PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Page 2 Around Campus Demolition of Rec Plex (right) to begin later this month; Austria a favorite destination for scholarly sisters; 30-year employee earns second BC degree.
Page 3 CAREER Award
Page 6 Honoring Employees
BC biologist Sarah McMenamin selected for prestigious honor by National Science Foundation.
University recognizes retiring, 25-year employees; retirees share “parting thoughts” about BC experiences.
MAY 23, 2019 VOL. 26 NO. 18
PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
COMMENCEMENT 2019
‘The Experience of Difference’
Gil urges grads to engage with those who challenge their views, beliefs BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Describing her life as a series of enriching encounters with other cultures, religions, and languages, Isabel Capeloa Gil encouraged this year’s Boston College graduating class to seek out opportunities for what she called “the most challenging dimension of human growth: the experience of difference.” Speaking at Monday’s Commencement Exercises in Alumni Stadium, Gil—who last year became the first female president of the International Federation of Catholic Universities—said, “Engaging with those who challenge your right to hold the opinions you hold, your faith and beliefs, your values, is perhaps the most difficult path to follow.” But Gil told the Class of 2019 that cre-
ating the “culture of encounter”—a phrase she credited to Pope Francis—is a means to honor Christian values, uphold “the spirit of our common humanity,” and foster greatly needed leadership. “To be ethical leaders in this stunningly diverse world takes courage,” said Gil, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. “First, the courage to listen; secondly, the unwavering defense of the right of others to be heard, even if in disagreement with your innermost beliefs, and to always speak up against abuse.” Some 4,200 Boston College students received their undergraduate and graduate degrees at separate ceremonies held around campus after the main Commencement event. At one point in her remarks to the graduates, Gil quipped that “unfortunately, I cannot offer to pay your student loans”—
International Federation of Catholic Universities President Isabel Capeloa Gil speaking at Commencement on Monday. photo by gary wayne gilbert
a reference to a pledge made by billionaire technology investor Robert F. Smith at his commencement speech to Morehouse College—“but I strongly encourage those who can to do so,” as the audience laughed and applauded. In addition to Gil, who also is the rector of Catholic University of Portugal, the University presented honorary degrees to: retired Boston College administrator Dan
Bunch ’79, BCSSW ’81; former assistant dean and professor Robert D. Farrell, S.J., MA ’58, STM ’65; benefactor and former Boston College Trustee Thomas D. O’Malley P ’87, P ’89, P ’00; and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Summers Robinson [see page 4]. In his welcome to Commencement, University President William P. Leahy, S.J.,
Continued on page 5
17 BC Graduates, Alumni Win Fulbright Scholarships BY OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATION STAFF
Ten members of the Class of 2019 and three Boston College alumni have received Fulbright Scholarships, which support a year’s post-baccalaureate study abroad. Four other BC 2019 graduates were named as Fulbright alternates, pending confirmation of funding for their projects. Fulbright recipients—chosen on the basis of academic merit and leadership po-
tential—typically pursue research in various disciplines, or serve an English Teaching Assistantship, through which they teach English language and provide insights about American culture. Boston College continues to rank among the nation’s top 25 Fulbright-producing research institutions, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. During the period of 2006 through last academic year, 265 BC students earned Fulbrights. A look at this year’s Fulbright winners:
Noah Barnett HOMETOWN: Doylestown, Pa. DESTINATION: Côte d’lvoire PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship; plans to volunteer at a local clinic or hospital. FUTURE PLANS: Attend medical school. “I feel enormously privileged to have received the opportunity to spend my next year in Côte d’Ivoire. My time at Boston College has been incredibly formative, pushing me to integrate reflection into my everyday life. I see winning a Fulbright grant as the perfect opportunity to
continue focusing on this personal formation, while simultaneously developing the high level of cultural competence needed to serve patients of diverse backgrounds as a physician.”
Sabrina Black HOMETOWN: Wauwatosa, Wisc. DESTINATION: Germany PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship; creative writing workshop for children. FUTURE PLANS: Graduate studies for an MFA in po-
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It’s an accomplishment I never thought I could get. It was more for myself; to prove to myself that I am better than I thought I was. – bc employee kenneth coleman ’15, on earning his master’s degree, page 3
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Chronicle
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May 23, 2019
Around Campus
Get Ready to Say Goodbye to ‘The Plex’ The face of Lower Campus will continue to change this summer with the demolition of the William J. Flynn Recreation Complex, a project that will begin next week. Popularly known as “the Rec Plex” or “the Plex,” the building—named for William J. Flynn ’39, Boston College’s athletic director from 1957-90—has provided recreational space and facilities for the University community since opening in 1972. It will be replaced by the Margot Connell Recreation Center, which is nearing completion and scheduled to open this summer. Edward Stokes, senior construction project manager for BC Facilities Management, said the Rec Plex will be fenced off next week in preparation for interior abatement, which is likely to last a month. Park-
ing immediately adjacent to the building will be unavailable during the summer. Demolition will begin toward the end of June, Stokes said: The structure will be taken down and removed from campus in sections, a process that will last until late August. This phase will have the most noticeable impact on the campus, he noted, as trucks enter and depart campus carrying out sections of the building. After the demolition and removal is finished, a reclamation project on the former Rec Plex site will begin in the fall and continue through the spring. Once completed, the location will include parking, tennis and basketball courts, and green space. –Sean Smith
The William J. Flynn Recreation Complex will be all but gone by the fall 2019 semester. The Margot Connell Recreation Center, visible rear left, will open this summer. photo by lee pellegrini
BC’s Fulbright Sisters
Another ‘Forward Step’ for New Double Eagle
Asst. Manager of Custodial Services Kenneth Coleman ’15, MA’19. photo by yiting chen
When Assistant Manager of Custodial Services Kenneth Coleman received his bachelor’s degree in corporate systems from the Woods College of Advancing Studies in 2015, he described the milestone to the Chronicle as “a forward step I thought I’d never make.” Coleman, who has worked at Boston College for 30 years, took another forward step this past Monday, when he graduated with his master’s degree in leadership and administration from the Woods College. The first in his family to earn a master’s, Coleman completed his degree in three years despite suffering a heart attack in 2017. “It’s an accomplishment I never thought I could get,” said Coleman. “It was more for ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Jack Dunn SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
myself; to prove to myself that I am better than I thought I was.” James Woods, S.J., the Woods College namesake and its longest-serving dean, was a mentor to Coleman and more: He married Coleman and his wife, Student Affairs Business Service Center Business Manager Stephanie Coleman. When Fr. Woods stepped down as dean in 2011, he allowed Coleman to take his desk. Besides his wife, the double Eagle attributes his motivation for higher education to the influence of his parents. “My father died 16 years ago and I want to make him and my mother proud. Making them happy is what I always try to accomplish.” –Christine Balquist
Lacrosse in Final 4 The Boston College women’s lacrosse team will meet the University of North Carolina in the NCAA national semifinal tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The Eagles (21-1) advanced to their third consecutive Final Four last weekend with a 17-12 win over Princeton at Newton Campus Fields. The winner of the BC-UNC game will face either Maryland or Northwestern in the national championship game on Sunday.
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Christine Balquist Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan
Chronicle
PHOTOGRAPHERS
www.bc.edu/bcnews chronicle@bc.edu
Patricia Delaney EDITOR
Sean Smith
Lia Tessitore ’19 clearly doesn’t mind taking after her older sister Ava. Lia, who received her degree Monday in German Studies and theater, came to Boston College two years after Ava, a 2017 alumna who majored in German Studies and linguistics. And now, two years after Ava accepted a Fulbright Scholarship— which supports a year’s post-baccalaureate study abroad—to spend a year in Austria studying German medieval poetry and teaching, Lia also will trek to that Central European country under a Fulbright. She is one of 13 BC students and alumni to have earned Fulbrights for 2018-19; another four have been designated as alternates [see story on page 1]. Ava “was definitely an influence” in her decision to pursue a Fulbright in Austria, says Lia. The Fulbright program there offers more flexibility, she explains, including the option to renew the teaching portion of the scholarship and remain for another year—as Ava did—and freedom to choose the city where the Fulbright year takes place. “I’ve visited Ava several times since she’s been in Austria and have gone to some of the classes she has taught,” says Lia, who will be in Vienna doing research on the sociocultural implications of the waltz. “So I have some idea of what to expect and I can only hope to be as good a teacher, and as beloved by my students, as she is.” “I love that the combined Fulbright grant in Austria gave me the opportunity not only to explore my academic interests, but to interact daily with local teachers
Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini Peter Julian
Tessitore sisters Lia ’19, left, and Ava ‘17.
and students through the teaching part of the program,” says Ava. “Fulbright was founded to promote cultural understanding between the US and the rest of the world, and I really feel like my two years here have contributed towards that goal through small personal interactions. “When Lia decided she wanted to apply for a Fulbright, I encouraged her to pick a topic that interested her, and one she felt she hadn’t had enough opportunity to explore during college. But the real value of the grant lies in how it facilitates interaction and cultural exchange at the individual level, taking us beyond what we can acquire in the classroom.” –Sean Smith
The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135 (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 University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135. A flipbook edition of Chronicle is available via e-mail. Send requests to chronicle@bc.edu.
Chronicle
May 23, 2019
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Biologist Selected for NSF CAREER Award Grant will support study of biological mechanisms for fish fins and launch of a research-based course for undergraduates BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
Assistant Professor of Biology Sarah McMenamin has received a five-year, $800,000 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to support her research into the unique biological mechanisms that shape fish fins. The fins of fish are structured by thin bony rays, and fins and their rays are found in many forms across more than 26,000 species of teleost fish. This grant will allow the McMenamin Lab to investigate the mechanisms that form these rays during both development and regeneration. The NSF’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program supports early-career faculty who “have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization,” according to the foundation. The program’s mission is to prepare faculty to be leaders who integrate teaching and research. In addition to laboratory research, McMenamin will use the grant to launch a yearlong research-based undergraduate course. McMenamin and her students use the model organism zebrafish, a freshwater minnow that grows to about two inches in
Asst. Prof. Sarah McMenamin (Biology): “Understanding how skeletal structures get to be the shape they are is important in a medical context. A better understanding of normal development can help us diagnose and treat a range of skeletal medical conditions.” photo by yiting chen
length. “We’ll be trying to understand the morphogenesis of the fin—how does it get its shape?” said McMenamin. The work will be relevant to other developmental processes, she added: “How do cells make organs and how are those organs the appropriate shape? What is the process by which these organs form?” Zebrafish have a remarkable ability to regenerate fins and other organs after injury or amputation. The regenerative ability
of the fins allows researchers the opportunity to study them as they regenerate in just two-and-a-half weeks. McMenamin’s work seeks to better understand how these structures “know” to regenerate and grow into the appropriate size and shape. The NSF award is the latest funding to support McMenamin’s zebrafish research. Additional funding has come from the National Institutes of Health and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. McMenamin and colleagues most recently published findings in the peer-reviewed journal The Anatomical Record [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/full/10.1002/ar.24139] about the influence of thyroid hormones on the skeletal development of zebrafish. “I’m interested in how organisms get to be the way they are, through development and evolution,” she said. “Understanding how skeletal structures get to be the shape they are is important in a medical context. A better understanding of normal development can help us diagnose and treat a
range of skeletal medical conditions.” Better understanding the processes that allow regeneration in some organisms (like zebrafish) and not in others (like humans) can further help pave the way for medical advances, she added. Furthermore, McMenamin said understanding the optimized shapes of fish fins could provide useful insights for engineers who build mechanical fish, underwater robots, or fin-shaped parts for other mechanical applications. In addition to three graduate students and a postdoctoral scholar, McMenamin currently has seven undergraduate researchers in her lab. The yearlong research course supported by the CAREER grant will tackle additional aspects of the project. “Students like working with a vertebrate model,” she said. “It’s very satisfying seeing how a vertebrate changes through the course of its development. “I’m really excited about the course. I think the students will make a lot of progress on independent projects relevant to our larger research questions. I envision this class as a highly structured mentoring research lab, and a great opportunity for students motivated by doing research.” For more information about the McMenamin lab, see sites.google.com/a/bc.edu/ mcmenamin-lab/news.
Jinoo Song, the 2019 Benigno and Corazon Aquino Scholarship recipient. photo by peter julian
Song Wins Aquino Prize BY ROSANNE PELLEGRINI STAFF WRITER
As a youth, rising senior Jinoo Song discovered his passion for writing. When he arrived at Boston College from his Clifton, NJ, hometown, he joined The Gavel as an editorial assistant. Now, as managing editor, he mentors freshman writers and writes and inspires pieces that he says empower Asian American and other students. Song is the 2019 winner of the Benigno and Corazon Aquino Scholarship, awarded each spring to a junior with a strong academic record, active engagement in Asian American issues, and service both on and off campus to the Asian American
community. A Carroll School of Management student with concentrations in accounting and information systems, and a second major in sociology, Song said the Aquino Scholarship validates his campus pursuits, which include membership on the FACES Council. The scholarship committee “recognized my writing, story, and dreams as important. To be the 2019 Aquino Scholar means to me that I need to sustain and grow upon the work that I’m doing, even after I graduate. I hope to use writing as a way to flesh out and validate the lived experiences of all marginalized people, as a way to facilitate healing and allyship.”
photo by lee pellegrini
Professor of Biology Philip Landrigan, MD, above, was one of three Boston-area public health experts to speak at a news conference May 13 at the Yawkey Center Murray Function Room in opposition to a proposed methane gas compressor station south of Boston. Landrigan, director of BC’s Global Public Health Program, was joined by Douglas W. Dockery, professor of Environmental Epidemiology at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Boston University School of Public Health Professor Emeritus Richard Clapp in warning against the station, which would be built at the mouth of the Fore River near the communities of North Weymouth and South Quincy. The scientists contend that the compressor poses significant health, environmental, and safety risks to the densely populated, low-income communities in the low-lying and flood-prone coastal area. The press conference took place two days before the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection hosted hearings on the project. –Phil Gloudemans
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May 23, 2019
COMMENCEMENT 2019
‘Honoris Causa’ ISABEL MARIA DE OLIVEIRA CAPELOA GIL Isabel Capeloa Gil made history last year as the first woman to be elected president of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), the world’s leading organization of Catholic higher education institutions. Upon her election, she pledged “to make the power of the few the strength of the many.” As IFCU president, she champions efforts to promote research and academic exchanges among the member schools, enhancing the image and impact of Catholic higher education around the world. Her career has been marked by the conviction that global engagement in higher education is critical to create a more just society. She has held numerous visiting professorships and fellowships, including in China—where she spent her childhood—as well as Germany, Brazil, Italy, and the United States. Rector and professor of cultural studies in the School of Human Sciences at the Catholic University of Portugal, she studies issues concerning diversity and conflict, and her research—published in the five languages she speaks fluently—explores the boundaries between literature, the arts, and other disciplines. Last fall, she joined an international group of Catholic education leaders invited by the Vatican to launch the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities, of which Boston College is a member. For her service to research, teaching, and the Catholic intellectual culture, Boston College awards Isabel Capeloa Gil the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.
DAN BUNCH For more than 35 years, Dan Bunch made certain that Boston College students who faced obstacles on the path to graduation had the support they needed to succeed. A native of Hayneville, Alabama, he first came to Boston College as a student in the Black Talent Program, earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Heights. In 1982, he began working at Learning to Learn, which teaches BC students the learning skills and problem-solving techniques necessary to thrive in the classroom and in life. During his 30 years as
Texts of the 2019 Honorary Degree Citations Robert D. Farrell, S.J., the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.
University President William P. Leahy, S.J., with this year’s honorary degree recipients: (clockwise from top right) Dan Bunch, Marilynne Summers Robinson, Robert Farrell, S.J., Isabel Capeloa Gil, and Thomas O’Malley. photo by gary wayne gilbert
program director, Learning to Learn earned honors from the U.S. Department of Education and was replicated at more than 100 colleges across the country. Later, as special assistant to the vice president for student affairs, he worked effectively to foster a deeper sense of community on campus among students, faculty, and staff. A true University citizen, he served on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Scholarship Committee, the Black Faculty, Staff, and Administrators Association, and the AHANA Alumni Council. He received the 2015 Boston College Community Service Award for his volunteer efforts with the Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church, and the Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts, a nonprofit mentoring organization he co-founded. The AHANA Alumni group presented him with the inaugural Keith A. Francis Inspiration Award in 2016. In recognition of his role as a mentor, advocate, and friend to generations of BC students, Boston College confers on Dan Bunch the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences, honoris causa.
REV. ROBERT D. FARRELL, S.J. Influenced in college by a talk given by a Jesuit
Members of the Class of 2019 displayed their happiness at Commencement in a variety of fashions. photos by lee pellegrini (above) and peter julian
priest, Rev. Robert D. Farrell, S.J., entered the New England Province of the Society of Jesus in 1951. After earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Boston College, he was assigned to teach at Baghdad College in Iraq in 1958. While there, he grew in his appreciation of the intersection between Christianity and Islam, the faiths represented by the school’s student body. After returning to America, he taught English to young Jesuits at Shadowbrook and high school students at Cranwell School in Lenox, Mass., and directed the English Department at Cheverus High School in Portland, Me., for 15 years. He joined the faculty of his alma mater in 1990 to teach writing in the College of Advancing Studies, now known as the Woods College. Ever attentive to his students, he preferred to correct papers in plain pencil, which he viewed as a gentler form of criticism than red ink. After a distinguished 28-year career at BC, he retired from teaching in 2018. His caring, inspired teaching led students, alumni, and friends to establish the Rev. Robert D. Farrell, S.J., Scholarship Fund in 2003 to support local, part-time students enrolled in the Woods College. For a lifetime of service and ministry that introduced thousands of students to literature and the art of quality writing, Boston College awards Rev.
THOMAS D. O’MALLEY Thomas D. O’Malley grew up in a working-class neighborhood in New York’s Staten Island, and rose to become a successful Wall Street executive and one of the nation’s most accomplished entrepreneurs. He paid his Manhattan College tuition by driving a taxi and a school bus, and working in the school’s cafeteria. In gratitude for his education, he served his alma mater as a trustee for 15 years and board chair for seven, and he and his wife Mary Alice are recognized as the most generous donors in the Catholic college’s history. He began his professional career in commodity trading in New York City in 1964, and went on to become vice chair of the investment banking firm Salomon Brothers. He then spent 32 years as a senior executive in the independent energy sector, before retiring in 2016. The parent of three Boston College graduates, he was a BC trustee and trustee associate for 14 years. In 2015, the family’s foundation established the O’Malley Family Athletics Endowed Scholarship Fund to support BC student-athletes. The O’Malleys’ philanthropy extended to their local community in Connecticut as well, including support for Greenwich Hospital, and scholarships at Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford for the children of police officers, firefighters, and nurses. For his business leadership and commitment to Catholic education and community organizations, Boston College awards Thomas D. O’Malley the degree of Doctor of Business Administration, honoris causa. MARILYNNE SUMMERS ROBINSON For “her grace and intelligence in writing,” American novelist and essayist Marilynne Summers Robinson was awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama in 2012. It is one of many honors bestowed upon this celebrated author, whose novels include Housekeeping, a 1982 Pulitzer Prize finalist; Lila, a finalist for the National Book Award; and Home, also a National Book Award finalist, and winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her novel Gilead, part of an acclaimed trilogy set in a fictional Iowa town, won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her prose also garnered her the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction in 2016. The same year, Time magazine named her to its list of 100 most influential people, and in 2018 described her as one of the foremost figures in American letters. Her essay collections demonstrate wide intellectual range, addressing such subjects as the relationship between religion and science, nuclear pollution, 16th-century theologian John Calvin, and contemporary American politics. In addition to captivating audiences and critics, she shared her talents with aspiring writers. Now professor emerita at the University of Iowa, she taught in its writer’s workshop for two-and-a-half decades. For her creativity, inspiration, and commitment to literature and the humanities, Boston College confers upon Marilynne Summers Robinson the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.
Chronicle
May 23, 2019
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Connell School Grad Takes Finnegan Award BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
Maria Meyer’s undergraduate years at Boston College reflect an outstanding record of academic achievement coupled with significant leadership and service, from volunteering for a suicide prevention organization to mentoring Boston-area schoolchildren to heading the BC chapter of the international honor society for nursing. In recognition of her many accomplishments, University President William P. Leahy, S.J., presented Meyer with the Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Award at Commencement Exercises on Monday. The award is given annually to the graduating senior who best exemplifies Boston College’s motto “Ever to Excel.” Also nominated for the Finnegan Award were Isaiah Cyprien (Carroll School of Management), Jorge Mejia (Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences), and Matthew Greely (Lynch School of Education and Human Development). “When I was notified I was the Finnegan recipient, it was so awesome. I had wonderful people reaching out to me. It’s been so special and I’m humbled,” said Meyer, who graduated summa cum laude from the Connell School of Nursing. In addition to being a top student in the Connell School, Meyer served as president of the Connell School Senate and held leadership positions with the Massachusetts Student Nurses Association and the Boston College chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society for nursing. She also served as a student representative on the
Maria Meyer was honored as the 2019 Finnegan Award winner. photo by peter julian
CSON Educational Policy Committee. Her leadership extended beyond the Connell School. She was the president of the Boston College chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society of Jesuit colleges and universities, and served on the society’s board of directors. “I’ve been so blessed with leadership opportunities at BC, and each has given me a new experience and new perspective on leadership,” said Meyer, who recently traveled to Utah as a delegate to the National Student Nurses Association convention. A resident of Bellevue, Pa., Meyer “demonstrates energy, creativity, and dedication in her leadership activities,” wrote CSON Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs Colleen Simonelli in her letter of nomination.
She added, “Maria’s record of service and volunteerism demonstrate her commitment to improving the lives of others.” Meyer considers her 4Boston placement at Samaritans, the suicide prevention organization, her most meaningful volunteer experience. For three years, she answered crisis calls during the overnight shift. “I felt so good about the work we were doing,” she said. In addition, Meyer mentored Bostonarea girls in grades three to eight through the Strong Women, Strong Girls program, prepared high school students for the SAT, tutored BC students through the Connors Family Learning Center, and served as a nutrition health coach in the Office of Health Promotion. Through the Connell School, Meyer was able to partake in two international nursing experiences. Last summer, she traveled to Switzerland and trained for disaster nursing with the Swiss Army via the International Committee of the Red Cross. Earlier this year, she went to Chile, where she provided health care and education to rural populations and completed seminars on international health care through the Pontifical Catholic University. Meyer cites her PULSE course with Associate Professor of the Practice of Philosophy Mary Troxell as her most formative experience. “Mary Troxell is the most phenomenal educator. She never tells you what to think, but she gives you all the sides so you can form your own opinion. That is a class I am going to take with me. “For a nursing student, theology and philosophy can seem abstract. You already know
what you are going to do after graduation and you wonder how they’re going to play a role in that. But after some reflection, I realized that’s kind of an arrogant thought. Now, I realize theology is something that frames my whole nursing career. [Troxell] spoke about the ‘Five Faces of Oppression’ and about all of these things that are so important when we care for patients. It’s not always going to be beautiful hospitals with VIP patients. There are going to be patients who come in really broken, who’ve had it rough.” In addition to Troxell, Meyer credits Simonelli and Connell School Associate Professor Catherine Read—who served as her advisor— as being important mentors for her. “Cathy Read has been with me since day one. She has helped me every step of the way and has encouraged me. She is a great model for work-life balance. “Colleen is a great educator. She’s not only knowledgeable about maternal and child health, but is also able to convey that knowledge and passion to students. Everyone who leaves her classroom, even if they are not going to be a labor and delivery or postpartum nurse, has a strong basis in maternal health.” Meyer plans to be a women’s health nurse practitioner and has already begun taking classes in the Connell School master’s program. Though she won’t be leaving BC, she knows things will change for her after graduation. “I know my friends will always be my friends, but it won’t be the same. We’re all going to incredible places, but it will be hard because we aren’t all in same dorm. I’ll miss the late-night conversations or just sitting together in the Quad.”
Dare to Be Role Models, Gil Tells 2019 Graduates Continued from page 1
expressed gratitude to the graduates for bringing “new life to Boston College with their talents, energy, commitment, and generosity.” He extended the same appreciation to the graduates’ parents, spouses, family, and friends whose support “had such decisive impact”; to BC faculty and staff for their roles in helping students “develop their intellectual gifts and personal talents”; and to alumni and friends for “generous gifts of time, advice, and financial resources.” Contemplating the array of global challenges—violence, war, poverty, illiteracy, intolerance, inequality, and partisanship— Fr. Leahy said every age has faced its share of “daunting problems,” and that the 2019 graduates possess the tools and qualities to help resolve pressing issues of our time. “You have benefited from a Boston College education emphasizing the liberal arts and provided in an atmosphere of care and faith shaped by the Jesuit, Catholic intellectual and religious heritage.” Gil made the case for greater gender diversity in positions of authority: Women make up only five percent of world leaders; barely 33 of the Fortune 500 companies have women CEOs; and only 12 percent of
universities in Europe and North America are led by female presidents. But there are countless examples of women who have displayed courage and initiative, she said, citing Sister Maura Lynch, a doctor and a member of the Medical Missionaries of Mary dedicated to women’s health in Angola and Nigeria; Saudi women’s rights activists Loujain Al-Hathloul and Iman Al-Nafjan; Pakistani education advocate Malala Yousafzai, the youngest person to win a Nobel Peace Prize; and Missionaries of Charity founder Saint Teresa of Calcutta. “Women are thought leaders, innovators, extraordinary trailblazers and superlative professionals in business, academia, politics. Profess these stories as your own and do not let talent go to waste.” Throughout her address, Gil spoke of the importance of stories “we tell about who we are, as human, social and political beings,” reflecting triumphs, disappointments, hopes, fears, and the other elements that define human existence. Our stories are never fully told, she said, and must be improved upon, transformed, and revised, so they “enable a sense of purpose and instill meaning” in our lives. Gil recounted how, as a child of Portu-
Graduates-to-be crowded Linden Lane for the “Final Flight” processional. photo by lee pellegrini
guese parents living in the Macao region of China, she and her friends often observed the activity in a Buddhist temple a short distance from their Catholic school. The temple’s monks allowed the girls to watch their rituals and invited them to share a meal, Gil said—and thus over time came to seem less strange and mysterious. This example of the culture of encounter proved to be an influence on her professional and personal life.
“We live in a world that is as diverse as it is beautiful and fragile,” said Gil. “Take risks and dare to become role models for those who come after. Listen to the sounds and the voices around you. Often, the challenge of borders is a challenge of ignorance.” Concluding her remarks, Gil invoked the memory of actor Leonard Nimoy—who briefly studied drama at BC—by voicing his legendary “Star Trek” catchphrase, “Live long and prosper.”
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May 23, 2019
Parting Thoughts Retirees reflect on their BC experiences Fr. Joseph Marchese Positions at BC: Director, Office of First Year Experience; Director, Formative Education for BC parents; theology Instructor. Years at BC: 35
“The thing that’s changed the most during my time here is that BC became an ‘adult’ university. I arrived in 1984, and I saw a need to create a culture that was more intellectually precocious—both for the inside and outside worlds—and to be recognized that way by other people. We always had bright students but it wasn’t recognized; eventually, our graduates were accepted at the best professional and graduate schools, and were recruited by the best companies. The other need was to understand who we were as a Jesuit, Catholic university, and that identity has become more readily and effectively explored and implemented in an inclusive way. “BC had struggled for years because of a lack of resources, but after the most difficult times of the mid-’70s, it became viable again under the leadership of [President] J. Donald Monan, S.J. The campus, in terms of the grounds, the facilities, and the care, has greatly expanded. For over 20 years, I’d greet families who’d remark that BC is the most beautiful campus they’d visited. “Another important factor is the morphing of the immigrant alumni who originally came to BC. Although they were smart, they were not welcomed elsewhere, and they eventually transitioned into great
Above, Ina Mullis and Michael Martin were among the guests of honor at the May 1 reception for Boston College’s 25-year employees, which included remarks by University President William P. Leahy, S.J. photo by peter julian
“We always had bright students but it wasn’t recognized; eventually, our graduates were accepted at the best professional and graduate schools, and were recruited by the best companies.” photo by peter julian
positions and achieved success—grads like Bill Connell—who then became very generous to the University. “I’ll miss the people and teaching. I’ll miss the conversations with students, and learning from them. I love my colleagues, and the goodness of the people here.” –Phil Gloudemans
Ruth McRoy Positions at BC: Visiting Research Professor and Consultant, Boston College School of Social Work; Donahue and DiFelice Professor of Social Work. Years at BC: 14
“I have absolutely loved my time at BC, due to the wonderfully supportive and friendly academic environment. We have had amazing leadership at the BCSSW, through former Dean Alberto Godenzi and current Dean Gautam Yadama. I have had the opportunity to teach, collaborate on research, serve on dissertation committees, be involved in committee work, initiate projects, and work with the very dedicated students, staff, faculty, and administration. “For example, as students became familiar with my interest in longitudinal research on adoptions, several asked if I would organize a BCSSW Adoption Special Interest Group in 2014. I was excited about the opportunity, and as the number of students who joined the group continued to increase, I proposed to offer an elective course, Contemporary Issues in Adoption and Foster Care. The response was amazing, and I was delighted to develop and offer this course during the last four years. “In addition to teaching and research, I truly enjoyed getting familiar with the Boston community, to have the privilege of serving on several boards and advisory groups of community agencies, and at BC
University Recognizes Retiring, 25-Year Employees Boston College will honor retiring administrators, faculty, and staff at the annual President’s Recognition Dinner this coming Wednesday. The Office of Governmental and Community Affairs also will present its annual Community Service Award at the event. The University recognized employees marking 25 years at BC on May 1 at a reception that featured remarks by University President William P. Leahy, S.J., Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, and Vice President for Human Resources David Trainor. Employees who have retired during the 2018-19 academic year are: Nancy Adams, Catherine Albano, Theresa Alden, Alexis Anderson, Jenny Baglivo, Daniel Beaton, Maureen Beauregard, Ben Birnbaum, Oliva Blanchette, Rory Browne, Robert Carpenter, Carol Cianfrocca, M. Shawn Copeland, RoseMarie DeLeo, Melinda Donovan, Kenneth Doucette, Joanna Doyle, Margery Ferry, James Flagg, Joan Fleming, Anderson Franklin, Cely Garcia, Gary Gilbert, Jane Hall, Penny HauserCram, Gabor Kalman, Richard Keeley, T. Ross Kelly, Syed Khan, Marvin Kraus,
James Kreinbring, Robert Lay, Robin Lydenberg, Melita Malley, Patrick Maney and Fr. Joseph Marchese. Also retiring are Susan Mattis, Beth McAleer, Ruth McRoy, Junona Moroianu, Anna Marie Murphy, Cyrus O’Neil, Francis Parker, S.J., Pamela Perry, William Petri, Margaret Ramirez, Donald Ricciato, Michael Rush, Patricia Russell, Patricia Ryan, Paul Shapiro, Judith Shindul-Rothschild, Robert Signorile, Carol Slattery, Michael Spinello, Joseph Tecce, John Williamson, and Peter Wilson. Employees with 25 years of service are: Timothy Brady, Susan Burton, Freddy Castillo, Jane Costello, Pamela Cugini-Giatras, Maria Dacosta, Brian Eng, Henry Fadel, Robert Faria, Mary French, Kimberlee Gardner, John Hegarty, Donna Huynh, Kevin Lary, Bert Lenz, Andrea Murphy, Sara Nunziata, Bernard Pekala, Rodolfo Garcia, Mary Bilder, Betty Blythe, Eileen Donovan-Kranz, Marilynn Johnson, Richard Kearney, Michael Martin, Osiris Mejia, Franco Mormando, Robert Muller, Ina Mullis, George O’Har, Rita Owens, Susan Roberts, Kalpana Seshadri, and Jerry York. –University Communications
OBITUARY
Joseph Pastore, 77, Former Executive Vice President “The experience has been very rewarding and I have learned so much. I will always be thankful for the wonderful opportunities offered at BC.” photo by rose lincoln
to work on a variety of committees including strategic planning, diversity, and promotion and tenure. The experience has been very rewarding and I have learned so much. I will always be thankful for the wonderful opportunities offered at BC.” –Sean Smith
Joseph M. Pastore Jr., who served briefly as Boston College’s executive vice president in the early 1990s, died on May 13. He was 77. Dr. Pastore was appointed as BC’s executive vice president in 1991, replacing Frank Campanella, who had held the position for 18 years. During his term, Dr. Pastore oversaw planning for some major construction projects, notably the Corcoran Commons dining hall and the 90 St. Thomas More Road and Vanderslice residence halls on Lower Campus. He also established a group of University vice presidents and other administrators
to meet periodically on operational matters. He resigned as EVP during the 1992-93 holiday semester break and later returned to Pace University, where he had been university provost at the time of his appointment to BC, and taught at its Lubin School of Business until his retirement. In addition to his career in academia, Dr. Pastore served as federal monitor for the US District Court in the Southern District of New York, overseeing a federal order for the segregation of the Yonkers Public Schools. –University Communications
Chronicle
May 23, 2019
Memories Persist, Details Fade As time passes, the visual information that illustrates our memories fades away, BC researchers report BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
Like old photographs, memories fade in quality over time – a surprising finding for a team of Boston College researchers who expected recollections would become less accurate, but found people also report declines in the vibrancy and visual qualities of their memories. When people remember the past, they remember it with varying degrees of clarity, said Assistant Professor of Psychology Maureen Ritchey, a cognitive neuroscientist and co-author of the study, published in an
when you post a photo on Instagram,” Ritchey said. “You’re cued to apply a filter that changes the brightness or color saturation of the image. In our study, we asked if forgetting is like applying a filter to past experience, and whether or not the emotional significance of the event would change which filter you apply.” In three experiments, participants studied emotionally negative and neutral images that varied in visual quality -- luminance and color saturation. They then reconstructed the visual qualities of each image in a subsequent test.
BC in the Media With the measles outbreak showing no signs of slowing, communities are taking steps to try to control future outbreaks by prohibiting religious exemptions from vaccines. Asst. Prof. Nadia Abuelezam (CSON) offered her views on the controversy on New England Cable News’ “The Take.” In a Q&A with WalletHub.com, Prof. Christine Neylon O’Brien (CSOM) discussed the challenges facing working mothers and how these might be addressed. Keanealy Professor of Law James Repetti spoke with NBC 10 Boston about the reaction to a New York Times report on President Trump’s taxes. People are more likely to eat more chips when they’re labeled “crunchy,” according to Prof. Nailya Ordabayeva (CSOM), whose research on the impact of the sound of food on consumption was published in the journal Appetite, and
Nota Bene
online edition of the journal Psychological Science. Sometimes people remember lots of details about an event, as if they are reliving the moment as it happened, said Ritchey. Other times, it seems like the memory has faded, and the details are fuzzy. Prior memory research has shown that emotionally significant events—like a car accident—are remembered more vividly than everyday events. “We wanted to know whether this feeling of memory vividness is related to not just what is remembered, but how it is remembered – the visual quality of the memory,” said Ritchey, who conducted the study with Boston College Professor of Psychology Elizabeth Kensinger and postdoctoral researcher Rose Cooper. As events are stored in memory or forgotten, the team asked, how do their visual features change? Ritchey said people reported changes to their memories akin to using a filter to edit a picture. “A simple analogy is what happens
noted in the Houston Chronicle and Men’s Health. Jabril Robinson, assistant director of career education and diversity initiatives at the Boston College Career Center, appeared on WGBH-TV’s “Basic Black” to talk about career planning with a focus on students of color. Assoc. Prof. C. Shawn McGuffey (Sociology), a member of the African and African Diaspora Studies Program faculty, offered comments to the Washington Post on President Trump’s changing responses to 2017’s deadly rally in Charlottesville, Va. Assoc. Prof. Kari Hong (Law) was quoted by the Washington Post for a story about the U.S. immigration court system, which is dealing with a backlog of 850,000 cases, has fewer than 450 judges nationwide to handle them, and faces a pile-up of new asylum applications and other claims.
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:
Clockwise from top left: Elizabeth Kensinger, Maureen Ritchey, and Rose Cooper. photos of kensinger, ritchey by peter julian
The findings revealed that memories were recollected as less visually vibrant than they were encoded, demonstrating a novel memory-fading effect, the researchers reported. Negative emotions subjects experienced when viewing the images increased the likelihood that images would be accurately remembered but did not influence memory fading. In addition, subjective ratings of memory vividness were lower for less accurate memories and for memories that had visually faded, the team found. “We found that memories seem to literally fade: people consistently remembered visual scenes as being less vibrant than they were originally experienced,” said Cooper. “We had expected that memories would get less accurate after a delay, but we did not expect that there would be this qualitative shift in the way that they were remembered.” The fading effect happened less for memories that were rated as subjectively stronger. “We were also surprised to find that emotional memories did not influence the amount of fading, only the likelihood with which people remembered the images at all,” she added. Cooper and Ritchey said the team’s next steps are to figure out what exactly drives the memory fading effect—does it stem from forgetting over time or interference from new information? How is it influenced by individual differences in memory for other kinds of event details?
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Senior/Software Developer, Academic Affairs/Provost Dining Temporary Pool, Dining and Catering/Auxiliary/Public Safety Vice President for Development, President’s Office Stewardship Operations Assistant, University Advancement Assistant Director, Student Organizations, Student Affairs/Residential Life School of Theology and Ministry Associate Professor Catherine Mooney has won the Hagiography Society Book Prize for her publication Clare of Assisi and the ThirteenthCentury Church Religious Women, Rules, and Resistance. Noting her “careful attention to philological, contextual, and documentary detail,” the Hagiography Society—comprising scholars in various disciplines whose research involves the study of textual and visual media pertaining to holy men and women— praised Mooney for pulling back “the layers of hagiographic ideal that were imposed onto Clare’s official image and often served to erase the actual conditions in which Clare and other women like her lived.” Clare of Assisi “is a work of recovery,” the society said, “restoring forms of women’s religious life in late medieval Italy; it is a model for how scholars of the premodern might seek out marginalized or suppressed presences in our canonical texts.” Mooney received her award earlier this month at the International Congress on Medieval Studies.
Development Assistant, Principal Giving, University Advancement Clinician/Case Manager, Student Affairs/ Residential Life Residential Life Systems Administrator, Student Affairs/Residential Life Events Assistant, Alumni Affinity Programs, University Advancement Senior Business Systems Analyst, Academic Affairs/Provost Assistant Manager, Risk Management, Financial/Budget Instructional Services Librarian, Academic Affairs/Provost Member Services and Operations Coordinator, Athletics Grant and Contract Post Award Administrator, Academic Affairs/Provost Regional Director, Major Giving, University Advancement Teacher Assistant, Campus School, Academic Affairs/Provost Multimedia Producer/Senior Multimedia Producer, University Advancement
Chronicle
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Fulbright Winners Continued from page 1 etry and a PhD in English. “I am very excited to have the opportunity to teach in a school in Thuringia, and I hope to provide my students with a multifaceted view of the U.S. During my time as a German Studies major, I’ve engaged with representations of the U.S. in German culture, and I hope to be able to use this experience to introduce voices into the conversation to which my students may not have been exposed. I am particularly eager to work with literature in the classroom, which I believe is an important tool for fostering nuanced conversations about any culture.”
nizations. FUTURE PLANS: Attend law school. “Since graduating from BC two years ago, my experience working at a global law firm has solidified my desire to return to Germany and to continue to use German in my career. The Fulbright offers an incredible opportunity not only to improve my German, but also to revisit the passion for teaching foreign languages that I developed during my time at BC. I am thankful to the German Studies Department, especially Professor
around the world.”
Alexandria Kleinschmidt HOMETOWN: Yorktown Heights, NY DESTINATION: Germany PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship; engage in cultural discussions with students and ascertain the German perception of environmental issues. FUTURE PLANS: Master’s degree in geoscience. “BC encouraged me to pursue my interest in science as well as my excitement for foreign languages. This led me to develop an appreciation for the Fulbright mission of international understanding and cooperation, which I’m honored to share next year in Germany.”
Austin Bodetti ’18 HOMETOWN: Newtown, Conn. DESTINATION: Morocco PROJECT: A study of how the writings of medieval Muslim philosopher Averroes can support the Green Mosques Program, a Moroccan initiative to find Islamic inspiration for environmentalism in religious texts. Research will focus on “The Distinguished Jurist’s Primer,” Averroes’ masterpiece on Islam’s legal schools of thought. FUTURE PLANS: Position at a research institute specializing in the Arab world; pursue a master’s degree in Middle Eastern studies. “My time at Boston College allowed me to explore my interest in the Middle East by studying Arabic and Persian, introduced me to the world of Islamic studies and Muslim philosophers in particular, and supported my research in every corner of the Muslim world, from Bosnia to Indonesia. My Fulbright project, which will see me examining the relationship between environmentalism and Islam, will enable me to continue this journey in Morocco.”
Angelica Carberry (Alternate) HOMETOWN: Malden, Mass. DESTINATION: Austria PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship
Joshua Elbaz HOMETOWN: Valley Stream, NY DESTINATION: Georgia PROJECT: Develop statistics on the prevalence and transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in internally displaced persons in Georgia, which hosts the world’s first HCV elimination program; assess the utilization of the program and pilot new HCV surveillance technology—developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control—for use with Georgian IDPs living in collective centers, through surveys and laboratory testing. FUTURE PLANS: Public health advisor position at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; attend medical school. “My Fulbright project is just as much a reflection of my own experience as an undergraduate at BC. As a pre-health student, I’ve become invested in the idea that health can only begin to be understood when interpreted from different frames and perspectives. At BC, I’ve tried to do that through biology and philosophy majors, and research experiences in the School of Social Work as well as the Biology, Psychology, and Theology departments: to see health through both the humanities and hard sciences. My Fulbright project is an expression of this philosophy to see health more holistically, which has guided me through my career at BC.”
Gabrielle Fressle ’17 HOMETOWN: Garden City, NY DESTINATION: Germany PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship; hopes to start an after-school debate club and volunteer with local refugee orga-
Fulbright Scholars: (L-R, front row) Noah Barnett, Sabrina Black, Joshua Elbaz, Alexandria Kleinschmidt, Bryan Paula Gonzalez. (Middle row) Lia Tessitore, Soojin Park. (Back row) Audrey Hersman, Olivia Painchaud, Taylor Stauffer. photo by lee pellegrini Michael Resler, for their support and encouragement in this pursuit.”
Katherine Laurila ’18
HOMETOWN: Cambridge, Mass. DESTINATION: Austria HOMETOWN: Worcester, Mass. PROJECT: Research the impacts of new public health policy on DESTINATION: Brazil gender minority health care in Austria. PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship FUTURE PLANS: Graduate study in public health. FUTURE PLANS: Return to Boston and earn a master’s of educa“My coursework at BC encouraged me to seek tion in secondary education with a concentration in history. ways to be of service to others and to connect “To me, being awarded a Fulbright has reminded with other cultures. I’m excited for the opporme of all the hard work that I have put into my tunity to do both over the coming year and to experience at Boston College. It also reminds me contribute to the conversation on global health that I am not alone; I have only been able to navi- care policy.” gate Boston College because of the communities that I am a part of. If it was not for their love and Leenah Mohamed (Alternate) support, this would not be a reality. As an immiHOMETOWN: Albany, NY grant [from the Dominican Republic], my dream DESTINATION: Palestinian Territories was always to obtain an education, it’s the main PROJECT: Public health research reason I moved to the United States. But the Fulbright is a testament to how much more educaOlivia Painchaud tion has offered me. It has opened the way to so HOMETOWN: Worcester, Mass. many opportunities, and I’m forever thankful.” DESTINATION: Malaysia PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship; hopes to create an Audrey Hersman extracurricular theater program as a way to help students pracHOMETOWN: Chevy Chase, Md. tice speaking English, and write and share their own stories. DESTINATION: India FUTURE PLANS: Attend the University of Bristol in England to PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship at a community college earn a master’s of science degree in education, focusing on polin southern India. icy and international development. Hopes to work for children’s FUTURE PLANS: Work for a global health organization based out rights in the legal sphere and with underprivileged children, of Boston and pursue a dual MPH/MBA program. giving them a voice through theater. “To me, the ETA position in India is the culmination of what I have been working towards Soojin Park throughout my BC career. My academics (double HOMETOWN: Springfield, Mo. major in biology and International Studies) and DESTINATION: South Korea extracurricular involvements with GlobeMed and PROJECT: Research the impacts of current and potential health PULSE have really pushed me to reflect on the policies and initiatives on the country’s extremely low fertility way I move through the world as a white, Ameri- rate. can woman and how that impacts my contribuFUTURE PLANS: Pursue a master’s degree in bioethics at Hartions to community health and development efvard University, then law school. forts internationally. Not only will this opportunity “Receiving a Fulbright has aligned with my enhance my language skills and cultural compestudies, as my project is at the intersection of tency, but it will also offer me the opportunity to public health and law. I started at BC as a sociollearn from young professionals, teachers, and ogy major on the pre-med track, until this past grassroots community organizers, like the ones year when I switched to pursue a career in law. I’ve worked with through GlobeMed, about how I Before going to law school, where I plan to can best contribute to global public health efforts study health law and policy, the Fulbright will
Bryan Paula Gonzalez
May 23, 2019
allow me to immerse myself in a research environment which will prove to be invaluable.”
Anna Scheeler (Alternate) HOMETOWN: Fargo, ND DESTINATION: Malaysia PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship
Taylor Stauffer HOMETOWN: Cheshire, Conn. DESTINATION: Spain PROJECT: Research environmental cues in early disease manifestation, specifically the interaction between intestinal epithelia and associated microbiota and its role in early-onset Crohn’s disease. FUTURE PLANS: Medical school; hopes to become a physician in the field of general surgery. “This Fulbright research award is a reflection of the support of my professors, family, and peers at Boston College, and I am grateful to be a representative of the United States and Boston College abroad. Alongside the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, I will engage in meaningful research that synthesizes my dual passion for the medical field and the Spanish language. This versatile project will provoke me to ask and answer challenging questions about disease and intervention, and develop my understanding of medicine’s multidisciplinary interaction with the world.”
Madison Steele (Alternate) HOMETOWN: Rochdale, Mass. DESTINATION: Germany PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship; expose German students to the diversity of American life, including values, identities, business customs, and media politics, and challenge students’ previous notions of the U.S. through class debates and discussions. FUTURE PLANS: Pursue a master’s degree in intercultural communication; work for a multinational corporation or NGO. “If there is a single lesson that I can take from my four years at BC, it is that the more you learn, the more you realize the things you actually don’t know. This statement is not meant to be cynical, but rather intellectually stimulating. Taking the global cultures route of the International Studies major has allowed me to appreciate differences in human behavior and to reflect on distinctly American ways of life. The Fulbright is a conduit for further intercultural exchange in a place which is not yet familiar to me, but for which my professors and classmates have certainly prepared me.”
Lia Tessitore HOMETOWN: Scituate, RI DESTINATION: Austria PROJECT: Research the socio-cultural implications of the waltz using the vast resources in musicology at the University of Vienna, which is located in a city often described as “the waltz capital of the world.” Tessitore will look at the social undercurrents, beginning in the 15th century, that led to the popularity of the waltz, regarded as an important component in the modernization of Western society between the 19th and 20th centuries. FUTURE PLANS: Pursue a career in public relations within the field of the arts, hopefully for non-profit organizations. “Of course receiving a Fulbright is very exciting, but I think the credit really goes to the wonderful German Studies Department and to its terrific faculty. It’s a small department, but it has a long history of producing Fulbright recipients, including my older sister who received one two years ago. I especially want to thank Professor Michael Resler, who has been a particularly strong influence during my time at BC. As a double major in German and theater, my entire four years have been an incredible experience and I believe they have thoroughly prepared me for the next steps in my life.”