The Boston College
Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs April 23, 2015 Vol. 22 No. 15
INSIDE
Lee Pellegrini
•Marking the end of a ‘Wicked Winter,’ page 2
•BC musicians ready to ‘Break the Bubble,’ page 2 •Woods College holds annual dinner, page 2 •Grant will fund iPad purchases for Campus School, page 3 •Wall St. Dinner will honor Michael White, page 3 •BC Law alum Simas to address Law Commencement, page 3
•Lynch School presents research at AERA, page 4 •Photo: CBS correspondent Lara Logan speaks at Winston Ctr., page 5 •Rappaport Center hires first director, page 5 •BCSSW holds Social Innovation Day, page 6 •Friedberg appointed to Commission for Mathematics Instruction, page 7 •STM student earns fellowship for ethics study, page 7 •Latin American Business Conference, page 7 •Late April arts events on campus, page 8
A Transition Ahead in BC Irish Programs Leadership By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor
WBZ-TV news anchor Paula Ebben ‘89 introduces (L-R) Dave Wedge ’93, Brittany Loring JD/MBA ’13 and Patrick Downes ’05, the panelists for “BC Strong: Boston College Alumni Share Their Personal Stories of the Marathon Bombings.”
‘BC Strong’ Offers Personal Sides to Marathon Bombings Story By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor
On the eve of the second anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings, the Boston College community gathered April 14 to hear three alumni speak on how the event changed their lives, as well as their perceptions of themselves and the world around them. Held in Robsham Theater before an audience of nearly 450, “BC Strong: Boston College Alumni Share Their Personal Stories of the Marathon Bombings” – sponsored by the Office of News & Public Affairs and BC Alumni Association – featured survivors Patrick Downes ’05 and Brittany Loring JD/MBA ’13, along with Dave Wedge ’93, whose reporting on the tragedy provided the basis for his co-authored best-selling book Boston Strong: A City’s Triumph Over Tragedy. The panel discussion frequently took on the air of a conversation, as its moderator, WBZ-TV news anchor Paula Ebben ’89, P’17, effectively shifted the context for exploring different facets of the April 2013 event and invited the three to contribute their own impressions. Loring and Downes spoke of the normalcy of daily routines and future plans, suddenly and forever altered in a matter of seconds. They recounted the struggle to regain control over their lives, coping not only with physical injuries but also the emo-
tional and spiritual toll of the ordeal. And both said the support of family, friends and even complete strangers have helped them to take a wider view of their experiences and move forward. “There was plenty of time for sadness, concern and worry,” said Downes, who lost a leg while his wife, Jessica Kensky, was left a double amputee (she attended “BC Strong” in a wheelchair). “That took up a lot of energy. But there was not much room for anger, especially because of the way our city came together. It was so overwhelming for me, and I’ve reflected on it a lot.” “After the shock, my focus was on my physical recovery,” said Loring, who suffered leg injuries and a skull fracture. “That’s what brought me forward, and I needed my energy to be positive. A lot of it had to do with the community, and the outreach from BC and others. My friends set up a schedule to take care of me. There were so many layers of support that it made it hard for me not to look forward.” For Wedge, the Marathon bombings evoked another event, 9/11, which had challenged him – like other members of the media – to do the job of a journalist even while bearing witness to scenes of terrible human devastation. Yet the bombings carried an additional weight, he said: They happened in the city he called home. Continued on page 4
QUOTE:
Thomas Hachey, who served as the founding executive director of Boston College’s Center for Irish Programs (CIP) since its inception in 2000, has announced that he will retire after the current academic year. Following a sabbatical in 2015-2016, Hachey will remain at the University as a research professor in residence. During his 15 years at BC, Hachey has overseen the organizational umbrella for Boston College’s highly acclaimed Irishrelated initiatives and resources. CIP encompasses the Irish Studies Program, renowned for its interdisciplinary approach to the study of Irish culture and society; the Irish Institute, whose
corporate, professional and educational development programs have drawn praise for promoting social and economic progress in Ireland and elsewhere; the John J. Burns Library’s esteemed Irish Collection of famous authors, artists and other personalities; and BC-Ireland, which encompasses a growing range of activities and services housed at, and coordinated through, the Dublin-based facility within Boston College’s Center for Irish Programs. Reflecting on his tenure as CIP director, Hachey spoke of the talented faculty members, administrators, staff and students with whom he has worked through the Irish Studies Program, Irish Institute, BC-Ireland and Burns Library. He cited the numerous Continued on page 5
Something Ventured, Plenty Gained Competitions are offering BC students the opportunity to hone their entrepreneurial skills By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer
Spring is venture competition season at the Heights, a time when accomplished Boston College students demonstrate their ability to create viable entrepreneurial enterprises that can succeed in the real world. This month has seen BC undergraduates and graduate students take part in the Boston College Venture Competition (BCVC), Social Entrepreneurs Envisioning Development (SEED) competition, an AARP
Foundation competition and the BC School of Social Work Social Innovation Day [see story on page 6]. These competitions help students appreciate the quality of leadership and the benefits of drawing on different sets of expertise, often through collaboration with different schools, say BC faculty and administrators. “Entrepreneurs have to be good at a lot of things,” says Jere Doyle ’87, executive director of the Carroll School’s Entrepreneurship Initiative. “They have to be good at business Continued on page 6
The CoreHub team makes its winning presentation at the recent Boston College Venture Competition. (Photo source: BCVC Facebook page)
“Our students cannot use a typical interface, like a keyboard. The iPad opens up access to technology. For these students, it levels the playing field to provide the same opportunities students receive in other schools.” –Campus School Director Donald Ricciato, page 3
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A ROUND
C AMPUS
JOBS WELL DONE
University President William P. Leahy, SJ, greeted, and raised a toast to, Boston College employees for their hard work this past winter, at a special reception held last week. (Photos by Lee Pellegrini)
shape. Our employees went above and beyond to do such a great job.” Keeping up the University’s administrative, service and infrastructure operations was a supreme challenge: equipment that needed tending to, meals that needed to be cooked, street and sidewalks that needed to be cleared. If the employees didn’t get it done, said administrators, there was nowhere else to turn. “When there’s a snow emergency, you can actually stay home and still get paid for the day,” says Lois Kass, a first cook at the Stuart Hall Dining Room. “But we still had people who came to work because on Newton Campus, the shuttle buses were shut down and there was nowhere to go. It was like being on
Caitlin Cunningham
For the employees who keep Boston College operating, this past winter was one for the memories, filled with overnight stays, double shifts and challenging conditions amidst a record snowfall. For the administration that runs the University, the effort and dedication shown by those employees was not to be forgotten either. So last week, BC threw a special “Wicked Winter” reception in the Shea Room of Conte Forum to show its appreciation for the staff of Facilities Services, Dining Services, BC Police, Auxiliary Services, Health Services, Athletic Maintenance, Student Affairs, Emergency Management and other departments and offices that helped BC through the early months of 2015. Those who attended the reception received a knit winter cap embroidered with a BC logo and a “Wicked Winter 2015” logo. University President William P. Leahy, SJ, was among BC senior administrators attending the event to offer praise and thanks to the employees. “It was a great team effort,” said Vice President of Facilities Management Dan Bourque. “We missed four days of class and had one late start, but if you look around the city and the conditions that people were dealing with, we were in much better
University Trustee John M. “Jack” Connors Jr. ’63 was the guest speaker at the Woods College of Advancing Studies annual celebration dinner Tuesday evening. The event included the presentation of the Woods College of Advancing Studies Distinguished Alumni Award to University Trustee Michael H. Devlin II ’88, a member of the University’s New York Campaign Leadership and Wall Street councils who along with his brother Matthew ’90 established the Katharine B. and Robert M. Devlin Student-Athlete for Education Leadership Development Program at Boston College. David Hasenfus ’65 was presented with the Woods College of Advancing Studies Alumni Service Award. See additional photo on page 7. 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
an island. So a lot of us felt it was really important to make it into work to make sure the students were fed. It’s nice to be acknowledged for that.” BC threw a similar party a few years ago after another challenging winter, but the unforgettable 2015 edition will long be remembered by those who had to work through it
– and so will the gratitude shown them by the University. “I think it holds true to everything that Boston College encompasses: community, a sense of what we do for each other, the worth of the students and the safety of the students,” said Mark Dalton of Facilities Services. “It’s all encompassing, from Fr. Leahy down to the guy that
salts the sidewalk. We have a great crew and great managers that allow us to do our job and we get it done.” Ken Howland, a plumbing foreman in Facilities Services, said long shifts, fatigue and burnout were issues he and his men faced, and to be thanked was a worthy reward: “It’s really nice to be recognized. It’s good for the crew, it’s good for morale.” “This celebration was really nice of BC,” said Debbie Brown, a cashier at Stuart Hall. “I’m really surprised because usually we do it and there’s a ‘thank-you’ from our managers but nothing school-wide. This is nice, and nicer that it came from high above.” “I appreciate it,” said Associate Director of Technical Services Joe Ducie. “The University is acknowledging everyone’s hard work.” “A pat on the back goes a long way,” said Michael Franks, a head mechanic in Facilities Services. -Sean Hennessey
BUBBLING OVER The next few days will be pretty busy for Boston College student musicians. Many will take part in the University’s annual Arts Festival, which kicks off today and runs through Saturday [www.bc.edu/ artsfestival]. But some 30 BC acts also will perform Saturday at one of Boston’s more desirable locations for up-and-coming musicians looking for some stage experience and public exposure: Faneuil Hall. In fact, Saturday’s event – titled “Break the Bubble” – is legitimately billed as “a BC music festival,” according to co-organizer John Guzzi ’15, president of the Music Guild, an organizational and networking group for BC musicians founded in 1981. Where in recent years BC has held smallerscale events through Faneuil Hall’s street performer program, this festival – which runs from 11 a.m.7 p.m. – will take place in two performance areas, ensuring some significant visibility for the student musicians. “It’s pretty unusual for one college to get a showcase like this at Faneuil Hall. This is a great opportunity to highlight the phenomenal musical talent in the BC community,” says the guitar-play-
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ing Guzzi, a Fairfield, Ct., native majoring in biology with a minor in philosophy. “We feel it’s important that the creativity here not be marginalized outside BC. That’s why we call this festival ‘Break the Bubble’: We want BC musicians to go beyond the campus environment, so that people can see what a vibrant and exciting music scene BC has.” The line-up for “Break the Bubble” represents a range of genres and styles: “garage rockers, rappers, singer-songwriters, dorm room jammers” and more, says Guzzi, who will be in concert with the band Infidel Castro. [Guzzi and his band mates discussed the group’s origins, including its name, in an interview with The Gavel, at http://bit.ly/1GxJD4J.] “Students here come from a lot of musical backgrounds and interests – not just rock or pop, but classical, jazz, many others,” he says. “What’s great is everyone knows everyone else, and gets together for music events and activities, like coffeehouses, or the ‘Battle of the Bands,’ or our volunteer trips to the Franciscan Hospital for Children. And, of course, they also like to just hang out and jam.
“When we first spread the word about the festival a few months ago, a lot of bands formed specifically to be part of it. Something like this gets you interested to hear what other people play, and inspires you to come up with ideas for collaborating.” Although the performers in “Break the Bubble” will be primarily undergraduates, also appearing will be BC alumni band The Novel Ideas. The country rock quintet, whose members are from the Class of 2012, has toured nationally, released one album and is working on another. “It’s good for the student musicians to be around a band that is out there making a living and can offer insights on what it takes to succeed,” says Guzzi. “We see this as part of what the Music Guild can do – obviously, we want everyone to have fun with music, but they can also have some learning experiences, too.” For more about “Break the Bubble” and the Music Guild, see www. bc.edu/musicguild. –Sean Smith
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.
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Grant Will Fund Campus School iPads White House Aide Will
Speak at Law Graduation
By Ed Hayward Staff Writer
A $50,000 grant from the Future Hope Foundation will allow the Boston College Campus School to provide an iPad and instructional technology to each student and teacher at the day school for students with severe special needs. The iPad initiative has been developed in memory of Evan Keohane, a nine-year-old Campus School student from Sherborn who passed away last November. Paired with communication hardware and software, the tablets can help students communicate with teachers and family, as well as develop new skills and enjoy games and enrichment activities. “Thanks to the generosity of The Future Hope Foundation, the iPad initiative provides an opportunity for our students to have access to new avenues for communication, education and recreation,” said Campus School Director Donald Ricciato. “This technology fits with our transdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning at the Campus School, connecting our students, teachers, speech and language pathologists, graduate student assistants and student volunteers.” The Future Hope Foundation was created by 2004 Boston College alumnus James Kelley and other supporters of the Campus School to raise funds and awareness about the program, which serves 39 area students between the ages of three and 21 who have severe special needs and complex health needs. Kelley, the president of the
Campus School teacher Stephanie Ohnemus works with Zach Turner using an iPad. (Photo by Robyn Gesek)
foundation’s board of directors, helped to found the non-profit group after speaking with Evan’s father, John Keohane, at an event following the inauguration of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh ’09 in January 2014. “When you speak to parents like John Keohane you just want to help,” said Kelley. “The Campus School was a place where Evan was happiest. We thought this was a great way to remember Evan and to support the students at the Campus School.” The iPads are being introduced to the educational program this spring, said Ricciato. The tablet technology will be paired with adaptive software and educational applications for use in classroom and individualized therapy sessions. “Our students cannot use a typical interface, like a keyboard,” said Ricciato. “The iPad opens up access to technology. For these students, it levels the playing field to provide the same opportunities students receive in
other schools.” The Campus School has a history in the development and use of cutting-edge adaptive technology. Boston College faculty, in concert with the school, developed the pioneering EagleEyes technology, which allows students with severely limited mobility to communicate using eye movements. They have also used CameraMouse, another adaptive communications technology developed by BC faculty. Ricciato said the project will make the Campus School one of the first day schools for students with severe special needs to offer a computing device to each student, also known as 1:1 computing. “The Future Hope Foundation is giving our students the possibility to have all the educational opportunities they can have,” said Ricciato. “This support is crucial and a true asset to our programs.” Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu
Boston College Trustees Chairman John Fish spoke with students at the Carroll School of Management recently as part of its “Lunch with a Leader” series.
Photos by Lee Pellegrini
David Simas JD’95, assistant to the President of the United States and director of the White House Office of Political Strategy and Outreach, will give the address at the 2015 Boston College Law School Commencement on May 22. The Law School’s graduation ceremonies will take place at Conte Forum beginning at 10:30 a.m. A native of Taunton, Mass., and the son of immigrant Portuguese factory workers who never completed elementary school, Simas – who earned his undergraduate degree from Stonehill College – went into private practice after graduating from BC Law. He sat on the Taunton City Council before his election as county registrar, then served as Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s deputy chief of staff before becoming a central part of President Obama’s 2012 campaign, overseeing much of the polling and focus groups. Following the president’s reelection, Simas joined the White House and in January of 2014 was named to head up its new Office of Political Strategy and Outreach. In addition to coordinating White House political strategy and outreach activities, the office serves as the main point of contact for national, state and local political groups, works with constituent and political groups and plans and crafts big-picture strategies to achieve White House goals. Interviewed by BC Law Magazine last year, Simas said
David Simas JD’95
his education at the school – and BC Law’s commitment to public service – prepared him for his career in politics. “The ability to quickly dive into an issue, make sense of it, and then formulate it into a discussion either advocating or opposing a position...That is absolutely core.” [The article is available online at http://bit. ly/1OiTZEP.] “I am very pleased that David has agreed to be our Commencement speaker,” said BC Law Dean Vincent Rougeau. “He has a long record of service, both locally through Governor Patrick’s office here in Massachusetts and in the White House. His leadership as one of the president’s closest advisors and his work on the Affordable Care Act is something our students will be very interested in hearing more about, and I’m looking forward to welcoming him back to campus.” More information on the Law School Commencement is available at www.bc.edu/lawcommencement. –Boston College Law School
DIRECTV Head to Be Honored at Wall Street Council Dinner Michael White ’74, chairman, president and CEO of DIRECTV, will be honored at the 27th annual Boston College Wall Street Council Tribute Dinner tonight at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. White, a longtime University benefactor, will receive the President’s Medal of Excellence in recognition of his exceptional career, as well as his personal and professional contributions to society. The Boston College Wall Street Council is a network of more than 1,700 BC alumni, parents and friends who work in and represent the financial community in New York. Over the past 26 years, the dinner has raised more than $22 million for the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program at Boston College, an extraordinary honors program that combines rigorous course work, community service, international experience and internships. Since its inception, more than 300 Presidential Scholars have attended Boston College, earning some of the most prestigious academic awards, including Rhodes Scholarships, Fulbright Grants, Marshall Scholarships, Truman Scholarships and Beckman Scholarships. –Sean Hennessey
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‘We’re Part of Something Special’ Continued from page 1 “This felt very personal,” said Wedge. “Boston often can be a big dysfunctional family, but when someone threatens us, we’ve got each other’s back. It was comforting to me that Mayor [Marty] Walsh is a BC grad, and in overseeing that first anniversary last year, he brought the grace and respect of BC to the commemoration.” Ebben, in underscoring the significance of the Boston Marathon as beyond a sporting event, talked about a lasting impression from the bombings. She noted that the Marathon brings together both worldclass athletes as well as participants who run to raise money for causes or simply for the enjoyment of a personal challenge – categorized as “amateurs,” a word that often carries an unflattering connotation but in its Latin derivation translates to “those who do something for the love of it.”
In the moments following the explosions, she said, she saw “everyday people” rush to give aid to the victims, heedless of potential risk to themselves. “All those amateurs,” she said, “helping others purely for the love of it.” Befitting the idea of a community gathering, “BC Strong” also had moments of levity, including an inside joke or two. Loring told how her father would bring burgers and milkshakes to the hospital in which she was recovering, ostensibly to give to her, but actually for himself. Downes – who earlier had mentioned his relief at discovering that the nurses at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center were BC graduates – was relayed a question from the audience via Ebben: “Who is your favorite nurse at Beth Israel?” “That’s obviously a trick question,” grinned Downes. “My favorite nurse is my wife.” Downes and Loring said the BC community had played an important role in their recoveries. Downes pointed to the fundraising effort set up on GiveForward.com by his BC friends – “I used to throw potatoes at them,” he quipped, “which actually meant that I loved them” – to
help pay the medical bills and other costs for Jessica’s and his rehabilitation. The donations of more than $890,000 were instrumental in aiding them to rebuild their lives, he said, but the website also became “a daily source of strength, courage and good will” for them because of the encouraging comments left there. Their fellow alumni’s involvement “rekindled our friendship in the best way,” said Downes, who noted that his class will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this spring. “It will be a real treat to come back and see everyone.” Loring said the outpouring of support from BC “seemed pretty natural at the time. I had to step back for a moment to realize how amazing it was.” Having been only weeks away from graduating at the time she was injured, she said, she was particularly grateful to the University and her classmates for “making sure my life could move forward as I intended. “They were there with me every step of the way,” said Loring, who was able to attend her Commencement. Wedge said that Boston was in many ways “a better city,” and while the events of 2013 left an enduring sadness, “we have a better appreciation for each other and a better awareness of our safety as well.” Harnessing that spirit will help to continue “making us a better city.” Loring said that she had learned “not to take anything for granted” and “to enjoy what I’m doing or change what I’m doing” – clichés, she acknowledged, but ones that ring true for her. For example, she said, although she had turned 29 the day of the bombings, she hadn’t made big plans for celebrating her birthday – in retrospect, a good idea because her friends or loved ones were spared potential injury themselves. “The reason I didn’t do anything was I didn’t want to make a big deal out of my birthday. But I feel completely different now. All those things we see written in pink, scrawly letters on cards? They’re all true, and we should live by them,” she said with a laugh. Downes noted that the Opening Day ceremonies at Fenway Park the previous day had included appearances by the Richard family – who lost their son, Martin, in the bombings and sustained injuries them-
selves – and former BC baseball player Pete Frates ’07, who is battling ALS. “I’m struck by how amazing our city is: Where else would you see people who have experienced trauma or are struggling with disabilities and are front and center at one of the biggest events of the year?” said Downes, who was at Fenway himself the next day to throw out a ceremonial pitch. Downes recalled how the “rich, indescribable capacity of the human spirit” had often been a topic in his philosophy and theology classes at BC, but seeing it demonstrated in real life was “a remarkable thing.” At the closing, Ebben asked the panelists what message they wanted to send on the occasion of the bombings’ second anniversary. “It’s a day on which we should reflect, but not be too sad,” said Wedge, “because we can focus on the positive elements that we’ve seen from what happened. The ultimate good message is that we’re going to run the Marathon again.”
(L-R) “BC Strong” panelists Brittany Loring JD/MBA ’13, Patrick Downes ’05 and David Wedge ’93 with moderator Paula Ebben ’89. (Photos by Lee Pellegrini)
Loring said, “It’s important to know how much your support is appreciated and still needed. It will always be with me, and I will use it, and use my experiences, to help others.” “This was a public disaster, but so much care and love has come with it,” said Downes. “It’s important to remember that people struggle under a cloud of anonymity, and
there’s no panel discussion for them to talk about it. I’ve learned in a very intimate way what it means to have a connection with someone. We may not have words to define it, but we know we’re part of something special.” The audience responded with a sustained standing ovation. Read the full version of this story at http://bit.ly/1DdLMN0
Lynch School Faculty Present Work at Research Event By Ed Hayward Staff Writer
More than 40 Lynch School of Education faculty, staff and graduate students traveled to Chicago last week to present their latest research at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, a gathering of 15,000 researchers from around the world. New studies examined literacy instruction for English Language Learners, a new writing curriculum, cognitive motivation in students, teacher opinions about mobile technology and new approaches to bilingual education. There were also analyses of race, class and justice in education, the guiding principles of charter schools, effective communication by school leaders, and how teachers respond to national education reform initiatives. “The research conducted by Lynch School faculty, graduate students and our alumni explores many of the most important issues in education both in the US and around the world,” said Lynch School Dean Maureen Kenny. “The AERA conference offers one of the premier platforms to foster the far-reaching influence of our scholarship by sharing it with a global audience.” Faculty were also honored for their work. Associate Professor Laura M. O’Dwyer and alumna Shelagh Peoples, PhD ’12, were recognized with the Springer Award for the best research report in the journal Learning Environments. Assistant Professor Rebecca
Lowenhaupt was presented with the Journal of Educational Administration’s Outstanding Paper Award for 2015. Among faculty presentations, Associate Professor Patrick Proctor and Catherine Michener LSOE PhD ’14 offered a scientific look at the art of teacher talk. Their two-year study of classrooms in six schools found the specific ways teachers talk to their students – known as talk moves – had a direct impact on literacy skill building. Associate Professor Martin Scanlan and a team of graduate student researchers examined schools in the Two-way Immersion Network for Catholic Schools, an initiative of the Roche Center for Catholic Education. The project detailed how networks formed among teachers and between schools as the schools made the significant shift from monolingual to bilingual instruction to serve increasingly diverse student populations. Associate Professor Paul Poteat conducted a survey of high schoolers that found students who are bullied because of sexual orientation have willing defenders among their classmates – motivated by leadership, courage, altruism, their beliefs in justice and having lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender friends. Assistant Professor Vincent Cho and doctoral student Joshua Littenburg-Tobias PhD ’15 reported on a new survey instrument to examine teacher attitudes toward mobile technology in the classroom. The instrument will examine teacher concerns about using mobile technol-
ogy to teach non-cognitive skills, its role in educating the “whole student,” and the impact of “digital distraction.” Professor Maria Brisk has spent seven years working with teachers to develop the Genres in Writing curriculum, which utilize multiple writing genres to help students develop writing and literacy skills. Her study of the effect of the program in a Boston school found the curriculum helps teachers improve literacy skill-building in elementary students and raises student performance on internal and external assessments. Boisi Professor of Education and Public Policy Henry Braun discussed how he and colleagues are developing a research agenda on college rankings to better understand if rankings actually help students and universities make better or poorer decisions. Faculty offered expert commentary on a range of issues: Associate Professor Leigh Patel participated in a series of panels on the conference theme of justice in education and supporting diverse communities through research and practice; Professor Dennis Shirley, an expert on educational change, discussed successful education reform strategies in Ontario, Canada; and Brennan Professor of Education Andrew Hargreaves joined a panel discussing results of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development’s global survey of 100,000 teachers. Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu
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Fr. Rafferty to Succeed Hachey at CIP a lot of listening” to administrators, faculty and staff in BC’s Irish programs. “I want to hear what their visions, hopes and expectations are. Coming in as an outsider, I see things from a different perspective, but they are the ones who have the experience and the day-to-day knowledge.” The field of Irish studies itself is at a crossroads, Fr. Rafferty said, especially in its examination of Irish history. In contrast to the generally high visibility of Irish literature – notably through the work of figures like Joyce, Yeats and Shaw, which forms part of the canon of English literature – Irish history
College of the Holy Cross; and Hopkins Chair at John Carroll University. In addition to authoring or co-authoring articles in a variety of academic publications, Fr. Rafferty has written for popular media such as The Guardian, The Irish News, America and The Tablet. He also has discussed various historical, theological and religious topics on BBC radio and TV, RTE radio and TV and Ulster Television, as well as in US outlets. Fr. Rafferty holds doctoral and master’s degrees from Oxford University, a master’s degree from Trinity College Dublin’s Irish School of Ecumenics, and a Lee Pellegrini
Sean Smith
Continued from page 1 distinguished lecture series, book launches, prominent guest speakers and other special events sponsored through CIP as a highlight of the past 15 years. “My job was to make it possible for these programs to undertake initiatives and projects that would enable them to achieve their goals,” said Hachey, who expressed gratitude to University President William P. Leahy, SJ, for his support of the center. “Seeing those come to fruition were some of the most rewarding moments for me.” Oliver Rafferty, SJ, an expert on the Catholic Church’s role in the development of Irish nationalism, will succeed Hachey as CIP executive director effective Aug. 15. Fr. Rafferty has published or co-published such books as Irish Catholic Identities; George Tyrell and Catholic Modernism; The Catholic Church and the Protestant State: Nineteenth Century Irish Realities; The Church, the State and the Fenian Threat, 1861-75; and Catholicism in Ulster, 1603-1983: An Interpretative History. He is working on two other forthcoming books, The Church and the 1916 Rising and Violence, Politics and Catholicism in Ireland. “Oliver Rafferty is a leading historian of the Catholic Church in modern Ireland, and he will bring great energy and vision to the Center for Irish Programs,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley. “I look forward to working with him as we build on the legacy of Tom Hachey’s 15 years of leadership here on campus and in Ireland.” “This appointment is an immense honor, and a tremendous responsibility,” said Fr. Rafferty, a native of Belfast who entered the Society of Jesus in 1981. “Boston College has a great reputation in the field of Irish studies, and it’s very well-deserved: There are outstanding teachers and researchers here. I’m very happy to have the opportunity to work in such an exciting place.” Fr. Rafferty cited the Burns collections, where years ago he conducted some research for his doctoral thesis, as one of the most visible of BC’s Irish resources, along with the library’s Visiting Scholar in Irish Studies Chair. “The roster of eminent writers, historians, authors and poets who have served as Burns Scholars is most impressive, and adds to the prestige of BC’s Irish programs.” Fr. Rafferty said that in the coming months he plans to “do
Oliver Rafferty, SJ, left, will become executive director of the Center for Irish Programs this summer, following the retirement of Thomas Hachey, who has held the post since the center’s inception in 2000.
has typically been viewed as a more specialized area of scholarship. But that may be changing, he said, as aspects of Irish history – such as the Great Famine or The Troubles – are increasingly seen as pertinent to the wider discipline. For example, 19th-century Irish nationalism as represented by Daniel O’Connell was, in some ways, “the first mass democratic movement in Europe.” He added, “Another consideration is that, unlike in the past, not all those who are interested in Irish history, literature or art are of Irish descent. There is far greater diversity among students and scholars in Irish studies. What are the implications of this, for teaching and research? There are many fascinating questions for us to explore.” Last fall, Fr. Rafferty taught the course Ireland at War in the 20th Century and is currently teaching Ireland Since the Famine. His previous appointments include as the Wade Chair at Marquette University; visiting professor of Jesuit studies, history and theology at Loyola University Chicago; visiting professor of history at the University of Western Australia and Sogang University (South Korea); international Jesuit scholar at the
master’s degree in church history from Heythrop College at London University, where he also earned his bachelor’s degree. The success and scope of BC’s Irish programs has given the University a high profile throughout Ireland, said Hachey, recalling how the Irish government had offered to host the Irish Institute’s 10-year reunion at Dublin Castle – one of Ireland’s most iconic sites. As another example, Hachey pointed to the University’s 2011 acquisition of the archive of documents chronicling the decommissioning of Northern Ireland’s paramilitary groups — widely regarded as one of the most crucial facets of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. “I genuinely believe that, as Mary McAleese [former Irish President and Burns Visiting Scholar in the fall of 2013] said, Boston College indisputably has achieved the highest possible visibility among American colleges and universities in Ireland, and enjoys an equally high reputation. “I am confident that my good friend and colleague Oliver Rafferty, SJ, has the talent, commitment and vision to lead the CIP to an even greater level of achievement.” Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu
The Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics hosted a talk on April 7 by Lara Logan, “60 Minutes” correspondent and CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent, as part of its Chambers Lecture Series. (Photo by Justin Knight)
BC Law Rappaport Center Names First Executive Director Elisabeth J. Medvedow, the executive director of Boston-based civic and justice education nonprofit Discovering Justice, has been appointed as the inaugural executive director at the Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy at Boston College Law School, effective May 18. Medvedow has a long and successful record of nonprofit management, from her leadership at Discovering Justice – an organization founded with the support of the US District Court in Boston – as well as her previous position as executive director of the Women’s Bar Association and Women’s Bar Foundation in Massachusetts. Her arrival heralds a new era for the Rappaport Center, which moved earlier this year from Suffolk University to BC Law, funded by a $7.53 million gift from the Phyllis & Jerome Lyle Rappaport Foundation. The gift was the largest in the 85-year history of BC Law and supports the Rappaport Center and the Jerome Lyle Rappaport Visiting Professorship in Law and Public Policy at BC Law. The center comprises the longrunning Rappaport Fellows Program, which provides 12 paid summer internships to Greater Boston-area law students interested in public service, and the Rappaport Distinguished Public Policy Series, which will conduct scholarly research and host lectures, debates and roundtable discussions on public policy issues with the region’s leading policymakers and thought leaders. Former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger will chair the center’s advisory board. “I am thrilled to welcome Lissy to the Rappaport Center,” said Law Professor Michael Cassidy, faculty director of the Rappaport Center. “Her decades of experience in government and public policy positions and her leadership in the Boston bar make her the perfect fit as our new executive director. She is a passionate advocate who will
Elisabeth J. Medvedow
be an essential member of the Rappaport team, and I look forward to working with her.” “I am proud to become a member of the Boston College Law School community, which has always been a leader in public service,” said Medvedow. “The Rappaport Center’s ability to effect change and influence our future leaders inspires me, as does helping to introduce students to the breadth of public policy issues, especially focused on urban environments. Bringing together thought leaders in the public policy arena to engage in symposia, conferences, and respectful discourse to solve problems and motivate change will be a highly fulfilling next step in my own career.” Medvedow is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Northeastern University Law School. Following law school, Medvedow clerked for Judge Raya Dreben of the Massachusetts Appeals Court and Judge Joseph McNaught of the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Before going into non-profit management, she served for more than 10 years as assistant attorney general in the Appellate Division of Massachusetts Attorney General’s office. –Law School Marketing and Communications Director Nathaniel Kenyon
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle april 23, 2015
6
VENTURE COMPETITION SEASON AT BC
(L-R) School of Social Work students Vivian Pham, Matthew Pecoraro, Megan Toohey, Prakrity Silwal and Jeremy Vargas discuss their project at the BCSSW Social Innovation Day. (Photo by Tiziana Dearing)
A Day to Innovate
BCSSW’s Social Innovation Day inspires students to combine social change and entrepreneurship By Albert McKeon Special to the Chronicle
It’s one thing to have a can’t-miss idea that could bring about social change. It’s a whole other thing to win the funding and support that will make the idea work. Connecting a social spark with the engine that will drive it requires ingenuity, attention to detail and strong presentation skills, as 45 students from the Boston College School of Social Work discovered. On April 7, at the fourth BCSSW Social Innovation Day, the students put on their best business attire, scribbled notes on reams of paper, tweaked computer slideshows and – with the aid of some professional guidance – set out to not only win a competition but also acquire some experience needed to solve pressing problems once they leave Boston College. The students separated into nine teams, with each group tackling a seemingly intractable issue – but one they believe can be resolved with the proper dose of social work and entrepreneurship. After preparing their presentations with some tips from proven business and non-profit leaders, the teams delivered their pitches to four judges. BCSSW faculty members have an obligation to provide students with a “tool kit” that gives them the skills and confidence to articulate and sell their ideas, according to BCSSW Associate Professor Tiziana Dearing, co-director of the Center for Social Innovation [www.bc.edu/socialinnovation], which hosted the event at Barat House. And if a presentation doesn’t work, she added, the presenter might still make an impression that will open doors later. “One of the great lessons for the students is that, in the real world, even if you fail, you’re still a representative of your organization,” she said. The center promotes the combination of social work and entrepreneurship as a means to overcome government funding cuts that have lessened social service resources just as more clients need help. And it’s no coincidence that the presenters at Social Innovation Day carried that mindset as they tried to create solutions for hu-
man trafficking, LGBTQ injustices, incarceration issues and other social problems. Separating the tools of social work and business doesn’t make sense nowadays, said Stephanie Brueck, a BCSSW student in her final year. Social workers are making a difference “on the ground” but still can learn from business people who have technology, entrepreneurial ideas and funding, she said. Brueck teamed up with fellow students Aislinn Betancourt, Julia MacMahon, Lauryn McNair and Ruth Nkemontoh — who are all slated to graduate in 2016 — to tackle an urban issue that just about every Boston area commuter thinks is in need of fixing, especially after this winter: public transportation. Their team, “ConnectivT,” surveyed 87 people about areas of urban life that need improvement and a vast majority cited the MBTA. Survey respondents found the T unreliable, inaccessible and unsafe. These shortcomings, the team contended, prevent residents from engaging with the city, a situation with significant social and economic consequences. ConnectivT’s goal was to develop a system to help commuters overcome T deficiencies. They proposed creating touchscreen information monitors that would be placed in five prominent T stations and provide real-time updates on arrival times, alternate routes to consider in lieu of delays and shutdowns, and incident reports. The team also recommended a mobile app that provides the same information – and even allows commuters to share details with family and friends and indicate whether they’re running late and need to change plans. Their presentation went as smoothly as a speedy, punctual commuter train: ConnectivT won the competition. The ideas conceived by the nine student teams were meant solely for the event and — after considering the judges’ assessments — will be revised one last time for assignments to be handed in by semester’s end. But organizers hope the lessons learned from the work will carry forward for years. Read the full version of this story at http://bit.ly/1JQ4S0e
BC ‘Perfect’ for Developing Entrepreneurs Continued from page 1 skills, at sales skills, at understand- significant growth during its five around us. They develop a deep ing people, and at networking. But years. The competition’s aim is in- sense of empathy through different to start with, they have to be good volving students across campus in de- volunteer work, opportunities and people. At the end of the day, most veloping ideas for high-impact social mission trips. That’s very valuable,” investors will tell you it’s all about the ventures which either solve needs in says Laura Foote, an adjunct lecturer team, all about the person. a community or provide innovative in the Carroll School of Manage“Entrepreneurs are great leaders. solutions that are potentially scalable ment and mentor in the SEED and BC is perfect for developing great on a global level. AARP competitions. entrepreneurs.” This year’s SEED competition Foote notes that BC has been The Carroll School’s ninth annu- saw a record 19 entries, with juniors designated as an Ashoka Foundaal BCVC finals last week saw a record Esme Condon (Carroll School), Lu- tion Changemaker Campus, a global 38 teams, with CoreHub – made up cas Allen (A&S) and Daniel Lund- network of 30 leading universities of Carroll School seniors Matt Burke berg (Lynch School of Education) committed to advancing social inand Gaetan Daphnis, College of Arts taking the top prize with their In- novation on and off campus through and Sciences seniors Chris Castro and Doug Bent and Emaad Ali, a Boston College High senior – taking the $20,000 first prize. The team’s business idea is to enable commercial real estate tenants to make better, faster decisions. “Our goal is to give tenants the most comprehensive view of the market by connecting them to the best brokers and letting them search on their own,” says Burke, CoreHub CEO. “CoreHub is all about empowering the end user to make a smarter choice about their next space. We will provide a comprehensive, accurate commercial real estate listing CoreHub, whose members are (L-R) BC seniors Matt Burke, Doug Bent, Gaetan platform and offer a highly targeted Daphnis and Chris Castro, and Boston College High senior Emaad Ali, poses tenant-broker matching service that after winning the BC Venture Competition. (Photos from BCVC Facebook page) gives tenants better options and reliable information.” clude-Play-Learn, a financially sus- interdisciplinary coursework, experiWhile more work is needed be- tainable center aimed at providing ential learning, and student-led inifore the ideas are market-ready, these accessibility for children with dis- tiatives. teams are more than willing to put abilities while also reducing cultural “That’s a pretty meaningful in the “sweat equity” in continu- stigmatization. framework for a lot of what the uning to test and refine their concepts. The project seeks to open the first dergraduates are interested in,” says The quality of what was presented accessible playground and inclusive Foote. “It relates to the role of BC as is another example of how success- library environment at the Epicentre a place where students can learn to be ful companies – such as Wyn See, educational facility in Ghana by Au- changemakers.” Jebbit, WePay, Drizly, NBD Nano gust. Team members envision that She points to the competition – have originated from the BC cam- revenue generated through the oper- sponsored by the AARP Foundation, pus. ation of after-school programs, book which aims to promote innovation “It’s much easier to start a compa- clubs, inclusive sports leagues, and focused on aiding low-income seny now,” says Doyle. “There are just playground activities will allow In- niors. Taking a $5,000 prize was The so many more opportunities. What clude-Play-Learn to offer scholarships Nutrition Network, a for-profit conyou’re seeing with BCVC is really the to children with disabilities from low- sulting group that provides evidenceproliferation of what you’re seeing in income families. based nutrition education for rural the business world right now.” “We also want to reduce the very adults 50 and older that is impleAn invaluable role in the student intense stigmatization surrounding mented through community workentrepreneurial growth has shops and resource coordibeen the mentoring and nation. The team members judging by alumni repare BCSSW students Kathresenting a wide range of erine Raymond and Brooke backgrounds. Doyle, for Markt, Carroll School seexample, is an angel invesnior Hillary O’Toole and tor and serial entrepreneur A&S senior Sarah Dalton. who served as a sounding “Here we had two social board for many of this work students very interyear’s BCVC ideas. ested in the needs of senior “You’ve got 38 compacitizens, but they weren’t nies this year so you’re talkthat experienced with the ing about 110 students or concept of a business venso that have really devised Junior Robbie Li makes his team’s pitch to the BCVC judges. ture, or how to pitch it,” a great business plan. There’s no disability in our community and says Foote. “And then there were substitute for putting those kinds of more broadly throughout Ghana two undergraduates who were more things together and then getting up through encouraging inclusive play comfortable with the business end, in front of seasoned venture capital- and learning at the facility,” says but didn’t know a lot about the isists – who act as judges – presenting Lundberg, currently in Ghana on a sue. However, together they were the plan and getting really tough one-year leave-of-absence from BC able to come up with something questions. These students do incred- working on disability rights and de- interesting.” ibly well at handling them.” velopment, which will allow him to An offshoot of BCVC is SEED, oversee the project. Read the full version of this the social initiative track of the ven“A lot of students at BC are very story at http://bit.ly/1PiBOlc ture competition that has enjoyed aware of needs in the community
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle april 23, 2015
Friedberg Joins Commission McIntyre Professor of Mathematics Solomon Friedberg has been appointed to to the National Academy of Science’s US National Commission for Mathematics Instruction. The nine-member committee is charged with promoting the advancement of mathematics education in the United States and throughout the world, and effecting appropriate US participation in the International Commission on Mathematics Instruction through the National Academy of Sciences. It is the latest achievement among many in recent years for Friedberg, who is the Mathematics Department chair. A fellow of the
American Mathematical Society, Friedberg is a co-principal investigator on a six-year National Science Foundation grant to support math teachers in high-need schools, and his research has been supported by the National Security Agency. Since he became Mathematics chair in 2007, the department has established a doctoral program and a new bachelor of science degree and its faculty have earned prestigious honors from such organizations as the Simons Foundation, Alfred Sloan Foundation, National Science Foundation and American Mathematical Society. –Office of News & Public Affairs
STM Student Awarded a FASPE School of Theology and Ministry student Robert Hyde has been chosen by Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE) as one of 12 seminary/divinity school students to participate in a unique summer program that uses the history of the Holocaust as a way to engage business, journalism, law, medical and seminary students in a study of contemporary ethics in their discipline. Hyde, a US Air Force veteran who served in Iraq, is pursuing a master of theology degree and plans to become a United Church of Christ parish minister after graduation. “I think FASPE will provide me with important contextual learning that will help me hone my ability to distinguish between different forms of conflict and injustice and respond in a nuanced way to each situation as it arises,” he said. “These skills will be crucial for me to learn as a Christian minister serving in a church.” Directed by the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City, FASPE is predicated upon the power of place, and in particular,
the first-hand experience of visiting Auschwitz and traveling in Germany and Poland, where FASPE fellows study the devastating consequences of what happens when the moral codes governing professionals break down or become distorted. FASPE Seminary Fellows begin the two-week program June 14 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, where they will meet with Holocaust survivors. Next, they will travel to Germany to participate in educational workshops that will take place at the House of the Wannsee Conference, the site where representatives of German state and Nazi Party agencies convened in 1942 to draw up plans for the Nazis’ “Final Solution.” The group will then travel to Poland to work with the staff at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and attend sessions at Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Upon return, each fellow will submit a final essay focused on a contemporary ethical issue. Select essays will be published in the annual FASPE Journal. For more about FASPE, visit http://www.mjhnyc.org/faspe/programs.html. –Office of News & Public Affairs
Latin American Leadership Conference This Saturday The second Latin American Leadership Conference, organized by the Boston College Latin American Business Club, will take place this Saturday, featuring Colombian Ambassador to the US Luis Carlos Villegas, former Argentinean Minister of Economy Domingo Cavallo and former Colombian Energy Minister Orlando Cabrales Segovia among the guest speakers. Also appearing at the conference will be Estée Lauder Senior Vice President Patricia Lopez, Venezuelan congressman Julio Borges and Lorenzo Mendoza, owner of Venezuela’s largest private company, Empresas Polar. The conference takes place beginning at 9 a.m. in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons. For ticket information and other details, see labcconference2015.weebly.com. –Office of News & Public Affairs
Newsmakers Prof. Robert Bloom (Law) discussed the conviction of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and offered his analysis of the sentencing portion of the trial in interviews with New England Cable News and USA Today.
Caitlin Cunningham
7
Asst. Prof. David Hopkins (Political Science) was among a group of experts asked by the New York Daily News to handicap the 2016 Democratic presidential race. Though Catholicism is now an integral part of the state’s cultural fabric, in its very early years, Catholics were “few in number and not particularly welcome,” according to Clough Millennium Professor of History James O’Toole, who spoke about Massachusetts’ transformation in an interview with WGBH News. Girls who are victims of sexual violence and physical and emotional abuse need help, not lockup, wrote Clinical Assoc. Prof. Francine Sherman (Law), director of the Juvenile Rights Advocacy Program, in the Huffington Post. Service, if done well, has the power to transform, wrote PULSE Service Learning Program faculty member Kathleen Hirsch for the Boston Globe’s Crux website, citing research drawn from longitudinal data and interviews before and after PULSE service that shows how the experience changed students’ world views and self-concepts in critical areas. Massachusetts’ Sheltered English Immersion program has resulted in thousands of English-learning children mainstreamed into classrooms with many teachers un-
University Trustee John M. “Jack” Connors Jr. ’63 chats with Associate Trustee Robert M. Devlin at the Woods College of Advancing Studies celebration dinner Tuesday. Connors was the guest speaker at the event. See other photo on page 2.
derstandably unprepared to meet these students’ needs, according to Lynch School of Education Associate Professors Patrick Proctor and Mariela Páez, in a letter to the Boston Globe.
beth Kensinger (Psychology), in a discussion about the malleability of memory on Minnesota Public Radio.
Fast Company noted a study led by Asst. Prof. Rocio Calvo (BC-
Bernini: His Life and His Rome, by Prof. Franco Mormando (Romance Languages and Literatures) has been published in a Chineselanguage edition by Heilongjiang Educational Press of China.
BC BRIEFING SSW) of pre- and post-disaster levels of happiness among women survivors of Hurricane Katrina indicating that by four years after the storm, nearly all respondents – bolstered by social support – had gone back to pre-storm happiness levels. Interviewed by Forbes magazine, Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Prof. Paul Schervish (Sociology) commented on the origin and contemporary understanding of the money taboo. Recollections of particularly emotional events may be vivid, but the accuracy of such “flashbulb memories” varies, said Prof. Eliza-
NOTA BENE
Publications
An historical Civil War essay by Adj. Prof. Andrew McAleer (Woods College), “USS Kearsarge and CSS Alabama,” was published in Growing up in North Cambridge. A new edition of McAleer’s novel Double Endorsement has been released on Kindle.
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
We’re History [www.werehistory.org], an online magazine on American history co-founded by Professor of History Heather Cox Richardson, recently published its 100th article. In addition to Richardson, who is co-editor, other Boston College contributors to the publication include Clough Millennium Professor of History James O’Toole, Professor of History Alan Rogers, O’Neill Senior Reference Librarian Elliott Brandow, postdoctoral fellow Ian Delahunty, doctoral candidates Craig Gallagher and Ryan Green and graduate student Michael McLean.
Assistant Director, Graduate Student Life
The BC Dynamics, a co-ed a cappella student performance group, recently spent a weekend in New York City, where they performed with groups from Columbia University and Johns Hopkins University. The group, which gave its “Spring Café” concert this past Saturday, has just completed its recording its second studio album in three years, “Northern Comfort,” which will be released at a later date. [For more about the BC Dynamics, see www. thebcdynamics.com]
Assistant/Associate Director for Leadership Giving, Development
Legal Information Librarian, Law Library Lab Manager, Psychology Department Staff Psychologist, University Counseling Research Economist, Center for Retirement Research
Director of Major Gifts, Athletic Association Director of Housing Operations, Residential Life Director, Robsham Theater Arts Center
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle april 23, 2015
8
TODAY
This month’s Boston College arts calendar is dominated by the University’s annual Arts Festival, which begins today and runs through Saturday. The festival — with a theme this year of “Make it Pop!” — offers a full complement of events and activities over the next three days, from music and dance performances to exhibits and readings, and special appearances by interdisciplinary artist and alumni honoree Chris Doyle ’81. [Full schedule at www. bc.edu/artsfestival] But BC’s arts scene will still be quite active after the festival ends. Here is a look at events of interest for the latter part of April. •On Sunday, Voices of Imani offers its annual spring concert at 5 p.m. in Lyons Hall’s Welch Dining Room. According to organizers, the performance celebrates the end of the academic year and showcases the talents of the choir in a vibrant, spiritual setting. For more information e-mail Voicesofimani.bc@gmail.com. •On Monday, April 27, Boston College Baroque will present a concert under the direction of Music Department lecturer AnneMarie Chubet. The string ensemble specializes in music of the Baroque period, including works by Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann and their contemporaries. The group will perform at 6 p.m. in Gasson 100. •Later in that venue, at 7:30
Frank Curran
The curtain rises on the BC Arts Festival. Go to www.bc.edu/artsfestival for the who/what/when/where.
BC SCENES
Late April music events on campus include the annual spring concert by the Voices of Imani gospel choir (above) and a performance by guitarist Chris Newman and harpist Máire Ní Chathasaigh (below right) as part of the Gaelic Roots series.
p.m., the Boston College Chamber Music Society will perform under the direction of Sandra Hebert, Music Department assistant professor of the practice. The group – an umbrella organization for small ensembles based in the Music Department – includes instrumentalists, pianists and vocalists. The group also will take the stage in Gasson 100 the following day, April 28, for a 4:30 p.m. performance. •Pianist Tina Dimonda – a 2006 Music Department alumna who also earned a master’s degree in philosophy from BC in 2012 – returns to campus on Wednesday, April 29. She will perform works by Scarlatti, Mozart, Chopin and Messiaen at 8 p.m. in Gasson 100.
For information on the Music Department concerts, call ext.26004. •The final event in this year’s Gaelic Roots series on April 30 features husband-wife duo Chris Newman (guitar) and Máire Ní Chathasaigh (harp), who perform a distinctive and innovative take on Celtic music that includes swing jazz, bluegrass, baroque and other influences. Newman and Ní Cathasaigh have performed at numerous events and venues in the US, Europe and other parts of the world, and toured with leading Celtic performers such as Altan, Cherish the Ladies, Maura O’Connell and Mary Black. They have recorded six albums together and appeared on TV in the US,
Ireland, Germany, Italy, Australia and France. The event, which takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Cadigan Alumni Center on Brighton Campus, is free and open to the public but registration is required. A link to register is available at the Gaelic Roots website, www.bc.edu/ gaelicroots. In addition to music events, several art and photography exhibits are on display through, or beyond, the end of the month: •Boston College Art Club Student Show, Carney Hall, first floor, Student Programs hallway (through May 1) •“Beyond the Postcard: The Other Side of Cuba,” O’Neill Library, Level One Galley (through April 30)
PESACH Boston College Hillel hosted a seder on April 10 in observation of Passover, commemorating the Israeli people’s liberation from slavery and their freedom as a nation under Moses.
Photos by Christopher Huang
•“From the Eagle’s Eye: A Rotating Gallery of Student Photography,” Maloney Hall, fourth floor reception area (through May 15) •“Creating Boston Common: The Evolution of America’s Oldest Park,” Stokes Hall South, History Department, third floor (through May 31) •“One Story Draws Another: Staff Selections from the Burns Library’s Irish Collections,” Burns Library (through May 8) •“Roman in the Provinces: Art on the Periphery of Empire,” McMullen Museum of Art, Devlin Hal (through May 31) For more information on the above exhibits, and other events on campus, see www.bc.edu/events. –Office of News & Public Affairs