendships. They relish the that the Aboukhaters officially en- class of Presidential Scholars start- lenges exceptional students who positive influences in their BC lives, tered the US as refugees. It’s a word ed at Boston College, 300 of the have gone on to make a difference peers and mentors alike – even with some powerful connotations, country’s brightest students have in the world after graduation. “The program made me feel friendly campus shuttle bus drivers and invariably creates presump- participated in the University’s premier academic program that like my voice mattered,” said who offer advice on romance – and tions that aren’t always warranted. intertwines rigorous coursework Chris Wilson-Byrne ’07, a direc“We didn’t want to go, we little joys and discoveries. in an honors program with service tor at Fidelity Investments. “This “Aleppo had the most parks of didn’t leave of our own free will, learning, international study and was something that I really noany city in Syria,” says Matthew, so that is what we’re called,” says travel, and a professional intern- ticed when I went on to graduan international studies major, Layla. “But as we tell people, we ship. ate school. It seemed to me that Undergraduate Government of didn’t swim here. We came by Named in 2014 for one of most people were just interested Boston College senator, member Continued on page 8 its most committed and generous Continued on page 4
‘We Didn’t Want to Go’
Lee Pellegrini
•30 years (and counting) of ‘selfies’
By Jack Dunn Associate Vice President of University Communications
BC’s Signature Academic Program Marks 25 Years
QUOTE:
“Jesuits don’t appear out of nowhere. A Jesuit vocation, especially today, needs encouragement – it’s living and it’s fragile. It needs light and oxygen and nourishment. We want to do all that we can to support our students who might be interested in becoming Jesuits, especially as there are fewer Jesuits for the future.” -Loyola House director Casey Beaumier, SJ, page 3
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle march 2, 2017
2
A ROUND
C AMPUS THREE DECADES OF FACE TIME
He’s been nicknamed the “Father of the Selfie” and the “Original Selfie Master,” and when you consider Karl Baden’s obsessive picturetaking streak, you can understand why. Every day, Baden – an associate professor of the practice in the Art, Art History and Film Department – takes a picture of his face. Last month, he reached the 30th anniversary of his project, a daily documentation of the aging (L-R) Law School Dean Vincent Rougeau, Dean of Students Thomas Mogan process called “Everyday” [kbevand Associate Vice President for Mission and Ministry Fr. Tony Penna at eryday.blogspot.com]. For perspeclast week’s Fireside Chat event. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini) tive, that means since February 23, 1987, Baden has religiously done the same thing nearly 11,000 Nearly 50 members of the of the event being co-sponsored times inside his Cambridge home, University community, includ- by the three pillars of academ- or wherever he is. ing many students, listened last ics, student affairs and campus “When I do it I think, ‘This Thursday as three senior Boston ministry. is another day.’ It’s like punchCollege administrators offered Each has a role to play in ing life’s time clock,” says Baden. their thoughts on how to pro- “moving us away from anti-intel- “When I started the streak, they mote rational discourse at Boston lectualism and towards rational weren’t called ‘selfies.’ The InterCollege, and beyond. discourse,” he said. “If any one net belonged to the Defense DeLaw School Dean Vincent of those three pillars took a step partment. Digital cameras really Rougeau, Dean of Students back, it would take away from weren’t on the market. My reasons Thomas Mogan and Associate our motto ‘Ever to excel.’” for doing it were a lot different than Vice President for Mission and Head Librarian for Assess- people’s reasons for doing selfies Ministry Fr. Tony Penna, were ment and Outreach Carli Spina today.” Baden had no expectations for the speakers for the event, “Main- used those three pillars to focus taining Community Throughout her outreach efforts across cam- the project when he started, other Difficult Conversations,” held as pus to ensure the event would than to make it a lifelong one: “I part of the Fireside Chat series reach a broad potential audience hoped I’d be doing it 30 years, I sponsored by University Librar- of interested students, faculty hoped I’d be doing it 80 years.” He describes “Everyday” as a stateies, the Office of the Provost, and staff. Student Affairs, and Campus “I’m really pleased with how ment about mortality, obsession, Ministry. the event turned out,” said Spina. imperceptible change and perfection – one that relies on daily moUniversity Librarian Thomas “The panelists brought insightful notonous repetition and attention Wall moderated the 45-minute perspectives to this timely topic, to detail. discussion, which took place represented the BC character and “I try to make every picture as in the O’Neill Library Reading response, and did a great job of close to the last one as possible – I Room. Audience members had answering the audiences ques- use the same camera, the same film, the opportunity to follow up in a tions.” the same lighting, the same backsubsequent Q&A session. Wall called the Fireside Chat drop, the same facial expression,” “During the last presidential series an experiment, albeit an he explains. “I don’t do anything to campaign, I think we all realized “excellent” one, and said organiz- my face in terms of a beard or musthe prevalence of this ‘Everyone ers would consider continuing it tache, or change my hair style. This has an opinion, but no one cares in the fall semester. way, all the variables that could posto listen’ rhetoric,” said Wall, in “Most issues in society are far sibly occur in terms of equipment an interview. more nuanced than opinions,” or me are eliminated except for the “One thing that makes Boston said Wall. “We need to take one thing I can’t control, which is College so special is its sense of heart of the idea of being good how my body and my face ages.” Baden’s repetitive picture-taking community, so the provost and citizens, and try to understand has stood the test of time, travel (he Council of Deans and I decided different viewpoints. it would be a good idea to have “Conversations are difficult brings a portable kit with him) – a chat around not one particular and divisive because people are so even a bout with cancer. “I had cancer in 2000 and beideology, but how BC’s commu- invested in their own opinions. nity is maintained in a time when Boston College aims to tran- gan treatments in January 2001,” people are very impassionate with scend opinions and look towards says Baden. “Over the course of six months, there is a point where you their political viewpoints.” truth.” can see the effects chemotherapy Wall stressed the importance –Siobhan Sullivan had on me and you can see me
go from normal to sick and back to normal. The only thing that changed is I lost my eyebrows – they never grew back.” Baden, who began teaching at Boston College in 1989, is also using his “Everyday” project as an
home. But I forgot and that was that.” There’s no end date for his project, says Baden. “I hope people see a little bit of what I see in doing it and what that is,” says Baden. “It doesn’t have to
Samples of faculty member Karl Baden’s self-portraits, taken daily for 30 years.
IN A WARM PLACE
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
The Boston College
Chronicle www.bc.edu/bcnews chronicle@bc.edu
assignment in the classroom. He gives students a picture of his face taken the day they were born, and asks them to change it around in a way that reflects their birth. One day Baden will long remember is Oct. 15, 1991 – precisely because he forgot about his daily ritual. “I did forget that day and it was for no good reason. I was teaching at both Boston College and the Rhode Island School of Design at the time and as I was driving down to Providence, I realized I hadn’t taken my picture yet, so I made a mental note to do so when I got Boston College is at the halfway point of Recycle Mania 2017, the national intercollegiate competition that seeks to raise awareness of conservation and sustainability. During the eight-week competition, which began Feb. 5 and ends April 1, colleges across the United States and Canada report the amount of recycling and trash collected each week. Schools are ranked in various categories based on who recycles the most on a per capita basis, as well as which institutions have the best recycling rate as a percentage of total waste and which generate the least amount of combined trash and recycling. At the end of the first week,
do with the current selfie-sharing craze but the idea that photography at its most basic and most essential function is to record something in space over the passage of time. “I’d also like viewers to see someone documenting something that is almost imperceptible in his life, the day-to-day change culminating in the changes over years and decades, which is something we all go through. This project serves a very basic purpose. If they can see that, I think that would satisfy me.” –Sean Hennessey Read an Associated Press story on Baden’s 30 years of “Everyday” at http://bit.ly/baden-30. BC had a recycling rate of 42.841, ranking 48th among 119 colleges and universities in the competition division. [Results are updated and posted at recyclemaniacs.org] BC’s participation in Recycle Mania is organized by the offices of Sustainability and Engineering & Energy in coordination with Eco Pledge. Last year, BC – with a recycling rate of 36 percent – ranked 97th overall and 34th in the Per Capita category by recycling 24 lbs. per person. For details on how to participate in Recycle Mania, and information on BC’s conservation and sustainability efforts, see www.bc.edu/sustainability. –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.
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle march 2, 2017
Lee Pellegrini
Campus Security Upgrade Set to Enter Second Phase
Casey Beaumier, SJ, director of the Loyola House residential program.
‘A Place of Growth and Encouragement’ Loyola House, a residential program which intends to begin its second year this fall, is a community of support and discernment for male Boston College students considering a vocation within the Society of Jesus. Directed by Casey Beaumier, SJ, Loyola House provides opportunities for prayer, service, contemplation and conversation with both peers and Jesuits. Its goal is to assist men to grow in self-knowledge, faith, friendship and vocation. Amenities of the 50 Quincy Road location include a chapel, kitchen, dining room and other living spaces. Fr. Beaumier discussed the mission of Loyola House, and how it serves as resource for students, with Chronicle. He invites interested undergraduate and graduate students to contact him [casey.beaumier@bc.edu] to explore whether the Loyola House experience is right for them. The Q&A below has been edited for space; read the full version at http:// bit.ly/loyola-house-about. Loyola House is the first of its kind at a Jesuit college or university. Give us the background of why it was established at BC, and why it’s an important University initiative. When people ask me about Loyola House I ask them: Do you love that BC is a Jesuit university? I certainly do! With all my heart, I want future students to know Jesuits and to be able to meet them. We Jesuits want to attend to the future of Boston College. But Jesuits don’t appear out of nowhere. A Jesuit vocation, especially today, needs encouragement – it’s living and it’s fragile. It needs light and oxygen and nourishment. We want to do all that we can to support our students who might be interested in becoming Jesuits, especially as there are fewer Jesuits for the future. Fostering Jesuit vocations at a great Jesuit university like Boston College makes good sense — Loyola House is the University’s way of investing in the future and it’s a way for Jesuits to promote this life in an environment that might encourage others to consider what I believe to be and have experienced as a great way to live.
What opportunities does this residence community offer to students? And why would you encourage students considering vocations to live in Loyola House? This year, living in Loyola House has provided opportunities to meet Jesuits from all over the world and at the same time, to try out community life. The house members share in the Eucharist, cook for one another three times a week for community meals, talk about discernment, receive spiritual direction, and make a retreat every semester – all while maintaining their regular involvement in and commitments to everyday BC life. Most importantly, it provides an environment for these students to encounter one another and to grow in becoming what we Jesuits call friends in the Lord. What do you think you would’ve gotten out of Loyola House, if, as a student, you had the opportunity to live in such a residence? When I was an undergraduate I knew of one other student who was thinking of the Jesuits – and we both entered the Society because we had a marvelous friendship with a Jesuit spiritual father who encouraged us by his example. For me, the discernment was very private – only those two knew of this tiny desire brewing in my heart. I would have loved to have encountered the global Society of Jesus and to know that there were other young men thinking of the priesthood. Loyola House is absolutely innovative in this way – it is simultaneously supportive, creative, and challenging. Yet it is not a seminary nor is it a place for a young man to hide out of fear of love, conflict, or complication. It’s meant to be a place of tremendous growth and encouragement. There are young Catholics who consider the priesthood for the future. What programming is offered through Loyola House, and in what ways does it contribute to the experience? If you ask anyone in the house, they would easily reveal that they have encountered the diversity of the Jesuits. At BC our Jesuit community is global — the world is our house! Well, Loyola House is meant to
offer a taste of that kind of encounter. And in our first year, we have had a good mix of people, starting with the other Jesuit coordinator of the house, Fr. Francisco Sassetti da Mota, a Jesuit from Portugal. The two of us are great friends and he has been an amazing presence for our students. And in this first year we have had a good showing of BC undergraduates: someone in ROTC, a pre-med student, a musician for the Liturgical Arts Group, and an ultramarathoner. But I must say that we need more students. Fr. Francisco and I offer the Candlelight Mass at Saint Joseph Chapel on Upper Campus Monday through Thursday nights at 10 pm. Candlelight Mass is a work of Campus Ministry and Residential Life, and it is also the Loyola House Mass. We sponsor the s’Upper T Club, an undergraduate club for anyone to attend where, under the leadership of the students of Loyola, participants venture into the city of Boston and grab dinner near different T station stops – and the students get a free T-shirt designed by Sam Gray, one of the house members. We have company every week for meals and we make a retreat. What did the students who lived in Loyola House in its first year find valuable about the experience? Here is what one student reported: “What I’ve valued most about Loyola House is the opportunity to come to know so many Jesuits, young and old, and to begin to understand their calling, why they’ve chosen the Society, how it has fulfilled them and their desire to serve God, and how it might similarly fulfill me.” How should students who are interested in learning more about Loyola House contact you? Is it open to both undergraduate and graduate male students? E-mail me right now and let’s find a time to have a conversation. The house is meant to be a place of discernment not only for BC undergraduates – graduate students are most welcome to explore this possibility, as are those in the Boston area who are thinking of the Jesuits for their future. –Rosanne Pellegrini
Boston College will embark on the second phase of its three-year campus security upgrade that will include a card-access system for the majority of academic and administrative buildings and the installation of security cameras in public areas. The second phase follows the implementation of wireless access for first-year residence halls and the Reservoir and Thomas More apartments, and a new dispatch center for Boston College Police. Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police John King said that the card-access system builds on best practices already in place in Stokes Hall, Merkert Chemistry Center, the McMullen Museum of Art, St. Clements North and 129 Lake Street, and will allow users to unlock a door without needing to swipe a card. King said the upgraded system will require the distribution of new proximity cards only for those faculty and staff who need after-hours access to their offices, and that hours of operation will be developed specifically for each building after consultation with deans and directors of those facilities. King said that the installation of security cameras will be limited to public circulation spaces, common areas and campus locations dedicat-
ed to critical University operations. King, Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, and Executive Vice President Michael Lochhead agreed that while this phase of the security upgrade should be minimally disruptive, it will require patience and flexibility among members of the BC community. “Boston College remains a safe campus,” said King. “Given the times in which we live, however, we are obligated to do all that we can to ensure the safety and security of our community members, as well as the personal and intellectual property of our faculty and staff. Working together, we know we can achieve these shared goals.” King said he looked forward to meeting with faculty and staff to answer any questions that may arise, and to receiving feedback as the University proceeds with the implementation efforts in the months to come. “These safety enhancements are consistent with best practices at peer institutions nationwide, and are intended to achieve the safest possible environment for BC faculty, staff and students,” said King. “We encourage all members of the community to look for updates on our security enhancement efforts in Update, BC News and Chronicle.” –University Communications
AD Bates Will Step Down at End of Academic Year Director of Athletics Brad Bates has announced that he will step down at the end of the academic year to join Collegiate Sports Associates (CSA) of Chapel Hill, NC, one of the nation’s leaders in executive search and consulting for intercollegiate athletics. He will serve as vice president at CSA, where he will lead the agency’s consulting division. Bates has served as director of athletics at Boston College since 2012. During that time, the University completed an assessment of its intercollegiate and intramural sports and finalized a strategic plan for BC Athletics in 2016 that calls for more than $200 million in new athletics facilities. The investment will include a 240,000 squarefoot recreation center, a 115,000 square-foot athletic field house, and baseball, softball and intramural fields on the Brighton Campus. As AD, Bates was known as an advocate for student-athletes and their individual sports, and he led efforts to reorganize and enhance marketing and communications within Athletics. In announcing his decision, Bates said that while he would miss Boston College, he felt that
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this leadership position at Collegiate Sports Associates was an opportunity he could not pass up at this stage of his career. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Boston College and am especially grateful for the opportunity to serve the University,” said Bates. “I will forever be an Eagle and a fan of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, and will cherish the great relationships that I have made here. The Jesuit, Catholic education offered at BC is distinctive in higher education and epitomizes the very best of college athletics. I feel privileged to be a part of this community.” University President William P. Leahy, SJ, thanked Bates for his dedicated service to BC Athletics during his four years as AD. “Brad is a man of great integrity and has been a tremendous ambassador for Boston College and its Athletics program,” said Fr. Leahy. “CSA is fortunate to have him join its team.” The University will embark on a national search for a successor and will engage the services of an executive search firm to assist in the process. –Jack Dunn
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Chronicle march 2, 2017
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“I’m looking for a student to become a leader who’s going to better the world.” – James Keenan, SJ
Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program Hits Milestone “Fr. Keenan is the reason this program has succeeded,” said senior Catherine Cole, a double major in political science and Islamic civilization and societies, with a minor in music. “He approaches every aspect of the GPSP with a critical eye, constantly innovating and setting bigger goals — and pushing us to do the same with our lives and careers.” Ashok had high praise for the mentoring he got first from Sardella and then Fr. Keenan. “Fr. Keenan was a constant source of guidance and support and I would not have been able to get into medical school or win the Truman and Marshall without his help.” The summer after freshman year, the scholars combine community service with readings in theology, philosophy, social science and public policy, and group discussions. The community service is conducted in Boston at places such as Haley House, St. Francis House, Project Bread, the Italian Home for Children and the Suffolk County House of Corrections. “The summer of service was the first time in my life I really
experienced poverty up close and in person,” said Wilson-Byrne. “It showed me how complex the issues of inequality really are and fundamentally shaped my world view on how a society should
select a topic that will be the basis for a yearlong social justice group project, which typically involves an event that enables the scholars to spread awareness about the issue among the wider BC commu-
Lee Pellegrini
Continued from page 1 in understanding the system so they could game it. I was always struck by the fact that people did not realize how their choices and behaviors actually affected the system. I firmly believe that I can impact any environment I am in – and I see it as a responsibly to always make a positive impact.” A celebration to mark the program’s silver anniversary was held on campus Tuesday, at which Professor of Chemistry Dennis Sardella, the inaugural program director, was honored along with GPSP alumni Aditya Ashok ’12, Mary Lou Bozza ’03, Dr. Amanda Heron Parsons ’97, Celso Perez ’09 and Maggie Sullivan ’08. “The Presidential Scholars Program shaped me as a student in that it further instilled in me a sense of service through both the freshman summer experience at Shaw House as well as the regular program meetings,” said Ashok, a Harvard Medical School student. “What was especially helpful was discussing service in a concrete, tangible way rather than in an abstract sense.” The University’s only academic merit scholarship program was established by BC’s Wall Street Council, a group of alumni, parents and friends based in the financial profession. Every April the council holds a dinner that, to date, has raised more than $26 million for the scholars [see separate story on this page]. There are currently 65 Presidential Scholars at BC, spread among all four class years. Selected from among the top 2 percent of all BC’s early action admission applicants, these students have demonstrated superior academic achievement and promise, leadership potential, and a commitment to serving society. GPSP scholars have been awarded prestigious scholarship, grants and fellowships, including Rhodes, Marshall, Churchill, Harry S. Truman, and Barry M. Goldwater scholarships and Fulbright grants, among others. “I’m looking for a student to become a leader who’s going to better the world,” said Canisius Professor of Theology James F. Keenan, SJ, who has directed the program since 2010, with the assistance of Associate Director Jennie Thomas and Administrative Assistant Sarah Gregorian. A consummate networker, Fr. Keenan has contacts and friends in locations across the globe and readily reaches out to them if it can help the program or a scholar. He also makes certain the scholars regularly meet with one another and make connections with GPSP alumni.
The Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program 25th anniversary celebration welcomed current and former students, as well as inaugural program director Dennis Sardella.
care for marginalized individuals and communities. That experience was a launching pad for me to become a much more empathetic person. And being able to go through that experience with a group of kids who were all grappling with the same sorts of questions was incredibly powerful.” Fr. Keenan has extended the emphasis on social justice into the scholars’ sophomore year. They
nity. This year, the sophomores created “Overlooked and Overdosed: Stories of Recovery Road,” a photo exhibit about the opioid crisis in Boston. Their goal was to help destigmatize addiction and increase awareness about the scale of the problem. Other social justice issues addressed in the past have included immigration, mass incarceration, adult education, and mental health.
Immelt to Be Honored at Wall St. Dinner Jeffrey R. Immelt, whose tenure as chairman and chief executive officer of General Electric has drawn accolades from the international business community, will be honored at the 29th annual Boston College Wall Street Council Tribute Dinner, to be held on April 18 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Immelt, who received an honorary degree from Boston College in 2010, will receive the President’s Medal for Excellence, in recognition of his exceptional career and personal and professional contributions to society. Immelt is the ninth chairman of GE, a post he has held since 2001. Since he assumed the role, GE has been named “America’s Most Admired Company,” in a poll by Fortune magazine, and one of “The World’s Most Respected Companies” in polls by Barron’s and the Financial Times. Additionally, he has been named one of the “World’s Best CEOs” three times by Barron’s, and served as chair of President Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. Immelt previously held several global leadership positions since joining GE in 1982, including roles in the company’s plastics,
Jeffrey R. Immelt
appliances, and health care businesses. In 1989 he became an officer of GE; he joined its Capital Board in 1997, and was appointed president and chief executive officer in 2000. In March 2016, Immelt addressed an audience of more than 300 business leaders at the Boston College Chief Executives Club, where he spoke about the reasons for relocating GE’s headquarters from Connecticut to Boston, and his hope for a flourishing partnership with Boston’s higher education community. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Immelt holds a bachelor’s degree in
applied mathematics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard University. Boston College’s Wall Street Council is a network of more than 2,000 BC alumni, parents, and friends who work in and represent the financial community in New York. Since its inception, the Tribute Dinner has raised more than $26 million for the Wall Street Council Scholarship Fund, which supports students in the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program, an extraordinary four-year honors program that combines rigorous course work, community service, international experience, and internships. The program is marking its 25th anniversary this year [see story on page 1]. More than 350 of these especially gifted students have been able to study at Boston College, earning some of the most prestigious academic awards, including Rhodes Scholarships, Fulbright Grants, Marshall Scholarships, Truman Scholarships, Beckman Scholarships, and many others, as they prepare to use their talents in service of others. For details on the Wall Street Council Tribute Dinner, see bit. ly/wall-street-dinner-2017. –University Communications
Also in their sophomore year, the scholars travel to Nicaragua over semester break to learn about that country’s social and economic challenges. They visit schools, hospitals, women’s health centers, and talk with politicians and journalists. Fr. Keenan cites four core values that define the essence of the GPSP: global leadership; hospitality; fidelity to GPSP partners; and promotion of the common good. “In a world of immigration and refugees, hospitality is not just being nice,” explained Fr. Keenan. “It is about being vigilant to people in need and responding to them.” Fidelity to GPSP partners is essential, added Fr. Keenan. “If you work at Haley House, I want you to remember Haley House. If you go to Managua, I want you to pay attention to Managua. It is not a stopover.” Fr. Keenan, who studied in Italy and is fluent in Italian, puts a priority on GPSP scholars gaining confidence in a foreign language and culture. As freshmen, the scholars spend spring break in Italy, where they have visited places such as Milan, Florence, Parma, Padua and Verona. For some, the trip represents their first time overseas; for others, it is their first time in a foreign-language culture. The summer after sophomore year, the GPSP scholars embark on an eight-week language program in a country of their choosing. Scholars either study a new language or travel to a country where they know the foreign language and use it full-time in a workplace. This May, for the first time, the junior class is going to Sarajevo. “Sarajevo, in many ways, captures the future,” said Fr. Keenan, who expects the scholars to discuss issues at the forefront in that part of the world, namely Islam, war and reconciliation, and unemployment. “In GPSP, I met smart people with big ideas and wide-ranging worldviews, all different from my own,” said Cole. “Their insights have forced me to reevaluate my beliefs and think deeply about the person I want to be.” “A lot of the lessons that I learned at BC helped me realize that medicine is the right profession for me,” added Ashok. “I’ll always be grateful to BC and the program for helping me grow both personally and professionally.” Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle march 2, 2017
VIRUS ENGINEERING
Rebuilding on a ‘blank slate’ virus allows Boston College chemists to engineer a durable, selective cancer-fighting method cal strategy to precisely introduce such synthetic receptor-binding agents onto the virus capsid with unprecedented site-selectivity,” said Chatterjee. To enable site-specific virus engineering, Chatterjee said the team first developed a method to incorporate small unnatural amino acid building blocks into specific sites of the virus capsid, without damaging the fragile structure. The approach succeeded in providing attachment sites for synthetic binding agents
By “erasing” and rebuilding the receptor-binding ability of a virus viewed as the prime vehicle for new human gene therapies, a team of Boston College researchers has engineered a tougher, more selective version of the virus capable attacking cancer cells. Led by Assistant Professor of Chemistry Abhishek Chatterjee and graduate student Rachel Kelemen, the team developed a novel chemical strategy to precisely introduce synthetic receptor-binding agents onto the fragile casing of the virus in order to pursue malignant cells with an unprecedented selectivity, according to the team’s most recent research, published in the international edition of the German journal Angewandte Chemie. “Viruses have perfected the art of invading human cells and delivering their genetic material,” said Chatterjee, a chemist who focuses on engineering complex biological systems. “However, the delicate virus capsids do not generally tolerate large modifications, rendering such engineering efforts challenging. Using adeno-associated virus – the most promising candidate for human gene therapy – we have developed a new approach to engineer its infectivity.” Adeno-associated viruses attach to a cell by binding specific surface-exposed receptor proteins. Chatterjee said the lab targeted that ability by wiping clean the virus’ native binding capacity and replacing it with a synthetic binding agent tailored to a receptor on the target cell. “We developed a novel chemi-
Lee Pellegrini
By Ed Hayward Staff Writer
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Abhishek Chatterjee: “We’re glad that our research has advanced the capacity of scientists to push closer to these new approaches.”
through a highly selective chemical conjugation reaction. Using the new strategy, Chatterjee attached a small cancer celltargeting ligand to an adeno-associated virus, which lacks the natural ability to bind its native receptor. Experiments found the virusinfected cancer cells with a high
“The success of Boston College students in receiving Fulbright grants is based on the fact that they are intelligent students with interesting ideas, excellent academic training, and impressive records of service.”
degree of specificity, validating the team’s site-selective approach to virus engineering. Chatterjee said the approach can be applied to enable the virus to specifically target many kinds of human cells. “Our technology for the first time enables site-specific chemical modification of adeno-associated virus,” said Chatterjee. “While Continued from page 1 not unexpected, it was gratifying and ambitious applicants, and it to demonstrate that the ability to is wonderful to see these fruits of control the attachment site on the everyone’s labor.” virus capsid is critical to gener“The success of Boston Colate functional virus-targeting agent lege students in receiving Fulconjugates that efficiently and se- bright grants is based first and lectively infect a desired cell popu- foremost on the fact that they are lation.” intelligent students with interChatterjee said he and research- esting ideas, excellent academic ers in his lab are now trying to training, and impressive records develop the approach to introduce of service,” said Christensen. “All a toxic gene specifically into cancer of these attributes equally reflect cells in order to induce cell death. the missions of the Fulbright In addition, Chatterjee is applying program and Boston College. the technique to generate more “In addition, we have an efficient adeno-associated virus de- amazingly talented and dedicated livery systems that can introduce advising staff who work with our therapeutic genes into target cells students over many months to in order to cure diseases such as craft their applications, as well as blindness, deafness, hemophilia the support of dozens of faculty and other genetic disorders. members who help with the ap“The ability to reprogram a vi- plication and interview processes. rus to specifically infect a target Finally, the strong support of cell population and deliver a cus- the University Fellowships Office tomized genetic cargo, will lead to and the Provost’s Office gives us the generation of novel therapeutic the resources we need to supstrategies for supplementing a nec- port the Fulbright program on essary gene into deficient cells, or campus.” delivering a toxic gene to maligThis year, BC graduates are nant cells,” Chatterjee said. “We’re working as English Teaching Asglad that our research has advanced the capacity of scientists to push closer to these new approaches.”
–Paul Christesen
BC Makes the Top 20 of Fulbright Producers
Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu
Photos by Julia Hopkins
Students, along with some special guests, danced and engaged in other activities for 12 hours this past Saturday in the Flynn Recreation Complex at the Boston College Dance Marathon. Fundraising from the event went to support Boston Children’s Hospital. [More information at bcdancemarathon.com]
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sistants in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, India, Malaysia, South Africa, and Spain, and doing research in Belgium, the European Union, and the Philippines. “Boston College has been among the top producing research schools for Fulbrights for several years now, and I hope that the success of our students will encourage even more BC students to apply,” said Christensen. “As the Fulbright director at Boston College, I feel that this program is particularly important now, when international cooperation and understanding are more needed, yet more under threat, than at any time since the Fulbright program began in 1946.” [See the Chronicle of Higher Education story on top Fulbright producers at chronicle.com/ article/Top-Producers-of-Fulbright/239220] Contact Jack Dunn at jack.dunn@bc.edu
Experts to Gather at BC for Cybersecurity Conference
FBI Director James B. Comey will be the keynote speaker at the Boston Conference on Cyber Security, which takes place Wednesday, March 8, in Gasson 100. The daylong event, which is sold out, has been organized through a partnership between the FBI and the Masters in Cybersecurity Policy & Governance Program at the University’s Woods College of Advancing Studies. A who’s who of cybersecurity experts will speak and participate in panel discussions at the conference, including experts from the FBI, Boston College, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, US Cyber Command, IBM Security, Dell EMC, Symantec, Jones Day, PwC, Raytheon, Akamai, Draper Labs, State Street, Charles River Associates, National Grid, and the US Naval Academy, among many others. Topics of discussion will center around emerging technologies, best practices, operations and enforcement, and real life cyber and national security experiences. Comey’s keynote address, which begins at 9:15 a.m., will discuss the cyber threat landscape, what the FBI is doing to stay ahead of the threat, and the importance of strong private sector partnerships. The conference website is http://bit.ly/fbi-conference. Read the Chronicle announcement of the conference at http://bit.ly/cybersecurity-conference-2017. –Sean Hennessey
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Chronicle march 2, 2017
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Formula for Success
Boston College study will assess how a unique algebra support program keeps high schoolers on track in math By Ed Hayward Staff Writer
More than 40 startup representatives – some from companies founded by BC alumni – came to the Startup & Entrepreneurship Fair. (Photos by Gary Wayne Gilbert)
Shea Center Organizes Fair for Prospective BC Entrepreneurs
provides a platform of tools and information to support growing businesses in the areas of finance, marketing and relationships. Two summers ago, student fair coordinator Tyler VauDell ’17 served as director of business development, and maintains “a great relationship” with its founder and team. “There are hundreds of young, growing companies in Boston and this event brings some of the most exciting startups under one roof for our student body,” VauDell said. “Speaking from experience, working at a startup provides students the chance to take on more responsibility and ownership over very tangible work.”
(L-R) ePostboard representatives Kathrynn Phillippe and Andrea Moya talk with freshmen William Reed, Juan Pablo Estrada and Sarah Ford.
it gives both the students and companies a chance to informally meet one another,” said Shea Center Executive Director Jere Doyle ’87. For their part, the companies were eager to get to know the entrepreneurial-minded attendees. Connections may lead to full-time employment or internships – opportunities that are rarely advertised, Doyle noted. “BC students are a great match for many startups because we offer such a broadly talented group to select from. Startups need a wide range of functions filled, and need people who are excellent at more than one thing. That is exactly what BC students offer,” he added. Among the companies represented was Solutions For, which
Senior Tom Herer, who since May has interned at Lovepop – a 3D sculptural greeting card company featured on the television show “Shark Tank” – helped that startup with recruitment at the fair. “The casual setting and less formal conversations, paired with the unique opportunities at these startups, make this event unlike any other career fair on campus,” VauDell said. “Whether students are looking for an internship, fulltime position, or just want to chat with successful entrepreneurs, the Startup & Entrepreneurship Fair is the perfect event.” For more information, see http://bit.ly/startup-fair-2017 –Rosanne Pellegrini
attitudes of underprepared algebra students, we expect that the results of this work can help to broaden students’ participation in mathematics, through and beyond algebra courses in high school.” O’Dwyer said she is tackling the challenges presented by the
“The TTA intervention was developed because success in algebra is a critical milestone for high school students.” –Laura O’Dwyer
Lee Pellegrini
Professional inspiration and networking opportunities were plentiful for Boston College student participants in the Feb. 21 Startup & Entrepreneurship Fair, which drew a range of innovative Boston-area companies to campus. More than 200 students, keen to explore positions in the dynamic world of startups, convened in Gasson 100 for the event. Sponsored by the Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship, the fair hosted 42 representatives of startups, including some founded at BC by then-students. The fair “is an important event for students looking to connect with early-stage companies because
Lynch School of Education Associate Professor Laura O’Dwyer has been awarded a $3.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation for her project “Supporting Success in Algebra,” a four-year quasiexperiment designed to examine the impact of the Transition to Algebra intervention, a supplemental math course provided to high school freshmen. Algebra is a cornerstone of a college prepatory curriculum, said O’Dwyer, who will conduct the study with the Educational Development Center, which created the Transition to Algebra intervention. Successful completion of algebra by ninth graders is linked to higher rates of graduation, college enrollment and completion, and workforce preparation. Ninth grade in general is an important year of academic transition, according to O’Dwyer, a professor in the Lynch School’s Department of Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation. “Ninth grade is a pivotal year for high school students: Studies have shown that poor performance in ninth grade, especially course failure, substantially increases students’ risk of dropping out of high school and falling off track for college eligibility. “Moreover, access to algebra appears to be even more important for low-income and minority students,” she added. “The TTA intervention was developed because success in algebra is a critical milestone for high school students.”
Implementing a quasi-experiment in the field with as many as 5,000 students and their teachers, O’Dwyer will look at the effectiveness of Transition to Algebra, which tries to establish the “logic of algebra” by connecting arithmetic pattern and algebraic structure, with a focus
on “habits of mind” to create a coherent mathematical storyline, she said. Transition to Algebra, O’Dwyer notes, is organized around five key mathematical ways of thinking: puzzling and persevering, seeking and using structure, using tools strategically, describing repeated reasoning, and communicating with precision. “We hope that our findings will provide a deeper understanding of the curriculum and system supports that promote success for students at risk of failure in algebra,” O’Dwyer said. “By generating knowledge about ways to improve the achievement and
scope of the study. She and her colleagues are currently developing instruments for field study and data collection and recruiting school districts to participate in the research. “Our research plans are quite ambitious – we plan to implement a quasi-experimental pre-post research design in 70 schools,” said O’Dwyer. “Overall, we will be working with about 350 teachers serving over 5,000 students. Getting such a large study up and running in the field is both challenging and exciting.” Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu
This past Friday, Boston College marked the closing of its celebration of Black History Month with a ceremony in the Vanderslice Hall Cabaret Room. The theme was “Powerful and Inspirational Black Women.”
Photos by Christopher Huang
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Chronicle march 2, 2017
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BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MEDIA An introduction to new faculty members at Boston College
Rebecca Dunn
Assistant Professor of the Practice of Biology Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: Bucknell University (BA); Northwestern University (PhD) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Cellular and molecular biology WHAT SHE TEACHES: Genetics and Genomics; Molecules and Cells; Gateway Biology.
Yehua Wei
Assistant Professor of Operations Management Carroll School of Management DEGREES: University of Waterloo (BS); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Decisions under uncertainty WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Business Statistics Give us an overview of your current research. “I work on combining analytical modeling and techniques to derive insights into complex operational problems. My research spans over both theoretical and applied domains. On the theoretical side, I have developed simple, analytical insights in operational environments such as flexible manufacturing, service networks, and inventory systems. On the application side, I have collaborated with scientists and engineers in the automotive industry, to build model that is used to improve firms’ resiliency to disruption risks.”
Jack Welch
Assistant Professor of the Practice of Management and Organization Carroll School of Management DEGREES: Cornell University (BS, M.Eng.); University of Chicago (MBA) WHAT HE’S PRACTICED: Strategic management and leadership, consulting WHAT HE TEACHES: Strategic Management; Corporate Strategy You came to teach at BC after 30 years at McKinsey & Co. What’s it been like for you in the classroom? Do you find yourself learning from your students even as you’re teaching them? “I am impressed by the talent and the energy of my students. The classroom adjustment is a work-in-progress, but I am enjoying the transition. I have tried to make the course topical by adding a strategy-related issue from current events to the classroom. I am finding myself developing new interests and researching those to bring them back to the classroom.”
M. Bumin Yenmez
Associate Professor of Economics Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: California Institute of Technology (BS); Stanford University Graduate School of Business (PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Matching theory; auction theory; mechanism design; choice theory; school choice; college admissions; matching markets; affirmative action. WHAT HE TEACHES: Market Design; Mechanism Deign What led you to the field of economics? “I have always been interested in theoretical subjects, including mathematics and physics. What led me to economics was not only was it elegant, but at the same time it was about real-life markets rather than abstract objects.”
–Ed Hayward, Sean Hennessey, Sean Smith Photos by Lee Pellegrini
Chemical Genetics Scholar Shokat to Speak at Chemistry Lecture Series University of California-San Francisco Professor of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology Kevan Shokat will deliver the Chemistry Department’s annual University Lectures in Chemistry, giving three talks between March 21 and 23 in Merkert Chemistry Center. The pioneering “chemical genetics” research of Shokat, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, explores cellular signaling networks, with a particular focus on protein kinases, the largest family of enzymes in the human genome. Shokat will present “Chemical Tricks for Drugging the Undruggable” (March 21), “Chemical Approaches for Deciphering Kinase Signaling Networks (March 22)” and “Drugs Targeting K-Ras in Cancer (March 23).” Each lecture takes place at 4 p.m. in Merkert 127 For more information, see http://bit.ly/chemistry-lectures-2017. –Ed Hayward
In a report on defining terrorism, PBS Newshour cited an interdisciplinary study, led by psychology doctoral student Jordan Theriault and conducted with Assoc. Prof. Liane Young (Psychology) and Asst. Prof. Peter Krause (Political Science), that concluded that the education system can be a tool to more effectively combat terrorism. Prof. Rebekah Levine Coley (LSOE) offered her views to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on a Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh study that found asthma and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder among the physical and mental maladies affecting poor children, along with attendant conditions known as “comorbidities.” Boston College-Ireland Academic Director Mike Cronin wrote about the loss of a Dublin landmark in a piece for the Irish Times. He also was a guest on the BBC
Radio 4 series “Ramblings,” for a tour of the bog where two remarkable events of the 20th century took place. Prof. Kevin Kenny (History) was among a group of experts asked by WalletHub to weigh in on the question of whether Mexico will pay for proposed border wall. Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program Visiting Associate Professor Martha Bayles wrote a piece for the Boston Globe “Ideas” on the frequent tugof-war between journalism and government in the US. In the aftermath of the resignation of national security adviser Michael Flynn, Assoc. Prof. Devin Pendas (History) appeared on the New England Cable News show “The Take” to discuss the Trump administration, Russia, and chemical weapons attacks and largescale hangings in Syria.
NOTA BENE Four Boston College scholars won research grants from the Louisville Institute for the 2016-2017 academic year: •Assistant Professor of Theology Andrew Prevot, Sabbatical Grant for Researchers •Peter Cajka, doctoral candidate in history, Dissertation Fellowship •Eduardo Gonzalez, doctoral candidate in theology, Dissertation Fellowship •Jessica Coblentz, doctoral candidate in theology, Dissertation Fellowship In addition, M.T. Davalia PhD ’07, now an associate professor of Christian ethics at Andover Newton Theological School, received a Pre-Tenure, First Book Grant for Minority Scholars. The Louisville Institute is a Lilly Endowment-funded program based at Louisville Seminary supporting those who lead and study North American religious institutions. The fundamental mission of the Louisville Institute is to enrich the religious life of North American Christians. Assistant Professor of Philosophy Marius Stan was corecipient of a Collaborative Research Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies. The fellowships, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, support small teams of scholars – representing a broad range of institutions and years of experience – in their research on a major scholarly project. Marius and University of Notre Dame Professor of Philosophy Katherine Brading will explore why philosophy and physics diverged during the Enlightenment. Boston College Law School third-year student Natali Soto has been named a 2017 Immigrant Justice Corps fellow, one of 25 nationwide. Fellowship recipients will represent immigrants fighting deportation and seeking lawful status and citizenship. [Read more at http://bit.ly/natalie-soto]
The Washington Post “Grade Point” section featured BC’s Learning to Learn program as an alternative to remedial classes and noted its benefits: Of more than 150 lowincome, underrepresented, and first-generation college students who completed the Applications of Learning Theory course in the last decade, 95 percent earned a degree in four years. In a co-authored piece for Inside Higher Ed, Center for International Higher Education Director Hans de Wit wrote that higher education in emerging and developing countries struggles between past colonial influences and current challenges as the sector defines its social role in an increasingly competitive environment, write and co-authors. The BC student improv troupe Committee for Creative Enactments, or CCE, was included in a Boston Globe story on the College Comedy Festival, known as the Comedy Beanpot, at the ImprovBoston theater in Cambridge.
JOBS The following are among the most recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/offices/hr: Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications, Residential Life Associate Dean, School of Social Work Senior Service Representative, Academic Affairs/Provost Program Director, Master of Healthcare Administration, Academic Affairs/Provost Staff Psychiatrist, Student Affairs/Residential Life Manager, Data Center Operations, Information Technology Law School Technology Consultant, Academic Affairs/Provost Senior/Prospect Management Analyst, University Advancement Gift Management and Reporting Assistant, University Advancement Data and Visualization Librarian, Academic Affairs/Provost Associate Director of Capital Projects, Facilities/Trades Assistant Director, Intersections, University Mission & Ministry General Service Worker, Dining & Catering/Auxiliary/Public Safety
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Chronicle march 2, 2017
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A Faraway War Hits Close to Trio of Boston College Siblings
Things didn’t used to be so complicated, certainly not in the Aboukhaters’ youthful memories of Aleppo as it was. There was the city’s famous citadel, one of the oldest castles in the world; in that neighborhood, you could get a good breakfast of yogurt, hummus and pita bread. There were the aforementioned parks to run around in, and plenty of friends to play with. “We had city life,” says Matthew, who wears a wristband with the colors of the Syrian flag. “Not Boston or New York, obviously, but everything you could want.” The siblings kept their American connection alive, too. Layla recalls watching episodes of “Barney” they had videotaped and brought with them, and her mother’s readings of Dr. Seuss. But the Harry Potter series was a treasured, and important, part of their childhood. “Harry Potter made me fall in love with reading,” explains Layla. “Because I read so much, it helped me with my English. If not for reading, I honestly wouldn’t have gotten into BC. “So,” she quips, “I’m here because of Harry Potter.” A central part of the Aboukhater family life was – and continues to be – their Christian faith. Their church’s youth program was a focal point of religious education, leadership development and social activity, and also was where Layla, Jude and Matthew first learned about Jesuit beliefs and practices through a Dutch Jesuit priest who led annual retreats throughout Syria. The younger Aboukhaters’ story compiled new chapters – the teenage years, high school, and in Lay-
la’s case, dental school – as across the Middle East and North Africa a series of incidents of unrest gradually began to coalesce. The so-called Arab Spring seemed far off until March of 2011, when the arrest of more than a dozen children for writing anti-government graffiti in the southern Syria city of Daraa triggered protests, which escalated to other cities – including Aleppo – and precipitated a government
intact?
Living through the war, say the Aboukhaters, was much like the metaphor of a frog sitting in slowly boiling water – you acclimate, until the point when the situation overtakes you. The first rise in temperature came in June of 2012: A loud explosion in the center of Aleppo shook their school building, and the students were all sent home.
Still, the family held fast, hoping that there might be a resolution. Meanwhile, many of their friends and acquaintances left, and expressed surprise when they found out that Aboukhaters had remained. In the summer of 2014, they considered relocating to a city on the coast, but news of a rocket attack there scuttled that idea. Finally, the family decided it was time to leave Syria.
Lee Pellegrini
Continued from page 1 plane. We had resources.” “Even our pets came with us,” adds Jude. In fact, the three siblings were all born in Boston during the 1990s when Hassan was studying at Tufts and Noor doing coursework at the Boston Architectural College, and retained their American citizenship even after the family moved to Syria. Because Layla turned 21 when she returned to the US, she was able to sponsor her parents as permanent residents, and both have green cards. When President Trump issued his executive order restricting travel and immigration for Syrians, some well-intentioned friends thought the three were at risk (“You can stay in my home,” one told Jude). If anyone in the family might be affected, it was Noor and Hassan; they decided to forego the trip to Canada they were contemplating, on the chance they might not get back into the US.
For Matthew, Layla and Jude Aboukhater, their last years in Syria seem surreal. “It wasn’t until we were away from Syria, and could look back with an outsider mentality, that we realized how weird things were,” says Jude. crackdown. The rebels pushed back, and conflict continued and spread. The family followed these developments with increasing ambivalence and anxiety, say Layla, Jude and Matthew. The protestors and activists proclaimed a “revolution” against the government of Bashar al-Assad, but what exactly did that mean? How would it play out? And what might the consequences be for Christian families, many of whom had experienced religious, political and economic persecution at the hands of those now fighting Assad? “As soon as the revolution started, we saw what it was,” says Jude. “It had nothing to do with reform. It was about power.” This is the Gordian knot in the thread of the Aboukhaters’ story. The intricacies of Syria’s civil war, its combatants and alliances, have been notoriously difficult for many Americans to grasp, especially in an age where communication often occurs via social media memes and 140-character proclamations. As the siblings explain it, rejecting one side in the war does not mean you wholeheartedly embrace another; when you point out that civilians in pro-government neighborhoods have suffered, it is not to diminish the suffering of civilians elsewhere. The calculation is this: In what scenario are your loved ones and community most likely to survive
But then bombings became routine, and classes continued as scheduled. Then the school was closed, students were moved to a smaller building, and the sports program was cut. Electricity became less and less available, until it was off more often than it was on. Their parents did not sugarcoat the situation, say the Aboukhaters. Besides the increasing danger and shortage of electricity and hot water, Hassan’s dental practice was losing patients. The family constantly talked about whether or not to stay. In 2013, anti-government forces formed a blockade in the district where the Aboukhaters lived. The family adapted: The children moved into the guest room. Beds and couches were moved away from the windows. Windows were kept slightly open so the pressure caused by explosions wouldn’t blow them out. And the family sought any semblance of normalcy. “It wasn’t until we were away from Syria, and could look back with an outsider mentality, that we realized how weird things were,” says Jude. “You’d go to party with friends, and there’d be explosions on the street, but you would still stay out.” “My father found a guy selling bread for 500 Syrian pounds – usually, the price would be maybe 10 or 15 pounds,” adds Matthew. “And he bought it from him.”
Layla and her father went first – he went on a travel visa for a dental conference, and was able to obtain a work visa for a longer stay. Matthew and Jude followed two months later, and Noor five months after that. They settled in Canton, to the southwest of Boston, and through a church they attended in West Roxbury were able to find an Arab ex-pat community, mainly Iraqi and Lebanese. They thought of those left behind in Syria or elsewhere –like Noor’s mother, who would die in Lebanon from cancer while awaiting a visa to Australia – but the three siblings had to make a quick transition. Jude and Matthew were halfway through junior year of high school, and needed to start making college plans. Layla, meanwhile, looked to resume her dentistry studies, but ultimately decided to go in a different direction. She considered several area colleges, but the Jesuit presence at BC felt familiar and inspiring. “I felt at home,” she says. BC thus became the choice for Matthew and Jude. “We went for the sake of our parents – they’re just not ready to have us all over the place,” says Jude. “It also goes more with the way things work in Arabic society, where the children stay at home until they’re out of college.”
Yet it was impossible to shut
out Syria. “I remember sitting in the high school cafeteria, and I’d see friends posting on the Facebook page of someone who had been killed, commenting as if that person was still alive,” says Jude. “And just a few feet away, people were discussing the Kardashians. I understood that it was just something you talked about at lunch, but I felt a big disconnect between what we were thinking and experiencing – living in a different world.” What rankled the Aboukhaters – and continues to do so – was the US media coverage about Syria: too often focused on sensational, emotionally charged images and anecdotes, and insufficiently balanced to represent all segments of the Syrian population. Explaining their perspective has been a constant reminder of the limits of engagement via Facebook and other social media. “There’s so much material that promotes this one-sided, blackand-white view of the conflict, where the government is killing everyone,” says Layla. “The situation is more complicated, but it’s difficult to get this across if it doesn’t fit the narrative that’s out there.” Predictably, Layla, Matthew and Jude also find themselves cast into the role of being ad hoc spokespersons or experts on matters involving refugees and immigration, such as the Trump executive order. As Layla explained to The Heights, Syrians and other Arabs trying to enter the US have long faced considerable scrutiny – like her mother, who was detained and questioned for hours. [Layla will give a talk about her and her family’s experiences on April 4 at 7 p.m. in Cushing 001, sponsored by UGBC.]
Hassan and Noor often talk with the children about the future, and what place Syria might have in their lives. “Mom tells us we have an obligation to give back,” says Matthew. “We’re in a unique position to be able to help Syria, and that is something we should do for all it gave us.” Help they will. But they will not live there again. “It’s such a volatile area,” says Matthew. “History so often repeats itself.” Yet Layla, Jude and Matthew say they will make sure their children know about Syria, and see the country that is so integral to their family’s story. Because, after all, the Aboukhaters’ story is not finished. Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu