Boston College Chronicle

The Boston College

Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of University Communications april 27, 2017 VOL. 24 no. 16

INSIDE students bear 2 •STM witness in El Salvador

•Diane Paulus to speak on campus next week is speaker for 3 •Hines BC Law Commencement

•Diversity and Inclusion Summit is May 24 •Portal to Jesuit Studies website to be launched Rev. Jesse 4 •Photo: Jackson speaks at BC Auxiliary Services’ 5 •Meet “go-to guy”

University also will honor Amy Guen, Tiffany Gueye, Chris O’Donnell, Fr. Leo B. Shea, MM Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.

Some 4,000 Boston College students will receive their undergraduate and graduate degrees at separate ceremonies held around campus after the main Commencement event.

By the Office of University Communications

US Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.), a respected advocate for children and families and one of America’s most prominent Catholic politicians, will address the graduates at Boston College’s 141st Commencement Exercises on May 22.

University President William P. Leahy, SJ, will present Casey with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the ceremony, which will take place at 10 a.m. in Alumni Stadium, rain or shine. [Complete logistical information is available at the Commencement 2017 website, www.bc.edu/commencement.]

In addition, the University will present honorary degrees to: longtime Boston-area community activist Amy Guen MSW’52; Tiffany Cooper Gueye ’00, PhD’07,

John Klemmer

•McCullough’s BC speech is memorialized

Senator Casey to Speak at Commencement

US Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at Commencement.

CEO of non-profit organization BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life); film and TV star Chris O’Donnell ’92; and Fr. Leo B. Shea, MM ’60, missioner for

“We are taking what we’ve come to understand about general principles of effective learning and exploring how this can best be applied in real educational settings.”

–David Miele

6

•Stoops is new Student Affairs Associate VP •Civic engagement is crux of Political Science’s Marshall Fellows Program

College holds 7 •Woods celebration dinner •BC in the Media; job listings •Alumni Awards •Photo: Grad Talks

8 •Geoscience on stage •Photos: Alumni Global Days of Service

Principles to Practice

Grant will enable researchers to pull together multidisciplinary ‘science of learning’ concepts

By Ed Hayward Staff Writer

Incorporating insights from the “science of learning” into teaching practice and student achievement is the focal point of a $4.6-million grant awarded by the James S. McDonnell Foundation to Buehler Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor David Miele of the Lynch School of Education and a team of educational and cognitive psychologists from around the country.

The five-year project, “Implementing Principles from the Science of Learning within Educational Practice,” will investigate both students and teachers in settings that range from elementary school to college and will draw on findings from a number of

different subdisciplines, such as cognitive, social, developmental, and educational psychology. These areas often operate independent of one another, said Miele, an educational psychologist whose research focuses on how students’ motivations, beliefs, and self-assessments influence their own learning.

The grant builds on two previous projects that Miele and other members of the team helped to carry out as graduate students and post-doctoral researchers. These projects investigated how student learning is affected by certain study behaviors and strategies, such as self-testing and spacing out study across numerous sessions.

“We are taking what we’ve come to understand about general Continued on page 5

NOTICE:

Bob Casey First elected to office in 2006, Bob Casey is the senior US senator from Pennsylvania, and son of the state’s former governor, Robert P. Casey. In 2012, the Scranton native became the first Democrat in 50 years to be elected to a full term and to win re-election to the Senate from the Keystone State.

A highlight of Casey’s 10 years on Capitol Hill was his serving as the prime Senate sponsor of the Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, which will allow millions of families across the

United States to save for the longterm care of their loved ones with disabilities in a tax-advantaged savings account. Casey also has been active on the legislative front in areas such as cracking down on terrorists’ financing, making it easier for small businesses to expand, and addressing the problem of campus

Mass. SJC’s Geraldine Hines to speak at BC Law Commencement See page 3 sexual assault.

A nationally recognized advocate for children, Casey recently guided into law a bill to make early learning a part of a continuum of learning, working in concert with the K-12 system.

Jesuit and Catholic education Continued on page 4

Former Ohio State Deputy AD Will Lead BC Athletics Lee Pellegrini

By Jack Dunn Associate Vice President of University Communications

Boston College has named Martin Jarmond, former deputy director of athletics at The Ohio State University (OSU), as the William V. Campbell Director of Athletics.

He succeeds Brad Bates, who will become vice president of Collegiate Sports Associates in June.

At Ohio State, Jarmond also functioned as chief of staff for Athletics Director Gene Smith, and directed external and internal relations and day-to-day operations at an athletics program that has approximately 1,100 student athletes in 36 Division I sports, 375 employees, and a budget of $170 million. He served as sport administrator for football, men’s basketball, baseball, and men’s and women’s golf programs, and was a member of the AD’s executive leadership team where he participated in strategic planning and directed

Martin Jarmond speaking at a press conference Monday.

search committees for coaches and administrators.

As OSU Athletics’ chief advancement officer, Jarmond helped raise more than $120 million between 2010-2012, and was a member of the University Development Senior Leadership team for the $2.5 billion “But for Ohio State...” capital campaign. In addition, he chaired Continued on page 6

The annual Boston College Arts Festival begins today at noon and continues until Saturday. Programming, most free of charge, for all ages will be presented at the festival, which is open to the public as well as the BC community. There are daily events, exhibits, demonstrations (some with participation from attendees), music and dance showcases, and literary events. For all information, go to www.bc.edu/artsfestival.

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A ROUND

C AMPUS

BEARING WITNESS As they reconstruct their lives after extraordinary trauma, the people of El Salvador have much to teach students about resiliency, faith, hope, and the power of solidarity in communities.

The opportunity to listen and learn from experiences of the Salvadoran people is particularly meaningful for those preparing to be pastoral ministers and theologians, according to School of Theology and Ministry Associate Dean for Student Affairs Jacqueline Regan, who made her fourth trip to the Central American country that is still dealing with the aftermath of civil war.

Regan and nine STM students traveled to El Salvador last month, and some of the delegation shared stories about their immersion trip with members of the STM community during a recent luncheon in Simboli Hall.

Regan reported on an encoun-

ter with Rosa Rivera of Arcatao, a member of the community’s Historical Memory Committee. The group stresses the importance of storytelling as a means of healing and addressing trauma. Rivera spoke of witnessing her father’s murder during the war, as well as the death of her brother, and of her own time hiding in the hills outside her village.

“She’s an amazing, resilient woman,” said Regan.

Regan also spoke about the legacy of martyred Archbishop Oscar Romero, whose 1980 murder fueled outrage at the Salvadoran government. Since Regan’s last visit to El Salvador in 2012, Archbishop Romero has been beatified by the Roman Catholic Church, a step in the canonization process, and Regan said she noticed this has had an effect on people: “Romero was and is so well-loved. We met many people who knew Romero and

were inspired by him. His beatification really validates their feelings and what they stood for and what so many of their loved ones had died for.”

Student trip leader Jessica McCarthy discussed how people in El Salvador are taking ownership of their memory as a way of preserving their history and recognizing the injustices of the war.

She described how survivors have reclaimed the bones and remains of those killed and built a chapel and crypt in order to give their loved ones a Christian burial. They have also created a museum of artifacts from the war.

The STM trip is made in partnership with CRISPAZ, a faithbased organization dedicated to mutual accompaniment with the church of the poor and marginalized communities in El Salvador.

The STM group stayed in both a hostel and with host families.

A recently published book of speeches by David McCullough, one of America’s most distinguished historians, includes his Commencement address to Boston College’s Class of 2008.

The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For is a collection of talks given during the past 25 years by the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and Presidential Medal of Honor recipient, author of books such as Truman, John Adams, The Wright Brothers and Mornings on Horseback, and narrator of the PBS “Civil War” series. Released “at a time of self-reflection in America following a bitter election campaign that has left the country divided,” according to the publisher, Simon & Schuster, The American Spirit “reminds us of core American values to which we all subscribe.”

McCullough’s speech at BC, titled “The Love of Learning,” included his memorable line “Read, read, read! Read the classics of American literature that you’ve never opened. Read your country’s history.”

Gary Wayne Gilbert

‘READ, READ, READ!’

David McCullough gives the address at BC’s 2008 Commencement.

McCullough, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at Commencement, continued: “How can we profess to love our country and take no interest in its history?

Read into the history of Greece and Rome. Read about the great turning points in the history of science and medicine and ideas.”

McCullough, in asking the graduates to make “love of learning central to your life,” also implored them to cure “the verbal virus that seems increasingly rampant among your genera-

associate Vice President of UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONs Jack Dunn Deputy Director of university communications Patricia Delaney Editor Sean Smith

Contributing Staff Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Siobhan Sullivan Photographers Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini

tion,” citing the “relentless, wearisome use of the words ‘like’ and ‘you know’ and ‘awesome’ and ‘actually.’”

But he also credited the “energetic part” the graduates’ generation was playing in the 2008 election: “Keep that idealism alive.

Make a difference.”

At the end, he urged the Class of 2008 to “get the best jobs you can and go to work with spirit. Don’t get discouraged.

And don’t work just for money. Choose work you believe in, work you enjoy. Money enough will follow. Believe me, there’s nothing like turning every day to work you love.”

The American Spirit also includes McCullough’s speeches at a joint session of Congress, an Independence Day naturalization ceremony at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home, the US Capitol Historical Society and commencements at Dartmouth College, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Union College and Ohio University.

–University Communications

The Boston College

Chronicle www.bc.edu/bcnews chronicle@bc.edu

School of Theology and Ministry Associate Dean for Student Affairs Jacqueline Regan and nine STM students recently traveled to El Salvador.

McCarthy said she was eager to make the trip, especially after last year’s trip had to be cancelled due to violence and instability in the region.

“El Salvador is what got me into theology,” she said.

Christian Santa Maria, the other student trip leader, spoke about his visit to the University of Central America, where six Jesuits, their cook, and her daughter were murdered in 1989. At UCA, there is a remembrance garden, an adoration chapel, and photographs documenting the murders.

Santa Maria noted that the photos were graphic and difficult to look at, but the one of the cook,

Elba, and her daughter, Celina, prompted the strongest reaction.

In the photo, Elba’s body is completely on top of her daughter’s.

“Elba was shielding her daughter,” he said. “Though she was a cook, her vocation was being a mother. Even at the point of her death, she chose to be a mother.”

He said it made him realize he needed to think deeper about vocation. “As I consider my vocation, I hope there is something I can say ‘yes’ to as fully as [Elba] did.”

Other members of the STM delegation were Matthew Tusa, Colleen Quigley, Susan Brusky, Dan Corrou, Liliana Condori, Ariell Watson, and Jillian DeFina.

–Kathleen Sullivan

Paulus Talk Rescheduled for May 3 An event featuring Tony Award-winning Director Diane Paulus, whose February campus appearance was cancelled due to a snowstorm, has been rescheduled for next week.

Paulus will present “The Arts & Engaged Citizenship: Theater as a Civic Space” on May 3 at 7 p.m. in Devlin Hall 008. The free, public lecture, which will address the arts as a force for social, political and personal change, is sponsored by Theatre Department and the Civic Engagement Initiative.

Paulus is the artistic director of the American Repertory Theater (ART) at Harvard University, a role she has held since 2008, and was director of the groundbreaking Tony-nominated musical, “Waitress” – the first Broadway show to have an all-female creative team. Paulus’ name has become synonymous with ART’s mission to “expand the boundaries of theater,” with her innovative directing choices.

After her lecture she will participate in a Q&A with playwright Sheri Wilner, Monan Professor in Theatre Arts.

Read more about Paulus in the original announcement of her campus appearance at bit.ly/paulus-campus-visit.

For questions about the lecture, e-mail theatre@bc.edu.

–University Communications The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135 (617)5523350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135.

A flipbook edition of Chronicle is available via e-mail. Send requests to chronicle@bc.edu.

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Massachusetts SJC Associate Justice Hines to Speak at Law Commencement Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Geraldine S. Hines will address the Class of 2017 at Boston College Law School’s 85th Commencement on May 26.

BC Law’s graduation ceremonies will take place at 10:30 a.m. in Conte Forum on the Chestnut Hill Campus. [See www.bc.edu/ law for more information.]

“I am delighted that Justice Hines has agreed to be our Commencement speaker,” said BC Law Dean Vincent Rougeau.

“Her experience as a civil rights advocate and her record of achievement on both sides of the bench make her an example to us all.”

Hines grew up in the segregated South, a young witness to the 1960s upheavals over racial discrimination and voting rights abuses. Her appointment to the SJC by Governor Deval Patrick in 2014 – a first for a black woman – capped four decades of service to the causes she championed as a child of the Mississippi Delta.

As she told Gargoyle, the

Geraldine S. Hines

alumni publication of the University of Wisconsin, where she received her law degree, “I chose work that was important to me and my community. For me, that always meant following some problem that needed attention, that not too many other lawyers were involved in.”

After graduating from Wisconsin, Hines became a staff attorney at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, where she litigated for prisoner rights. She later applied her research to police misconduct as an MIT fellow while serving as co-counsel

in Commonwealth v. Willie Sanders, a highly publicized trial of a black man accused of raping eight women.

As a founding partner in the first law firm of women of color in New England, she litigated cases on discrimination in education, labor, employment and family law matters, and police misconduct claims.

“Our little firm took cases that most big law firms wouldn’t touch,” she told Gargoyle. “We tried to represent folks who had legiti­mate justice concerns, whether or not they had the means to pay for our services.”

Among the more prominent organizations in which Hines has been involved are the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Lawyers Guild, and the National Conference of Black Lawyers.

Through those involvements, she has observed elections and investigated human rights abuses in Africa and the Middle East. She also was appointed to both the Judicial Nominating Council and the Judicial Nominating Commission.

–Boston College Law School

Forthcoming IAJS Website Will Be a ‘Jesuit Google’

By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor

Free, online access to some of the most foundational scholarly publications and sources in the Jesuit Studies field will be available next month, thanks to a project of the Boston College Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies (IAJS).

Once it opens, The Portal to Jesuit Studies [jesuitportal.bc.edu] will be a “Jesuit Google,” according to IAJS Director Casey Beaumier, SJ, and strengthen the institute’s efforts to serve as a resource on the history, spirituality and pedagogy of the Society of Jesus.

“As Boston College emerges as the foundation for the academic discipline of Jesuit Studies, it is crucial that we promote opportunities for serious research,” he said. “The institute offers fellowships, symposia, lectures, and courses. Under the leadership of Associate Director Robert Maryks, we have invested, through Brill Publishers, a great deal in the promotion of open ac-

Gary Wayne Gilbert

conferences on campus diversity, higher education and democracy, that took place in South Africa and the United States. Smith was a Fulbright Senior Specialist in South Africa in 2010 and 2012.

A “Thought Leader Panel” moderated by BC Law School Dean Vincent Rougeau will highlight some best and promising practices in administrative and academic areas at Boston College, and how these value diversity, build a culture of inclusion, and encourage faculty and staff to engage in this work, said organizers. The panelists are BC School of Social Work Dean Gautam Yadama, Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services Patricia Bando and Vice President of Information Technology Services Michael Bourque.

“The Office for Institutional Diversity is pleased to invite participants to join us as we commemorate the office’s 45-year anniversary and reflect on our history and the journey ahead,” said Lowe.

“We must take time to remember those who came before us to do this often difficult work. We must make time and listen to one another, to learn, reflect, and engage with all people in order to ensure the commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence continues to advance at Boston College and beyond.”

–Sean Smith

history, such as letters and addresses from Society of Jesus Fathers General, selected decrees and important addresses from the Jesuit General Congregations, and other materials concerning the Society.

•The Boston College Jesuit Bibliography – a comprehensive database of bibliographical information on books, chapters, articles, reviews and other materials related to the history of Jesuits – and the directory to Boston College Libraries’ Jesuitica collection, containing more than 1,000 volumes.

Other sources include presentations from the annual International Symposium on Jesuit Studies; the Jesuit Historiography Online; the Journal of Jesuit Studies, which includes scholarly articles, interviews and book reviews; and Jesuit Sources, a compendium of important texts and studies in Jesuit history, spirituality and pedagogy.

Fr. Beaumier expressed gratitude to the institute’s associate director, Seth Meehan, for “working tirelessly to develop what I believe “As Boston College emerges

Second Diversity and Inclusion Summit May 24 Boston College will hold its the keynote address “Diversity’s second Diversity and Inclusion Promise for Excellence: Building Summit on May 24, with this Capacity for a Pluralistic Society year’s event focused on explor- That Works,” by Daryl G. Smith, ing practices that strengthen the senior research fellow and professor University’s commitment “to en- emerita of education and psycholohancing a diverse, welcoming, and gy at Claremont Graduate Univerinclusive community sity. Smith’s research, that respects all and teaching, and publicafosters dialogue within tions have consistently our Catholic and Jesuit explored subjects such tradition,” according to as the organizational organizers. implications of diverThe summit, titled sity, assessment and “Learn, Reflect, Enevaluation, leadership gage,” takes place from and change, diversity 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in Gasin STEM fields, and son 100 and includes faculty diversity.

Daryl G. Smith a panel discussion with Smith has served senior University administrators, as an evaluator and consultant to interactive sessions, poster exhibits numerous projects and campuses and networking activities on topics across the country and to organirelated to diversity and inclusion. zations such as the Ford FoundaRegistration is available at the sum- tion, the Haas Jr. Foundation, the mit website, http://bit.ly/diversity- Pew Charitable Trusts, and the summit2017.

Hewlett Foundation. She was one “We want to provide partici- of three principal evaluators of a pants with opportunities to learn five-year campus diversity initiafrom each other,” said Office for tive that involved working with 28 Institutional Diversity Executive private colleges and universities in Director Patricia Lowe, “and col- California to develop their capaclectively contribute to strategic and ity for sustaining and monitoring innovative ideas that advance our progress on institutional diversity. commitment to inclusive excelSmith also was an advisor for lence as well as helping us live the Converge project on diverout the social justice imperatives sity and inclusion in the health inherent in our Jesuit and Catholic professions at Harvard Medical heritage.”

School, and a delegate to Ford A highlight of the event will be Foundation-sponsored tri-national

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cess material.

“Robert edits tremendous resources like the Journal of Jesuit Studies, The Boston College Jesuit Bibliography, and Jesuit Historiography Online. Our site’s main contribution is integrating these with the institute’s other digital initiatives, resulting in The Portal to Jesuit Studies as the gateway for accessing the growing content we believe researchers will need to engage this discipline.”

A collaboration between IAJS, Information Technology Series, University Libraries and the Office of University Communications, the Portal will provide access to the following sources: •The Jesuit Online Library, which allows users to search 14 Jesuit titles – nearly 100,000 pages across 700 volumes – simultaneously or browse single volumes individually. The collection includes books and journals in English, Spanish, Latin and French, and titles such as Woodstock Letters, Studies in the Spirituality of the Jesuits, and histories and biographies.

•Essential documents in Jesuit

as the foundation for the academic discipline of Jesuit Studies, it is crucial that we promote opportunities for serious research.”

–Casey Beaumier, SJ

to be an excellent platform with amazing content.”

Through Meehan, he added, the institute also cultivated important partnerships within the University: “Vice President for Information Technology Services Michael Bourque and his team, including Chris Carpenter, Eduards Tomas and Kul Thapa, assisted in establishing a relationship with the technology we needed, as we worked with Avalon in developing the platform.

“University Librarian Thomas Wall was enthusiastic about the project and made available Betsy Post, Chris Mayo, Emily Singley, Ben Florin and Kimberly Kowal who, along with others, have been great partners in the digital developments that needed to occur for the Portal to become a reality.

“Finally, Kristen Patterson, Monica De Salvo and Christine Hunt from the Office of University Communications have been instrumental in design development.”

Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu

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University to Present Honorary Degree to Casey, Four Others Continued from page 1 was a strong component of Casey’s intellectual and spiritual development: After graduating from Scranton Preparatory School, he went on to earn degrees from the College of the Holy Cross and the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America.

Prior to enrolling at the Columbus School, he served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, spending a year as a teacher and basketball coach in inner-city Philadelphia.

In 2008, Casey served on the National Catholic Advisory Committee for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign along with BC faculty members Lisa Sowle Cahill and M. Shawn Copeland (Vincent Rougeau, Richard Gaillardetz and Cathleen Kaveny, all of whom later joined the University, also were committee members).

Amy Guen Amy Chin Guen, still going strong at age 93, will attend her 65th BC alumni reunion next month. In addition to a long and accomplished career as a social worker, she has worked tirelessly as a community activist and leader in Boston’s Chinatown – her childhood home – to oppose displacement of the neighborhood by urban renewal.

The first American-born daughter of a Chinese domicile merchant family, Guen was sent to China as a young girl to continue her education following her mother’s death, returning to Chinatown after World War II. After earning degrees from Regis College and BC’s Graduate School of Social Work – and wedding chemist and community leader Edward J. Guen (who passed away in 2011) – Guen went on to become director of social case work at the Holy Ghost Hospital (now Spaulding Hospital) in Cambridge.

During her career, she trained many young professionals and served on the state’s first social work licensing board, advocating for hospice care, which did not exist at the time. With her multi-lingual education and understanding of cultural needs, Guen facilitated funding for nonprofit service agencies to assist underserved immigrants, including the Asian American Civic Association, the Golden Age Center, South Cove Manor Nursing Facilities Foundation, and the South Cove Community Health Center, which continue to thrive.

Guen was honored last fall with the Chinese Historical Society of New England’s (Sojourner Award.

At the event, “Auntie Amy” — as she is known in the Chinatown community — pledged to con-

tinue to work as her health permits.

She will receive an honorary Doctor of Social Science degree.

board for Results for America.

Boston College will award Gueye an honorary Doctor of Science in Education degree.

orary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Chris O’Donnell Chris O’Donnell was a student at the Carroll School of Management when he appeared in his first film, playing Jessica Lange’s son in “Men Don’t Leave.” That critically acclaimed performance launched an acting career that spans more than 25 years, including a star-

Fr. Leo B. Shea, MM In more than half a century with the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, Fr. Leo B. Shea, MM, has taken his ministry to the slums of Jamaica, the barrios of Caracas, Venezuela, and the reaches of northern China.

A Massachusetts native, Fr. Shea first gained awareness of foreign mission from a grammar school

the Caracas slum of Nueva Tacuagua, where he led efforts to serve 25,000 displaced people. Later, he journeyed to northern China, where he taught English to university students and worked with Catholics in the public church, as it exists in China, and the “underground” church. In 2007, he returned to Jamaica to support the Blessed Assurance Orphanage and the deaconate program of the Diocese of Montego Bay. Fr. Shea also served in a number

Amy Guen

Tiffany Cooper Gueye

Chris O’Donnell

Fr. Leo B. Shea, MM

children in grades pre-K-8. Its mission is to transform the academic achievement, self-confidence and life trajectories of children living in under-resourced communities.

Founded in Boston, BELL currently serves nearly 15,000 students in public schools across the country through its summer and afterschool programs and partnerships.

Gueye joined BELL in 1998 and rose through a series of positions of increasing responsibility to become the CEO in 2008. She has overseen a dramatic expansion of BELL’s programs, including development of a partnership model with organizations such as the YMCA to significantly expand the availability of summer learning programs.

Under her leadership, BELL’s models and evaluation methods have been nationally recognized as best practices in expanded learning programs and have proven to boost students’ academic skills as well as parental engagement. Considered an expert on out-of-school-time learning, measurement, and evaluation, Gueye has presented at several conferences and has testified before Congress for nationwide educational improvements.

She is a member of the board of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, the knowledge advisory board for The Bridgespan Group, the Board of Overseers for the YMCA of Greater Boston and the advisory

making turn opposite Al Pacino in “Scent of a Woman,” which earned the Winnetka, Ill., native a Chicago Film Critics Award and a Golden Globe nomination; a Broadway run as the lead in Arthur Miller’s “The Man Who Had All the Luck”; and, for the past eight seasons, a starring role in the hit CBS series “NCIS: Los Angeles.”

Though his celebrity has earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, O’Donnell is also widely known for his devotion to family – he has five children with his wife of 20 years, Caroline Fentress O’Donnell, the sister of his BC roommate – and to charitable causes. He serves on the board of REDF, an organization that creates employment opportunities for people who have been homeless, in prison, or have mental health issues, and has supported efforts to address hunger in the US and promote jobs for veterans. In 2009, he received the Caritas Award for his contributions to Saint John’s Health Center in California.

O’Donnell also has established a student scholarship fund at Boston College, in addition to participating in various University activities, such as the 2013 Sesquicentennial concert at Boston’s Symphony Hall, the 2010 Chambers Lecture Series at the Carroll School, and the Agape Latte 10th season kickoff in Robsham Theater last fall.

O’Donnell will receive an hon-

teacher who had worked in Nigeria; he also encountered several teachers in his preparatory school who had had similar experiences. After earning his degree in English from Boston College, Fr. Shea joined the BC Jesuit Lay Mission program and went to Jamaica, where he taught at St. George’s College, a Jesuit high school, and St. Anne’s Parish in the impoverished Hanna Town neighborhood.

He later undertook a 16-year assignment for the Maryknoll mission in Venezuela, living much of that period in a makeshift shack in

of Maryknoll executive leadership positions. A program he created 25 years ago has since brought approximately 150 Chinese priests and women religious to study in the US, including at Boston College. Fr. Shea retired from administrative duties in 2012, though he maintains close affiliations with missions around the world.

Boston College will award Fr. Shea an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Tiffany Cooper Gueye Tiffany Cooper Gueye – who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from BC and a PhD from the Lynch School of Education – is the chief executive officer of BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life), one of the nation’s leading nonprofit providers of quality expanded learning programs for

Commencement information at www.bc.edu/commencement

Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson was on campus last Saturday to give the second Fr. Raymond Helmick, SJ, Memorial Lecture on Conflict Transformation. Jackson traveled with Fr. Helmick and other religious leaders during the 1999 Kosovo crisis to negotiate the release of three US soldiers captured by the Serbs.

Frank Curran

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By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer

An undergraduate swipes her Boston College ID to do her laundry. A graduate student swipes his card to get a snack out of one of the vending machines on campus. A professor buys lunch at Stuart Hall. A football fan purchases a hot dog at Alumni Stadium.

Every day, tens of thousands of transactions take place on BC’s campuses via cash registers or card readers. Most of the time, everything runs smoothly. If it doesn’t, Gesnele Porcena gets the call.

Porcena is a technology support specialist for Auxiliary Services, where he is charged with making certain all cash registers and card readers under Auxiliary Services’ purview are working.

Porcena oversees cash registers at 11 on-campus dining locations, more than 130 points of sale at Alumni Stadium and Conte Forum, gates at BC’s parking garages, card readers at campus laundry facilities, as well as cash registers and/or readers at the

“It always changes up,” says Auxiliary Services Technical Support Specialist Gesnele Porcena of his job. “It’s fast-paced. It keeps me on my toes because it’s not repetitive.” (Photo by Gary Wayne Gilbert)

Connors Center in Dover, two off-campus eateries, and University special events, such as the Arts Festival and Winter Wonderland.

“There are tech support specialists, and then there is Gesnele,” said Associate Vice President for Auxiliary Services Patricia Bando.

“He is our go-to guy. He is so dependable. He’s just stellar.”

A tech support specialist since 2001, Porcena’s connection to BC began in the temp pool where, as a recent Brookline High graduate and Radio Shack employee, he worked for six months as an accounting assistant for BC Dining Services.

When a position opened for a technology support specialist, it had immediate appeal to Por-

Stoops Appointed Student Affairs AVP Melinda Stoops, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Framingham State University, has been named associate vice president for Student Affairs at Boston College, effective June 19.

She succeeds Katie O’Dair, who left in 2016 for a positon at Harvard University, and Kathleen Yorkis, vice president for student affairs emerita at Bentley University, who has served as interim associate vice president for student affairs for the 2016-17 academic year.

“We are thrilled to have Melinda joining the Student Affairs staff at Boston College,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Barbara Jones. “She brings a wonderful depth and breadth of experience to the associate vice president’s role.

“Melinda was recently recognized by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators for her outstanding commitment to the development of programs that meet the needs of students and create a campus environment that promotes student learning and development. She is seen by colleagues as an innovator and a bridge-builder with an infectious spirit. We look forward to her bringing those skills and traits to our campus.”

Melinda Stoops

In this senior administrative role at BC, Stoops will provide strategic leadership and programmatic oversight for five departments within the division, including the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center, University Counseling Services, Graduate Student Life, University Health Services and the Women’s Center. She also will provide outreach to other areas of the University.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to join the Boston College community and to work with Barb Jones and the staff of Student Affairs,” said Stoops. “As a psychologist, I am particularly drawn to Boston College’s focus on the whole person and on facilitating student learning and development in a way that emphasizes

service to others.

“During my campus visit, I had the pleasure of spending some time with a group of students and learning a bit about what they have valued most about their experiences at Boston College. I look forward to connecting with many other students and learning more about the ways in which I can contribute to student life.”

Among other duties, she will serve as the University’s Title IX coordinator for students, a role she holds in her current position.

Also at Framingham State, Stoops has led efforts to establish a Student Assistance Team of faculty and staff members; enhanced university resources for veteran students through the creation of an office to serve them; facilitated efforts to meet the needs of students with limited financial resources; enhanced services for first-year students and created a parent advisory group to expand connections to freshmen parents; and facilitated professional development activities within her division.

Stoops completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Smith College and went on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees at Radford University and Indiana State University, respectively.

–University Communications

cena, who has an affinity for technology, as well as Apple products, comic books and video games.

At the start of his career, his primary responsibilities were making sure the cash registers in the dining halls and the computers in the offices were functioning. When the BC ID evolved into multipurpose Eagle One identification and debit account card, the scope of Porecena’s responsibilities expanded.

A disruption in network connectivity or servers going down are examples of the types of problems that Porcena can encounter.

The biggest change Porcena has seen in his job is the increased speed of everything. “Technology has made everything instant.”

One aspect of his job that appeals to Porcena is the variety. “It always changes up. I‘m not doing the same thing every day. It’s fastpaced. It keeps me on my toes because it’s not repetitive.”

Porcena said he enjoys working with the Volunteer and Service Learning Center when student groups organize point drives to raise funds for service trips or natural disaster relief.

BC Educational Researcher in Major Study

Continued from page 1 principles of effective learning and exploring how this can best be applied in real educational settings,” said Miele. “It is very exciting to get to collaborate with a group of excellent researchers from across the country and to have the resources to work on things that can potentially advance classroom practice and student learning.”

In addition to Miele, other principal investigators on the grant are Andrew C. Butler of University of Texas at Austin, Shana K. Carpenter of Iowa State University, Jeffrey D. Karpicke of Purdue University, Timothy J. Nokes-Malach of University of Pittsburgh, and Sarah K. Tauber of Texas Christian University.

With funding from the grant, Miele and his colleagues will examine a number of factors that may have important implications for how best to implement principles of learning in educational contexts, such as the kinds of activities, materials, and learning objectives that teachers use in different classrooms. In addition, they will attempt to identify logistical, practical, and psychological barriers that may prevent teachers from successfully implementing these principles and figure out

He joked that he got “several” nudges from BC colleagues to further his education and obtain a bachelor’s degree. “My ‘work mom’ [Accounting Manager] Patty Bowes was always telling me to get my degree,” recalled Porcena. “She has always looked after me and pushed me to strive.”

He enrolled in the Woods College of Advancing Studies and earned a bachelor’s degree in information technology in 2012.

Pursuing a degree while holding a full-time job is challenging enough, but Porcena’s variable work schedule made it extra challenging.

“When I finally got my degree, Patty bought my diploma frame,” added Porcena.

A new initiative Porcena heads up is the so-called “geek squad” — a group of undergraduate and graduate students who assist Porcena with technology tasks. Now it seems Porcena has come full circle, mentoring students who are about the age he was when he started at BC. Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu

Gary Wayne Gilbert

‘He’s Our Go-to Guy’

Gesnele Porcena is the man who makes sure cash registers and card readers around Boston College are doing their jobs

David Miele

ways that these barriers can be overcome “One of the long-term goals of this type of research is to provide students with the tools they need to learn effectively on their own – without teacher or parent supervision,” said Miele. “More than ever, it is difficult for us as educators to predict exactly what knowledge and skills students will require once they move on from formal schooling. This is because there are so many different types of careers they could go on to pursue.

“To really prepare them, we need to make sure students are equipped to teach themselves whatever it is they will need to know in order to be successful in their chosen career, and in life more generally.”

Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu

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Chronicle april 27, 2017

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Jarmond Is New AD Continued from page 1 the Athletics District Master Plan, which included $200 million in Athletics construction projects.

Jarmond was a member of the NCAA’s inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Advisory Group and the Rose Bowl Advisory Committee. Sports Business Daily Journal recognized his contributions to intercollegiate athletics by naming him last week to its prestigious Forty Under 40, Class of 2017.

Prior to joining OSU, Jarmond worked as assistant athletics director for development at Michigan State University, where he served on the athletic director’s executive leadership team, was a key member of the $1.2 billion “Campaign for MSU” development team, and liaison between Michigan State’s University Development and Alumni Association leadership.

University President William P. Leahy, SJ, described Jarmond as someone well prepared to advance Boston College Athletics.

“I am delighted that Martin Jarmond will be the next athletics director at Boston College,” said Fr. Leahy. “His work as deputy director of athletics at Ohio State and at Michigan State has given him not only appreciation of the opportunities and challenges of intercollegiate athletics, but also experience in how to respond effectively to them. He is a person with high energy, infectious enthusiasm, and an impressive ability to engage with people and issues.”

Jarmond said he was excited for the opportunity to lead Boston College Athletics.

“I am humbled and honored to serve as the William V. Campbell Director of Athletics at Boston College,” said Jarmond last week; he was formally introduced as BC’s new AD at a press conference on Monday.

“I am grateful to Fr. Leahy and Boston College for entrusting me with this role. I have always believed that the commitment to high academic standards and competing at the highest level athletically are not mutually exclusive. The opportunity to serve at a top-notch academic institution in the ACC is a dream come true for me. I am passionate about helping young people develop and integrate the intellectual, athletic, social and spiritual components of their lives.

“My leadership style is consistent with BC’s values: operating with integrity, passion, and a relentless focus on getting better every day,” said Jarmond. “I can assure you that I will put in the work to make our students, alumni, and fans proud of BC athletics. I knew it would take a special place to leave

Ohio State. It is clear to me that Boston College is that place.”

Other directors of athletics expressed praise for Jarmond.

“Martin is one of the best administrators I have ever worked with,” said Gene Smith, who serves as OSU’s senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation endowed athletics director. “His leadership skills are exceptional. It has been a tremendous honor working with him and watching him develop into a premier athletic administrator. His contributions to The Ohio State University have been significant, and he will be missed.”

“Boston College is getting an individual with outstanding leadership and experience in Martin Jarmond,” said Mark Hollis, athletic director at Michigan State University. “His ability to bring people together, working toward a common purpose, is among his greatest assets.

I am excited to see my friend in this leadership role at BC, and know that he will have a positive impact on the school’s student-athletes, students, alumni, faculty and friends.”

University of North CarolinaChapel Hill Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham also applauded the hiring.

“Martin’s breadth of experience and commitment to students and coaches is extraordinary,” said Cunningham. “As a former studentathlete, he has an incredible grasp of the student experience and the coaching requirements needed to succeed. He will be a tireless champion for the entire Boston College community. I am personally delighted that Martin will be joining the ACC in such a great leadership position. I wish him and Boston College all the best.”

A native of Fayetteville, NC, Jarmond graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he was a two-time captain of the basketball team, earned All-CAA Academic honors, and helped the Seahawks gain their first NCAA tournament appearance. He earned both an MBA and a master’s in sports administration from Ohio University.

At Boston College, Jarmond will lead an athletics program with 750 student-athletes competing in 31 varsity sports. A perennial leader in NCAA student-athlete graduation rates, Boston College last year ranked fifth in the nation with an overall Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 95 among Football Bowl Subdivision schools and had 13 varsity teams earning a perfect GSR score of 100.

Contact Jack Dunn at jack.dunn@bc.edu

Keeping a Civil Tongue Is it possible to have a good, clean political discussion in this day and age? That’s the idea behind Boston College’s Undergraduate Marshall Fellowships Program

By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor

Political discourse doesn’t enjoy a good reputation nowadays, but a Boston College initiative that aims to foster reasoned, frank and respectful discussion among students offers a template for civic engagement, according to organizers and participants.

The Undergraduate Marshall Fellows Program, now in its second year, selects upwards of 20 students each academic year for a series of seminars and reading groups: Subject matter for recent gatherings has included the 2016 election, US relations with Russia and China, and BC campus reaction to Donald Trump’s presidency. Marshall Fellows also meet with distinguished guest speakers – among them historians Francis Fukuyama and Wilfred McClay – in small gatherings.

The program is a component of the Political Science Department’s John Marshall Project – named for the 19th-century US Supreme Court chief justice who advocated for civic education of the young – which promotes a focused study of “the citizenship and statesmanship needed by a democratic and constitutional republic” through a variety of activities and resources.

Nominated by faculty members and selected by an advisory committee, Marshall Fellows are regarded as having a deep-seated, intellectual appreciation for American politics and history, and the potential for leadership roles in academia, public service or other related fields – desirable qualities in an age characterized by social media rants, alternative facts and fake news.

“What characterizes Marshall Fellows is their willingness and desire to engage with texts that illuminate current events,” says Asst. Prof. of the Practice David DiPasquale (Political Science), director of the John Marshall Project. “We introduce them to both contemporary and historical readings that act as a ballast in considering what we see and hear today.

“So although there is a lot of material covering classic political science or historical thought, this is not an antiquarian endeavor.

The program uses the greatness of American history to promote something new and exciting.”

Undergraduate Marshall Fel-

lows are eligible for summer research and study stipends, and partially funded attendance at conferences where relevant. The John Marshall Project also awards two $500 prizes for outstanding undergraduate papers related to principles of constitutional government and public leadership.

“It’s a lot of fun to interact with these students, who I think are some of BC’s brightest, and who represent a spectrum of

sions themselves were civil, and it was interesting to hear what everyone had to say.

“While these conversations happen once a month, the process of thinking over what’s said takes longer,” she adds. “It’s planting seeds for how we consider issues and events in the future.”

Through the Marshall Fellows Program, junior Maxwell Grechko has awakened his interest in foreign policy issues:

Catherine Daniels ’17 makes a point at a recent gathering of the Undergraduate Marshall Fellows held by the Political Science Department. “These are students who have a big-picture view, and a great regard for the norms and procedures of constitutional democracy,” says Matthew Berry PhD ’16, a co-organizer of the Marshall Fellowships Program.“They continually surprise me with their intelligence and capacity to listen to one another.”

(Photo by Frank Curran)

ideological views,” says Matthew Berry PhD ’16, who as the 201617 John Marshall Post-Doctoral Fellow helps organize the fellowship program. “These are students who have a big-picture view, and a great regard for the norms and procedures of constitutional democracy. They continually surprise me with their intelligence and capacity to listen to one another.”

Marshall Fellow Catherine Daniels ’17, an English and political science major from Bethesda, Md., reciprocates the praise.

“Matt does a great job of giving us texts to read and pushing us to think harder. The conversation can go in so many directions.”

Daniels recounts one recent session that involved reading Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” but also other writings that questioned the effectiveness of King’s approach to civil disobedience.

“For many people, civil disobedience is practically synonymous with Martin Luther King,” says Daniels. “So there were a lot of strong feelings and vehement opinions when we talked about these readings. But the discus-

He describes a session on the benefits and risks of “off-shore balancing,” a strategy of pursuing regional hegemony, instead of direct involvement, to check the rise of potential hostile powers.

But he’s also been intrigued by other topics, such as McClay’s remarks on the decreasing level of religiosity in the US – in fact, he was moved to write a reflection on the talk and shared it with a professor.

“I’ve had faith in the American system,” said Grechko, a Glastonbury, Ct., native majoring in political science with a minor in Hispanic studies. “But the discussions make me realize that people really are willing to have these kinds of substantive talks – as opposed to throwing soundbites at each other – and discuss how the US, as a constitutional democracy, should function. I find this very reassuring.”

Grechko and Daniels both praise Berry and DiPasquale for their oversight of the program: “They could be at home, but instead they’re giving us this great learning opportunity.”

Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu

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BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MEDIA

City of Newton Mayor Setti Warren ’93 speaking at the Woods College of Advancing Studies event last week. (Photo by Linda Hexter)

Woods College Honors Grads

More than 150 students, family members, and friends gathered in the Murray Room of Yawkey Center on April 18 for a celebratory dinner and awards ceremony in honor of 2017 graduates of BC’s Woods College of Advancing Studies.

Boston College alumnus Setti Warren ’93, an Iraq War veteran and two-term mayor of the neighboring City of Newton, addressed the graduating class, stressing the importance of public service and shared responsibility.

“It’s always special for me to come back home here to the campus of Boston College,” he said.

“It was here where my family’s commitment to public service and the college’s commitment to serve others bonded together to give me the foundation for a career.”

Noting his belief that income inequality is “the issue of our time,” Warren – credited with spearheading a financial turnaround for a city that was facing a fiscal crisis when he took office – underscored the shared responsibility “to ensure the neighborhoods, cities, and regions we live in offer the chance for people of all backgrounds to be successful.”

“My commitment to public service, grounded in my household and the halls of Boston College, brought me right back to campus as mayor, where I initiated a historic partnership with BC to address income inequality here in Newton for the coming decades,” he said, referring to the research partnership announced in 2016 in support of Warren’s “Economic Growth for All” initiative.

In addition, he noted the Woods College’s involvement in the mayor’s Summer High School Internship Program, which seeks to provide opportunities for disconnected youth. In addition to hosting an intern this summer, the Woods College is working with the mayor’s office to provide resume writing workshops and campus tours for the student participants.

He concluded with a call to the graduates to also use their talents and abilities in public service.

“No one should underestimate the time, hard work, and sacrifice that it took for many of you to be here,” he said. “My ask of you is to get in government, run for office, use your degree to make a difference for your generation.”

The event’s award ceremony recognized members of the Woods College graduating class as well as distinguished alumni of the school, which provides flexible, academically rigorous, ethics-focused undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs for non-traditional students.

From the undergraduate Class of 2017, Jeffrey R. Kelley, who earned a bachelor’s degree in corporate systems, received the Richard Lombard Award for Academic Excellence. Arvind Sharma, who completed his MS in Applied Economics degree in December 2016, received the school’s Graduate Award.

This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award went to Barbara Brilliant, president of Brilliant Communications and the creator and executive producer for the Peabody Awardwinning historical film “Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy,” which aired on PBS’ “Great Performances” as well as worldwide.

Irene Brannelly, who serves on the executive committee of the Woods College Alumni Council and has represented the school on the Boston College Alumni Association National Board of Directors, received the Alumni Service Award at the event.

“The graduation dinner is a special night at the Woods College,” said Woods College Dean Rev. James Burns, IVD. “Our students and graduates come from a variety of professional backgrounds with varying personal circumstances, often enduring many obstacles.

“These backgrounds are illustrative of all of our award recipients throughout the years. They are representatives of the best of Woods College students, all of whom demonstrate Jesuit ideals of the commitment to justice, to be men and women for others in service to the greater good,” said Fr. Burns.

–Patricia Delaney

The latest results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) show students in Singapore, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taipei outperforming their US peers. Prof. Ina V.S. Mullis (LSOE), executive director of the TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center, discussed what can be learned from the findings in an interview for the “Solving Our Math Problem” series on WBUR. The current liberal perspective on immigration policy represents a shift that has not received much

scrutiny, writes Prof. Peter Skerry (Political Science), who provided historical background in the Boston Sunday Globe “Ideas” section – a piece also highlighted by the New York Times. He also wrote on the Muslim Brotherhood’s US presence for Foreign Affairs.

Asst. Prof. Kari Hong (Law) offered comments to USA Today for a story on the case of a man who claims he was unfairly deported by the US despite having protected status – a case that will be heard by a federal judge whom then-candidate Donald Trump criticized last year.

In the wake of the murder of an elderly Cleveland man that was posted on Facebook, Prof.

Gerald Kane (CSOM) wrote an op-ed for the New York Daily News on the trend of crimes posted to social media.

A feature on WBUR’s “The Artery” described an immersive exhibit created by Prof. of the Practice Mark Cooper (Art) as “like walking right into an exuberant abstract painting.”

Alumni Awards Presented The Boston College Alumni Association, Board of Trustees and University President William P. Leahy, SJ, honored BC graduates whose service has exemplified the University’s Ignatian call to be “men and women for others” at the annual Distinguished Volunteer Awards Dinner on April 7 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.

The James F. Cleary ’50, H’93, Masters Award was presented to T.J. Maloney ’75, P’09, ’16, a Boston College trustee since 2009 whose family’s commitment to BC spans three generations. Michael Rawlings ’76, P’11, now serving his second term as mayor Dallas, received the William V. McKenney Award. Patti Moores ’85, P’20 was selected for the John P. Curley 1913 Award, in recognition for the support she and her family have shown for the mission of BC Athletics.

The John J. Griffin, Sr. ’35, H’72, Alumni Association Award went to Patricia A. Foley Cum-

mins ’81, MA’83 and Brian Cummins ’82, who have worked with national nonprofit Wreaths Across America, collaborating with BC alumni in the Washington, DC, area. Arivee Vargas Rozier-Byrd ’05, JD’08, a member of Boston College’s AHANA Alumni Advisory Council and the 2014 John A. Dinneen, SJ, Hispanic Alumni Community Service Award winner, received the Philip J. Callan, Sr., ’25 Young Alumni Award.

This year’s James F. Stanton ’42 Senior Class Gift Award was presented to Katie Ewell ’16 and Taylor Zografakis ‘16 – Ewell’s passion for on-campus extracurricular activities was the catalyst for her involvement in Senior Class Gift, while Zografakis served as co-chair of the Class of 2016’s Senior Class Gift Committee.

Read the Alumni Association’s biographies of the award winners at http://bit.ly/volunteerawards-2017.

–University Communications Lee Pellegrini

A petition at Yale University that called for scrapping a course sequence on major English poets signifies that now is the time to teach new kinds of poetry – and to teach the old kinds in new ways, wrote Asst.

Prof. Eric Weiskott (English) in a piece for Inside Higher Ed. Center for Retirement Research Director Alicia Munnell was one of two experts interveiwed by The Wall Street Journal on the question of whether there is a retirement-savings crisis.

JOBS The following are among the most recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources.

For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/offices/hr: Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications, Residential Life Director of Development, Law School Emerging Technology Analyst, Information Technology Communications Specialist, Academic Affairs/Provost Intern, Business Administration or Digital Media, Athletics Manager, Data Center Operations, Information Technology Prospect Management Analyst, University Advancement Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Academic Affairs/Provost Gift Management and Reporting Assistant, University Advancement

Last Friday, the Office of Graduate Student Life and the Graduate Students Association sponsored “Grad Talks,” a TED Talks-style colloquium at which graduate students – representing several different disciplines and fields – made presentations on topics that fire their interests and passions: academic research; experiences abroad; life-changing events.

Among the subjects of this year’s talks were the plight of undocumented students, monolingual ideologies and felons’ voting rights. Mark Angelo, above right, was the winner of the competition and received a $500 prize.

Senior/Web Developer, University Advancement Associate Director of Digital Marketing, University Advancement Associate Dean for Undergraduate Student Services, Academic Affairs/Provost

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle april 27, 2017

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Taking Science to a Larger Stage

Lynch School’s Barnett uses the theatrical approach to teach Boston-area schoolchildren about earthquakes

By Ed Hayward Staff Writer

Lynch School of Education Professor Mike Barnett has always sought out new platforms for the teaching of science – be it a classroom, a laboratory, a farmers market or a greenhouse. Now the science education expert has turned his focus to the stage.

Working with fellow Boston College faculty, a local playwright, and the Watertown Children’s Theatre of The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts, Barnett has overseen the creation and production of the one-act play “The Important Thing About Earthquakes,” which he believes is the first genuine dramatic production that tells a scientific story.

The story of Tamara, her sister Gaby, and friends Nico, Hector and Maya centers around how they work to understand seismic shifts, be they geological or personal. The play has been performed at middle schools in Boston and Waltham and will be presented again this fall at The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts and middle schools in Boston.

“The whole goal of this project is to engage kids to see science in a much more human way and open them up to studying science in a way they might not expect,” said Barnett. “This is a different approach to opening the door to

science for kids who might not see themselves as scientists.”

The play is the first production of The Converge Theatre Project, which Barnett established to bring together faculty from the Lynch School and the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, as well as Watertown Children’s Theater, whose Producing Artistic Director Meghan Hill has cast and directed the

tor Alan Kafka, a seismologist; Helen Zhang, a visiting research faculty member in Biology and Lynch School of Education; and a team of graduate students led

by LSOE doctoral candidate Ariella Suchow.

Most science-themed productions are little more than science lessons that play out on stage, said Barnett. The performers are usually adults and the produc-

engaging, more easily remembered as they are fundamentally different because they are happening live and in the moment,” Barnett said.

The team hired local playwright Walt McGough, whose prior dramas have touched on grown-up topics such as drone warfare, gender politics, or the financial collapse. Creating child characters to tell a story laced

tions resemble typical classroom lessons about scientific subjects.

Barnett wanted something different. He wanted a genuine story and he wanted to tell it on the stage.

“There is something different about watching live theater rather than watching a production on TV – the residuals from processing a live event are more

with the principles of the scientific method was a welcome challenge.

“I’ve always been drawn to the ways science and theater have been paired,” said McGough.

“Both are about communicating big ideas in very different ways.

You take something big and indescribable and through a conversation with the audience you

Lynch School of Education Professor Mike Barnett (right), shown with playwright Walt McGough and Watertown Children’s Theater Producing Artistic Director Meghan Hill, with whom he has collaborated on the play “The Important Thing About Earthquakes.”

“The residuals from processing a live event are more engaging, more easily remembered as they are fundamentally different because they are happening live and in the moment,” says Barnett.

(Photo by Frank Curran)

production.

The development of the play was supported in part by a grant from the Office of the Provost through the Research Across Disciplines and Schools (RADS) program.

Barnett has been working with Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Weston Observatory Direc-

make it describable. So these two areas have always seemed paired up to me and very similar.”

Kafka said presenting earthquake science to youth audiences is a challenge.

“It has been a remarkable experience for me to see how well Walt McGough and Mike’s team has produced a play about earthquake science that grabs the attention of the audience so well, and in a short one-act play conveys the science in a very engaging way, while presenting the science clearly and accurately,” said Kafka.

For Barnett, the live production is a bit of an experiment itself.

Converge is trying to measure the residual impact on students in order to show the play’s effectiveness as a teaching tool, said Barnett, who along with Kafka has applied for funding from the National Science Foundation for a broader science theater initiative.

“If we can show that one live theater experience has a residual impact, then imagine what you can do with a multiple of these?”

Barnett said.

For more information, see The Converge Theater Project website at iuse.bc.edu/convergetheaterproject.

Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu

SERVICE ALL AROUND

BC SCENES

The Boston College Alumni Association’s popular Global Days of Service initiative is approaching its halfway point – it began April 1 and ends May 31 – with thousands of participants turning out to take part in various community service projects.

Here are some photos received by the Alumni Association from the program’s first few weeks. For more about Global Days of Service, see http://tinyurl.com/m5advdh.

Jersey Shore

Rhode Island

Westchester, NY

Southwest Florida New York City