The Boston College
Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs april 9, 2015 VOL. 22 no. 14
•“UN GIFT Box” to appear at BC, page 2
Chicago Archbishop Cupich to Address Graduates Sister Marie Chin, Michael Motyl, Steve Pemberton, Lee Woodruff also will be honored
By the Office of News & Public Affairs
•Green Week/Earth Day celebrations planned, page 2 •Fellowships will support Irish MBA students, page 3 •Chemistry’s Byers earns Cottrell Scholar Award, page 3 •Photo: Former Lebanon president visits BC, page 3 •Program explores Jesuit tradition’s impact on employees, page 4 •Atlantic’s Ta-Nehisi Coates to speak on reparations, page 4 •CSON’s Read, Hawkins are honored, page 5
Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich
Marie Chin, a mainstay of the Sisters of Mercy in Jamaica; Lynch School of Education alumnus Michael Motyl ’01, president of the Guadalupe Regional Middle
Lee Pellegrini
•Website eases off-campus housing search, page 2
Chicago Archbishop Blase Joseph Cupich, leader of the country’s third-largest Catholic diocese and a champion for the economically and socially disenfranchised, will address the graduates at Boston College’s 139th annual Commencement Exercises on May 18. University President William P. Leahy, SJ, will present Archbishop Cupich with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the ceremony, which will take place at 10 a.m. in Alumni Stadium, rain or shine. [Commencement information is available at www. bc.edu/commencement.] In addition, the University will present honorary degrees to: Sister
•Q&A with Romero Scholarship winner Ricardo Alberto, page 6
•Student is awarded a Critical Language Scholarship, page 7 •Obituary: Carol M. Petillo, page 7 •Memorial for Radu Florescu will be April 21, page 7 •Intercollegiate Poetry Festival, page 8 •Arts Festival will pop up later this month, page 8
(L-R) Christine Goldman, a part-time faculty member in Chemistry, Morgan Grunat ‘15 and Maire “Maggie” Crowley ‘17 are running the Boston Marathon in support of the Martin Richard Charitable Foundation – Team MR8.
Running for Martin, and for Peace
Marathon is a special event for Team MR8 members By Michael Maloney Staff Writer
In the days after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, a photo of eight-year-old victim Martin Richard went viral around the Internet. In the photo, Martin held a hand-written sign that simply said, “No More Hurting People. Peace,” and became an international symbol for peace and innocence. Martin’s message inspired his
family to create the Martin Richard Charitable Foundation Inc., known as “Team MR8,” and the foundation has in turn inspired three Boston College community members to run this year’s April 20 Boston Marathon for a greater cause: Christine Goldman, a part-time faculty member in the Chemistry Department, and Lynch School of Education students Maire “Maggie” Crowley ’17 and Morgan Grunat ’15. Continued on page 5
QUOTE:
strong supporter of immigration reform, he has spoken about the importance of offering the estimated 8 million undocumented workers – whose “toil, taxes and purchasing power” benefit the US – the “protection of the law.” Known for his quick wit and pragmatic style, Archbishop Cupich has cited his family as one of his most important influences: His father worked three jobs to provide for his wife and nine children; his grandparents were Croatian immigrants who raised money to build his childhood church. Interviewed by the National Catholic Reporter, Archbishop Cupich said that “everything that I have learned in terms of working Continued on page 4
Groome to Lead Church in the 21st Century Center By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer
•‘BC Strong’ event will offer insights on 2013 Marathon bombings, p. 5
•GPSP sophomores’ film project examines mental health issues, page 6
School in Texas; executive, writer and motivational speaker Steve Pemberton ’89; and Lee Woodruff, journalist and best-selling author. Some 4,000 Boston College students will receive their undergraduate and graduate degrees at separate ceremonies held around campus after the main Commencement event. Appointed by Pope Francis last fall, Chicago Archbishop Blase Joseph Cupich formally began his duties in November as the ninth archbishop of Chicago, home to some 2.2 million Catholics, nearly half of who are Hispanic. His ministry has been focused on reaching out to those on the margins: immigrants, Native Americans and the poor. A
Caitlin Cunningham
INSIDE
COMMENCEMENT MAY 18, 2015
School of Theology and Ministry Professor Thomas Groome, an internationally renowned theologian, popular Catholic author and authority on religious education, has been appointed director of the Church in the 21st Century Center (C21) by University President William P. Leahy, SJ. Groome, who will assume his duties on July 1, succeeds former C21 Director Erik Goldschmidt, who resigned in 2014, and Special Assistant to the President Robert Newton, who has served as interim director this academic year. Newton will continue with his role as chair of the C21 steering committee and co-chair of its advisory committee. “I’m looking forward to this new challenge and to working to take the Church in the 21st Century Center to its next level of excellence in service to the life of the Church in the world,” said Groome. “Since its inception, C21 has accomplished a great deal, but there are myriad issues remaining which need addressing
Thomas Groome
for the Church to be effective and to flourish in this century.” “Dr. Groome will bring much wisdom, vision, and experience to C21,” said Fr. Leahy. “His Catholic faith is foundational to his life, he values the Catholic intellectual tradition and pastoral approach, and he appreciates the opportunities and challenges facing contemporary Catholicism. I very much look forward to working with him to advance C21 and its mission.” Established initially as a response to the sexual abuse crisis in the CathContinued on page 3
“We knew so little about mental health in Boston, and assumed that – given the abundance of academic and professional resources in the area – there were less issues regarding availability and care. But the concerns we found mirrored those in many other areas of the country.” –Gabelli Presidential Scholar Russell Simons, page 6
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A ROUND
C AMPUS
A TRUE ‘GIFT’ Jasmine was 19 years old when her boyfriend changed her name to Tami and took her to work at a “massage parlor” in Hartford, where he forced her into prostitution and became her pimp. “Having to sell my body disgusted me. I had to emotionally and mentally shut down. It was the only way to survive the next eight years of my life,” said this human trafficking survivor, now a victim’s advocate. Her story is “typical of many women who have been trafficked,” according to the organizers of the “UN GIFT Box” project, which
is a face, a person who has a price tag hung around their neck,” said STOP THE TRAFFIK CEO Ruth Dearnley. “When STOP THE TRAFFIK launched the GIFT Box, we knew that it would bring the issue of human trafficking to the attention of communities at street level.” “The real-life stories inside the GIFT Box will break your heart – but hopefully, open your heart,” added Deb O’Hara-Rusckowski of the United Nations Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons. “The biggest misconception is people thinking it happens far
OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING, MADE EASIER
The UN GIFT Box on display in New York City.
will be on display at Boston College from April 24-29 on Middle Campus near Stokes Hall. The powerful exhibit creates awareness of, fosters education about, and empowers action against human trafficking. Launched in London during the 2012 Summer Olympics by STOP THE TRAFFIK and the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN. GIFT), the 10-foot-high structure functions as a metaphor for the techniques used by sex traffickers, according to organizers: Visitors are lured into a big, colorfully wrapped box, only to be confronted – through photographs and survivor stories – with the harsh realities of sex trafficking. The US State Department estimates that at any given time, some 27 million men, women and children worldwide are victims of trafficking. “The GIFT Box reminds the public that behind any statistic
away in other countries. They cannot see that people are being trafficked right here in their very own cities, towns and neighborhoods.” The first US GIFT Box display was in 2014 in New York City; the project is being expanded to exhibition sites across the country. The BC installation – sponsored by the BC Arts Council, School of Theology and Ministry and Women’s Resource Center, among others – will be staffed by trained volunteers from the University community, and is open daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed Sunday). Boston College is the only Boston-area college or university to host the exhibit, which will then travel to Boston City Hall Plaza. For more information on GIFT Box USA, its background and sponsoring organizations, and about human trafficking, see www.giftboxusa.com and www. stopthetraffik.org. –Office of News & Public Affairs
Director of NEWS & Public Affairs Jack Dunn Deputy Director of NEWS & Public AFFAIRS Patricia Delaney Editor Sean Smith
Contributing Staff Melissa Beecher Ed Hayward Sean Hennessey Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Michael Maloney Photographers Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini
The Office of Residential Life recently launched a new offcampus housing website [bc.edu/ offcampushousing] administrators say will greatly ease students’ searches for accommodations and roommates. The mobile-friendly site, which requires registration for both Boston College and non-Boston College users, provides a fully searchable database that renters and buyers can use to find off-campus housing, or to seek roommates. Property owners or management companies and real estate agents and brokers can also post housingrelated listings, but must set up an account to do so. “I think the website and database will be of great assistance not only to students but to BC faculty and staff members, who simply use their BC ID to gain access,” said Assistant Director of OffCampus Housing Peter Kwiatek. “Even students who are enrolled at BC but don’t yet have their IDs yet – as well as students’ parents and other family members – can browse the site by logging on as guest users.” The site also provides links to FAQs for students on finding offcampus housing, and for tenants and landlords on various housing-related matters (“My landlord raised my rent six months ago. Now she wants to raise it again. Can she do that?”); sample forms and documents such as a housing code checklist and leases; guides
The Boston College
Chronicle www.bc.edu/chronicle chronicle@bc.edu
on tenant rights and responsibilities, security deposits and renters insurance, among other subjects; a list of local utility companies; information on transportation and parking, public safety and other municipal resources. The website is operated by OffCampus Partners, which provides an extra level of quality control, noted Kwiatek – an important consideration given safety and legal concerns raised in recent years over student housing in Boston. “We, along with Off-Campus
Partners, monitor listings to make sure they are in compliance with city regulations,” he said. “We notify landlords if their listing appears to violate anti-discriminatory or other housing-related laws. We track complaints by tenants and pull people or companies if there have been problems with their properties. “It’s very important to us that the information our students access is reliable, accurate and meets legal standards, so we make every effort to be vigilant.” –Sean Smith
April will be a special month of promoting sustainability and conservation at Boston College, as EcoPledge holds its annual Green Week from April 13-22, climaxing with a 45th-anniversary celebration of Earth Day on April 22. A highlight of Green Week will be an appearance by author and environmentalist Bill McKibben on April 16 (time and location to be announced). That week also features a showing of “Snowpiercer” – an action-adventure film set in a future where Earth has been devastated by a disastrous climate change-reversal attempt – on April 13 at 6:30 p.m. in O’Neill 211; a panel discussion with BC faculty members David Deese, Tara Pisani Gareau, David Storey, Laura Hake and Michael Barnett on environment-related topics such as sustainable agriculture, the US-China agreement on climate change, and American energy policy, on April 14 at 7 p.m. in Fulton 110; and a screening of “The Polar Explorer,” a documentary on the effects of climate change in the polar regions, on April 17 at noon in O’Neill Library. The Earth Day Fair, which takes place on Stokes Lawn, will include activities in which visitors can test their knowledge about sustainability issues, explore ecology and conservation-related information and resources, and take part in herb-potting. Free water bottles and LED light bulbs will be given out. Among the organizations and companies taking part in the Earth Day Fair will be Bike BC, the Earth and Environmental Studies Department, RealFood, Climate Justice, L.L. Bean, Sweet Green and Charity Water. Co-sponsors of the fair are the UGBC Environmental Caucus, Residence Hall Association and the Boston College Sustainability Office. Details on Green Week will be available at the Sustainability Office website, www.bc.edu/sustainability, and the EcoPledge Facebook page, facebook.com/ BCEcoPledge. –Office of News & Public Affairs The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617)552-3350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.
A flipbook edition of Chronicle is available via e-mail. Send requests to chronicle@bc.edu.
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MBA Fellowship Created for Irish Students By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs
Irish entrepreneur and philanthropist Denis O’Brien has established a fellowship at Boston College that will provide two Irish students annually with a fully-funded master’s degree in business administration (MBA) at the Carroll School of Management. O’Brien, chairman and principal shareholder of Digicel Group, one of the world’s fastest growing cellular companies, and owner and board member of Communicorp, Ireland’s largest media holding company, has created the Denis O’Brien Fellowship at Boston College to provide an opportunity for aspiring business leaders from Ireland to obtain a world-class graduate education at a premier American university. O’Brien graduated from Boston College with an MBA in corporate finance in 1982. The O’Brien Fellowship will cover the full cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, books and living expenses for the duration of the MBA program, as well as international travel to and from Boston. The candidates for the fellowship must be Irish citizens of exceptional academic and/or career achievement, who possess the high personal and professional standards of the program’s namesake. “Boston College and Ireland have had a long and illustrious association,” said O’Brien. “I am delighted to continue this with a scholarship program for two Irish
Denis O’Brien MBA ’82
nationals to have the opportunity to pursue a two-year MBA program in management at Boston College.” Carroll School of Management Dean Andrew Boynton expressed gratitude to O’Brien for the generous gift that established the fellowship. “We are honored that Denis has created the O’Brien Fellowship at Boston College, as it will provide an invaluable opportunity for Irish students who want to pursue an MBA at one of the top business schools in the United States. He is a person who has brought acclaim to his alma mater as a student, global business leader and generous alumnus. We are grateful for his support.” Ranked fourth among business schools in the United States by Bloomberg/BusinessWeek, the Carroll School is internationally regarded for its graduate programs in entrepreneurial and asset management, corporate finance, marketing and accounting. The MBA program attracts top students from diverse
backgrounds and experiences who work closely with Boston College faculty in a program that combines sequenced course work with experiential learning. Carroll School alumni are among the top leaders in the corporate, non-profit and finance world. In addition to his extensive business interests, O’Brien chaired the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland, which featured teams from 160 countries and more than 30,000 volunteers, in the first-ever games held outside of the United States. O’Brien is also a director on the US Board of Concern Worldwide and a member of the United Nations Broadband Commission for Digital Development. O’Brien is the chairman and cofounder of Frontline, the Dublinbased International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, which works to ensure that the standards set out in the 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders are known, respected and adhered to worldwide. He also established The Iris O’Brien Foundation to identify and assist projects in Ireland and abroad that aim to alleviate disadvantaged communities. O’Brien holds a BA degree from University College Dublin, which also presented him with an honorary degree in 2006. Information on how to apply for the O’Brien Fellowship is available at http://bit.ly/1DuHCpz. Contact Jack Dunn at jack.dunn@bc.edu
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Jeffery A. Byers has received a $75,000 Cottrell Scholar Award from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, America’s second-oldest foundation and the first devoted wholly to science. The award will support Byers’ research into polymers, long chains of atoms or molecules found in everything from plastic grocery sacks to DNA in living cells. “Cottrell Scholars are provided with unique opportunities to launch and establish truly outstanding careers,” said RCSA President Robert Shelton. “In addition to receiving financial support for research, scholars belong to a community whose members help each other to develop the skills and relationships necessary to become academic leaders.” Byers is exploring the use of a specific type of iron molecule as a unique catalyst for synthesizing a “copolymer” — a polymer that combines two or more different
Robyn Gesek
Cottrell Award Supports Byers’ Work on Polymers
Jeffery Byers
molecules — in this case lactide, carbon dioxide and epoxide. Other researchers have made strides in combining some of these chemicals into useful thermoplastics. Byers, however, is among the first to experiment with combining all of them to form useful new biodegradable polymers. The process also capitalizes on using environmentally friendly and abundant iron-based catalysts to achieve this goal.
While there are no guarantees in fundamental research such as this, if Byers is successful in creating useful catalysts based on this chemistry, the end result could be new or improved degradable plastics and other materials yet to be conceived. The Cottrell Scholar Award also supports innovation in education. Byers said he plans to use some of the funds to develop new software for electronic tablets to aid undergraduate students to more quickly understand molecular symmetry, a fundamental concept in chemistry. Byers will also create new demonstrations and teaching aids for introductory chemistry courses to encourage active learning based on problem solving. Byers said he also hopes to institute an undergraduate-led outreach program to encourage high school students, primarily from under-represented minorities, to pursue careers in science. –Office of News & Public Affairs
Former Lebanon President Amine Gemayel presented “Religious Pluralism in the Middle East: A Challenge to the International Community” on March 25 in McGuinn Auditorium, an event co-sponsored by the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life and the departments of Slavic and Eastern Languages and Literatures, Political Science and Theology.
Caitlin Cunningham
STM’s Groome Appointed As C21 Center Director Continued from page 1
olic Church, the center has evolved into a catalyst and resource for the renewal of the Church, focusing on four main topics: handing on the faith; roles and relationships in the Church; sexuality in the Catholic tradition; and the Catholic intellectual tradition. The center has sponsored/cosponsored more than 500 events that have attracted some 65,000 participants, including 500 scholars or prominent Church figures. Its website, which has an international viewership, boasts 400 webcasts of C21 programs, and its magazine, C21 Resources, has a circulation of 175,000. The award-winning C21 book series has produced more than a dozen titles to date. “Building upon the good work done over the past 13 years, I’d like to deepen the center’s engagement with some cutting-edge issues for the Church of the 21st Century,” said Groome. “For example, how is the US Catholic Church to embrace the gifts and respond to the pastoral needs of its expanding Hispanic population? Or, as Pope Francis continues his clarion call for the Church to side with the poor, how should we respond in an America that has an ever-increasing divide between great wealth and dire poverty, with poor women and children suffering the most? And within the Church’s own backyard, it is urgent that we face honestly and openly the future of diocesan priesthood, its membership, culture and preparation.” Groome has been a faculty member at Boston College since 1976. A native of Ireland, he completed seminary education at St. Patrick’s College in Carlow, Ireland. He earned a master’s degree in religious education from Fordham University and a doctorate in theology and education from Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University Teachers College. He has authored such books as Will There be Faith: A New Vision for Educating and Growing Disciples;
What Makes Us Catholic: Eight Gifts for Life; and Educating for Life: A Spiritual Vision for Every Teacher and Parent. He also has published more than 150 articles and essays on religious education and ministry in scholarly journals and publications. He is co-editor of Horizons and Hopes: The Future of Religious Education, Reclaiming Catholicism: Treasures Old and New and Catholic Spiritual Practices: Treasures Old and New, a C21 book he edited with his wife Colleen Griffith, STM associate professor of the practice of theology. As the primary author of the religion curriculum, Coming to Faith and God with Us, and general editor of the Credo religious education series, Groome has had an impact on the religious education — from kindergarten to high school — of generations of Catholics. Groome has been honored for his work with the Emmaus Award from the National Association of Parish Religious Educators, Christian Culture Gold Medal Award from Assumption University (Canada) and by the Catholic Press Association. Groome’s knowledge and expertise in religious education, theology and ministry make him a soughtafter speaker in religious education circles and beyond. During the past 35 years, he has made more than 700 presentations to religious educators throughout North America, and served as a guest lecturer at several universities, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Emory, Chicago, Notre Dame and Georgetown, among others. He has lectured outside the US in Ireland, England, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Jamaica, Lithuania, Sweden, Peru, Ecuador, Germany, South Africa and the Netherlands.
The full version of this story is available at http://bit.ly/1O4G477
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COMMENCEMENT MAY 18, 2015
Archbishop Cupich, Four Others to Receive Honorary Degrees
An internationally known
speaker and spiritual director, Sister Marie Chin, RSM, of Jamaica is dedicated to the mission
Sister Marie Chin, RSM
of the Sisters of the Mercy and practices it in her native country, one of the poorest in the world. In 1961, she entered the Sisters of Mercy, an international community of Roman Catholic women who dedicate their lives
‘Diverse Perspectives’ Series Is Under Way The Office for Institutional Diversity and Campus Ministry have launched a new program that explores the role of the Jesuit tradition in the work and lives of Boston College employees. The “Living Out the Jesuit Mission: Diverse Perspectives” series began on March 30 with a talk by Vice President for University Mission and Ministry Jack Butler, SJ, on the connection between diversity, inclusion and the Ignatian tradition. Organizers say the series – which builds on a previous initiative, Diversity and the Ignatian Tradition – focuses on how BC employees of various backgrounds (including race, ethnicity, gender, ability or sexual orientation) and faith traditions incorporate the principles of the
Jesuit tradition in their jobs as well as in their personal lives. In a statement introducing the program, organizers said that “Having a shared understanding of the relationship between diversity, inclusion and the Ignatian tradition enables each of us to listen and be listened to, be welcoming and feel welcomed, and to embrace our work and the work of others.” The series continues on April 29 at noon in McElroy 237, with a panel discussion on different faith traditions and their connections with the Jesuit mission and vision. For more information on this event and “Living Out the Jesuit Mission: Diverse Perspectives,” see http://bit.ly/1IAftvA. –Office of News & Public Affairs
to God through vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and service. The organization is responsible for approximately 5,000 members in 11 countries and advocates for social justice and systemic change on behalf of the poor and marginalized in society. After teaching at the secondary level for more than a decade at Alpha Academy in Kingston, Jamaica, she served in a number of key positions with Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, including director of formation, coordinator/administrator of the Jamaica Region, and vice president and president of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Her current position is incorporation/vocation minister and local administrator. Sister Marie is vicar for religious for the Archdiocese of Kingston and has directed retreats, workshops and programs worldwide on such topics as spirituality, religious life and multiculturalism. She will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at Commencement. In the seven years he has served as president of the Guadalupe Regional Middle School, Michael Motyl ’01 has overseen the development of an academically challenging school where the gospel values of love, justice, self-discipline and respect for others are taught and lived. Located in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley – where more than onethird of the residents live below the poverty level and nearly 14 percent of high school freshmen must repeat ninth grade – the school strives to make Catholic education available to the city’s
Coates to Speak on ‘The Case for Reparations’ April 13 The Office of the Provost and Dean of Faculties will host an April 13 campus appearance by Atlantic senior writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, who will speak on “The Case for Reparations,” the subject of his cover story in last June’s Atlantic. Coates’ talk, which is free and open to the public, takes place at 7 p.m. in the Yawkey Center Murray Room. The author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood, Coates reignited the long-dormant national conversation of how to effectively repay
African-Americans for economic, social and other hardships as a result of institutional racism. Financial compensation, he said, is a part of the redress – but openly admitting to, and apologizing for, the injustice is critical to the process of resolving racial problems in the US. Coates is a contributor to The New York Times Magazine and Washington Post, among other publications, and has worked for the Village Voice and Time. He maintains a widely acclaimed blog for the Atlantic [www.theatlantic. com/ta-nehisi-coates]. –Office of News & Public Affairs
Michael Motyl ’01
neediest families, providing free tuition to boys and girls in grades six through eight. Guadalupe Regional keeps class sizes small and offers a school day that’s 90 minutes longer than area public schools and a school year that extends into summer. This year, more than 80 percent of the school’s students have signed up for a new Sum-
mer Scholars Academy. Motyl was assigned as a teacher to the Rio Grande Valley while at the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a master’s of education with middle school concentration and a master’s of educational administration. In 2008, Motyl was hired as principal at Guadalupe Regional, which was founded in 2002 by the Marist Brothers of the Schools, the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. Motyl will receive an honorary Doctor of Science in Education degree.
the World – also the name of the non-profit he cofounded – and has become a motivational speaker. Pemberton will receive an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree. Lee Woodruff, a contributing reporter for “CBS This Morning,” has forged a successful career as a journalist and author writing about family and parenting – subjects close to her heart as the mother of four children. But a frightening crisis brought a new perspective and purpose, both of which continue to guide her life and work. Woodruff’s world changed in 2006, when her husband, ABC News reporter Bob Woodruff, suffered a traumatic brain injury from a roadside bomb in Iraq. His ordeal and long recovery became the basis for In an Instant, the best-selling book co-authored by the Woodruffs about the fam-
Steve Pemberton ’89
Steve Pemberton ’89 overcame extreme adversity in childhood to become a pioneering corporate executive, visionary youth advocate, best-selling author, husband, and father of three – a very different life than the one envisioned for him by a caretaker who predicted he “didn’t have a chance in the world.” Separated from his siblings as a young child and placed in a brutal foster home environment, where he suffered physical abuse, Pemberton nonetheless was able to gain admission to Boston College, where he joined a student group called the Talented Tenth that spearheaded various campus initiatives and community outreach projects. Graduating with a degree in political science, Pemberton would later return to his alma mater as senior assistant director of admissions. In 2005, he made his mark in the corporate world as the first diversity and inclusion officer at Monster.com, and then as divisional vice president and chief diversity officer at Walgreens. Fortune magazine named him one of the top 20 chief diversity officers in corporate America and in 2008 Savoy listed him as one of the top 100 most influential African-Americans in corporate America. Pemberton wrote the critically acclaimed memoir A Chance in
Stefan Radtke
Continued from page 1 with people and taking on any responsibility are things that I learned from my parents: to work hard, to pray, to respect people, to realize that I don’t have all the answers, that God will take care of the situation if we just trust.” Archbishop Cupich formerly served as the bishop of Spokane, Wash., and Rapid City, SD, and as the chair for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People. He is current chair of the board of the National Catholic Educational Association, a member of the USCCB Subcommittee for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe and chancellor of the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Illinois.
Lee Woodruff
ily’s struggle to cope and rebuild from the horrific event. Through the book, as well as TV and speaking appearances, the couple helped to raise awareness of the effects of traumatic brain injury. They founded the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which has raised more than $20 million and invested in grassroots organizations and programs around the country that are helping veterans successfully reintegrate into their communities and receive critical long-term care. Lee Woodruff has written and spoken about how her family crisis forced her to reassess her priorities, and to abandon the unrealistic ideal of the “perfect” working mother often promulgated by the media. She will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, the same honor given her husband at BC’s 2012 Commencement Exercises. The Woodruffs’ daughter Cathryn is a member of the Class of 2015.
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Connell School Faculty Earn Professional Honors
Lee Pellegrini
Continued from page 1 For Goldman, this year marks her eighth qualifying for and running the marathon, and her first as a runner and ambassador for Team MR8. “After running in 2013, I was profoundly affected by the events on an emotional and spiritual level. Every single day when I run, I pray for the victims and their families, and I pray for peace,” Goldman says. Goldman was immediately drawn to the idea of running for Team MR8, which she feels is a way to carry on the message in Martin’s poster – one that she seeks to impart to her students by encouraging them to be kind to one another, and always to be compassionate, approachable people. On Marathon Day, Goldman will have Martin’s message in her head all the way from Hopkinton to Boylston Street. “I just feel I am turning my prayers into actions, and doing my best to ensure that the Martin Richard Charitable Foundation grows stronger with every year, with every passing Boston Marathon.” Crowley will be running her very first marathon, capping off a lengthy period of training throughout a cold and snowy winter. Arduous and demanding though it was, the day she embarked on a 21-mile run – the longest she’d ever attempted – organized by Team MR8 put everything into perspective. Of course, she says, it was snowing the day of the run. To make matters worse, she was getting over a bout with the flu, and her anxiety about the challenge in front of her had kept her up most of the night. Not the ideal mindset with which to tackle a 21-mile run, but Crowley – who felt buoyed by the support of Grunat – knew she had to do her best. By mile five of the run, Crowley recalls, the snowflakes were so thick that they couldn’t see further than a few feet in front of them. By mile six, her exhausted legs felt heavy, compounded by the daunting thought of the 15 miles ahead. She was breaking down. But then Crowley saw Martin’s parents, Bill and Denise Richard, standing behind a table on the street with water and running snacks and cheering on Team MR8 as they passed. “I smiled at Mr. Richard, and I think he must have seen the
KILN. She’s helped me decide classes to take and extracurriculars to participate in,” said sophomore Elizabeth Byrne. “It’s clear that she wants not just me, but all the nursing students, to succeed, and she does all she can to ensure this. I’m truly grateful for everything Cathy has done for me and for all that I’ve learned from her. She is more than just a mentor, but a true role model.”
By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer
(L-R) Maggie Crowley ’17, Morgan Grunat ’15 and Chemistry faculty member Christine Goldman have been heartened by the University community’s support of Team MR8: “I have found that my peers are equally touched by Martin’s message of peace and the Richard family,” says Grunat.
tired look in my eyes because he came over and gave me a hug,” Crowley recalls. “As I ran away from the aid station, tears filled up in my eyes. After that, the rest of my run was easy. I needed a reminder of what I was running for and the amazing, phenomenal and inspirational family behind that table.” Grunat has found the BC community is receptive to the mission of Team MR8. “Students at Boston College are very compassionate and charitable, and I have found that my peers are equally touched by Martin’s message of peace and the Richard
family. I have received overwhelming support in my fundraisers as well as many donations on my fundraising page from other BC students. Much of this support has also come from other marathon runners at BC who are representing other charities in this year’s race. “I am so lucky to have this experience while I am a senior, and I can’t thank my roommates and friends at BC enough for their overwhelming generosity and support.” For more information about the Martin Richard Charitable Foundation Inc., see TeamMR8.org.
‘BC Strong’ Event April 14 “BC Strong: Boston College Alumni Share Their Personal Stories of the Marathon Bombings,” a panel discussion that offers unique alumni retrospectives on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, will take place April 14 at 7 p.m. in Robsham Theater. The event will feature bombing survivors Patrick Downes ’05 and Britanny Loring JD/MBA ’13, along with Dave Wedge ’93, co-author of the best-selling book Boston Strong: A City’s Triumph Over Tragedy. Award-winning WBZ TV reporter and anchor Paula Ebben ’89, P ’17 will serve as moderator. “BC Strong” is free and open to all BC students, faculty, staff and alumni. Online registration is required at www.bc.edu/marathon. For additional information, see http://bit.ly/1N6b1Fy; or call 617-552-3350 or 617-552-4700. –Office of News & Public Affairs
Two Boston College Connell School of Nursing faculty members will be honored by the American Nurses Association Massachusetts at its convention this weekend. Associate Professor of Adult Health Catherine Read will receive the 2015 Mary A. Manning Nurse Mentoring Award, given annually to a nurse who exemplifies the ideal image of a mentor and has established a record of consistent outreach to nurses in practice or in the pursuit of advanced education. Also at the convention, Professor Emerita Joellen Hawkins will accept the Community Service Award. Read, who served as associate dean for undergraduate programs from 2006 to 2014, has led the Connell School’s Keys to Inclusive Leadership in Nursing (KILN) program since its inception in 2009. As KILN director, she oversees a leadership development program for some 50 nursing students annually that provides faculty mentorship and networking in order to better prepare nurses for a multicultural society. “Cathy Read has been a mentor to undergraduate nursing students for her entire career and has consistently worked with new nurses to mentor them to become the best nurses they can be,” said CSON Dean and Professor Susan Gennaro. “As director of the KILN program, she provides mentorship developing the nurse leaders of tomorrow and as associate dean for the undergraduate program she served as a mentor for developing new nurses with the highest standards of professionalism.” “My work at Boston College has blessed me with many opportunities to do the important work of mentoring the next generation of nurses, and the rewards far outweigh the efforts. Any success I have had is the direct result of the excellent mentoring I received throughout my career,” said Read. Read recalled her first formal mentoring relationship in 2002 with CSON freshman Tricia Gordon. “I was intimidated at the time because I subscribed to the myths that mentors must have all the answers and be from a background similar to the protégé in order for the match to be comfortable. I soon realized how false those assumptions were. Today, Tricia [BS ’06, MS ’13] is a nurse practitioner at Massachusetts General Hospital and a clinical faculty member at Boston College. We are close friends, and I have used what I learned from our relationship as I direct the activities of the KILN program.” “Cathy Read has gone above and beyond to help me, even before she was my official mentor through
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Catherine Read
Hawkins, who taught at the Connell School for some 30 years, has regularly collected donations of household items, clothing, children’s playthings and books for about 30 agencies in eastern Massachusetts, including Head Starts in Newton and Haverhill, the Women’s Lunch Place, Crittenton House, Newton’s Second Step, Youth on Fire, and Roxbury’s First Parish’s youth programs, among others. She also has conducted prenatal care classes for pregnant homeless women at the Pine Street Inn and volunteered as a women’s health nurse practitioner for Sidney Borum Jr. Health Center in Boston. She has regularly visited an inmate at the women’s state correctional facility in Framingham and coordinated a holiday gift bag project for prisoners at MCI-Concord. For more than a decade, she organized the annual silent auction held during the Connell School’s holiday party, which raised money for Rosie’s Place. Boston College recognized Hawkins in 2000 with its Distinguished Service Award. Others who will be honored at the meeting include Connell School alumnae Sara Looby (Excellence in Nursing Research Award) and Anne P. Manton (Living Legends in Massachusetts Nursing Award). As a constituent member of the American Nurses Association, ANA Massachusetts is recognized as the voice of registered nursing through advocacy, education, leadership and practice. ANA Massachusetts is committed to the advancement of the profession of nursing and of quality patient care across the state. Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu
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Chronicle april 9, 2015
Q&A: ROMERO SCHOLARSHIP
Honor Is ‘a Reminder to Always Work for Justice’
Ricardo Alberto recently was awarded the 2015 Archbishop Oscar A. Romero Scholarship, which recognizes a junior whose life demonstrates an understanding of, and commitment to, the values and ideals inherent in the life of Archbishop Romero. Recipients also must demonstrate involvement in, and service to, the Hispanic/Latino community at BC and in the wider community. The San Francisco native, an international studies major who also is pursuing a political science concentration and African Studies minor, plans to go on to law school and pursue a career in public sector law in the areas of civil rights, immigration and racial/social justice. A McGillycuddy-Logue Travel Grant and Amanda V. Houston Fellowship recipient, he has had enriching study-abroad and research experiences in Kuwait and Argentina. On campus, he has participated in the AHANA Caucus, the Sankofa Leadership Program and the McNair Exploratory Program, among others. Q: What does winning this award mean to you? ALBERTO: I am incredibly humbled to receive this scholarship named for Archbishop Oscar A. Romero. [It] reaffirms my sense of responsibility and commitment to continue to fight for those living on the margins of our society, as Archbishop Romero did. While it is a celebration of my accomplishments at Boston College and in the greater community, it also serves as a reminder for me to always work for justice, especially as I apply to law school where I will prepare for my career as an attorney in the areas of civil and human rights. Q: What did you learn about yourself through the application and interview process for the scholarship? ALBERTO: The rigorous application and interview process allowed me to truly reflect on the past three years of my Boston College experience. I tend to be very critical of myself, with a tendency to feel as though I’m not doing enough – whether in regard to academics, extracurricular activities or service. This process of reflection allowed me to realize how much I have actually achieved throughout my time at BC, and has given me a chance to feel proud as well as thankful for all of the opportunities I have been afforded. Q: How will the scholarship
enable you to continue to pursue your goals? ALBERTO: With the assistance of this scholarship, I will not have to borrow any student loans for my senior year, ultimately allowing me to graduate with less debt. Any money saved or debt avoided in my undergraduate years will help significantly because of the huge investment of law school post-graduation. This in turn will allow me to pursue my goals of attending law school and ultimately, as an attorney, serving those left voiceless in our society. Q: How has your campus experience contributed to your personal growth and professional aspirations? ALBERTO: My campus experience has been largely impacted by the diverse range of activities I have participated in throughout my time here. Right off the bat I stepped out of my comfort zone and participated in the Jamaica Magis service trip sponsored by Campus Ministry – a life-changing experience that took place during the summer Justin Knight after my freshman year. The trip really opened my eyes to the concept of a faith that does justice, affirmed my love of service, and set the tone for the rest of my time at BC. This was my very first glimpse at what I aspire to do in life: to serve those who are marginalized. The rest of my experiences, which include additional service through my PULSE placement with Jumpstart [an early-education organization], the Mississippi Delta service trip, my leadership roles in campus groups as well as enriching experiences abroad, have all played a significant role in my personal development as I strive to truly become “a man for others.” Q: What advice would you give students aspiring to apply for the Romero Scholarship? ALBERTO: I would advise aspiring Romero applicants to make the most out of this application process, and use it to truly reflect back upon their BC experience and the values that they have cultivated throughout the years. This process is also an amazing opportunity for those unfamiliar with the life of Archbishop Oscar A. Romero to learn about this remarkable martyr for justice who lived and died for the people of El Salvador. –Rosanne Pellegrini
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(L-R) Sophomores Alexandra LaTorre, Isra Hussain, Mackenzie Arnold, Theresa Rager and Jesse Mu discuss their “A Boston State of Mind” documentary.
Presidential Scholars Project Looks at Mental Health By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor
They knew they had a compelling story to tell, and felt the way to share it was to make a documentary – even if they didn’t really know how. So, a group of Boston College sophomores put together a 30-minute film that explores mental health-related issues in the Boston area, with a particular focus on cultural and socioeconomic disparities that affect treatment, stigma and care. The students, who are in the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program (GPSP), premiered “A Boston State of Mind” Tuesday night in Higgins Hall, an event that included a discussion with some of the people interviewed in the film. [The film is available at the project’s website, abostonstateofmind. com.] To produce the documentary, the Presidential Scholars interviewed numerous Boston-area practitioners in the mental health care field, as well as persons who have coped with mental health problems. Woods College of Advancing Studies Interim Associate Dean David Goodman, Lynch School of Education Professor Lisa Goodman, and Kimberly Ashby, a doctoral student in counseling psychology, are among those with Boston College affiliations offering their expertise. Creating “A Boston State of Mind” was the grand finale of the Presidential Scholars’ sophomore year social justice project, a hallmark of GPSP. Each summer following freshman year, students in the program serve at placements in and around Boston, then discuss their experiences and observations in deciding on a theme for the project. For this group of students, the subject of mental health cropped up continually in their summer placements, at locations such as Rosie’s Place, the Suffolk County House of Corrections, Haley House and the Education Develop-
ment Group. “Mental health was a prevalent topic, and in our discussions, it emerged as a unifying theme for our project,” says Isra Hussain, a major in psychology with a minor in Arabic Studies. “We knew so little about mental health in Boston, and assumed that – given the abundance of academic and professional resources in the area – there were less issues regarding availability and care,” says biology major Russell Simons, who is enrolled in the medical humanities minor. “But the concerns we found mirrored those in many other areas of the country.” Among the problems cited in the documentary are the disparities in quality between private and public mental health care, and the shortage of counseling and related services in inner-city schools compared to those in suburban districts. In addition, interviewees say mental health resources too often fail to consider unique ethnic or cultural differences among patients, and how these can contribute to or exacerbate stigmas about mental illness. “We’re by no means trying to criticize or discount the work mental health professionals do here in Boston, or elsewhere,” says Simons. “We’re trying to create more awareness of the need for greater resources that will help both those persons who struggle with mental health issues, and those who seek to aid them.” Hussain says a conversation at the Suffolk County House of Corrections helped form her impression of the mental health question. “I spoke with someone who taught a parenting class for fathers in Suffolk. People look at these inmates and devalue them, but it was clear to this teacher that these men could have benefitted from access to counseling because of their experiences – poverty, discrimination, violence – and that they had no opportunity to let go of these. So the context in which they lived often made the prevalence of depression and other mental illnesses
more defined.” Having decided upon their project, which they titled “Unmasking Mental Health,” during the fall the students collaborated with the BC Dramatic Society’s production of Kim Rosenstock’s “Tigers Be Still” – which deals with mental health-related subjects – to host an art gallery and a “talk-back” session connected with the play. The effectiveness of the arts in conveying social justice issues thus inspired the idea to produce a documentary. Although novices in film production – and tasks such as scriptwriting, lighting and sound – the sophomores were able to draw on friends and acquaintances for assistance, along with advice from Professor of Fine Arts John Michalczyk, director of Film Studies at BC. Legacy Grants from the University helped provide support for the project. Even as they sifted through the economic, social and political aspects of their findings, the students – in their role as documentarians – also had to be mindful of the human dimensions. “Interviewing someone about her struggles with mental illness was a delicate situation,” explains Catherine Cole, a major in political science and Islamic Civilizations and Societies. “We wanted all the details so as to make an interesting and informative film, but we had to remember that this is her life, and that she had made a difficult decision to share her story. We had to be careful not to sensationalize or overdramatize.” The Presidential Scholars hope that the “A Boston State of Mind” event, and its availability online, will help spur discussion about mental health issues at the University and beyond (they also plan to distribute the video to area mental health care organizations). “It’s certainly a topic that has many dimensions, including social justice, and therefore would be of great interest to many at BC,” says Hussain. Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu
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Chronicle april 9, 2015
Gabelli Presidential Scholar Isra Hussain ’17 has won a US State Department Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Urdu in India this summer. The CLS Program seeks to broaden the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and building relationships between the people of the United States and other countries, providing study opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning. Hussain, a native of Lincoln, RI, is a major in psychology with a minor in Arabic Studies, and an assistant in the Office of International Students and Scholars. She and her fellow sophomores in the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program produced a documentary on mental health issues in Boston [see story on page 6]. “Coming to Boston College peaked my interest in the Arabic language because of the University’s emphasis on spirituality and discussion,” said Hussain, whose
family is originally from Pakistan. “I realized the importance of Arabic to my Muslim identity through this formal theological education, and even decided to minor in the language. Transitioning to Urdu language studies this upcoming summer was not a random decision. Rather, by learning Arabic, I realized the value of all languages and decided I want to learn the native tongue of my Pakistani family. “There is only so much one can understand through translations, and in order to better understand my religion and culture, I feel like it’s necessary for me to become proficient in these critical languages. My Arabic language studies will continue through my coursework at BC, and I plan to continue Urdu studies outside of the classroom.” Hussain discussed her Critical Language Scholarship and interest in studying languages, among other topics, in an interview for the Islamic Civilizations and Societies Program website [www.bc.edu/ics]. –Office of News & Public Affairs
obituary
Carol Petillo, 74; Taught History A memorial service was held on April 2 at Union Church in Vinalhaven, Me., for retired Professor of History Carol M. Petillo, who died on March 26. She was 74. Dr. Petillo’s teaching and research interests focused on American foreign policy and military history. She taught a popular course on the Vietnam War that included classroom visits by veterans. Her publications included Douglas MacArthur: The Philippine Years, which examined the legendary general’s experiences in the Philippines prior to the beginning of World War II; the book was among the sources used for the film “MacArthur” shown on the PBS “American Experience” series. A native of Mannington, WV,
Dr. Petillo earned her undergraduate degree at Montclair State College and her graduate degrees at Rutgers University. She joined the BC faculty in 1979 and retired in 2002. She is survived by her husband, Wayne Cooper; children John Joseph Petillo II, Christopher David Petillo, Anna Maria Petillo and Joseph Ralph Petillo; and six grandchildren. Gifts in her memory may be made to the Humane Society of Knox County, PO Box 1294, Rockland, Me. 04841, or to the Islands Community Medical Services, PO Box 812, Vinalhaven, Me. 04863. –Office of News & Public Affairs
Mass for Florescu on April 21 A memorial Mass will be held on April 21 at 6 p.m. in Trinity Chapel on Newton Campus for History Professor Emeritus Radu Florescu, who died in May of last year at the age of 88. The event is being organized by the family of Dr. Florescu, who taught at Boston College for 45 years and was renowned for his research – much of it with longtime collaborator and History Department colleague, Professor Raymond T. McNally – on the historical Dracula. Among the books he and Dr. McNally authored was the bestseller In Search of Dracula, which revealed the identity of Dracula as 15th-century Romanian prince Vlad Tepes, known as Vlad the Impaler. But Dr. Florescu was also dedicated to studying, preserving and teaching the culture and history of Eastern Europe, in particular his native Romania. He organized numerous events to celebrate Romanian heritage, served as Honorary Consul of Romania for New England, and attended the 2004 White House ceremony marking Romania’s admission to NATO. A reception will follow the Mass. ‑Office of News & Public Affairs To read an obituary of Radu Florescu, see http://bit.ly/1xF6WXE.
Newsmakers Libby Professor of Law and Theology Cathleen Kaveny spoke with Bloomberg News about the controversy surrounding Indiana’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a topic Asst. Prof. Kari Hong (Law) discussed with WRKO-AM. How will the challenges facing Social Security affect retirees? What does passage of the ACA mean to older workers? Center for Retirement Research Director Alicia Munnell was interviewed by Investor’s Business Daily and wrote a piece for Dow Jones MarketWatch. In the wake of actress Angelina Jolie’s announcement that she’d had additional surgery to ward off cancer, WGBH News interviewed Prof. Sharlene Hesse-Biber (Sociology), director of Women’s and Gender Studies and author of the book Waiting For Cancer To Come: Genetic Testing and Women’s Medical Decision Making for Breast and Ovarian Cancer, on the question of how to proactively manage a heredity risk. Consumer Affairs noted research by Asst. Prof. Michael Grubb (Economics) suggesting that cellular customers who receive alerts when they exceed their data limits end up spending more per month on their phone plans than do customers who are not alerted. Assoc. Prof. Michael Malec (So-
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Sophomore Wins a CLS
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Boston College seniors presented research rom the social sciences, humanities and cultural studies. at a Thesis Poster Session on March 27.
ciology) was quoted in ESPN The Magazine for a story on the effect of a winning sports season (the “Flutie Factor”) on things such as admissions applications, donations and ticket sales.
BC BRIEFING Jesuit Artist-in-Residence Robert VerEecke, SJ, pastor of St. Ignatius Parish, wrote on his years of exploring spirituality through dance in an essay for America Magazine that included a video profile produced by Jeremy Zipple, SJ ’00, STL ’14.
Honors/Appointments Prof. Ana Martinez-Aleman (LSOE) was elected vice president of the American Educational Research Association’s Division J:
NOTA BENE Senior Missa Sangimino was among several Boston College students who attended the recent dedication of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston, where she met dignitaries including Vice President Joe Biden and (in photo) US Sen. John McCain, the guest speaker at the University’s 2006 First Year Academic Convocation.
Postsecondary Education. She will join AERA’s 2016–2017 Council at the conclusion of the 2016 annual meeting, serving a three-year term.
Time and a Half Assoc. Prof. Andrea Vicini, SJ (STM), presented the talk “Endof-Life Decisions: Help from the Tradition” at the Catholic Health Association Theology and Ethics Colloquium, “Still Searching for Middle Ground: End-of-Life Ethics Encounters New Venues and Frameworks” in St. Louis. Prof. John Michalczyk (Fine Arts) offered a seminar on “Medicine and the Holocaust” at the Wright State Medical School and delivered the presidential lecture at Wright State University, accompanied by a screening of his documentary “In the Shadow of the Reich: Nazi Medicine.”
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: Network Systems Engineer, Information Technology Fiscal Assistant, Auxiliary Services Executive Director, Office for Institutional Diversity
The Rev. John A. Dinneen, SJ, Hispanic Alumni Community Service Award 2015 was presented to Marina Pastrana, CSOM ’08, MTS ’10 at the March 28 Archbishop Oscar Romero Scholarship Dinner. The founder of the Montserrat Coalition on campus, a mentor and support program for highfinancial need students, she is now the manager of Mission Programs for Catholic Extension. Amy Nesky ‘13 and Stephanie Ger ‘14 recently received National Science Foundation graduate fellowships, believed to be the first awarded to Boston College alumni with undergraduate mathematics degrees. Nesky, who won the Paul J. Sally Jr. Award in her senior year, is pursuing her doctorate in mathematics at the University of Michigan; Ger, who won the Sally Award in 2014 as well as the McCarthy Prize for her Scholar of the College thesis, is in the mathematics PhD program at Northwestern.
Assistant Director, Graduate Student Life Legal Information Librarian, Law Library Lab Manager, Psychology Department Staff Psychologist, University Counseling Research Economist, Center for Retirement Research Assistant/Associate Director for Leadership Giving, Development Director of Major Gifts, Athletic Association Director of Housing Operations, Residential Life Director, Robsham Theater Arts Center
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BOSTON COLLEGE STUDENT ART CLUB SHOW THROUGH MAY 1 Carney Hall, First Floor, Student Programs Hallway
Boston College’s artistic talents will once again be in the spotlight when the University holds its 17th annual Arts Festival April 23-25. The festival, which showcases and celebrates campus arts and highlights the achievements of accomplished alumni arts professionals, faculty, students and other BC community members, will also welcome to campus special guest Chris Doyle ’81, an acclaimed interdisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn who has exhibited widely at venues across the United States and internationally. Open to the public, the threeday festival includes a variety of programming for all ages. This year’s theme, “Make it Pop,” was inspired by the 20th-century pop art movement, known for explosive, infectious creativity, vibrant colors, and imagery drawn from popular culture. “Make It Pop,” according to organizers, invites the audience to challenge previous conceptions and revitalize their spirits with the snap, flash and pop of BC’s best-yet weekend of the arts. Some 1,000 BC students, faculty and administrators participate in the festival, which includes more than 80 events – most of which are free – that feature artists with diverse talents and highlights performing, visual, and literary arts programs. The schedule includes music, dance, exhibits and demonstrations – some encouraging participation from attendees. Among the activities for children and families, on April 25 from noon to 5 p.m., will be arts and crafts,
Arlo Perez
By Rosanne Pellegrini Staff Writer
Andrea Giancarlo
Arts Festival Has a ‘Pop’ to It This Year
The BC Arts Festival will once again feature student groups and other members of the University community in the performing, dramatic, visual and literary arts. This year also will include an appearance by interdiscipinary artist Chris Doyle ’81 (left), who will receive the Arts Council Alumni Award for Distinguished Achievement in the arts.
Lovis Dengler Ostenrik
story hour, sidewalk chalk and an instrument petting zoo. A children’s play, “The Princess Bride,” will be performed by students in BC Theatre Department faculty member Luke Jorgensen’s class. Details and updates on festival events and locations are available at www.bc.edu/artsfestival or (617) 552-2787. “It is time to celebrate the wealth, breadth, depth, and joy that the arts bring to Boston College,” said Theatre Department Chair and Associate Professor Crystal Tiala, chair of Boston College’s Arts Council, which organizes the festival. “There are few other times in our lives when we come together to celebrate our humanity on such a massive scale.
BC SCENES
Photos by Christopher Huang
Come and join the community of artists within all of us.” Doyle, who received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from BC and a master’s in architecture from Harvard University, will be honored with the Arts Council Alumni Award for Distinguished Achievement and participate in special festival programming in the Art Tent by Stokes Hall – the site of the award presentation and reception, on April 24 from 4-6 p.m. These free, public events include: a career-related interview program titled “Inside the BC Studio” (April 24, 2:15 p.m.) and an “Insider Industry Panel,” to discuss the relationship between the artist and the museum, with curators from Boston’s Museum of Fine
MAKING WAVES Some 500 New England junior and senior high school students came to campus on March 29 for the annual BC Splash program, where they took part in one-day courses created and taught by BC undergraduates. Among this year’s classes were (left) “Afghanistan: The Beauty Behind the War,” led by Farukh Kohistani ’16, a native of Afghanistan who came to the US at age four, and and “Juggling 101” with John Hanron ’17 (at right in photo below).
Arts and from MassMoCA (April 25, 2 p.m.). Known for his innovative use of watercolor, urban installation art and sculpture, Doyle has amassed a body of work that includes temporary and permanent projects in the public sphere such as “Leap,” “Commutable,” and “50,000 Beds,” a large-scale collaborative video installation involving 45 artists. In July 2014, his short film “Bright Canyon” transformed the concrete jungle of Times Square video screens into a flourishing canyon landscape as part of Midnight Moment, an initiative between The Times Square Advertising Coalition (TSAC) and Times Square Arts. Doyle is the recipient of a 2014 John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, and The Borusan Contemporary Art Collection Prize for his 2011 animation, “Waste_ Generation,” which examines the tension between creative and destructive impulses, seen through the waste produced in the transition from an industrial to a digital soci-
ety. [For more on Chris Doyle, see chrisdoylestudio.com] Others being recognized for their artistic achievement include Faculty Award winner Professor of English Elizabeth Graver, author of four acclaimed novels, including The End of the Point (2013). “Whether I’m interacting with students, colleagues, or the quite astonishing range of artists of every stripe that we host on campus each year, I feel very lucky to be surrounded by people for whom making art matters. I love to bring those people together—in classrooms, lecture halls, over meals, and by spreading the word about good work. The award is a gratifying reminder that my efforts have had an effect.” Awards will also be presented to several BC students: Kenya Danino ’15, Adisa Duke ’15, Peter Julian ’17, Ramsey Khabbaz ’17, Sarah Krantz ’15, Sanjay Pamaar ’16, Aryn Pryor ’16 and Elizabeth Wilson ’15. Keith Lebel ’15 will receive the Jeffery Howe Art History Award, named for the BC Fine Arts professor. BC Arts Festival sponsors include the offices of the President and the Provost, the College of Arts and Sciences, Center for Student Formation, Student Affairs and Carroll School of Management, with support from the Alumni Association and Bookstore. Contact Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu
Greater Boston Intercollegiate Poetry Festival April 21, 7:30 p.m. Yawkey Center
This year’s Greater Boston Intercollegiate Poetry Festival, which will be held April 21, marks the 10th consecutive year that Boston College has hosted the event – a celebration of the literary genre and a showcase for the work of talented students. The festival takes place at 7:30 p.m. in the Yawkey Center Murray Room, and will include readings of original works by students from some 20 area colleges and universities. Each participant, selected by his or her school, makes a threeminute presentation; a chapbook of their poetry is published in conjunction with the event. A highlight of the event will be a keynote address by Jill McDonough, a University of Massachusetts-Boston assistant professor who was the 2014 Lannan Fellow
and a three-time Pushcart prizewinner. Her work has appeared in Slate, The Nation, The Threepenny Review and Best American Poetry 2011. BC will be represented in the festival by Carroll School of Management senior Christine Degenaars, a double major in English and marketing, who describes poetry as one of her passions, and has been writing it intensely for the past few years. The event, sponsored by Poetry Days and Boston College Magazine, is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dan Soyer in the Office of Marketing Communcations at ext.2-8928 or at soyerd@bc.edu –Rosanne Pellegrini To read the full version of this story, see http://bit.ly/1Cbx7S0.