Boston College Chronicle

The Boston College

Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs may 7, 2015 VOL. 22 no. 16

•New role for Fr. Marchese, page 3 •BC to hold first Excellence in Teaching Day, page 4

By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer

•BC Law’s Bloom earns fellowship to Trinity College, page 4

•Certificate in Jesuit Studies program, page 4 •Survey offers insights into MCA&S grads, page 5 •PBK Teacher of the Year honor for Wolfman, page 5 •“Seniors to Remember,” pages 6-7

•Delavaris earns NSF Research Fellowship, page 8 •Communication professor finishes documentary, page 9 •Question or statement? It makes a difference, page 9 •Brown Award goes to Fiore-Chettiar, page 10 •Obituary: Marjory Gordon, CSON, page 11 •Photos: Scenes from the 2015 Arts Festival, page 12

Kayla Hammergren ’15 met four-year-old James Strejc for the first time last month, more than a year after her donation of bone marrow saved his life.

A Special Bond

BC student meets child to whom she donated bone marrow

By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer

When Carroll School of Management senior Kayla Hammergren signed up for a bone marrow registry during a campus recruitment drive two years ago, she knew the chances were slim she’d ever be a match for anyone. But recently she met the little boy who is alive and well thanks to her, and the bone marrow she donated.

On April 26, the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation held its inaugural Walk for Life around the Chestnut Hill Reser-

voir, and it was there Kayla had an emotional and joyful face-toface introduction to four-year-old James Strejc, who had traveled with his family from Houston for the event.

“I’m just amazed and excited about how well it worked,” says Kayla, a San Francisco native.

“I’m still on cloud nine with the fact that I got to meet him. I was so excited to see that he’s healthy and has so much energy.”

“She did an extraordinary thing,” says the boy’s mother, Stephanie Strejc. “There aren’t Continued on page 10

Lynch School of Education Professor Michael Barnett will soon embark on a history-making trip to China, where he will introduce new instructional methods to the country’s high school teachers. It will mark the first time China, seeking to change its notoriously rigid test-taking mindset, has ever invited an American university to work with its K-12 educational curriculums.

“The goal is to get Chinese teachers to teach more like creative American teachers,” says Barnett, who heads up the program that caught the eye of China’s education leaders. “It’s about trying to engage students in creative problem-solving; getting them to do science experiments; getting the kids to think more, to solve a problem that doesn’t necessarily have a right solution, so you’re not just regurgitating ‘2+2=4.’”

“I really believe this program will help change our country,” says Chinese native Kelvin Cui, director of the US Office of China Secondary School Curriculum Coaching Magazine, the official education institution tasked with

Michael Barnett

finding innovative programs to bring back to China. “I’ve researched this for a long time, and there wasn’t another college or university in the US that offered this kind of program. American schools have more experience and are more advanced and so we want to learn from them. We think Mike’s program is going be really beneficial.”

Barnett will be engaging Chinese students in learning hydroponics – the soilless process that enables plants to grow with water and mineral nutrients – as a tool to help youth in learning science using interdisciplinary approaches. He will create a pedagogical Continued on page 3

Awards of Distinction for Two Undergraduates

By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs

By Ed Hayward Staff Writer

Lee Pellegrini

•Fr. Hollenbach to research at Library of Congress, page 4

Caitlin Cunningham

•A semester on board, page 2

Marissa Marandola ’16, a Gabelli Presidential Scholar and student in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, has been named a recipient of the 2015 Harry S. Truman Scholarship.

A political science major and American studies and management and leadership minor from Cranston, RI, Marandola has distinguished herself at Boston College through her academic achievement and leadership roles as editor-in-chief of Elements, the undergraduate research journal at Boston College,

Marissa Marandola

and Ex Libris, the newsletter of the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program. She has also served as executive board member of BC Splash, a Continued on page 8

QUOTE:

Robyn Gesek

•Meeting of the marathoners, page 2

LSOE Professor to Aid China Education Reform

Bob Marotta/The Proper Exposure

INSIDE

James Brogan ’16, a double major in physics and chemistry who plans to one day develop new techniques to treat illness and disease, has received a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, considered the premier undergraduate award in the sciences.

Goldwater Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit to the country’s most promising college students in math, science and engineering. Many Goldwater Scholars go on to earn prestigious post-graduate scholarships, including Rhodes, Marshall and Churchill scholarships, and many others.

James Brogan

This year, 260 sophomores and juniors were selected from among 1,206 nominees. The one- and twoyear scholarships cover the cost of Continued on page 8

“It was extremely encouraging to hear the voices of these alumni wholeheartedly supporting their BC education from a holistic standpoint, and stating clearly how it had affected them on many dimensions.” ­–IRPA Institutional Research Director Jess Greene, page 5

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle may 7, 2015

2

A ROUND

C AMPUS SEA CHANGE

Prof. Fabio Schiantarelli (Economics) hosts a group of Italian marathon runners each year prior to the Boston Marathon.

IN THE LONG RUN Having run the Boston Marathon numerous times, Economics Professor and Newton resident Fabio Schiantarelli certainly knows a thing or two about the course. And for the last seven years, he’s been sharing that wisdom with a group of some 30 Italian marathoners, led by their coach Fulvio Massini, who visit Boston College on the Saturday before the Boston Marathon to get one final lesson before the big race on Monday.

The day starts in the Flynn Recreation Complex, where the runners get changed, and head over to Alumni Stadium for their pre-run stretch. Most have never seen a stadium of that size before, and are given their introduction to American collegiate athletics. From there, Schiantarelli and Massini lead a run over to Walnut Street in Newton, where they explore the hills and give the runners a feel for what they’ve heard about for so long.

Near Newton City Hall, they pause to take photos with the inspiring statue of the legendary Johnny Kelley, who ran 61 Boston Marathons, finished in the top five 15 times, and won twice.

With just two days before running Boston, Schiantarelli knows the runners will take any sort of

edge they can, even if it may be far-fetched.

“We tell them a story that I invented,” laughs Schiantarelli. “We say that touching the shoes of the Kelley statue brings good luck. But it’s effective, they feel lucky, and they always all go and touch the shoes right before we do Heartbreak Hill.”

After the light run and a final a stretch on Linden Lane, in true professorial form, Schiantarelli gathers all the marathoners in the seminar room of the Economics Department for a quick lecture on marathon strategy. The “lesson” covers everything from optimal effort distribution, to how the wind factors in, and he answers any questions that these marathon-obsessed runners may have about the course.

“It’s truly a great experience,” Schiantarelli says. “For them to see how an American university works, learn about the culture, and of course get to know more about this big race they’ve been training for.

The Boston Marathon is a special one for these experienced runners because it is the oldest marathon and they’ve heard so much about it.

We just want to help them prepare as much as we can.”

–Michael Maloney

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

While his Boston College peers endured the snowiest winter on record this semester, junior Samuel Beard set sail for the Caribbean – but not on a pleasure cruise.

One of 18 undergraduate participants in a Sea Education Association (SEA) interdisciplinary study program, he explored global issues of conservation and sustainability in the Caribbean region.

“SEA Semester: Colonization to Conservation in the Caribbean” began in January with study at SEA’s campus in Woods Hole, Mass. Students explored the colonial history of the region by examining historical and archival documents, and gained an understanding of the complex social and environmental issues surrounding the modern Caribbean world.

Beard, a history major with minors in environmental and international studies from Woodland Hills, Calif., dubbed the program “a perfect merger between two of my educational interests. I could not pass up the opportunity to participate in the hands-on educational experience offered by SEA.” The students acted as both crew and scientists on board the SSV Corwith Cramer, a stateof-the-art ocean research vessel and 134-foot brigantine sailboat operated by SEA. Though Beard said the experience as a whole was memorable, one particularly special moment came when he was put at the helm during the middle of the night. “I had to use the stars to navigate and had absolutely no business steering anything, especially a massive sailboat full of people in the middle of the ocean. The crew was there to guide me, but I couldn’t help but feel both nervous and excited at the same time.”

The group met the tall ship – their home, campus and classroom for six weeks – in mid-February in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Their studies were furthered at sea through multi-day port stops

The Boston College

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

in the islands of St. Maarten, Montserrat, Dominica, Grenada, St. John and Puerto Rico, where they met with local experts to expand on their research.

Of the rigorous academic program, Beard said: “The first six weeks really pushed [us] with long class hours and independent research projects that set us up for our time on the ship, where our academic workload took on a more hands-on approach as we chose research projects to focus on through our time in the Caribbean.

“The academic work was extremely rewarding and tailored to each student’s individual interests. We also took classes such as nautical science.”

During the voyage the ship resembles a country in itself, according to SEA, as students join a sailing culture steeped in strong customs, speak a traditional maritime language, and have the opportunity to experience life onboard a tall ship.

They processed oceanographic samples, took classes, stood watch in shifts during the around-theclock schedule, and participated in navigation, science, ship engineering, cooking and cleaning.

As a team, they shared responsibility for the ship and each other.

“This program gives these students access to timely, pressing global issues,” said Mary Malloy, a maritime studies professor and one of the program’s initial de-

velopers. “I can’t name another region of the globe that has the range of issues that we deal with today – environmental, cultural, economic – as concentrated as you find in the Caribbean.”

Integral to the experience, according to organizers, is training in natural history illustration, journaling and observation.

Participants worked with artists and each documented their voyage onshore and at sea through field sketches, recognition drawings and navigational directions, technical diagrams, scientific data recording, personal accounts and storytelling.

“The program is hard work; it is very difficult to adjust to life at sea,” Beard said. “It is important not to romanticize the reality of being at sea and being a part of a crew. [But] I formed a bond with the other students and crew members that can never be broken. Participating in SEA Semester was one of the best decisions of my life and certainly one I will never forget.

“This experience has made me a much more confident student.

It has taught me the importance of personal responsibility and the value of being part of a team.”

Sea Education Association is an internationally recognized leader in undergraduate ocean education.

For more on SEA, go to www.sea. edu.

–Office of News & Public Affairs

Samuel Beard ’16 during his ocean research voyage with the Sea Education Association study program earlier this year.

The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617)552-3350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus.

Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.

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

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle may 7, 2015

Marchese to Leave FYE Barnett to Introduce Program in China Fr. Will become director of new formative education student to show creativity. That’s what we don’t have right now.”

“China’s education leaders want us there to be able to push the teachers to push their kids to think about these non-solution problems because in understanding what the pathway and process was, you can learn a lot around science and how science is done,” says Barnett. “Once the teachers are comfortable with that, and

Barnett’s work in hydroponics will be an integral part of the program envisioned in China. Although the country has hydroponic technology, says a Chinese education official, “we’ve never thought about using it in this way that teaches kids how to learn the technology and how to combine the physics, chemistry, and biology all together.” tell the kids’ mode,” says Barnett.

“They see it as there’s a reason why Apple and Google and all of those companies started in the US, and not China. The Chinese government, not surprisingly, wants the next Apple to be from China, but you need kids to have the opportunity to innovate, create, and learn from their mistakes.”

Cui says China’s government wants students to have more creative and critical thinking ability, not just be good at taking a test.

“We are looking for some creative hands-on activities and programs for the kids because we don’t have anything like this in China right now,” says Cui, who expects the program to start by having Chinese youth travel to Boston College this summer. “It’s not only a hands-on program for students, but it also will help our teachers learn and think about the difference between US and Chinese education. We have the hydroponic technology as well in China, but we’ve never thought about using it in this way that teaches kids how to learn the technology and how to combine the physics, chemistry, and biology all together. We want the teachers to pull this together and let the students feel what a real American-style class is like.

“They have to teach our Chinese teachers how to teach a

the students get past their initial resistance, then I think there will be a great deal of excitement around this, with students saying, ‘Wow, you know, what if we actually change this? Or what happens if you take all of the nitrogen out of the water?’ Plus they can explore questions such as: ‘Is urban noise detrimental to my health?’ That’s where we want the kids to arrive, but I think it will take a little bit of time to get there.”

Barnett expects to educate about 50 Chinese high school teachers a year on the curriculum and hydroponics once the program is launched. The hope is that some Chinese students will be studying hydroponics alongside Boston Public School students this summer, followed by a return trip to China by Barnett and his team in August for follow-up training and workshops.

Over time, teachers will become familiar with the hydroponics kits themselves, which fit in the trunk of a car.

This fall, Barnett and his team will return to China to learn more about the educational system and begin to explore the establishment of training hubs across the country. The first wave of Chinese teachers taught by Barnett and his team will train other teachers, enabling the program to expand exponentially.

program for parents of Boston College students

By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs

Rev. Joseph Marchese, who built the Office of First Year Experience (FYE) into a national leader in student orientation and formation, has announced that he will step down from his position to begin a new role as formative education director for parents of Boston College students.

Fr. Marchese will continue as FYE director until a successor is named.

Under his leadership since 1995, FYE has assisted all first-year students in transitioning to collegiate life through integrated curricular and co-curricular programs and opportunities. Its programs include Summer Orientation, First Year Convocation, 48 Hours weekend retreats, Conversations in the First Year, and academic courses through Courage to Know and the Cornerstone Program.

In his new assignment, Fr. Marchese will work with parents of current BC students to educate them on Boston College’s approach to formative education and allow them to experience it first-hand through campus presentations, off-campus seminars and online learning.

“We have a distinctive philosophy of education that we want to share with BC parents in a way that is inclusive and representative of our Jesuit, Catholic mission,” said Fr. Marchese. “We hope this resource will create a partnership for parents to better understand what we are trying to accomplish with their children so that they might give them the support and space they need to grow as they move from late adolescence to adulthood.“ Jack Butler, SJ, vice president for University Mission and Ministry, which oversees FYE, praised Fr. Marchese for his 20 years of dedicated service to the program and his willingness to share his knowledge with current BC parents. “Given his work in FYE, Joe has invaluable experience in student formation that can assist parents in understanding our approach to formative education. We are grateful for his many contributions through FYE, and look forward to his latest contribution to Boston College when he assumes this new role.”

During his tenure as FYE director, Fr. Marchese was credited with building a program that helps students to prepare for their freshman year and acclimate to Boston College, its programmatic offerings, and its distinctive educational and formational mission, while also instilling in them the foundational elements to lead a good life.

“FYE has enabled me to help affect the lives of our students in a posi-

Lee Pellegrini

eters are expanding: The initial plan was to train Chinese teachers, then to include the teaching of students. Now Barnett and his team will also help redesign China’s school science labs to encourage teachers to think about science as being more integrated rather than individual disciplines.

“China wants to push their teachers to get out of this ‘they know everything and they just

Lee Pellegrini

Continued from page 1 ramp in which teachers learn urban ecology science such as the ecological impact of tree cover, and the impact of urban noise on human and wildlife health.

While the science of these projects isn’t new, the way the former astrophysicist has been utilizing it is. For the past eight years, as part of the Lynch School’s College Bound program, Barnett has been recruiting mid-level, science-phobic students who might fall through the cracks. Through an interdisciplinary, coherent package – one that also presents problem-solving exercises – the students see how science can be fun and exciting.

Barnett’s program, which comes with curriculum and kits, has been implemented in about 500 schools across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Ohio and California.

Later this month, Barnett will head to Beijing to present a keynote address on teaching problem-based and interdisciplinary science at the Practical Curriculum Studies Conference.

This will be an opportunity for Chinese schools to learn about the curriculum and to sign up as early adopters of the curriculum that Barnett and his team have been developing during the past eight years.

“What we’re doing is really, really different from how science is normally taught,” says Barnett, a former Massachusetts Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year. “Think back to high school: You did biology, then you did chemistry, then you did physics – but the subjects never chatted with each other.

“With our curriculum materials, you can do all of that at once.

You have to worry about the light spectrum for plants and the sound spectrum for urban noise, there’s your physics; you have to worry about the content of your nutrients or what is in your soil if you are growing plants outside, there’s your chemistry; you have to worry about how the plants uptake their nutrients or pollutants in the soil or how biodiversity impacts the health of an urban ecosystem – there’s the plant science and biology aspects of it.

“You even get engineering when the kids have to build these kits or learn how to make tools to measure the height of trees.”

Since attracting the attention of Chinese representatives at an MIT event last fall, Barnett’s urban ecology and hydroponics programs have been put on China’s fast track. And the param-

3

Rev. Joseph Marchese

tive way, but also to work with BC to become an even greater educational institution and to celebrate and clarify its mission as a Jesuit, Catholic university,” said Fr. Marchese.

“The goal of FYE has been to promote a culture of academic excellence, to instill in our students an intellectual precociousness, and to infuse incoming students and parents with a sense of our Jesuit, Catholic mission, which has a 500-year tradition in St. Ignatius. I am very proud of what we have accomplished over the past two decades.”

FYE Associate Director Biz Bracher praised Fr. Marchese as the architect of a cultural shift in how Boston College helps students to transition to college and develop as men and women of competence and character.

“At any university there are great minds with vision, people who can imagine new and creative ways to live out a mission, and others who are known for how they put ideas into motion,” said Bracher. “Fr. Joe is a unique individual who understands mission, creatively constructs a vision, and pursues the actualization of the idea until it becomes a reality. He sees the value of taking a risk in the way that Ignatian education encourages us to pursue the Magis.

“The programs developed in FYE under Fr. Joe’s leadership are the direct results of his honest commitment to being better today than we were yesterday, last semester, or last year, and to pursuing the best that is Boston College.”

Fr. Marchese, who will continue to teach in the Theology Department, said that while he will miss his work with FYE, he is pleased to transition to this new role that will provide a valuable and much-needed resource for BC parents.

“I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge with parents who are eager to learn more about how we approach formation,” said Fr. Marchese. “Sometimes parents are in need of learning how best to let go of their children so they can grow into young adults. I am excited to work with them to do so.”

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle may 7, 2015

The Center for Teaching Excellence will introduce a new end-ofacademic-year event on May 13 to promote discussion on issues in teaching and learning at Boston College and in higher education.

Excellence in Teaching Day, the successor to eTeaching Day, will feature plenary sessions with nationally recognized scholars as well as hands-on workshops on topics and themes such as “Learning to Teach Inclusively,” “Teaching Information Literacy” and “Engaging Students in the Sciences.”

In addition, BC faculty members who have made creative and innovative use of technology in their work with students will be recognized with the annual Teaching with Technology awards.

The morning session will be devoted to talks by Mike Wesch, a former Carnegie Foundation “US Professor of the Year” recipient who researches the impact of social media and digital technology on global society and education, and University of California at Berkeley Professor of Psychology Silvia Bunge, a neuroscientist whose lab examines negative and positive environmental influences on brain and cognitive development.

CTE Director John Rakestraw says Excellence in Teaching Day is aimed at giving faculty members the opportunity to address “spe-

cific challenges and possibilities for growth in their own teaching, and to learn from colleagues and experts about new strategies, techniques and technologies.

“Essentially, the goal is to focus on the question of ‘What does excellent teaching mean?’ – not only in the context of BC’s legacy and mission, but in terms of the larger world,” said Rakestraw, wrapping up his first academic year as head of the CTE, which brings together Instructional Design and eTeaching Services and programming and resources for faculty previously offered by the Connors Family Learning Center and collaborates with other groups on campus to support teaching and learning at BC. “We have two fascinating perspectives on teaching and learning in Mike Wesch and Silvia Bunge.

They will both speak for a while but also talk with one another and respond to questions from the audience. This will enable faculty members to think about how the issues and topics being discussed apply to what they see in their own experiences at BC.” Biographies of Wesch and Bunge, and other details on Excellence in Teaching Day, including the afternoon workshops, as well a link for registration are available through http://www.bc.edu/bcteach.

–Sean Smith

Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies to Offer Certificate Program for Summer­ Boston College’s Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies will once again offer a Certificate in Jesuit Studies program this summer, combining four weeks of graduate-level coursework on campus with 10 days of experiential learning in Spain and Rome.

The nine-credit program is intended to foster leadership at Jesuit institutions by introducing new employees to the history, spirituality, and leadership methods associated with the Society of Jesus and its apostolates, while revitalizing that knowledge in longer-serving members of the community.

Participants will begin with the experiential learning component from June 24-July 3, followed by the coursework phase at BC from July 6-30. As part of the program, they will examine primary source documents in their historic settings – such as the letters of Jesuits founder Ignatius Loyola at his office in Rome – and, upon returning to Boston, participate in a series of workshops on contemporary challenges led by leaders of Jesuit institutions.

Two additional courses explore the history of the Society of Jesus – with a particular focus on American Jesuits – and and the particular dimensions of Ignatius Loyola’s text,

the Spiritual Exercises.

The certificate program is one of several ongoing and forthcoming initiatives developed by the nearly year-old institute, which seeks to deepen understanding and appreciation of the history, spirituality, educational heritage, and pedagogical approach of the Society of Jesus.

The institute is headquarters for Jesuit Sources, a scholarly publishing house for Jesuit-related texts and studies, and home to an online bibliographical library of works in Jesuit studies with a searchable database.

Other initiatives include ministry practicum opportunities for School of Theology and Ministry students, and a fellowship program for scholars to facilitate the completion and/ or publication of academic work related the Society of Jesus.

In addition, the institute is coorganizing a biannual International Symposium on Jesuit Studies that will debut next month, providing a venue for academic exchange within the global community of scholars across different fields and disciplines.

To register for the Certificate in Jesuit Studies program, or for more information about the institute, see www.bc.edu/centers/iajs.html.

–Office of News & Public Affairs

Bloom to Research Irish Police Force

By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer

Lee Pellegrini

First Excellence in Teaching Day Takes Place May 13

Boston College Law School Professor Robert Bloom has been named a recipient of the Trinity College Dublin Long Room Hub Fellowship, a distinguished recognition from Ireland’s oldest and most prestigious law school.

“As I enter the twilight of my academic career, this is a tremendous honor,” said Bloom, who has been teaching law at Boston College for 40 years. “It’s very exciting and an opportunity to meet scholars from varying disciplines from around the world.”

Bloom was granted the highly sought-after fellowship after submitting a proposal to study the An Garda Síochána (“the Guardian of the Peace”), the police force of Ireland. In recent years, the Garda has been criticized for corruption and lack of accountability, and Bloom hopes to work with Garda and Irish government officials to investigate these accusations.

“I spent much of my career teaching about police and their relationship with citizens as gov-

Robert Bloom

erned by our constitution,” says Bloom. “I want to look at the Garda and take what I learned about police in the United States and compare the two.

“I’m going to be looking at the structure and hierarchy of the Garda, including individual and collective identities, patrol officers as well as supervisory officers, to better formulate policies that will lead to better citizen oversight of the police.”

Bloom will spend part of the 2016 spring semester in Dublin as part of Trinity’s Fellowship Programme, which, according

to the institute’s website, brings leading international scholars to work on “major, career-changing research projects, work with the unique collections of our worldclass library...and engage intensely with colleagues from cognate areas within the university on collaborative research.” Bloom will present lectures and participate in research seminars there.

Bloom last visited Ireland during a 2010 sabbatical as a visiting scholar at University College Dublin and is looking forward to his return.

“I find the people are just so warm and so accepting,” says Bloom. “One of the joys of my academic career is having had the opportunity to meet people from around the world. Although when I go to a new country, I’m partly a tourist, I also enjoy living and working there. That’s the best way to learn about a culture and society.”

Bloom hopes what he learns about the Irish police force can promote healthy debate and analysis, leading to “a constructive contribution to the Garda and a national conversation.”

Fr. Hollenbach Appointed to Chair at Library of Congress Kluge Center University Professor in Human Rights and International Justice David Hollenbach, SJ, has been appointed to the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History at the Library of Congress John W. Kluge Center.

Fr. Hollenbach, who will begin his five-month term in August, will research his current book project, using documents in the library’s manuscript division, area studies reading rooms, and general humanities and social sciences collections.

The book, tentatively titled Humanity in Crisis: Religious and Ethical Responses to War and Disaster, will explore the role of faith-based communities in responding to humanitarian crises, address ethical issues that arise for humanitarian agents working in crisis situations, and discuss how ethical values can help shape humanitarian policy.

“I hope the book will make at least some contribution to helping the people facing severe humanitarian crises and great suffering from wars like those in Syria and South Sudan, and earthquakes like the one in Nepal,” said Fr. Hollenbach. “I also hope it will assist those working on the ground to help people in such crises – such as the staff of Jesuit Refugee Service, Catholic Relief Services, and Oxfam – and, finally, perhaps have

Gary Wayne Gilbert

4

David Hollenbach, SJ

some influence on US and other governmental policies.”

The nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world, the Library of Congress established the Kluge Center to bring together the world’s best thinkers to stimulate and energize one another, distill wisdom from the library’s resources, and interact with policymakers in Washington.

Holders of the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair, who are appointed by the Librarian of Congress, use the library’s holdings to explore the history of America with special attention to the ethical dimensions of domestic economic, political and social policies, and present a lecture on the research at the end

of the tenure.

A professor of Christian social ethics, Fr. Hollenbach is director of the Boston College Center for Human Rights and International Justice. His research interests are in human rights, theories of justice, religious and ethical responses to humanitarian crises and the displacement of refugees, and religion in political life. His books include Driven from Home: Protecting the Rights of Forced Migrants; Refugee Rights: Ethics, Advocacy, and Africa; The Global Face of Public Faith: Politics, Human Rights, and Christian Ethics and The Common Good and Christian Ethics.

In recent years, Fr. Hollenbach has conducted workshops for parliamentarians and for church leadership in South Sudan on the relevance of human rights for the development of their newly independent country. He often serves as a visiting professor of social ethics at Hekima College of The Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Kenya, and has taught at the Jesuit Philosophy Institute in Vietnam and at the East Asian Pastoral Institute in the Philippines.

He works with the Jesuit Refugee Service concerning their work on advocacy on behalf of the human rights of displaced persons.

–Office of News & Public Affairs

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle may 7, 2015

5

Survey Shows Positive Views on ‘Richness of the BC Experience’ Q: Why is this survey of particular interest, and importance, to the University?

GREENE: Liberal arts institutions have received quite a bit of criticism in the media lately because there is such an emphasis on job placement and careers.

Many outside of higher education have a difficult time seeing the connection between the cost of a liberal arts degree and a successful career. In this survey, we wanted to hear the voices of our young alumni to better understand how they were navigating the world beyond BC, and how the experiences while they were enrolled at BC helped prepare them for their careers and personal lives.

Lee Pellegrini

Last summer, the Office of Institutional Research, Planning & Assessment (IRPA) – which supports University leadership by providing information and services that enhance decision-making and strategic planning to advance BC’s mission – conducted an online survey of Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences graduates from the Classes of 2003 through 2012. This survey was commissioned by then-Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences David Quigley, now University Provost and Dean of Faculties, and conducted in collaboration with the Office of University Advancement and Office of Marketing Communications Executive Director and Special Assistant to the President Ben Birnbaum.

The survey was undertaken to gather feedback from young MCA&S alumni about the impact of their Arts and Sciences’ education, particularly in the areas of personal and professional growth. The response rate was 33 percent and IRPA conducted analyses to ensure that the respondents were representative of the larger young alumni population.

“I’m pleased and encouraged by the results of the survey, which provide strong support for the value of a liberal arts education,” said MCA&S Interim Dean Gregory Kalscheur, SJ. “A principal purpose of the survey was to understand more clearly how our graduates have experienced their Boston College education preparing them for work and for life. I am most grateful to the 2,000 alumni who took the time to respond to the survey and to offer their thoughtful comments and suggestions.

“It is clear that our graduates value the ways in which their BC education developed their ability to think critically and communicate effectively. These are important skills in today’s world.

“Our alumni have also given us constructive feedback on ways in which we can improve, such as strengthening the link between the academic environment and the skills needed to pursue a career post-graduation,” he noted. “I’ve shared this feedback with our MCA&S department chairs and directors of undergraduate studies, and it has led to good conversations about what we might do to help our students better understand and articulate the ways in which their BC liberal arts education provides a strong foundation for the creativity, imagination, and breadth of intellectual engagement that employers value in today’s rapidly changing world.”

IRPA Institutional Research Director Jess Greene, who did the survey development and analysis, discussed the findings with Rosanne Pellegrini of the Chronicle.

Through the survey, we received an overwhelming endorsement of the BC educational experience from our young alumni. Many wrote pages of heartfelt comments about the importance of what they had learned, academically, socially and spiritually, during their time here.

Q: Give us an overview of the fields represented by respondents, and what this range of professions says about the versatility of a BC liberal arts degree.

GREENE: Our MCA&S alumni are working in a variety of fields and attending a wide range of graduate schools. We have communication majors who are practicing law, history majors who are working in finance, sociology majors pursuing careers in market research, and math and philosophy majors in the process of earning their medical degrees, for example. When asked what they especially value about their undergraduate MCA&S experience, over 1,000 alumni offered comments on the themes of enhanced critical thinking and communication skills, the formation of key relationships and a deeply sincere

appreciation of how their liberal arts education exposed them to a broad world view.

One respondent wrote: “My undergraduate experience enabled me to explore several interdisciplinary connections, strengthen my oral and written communication skills, think in very critical and reflective ways, and have the ability to adapt to a range of professional settings and experiences. The ability to be agile in professional, workplace settings, as well as life, is a large reflection of becoming immersed in a rich liberal arts education.”

Q: What do these findings say about the value of the liberal arts educational experience offered by the University?

GREENE: The survey’s results are an overwhelming endorsement by important constituents – those alumni who recently acquired a MCA&S Boston College degree and are navigating careers or graduate school shortly after their time with us. It was extremely encouraging to hear the voices of these alumni wholeheartedly supporting their BC education from a holistic standpoint, and stating clearly how it had affected them on many dimensions.

Q: What were some of the themes of those responses?

GREENE: The dominant response was gratitude for the richness of the BC experience, not only in the acquisition of the skills cited earlier, but for learning about the importance of service and how to live a good life. One quote that was particularly compelling yet also representative of many: “My liberal arts degree gave me a larger perspective to care for the world around me and the people in it; most importantly, it gave me the skills to use my knowledge for the benefit of others.”

Q: This response underscores the mission of Boston College.

Are there plans for your office to undertake surveys among young alumni of other BC undergraduate schools?

GREENE: We would love to administer versions of this survey with the other undergraduate schools because all of our students take the core curriculum and have important formational experiences while they are enrolled at BC. Arts and Sciences was the initial focus in that the other schools often have more direct paths to careers after college while MCA&S is more varied. We wanted to better understand how our MCA&S

Chemistry’s Wolfman Earns Phi Beta Kappa Teaching Award Neil Wolfman, a part-time faculty member in the Chemistry Department, has been chosen by the Boston College chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its 2015 Teaching Award. The award will be presented at a ceremony on May 17.

Wolfman has been teaching General Chemistry at Boston College since 2000. The large lecture class is comprised predominately of freshmen, most of whom are science majors or on the pre-med track. In addition, three years ago he began teaching General Chemistry in the Gateway Scholars Program, which supports first-generation college students interested in majoring in science.

Each year, PBK members nominate an outstanding teacher who has positively influenced their experience at BC for the honor society’s Teaching Award. Winners are selected based on the cumulative nominations from students over multiple years.

Students who nominated Wolfman for the award consistently emphasized his care for students, with many calling him a mentor and expressing gratitude for his guidance on course selections, job interviews and graduate school applications.

One student called him “an invaluable mentor” who “cares so much about the growth and development of his students.”

Another student wrote: “Beginning in General Chemistry, he pushed his students to think – not just to memorize – chemistry and helped us learn how to love learning. He has helped me every step of the way during my journey to becoming a scientist.”

A third student called Wolfman “one of the most wonderful professors I have had at BC.” “I was so thrilled,” said Wolfman, describing his reaction to the news.

Wolfman, who worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 30 years, said he considers educator to

Lee Pellegrini

Q&A: JESS GREENE

students were using the skills and knowledge they acquired through their liberal arts degrees.

Q: In what ways will the results of this survey assist faculty and administrators with efforts to enhance the programs and services offered by MCA&S to undergraduate students?

GREENE: Our alumni asked for a greater and earlier connection between the strong skills they were developing in their liberal arts classes, and how these could be translated to various career paths. Many of them made this connection after graduation but stated that it would have been

be one of society’s most laudable careers. He expressed his gratitude to Professor of Chemistry and former department chair Larry McLaughlin for hiring him.

“This has been a fantastic experience. My students know I care about them. They know I will do whatever I can to help them.

If I can contribute to their success even in a small way, that’s so gratifying,” said Wolfman, who writes countless recommendations for his students.

Despite having a class roster with more than 100 names, Wolfman forges deep connections with his students. These connections often continue after the course is finished.

He recounted recently getting an e-mail from a student who he taught nine years ago and skyping with another former student who is studying abroad in South America.

Wolfman says while his lesson plan might be the same year to year – “a proton weighs the same as it did 20 years ago” – teaching is never boring because the students change. “Every year, the kids are different. Every class has its own persona – different personalities, different vibe. It’s great. I am not bored at all.”

So is Wolfman looking forward to summer? “Summer’s nice.

The weather is good. But I miss the kids. As September gets closer, I get excited for the next crop of students. I’m so psyched to start again.”

–Kathleen Sullivan helpful to articulate this earlier to prepare them for the job search.

They suggested a stronger link between the skills developed in our liberal arts education to some practical skills and early mentorship.

Although the survey respondents expressed the desire for Arts and Sciences to balance a commitment to liberal arts with career planning, they stressed that it should not be at the expense of an authentic liberal arts education, grounded in a broad world view and “cura personalis” perspective.

Contact Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu

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M a r t in G a m b o a

Kelly DiStefano

Hometown: Bronx, NY Major: Secondary education and history Notable Activities: 2015-2016 Fulbright Scholar; Ronald McNair Research Scholar; Steppingstone Foundation teaching assistant; First Year Experience peer advisor; College Bound tutor; McNair Research Symposium presenter; student teacher at schools in Newton, Waltham, Brighton and in Greece.

Post-graduation plans: 2015-16 Fulbright Scholarship in Poland, followed by graduate studies.

Hometown: South Windsor, Conn.

Major: Nursing Notable Activities: BC Swimming and Diving Team; ACC Academic Honor Roll; Student-Athlete Advisory Committee; Appalachia Volunteers; Undergraduate Research Fellow; peer leader, CSON Freshman Seminar; Athletes in Action Christian Ministry; Advanced Study Grant recipient; Semester abroad at University of Otago in New Zealand.

Post-graduation Plans: To secure a position in maternity/perinatal nursing at a West Coast hospital.

Overview: Gamboa entered Boston College planning to study physics and mathematics, but it was a love of history and teaching that led him to the Lynch School of Education. That shift highlighted his emphasis on using his undergraduate years to learn as much as he could about himself and the world. Gamboa pursued his research interests as a Ronald McNair Research Scholar and through an Advanced Study Grant and a McGillycuddyLogue Travel Grant. He has presented his research on family structure both at BC and at North Carolina State University, during the Atlantic Coast Conference-sponsored Meeting of the Minds. He spent a semester abroad in Greece and following graduation he will spend a year in Poland as a Fulbright Scholar, teaching English and studying the country’s educational system.

How has BC made a difference in your life?

These four years made me realize places like BC, and the people who work here as professors and staff, actually exist.

Whether it was by luck or fate, I ended up figuring out what was here for us. Opportunities like Advanced Study Grants, the McGillycuddy-Logue Travel Grant Program, the Fulbright grants, the Montserrat Coalition. BC is a place where there are so many opportunities available to us, all you have to do is look for them.

What was your reaction to being named a Fulbright scholar in Poland for the 2015-16 academic year?

When I came to BC, this was like a different world. I grew up in a housing project in the North Bronx called Boston Secor. Going from a low-income, inner-city neighborhood to here was like coming to a different world. To think that a kid from

Boston Secor would be invited to be a cultural ambassador to another country is unfathomable. The Fulbright gives me a platform to try to help make the world a better place. It confirms that all the struggles I’ve gone through have been worth it.

Who have been some of the most influential people you’ve met at BC? [Lynch School] Assistant Dean Audrey Friedman, [Academic Advising] Assistant Director Rebecca Schmitz and Lecturer Julia Whitcavitch-DeVoy. I took Professor DeVoy’s Child Growth and Development class and it was instrumental in guiding me in my research. She was my advisor as a McNair Scholar and guided me in presenting research at BC and at North Carolina State. I focused on “family maintenance activities” and their effect on the cognitive development of low-income children. I could not have done it without her.

What experience during your time at BC has had the most impact on you?

My semester abroad in Greece.

I went there to try to live like the people of Greece live. It had a huge impact not just on my cultural understanding, but on my development as a person.

There were only about eight other BC students in Greece, so I think that gave me the space to think about what I wanted to do with teaching; what I wanted to do as a person. Everybody has a BC experience, but you have to do it on your own terms. We’re trying to find ourselves and we should be doing it while we live our lives.

–Ed Hayward

Overview: DiStefano, whose signature event is the breaststroke, has been a member of the Swimming and Diving Team all four years and captain for the last two.

She was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll and honored with the Kevin Conway Award as outstanding sophomore on the team. She is equally passionate and dedicated to her nursing major, completing clinicals at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Medical Center, among other placements. She was awarded an Advanced Study Grant to travel to Nepal to examine the cultural barriers related to maternal mortal-

ity, and later presented her findings at two research symposia on campus. Excelling at both swimming and nursing is not surprising given DiStefano’s lineage – her mother was also a nursing major and Division 1 swimmer in college.

What made you want to pursue nursing as a career?

Nursing seemed like something I could be good at. I like talking to people and comforting them.

Coming to Boston College, it turned into so much more. The opportunity to study here and be involved in the Boston community from a health care perspective has revealed that nursing is the right choice for me. Nurses have the privilege to be with people on their worst day and on their best day. Strangers invite us into their lives in such an intimate way, not because they know me, but because I wear the badge of nursing. That’s what important about nursing, being at the bedside and holding someone’s hand if they need it. I’m excited for nursing to be my life, not just my career.

What has the opportunity to be a student-athlete meant to you?

Maria Asdourian Hometown: Burlington, Mass.

Major: Biology; medical humanities minor Notable Activities: Barry M. Goldwater scholarship recipient; Phi Beta Kappa; Dean’s Scholar; Scholar of the College candidate; Undergraduate Research Fellow in the lab of Professor of Biology Daniel A. Kirschner; intern, Boston Children’s Hospital (Benowitz Lab, Neurosurgery Department); Scientista Intercollegiate Research Symposium presenter; teaching assistant for Assistant Professor of the Practice of Biology Danielle Taghian; Winchester Hospital volunteer.

Post-graduation plans: Interviewing for clinical research positions before applying to medical/graduate school.

Overview: Asdourian excelled in academics, as well as in research and outreach both on and off campus. A hallmark of her rewarding experience as a biology major and lab researcher was winning a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Considered the premier undergraduate award in the sciences, the scholarships are made based on academic merit to the country’s most promising college students in math, science and engineering.

For Asdourian, enrolling in the medical humanities minor – an interdisciplinary, humanistic and cultural study of illness, health, health care, and the body – round-

There were schools and coaches that told me that I had to be a different major if I wanted to be a swimmer at their school. I didn’t receive that from BC. My coach was very receptive to letting me have a chance to do both. My identity here has been swimming and nursing. I’m passionate about both.

I had support and resources to excel in both areas. The BC community allowed me to embrace my identity as a nursing student-athlete.

Talk about your time in Nepal.

Globally, maternal mortality – ology undergraduate research, which has been one of the most meaningful parts of my college career. The medical humanities minor has given me some balance, allowing me to explore the humanistic and cultural aspects of healthcare and illness that will enrich my future service in the medical field.

ed out her previously “researchintensive approach to the medical field.” Through the minor, she explored important humanistic and cultural aspects of medicine, which complemented her research experiences and will enrich her medical career. She has cited the profound influence of her parents – in her work ethic and desire to help others – and has been guided by the message they instilled: “Growing up, the most important thing was to be of service to others and to be welcoming to the people in your life.”

How has BC made a difference in your life?

My experiences at BC have allowed me to grow both academically and personally. I’ve had the opportunity to participate in bi-

How did winning the Goldwater Scholarship as a sophomore affect your final two years of study and research at BC? Putting together the application for the Goldwater Scholarship, which included writing a theoretical research proposal, really helped focus my research interests. Shortly after, I began work at a Boston Children’s Hospital neurobiology lab where I’ve had the opportunity to learn a new set of lab techniques and surgical procedures. Carrying out more than one research project under the supervision of on- and off-campus mentors has been a very rewarding experience and solidified my interests in neuroscience research. I just recently submitted my senior thesis, and still can’t believe how fast these last two years flew by!

Who have been some of the most influential people you’ve known at BC? There have been many supportive

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For complete profiles, see www.bc.edu/chronicle/seniors2015 Photos by Robyn Gesek and Lee Pellegrini

women not surviving childbirth – is a huge concern. My intention was to see the cultural practices, behaviors and understandings that were making Nepal an unsafe place for childbirth. I was at a nursing school in Pokhara, the country’s second largest city, and did my maternity rotation there. I saw my first live birth the minute I walked in the hospital. The topography of Nepal is challenging and not everyone lives close to a city and transportation is not always guaranteed, so there’s a tradition of birthing in the home. In Nepali tradition, there is an expectation of stoicism for women and they are expected to bear the complications of delivery quietly and independently.

I also spent a week working at a clinic in a village that was an 11hour journey uphill from the city.

There were only two midwives to serve hundreds of villagers. The city hospital I volunteered at was participating in a safe motherhood program, offering free maternity care and travel stipends as an incentive to get women to deliver at the hospital. Maternal health translates to child health which translates to the health of a community.

–Kathleen Sullivan faculty members in the Biology Department and others – especially Professor Dan Kirschner.

I was fortunate to have met him early in my freshman year after expressing interest in joining his lab.

He spent more than a semester meeting with me weekly and helping me catch up on all the relevant scientific literature and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to be a successful researcher.

He encouraged me to apply for the Goldwater Scholarship and assisted me throughout the whole process, and has continued to be a great mentor.

Professor Danielle Taghian is also one of the kindest and most thoughtful professors I’ve known at BC, always willing to offer guidance and support. None of my accomplishments would have been possible without their mentorship.

Professor Amy Boesky has also been a huge help. During my junior year, I was able to join the medical humanities minor [which she directs]. Before our meeting, I wasn’t sure whether or not to participate in the minor, but her passion for the subject and interdisciplinary approach to healthcare and illness really struck a chord with me. She’s been a wonderful mentor and has helped me develop my creative non-fiction writing skills about [the topic of] illness.

–Rosanne Pellegrini

Victoria Mariconti Hometown: Wrentham, Mass.

Major: Music Notable Activities: Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Honor Program; pianist for BC bOp!, Campus Ministry Liturgy Arts Group, King Philip Regional Schools (Wrentham), Boston College Sesquicentennial Concert at Symphony Hall; music minister, Parish of St. Ignatius; resident assistant; BC Arts Council Student Award for Accomplishment in Music; member, Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Sigma Nu honor societies; Appalachia Volunteers; columnist for The Heights; intern, National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference.

Post-graduation Plans: Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship and music research in Poland.

Overview: Mariconti, who began playing piano at age 7, sees her passion for music as more than a solitary expression of one’s talent and ability, but as a means to build relationships of value and meaning, whether through performing in a jazz ensemble or playing for a liturgy – both of which she’s done at Boston College. While her musical endeavors have earned her recognition, they have not solely defined her time at BC. She has enjoyed academic success, and challenged her view of herself and the world around her through volunteerism, writing for The Heights, working as resident assistant and other activities. Another challenge awaits: a sojourn in Poland, where in addition to teaching English she looks forward to engaging students in discussions about life, work and faith – and to learning about Polish musical traditions and styles.

Music has been a big part of your life since an early age. Has that changed during your years at BC? I came in declared as a music major, but during freshman year I had a lack of confidence about it, because what did that mean?

What was I supposed to do with music? Then in the first semester of sophomore year, I decided not to take any music classes, although I did keep playing music. And doing that made me realize how much I needed music in my life.

The experience taught me music is not something you “do,” it’s a relationship, something I’ve nurtured all my life. I came to embrace music as a very important, expressive part of me.

Another important thing that happened at BC was being able to integrate music with my spiritual self. I started playing Masses when I was in sixth grade, but then only occasionally during high school.

Being able to play with the Liturgy

Arts Group in particular, getting together every Sunday night, has been tremendously fulfilling to me as a way to live my Catholic faith.

What kinds of important experiences have you had at BC that didn’t revolve around music?

In sophomore year, I went with the Appalachian Volunteers to Breezy Point, NY, on Long Island, which had suffered heavy damage from Hurricane Sandy.

It was a disaster zone, but not what we might think of as the kind of impoverished community service programs go to. We found a strange mix of devastation and affluence that we hadn’t expected.

With a situation like that, you might say, “Oh, this place doesn’t really need the help.” But as the group reflected on it, we thought about how much Breezy Point resembled some of our own communities – and what if a hurricane or some other disaster had oc-

curred there? No one is beyond the need for help, and we have to recognize that.

So, what are some of the biggest lessons you have learned here?

I really think I’ve learned so much about what it means to be in a relationship with people, whether it’s friends, mentors or other shades of relationships, and what qualities I value in that relationship. I feel I’ve learned to relax and be confident in who I am, and to embrace my interests. This has been a constant theme in Honors, where you talk about how to ask, think about, and answer the question, “What is a good life?” I know more than ever how much being Catholic is important to me, and I feel at BC I’ve become more conscious of the role faith plays in my life.

I have never walked around a place and felt so spontaneously grateful as I have at BC. –Sean Hennessey

D e r ek S wi t a j Hometown: Kent, Ohio Major: Operations management and marketing Notable Activities: Produced, wrote, and directed “Mod of Cards,” believed to be the first fulllength collegiate drama mini-series; regional director for Boston of Compass Partners; president, BC Entrepreneurship Society; Arrupe International El Salvador solidarity trip with Campus Ministry; TechTrek Ghana and TechTrek West.

Post-graduation Plans: Switaj is heading to Hollywood and hopes to be a screenwriter and film producer.

Overview: Involved in theater and film/broadcasting throughout middle school and high school, Switaj arrived at Boston College with an open mind to try new things. In the Carroll School of Management, he learned about start-up companies and took part in the University’s business and entrepreneurship programs, becoming president of the Boston College Entrepreneurship Society. Switaj also was involved with Compass Partners, a social entrepreneurship entity at 20 universities across the country, of which he also became president. The summer before his junior year, Switaj was inspired to write his own screenplay. An independent study led to a connection with a Los Angeles-based production company, followed by another summer in Los Angeles where Switaj met a former movie writer whose advice set the stage for his ambitious film project “Mod of Cards” [modofcards.com].

Meeting that movie writer during your summer internship seems to have put things in perspective, and in motion, after he suggested you prove yourself as a director first before moving into screenwriting.

How did that lead to “Mod of Cards”?

The advice made a lot of sense and I let it ferment in my mind for a while. Then one night I just realized exactly what I should do during my senior year. I love “House of Cards.” When season two came out, my roommates and I had joked around that we should make a BC version of the series, and the name “Mod of Cards” got thrown out there but I didn’t think anything of it at the time. Then last summer, that idea comes back to me as I’m about to go to sleep one night. So I hop off my bed at around 11 p.m. and I write and I write and I write and the next thing I know, it’s 4 a.m. and I’ve got an outline for an entire series of episodes.

Is it fair to say “Mod of Cards“ is what you are most proud of?

Definitely. We shot the six 30-minute episodes over a span of seven months. We brought together a team of 61 unpaid actors and 20 unpaid crew, with a $2,500 budget for some miscellaneous equipment. We put together 180 minutes of content, something that no one else has ever done in college, as far as I can find. Most film schools have you focus on five to 10-minute short films because the time and the manpower to pull off something like “Mod of Cards” is far beyond the scope of any one class. This type of endeavor was insane to undertake. I will always look back on what we accomplished with pride. I hope that the crew and people who acted in it are proud of it, too. BC isn’t expected to pull off something like this; we’re not one of the big film schools. This was a 40-houra-week commitment – it was a full-time job for us.

How has Boston College influenced you?

I had a lot of great mentors here and all of them have been really supportive of exploring anything you love or want to do. “Do it all if you can,” has been the message.

The other takeaway is, “Always keep in mind how I can give back and help others with my talents.”

On the Arrupe Program trip to El Salvador, I saw the poverty there and realized how much of an opportunity you’re given here.

Being a film director/producer has been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done and a real privilege. But there are people who don’t have that privilege. I think if there’s one thing that BC has branded in me, it’s the Jesuit philosophy to pursue and flesh out those God-given talents – but remember why you have those talents and find ways to use them in service of others.

–Sean Hennessey

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member of the Liturgy Arts Group, tellectual passion, dedication, poise, a Clough Center junior fellow, and and good humor,” said Hopkins. a peer tutor in the Connors Family “I have had the good fortune of Learning Center. benefiting directly from these outThe prestigious Truman Schol- standing qualities over the past two arship, established by Congress to years as she has assisted me with honor the memory of the 33rd pres- my research as an undergraduate ident, supports the graduate educa- research fellow. It is very gratifytion and personal development of ing to me to see Marissa receive standout undergraduates commit- a more public recognition for the ted to public service leadership. It is ways in which she enriches the Bosawarded on the basis of leadership ton College community. Her talent potential, intellectual ability and a and public-spiritedness make her an strong record of public service, and ideal Truman Scholar, and I know requires a detailed policy proposal she will go on to do great things.” that addresses a particular societal Added Arts and Sciences Honchallenge. ors Program faculty member Mark Jason Cavallari, associate direc- O’Connor, who wrote the Truman tor of the International Studies Pro- Scholarship recommendation on gram and director her behalf, “Not of University Fel- “She is exactly the kind of surprisingly, Malowships, praised person we want to pursue rissa’s TrumanMarandola as a a career in public service,” inspired project most worthy recipiaims to help dissays University Fellowships ent of the Truman advantaged young Scholarship and an Director Jason Cavallari, schoolchildren. “and the kind of student ideal ambassador Given how generfor Boston Colously and well she for whom the Truman lege. “Marissa won has already served Scholarship was founded.” this award because such children she’s whip-smart, while growing up dedicated, ambitious, and above in Rhode Island, and how well all, passionate about addressing the she now serves college students to problems that plague our education whom so much has been given, we system. She is exactly the kind of are all fortunate that she is choosing person we want to pursue a ca- to bring Boston College’s values to reer in public service, and the kind the larger public arena through this of student for whom the Truman Truman Scholarship.”

Scholarship was founded.”

Outside of Boston College, MaMarandola said she was honored randola has volunteered at the Italto receive the $30,000 scholarship, ian Home for Children and served which will help defray the cost of as an intern for the Attorney Genlaw school and enable her to ulti- eral of Rhode Island, the Rhode mately pursue a career in education Island Family Court and the Rhode reform and advocacy.

Island Center for Freedom and “Through my research at Boston Prosperity.

College and work in the commuShe is one of 58 students nationnity, I have seen a huge disparity wide to win the Truman Scholarbetween educational opportunity ship this year, and BC’s 10th recipifor some and the lack of opportu- ent overall. nity for others,” said Marandola. “I This summer she will meet her think all students should have the fellow 2015 Truman Scholars dursame opportunity, and I believe that ing a weeklong orientation session the charter school movement is one in the Truman Library in Indepenway to do so, particularly for the dence, Mo., and next summer she socio-economically disadvantaged will spend eight weeks in Washingwho suffer the inequities in our ton, DC, at an internship focused education system.” on educational policy. After attendMarandola credits BC faculty ing law school, she plans to work for guiding her in her academic in a legal department in an urban pursuits and nurturing her profes- educational system before pursuing sional interests. In particular she a career as a legal advocate for eduacknowledged Assistant Professor cation reform. of Political Science David Hop“My parents always emphasized kins, with whom she worked as that to whom much is given, much a research assistant, for helping to is expected,” said Marandola. “I build her confidence as a researcher; was raised by loving parents, atGabelli Presidential Scholars Pro- tended wonderful Catholic schools gram Director James Keenan, SJ, and now study at Boston College. I for encouraging her to pursue the have been given a lot, and the TruTruman Scholarship; and Adjunct man Scholarship helps me to take Professor of Political Science Eliza- all that I have been blessed with and beth Georges, who served as her role use it to serve others.” model and professional mentor.

Contact Jack Dunn at “Marissa is distinguished by a jack.dunn@bc.edu rare combination of intelligence, in-

By Ed Hayward Staff Writer

Chemistry major Corleone S. Delaveris ’15 has been awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship that will support his graduate studies at Stanford University.

Delaveris, a member of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program and a Scholar of the College, plans to study chemical biology with the goal of developing new ways to understand, diagnose and treat disease.

“I am absolutely honored,” said Delaveris, who grew up in Grandview Heights, Ohio. “I wasn’t expecting it. It’s humbling to be recognized in this kind of group.”

The NSF awarded the so-called “pre-doc” fellowships to 2,000 men and women from among 16,500 applicants in 2015. In addition to Delaveris, Casey Brodsky ’14, a chemistry major who is now a graduate student at Harvard University, received the fellowship.

The award provides three years of financial support within a five-year period, covering an annual stipend of up to $34,000 and tuition costs of up to $12,000 for graduate study that leads to a research-based master’s or doctoral degree in science or engineering, according to the NSF. Delaveris has focused on organic chemistry as an undergraduate, working as a researcher in the lab of Professor of Chemistry Marc Snap-

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Marandola Earns a Truman Fellowship to Aid Senior’s Grad Studies Continued from page 1

Corleone S. Delaveris

per, where he has been involved in a project to develop a new catalyst in order to confirm theoretical models developed by Visiting Assistant Professor Fredrik Haeffner, a computational chemist.

At Stanford, Delaveris will study chemical biology, which is not an insignificant change.

“For the last two years, I have been working in organic chemistry, so going into chemical biology is a substantial change,” said Delaveris.

“It’s a wonderful vote of confidence.

It makes me a lot more comfortable with the idea of moving away from what I’ve been doing for a couple of years.”

Delaveris, who plans on earning a doctorate, said he’s interested in the challenges of combating illness and disease.

“What interests me is the chemistry of health and disease,” said Delaveris. “I’m interested in the

broader area of how disease works, what are the mechanisms behind disease and how can we develop better diagnostics, better treatments for disease and improve human health in general.”

He cited Snapper as among the faculty who have had the biggest influence on his undergraduate studies, as well as Honors Program faculty Mark O’Connor and Joseph Breines.

Outside of class, Delaveris founded the American Chemical Society undergraduate chapter and served as the senior science editor for Elements.

Among his undergraduate honors, he has received the Chemistry Department’s Excellence in Chemistry Award, the Brian Lawrence Grey Prize and the CRC Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award.

Delaveris will not be on unfamiliar turf at Stanford, having spent a summer at the US Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, working in x-ray absorption spectroscopy, or XAS. His years at BC have been “an absolutely phenomenal experience that I would not trade for anything in the world,” said Delaveris. “Between the people I’ve met, both in class, in student clubs and in the dorms, and the things I’ve learned academically and personally, I feel like I’ve grown as a person in many different ways.”

Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu

Goldwater Scholarship Awarded to Brogan Continued from page 1 tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

“I am honored to have been recognized by the Goldwater Scholarship Program,” said Brogan, a native of Coral Springs, Fla., who plans doctoral study in physics and to attend medical school. “Winning the Goldwater Scholarship is a testament to the quality of research and advising that is available at Boston College. My mentors have prepared me extremely well for my future goal of attending an MD-PhD program.”

He has also received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to travel this summer to Peru, where he will study Spanish and work in local hospitals to develop his bilingual medical vocabulary.

Brogan conducts research in the lab of Professor of Chemistry Paul Davidovits, where he develops experiments to model the behavior of aerosol particulate in the atmosphere and the potential effects on human health.

“I have spent the past two years working in the atmospheric chemistry laboratory of Professor Davidovits, where I have matured into a scien-

tist,” Brogan said. “Before attending Boston College, I never envisioned myself as a scientific researcher, but I read about Professor Davidovits’ research and was so interested that I decided to try something new. The mentorship of Professor Davidovits and his postdoctoral associates, Andrew Lambe and Lindsay RenbaumWolff, sculpted me into the research scientist I am today.”

In the Davidovits lab, Brogan has planned experiments, collaborated with scientists from universities across the globe, and worked through scientific problems to find solutions.

Brogan has co-authored a report in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, submitted another manuscript and presented his findings at two of BC’s annual undergraduate research poster sessions. He was a student presenter at BC’s Symposium in Global Public Health last December.

He plans to combine his physics and medical degrees toward an academic career devoted to advancing techniques and training in medical physics.

“Physics will provide me with a powerful set of problem-solving skills that are applicable to a wide variety of

problems, while an MD will provide me with a profound understanding of the way the human body functions,” Brogan said. “With an MD and a PhD in physics, I will be wellequipped with all of the skills necessary to achieve my research goals as a medical physicist.”

Brogan said he’s welcomed the challenge to find new solutions ever since he arrived as a freshman. The lecturer Leslie D. Servi challenged his Calculus II class to find new ways to express pi in terms of nested square roots of two. He worked closely with the professor and spent hours on the project. In the end, he discovered three new solutions.

In addition to Davidovits and his research team, Brogan credited his academic success to Research Associate Professor Andrzej Herczynski in Physics, and Professors David McFadden and Mary Roberts in Chemistry.

“I’m grateful for the support of my friends and family throughout my endeavors,” said Brogan. “Otherwise, I would not be able to stay motivated to the level that I have been over my three years at Boston College.”

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Chronicle may 7, 2015

9

Sienkiewicz Film Documents a Company’s Long, Hard Road

By ALBERT MCKEON SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Assistant Professor of Communication Matt Sienkiewicz spent five years capturing the joy and frustration of a small company determined to remake the motorcycle industry and grab a piece of the American dream.

Sienkiewicz partnered with a friend in videotaping the 126 employees behind Erik Buell Racing (EBR), a Wisconsin motorcycle manufacturer seeking to defy industry expectations by creating a sport bike that could both win on professional race tracks and perform sharply on public streets.

The documentarians distilled 70 hours of videotape recordings into an hour-long presentation, “Ragged Edge,” that will debut this Friday at 10 p.m. on Wisconsin Public Television and is also available on Vimeo on Demand [vimeo.com/ondemand/ theraggededge].

“Ragged Edge” showcases significant business decisions and human interactions with the exception of one momentous, and poignant, development: Just last month, not long after Sienkiewicz and his partner, Joseph Souza,

Asst. Prof. Matt Sienkiewicz (Communication) filming crew and staff of Erik Buell Racing, a Wisconsin motorcyle manufacturer that is the subject of “Ragged Edge,” a documentary he co-produced.

had wrapped production, EBR halted operations at its East Troy, Wis., plant and filed for receivership.

No matter how fast his motorcycles traveled, company founder Erik Buell couldn’t elude the hard crashes of business. Outstanding debt, weak sales and lack of interest from prospective investors conspired to end EBR’s journey before it could reach its dream.

Even though “Ragged Edge” doesn’t show the final days of business for Buell and his employees, Sienkiewicz says the doc-

umentary nonetheless captures the fundamental challenges facing many small ventures as they try to keep quick-trigger investors satisfied while attempting to stay true to their long-term plans.

“We wanted to show there’s something fundamentally wrong with the way investment takes place in America,” Sienkiewicz says. “There’s no place for companies that want to take the path of slow, steady growth. The system favors quick, fast results. Erik wanted to grow his company over a long period of time.”

Sousa met the motorcycle designer while working on a History Channel show and recognized the potential of following Buell as he started EBR in 2009 after Harley Davidson closed his previous venture. Sousa called Sienkiewicz, who at the time was working on his doctorate at University of Wisconsin-Madison, and told him he should visit EBR’s plant to gauge whether they had something worthy to document.

Sienkiewicz was struck by how EBR could design motorcycle components as if it were a large manufacturer with money to spare – a “little engine that could” aspect that lends itself to documentaries. And Buell himself “is a thoughtful guy,” Sienkiewicz said. “He can see the grass from the trees. He can see how motorcycles work but he also sees the struggles and weaknesses that come with running a relatively small business. He’s self-aware, and that’s what makes him perfect for this.”

“Ragged Edge” aims to “show the intersection of big economic questions and little ones,” Sienkiewicz says. “A big one is, ‘How does this country support manufacturing?’ A little one is, ‘How

does a family that’s dependent on a manufacturing job support itself?’”

The documentary also highlights the culture of motorcycles – something that may be lost on some New Englanders. But it’s a way of life for the people who ride them and those who make them, Sienkiewicz says: “Motorcycles are a symbol of freedom, ingenuity and creativity.”

Even though Sienkiewicz and Sousa had Buell’s blessing to record everything, they still had to win the trust of EBR employees and assure them that while the documentary intended to explore pre-established themes, it would also fairly present their lives.

“If you’re doing a documentary honestly, you can’t explain to your subject every little tactical decision you’ll make. That will ruin it,” Sienkiewicz says. “But you can show them what you’re doing and ask that they trust you.

This company was more than a company to the local community, and we wanted to express the difference in jobs where the money structure cares about employees and jobs where the money structure doesn’t care.”

By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer

“Got Milk?”

“What’s in your wallet?”

“Are you a Mac or a PC?” Promotional phrases consisting of a simple question have often been successful in the marketplace, but are they more effective than a simple statement? That depends, according to Carroll School of Management Associate Professor of Marketing Henrik Hagtvedt, whose recent research project examines whether replacing a period with a question mark, or vice versa, in an advertising slogan affects whether a consumer makes a purchase.

“I’ve long been interested in ambiguity and uncertainty,” says Hagtvedt, whose study has been published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology [available at http://bit.ly/1HZMJPV]. “Raising a question has that kind of connotation to it – a little bit of uncertainty because you’re asking the consumer to think about this, and to reach his or her own conclusion.”

Hagtvedt looked at this phenomenon through the lens of one’s level of stimulation: If someone was excited or nervous, does he or she respond more favorably

Gary Wayne Gilbert

Do Consumers Like Ads with Statements? It’s Questionable.

Henrik Hagtvedt

to a question or a statement? Conversely, if a prospective consumer is calm, which type of phrase does he or she prefer?

Using pens, strawberries, pictures, and an ad display with music and visual images, Hagtvedt compiled data from more than 400 prospective consumers over the course of three studies. He measured how participants in various states of arousal responded to promotional phrases framed as questions (“The Pen For You?”) or statements (“The Pen For You”). Hagtvedt also used exciting or dull photographs and various kinds of music to help induce different degrees of stimulation, from low to high.

He found that marketing statements were more effective and well-received if the consumer was stimulated or excited in some way, because he or she preferred clear, straightforward communication.

“Maybe the person is at a sporting event, watching TV or some kind of action movie, or looking at a magazine or web page that is stimulating – he or she will respond less favorably to a question. If you are highly aroused, you tend to want clear information and know exactly what’s going on – you don’t really want to think about it. So the promotional phrases that were statements led to more purchases than the questions did.”

Under low arousal, questions were received more favorably because the phrase caught the respondent’s interest, Hagtvedt notes. “Questions often engage the mind more than straightforward statements do, and even rhetorical questions can enhance consumer elaborations on a given message.

“A question mark can pique interest because you’re asked to think about things on your own.

You’re so used to getting all these statements that being asked to actually think about it on your own might be slightly more interesting.

Under normal circumstances,

where consumers might be relatively relaxed or calm, marketers may therefore benefit from framing their promotional phrases as questions rather than statements.”

Given the takeaway of the research – aroused consumers appreciate clarity, while calm consumers appreciate stimuli – the lesson for marketers is this, he says: Know where your message is being seen.

“If it’s a supermarket or shopping center on a typical, slowmoving day, then it may make sense to spark the consumer’s curiosity a little bit by framing promotional phrases as questions.

A question mark can cause the consumer to wonder ‘What’s this about?’”

However, if the ad display is in the middle of the holiday hustle and bustle or a big sale that’s creating a frenzy, a simple declarative statement is best, according to the research.

Says Hagtvedt, “Aroused consumers don’t want to think about it. They just want simple information that they can act on. Consumers tend to experience questions as less clear communication than statements. Hence, they have an adverse reaction. It doesn’t have to be strong, and consumers might not even be aware of it, but it can

nonetheless be enough for them to have a slightly lower evaluation of the brand or product than they otherwise would have.

“It might cause them not to purchase just because that little uncertainty is slightly disturbing to them.”

Using this approach, he says, advertisements might be customized for magazines, television or the Internet, depending on the level of arousal they encourage: “If the ad itself or the material in which it is imbedded involves topics of a sexual, competitive, dangerous, or thrilling nature, the current research suggests that a statement style is likely to be more effective, even if a question style could appeal to consumers’ curiosity under other circumstances.

“The same logic holds for public policy communications. A question style regarding behaviors to achieve desirable health outcomes might draw consumers in under calm conditions, but it may be less effective at the physician’s office if they are feeling nervous.

“Consumers may not always consider the implications of language details of this kind, but it can make a big difference in the efficacy of marketers, whether they are business managers or politicians.”

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle may 7, 2015

10

Friends for Life

Continued from page 1

a lot of people who would do what Kayla did for a complete stranger.”

James’ journey to meet his benefactor would have seemed unlikely two years ago, when he faced daunting odds after being stricken with leukemia a second time in his young life. A sixmonth hospital stay consisting of chemotherapy and radiation seemed to rid James’ body of the cancer, but five months after the treatment stopped, a brain tumor developed.

“We were told, ‘He needs a bone marrow transplant otherwise the cancer will keep coming back and he doesn’t have a chance for survival at that point,’” recalls Stephanie. “We were very scared.”

Neither Stephanie or husband Nick were matches, and James didn’t have any siblings, so the family turned to a national bone marrow registry, hoping and praying for a miracle.

“You can’t give up on hope: That’s the only thing you have to lean on and if you don’t have

that, you’re just going to fall apart,” says Stephanie. “We tried not to think of the alternative because that would mean we would lose our son.”

The success rates of finding such a match vary greatly based on age, diagnosis, care, and treatment, according to the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, the national registry that would bring Kayla and James together.

“Since people are most likely to find a match from someone of similar genetic ancestry, the odds of finding a match depends largely on whether or not that patient’s background is underrepresented in the registry,” says foundation representative Marti Freund. “Siblings match only 30 percent of the time, so 70 percent of the population needs to find a match from an unrelated donor via a public registry.”

As it turned out, there was not one but two matches for James – but the first potential donor didn’t want to go through with the procedure. So Stephanie made sure the next person on

Senior Nanci Fiore-Chettiar, who served as president of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College this academic year, has been named recipient of the 2015 Dr. Donald Brown Award. Named in honor of the former director of the Office of AHANA Student Programs, the award recognizes a senior who has made extraordinary contributions to Boston College, and particularly the AHANA community, in the areas of leadership, service and academic development.

A sociology major from Westerly, RI, Fiore-Chettiar was chosen for the award based on her advocacy for AHANA students and her passion for working with all students to improve the conversations and the experiences related to diversity.

She served as the co-director of FACES, a student organization committed to educating the BC community on issues of race, identity and systems of power and privilege. She developed the concepts and co-wrote the scripts for two FACES videos that responded to issues that emerged on campus and beyond. She also spearheaded the “We are BC” video to foster unity, acceptance and community on campus.

Robyn Gesek

Former UGBC President Is Dr. Brown Award Winner

During her sophomore year, she created Backgrounds, a small-group discussion program for students to engage in conversation about diversity and experience in a safe environment.

In addition to UGBC, she has been involved at the University as an orientation leader and an AHANA Caucus representative. She participates in the Benjamin E. Mays Mentoring Program, offering guidance and advice to first-year students.

Fiore-Chettiar conducted an internship with the federal court at a re-entry program for non-violent offenders who had been arrested at a very early age.

She plans to continue her studies after graduation at the BC School of Social Work.

–Kathleen Sullivan

New England Cable News video capture

the list would know something about whom they were helping.

“I wanted them to know how old James was. I felt like maybe in some way that would change their mind. This was a two-yearold boy who has a whole lot of life to live and he’s dependent on someone else to have this procedure done for him.”

The next person turned out to be Kayla.

“All I knew was it was for a two-year-old little boy diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia,” she says, recalling the moment she had to make her decision. “I could never let someone know there was hope and then back out. My thought process entirely was I hoped that someone would do this for me or my loved ones, so how could I not do this for someone else?”

So, a few days before Christmas of 2013, Kayla went to Boston’s Dana Farber Cancer Institute, where doctors undertook the painful procedure of extracting bone marrow from her hip with a hollow needle. A month later she learned the transplant had worked but shortly thereafter, while studying abroad in London, came the news that James was having complications.

“He had a virus of some sort that he couldn’t fight off on his own, so they needed my T-cells to help him. While I was in London, I actually had to go give blood.”

By then, Kayla had developed strong feelings for the child she had never met.

“When I heard he wasn’t doing well and needed my blood to help him, I remember crying because I was so emotionally tied to this little boy hoping that he would get better. I lit a candle in every church in Europe that I went to and said a little prayer for him, hoping that he would recover. You definitely get a lot more emotionally tied than you think.”

Finally, a year after the transplant came the news she and the Strejc family had been praying for: James was cancer-free.

“I was ecstatic,” says Kayla. “I remember getting that phone call and wanting to break down into tears when I heard the news.”

Amidst the joy was unfin-

“The fact that I’ll be able to watch him grow up is an absolutely amazing thing,” says senior Kayla Hammergren of four-year-old James Strejc, to whom she donated her bone marrow. “I can’t wait to see what he does.”

“I know Kayla doesn’t want a lot of thanks, but she’s going to get it anyway,” says James’ mother Stephanie, who along with husband Nick greeted Kayla last month (left).“We’ll be thanking her for the rest of our lives.” ished business: Patient and donor had never met; they didn’t even know each other’s names.

Fortunately, the Walk for Life provided the perfect opportunity to change that.

“Because of Kayla, James is still with us,” says Stephanie.

“He’s an extraordinary little boy and he’s so full of life, happiness, and health. I just wanted her to see him, to get to know him, so that way she can really understand what she gave us. I just wanted to give her a big hug and try to thank her for what she did.

She saved my son’s life. I don’t think you can properly thank someone for that.”

“I couldn’t even hold back my tears,” says Kayla. “The second they said his name I started crying. I was so excited just to see him.”

Kayla and James took an immediate liking to each other, hugging, playing, and taking in the walk around the reservoir together.

“I tend to be kind of a goofball sometimes so it doesn’t surprise me that I would get along with a little kid,” says Kayla, with a laugh. “He’s a giant ball of energy and an amazing little boy. I can’t wait to see all the things he does. Everyone is saying, ‘Well, BC is in his blood, so he should be an Eagle,’ but we’ll see where he ends up.”

Kayla will graduate from the Carroll School later this month and this fall begins work at Digitas in Boston, where she has been hired as an account manager.

Wherever her career takes her, she says she plans on staying in touch with the little boy whose life she saved.

“The fact that I’ll be able to watch him grow up is an absolutely amazing thing,” says Kayla. “I can’t wait to see what he does.”

“James has a new friend and he will definitely grow up to know who Kayla is and the wonderful thing that she did for him,” says Stephanie. “She’ll be getting pictures and hopefully we’ll be seeing her next year at the same walk. I know Kayla doesn’t want a lot of thanks, but she’s going to get it anyway.

We’ll be thanking her for the rest of our lives. Kayla is a spectacular person. We need more people like Kayla.”

Kayla says she’s seen a deluge of good wishes and congratulations and is thrilled at how the news of this selflessness and compassionate act is spreading among the Boston College community and in social media.

“People are getting the message here,” she says. “People are hearing that things like this do work and that here at Boston College we should be men and women for others and I think that this is a good example of how we can do that. I’m just hoping this helps grow the registry to get more people out there to hopefully help others.”

Contact Sean Hennessey at sean.hennessey@bc.edu

Campus Ministry and the Buddhism Club organized a vigil last week for victims of the April 25 earthquake in Nepal. Read about the Boston College community’s response to the tragedy at http://bit.ly/1Id1eyo. (Photo by Christopher Huang)

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle may 7, 2015

11

obituary

Marjory Gordon of CSON; Pioneer in Nursing Diagnosis A funeral Mass was celebrated Monday in St. Ignatius Church for Professor Emerita Marjory Gordon, a Connell School of Nursing faculty member for 23 years and an internationally recognized expert on the development of standardized nursing language, who died on April 29.

Dr. Gordon was the creator of the Eleven Functional Health Patterns (FHP), which has provided generations of nurses with a format for patient diagnosis. Her groundbreaking work in clinical reasoning and nursing language development was credited with giving nurses a voice in patient care outcomes and leading to the adoption of nursing language in the emerging area of electronic medical recordkeeping.

She published four books, including the Manual of Nursing Diagnosis, which is in its 12th edition and has been translated into almost a dozen languages, and lectured to nurses and educators on nursing diagnosis and FHP in Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, and throughout Central America.

In 1982, Dr. Gordon became the first president of NANDA, the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association. She was principal investigator on research projects involving nursing processes and nursing diagnoses, and co-director of a US Public Health Service Grant to improve nurses’ diagnostic and ethical reasoning.

Dr. Gordon, who retired from the Connell School in 1996, was a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, which in 2009 honored her as a Living Legend of the Academy. Speaking at the award ceremony, her Connell School colleague Professor Sister

Callista Roy said, “She began this work [of creating a common nursing language] when computers were just starting. And, now this is the basis for the nursing component of the electronic medical record. I think she’s a role model for all us. She is constantly raising the standards and the clarity of nursing diagnosis so as to give nursing a voice and visibility in health care.”

Sister Roy said that because of Dr. Gordon’s work, “nursing as a discipline is stronger in the US and around the world.”

Among many other honors, Dr. Gordon was presented with the Mentor’s Award from NANDA-International, and was among the members of the inaugural class of NANDA International Fellows inducted in 2012.

In a tribute to Dr. Gordon on its website last week, NANDAInternational called her “an everpresent voice for standardized nursing diagnoses that would support clinical decision making.

“The fact that she insisted on diagnostic criteria to support that critical thinking – before the introduction of technology or electronic health records – is a testament to her vision as well as her awareness of the need for accuracy in diagnosis to drive quality, safe patient care.”

She also received the Massachusetts Nurses Association Education Award; Japanese Society for Nursing Diagnosis’ Distinguished Service Award, and the Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses Living Legend Award.

Dr. Gordon earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees from Hunter College, City University of New York and a doctoral degree from Boston College.

–Office of News & Public Affairs

Newsmakers Assoc. Prof. of the Practice Tiziana Dearing (BCSSW) was among experts discussing Boston’s response to Nepal’s devastating earthquake on WGBH “Greater Boston.”

Prof. Kent Greenfield (Law) was interviewed on New England Cable News’ “Broadside” about the US Supreme Court’s deliberations on same-sex marriage.

Boston.com ran a feature on Assoc. Prof. of the Practice Richard McGowan, SJ (CSOM), a leading expert on the economics of tobacco, alcohol, and gambling. Fr. McGowan also appeared on NHPR’s “Morning Edition” to discuss a bill to legalize two casinos in New Hampshire.

Drucker Professor of Management Sciences Alicia Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research, spoke with “Bloomberg Surveillance” on the troubles Americans face in funding their retirement plans and offered suggestions on how to improve the system.

Prof. Carlo Rotella (English), director of American Studies, looked at the cultural, technological and financial convergence that produced the billion-dollar Mayweather vs. Pacquiao bout in a piece for the New York Times Magazine.

Moakley Professor of Political Science Kay Schlozman discussed with WGBH’s “Morning Edition” the challenges facing Hillary Clinton’s second bid for the US presidency, as well as perceptions – including from Schlozman’s perspective as a classmate – of the candidate during her time at Wellesley College.

Prof. Heather Cox Richardson (History) wrote in an op-ed for Salon.com that Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s op-ed in the New York Times offers the Republican party an opportunity to “reject the devil’s bargain it struck in the 1950s.”

Is Nazi prison guard Oskar Groening criminally guilty by association in Holocaust deaths, though he contends he never personally took a life? Assoc. Prof. Devin Pendas (History) commented on historical precedent on NBCNews.com.

Boston College women’s hockey team members (L-R) Erin Kickham ’15, Meghan Grieves ’16 and Kaliya Johnson ’16 joined City of Newton Mayor Setti Warren ’93, center, for his annual pre-Boston Marathon pizza and pasta party on April 18. The players signed posters and met with young fans.

Support for pessimistic forecasts often are based on the case of Japan, where the economy’s deflationary slump is about to enter its third decade, wrote Murray and Monti Professor of Economics Peter Ireland in Economics 21. But the Japanese data, when examined

The School of Theology and Ministry held its closing liturgy and Rite of Sending Forth for graduating STM students on April 30 in St. Ignatius Church. (Photo by Caitlin Cunningham)

with the help of modern macroeconomic theory, also illustrate an important lesson for how the US can avoid a similar outcome.

Prof. Thomas Groome (STM) talked with WBUR’s “Radio Boston” about the religious dimension of the question before the Dzhokar Tsarnaev jury as to whether

BC BRIEFING the convicted Marathon bomber should be executed. School of Theology and Ministry student Zachary R. Dehm wrote on the same topic in a “Young Voices” piece for National Catholic Reporter.

Though Catholicism is now an integral part of the Massachusetts cultural fabric, in its very early years, Catholics were few in number and not particularly welcome.

Interviewed by WGBH News, Clough Millennium Professor of History James O’Toole described how Catholics changed their circumstances.

Time and a Half Prof. John Michalczyk (Fine Arts) and Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program Assoc.

Prof. of the Practice Susan Michalczyk presented their film “A Matter of Conscience: Confronting Clergy Abuse” to the National Assembly of Voice of the Faithful in Hartford, an event that included a keynote by Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors member Marie Collins, who is featured in the film.

Prof. Maxim D. Shrayer (Slavic and Eastern Languages; English) presented “Leaving Russia: A Jewish Story” at Wesleyan University.

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: Events Assistant, Alumni Classes, Alumni Association

P u b l i c a t i o n s Fiscal Assistant, Auxiliary Services Prof. Maxim D. Shrayer (Slavic and Eastern Languages; English) Executive Director, Office for Institutional Diversity published the story “A Genius in the Attic” in Tablet Magazine, and Assistant Director, Graduate the essay “Night Regimental In- Student Life spection” in Ex Libris Nezavisimi- Legal Information Librarian, aya Gazeta (Moscow).

Law Library Assistant Director, Office of Employee Development Grants Staff Psychologist or Clinician, Visiting Asst. Prof. Kyoung-yim University Counseling Kim (Sociology) received a fel- Research Economist, Center for lowship from The Japan Founda- Retirement Research tion to support a research project, Credit & Collection Associate, “Winter Olympics and EnvironStudent Services mental Sustainability at Community Level: Comparative Study be- Director of Major Gifts, Athletic tween Nagano and Pyeong Chang Association Games,” that will begin in Japan Director of Development, School Development on July 1.

Director, Robsham Theater Arts Center

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle may 7, 2015

12

Spring has come to the Heights, at last.

Look for the new video on the BC YouTube channel [youtube.com/BostonCollege]

At the Art of It All

Against the Current Dance Organization of Boston College

The 17th annual Boston College Arts Festival, which took place April 23-25, featured music, dance and theatrical performances (including “The Tempest” in Robsham Theater, bottom right), as well as readings, art displays and other artistic activities from a cross-section of the University community: students, faculty, staff and alumni alike. Another highlight of the festival was the BC Arts Council presentation of awards for artistic achievement to interdisciplinary artist Chris Doyle ’81, Professor of English Elizabeth Graver and undergraduates Kenya Danino ’15, Adisa Duke ’15, Peter Julian ’17, Ramsey Khabbaz ’17, Sarah Krantz ’15, Sanjay Pamaar ’16, Aryn Pryor ’16, Elizabeth Wilson ’15 and Keith Lebel ’15.

Arts Council Award winner Chris Doyle ’81 being interviewed

by Associate Professor of Fine Arts Sheila Gallagher.

Above left, Ye-One Chung ‘16, with the BC Symphony Orchestra; at left, Full Swing; at right, a scene from “The Tempest.”

Photos by Robyn Gesek and Lee Pellegrini