PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
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BC Strong
Faculty Achievements
Fulbrights
University honors winner of BC Strong Scholarship.
Papageorgiou wins prestigious economics award; Young receives grant for research on virtue.
Eight BC graduates earn coveted scholarships for study abroad.
PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
MAY 26, 2022 VOL. 29 NO. 17
Saving Democracy
COMMENCEMENT 2022
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urges the Class of 2022 to strengthen the promise of a free, peaceful, and just world BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressing Boston College graduates at Commencement on Monday in Alumni Stadium.
photo by justin knight
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Percentage of 2021 alums working, in grad school, or in fellowship/volunteer experiences
Positive Trends Continue for Recent BC Graduates BY CHRISTINE BALQUIST STAFF WRITER
Ninety-six percent of graduates from the Boston College Class of 2021 are employed, studying in graduate school, or engaged in a fellowship or meaningful volunteer experience, according to survey results released by the Office of Institutional Research & Planning (IR&P) and the Boston College Career Center. The findings, which represent a three percent increase from the Class of 2020
survey, underscore the value of a Boston College education and showcase varied accomplishments of BC graduates who earned their diplomas last year, according to administrators. “Despite the upheaval caused by the pandemic, the Class of 2021 enjoyed remarkably successful post-graduate, firstdestination outcomes,” said Associate Vice President for Career Services Joseph Du Pont. “Their success is a testament to their effort and the rich experience they had in
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Speaking at Monday’s Commencement Exercises in Alumni Stadium, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis gave members of the Boston College Class of 2022 an urgent assignment for their postBC lives: Save democracy from the perils of nationalism, populism, and a pervasive technology that seems to cause as many problems as it has solved. “Your first responsibility is to radically reimagine democracy in the 21st century by, first of all, not neglecting your civic duties,” said Mitsotakis, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. This did
not necessarily mean entering public service—although he offered encouragement to those considering it, because “if the best and brightest don’t enter the public domain, then you are leaving space for others to do so.” Those choosing other walks of life, Mitsotakis continued, “please remember the lesson of ancient Athens, where democracy flourished for the first time: In order for a democracy to thrive, all its citizens must be involved, in one way or another, in the affairs of the state. “Reinventing democracy for the 21st century may sound like a tall order. But this is the challenge ahead of you. I urge
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BCSSW to Launch Program in Humanitarian Assistance BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
A new program in the Boston College School of Social Work will prepare students to work in the humanitarian aid and development sectors, thus helping to improve the lives of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Set to launch this fall in an online format, the Interdisciplinary Certificate in Humanitarian Assistance (ICHA) program will be located in BCSSW’s Center for Social Innovation as part of the Global Practice Program’s initiative on Migrations, Refugees, and Social Interventions. Besides
BCSSW students, the certificate will be open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at BC in affiliated fields—such as nursing, education, and global public health—as well as to staff employed at international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) who need basic introductions to core humanitarian assistance competencies. The ICHA curriculum, developed in partnership with INGOs and building on BC’s academic strengths, will consist of eight modules that give students a grounding in core, interdisciplinary competencies of global humanitarian assistance. Each
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We witnessed in the extensive interviews for our documentary [“Hitler’s Mein Kampf: Prelude to the Holocaust”] the painful and powerful connection between the past and the present. – susan michalczyk, co-writer/director/producer, page 9
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Around Campus
Tournament Will Cause Temporary Changes to University Parking A major golf tournament taking place in Brookline next month will have a significant impact on Boston College parking and traffic. The Country Club in Brookline—located just south of Route 9—will host the 2022 United States Open Golf Tournament June 13-19. The University has contracted with the U.S. Golf Association (USGA), the tournament sponsor, to provide BC and Pine Manor/Brookline campus parking lots, garages, and field spaces throughout the event. As a result, from June 13-17, all faculty, staff, and students must have a Boston College or Pine Manor permit to access all campuses. The following areas will be available for BC personnel parking: Chestnut Hill Campus: Commonwealth Avenue Garage; Merkert lot; Gasson and College Road; Hammond Triangle; Walsh; 2150 Commonwealth Avenue; Vanderslice; St. Ignatius; Upper Campus. Brighton Campus: 129 Lake Street lots; the lots adjacent to the facilities maintenance building; St. Clements; limited spaces in the Cadigan/library lots. Newton Campus: Stuart lot and the lots around Keyes. 300 Hammond Pond Parkway: The
lot on the right at the entrance and the maintenance lot behind the building. These parking areas will closed to BC personnel during June 13-17: Chestnut Hill Campus: Beacon Street garage; Robsham/Mods lot; Connell/ Yawkey lots. Brighton Campus: Dance studio lot and areas of the Cadigan/library lots (temporary parking will be available for faculty and staff on the lawn adjacent to the dance studio if necessary). Newton Campus: Duchesne; Quonset hut; Keyes back lots. Pine Manor: All spaces will be closed to BC personnel; limited parking may be made for special requests only (contact gabriel.parker@bc.edu). Students attending classes or working on campus must have a BC-authorized permit to park on campus June 13-17. During the tournament’s final two days, June 18 and 19, parking will be limited on all campuses but will be available to essential BC personnel only. To enter all campus parking areas, a USGA hang-tag must be visible. Requests for necessary BC staff parking access should be made by department/area directors for these two days. The Office of Parking and Transportation
Gold for BCDS Sustainability Efforts Boston College Dining Services was selected for a Gold Award by the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) in the organization’s annual Sustainability Awards, which recognize leadership in the promotion and implementation of environmental sustainability as it relates to campus dining operations. BCDS was the winner in the category of Waste Management. According to NACUFS, the waste management category honors institutional members “who minimize waste sent to landfills and wastewater systems by diverting biodegradable waste to compost (or other landfill deferred systems) and maximizing recycling efforts throughout dining services.” BCDS’s previous accolades from the NACUFS include a Sustainability Gold Award for Education and Outreach in 2018 for its “FRESH to Table” initiative— which promotes local, sustainable food options in New England, with a focus on community awareness and education—and ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Jack Dunn
SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Patricia Delaney EDITOR
Sean Smith
the Loyal E. Horton Dining Award in 2020 for Heights Ramen, a popular campus event that celebrated Japanese culture and cuisine and offered students an immersive dining experience. —University Communications
Lacrosse Back in Final Four The Boston College women’s lacrosse team moved closer to defending its national title last week, triumphing over Loyola-Maryland 20-13 on May 19 to advance to the NCAA Final Four for the fifth consecutive year. The Eagles (18-3) will play Maryland (19-1) in the national semifinals tomorrow at 5 p.m. at the Homewood Field hosted by Johns Hopkins. Check bceagles.com for updates.
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
will contact these supervisors with further instructions in the coming weeks. Any student living on campus for the summer, and who possesses an authorized BC parking pass, will be contacted about relocating their vehicles during the weekend of June 18-19. Due to the anticipated high attendance for the tournament, traffic in the vicinity of all Boston College campuses is expected
BC Strong Scholarship Event Honors Claudio
Nick Claudio ’22 (fourth from left) was honored as the Boston College Strong Scholarship recipient on May 3, joined by (L-R) Patrick Downes ’05, Carolyn Barrett ’16, Jessica Kensky, past scholarship winner Cate Cheevers ’23, Sarah Farnan ’23, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management John Mahoney, past scholarship recipient Conor McCormick ’22, Elizabeth Stowe Fennell ’05, and Director of Student Financial Strategies and Enrollment Bernard Pekala.
Class of 2022 graduate Nick Claudio was selected as this year’s recipient of the Boston College Strong Scholarship, which supports BC students who have overcome adversity. He was formally honored at a reception on May 3, where he was congratulated by past BC Strong Scholarship winners Cate Cheevers ’23 and Conor McCormick ’22. Claudio, who lost his sight as a result of a brain tumor at age nine, received a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy, and is pursuing a master’s degree in philosophy. While an undergraduate, he served on the Undergraduate Government of Boston College Council for Students with Disabilities—including as chair—and as a UGBC Student Assembly representative, advocating for an array of campus-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
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to be heavier than usual. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to be attentive to Newton, Boston, and Boston College police directing traffic. For more information, contact the Office of Parking and Transportation at transportation@bc.edu. The office website is bc.edu/transportation. —University Communications
His campus activities also included singing with the student a cappella group Common Tones. Off campus, he has taught Braille and assistive technology at The Carroll Center for the Blind. One of Claudio’s greatest achievements was climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, during his first year at BC, a story he shared with BC News [bit.ly/nick-claudiokilimanjaro]. The BC Strong Scholarship Fund was established by the Class of 2005 in honor of their friend and fellow classmate, Patrick Downes ‘05 and his wife Jessica Kensky, in the spirit of love they received in the wake of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. For more about the scholarship, see bc.edu/bcstrong. —University Communications
The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135 (617)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.
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May 26, 2022
BC Economist Wins Prestigious Frisch Medal BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
Felter Family Associate Professor of Economics Theodore Papageorgiou has been awarded the Frisch Medal of the Econometric Society—regarded as one of the premier prizes in economics scholarship—for a study that revealed unique costs associated with the global transportation of goods. Papageorgiou and his co-authors, Giulia Brancaccio (New York University) and Myrto Kalouptsidi (Harvard University), were named winners of the 23rd Frisch Medal for their paper “Geography, Transportation, and Endogenous Trade Costs,” which was published in the journal Econometrica in March 2020. Founded in 1978 to honor influential Norwegian economist Ragnar Frisch, the medal is awarded every other year for the best paper published in the journal during the previous four years. Several prior Frisch honorees have gone on to win the Nobel Prize in economics. “I am deeply honored and humbled,” said Papageorgiou. “It’s a really incredible honor, especially considering how many great papers have been published in Econometrica recently. I am very lucky to be able to work at such an amazing and intellectually stimulating department and University. This would not have been possible without
the support of a great group of colleagues.” Economics Chair and Professor Christopher Baum said Papageorgiou is the first BC economist to receive the prestigious award. “The Frisch Medal award to Theo Papageorgiou is a clear indication of our department’s efforts in attracting and supporting scholars who address some of the most important issues facing the world economy. We are proud to have a colleague who is an excellent researcher, instructor, and dissertation advisor to provide encouragement to our Ph.D. students and undergraduate honors students, sharing his research skills.” In addition to being a professional milestone, the honor is a personal one for Papageorgiou, who is married to his co-author, Harvard’s Kalouptsidi. “It is especially gratifying to be able to share this award with Myrto, my partner in life and one of the most gifted economists I know,” Papageorgiou said. “I am also very happy to share this with Giulia as well, who besides being an outstanding economist and collaborator is also a dear friend.” Papageorgiou and his colleagues studied the role of the transportation sector in shaping international trade. Specifically, they constructed a model that showcases previously overlooked costs nearly as volatile as the shifting seas upon which most international goods travel. “Much of the previous work on interna-
Theodore Papageorgiou photo by chris soldt/mts
tional trade did not explicitly account for the role of the transportation sector,” said Papageorgiou, who studies labor economics, international trade, and macroeconomics. “Instead, it is quite common to assume that transportation costs—such as shipping prices—are constant and do not change when the patterns of trade change. Our results illustrate that the transportation costs that countries face depend to a great extent on the trade flows.” Examining years of detailed ship-tracking data and shipping contracts, the team
found that available routes, port locations, and trade imbalances—which often result in ships traveling from net exporters fully loaded and returning from net importers partially empty—have profound effects on international trade costs and policies. “For instance, we find that 42 percent of bulk ships travel empty and this is related to the large imbalances in international trade: Some countries are very large net exporters, meaning they export a lot more raw material than they import, and other countries are very large net importers,” Papageorgiou said. “As a result, ships often need to travel empty to find their next load. This phenomenon is pervasive in most, if not all modes of transportation: Trucks, trains, container air, and ocean shipping all exhibit trade imbalances. In fact, the United States-China trade deficit in manufacturing has incentivized U.S. exports of low value cargo, such as scrap or hay, to fill up the empty backhauls of ships to China.” Papageorgiou, who joined the BC faculty in 2019 and was promoted to the rank of associate professor this year, was previously on the faculty of Pennsylvania State University and McGill University. He earned his doctorate at Yale University. He and his co-authors will be honored this August at the Econometric Society’s European Summer meeting at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy.
Grant Will Fund Study of Social Norms and Virtue “Tackling big questions
BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Liane Young, whose research has shed light on moral judgment and decision making, has been awarded a $2.8-million grant from the John Templeton Foundation to join with fellow Boston College researchers in studying how social norms influence virtue. The project will take an experimental approach to the question of how social norms can be leveraged to promote virtue, particularly in areas of education and the environment. “I’m delighted to be partnering once again with the John Templeton Foundation and also excited about our new collaboration with the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society,” said Young, who directs the Morality Lab at BC. “Tackling big questions like how norms impact positive attitudes and actions, at the level of individuals and society, and across diverse contexts, requires the tools of multiple disciplines and teams of scholars working together.” The study will explore how “virtue advocates” inspire others through their actions, and how people can be encouraged to freely live out their values, Young said. Young and her fellow researchers will
like how norms impact positive attitudes and actions, at the level of individuals and society, and across diverse contexts, requires the tools of multiple disciplines and teams of scholars working together.” —Liane Young
photo by lee pellegrini
also examine when observers might question whether someone’s seemingly virtuous actions are being driven by ulterior motives—such as building up one’s reputation—rather than doing good for its own sake. Young said the research will tackle this problem and explore how public acts of virtue can influence others to follow suit. In addition to Young’s lab, the project will draw on a cross-disciplinary team
of University scholars in psychology and neuroscience, education, engineering, environmental studies, and communication, as well as collaborators in economics, philosophy, and sociology. Joining Young as a co-leader of the project will be incoming Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Gregg Sparkman. “Our project team will develop innovative theories about how and why
people are influenced by norms, and apply what we’ve learned to real-world efforts to promote more generous, compassionate, honest, civil, just, and purposeful actions in everyday life,” said Sparkman. “This work will illuminate how people are impacted by the actions and beliefs of others, and how this effect can be leveraged to promote positive changes in society. In other words, how do we put peer pressure to good use?” Also partnering as a co-investigator on the project is the Schiller Institute’s Seidner Family Executive Director Laura J. Steinberg. She will lead explorations of the relationship between participation in collaborative scholarship and the virtues of curiosity and intellectual humility. Looking to make a real-world difference, the project team will explore how applying a virtuebased “lens” can influence how individuals and organizations develop and implement strategies of climate change response. “The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society is thrilled to be collaborating with the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the full Boston College team of faculty and students who are participating in this project,” said Steinberg. “It is through impactful, interdisciplinary research like this that the Schiller Institute and Boston College advance our mission of driving positive societal change.”
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COMMENCEMENT 2022
The 2022 Honorary Degree Citations Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Yolanda Courtney Lyle ’94, JD ’01
In 2019, Kyriakos Mitsotakis became the prime minister of Greece after campaigning on a platform of increased employment, strong economic growth, and lower taxes to revive the nation’s economy.
Yolanda Lyle has influenced pharmaceutical policy and operations through nearly two decades of providing wise counsel at one of the world’s premier companies. As vice president, executive operations and chief of staff to the chair and chief executive officer at Pfizer Inc., she supported its pioneering work to combat the COVID-19 global health crisis through the swift development and manufacture of a critical vaccine that has helped to save lives around the world.
His proposals reflected two decades in politics, 10 years of experience in the private sector, and a strong family legacy of national service. His father also served as prime minister, and a great uncle was a much-respected national leader in the early 20th century. Since becoming head of the Greek government, he has implemented tax reform, led Greece’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and been recognized as the leading proponent of a Europe-wide vaccine passport. He has also proposed that the European Union create a common market for natural gas to offset the steep rise in gas prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
She came to BC in 1990, having won a scholarship from the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and graduated in 1994 with a degree in sociology. She earned a law degree from Boston College Law School in 2001. Front row, L-R: Yolanda Courtney Lyle, University President William P. Leahy, S.J., Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Patrick Stokes. Back row, L-R: Board of Trustees Chair John Fish, Rev. Nicholas A. Sannella, Arivee Vargas Rozier-Byrd, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston Mark O’Connell. photo by lee pellegrini
A graduate of Harvard and Stanford universities, he has close ties to the Boston College community. His wife Mareva is a 1989 alumna, and their son Konstantinos graduated in 2020. For serving generously and faithfully to promote the common good in his homeland and throughout Europe, Boston College awards Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.
Rev. Nicholas A. Sannella ’67 Rev. Nicholas A. Sannella put his talents to good use when he entered the medical profession and became one of New England’s most respected vascular surgeons. A physician for nearly two decades, he served as chief of surgery at Lawrence General Hospital, president of the medical staff at Lowell Saints Medical Center, and vice president of the New England Society for Vascular Surgery. While working as a surgeon, he also earned a law degree and was sought for his advice on medical legal matters. Yet he felt a different calling, which led him in 1999 to pursue a vocation to become a priest in the Archdiocese of Boston. Today, he is pastor of the Lowell Col-
AriveeVargas Rozier-Byrd ’05, JD ’08 Arivee Vargas Rozier-Byrd is committed to helping women find joy and fulfillment in their professional and personal lives. After earning both a bachelor of arts and a law degree from Boston College, she pursued a career in the legal profession, later changing the focus of her work from the law to human resources. Today, she serves as senior director of employee relations at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, one of the nation’s leading biotechnology companies. As a certified life coach, she taps into the experience of her own personal and professional challenges to support women in pursuit of careers and lives that align with their deepest desires. Her podcast “Humble Rising” features women of color
sharing stories and strategies on how to lead fulfilling lives. A first-generation college graduate and daughter of immigrants, she was honored with BC’s John A. Dinneen, S.J., Hispanic Alumni Community Service Award. In 2020, she was named to the Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list of the city’s best and brightest young professionals. Her service to Boston College includes membership on the University’s Board of Regents, the AHANA Alumni Advisory Council, the Council for Women of Boston College, and the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. In recognition of her dedication to mentoring, motivating, and inspiring others, Boston College confers on Arivee Vargas Rozier-Byrd the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.
laborative, which comprises Immaculate Conception, Saint Anthony’s, and Holy Trinity parishes. This dedicated Eagle has long served his alma mater. Named to the Board of Trustees in 1993, he is currently a Trustee Associate. In 2004, he earned the William V. McKenney Award, the highest honor bestowed by the BC Alumni Association, and in 2010, he received the Ignatian Award, which recognizes an individual who lives up to the Jesuit calling to be “men and women for others.” For his decades spent healing both body and soul, Boston College awards Rev. Nicholas A. Sannella the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.
Patrick Stokes ’64 Inspired by President Kennedy’s call to land a man on the moon, Patrick Stokes originally enrolled in engineering at the University of Detroit, but upon discovering that he preferred the humanities, he transferred to Boston College after his freshman year. He graduated magna cum laude in 1964 with a double major in English and mathematics. A former president, CEO, and chair of Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc., he and his wife Aja made the lead gift for BC’s humanities building that bears their name, supporting his lifelong interest in the liberal arts.
Today, as a respected leader and influential African American executive, she embodies the values of her alma mater through support of the Robinson Foundation, and her work on the Executive Committee of the Boston College Wall Street Council and the Boston College Law School Alumni Committee. She was honored in 2017 by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association with a Luminary Award, which recognizes significant contributions to the health care industry and to advancing the careers of women. For her accomplishments and commitment in sharing her time and talents in the service of others, the University confers upon Yolanda Courtney Lyle the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.
In 1991, the Boston College Alumni Association presented him with the Award of Excellence in Commerce, and in 2010 he received the James F. Cleary Masters Award as a volunteer whose leadership elevated University fundraising to “new levels of excellence.” The father of three BC alumni and the grandfather of a fourth, he served on the University’s Board of Trustees for more than two decades. For his accomplishments as one of the nation’s most successful business leaders and for his generosity and commitment to his alma mater, Boston College proudly confers on Patrick Stokes the degree of Doctor of Business Administration, honoris causa.
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COMMENCEMENT 2022
Mu Caps Memorable Four Years with Finnegan Award BY ROSANNE PELLEGRINI STAFF WRITER
Jenna Mu, this year’s recipient of the Edward H. Finnegan, S.J. Award—presented to the graduating senior who best exemplifies the University’s motto, “Ever to Excel”—is passionate about global public health, dentistry, and environmental justice, and pursued opportunities at the intersections of these fields. A member of the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program (GPSP) who was enrolled in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Mu is equally passionate about service, and dedicated to the Boston College ideal of “men and women for others.” “Jenna truly exemplifies the Boston College motto ‘Ever to Excel’ in her academic performance and especially in her service to others,” wrote MCAS Associate Dean Michael Martin in Mu’s nomination letter. “I am immensely honored to receive this award, which would not have been possible without the incredible people in my life: my family, my friends, and my mentors, who have supported and inspired me to be a woman for others,” said Mu. “My time at BC has been life changing. Through classes, student organizations, service opportunities, research, and quality time with friends, I have reflected critically on who I am as a student, leader, public servant, researcher, and friend. BC has inspired me to become my most authentic self, and the lessons and insights gained are ones that I embrace on a daily basis.” Mu, who completed an independent Global Public Health major, plans to pursue advanced degrees in dental medicine and public policy. Her goal is to reduce health disparities and environmental degradation locally, nationally, and globally. “My major allowed me to pursue my interest in dentistry from multiple lenses, to understand and examine current issues facing the field,” said Mu, who as an Undergraduate Research Fellow at BC’s Other finalists for the 2022 Finnegan Award: Bijoy Shah Carroll School of Management The son of Indian immigrants, Shah is the first in his family to be born in the United States. A first-generation and Montserrat student, he served as a teaching assistant, Student Admissions Program coordinator, Venture Capital Private Equity club president, SSC Venture Fund cofounder, Campus Activity Board assistant director, and a representative of BC and the Carroll School in case competitions. A management major with concentrations in finance and entrepreneurship, Shah minored in Managing for Social Impact and the Public Good, has been active in the Shea Center for Entrepreneurship, and participated in a Tech Trek class visit to Silicon Valley. He will join Venture for America, a non-profit organization which
Finnegan Award winner Jenna Mu, second from right, with other award finalists (L-R) Virginia Alex, Bijoy Shah, and Brianna Cheatham. photo by caitlin cunningham
“BC has inspired me to become my most authentic self, and the lessons and insights gained are ones that I embrace on a daily basis.” —Jenna Mu Global Observatory on Planetary Health (GOPH) “became fascinated with policy, which allows me to fuse classroom concepts with research and statistics to inform tangible policy recommendations that can improve people’s lives.” She also served as a student ambassador for the Global Public Health and the Common Good program, and cites GOPH Director and Professor of Biology Philip Landrigan, M.D., as “such an influential mentor to me and so many other BC students.” Among her impressive academic achievements, Mu—who said the GPSP “expanded my horizons, in both a figurative and literal sense”—was elected to the
United States Department of Education Presidential Scholars Program. She also won a prestigious Truman Scholarship, which supports undergraduates committed to public service; in the year ahead, she will join the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Rural Health Policy, drafting briefs for the HHS secretary. As an undergraduate, Mu—who served as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for courses in BC’s Biology and Chemistry departments—sought out research and internships in health-related public service. While a Harvard School of Dental Medicine research assistant, she collabo-
looks at entrepreneurship, technology, and finance in making the world a better place, and aligns with his commitment to excellence, curiosity, and generosity.
to attend law school in preparation for a career supporting U.S. immigration policy and reform. Her campus service activities included attending the COP26 UN Conference on Climate Change in Scotland as a BC delegate. Alex also volunteered in the community, and held an international service position at Innocent Orphanage in Mexico. Her senior thesis involved creating programming to prepare its male residents to live independently when they reach age 18; she has had research published in Global Studies of Childhood.
Virginia Alex Lynch School of Education and Human Development Alex’s coursework, major (Applied Psychology and Human Development), minors (Immigration Education and Humanitarian Studies, Global Public Health and the Common Good), and co-curricular service have centered on the intersections of immigration, policy, human development, and social justice. She will work as a paralegal at a Washington, D.C., law firm which specializes in policy advocacy, where she will use her proficiency in Spanish to work on immigration cases. She also will apply for a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research in Mexico, and then plans
Brianna Cheatham Connell School of Nursing Inspired by her late maternal grandmother, a nurse of 26 years, Cheatham entered BC with the goal of being a nurseleader, and has a strong service orientation. A mentor for underclassmen in the
rated with dentists from Harvard and the University of Rwanda to evaluate strategies for the reduction of dental waste in sub-Saharan Africa, which resulted in two policy briefs. Her tenure also included a wide range of service activities. She founded “BC Brushes” to reduce dental waste from residence halls, and co-founded BC Partners in Health Engage, a chapter of the global public health organization Partners in Health—her involvement “among my most memorable experiences at BC,” she said. “I developed my leadership philosophy: I believe that the most effective leaders are those who empower others.” Mu also assisted underserved Boston populations as a volunteer at Haley House and Bridge Over Troubled Waters, and was the only undergraduate intern to serve on the Boston Urban Forest Plan Advisory Board. The Omaha, Neb., native traces her interest in service to an early age. “When my parents, who both work in the health care field, would talk about their daily experiences, I was fascinated by how they served others and transformed lives. My older brother Jesse attended BC and spoke of how he was empowered to blend his interests in computer science and service. It inspired me to blend my interests in dentistry and environmental justice with service. “BC is truly committed to educating the whole person. Through rigorous coursework, a variety of student organizations, and a plethora of service opportunities, students are able to learn about themselves intellectually, ethically, and socially, as well as reflect on how they can most effectively be people for others.” Mu said she will miss the BC community, which she called “passionate, caring, and service oriented. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to attend BC and meet mentors who have changed my life and friends whom I will love for life.”
Connell School Keys to Inclusive Leadership program, she also volunteered as a SCRUBS Lead for the sophomore nursing retreat. In addition, she was a First Year Experience “48 Hours” leader and a member of “BC Bigs.” Being of Cape Verdean and Native American ancestry, she is motivated to gain knowledge of different cultures, and served as secretary and co-president of the Cape Verdean Student Association. Cheatham—who completed many Global Public Health and the Common Good courses—enhanced her professional skills as a clinical assistant on the Oncology/Hematology unit at Boston Children’s Hospital. She plans to build her skills as a pediatric oncology nurse, and to travel abroad to provide health care to underserved and underrepresented communities in other regions of the world. —Rosanne Pellegrini
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COMMENCEMENT 2022
Mitsotakis, Four Others Receive Honorary Degrees Continued from page 1
you, don’t leave it to others to ensure the survival of our democratic ideals. If you think you are the best and the brightest—which you should, because you are graduating from this great school—then assume your responsibilities. Because you cannot outsource this responsibility to anyone else.” A pleasant, comfortably cool day, coming after an unseasonably hot and humid Sunday, greeted the 4,450 undergraduate and graduate students who received their degrees at separate ceremonies held around campus after the main Commencement event. The University also presented honorary degrees to Yolanda Lyle ’94, J.D. ’01 (Doctor of Laws), Arivee Vargas Rozier-Byrd ’05, J.D. ’08 (Doctor of Laws), Rev. Nicholas A. Sannella ’67 (Doctor of Humane Letters), and Patrick T. Stokes ’64 (Doctor of Business Administration). Jenna Mu was honored as the 2022 recipient of the Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Award [see page 5], presented to the graduating senior who best exemplifies the University’s motto, “Ever to Excel.” Professor and Biology Department Chair Welkin Johnson received the Saint Robert Bellarmine, S.J., Award, which recognizes a distinguished faculty member whose contributions have advanced the mission of Boston College. Referencing classical as well as contemporary Greek literature, from Sophocles to Thucydides to Constantinos Cavafy to Nikos Kazantzakis—and even quoting the Beatles—Mitsotakis sketched a troubling portrait of democracy that stood in marked contrast to that of three decades ago, when his generation celebrated their commencements. He recalled “those heady days,” when the speaker at his 1990 graduation from Harvard University, West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, was laying the groundwork for the reunification of his divided country. Eight months before, the Berlin Wall had fallen (“I still remember getting goosebumps watching the events unfold on television”), and within a year the Soviet Union would collapse, as would communist regimes in Eastern Europe, and “the last vestiges of the Cold War would be swept away. “We believed then that the West’s economic triumph over the Soviet Union had irrevocably demonstrated that democracy was the ideal form of government for all time and all people,” said Mitsotakis. But instead of achieving the promise of a free, peaceful, and just world, he said, “my graduating generation and its leaders, I am afraid, took its foot off the gas.” Politicians and experts thought that economic liberalism would create more open societies in China and Russia and thwart autocrats’ efforts to topple democracy. His generation’s leaders, he said, assumed that a rising stock market and other hallmarks of the
global economy would create widespread prosperity instead of inequality. This in turn produced “the sirens of populists” offering “easy solutions to complicated problems.” Too much faith was placed in technology as a force for good, without fully understanding its economic, social, and moral implications, he added, turning the public sphere into a modern-day version of the tower of Babel, “where we speak different languages and we only listen to those who share the same views with us.” Yet Mitsotakis proclaimed his “great faith in your generation to not repeat the mistakes of the past.” To do so, “in order to fulfill your solemn duty to pass on to your children a better world than the one you inherited, you need to do things differently,” he said. This will entail a commitment to democracy, which he called “the most powerful leap of faith in human history,” and making good use of the “outstanding education” the graduates had received at BC. But whatever vocation they might follow, he also urged the graduates to cultivate and maintain fulfilling relationships among family and friends. “As the Beatles, the great philosophers of my youth, put it, ‘And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.’ Above all, that’s what counts the most, and that’s where you’ll find your greatest satisfaction.” In his Commencement greeting earlier in the ceremony, University President William P. Leahy, S.J., also touched on the imperative of serving a global community. “We live in a world and nation that desperately needs people of intelligence, faith, and commitment to work for the good of society, to help root out racial, social, and economic inequality, and to strive to bring an end to violence, poverty, and illiteracy. “In addition, aggression and human rights violations, such as those currently occurring in the Ukraine, have to be stopped. These and other urgent, daunting issues require engagement and just solutions.” The contributions of this year’s class members are sorely needed, Fr. Leahy told the graduates, and they possess the skills, talents, and virtues to make a difference. “You have the ability, preparation, and commitment to help make our world better, more at peace. You care, have good will, and benefited from BC’s formative educational approach. It draws from the Jesuit, Catholic intellectual and religious heritage, stresses the importance of giving as a gift what has been received as a gift, and fosters living lives marked by faith, hope, and love. “May you always give to others from the abundance that you have received, remain steadfast in your convictions, and remember the call, challenge, and opportunity of Boston College’s motto: ‘Ever to Excel.’”
Above left, the Class of 2022 processes to Alumni Stadium; above right, University President William P. Leahy, S.J., offers a greeting; below, handclaps and waves during the ceremony.
Left, radiant smiles from jubilant grads; right, Fr. Leahy and Trustees Chair John Fish congratulate Professor of Biology Welkin Johnson, winner of the Bellarmine Award.
Clockwise from above: sunglasses and sunny feelings; checking the program; Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis signs the guest book. photos by lee pellegrini, caitlin cunningham, and justin knight
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May 26, 2022
Computer Scientist Honored for Innovative Research BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
Jean-Baptiste Tristan, an associate professor in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Computer Science Department, was recently acknowledged as one of seven co-recipients of the 2021 Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Software System Award for their contribution to groundbreaking research and practical applications that impact everyday users of technology. Tristan shared the award with French and German colleagues for the development of CompCert, the first practically useful software that was developed not by writing its code but by extracting the set of instructions from the software’s mathematical proof of existence, resulting in an errorfree construction. According to ACM, the award, which bears a $35,000, IBM-provided prize, recognizes developers of a software system that has “lasting influence, reflected in contributions to concepts, in commercial acceptance, or both.” “Although the profound correspondence between computer programs and mathematical proofs had been understood since the 1960s, the difficulty of engineer-
Jean-Baptiste Tristan is among a group of researchers that developed a software system that has “lasting influence,” according to the Association for Computing Machinery. photo by lee pellegrini
ing software this way had limited its impact to toy examples,” explained Tristan, who joined Boston College in August of 2020 after serving as a visiting lecturer at Harvard University and stints at Oracle
Labs in Burlington, Mass. “When it was introduced in 2005, CompCert signaled a major advance for the possibility of engineering error-free software by the extraction from mathematical proofs.”
CompCert continues as a research project at the French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology, and is available under commercial and noncommercial licenses. Other researchers build upon CompCert, and multiple corporations use it for safety-critical applications. “Naturally, we’re delighted to see our colleague receive such a prestigious honor,” said Computer Science Department Chair Howard Straubing. “This richly deserved award for highly influential research is one more sign of the steadily rising profile of the Computer Science faculty at Boston College.” In April 2021, Tristan and co-principal investigator Joseph Tassarotti, an assistant professor in BC’s Computer Science Department, received a $963,189 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Computing and Communication Foundations to improve the quality of artificial intelligence (AI) software through probabilistic programming languages, a core tool for the development of AI applications. ACM, founded in 1947 and based in New York City, is the world’s largest educational and scientific computing society, comprised by nearly 100,000 computing educators, researchers, professionals, and students.
CSON’S Nguyen Earns Fellowship for Nurse Leaders Tam H. Nguyen, an associate professor in the Connell School of Nursing, is one of 12 nurse scientists accepted to the third cohort of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators. This fellowship program, based at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at University of California-Davis and funded by a $37.5 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, recognizes early- to mid-career nursing scholars and innovators with a high potential to accelerate leadership in nursing research, practice, education, policy, and entrepreneurship. As part of the three-year fellowship program, fellows receive $450,000 to conduct an innovative project or study with the potential to address a gap in knowledge, meet a vital need, alter care delivery, or design a new solution to advance health. Nguyen’s project focuses on changing the paradigm of diabetes prevention among Vietnamese Americans. Many Southeast Asian Americans, including Vietnamese Americans, develop diabetes and pre-diabetes at lower body mass indexes. Nguyen’s project aims to test the scientific premise that exercise, rather than weight loss, is the dominant mechanism through which diabetes is prevented in this group. Findings from this project may help challenge Medicare’s diabetes prevention reimbursement policies, which requires providers to demonstrate that their patients engage in at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, and can sustain an average weight loss of five to seven percent across one year. These current guidelines disincen-
Connell School of Nursing Associate Professor Tam Nguyen’s project focuses on changing the paradigm of diabetes prevention among Vietnamese Americans. Many Southeast Asian Americans, including Vietnamese Americans, develop diabetes and pre-diabetes at lower body mass indexes. Nguyen’s project aims to test the scientific premise that exercise, rather than weight loss, is the dominant mechanism through which diabetes is prevented in this group.
photo by caitlin cunningham
tivize participation among many Southeast Asian Americans because they do not have much weight to lose to start with, and further adds to the burden of diabetes in this underserved and understudied population. Additionally, this project will expand the approach to diabetes prevention from an individual behavior change orientation towards broader social determinants of health orientation in response to growing recognition that factors beyond the individual play important roles in affecting
health outcomes. “We are thrilled that Dr. Nguyen was selected for this competitive fellowship program,” said CSON Dean Katherine Gregory. “Her research goals and career trajectory are well aligned with the fellowship’s mission of improving population health and advancing the field of nursing.” In addition to the project, the fellowship program features a hybrid online and classroom curriculum designed and taught in partnership with the UC-Davis
Graduate School of Management to enhance leadership and innovation capacity, strengthen strategic thinking and collaborative skills, expand professional networks, develop entrepreneurial skills, and propel innovative ideas to fruition. A mentor selected by the fellow and an additional mentor provided by the national program office round out the educational experience. “Our fellows undertake a unique journey in which they get to explore and better understand their roles as leaders and how they can influence health systems to include more equitable and higher quality care for all the populations they serve,” said Heather M. Young, professor and dean emerita of the school, who now serves as national program director for the fellowship. “This next generation of nursing leaders has great potential to have a nationwide impact on health equity and health care delivery.” The fellowship program is made possible by Betty Irene Moore’s passion to advance nursing with the goal of better outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. The foundation seeks to prepare nurses as collaborative leaders with the skills and confidence to inspire others, enact change, and challenge the status quo. With the creation of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators, the foundation supports nurse leaders who take ideas to scale that advance highquality, high-value care and optimal health outcomes. —University Communications
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May 26, 2022
New Program Boosts BCSSW’s Global Dimension Continued from page 1
module, program organizers note, reflects a pressing social, political, and health challenge: Migrants and Refugees in the Global Landscape; Basics of Refugee Determination; Community-Based Psychosocial Support; Introduction to International Child Protection; Climate Change, Displacement, and Human Rights; Gender-Based Violence; Public Health in Violence; and Education in Emergencies. “Humanitarian crises are increasingly an outcome of complex emergencies,” said BCSSW Dean Gautam Yadama. “The Interdisciplinary Certificate in Humanitarian Assistance is a coherent and well-researched suite of modules that will increase the knowledge quotient of humanitarian assistance professionals and ensure they are responsive to such complex crises. And these modules are also available to our undergraduate and graduate students at BC to prepare them to understand global humanitarian assistance.” While the immediate impetus for the ICHA has been the COVID-related disruption in post-graduate education, and in particular the difficulty in sustaining international collaborations and partnerships, program organizers say there is—and has always been—a long-range vision for the initiative. “The ICHA is a statement that the social work perspective is valuable for humanitarian work,” said Professor Thomas Crea, director of BCSSW’s Global Practice Program, who developed the ICHA with part-time faculty member Maryanne Loughry and Assistant Professor Alejandro Olayo-Méndez, S.J. “Through social work, we assess the wellbeing of individuals in the context of their overall environment. We look at the immediacy of their needs, but also take a longer, wider view: What are the broader issues and problems that not only contribute to a person’s struggles, but also pose an obstacle in ensuring that person has the supports and services he or she needs?” The ICHA is not focused on building skills, Crea said, so much as helping program participants become aware of the skills they need.
(Clockwise from above) Thomas Crea, Maryanne Loughry, and Alejandro Olayo-Méndez, S.J., are the architects of the BC School of Social Work Interdisciplinary Certificate in Humanitarian Assistance. “The ICHA is a statement that the social work perspective is valuable for humanitarian work,” says Crea. photos by lee pellegrini and peter julian
“ICHA’s purpose is to provide foundational knowledge, whether for someone who is working at a refugee camp or as an administrator at an NGO in London—or for a student who is interested in humanitarian work. Those who go through the program learn about international standards for humanitarian assistance, best practices, common responses, and other aspects of the field. It provides a solid base that is useful in and of itself, while also creating a pipeline for potential future areas of academic and professional development.” “These introductory modules are designed to prepare graduates for an understanding of the basic frameworks that inform practice as well as international standards, guidelines, and policies,” said Loughry. Ironically, said Loughry, even as COVID caused numerous complications in education and training across disciplines, it pointed the way to an innovative approach for the ICHA. “In the original planning for a program
in humanitarian assistance, we had envisioned in-person training,” she explained, “but COVID helped us to see that online learning, done right, is possible and effective.” BCSSW Assistant Director for Global Field Education Lyndsey McMahan said the online format offers other advantages. “Course costs can be prohibitive for a lot of the world and we have been very intentional in trying to design a program where the content is relevant and timely, but also accessible to practitioners working in lowand middle-income countries. Most importantly though, we wanted to make sure the content was from a social work lens which differs a bit from traditional international
Class of 2021 Outcomes Survey Continued from page 1
and outside the classroom at Boston College.” According to the survey results, 70 percent of graduates have entered the workforce, with the majority (84 percent) receiving job offers by the end of the second semester of their senior year. Their occupations cover a range of industries: 25 percent are employed by financial services and real estate firms, including Deloitte Consulting and PricewaterhouseCoopers; 19 percent are working in health care and the sciences at institutions such as Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital; 12 percent have jobs at technology, consulting, and management companies such as Oracle and IBM. The median salary reported by members of the Class of 2021 is $62,000.
Of these students, 69 percent said they utilized resources offered by the Boston College Career Center in order to secure their employment, such as the campus Career Fair, Handshake job postings, or networking opportunities. Of the 20 percent enrolled in a graduate school, 65 percent are pursuing a master’s degree, 16 percent a law degree, and 15 percent a doctoral degree. The top areas of study are science, technology, engineering, and math (20 percent), law (17), business (15), and education (13). The most popular graduate schools include Boston College, Boston University, Columbia University, Harvard University, and New York University. The Jesuit Volunteer Corps and AmeriCorps are the most popular volunteer pro-
development and humanitarianism—which I think will help build out the field of global social work, and also increase name recognition for BCSSW among NGOs and other organizations.” Creating a program that could be useful to such an array of constituencies, including both undergraduate and graduate students, took careful planning, the co-organizers noted—“threading a needle,” as Crea put it. The ICHA, he said, is of a piece with other areas of interest among this generation of college students, such as global public health and climate change, that are now reflected in the BC undergraduate curriculum and service opportunities. Added Loughry, “We recognize that at BC we have both undergraduate and graduate students engaged in immersion programs as well as internships, and we wanted to ensure that both groups can be equipped with an introductory understanding of some of the core topics on international humanitarian assistance.” Fr. Olayo-Méndez noted that the earlier initiative from which the ICHA later emerged— in-person teaching complemented by a set of online modules—was funded by a grant from the University’s Center for Digital Innovation in Learning and involved discussions across BC academic units. Those efforts coincided with another project to develop a humanitarian training institute, funded by the BCSSW, but that plan was scuttled by the pandemic. “This exemplifies the benefits of collaboration, whether within or outside the University,” he said. “An idea can begin, grow, and evolve, but there is always the need to keep fostering dialogue and bring together different skills and expertise.” Crea said the program is an affirmation of the global vision of social work BCSSW has cultivated for years. “One of our great strengths as a school is our international partnerships, and the ICHA is an ideal way to leverage these in a way that can benefit professionals in the humanitarian aid and development fields, and those who may wish to follow that path.”
The success of the Class of 2021, says Associate Vice President for Career Services Joseph Du Pont, “is a testament to their effort and the rich experience they had in and outside the classroom at Boston College.”
photo by lee pellegrini
grams among the three percent of the class engaged in volunteer service or fellowships, while Fulbright study is the top fellowship. The findings reported by the IR&P represent 78 percent of the Class of 2021. Most of the data were collected through
an online survey sent to graduates between May and December of last year. The rest was obtained from National Student Clearinghouse, Boston College data, and public data.
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May 26, 2022
Mauristhene to Lead Lynch School’s UOI Office BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
Deborah Mauristhene, formerly assistant director of operations at Simmons University’s College of Social Sciences, Policy and Practice, was recently named associate director of the Lynch School of Education and Human Development’s Urban Outreach Initiatives (UOI), which oversees the College Bound and Donovan Urban Teaching Scholars programs. Mauristhene, who holds Ed.D. and M.S. degrees from Northeastern University (NEU), also previously served as program manager for NEU’s student outreach and communications, and graduate programs. “We are thrilled to welcome Deb to the team,” said Lynch School Assistant Dean for Urban Outreach and Professional Development Ashana Hurd. “We are honored to be able to attract this level of talent to our office. Her passion and extensive experience in higher education and student support align well with the Lynch School’s mission to make the world more just.” A native of Haiti and a Boston resident, Mauristhene has devoted her career to pro-
Deborah Mauristhene, associate director for Urban Outreach Initiatives. photo by caitlin cunningham
moting and improving educational resources for students of African, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American descent, and to maximize
their learning opportunities in college. She has extensive experience assisting minority student groups, associations, and other undergraduate students in acclimating to college life by incorporating developmental, academic, social, and cultural programming into their university experiences. She has also taught weekly webinars on goal setting and academic performance, career assessment, and job readiness for high school and college-age students. “UOI strives to provide students with the skills and experiences to become critical thinkers, confident, positive, and productive leaders and change agents in urban classrooms and communities,” said Mauristhene. “Because each student is unique and brings something distinctive to their education, we must continue to build stimulating educational environments where students can grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and socially to reach their full potential. I look forward to coordinating and streamlining efforts around activities, programming, and resources to meet the needs of the students serviced by the UOI office, and offer them a sense of belonging at BC.” College Bound is a pre-collegiate enrich-
ment and support program offered to a diverse group of 50-60 students in seventh through 12th grade from three Boston Public middle and high schools. With a mission to empower students to become positive change agents within their schools and communities, participants learn about a variety of important issues impacting their communities through a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) perspective. Donovan Urban Teaching Scholars learn how to flourish as K–12 teachers in urban schools through an intensive, one-year M.Ed. curriculum that leads to licensure, and that prioritizes critical inquiry, social justice education, and community building. All Donovan Scholars receive 50-percent tuition remission, and commit to teach in urban Catholic, charter, or public schools for at least three years. UOI is also involved in several partnerships with other Boston College offices, Donovan Scholars and College Bound alumni, and local and national efforts that affect diversity and inclusion within urban schools and communities.
BC Filmmakers Train Their Lens on Mein Kampf Clarice Henry of the Landsberger Tagblatt [Landsberg Daily newspaper] wrote of the film: “It may take time, but the work A new documentary and book from of Susan and John Michalczyk may have longtime Boston College faculty members laid a significant foundation for a new way John and Susan Michalczyk offer a scholof dealing with the subject of National Soarly investigation of Adolf Hitler’s Mein cialism—and with it, a possibility that such Kampf as a prelude to genocide. a thing will indeed never happen again. The Michalczyks have written, directed, One comes [to the film] with a bias that and produced the documentary “Hitler’s cannot be dismissed and leaves with hope.” Mein Kampf: Prelude to the Holocaust.” “We witnessed in the extensive interThe film examines how Hitler’s hateful views for our documentary the painful and words about Jews, the disabled, and mixed powerful connection between the past and races laid the groundwork for the Shoah. the present,” said Susan Michalczyk, associIn addition, it offers interpretations of ate professor of the practice in the Morcontemporary incidents, such as rallies rissey College of Arts and Sciences. in Charlottesville in 2017 and Atlanta in As filmmakers, the Michalczyks have 2018, that reflect the rise of anti-Semitism worked on a number of documentaries and white supremacy. that focus on issues of discrimination, The film features interviews with Hohatred, human rights, social justice, and locaust scholars, historians, educators, and conflict resolution in the United States and journalists. places such as Northern Ireland, Germany, “Hitler’s Mein Kampf certainly has the Balkans, Africa, the Middle East, Sicily, overtones of potential genocide, but as we and Russia. indicate in the documentary, it is only once “Hitler’s Mein Kampf: Prelude to the he comes to power as chancellor in 1933 Holocaust” is a collaborative project with that he takes significant steps in that direc- members of the Boston College communition through propaganda, violence, and ty working on the filming, editing, musical the legal system,” said John Michalczyk, a composition, narration, and translations, professor of film studies and director of the according to the Michalczyks. University’s Film Studies Program. BC faculty and staff contributors inThe Michalczyks’ film premiered earlier clude: Professor of German Studies Mithis year in Germany at the Snowdance In- chael Resler; Art, Art History, and Film dependent Film Festival, not too far from Department faculty members Robert the prison where Hitler wrote his Mein Heim, Gautam Chopra, and Joe LaRocca; Kampf. In late April, the film was screened Media Technology Service staff members on campus at a Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Chris Soldt and Jonathan Sage; Associate Remembrance Day) Commemoration Professor of the Practice of Theatre Patricia sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program Riggin; and David Lewis of Information and co-sponsored by the Center for Jewish- Technology Services. Martin Menke, an Christian Learning, Film Studies Program, adjunct faculty member in the Woods ColGerman Studies, and Music Department. lege of Advancing Studies, appears in the BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
film. BC student and alumni contributors are Andrew Wilson ’21, Angelos Bougas ’21, Robert Clark ’22, Josie N. Bearden ’16, Michael Bonilla ’21, Kylie Rolincik ’13, and John Michalczyk III ’08. Elisabeth Salina Amorini Bolognini, benefactor of the Jacques Salmanowitz Program for Moral Courage in Documentary Film, and Kevin X. Reynolds ’79 provided financial support for the documentary and related text.
“Hitler’s Mein Kampf certainly has overtones of potential genocide, [but] it is only once he comes to power as chancellor in 1933 that he takes significant steps in that direction through propaganda, violence, and the legal system.” —John Michalczyk A companion to the documentary is the book, Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’ and the Holocaust: A Prelude to Genocide, edited by the Michalczyks and Bryant University Professor Michael S. Bryant. It is the first systematic examination of Mein Kampf with specific focus on the Holocaust. Divided into three sections— ”Contexts,” “Eugenics,” and “Religion”— the book features analyses from leading academics from across the U.S., Canada, and Germany. According to the editors, the volume describes how Hitler’s autobiographical manifesto outlining his views on Marxism, violence, and leadership, as well as his anti-Semitic rhetoric, travels down
the disturbing path from a hateful book to the Holocaust. John Michalczyk’s chapter, “Mein Kampf: Race: Blood, and the Holocaust,” spells out how Hitler absorbed the ideas of the late 19th- and early 20th-century German authors on race as well as American and German writers on eugenics. He explains how Hitler’s writings on the “the apocalyptic battle of the Aryan race to maintain its purity against the onslaught of the Jews attempting to infiltrate and destroy it” served as fertile ground from which genocide sprang. Other BC contributors to the book are Professor of Music Ralf Gawlick and parttime faculty member Barbara Gawlick. Previously, the state government of Bavaria had held the copyright for Mein Kampf and did not allow for any copying or reprinting of the book. Since 2016 when its copyright expired, Mein Kampf has been under greater academic scrutiny, most notably in an annotated critical edition of the work published by Munich’s Institute for Contemporary History. The coeditor of that volume, Othmar Plöckinger, and Magnus Brechtken, deputy director of the Institute for Contemporary History, contributed to the Michalczyks’ film and to the book. The documentary and book have as their foundation an international conference on the same topic held at BC in 2019. The conference featured scholarly presentations on how Hitler’s writing on nationalism, expansionism, and anti-Semitism in Mein Kampf led to World War II and the Holocaust. Conference participants were interviewed for the documentary and their presentations were included in the book.
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University Honors Retiring and 25-Year Employees University President William P. Leahy, S.J., will host the annual Recognition Reception and Dinner for retiring Boston College faculty and staff on June 1. Because the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the event in 2020 and 2021, faculty and staff who retired during those years also will be recognized at this year’s dinner. Those faculty and staff who retired during 2021-2022 are: Herodia Auguste, Carlos Ayala, Karl Baden, Pradip Bakshi, Pamela Berger, Daneille Berzinis, Gerard Boyle, Robert Breen, Joseph Breines, Jay Brislin, Deborah Brown, J. Joseph Burns, Stephen Bushee, Patrick Byrne, Rosemary Byrne, Thomas Cerulli, Daniel Chambers, Rose Chan, Eileen Chase, Jean Chisser, Christine Convoy, Mary Lou Crane, Jacqueline Dailey, Janice Daly, Patrice DiNatale, Karen Doherty, Rose Mary Donahue, Elizabeth Dority, Carol Dove, Clare Dunsford, Arlene Feinberg, Danielle Finklea, Michael Franks, Phillip Generous, Charles George, John Gillis, Edward “Ted” Green, Neil Hanwell, Dayton Haskin, Barbara Hebard, Elizabeth Hering, Kathleen Hetnik, Christine Hoage, Pauline Inzodda, and Carmine Izzo. Also: Yvonne Jenkins, T. Scott Kinder, Kevin Lary, Susan Leonard, Patricia Longbottom, Paul MacQuarrie, Arthur Madigan, S.J., John Makransky, Joan Manna, Dorothy Marchand, Laurie Mayville, Linda McCarthy, Patricia McCormack, Marguerite McDonough, Elizabeth McLain, Linda Michel, Karen Miller, Kerry Mitch-
ell, Michael Moore, James Morris, James Murphy, Arista Navickas, Pavli Nikollara, Barbara O’Brien, Christine O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Catherine O’Connor, John O’Grady, George O’Har, Patricia Phillips, Mary Pohlman, Jennie Purnell, Gail Rider, Linda Riley, Elizabeth Rosselot, Thomas Rourke, David Ruhl, Thomas Runyon, Barry Schaudt, Laurie Shepard, Steven Simpson, James Slattery, John “Randy” Thomas, Anna Tom, Maria Touloupakis, Patricia Touzin, Thanh Tran, Urbi Ubeda, Victoria Vamo, Judith Vessey, Lawrence Voke, Elizabeth Wallace, Mary Walsh, W. (Jean) Wegman, Margaret Wolfe, and Jerry York. In April, the University recognized employees who completed 25 years of service during 2021-2022: Wanda Anderson, Pierliugi Balduzzi, Peter Caruso, Michael Caswidy, Maureen Chancey, Thomas Chemmanur, James Clark, Margaret Critch, Clare Dunsford, Robert Fichman, Joy Field, Jeffrey Fournier, John Gallaugher, Marta Geletkanycz, Frantz Germain, Terence Gilman, Jessica Greene, Laura Hake, Neil Hanwell, Eric Hoche, Yvette Johnson, Steven Kewley, Thomas Malec, Michael Martin, R. Shep Melnick, Alicia Munnell, Anabelle Murphy, Joyce Murphy, James Najarian, Lee Pellegrini, Michael Sacco, Esam Sadek, Robert Savage, David Scanlon, Benvinda Sena, Ruzhena Sikarova, Maria Touloupakis, Denis Walsh, and Roderick Williams.
May 26, 2022
PARTING THOUGHTS Retirees reflect on their BC experience Patrick Byrne ’69 Joined BC in 1975 Professor of Philosophy; founder, PULSE service-learning program; director, Lonergan Institute; recipient of St. Robert Bellarmine, S.J., Award
“It has been a great joy to see the transformation of Boston College from when I first arrived here as a freshman in 1965 and returned 10 years later as a faculty member. BC has achieved something remarkable that few other institutions have accomplished. It has continually increased its commitment to academic excellence (‘Ever to Excel’) in the talent and work of its students, faculty, and staff. Mary E. Walsh Joined BC in 1989 Daniel E. Kearns Professor in Urban Education and Innovative Leadership, Lynch School of Education and Human Development; served as Lynch School associate dean and chair of Counseling, Developmental & Educational Psychology department. Though retiring from the faculty, Walsh will continue to direct the Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children (formerly the Center for Optimized Student Support)
“I can’t help but notice the leap in the breadth and depth of the research enterprise among the faculty, especially the growth and scope of externally sponsored research, which is particularly true at the Lynch School. Simultaneously, the level of student engagement in the research, not
Yet at the same time its faculty and staff have increased their commitments to educating and nurturing the whole person (cura personalis) through Intersections, Halftime, and many other programs. But especially heartening for me has been the flourishing of a culture of service. More than half the graduating class will have participated in the PULSE Program, 4Boston, Appa Volunteers, and many other service initiatives. Boston College has come a long way in commitment to its second motto, “Educating men and women in service with and for others.” —Kathleen Sullivan
only among doctoral students which you’d expect, but also among master’s candidates and undergraduates. Finally, so much of the research is directly aimed at improving the human condition, consistent with BC’s Jesuit mission. “I love teaching, and I’ve loved the students’ enthusiasm, particularly when they got excited about an aspect of the topic. I will definitely miss the self-discoveries and the new insights I gained about the material, even if I had taught the course five or 10 times before. Sometimes, while explaining a concept to students and discussing it with them, I would gain a new insight into something I had not seen before. Teaching provoked creativity, at least in this teacher.” —Phil Gloudemans photos by caitlin cunningham and peter julian
University Will Be Host for Key ACC Networking Event Sessions are designed to build management awareness and effectiveness, create leadership programs and collaborations BY PHIL GLOUDEMAN STAFF WRITER
Boston College will host the next meeting of the ACC Academic Leaders Network (ALN) on June 23-25, a program designed to facilitate cross-institutional networking and collaboration among the 15 universities that comprise the collegiate athletic Division 1 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). “The ALN utilizes the network of the ACC to create distinctive leadership programs and collaborative opportunities that no single university can provide on its own. We are fortunate to be part of such a great athletic and academic community,” said Vice Provost for Faculties Billy Soo, BC liaison for the ACC-ALN. “These sessions are designed to build management awareness and effectiveness in the higher education context, and to facilitate conversations
over a range of topics that support personal growth.” In addition to BC, which joined in 2005, current ACC members are Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Pittsburgh, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. The annual program consists of three on-site sessions hosted by a different ACC member over the course of a calendar year. It began in 2018, but was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, then resumed in March when Virginia Tech staged the first session of 2022. The University of Virginia will host the third convening in October. Representing the University at next month’s meeting, “Leading Others,” will be Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Associate Deans Treseanne K. Ainsworth and Joseph B. Desciak; Connell School of Nursing Associate Professor and Department Chair Jane M. Flanagan; and Brian K. Smith, the Honorable David S. Nelson Chair and associate dean for research at the Lynch School of Education and Human
Development. “The ALN offers a wealth of knowledge and provides a fantastic opportunity to connect and learn with colleagues at other institutions,” said Smith. “I’m working with a group examining opportunities and challenges for transdisciplinary research and teaching, and these collaborations give me new insights that I hope will be helpful as BC moves forward with the Schiller Institute and similar initiatives.” Ainsworth characterized the March ALN conference at Virginia Tech as “a great experience,” adding, “We connected with our ACC colleagues on a wide range of topics that are important to our work with students, and we are currently working on follow-up to ‘Communities of Practice,’ which will be continued at our meeting here in June.” The target audience is faculty who have received foundational leadership training, and who have had at least one or two years of experience in their current administrative role, explained Soo. Faculty who are interested in program participation should contact their academic deans to be nominated.
The first BC cohort was Lynch School Professor and Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs Ana M. MartinezAleman; Sociology Professor and Associate Dean for the Core Brian Gareau; and Ethan Sullivan, senior associate dean for undergraduate programs at the Carroll School of Management. In 2019, participants included Julia DeVoy, associate dean of undergraduate students and programs at the Lynch School; Sociology Professor and Chair Andrew Jorgensen; Professor of Art History Stephanie Leone, chair of the Art, Art History, and Film Studies Department; Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean Rafael Luna; and Connell School of Nursing Clinical Professor M. Colleen Simonelli, associate dean for undergraduate programs. “The ACC-ALN experiences have played a momentous role in [becoming] the associate dean and faculty instructor I am today,” said DeVoy. “I was involved in three different programs during 20192020, and it’s been transformative for students and for me.”
Major Greek Literature Resource Developed at BC Is Launched A semester that concluded with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ appearance at Commencement also saw the launch of a major online resource for Greek literature that was largely developed at Boston College. The CENSUS of Modern Greek Literature [moderngreekliterature.org], which provides references to all English-language translations of modern Greek literature and all modern Greek-related studies in English as far back as the 12th century, was formally presented on April 5—about six weeks before Mitsotakis received an honorary degree and spoke to BC’s Class of 2022. CENSUS was conceived in 1981 and originally housed at Harvard University but underwent most of its development at
BC from 1986-2018 under the direction of Dia Philippides, now a professor emerita in the Classical Studies Department. From 2016 to 2018, CENSUS collaborated with Boston College Libraries on the initial development of the website, and a workshop of BC undergraduates engaged in data entry and correction. Since 2020, CENSUS has worked in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam. University Trustee Drake Behrakis ’86—along with other BC alumni—and the Greek Ministry of Culture were among those who provided significant support to the project during its years at BC, according to Philippides. —University Communications
Nota Bene Boston College doctoral candidate in philosophy Magnus Ferguson is among 22 recipients this year of the Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, the largest and most prestigious award for Ph.D. candidates in the humanities and social sciences addressing questions of ethical and religious values. Through the program, administered by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, fellows receive a 12-month award of $30,000 to support the final year of dissertation writing. Ferguson, whose research draws from social epistemology, feminist philosophy, moral psychology, and philosophical hermeneutics, earned a bachelor’s degree in religion from Columbia University. His dissertation is titled “On Responsibility for Others’ Harms.” Formerly the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, the Institute for Citizens & Scholars is a 75-year-old organization that has played a significant role in shaping American higher education. The institute prepares leaders and engages networks of people and organizations to meet urgent education challenges. Quynh Xuan Nguyen Truong, a member of the Boston College School of Social Work Class of 2022, was named to the inaugural cohort of 40 Under 40 Public Health Catalyst Award winners, announced by the Boston Congress of Public Health [bcph.org/40under40]. Award nominees, all employed in or with a connection to the public health sector, are established or rising professional leaders with a strong record of innovation and outstanding performance in issues related to public health and/or social justice. Truong, who is pursuing a doctoral degree in public health at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, has served as a social work intern at the Massachusetts General Hospital Division of Palliative Care & Geriatric Medicine.
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When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Truong, a Vietnamese native, was in the United States as a Fulbright Scholar. Yet she took a leadership role in helping Vietnam shape its public health response to COVID. As the COVID-19 task force coordinator and health network vice director for the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts Global, she worked closely with the Ho Chi Minh City local government and directly with the prime minister, her team leading the analysis of epidemiology and health economic data to form public health policy that was adopted by the Vietnamese government. Established last year, the Boston Congress of Public Health is a nonprofit organization that seeks to democratize public health through the lens of social justice. BCPH facilitates educational and policy trainings, televisions series, and a fellowship program; it also publishes HPHR Journal, a peer-reviewed academic journal promoting evidence-based discourse around health equity. This spring, the organization has launched a number of training-mentoring activities, including academic competitions, networking events, and fireside chats.
This is the final edition of Boston College Chronicle for the 2021-2022 academic year. Chronicle will publish a summer issue in July. For news and updates, see BC News [bc.edu/bcnews].
BC in the Media WGBH News interviewed Prof. Gregory Fried (Philosophy)—whose research interests include political philosophy, responses to challenges to liberal democracy, and the rise of ethno-nationalism—about the proliferation of neo-Nazi movements. In a piece for LawFare, Assoc. Prof. Peter Krause (Political Science), Prof. Liane Young (Psychology/Neuroscience), and her former student Jordan Theriault Ph.D. ’17 wrote that education about terrorism can lead to a more accurate view of the danger. Pastors should baptize the children of same-sex couples in an affirming and pastorally sensitive way, according to Prof. John Baldovin, S.J., (STM), writing in Outreach. A study by Lynch School of Education and Human Development researchers Naoka Carey and Rebekah Levine Coley that showed an uptick in adolescents carrying
handguns has drawn media attention from, among others, NBC News.com, CBS Boston, NBC Boston, US News, The Hill, and Washington Examiner. America Assistant Editor and former O’Hare Fellow Molly Cahill ’20 and Class of 2021 O’Hare Fellows Doug Girardot and Keara Hanlon were among magazine staffers offering advice to new college graduates in a recent edition of America. Dogs may be good at reading our emotions, but we’re not as good at reading theirs, according to a New York Times article that included insights from Asst. Prof. Angie Johnston (Psychology/Neuroscience), director of BC’s Canine Cognition Center. Assoc. Prof. Brian Quinn (Law) spoke about Elon Musk’s decision to pause his takeover of Twitter in interviews with The New York Times, The Guardian (U.K.), Law 360, and Grid News.
Brown Succeeds York as Hockey Coach Former Boston College All-American defenseman Greg Brown ’90 was named the Schiller Family Head Hockey Coach at BC, becoming just the fifth head coach of BC men’s hockey since 1932. Most recently the head coach of the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL, Brown succeeds Jerry York, who stepped down this spring after 50 years of Division I coaching, including 28 years as coach of the Eagles. Brown spent 14 seasons behind the bench for the Eagles from 2004-2018 as an assistant on York’s staff, helping to bring three national championships to the
Heights in 2008, 2010, and 2012. After eight seasons as an assistant coach, he was elevated to associate head coach following the 2012 NCAA title, BC’s third championship in a five-year span. During his 14 years coaching at Boston College, Brown helped lead BC to six Hockey East Tournament Championships, seven Hockey East Regular Season Championships, 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, and seven NCAA Frozen Four berths. Brown was also selected as an assistant coach for Team USA at three different IIHF World Junior Championships.
Jobs Jobs velopment Career Services Assistant Associate Director, Software Engineering Help Desk Specialist Construction Project Manager Technology Consultant Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Director, Office of Spon- Dean sored Programs Assistant Director, Career Education Business Systems Analyst Administrative & Program SpecialAlumni Relations Assistant ist Teacher Assistant Assistant Director, Connell School Creative Video Producer of Nursing Administrative Assistant, Rappa- Volunteer Coordinator port Center Fiscal Specialist, Mission & MinisAssociate Director, Participatory try Service Center Giving Staff Nurse Patrol Officer Development Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor Post-doctoral Research Fellow Campus Minister (multiple positions) Assistant Director, Professional DeThe following are among the recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/jobs.
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Eight BC Grads Awarded Fulbrights With pandemic having caused an upheaval in study-abroad opportunities, winners looking forward to next phase BY THE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Eight Boston College alumni—including three members of the Class of 2022—have been selected for coveted Fulbright Scholarships, which support a year’s post-baccalaureate study abroad. Sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to support academic exchanges between the United States and more than 150 countries around the world, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants to college graduates, graduate students, and early-career professionals for individually designed study or research programs and English teaching assistantships abroad. Nearly 600 U.S. colleges actively participate in the Fulbright Program. Recipients are chosen on the basis of academic merit and leadership potential. BC has been ranked consistently among the nation’s top producers of student Fulbright winners, according to statistics compiled by The Chronicle of Higher Education. The University was 15th among doctoral institutions in the most recent survey. Like many study-abroad programs, the Fulbright has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the program halted in-person exchanges for U.S. participants, resuming them on a country-by-country basis the following year. In March, the Fulbright Program announced that in-person exchanges would be based “on the operating status of the host institutions, the administrative resources in place at the U.S. Embassy or Fulbright Commission to support participants while on their program, the availability of international travel and visa services, and the capacity of local facilities to protect public health.” Political Science Professor of the Practice Paul Christensen, BC’s Fulbright administrator, said the selection process was more competitive this past year, as more students from the U.S., including a record number from BC, sought Fulbrights than in previous years. Many students who missed out on study-abroad opportunities due to the pandemic—as well as some students unable to pursue their Fulbright projects because of COVID—applied or reapplied, he noted. In addition to the eight BC graduating seniors and alumni who won Fulbrights this year, eight others were named as alternates. “I want to congratulate all the students who applied, and I hope that those students who received grants this year will have the opportunity to take them up,” said Christensen, who also expressed gratitude to the Fulbright advising team, as well as “all the BC faculty and members of the administration who assist our students with their applications and support this important program.”
Iulia Boboc ’20 HOMETOWN: Dumont, NJ DESTINATION: Spain PROJECT: Holding speech and acting classes that culminate in a community performance of a series of mini-plays, intended to highlight how different cultures represent and handle the same topic. This project aims to build student confidence in oration and performance while sparking community conversations about different cultural values and societal norms. FUTURE PLANS: Will return to the learning academy where she works as an assistant director and English teacher “and use what I’ve learned in Spain to better serve our students.”
complex issues, including refugee crises, the causes and implications of climate change, and the systemic nature of social inequities. As such, the Master’s in International Development program is a natural next step for me because it will help me build out the critical quantitative and analytical skills that are required to tackle complex societal problems. “Additionally, I came into contact with IE University students through a project I helped lead at BC called Global Conversations, which connects students from around the world via video conference to openly discuss topics that are important to them. In and of itself, this project played an influential role in my decision to apply for a Fulbright grant because of the unmatched value I found in collaborating and having deep discussions with students and faculty members from around the globe. In addition to profoundly enriching my studies, these interactions led me to discover similarities I shared with complete strangers around the world.” Laura Kate Magnuson ’21 HOMETOWN: Chelmsford, Mass. DESTINATION: Greece PROJECT: English Teaching Assistant at a PreK-12 school in Athens; will also be a coach for the school’s English debate and theater organization. FUTURE PLANS: Return to the U.S. and teach in a public elementary school.
Class of 2022 graduates Doan Khue Tran and Peyton Wilson will travel, respectively, to Laos and Germany on their Fulbrights. photo by caitlin cunningham
“I would not have gotten this Fulbright without BC. Spain Fulbright requires intermediate Spanish, but I actually never took Spanish in college. However, while studying abroad in Spain my junior year, BC allowed me to take my classes in Spain completely in Spanish, which improved my language skills enormously and gave me the credentials to apply. Some of my fondest memories in college in general were from acting classes I took with BC’s Patricia Riggin, who showed me the strength, connection, and sanctuary that good training can lead a performer to find on the stage. If I can lead my students to feel 10 percent of what I was able to feel in her classes, I would consider my project a complete success.” Mariana Ferreira ’21 HOMETOWN: New Canaan, Conn. DESTINATION: Spain PROJECT: Received a Fulbright/IE University Award to study for a master’s degree in international (sustainable) development at IE University in Madrid. FUTURE PLANS: Pursue a career in sustainable development, general sustainability, or corporate responsibility field.
“As an International Studies major, I gained an interdisciplinary perspective on global ethics and justice through courses in political science, sociology, history, and economics. I dedicated my college years to exploring societal issues at the local to international scale. My experiences helped me form a deep and nuanced understanding of
“Through the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, I was able to realize my passion for teaching by completing practicums in a variety of surrounding school districts. Through these experiences, I was inspired to research opportunities to teach outside of the United States as a way
of gender studies or comparative literature; hopes to teach at a university in the U.S. or Europe.
“This was my second time applying for a Fulbright. I was guided by Boston College professors both times and have to give special thanks to Michael Resler and Paul Christensen for their help. The first time, I ended up being a teaching assistant in Austria through a program facilitated by Fulbright Austria, and now I am going to be doing the research aspect instead. Getting advice from the professors at BC has been invaluable and I really would not have been able to do this without them.” Latifat Odetunde ’22 HOMETOWN: Providence, RI DESTINATION: Cameroon PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship
Clayton Scott ’20 HOMETOWN: Syracuse, NY DESTINATION: Spain PROJECT: English Teaching Assistant; he also plans to host a high school cooking club. FUTURE PLANS: Attend Boston College Law School, focusing on public service.
“At Boston College, I studied political science and Hispanic studies/Spanish. In and outside the classroom I learned the importance of reflection and service to others, which I will continue to live as a Fulbright scholar.” Doan Khue Tran ’22
HOMETOWN: Los Angeles DESTINATION: Laos PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship; she will also be conducting a supplementary project on the study and preservation of Laos textile art. FUTURE PLANS: To attend law school
“BC’s liberal arts curriculum has exposed me to a wide range of subjects, interests, and experiences. This, in turn, has greatly helped me demonstrate my preparedness for the Fulbright grant in Laos.” Peyton Wilson ’22
Clayton Scott ’25 will spend a year in Germany before entering BC Law.
to broaden my perspective as an educator. I also took several courses about best teaching practices for students who have a native language other than English, and I am excited to put these practices to use next year when I teach Greek students.” Ninutsa (Nina) Nadirashvili ’19 HOMETOWN: Hawthorne, NJ DESTINATION: Republic of Georgia PROJECT: An intersectional analysis of Georgian textbooks and how they are taught in the classroom. FUTURE PLANS: Pursue a Ph.D. in the fields
HOMETOWN: Springdale, Ark. DESTINATION: Germany PROJECT: English Teaching Assistantship Award; pursue research in architectural theory and city planning/urban design. FUTURE PLANS: Return to BC on a Dean’s Scholarship to pursue a master’s in learning engineering at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development; use Fulbright teaching experience to work in educational curriculum design for a social institution, e.g., a museum or university.
“I came to Boston College because I knew that Jesuit values would help me discern what I was meant to do. Every class, professor, club, and job I engaged with pushed me to consider how my actions affect others, and how I can meaningfully engage in service and educational opportunities that lift others whose voices might not otherwise be heard. I was able to refine my educational and vocational interests, and was academically challenged, but more importantly, I was encouraged to use my talents and passions to help others. This Fulbright grant is the perfect opportunity to combine my passions for education, travel, and intentional service.”