Boston College Chronicle

PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

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Finnegan Award

Parting Thoughts

BC Global

Carroll School’s Shanmugam selected for highest undergraduate Commencement honor.

Retiring faculty and staff talk about their time at BC.

Naughton wins Fulbright award; easing of pandemic improves prospects for studyabroad fellowships.

MAY 27, 2021 VOL. 28 NO. 16

PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

COMMENCEMENT 2021

‘Luckiest Generation’ The post-pandemic world will be full of opportunities for growth and improvement, Brooks tells 2021 graduates

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

At Monday morning’s jubilant Commencement, national columnist and bestselling author David Brooks extolled the Boston College Class of 2021 for its resilience and determination during one of the most difficult periods in recent American history.

“This is a college graduation like no other in our lifetimes,” said Brooks, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. “All graduations are transitions, but this is the mother of all transitions.”

Monday’s Commencement Exercises— the 144th in University history—were a welcome return to BC tradition after the COVID-19 pandemic had forced cancellation of last year’s festivities. Family members and friends once again dotted the seats at Alumni Stadium, and some 4,321 Bos-

ton College students received their undergraduate and graduate degrees at separate ceremonies held around campus after the main Commencement event or on Sunday following the Baccalaureate Mass.

The University also presented honorary degrees to: Lyndia Downie, president and executive director of the Pine Street Inn; former BC football player Sean Guthrie ’01, M.Ed.’14, head of middle school at The Fessenden School in Newton, Mass.; Christine Montenegro McGrath ’87, vice president and chief of global impact, sustainability, and well-being for Mondelēz International; and former University Vice President for Human Resources and Senior Advisor to the President Leo V. Sullivan, M.Ed. ’80, P ’89 and ’90.

Brooks, who referred to this year’s crop of graduates as “the Winston Churchill of college classes,” said the emotional, spiritual, and physical toll of COVID-19 has

David Brooks during his address to the Class of 2021 on Monday.

been considerable for all ages, including young people. “But here’s the good thing about enduring a hard thing when you are young. Forever after, you’ll now know you have the capacity to survive hard things and you don’t have to be terrified of them.”

The prospect of a post-pandemic world is an exciting one, but should be guided by wisdom and courage that will enable us to improve lives, said Brooks, who asked the

photo by lee pellegrini

graduates to consider what role they can play in the reawakening. He called upon them to carefully discern what things they truly love and value, not for the moment but over time—“if you can’t rank your loves you’ll scatter your talents and your life won’t accumulate into anything.”

Brooks listed several areas of focus that could aid this process, such as forming a

Continued on page 4

Survey: Most 2020 Grads at Work, in School, or Elsewhere

BY ALIX HACKETT SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

It didn’t take long for the Class of 2020 to find their footing in the real world, despite the added challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Within six months of collecting their diplomas, 93 percent of graduates were employed, attending graduate school, or engaged in a fellowship or volunteer opportunity, according to survey results

released by the Boston College Office of Institutional Research and Planning and the BC Career Center.

The findings make a strong case for the value of Boston College’s liberal arts education, and reflect the hard work and resilience of its most recent graduates, whose in-person college experience was cut short unexpectedly last March.

“After their historic senior year, I’m pleased to see, but not surprised, that the Class of 2020 is finding success in both the

job market and at institutions of higher education,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley. “Boston College’s enduring commitment to student formation helped prepare our youngest alumni to overcome unprecedented challenges and to lead lives of purpose and meaning.”

According to the survey, 68 percent of graduates entered the workforce, representing a broad range of industries from health care to education. The majority (23 percent) chose jobs in financial services while

19 percent work in health care and the sciences at prestigious institutions like Massachusetts General Hospital and Children’s Hospital Boston. Eleven percent pursued careers in business and management, and another 11 percent are employed in the technology sector, with jobs at Oracle, Facebook, and Dell.

A majority of students (70 percent) said they utilized career resources offered by BC to secure their employment. Many took

Continued on page 3

We are committed to sustaining and scaling the themes and bridges between religion and science that we anticipate as outcomes of this project.

–dominic doyle, co-leader of neuroscience education in theology training project, page 2

Chronicle

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May 27, 2021

STM Project Will Focus on Integrating Science, Theology

BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER

The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry will participate in a groundbreaking project that will help a diverse group of seminaries integrate science into their core curricula and provide support and resources to professors that will promote informed dialogue and a positive understanding of science among future religious leaders—ultimately enriching those in the pews.

The school was selected for the Science for Seminaries initiative by the American Association for the Advancement of Science Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion program, in partnership with the Association of Theological Schools.

STM Associate Professor of Systematic Theology Dominic Doyle will serve as lead for the project, “Neuroscience Education in Theology Training,” which will encompass the integration of neuroscience into at least five master’s degree courses at the STM and the creation of three campus events on religion and science.

“Both theology and science raise questions of ultimate meaning,” said Doyle. “The aim of our Neuroscience Education in Theology Training project is to foster dialogue between religion and science at STM, thus enhancing the intellectual growth and ministerial effectiveness of our students.

“We’re grateful to the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion program for selecting STM to participate in the Sciences for Seminaries project,” he added.

The courses involved in the Neuroscience Education in Theology Training (NETT) project cross a range of theological disciplines—Biblical, systematics, pastoral care, ethics, and practice—and are offered in STM’s Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry, Master of Theological Studies, and Master of Theology programs. Social, cognitive, and affective neuroscience research, theory, and concepts will be intentionally integrated into the courses, which typically reach approximately 120 students, or about half of the total number of students enrolled in STM master’s degree programs.

Doyle plans to adapt his Fundamental Theology course by incorporating neuroscience as an extended test case for its examination of the relationship between theology and science, as it explores competing arguments for reduction and emergence, and the evolutionary basis for the religious potential of personhood.

The other STM faculty members participating in the NETT project, and their respective courses, are: Associate Professor of ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Jack Dunn SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Dominic Doyle (School of Theology and Ministry) and Jessica Black (School of Social Work) will lead the Neuroscience Education in Theology Training project. photo of doyle by peter julian

Moral Theology Daniel J. Daly (Health Care Ethics); Professor of the Practice of Theology and Director of Spirituality Studies Colleen M. Griffith (Theological Foundations in Practical Perspective); Associate Professor of New Testament Angela Kim Harkins (Synoptic Gospels), and Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling Melissa M. Kelley (Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling: A Narrative Approach).

BC School of Social Work Associate Professor Jessica Black, a neuroscientist whose area of study is neurobiological and psychosocial systems that impact the lives of young people and their families, particularly those impacted by neurodevelopmental disability, will serve as the project’s co-leader and oncampus science expert.

She has expertise in introducing faith leaders to neurobiological principles of religious development and addressing the needs of neurodiverse children and their families in religious settings.

Black teaches in the M.Div./M.S.W. dual degree program, and she and Kelley co-developed and co-taught Neuroscience and Religion: Conflict, Coexistence or Collaboration, a core course for first-year BC undergraduates.

“I’m very excited about our involvement in the Science for Seminaries project, which will enable us to bring science more explicitly into our curriculum,” said STM Dean Thomas D. Stegman, S.J. “I’m grateful to Professor Doyle for his perseverance in helping to secure this funding. It has also been gratifying to collaborate with Professor Black of BCSSW. The interdisciplinary quality of this project is certainly in line with BC’s and STM’s strategic plans.”

The NETT project also will organize and host a speakers’ panel, webinar series, and book club.

The panel will feature national experts on

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Sean Smith

Graduating seniors were given a send-off last week by Boston College Campus School students and staff members. photo by lee pellegrini

Christine Balquist Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan

Chronicle

PHOTOGRAPHER

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

Patricia Delaney EDITOR

neuroscience and theology who will discuss topics such as free will, reason, and prayer.

Designed to be an in-person event for 200 people, the speakers’ panel will be held in fall 2022.

In the late fall of 2021 and into spring 2022, the NETT project will offer a webinar series featuring live interviews with NETT faculty and guest scholars. Proposed topics include how science and religion address palliative care, mental health and trauma, consciousness, moral development, and religious education, among others.

The third event will be the Practice of Ministry and Science Intersections Book Club, which will meet in person during the spring of 2022 and online the following summer.

Doyle plans to connect with Lumen et Vita, the student academic journal of the STM, which organizes a popular student conference each spring. The NETT project will offer three prizes for the best presenta-

Lee Pellegrini

tions among the conference participants on the application of scientific knowledge to pastoral ministry.

The NETT project website and recorded webinars will remain accessible after the project ends in late 2022. All courses in the project will continue to integrate science, and the NETT faculty may find ways to bring science into the other STM courses they teach, according to Doyle.

“We are confident that the relationship between theologians and working scientists established by this project will continue well past the project end date,” added Doyle.

“And we are committed to sustaining and scaling the themes and bridges between religion and science that we anticipate as outcomes of this project.”

The American Association for the Advancement of Science is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes 261 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving millions of individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world, with an estimated total readership of 1 million. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. Building upon its mission, AAAS established the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program in 1995 to facilitate communication between scientific and religious communities.

For the latest information and news about AAAS DoSER and the Science for Seminaries project, go to AAAS.org/DoSER and ScienceforSeminaries.org.

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Chronicle

May 27, 2021

BC Issues an Update on ’21-’22 Operational Plans Vice President for Human Resources David Trainor recently provided an update on Boston College’s operational plans for the 2021-2022 academic year, including details regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and pandemic-related employee accommodations.

All BC faculty, staff, and students must be vaccinated for COVID-19 prior to engaging in on-campus activities during the 2021-2022 academic year, Trainor said, reiterating a recent University announcement. Faculty and staff will be able to use an online tool through PeopleSoft to provide proof of vaccination, which will be protected as a confidential record; students will similarly upload proof of vaccination to University Health Services.

Trainor noted that the University will consider medical or religious exemptions from the mandatory vaccination requirement. Vaccination Exemption Request forms are available through the Office for Institutional Diversity website.

Effective this Sunday, all special accommodations approved by the Office for In-

stitutional Diversity related to the pandemic—including authorizations for remote work—will expire, Trainor said. Employees who desire a special accommodation must reapply for the summer, but those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will not be eligible. Any special accommodation granted through OID will end no later than August 13 unless otherwise approved through the normal Americans with Disabilities Act accommodation process.

Boston College will remain subject to guidance and directives from public health officials related to building occupancy, making remote or hybrid work a necessity for some through July, Trainor said.

The University will continue to offer the possibility of flexible and remote work after the return to regular operations for the 2021-2022 academic year, and will provide guidance on the equitable and appropriate application of this policy to vice presidents and deans later this summer, according to Trainor.

—University Communications

“While the pandemic was chal- lenging in many ways, students were still able to take advantage of our programs and determine the path that’s right for them.”

— Joseph Du Pont

photo by lee pellegrini

Positive Outcomes for 2020 Grads Continued from page 1

advantage of the center’s expanded virtual offerings, including online career fairs and job coaching and the self-guided Praxis Summer Program.

“Students are thinking critically about how they will use their Boston College education in service of their future,” said Associate Vice President for Career Services Joseph Du Pont. “While the pandemic was challenging in many ways, students were still able to take advantage of our programs and determine the path that’s right for them.”

Of the 23 percent attending graduate school, more than half (69 percent) are pursuing master’s degrees and 12 percent are pursuing juris doctorates. The top areas of study are education (20 percent); science, technology, engineering, and math (19 percent); business (12 percent); and law (12 percent). The most popular graduate schools include BC, Harvard, Yale, Brown, Columbia, and Duke.

A smaller portion of graduates (three percent) have chosen to pursue fellowships or volunteer opportunities. The most popular volunteer commitments include the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, AmeriCorps, and Peace Corps, while Fulbright study was the

top fellowship choice.

In determining their post-graduation plans, many students drew from interests and passions discerned during their time at BC. About three-fourths of respondents cited “interested in the field” as a factor influencing their decision to pursue a specific career or course of study.

“Deciding what to do with your life isn’t something you can do overnight,” said Du Pont. “Our students are constantly learning about themselves and what gives them purpose from the moment they join the BC community—whether it’s through coursework, internships, volunteering, or working on campus.”

The findings reported by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning represent 73 percent of the Class of 2020.

Most data was 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.

—Alix Hackett is a senior digital content writer in the Office of University Communications

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Lynch School Prof. Named a Faculty Leader

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Andrés Castro Samayoa, an assistant professor in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, was named one of 11 Mellon Emerging Faculty Leaders (MEFL) for 2021, announced the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. He is the first BC faculty member to receive the honor.

Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the MEFL awards support junior faculty whose research focuses on contemporary American history, culture, and society, and who are committed to the creation of an inclusive campus community for underrepresented students and scholars.

Castro Samayoa, a member of the Lynch School’s Education Leadership and Higher Education department, was recognized for his work drawing from sociological and historical methodologies focused on Minority Serving Institutions, a subset of more than 600 federally designated colleges and universities in the United States. His project examines how administrative data and the construction of racial and ethnic markers are used to develop policies to advance equity in education.

“We are thrilled that Andrés has won this very competitive award,” said Stanton E. F. Wortham, the Charles F. Donovan, S.J., Dean of the Lynch School. “The honor recognizes both his highly regarded research on access and equity in higher education and his exemplary character as a university citizen. As much as any other colleague, Andrés brings together faculty and students to build community and create substantive engagements that benefit the entire school. We are grateful that he

Andrés Castro Samayoa photo by gary wayne gilbert

will use this award to enrich our collective life further.”

The MEFL award is designed to free the time of junior faculty working toward tenure, including those from underrepresented groups and others committed to eradicating disparities in their respective fields, so they can engage in and build support for systems, networks, and affinity groups that make their fields and campuses more inclusive. The awardees were selected through a competitive interview process by a selection committee of four former and current university leaders with various academic and research backgrounds.

Established in 2015, the MEFL program has now supported more than 50 junior faculty who represent the next generation of leaders and scholars in the humanities and social sciences, and who are poised to play a significant role in shaping American higher education.

Founded in 1945, the Princeton, N.J.based Institute for Citizens & Scholars, formerly the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, administers the MEFL program.

Annual ‘Excellence in Teaching Day’ Looks Back on aYear Like No Other The Boston College Center for Teaching Excellence held its annual “Excellence in Teaching Day” last Friday, following an unprecedented year that asked scholars to recreate courses and classrooms to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In many ways, the public health measures required of universities may have redefined what “excellence” in teaching—and learning—looks like, according to CTE Executive Director Stacy Grooters.

“Some of us have had to reckon in new ways with our own and our students’ human limitations,” noted the introduction in this year’s program. “Others have gained new insight into what we think is truly fundamental to learning in our disciplines.

And many of us have discovered new ways of thinking about teaching that we’ll carry with us even after the pandemic ends.”

Although the event was conducted online this year, Grooters said she and her staff hope it continues to serve as a space for colleagues to gather and think together

about the work of the past year and the years ahead.

Two BC faculty members launched the day’s events: Assistant Professor of Theology and African and African Diaspora Studies Amey Victoria Adkins-Jones offered her reflections on the past year in “What Remains: Reflections on Pedagogy, Pandemics, and Practices of Freedom.”

Professor of History Sylvia Sellers-García provided a response and engaged in a short dialogue with Adkins-Jones.

The afternoon featured breakout room discussions, where participants could move among different virtual conversations, some focusing on analysis of Adkins-Jones’ keynote and others dedicated to particular teaching topics or for specific populations.

Concluding the day were three concurrent panel discussions, where groups of faculty and students described their efforts to make sense of teaching and learning following this pandemic year.

—Ed Hayward

Chronicle

4

COMMENCEMENT 2021

‘Honoris Causa’

2021 Honorary Degree Citations

May 27, 2021

tional is the Cocoa Life initiative, a $400-million program launched in 2012 that aims to increase the sustainability of the cocoa industry by fostering ef-

DAVID BROOKS

ficient farming practices, community development,

As one of the nation’s leading voices on politics

and forest conservation education.

and culture, David Brooks has made a singular and

Throughout her career, she has been a leading

lasting contribution to American intellectual life. He

advocate for diversity and inclusion. Named by

began his career as a police reporter in Chicago,

Fortune Magazine as one of the 50 Most Powerful

launching a classic journalistic success story that

Latinas in Business in 2017 and 2018, she was also

has included stints at The Wall Street Journal, The

selected as a leader of her company’s inaugural

Atlantic, and Newsweek, as well as appearances on

Global Diversity and Inclusion Council. Prior to join-

PBS, NPR, and NBC’s “Meet the Press.” In 2003, he

ing Mondelez International, she served for more

took on one of the most coveted jobs in the news-

than two decades at Kraft Foods in roles including

paper business when The New York Times hired

vice president for the Latino Center of Excellence,

him as an op-ed columnist. His cross-ideological

significantly increasing the company’s investment

appeal, along with his trenchant analysis of politics,

and growth in the Latino market. In recognition of

international news, economics, and social issues,

her professional accomplishments and steadfast

have made him one of the most respected and

commitment to addressing complex social and

high-profile commentators of our time.

environmental problems, Boston College awards

Beyond scrutinizing the news of the day, this

Christine Montenegro McGrath the degree of Doc-

Canadian native has explored broader matters of

tor of Business Administration, honoris causa.

Front, L-R: Lyndia Downie, University President William P. Leahy, S.J., David Brooks. Back, L-R: Trustees Chair John Fish, Leo Sullivan, Sean Guthrie, Christine Montenegro McGrath, Boston Archbishop Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap. photo by lee pellegrini

LEO V. SULLIVAN

ing wealth, fame, and status—and the "eulogy

operations of the men’s shelter to overseeing public

Cambridge. In 2016, he was selected as a Principal

tor, Leo Sullivan devoted his professional life to

virtues" that exist at the core of our being: kindness,

affairs and development. Over the years, she also

Fellow at BC’s Lynch Leadership Academy, and he

ensuring that Boston College would be a caring,

bravery, honesty. He has sought to impart these les-

fostered Pine Street Inn’s partnership with Boston

went on to an appointment as principal of Boston’s

supportive, and desirable place to work. For more

sons not only through the written word, but also in

College’s PULSE Program for Service Learning,

Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School.

than 45 years, he oversaw Human Resources at

classrooms at institutions like Yale and Duke univer-

providing formative volunteer experiences for hun-

sities and from the speaker’s podium. In recognition

dreds of undergraduates.

faith and morality in his books The Road to Character and The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life. His writings advocate for rebalancing the scales between our "résumé virtues"—achiev-

A popular and highly respected administra-

Since 2019, he has served as head of middle

BC, first as director and then as the division’s vice

school at The Fessenden School in Newton, Mas-

president from 1989 to 2014. By recruiting and hiring

Today, her expertise and achievements sur-

sachusetts, leading programs for 109 boys in grades

key senior administrators and creating innovative

discourse, Boston College welcomes David Brooks

rounding the complex topic of homelessness have

five and six. Now in his 15th year as an educator, he

programming, he helped shape the Boston College

to campus and awards him the degree of Doctor of

made her a sought-after speaker and policy advisor.

has held teaching and leadership positions in urban

workplace of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Laws, honoris causa.

She has earned several prestigious awards, and

public schools and private schools. In both settings,

Under his leadership, the University established the

was named one of the top 100 women leaders in

his decisions have been driven by the same goal:

Office of Affirmative Action in 1971, the Children’s

Massachusetts by The Commonwealth Institute and

to enhance learning and future possibilities for stu-

Center in 1988, and the Office for Institutional Di-

The Boston Globe in 2019 and 2020. For her tire-

dents through education. For his accomplishments

versity in 2005. He embodied the Jesuit principle

dedicated her 36-year career to uplifting men and

less efforts on behalf of the city’s most vulnerable

as an educator and his dedication to improving the

of cura personalis in his vocation as a human

women experiencing homelessness across the

people, Boston College awards Lyndia Downie the

lives of children, Boston College awards Sean Ian

resources leader. During his tenure, the division

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As president and

degree of Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa.

Guthrie the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters,

launched programs to address employees’ profes-

honoris causa.

sional development, health, and wellness, and he

of his distinctive role in shaping American public

LYNDIA DOWNIE Truly a woman for others, Lyndia Downie has

executive director of the Pine Street Inn since 2000, she has spearheaded the expansion of permanent supportive housing for individuals transitioning to

SEAN GUTHRIE This is not the first time Sean Guthrie has heard

was known for the personal connection he had with

CHRISTINE MONTENEGRO McGRATH

his name called in Alumni Stadium. A former cap-

Pine Street Inn has become the largest homeless

tain of the Eagles football team whose skills and

the power of leadership to promote changes that

the president, Father Leahy recognized him for his

services provider in New England, housing more

leadership propelled him to the National Football

improve not only the bottom line, but also the well-

pastoral care, wisdom, sensitivity, and profound in-

than 800 tenants and serving thousands of guests

League, this 2001 Boston College graduate now

being of the planet and its people. As vice presi-

fluence on the life and culture of the University.

every day through its emergency shelters, street

leads in the field of education. Inspired by the ex-

dent and chief of global impact, sustainability, and

A graduate of Northeastern University, he is the

outreach, and job training programs. A graduate

amples set by his mother and father, he has always

well-being for Mondelez International—a company

father of two BC graduates and a part of the Boston

of the University of Vermont, she first encountered

regarded education as the pathway to a better life

known for such popular food brands as Oreo, Cad-

College alumni family, having earned a Master of

Pine Street Inn while reading a roommate’s copy

and a better world for us all. After his professional

bury, and Trident—this 1987 Boston College gradu-

Education degree from the University in 1980. In

of Boston College Magazine. A year later, in 1984,

football career, he found his second calling in teach-

ate confronts many of the pressing issues facing

gratitude for his decades of service to the University

she applied for a job as an administrative assistant

ing. He returned to BC to earn a master’s degree

our world today, including deforestation, climate

and unwavering dedication to its employees, Boston

at the Inn. She went on to hold positions at nearly

as a Donovan Urban Teaching Fellow in 2014 and

change, obesity, and gender inequality. One central

College awards Leo V. Sullivan the degree of Doctor

every level of the organization, from heading the

became a math teacher in schools in Boston and

example of her leadership at Mondelez Interna-

of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

Brooks Lauds Class of 2021

“You have more to fear from your inhibitions than you do from your vulnerabilities. More lives are wrecked by the slow and frigid death of emotional closedness than by the short and glowing risk of emotional openness. As we unmask, I hope openness will be the order of the day.”

A year ago, Brooks said, “I thought you were the unluckiest generation. But now I look at you and I look at what’s about to happen in all our lives, and I think you are the luckiest generation. We’re going to have a roaring ’20s. And the quality of this decade, and the decades to come, will depend on how well you roar.

“I salute you, Eagles. Have a blast. God bless you.”

In his welcoming remarks, University President William P. Leahy, S.J., noted the abiding sense of gratitude “that we can celebrate this graduation together and that COVID-19 and related restrictions did

not prevail,” a statement that drew robust applause. Looking back at the past 15 months of the pandemic, Fr. Leahy praised students, faculty, staff, as well as parents and family members for meeting the challenges, showing “impressive commitment, resilience, and perseverance” while helping “protect the health and safety of all.”

Praising the 2021 graduates for their resolve during the past year, Fr. Leahy also lauded their talents, energy, and generosity, which brought “new life” to Boston College. The graduating class, he said, received steadfast support and encouragement from parents, spouses, family, and friends, who stood up at Fr. Leahy’s request to receive a round of applause.

Every age has had its share of daunting problems, and the one in which the 2021 grads find themselves is no exception, said Fr. Leahy: people living amid violence, war, poverty, and illiteracy; religious faith

threatened by intolerance and apathy; racial, social, and economic equality; and entrenched partisanship that hampers governmental solutions to urgent matters.

“I am confident that you have the ability, preparation, and commitment to engage and propose solutions for pressing issues of our time because of who you are and what you have learned and experienced in our community,” said Fr. Leahy. “I urge that you give to others from the abundance that you have received, and to put into practice the principles, values, and beliefs that have long shaped Boston College and motivated its alumni.”

Assistant Professor of Theology Michael Magree, S.J., gave the invocation and Archbishop of Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap., offered the benediction. The newest BC grads were formally welcomed into the University’s alumni ranks by Alumni Association President Eric Silva.

Continued from page 1

giving circle with BC friends to help others; building “identity capital” through a personal-growth experience—salmon fishing in Alaska or teaching kindergarten in Mongolia—that people “will ask you about for the rest of your life”; finding a point of agreement when you argue with someone; and discovering your purpose—not what you want from life, but “what does life ask of me?”

He urged the graduates to prepare for “The Great Unmasking,” not just of physical masks but of psychological or emotional ones that inhibit the potential value of our relationships, and our capacity to grow and change.

Christine Montenegro McGrath exemplifies

the thousands of employees on campus. In 2014,

self-sufficiency in Boston. Under her leadership, the

when he assumed his position as senior advisor to

Chronicle

May 27, 2021

5

Edward Finnegan, S.J., Award

‘BC Gave Me a License to Dream Big’

BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER

Hariharan (Harry) Shanmugam, a member of the Boston College Class of 2021, is driven to use his knowledge, interests, and skills to make society a better place by addressing health disparities and advancing public health.

A member of the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program, Shanmugam has a stellar academic record and graduated summa cum laude from the Carroll School of Management, with a concentration in accounting for finance and consulting and a major in biology.

At Monday’s Commencement Exercises, University President William P. Leahy, S.J., presented Shanmugam with the Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Award, given annually to the graduating senior who best exemplifies Boston College’s motto “Ever to Excel.”

The Hopkinton, Mass., resident fell in love with BC during his senior year of high school when he visited campus as a prospective Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program student.

“I remember being blown away by the people I talked to. We stayed up late in the dorm talking about God, politics, and architecture. It was one of those quintessential college moments, and I remember thinking, ‘I want this.’

“BC was so clearly that place where I was going to have people who cared about me, a real sense of community, mentors who want to see you succeed, and friends who challenge you and make you grow. It’s been borne out every single day I’ve been at BC.” Shanmugam has combined his interests in medicine and science, business, and policy in his academic work, which includes two published articles and another under review.

As an Undergraduate Research Fellow for BC’s Global Pollution Observatory, he was a member of an interdisciplinary team of more than 40 scientists from 18 countries who developed a major report on “Human Health and Ocean Pollution.” Shanmugam worked with Global Public Health Director Philip Landrigan, M.D., and scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to develop a case study of the health and economic benefits that resulted from the Boston Harbor restoration. He was a contributing author to a paper from the study that was published in Annals of Global Health.

Said Landrigan, “Harry’s background in management and accounting enabled him to contribute uniquely to this endeavor by computing the return on investment from the Boston Harbor clean-up, information that is of critical importance to policy makers who need to understand that the large up-front costs of a major environmental restoration such as the Boston Harbor clean-up can be recovered many times over through such benefits as the rebuilding of fish and shellfish stocks, increased tourism, and improvement in human health and well-being.”

Shanmugam spent the summer of 2019 in Mexico as a research fellow for the National Institute for Public Health where he conducted research, in Spanish, on dietary

fiber intake and urinary creatinine. He was primary author of an article about the study that was published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research. “[Harry] is thoughtful, caring, and deeply committed to making the world a better place,” said Landrigan, who was the advisor for Shanmugam’s senior honors thesis, which looked at the role socioeconomic status and race played in the COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Massachusetts.

As an Undergraduate Research Fellow for BC School of Social Work Associate Professor Summer Hawkins, he analyzed a dataset to determine the effects of state pharmaceutical regulations on adolescent drug misuse.

He is first author of a manuscript currently out for review.

“BC is where I developed my passion for science,” said Shanmugam. “Biology at BC is such a comprehensive, deep dive into science. It’s such a cool major. One of my favorite classes was Biological Chemistry— an insanely hard class—but it completely changed the way I think about causality, about the way the world works, about science in general. The story of BC, for me, has been this awakening of a love for science, the processes behind it, and a systems-based thinking approach.”

“Harry is one of the greatest thinkers I have ever taught or mentored,” said Assistant Professor of the Practice of Biology Ben Fofana.

“I knew I wanted to be a doctor, but I wasn’t exposed to the idea of public health until I came here,” said Shanmugam. “But public health is medicine on a systemic level.”

Shanmugam put his interest in public health into action through his service and policy work on behalf of the HIV/AIDS community in Boston.

Since 2018, he has served on Boston’s Other finalists for the 2021 Finnegan Award: •Julie Miller, Connell School of Nursing: Provided compassionate connections in her roles as a nursing assistant at Hebrew Senior Life, a rehabilitation and long-term care facility, and as a big sister in the BC chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters. She served as an Undergraduate Research Fellow working on a qualitative study on palliative care, on the Campus Activities Board, and as a volunteer at various Boston locations through the BC First Year Service Program. Miller also participated in Appalachia Volunteers and performed volunteer service while studying abroad in Italy. She was selected for the Alpha Sigma Nu and Sigma Theta Tau honor societies. photos of miller and truchan by lee pellegrini

2021 Finnegan Award winner Hariharan (Harry) Shanmugam photo by lee pellegrini

Ryan White Planning Council, where he chairs a committee that identifies needs in the local HIV/AIDS community and allocates millions in federal funding to support that population. He also is a member of the Boston Public Health Commission, where he led the development of a care linkage program that aims to shorten the time from HIV diagnosis to outreach from a care provider from weeks or months to 48 hours.

He also represents the commission on the steering committee for the state’s Ending the HIV Epidemic in Massachusetts initiative.

Shanmugam’s on-campus extracurricular activities include serving as vice president of Model UN and a founding member of the Fulton Leadership Society. For nearly his entire time at BC, Shanmugam volunteered as a panelist for the Office of Undergraduate Admission’s information sessions.

“His ever-present kindness to others will always be remembered as will his drive to show high school students all of the pos•Eva Ottum, Lynch School of Education and Human Development: Her studies, research, and service work reflect an interest in the intersection of biology, health, and education with a goal of working toward environmental justice. A double major in secondary education and biology, she was an undergraduate researcher who contributed to a project examining the environmental impact of post-consumer textile waste. She also conducted research at Harvard and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where she served as a STEM ambassador. A member of the Montserrat executive board, Ottum participated in the Arrupe International Immersion trip to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and volunteered as a teacher at a school in rural India. She plans to enter a doctoral program in chemical engineering at the University of CaliforniaRiverside.

sibilities that BC might have for them,” said Undergraduate Admission Associate Director Chris O’Brien, who highlighted Shanmugam’s earnestness and honesty. “We don’t replace Student Admission Program members like Harry; we reminisce and smile about them for years after they leave.”

Shanmugam said one of his favorite experiences on campus was serving as co-president of the Student Health Equity Forum, which educates students about public health issues through discussions, guest speakers, case competitions, applied public health projects, and a partnership with a grassroots public health organization in Tamil Nadu, India.

Among his many mentors, Shanmugam credited Landrigan and Hawkins along with several members of the BC community for the influential role they played in his formation: James Keenan, S.J., and Kathleen Bailey from the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program, scientists Danielle Taghian and Thomas Chiles, and Ethan Sullivan from the Carroll School.

On the horizon for Shanmugam is a job with Boston Consulting Group, where he will work on projects in the areas of healthcare and social impact practice. He is applying to medical school as well.

Shanmugam is still teasing out what exactly his career will be, but right now the ideal role for him would combine clinical work, research, and policy work.

“Every single day at BC taught me more and more about who I am, what I value, and the person I want to become. BC gave me confidence and a license to dream big. But, it would not be possible without the friends that made this place home and the professors who wanted to see me succeed. At the end of the day, it comes down to the people at BC.”

•Larissa Truchan, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences: A sociology major with a minor in philosophy, she has been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and the Morrissey College Order of the Cross and Crown.

Her academic and service work have centered on issues of social justice, human rights, and the law. She was the lead student for the Jamaica Magis Service Immersion trip and participated in the Magis Civil Rights Immersion trip and the PULSE service learning course. As a 4Boston volunteer, she was a teaching assistant and group leader at the Suffolk County House of Correction. On campus, Truchan was a member of anti-racism organization FACES and recognized with the Ever to Excel-Robert A. Sherwood Award. She has been accepted to Harvard Law School, but will first enroll in the School for International Training’s master’s program on Humanitarian Assistance and Crisis Management, involving work in Jordan, Uganda, and the United Nations Refugee Agency in Switzerland.

Chronicle

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Parting Thoughts Retirees reflect on their BC experiences John Kane

Senior Associate Athletic Director Began working at BC in 1980 “My initial impressions of BC were formulated when I was working at another university. From the outside looking in, it appeared to be a very prestigious and well-respected university and I was impressed by the quality of the people that I had met from BC. After working here for 40 years, I’d have to say that I’m even more impressed with the students, faculty, and staff that I’ve met. When Pete Frates came down with ALS, the whole University rallied around him and his family. It’s wonderful to work at a place where you can count on people that you see each and every day to support you. BC is a compassionate, supportive, and caring community and a great place to work.”

Mary McGranahan

Director of Financial Aid, Student Services Began working at BC in 1978 “When I joined BC, I knew pretty quickly that I had joined a student-centered, supportive community, one that is built on relationships. And working in Student Services has only reinforced that impression. Since our office deals with all sorts of student issues, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with staff from all over campus to help students succeed. From working with families on financial aid issues, answering billing quesphoto by lee pellegrini tions, working long hours to meet a deadline, or processing ID cards, I have witnessed the dedication, hard work and genuine caring that people here bring to their jobs every day. I feel so fortunate for the relationships I’ve formed here and for the fun we’ve had. I shall miss it.”

Fr. Michael Himes

Professor of Theology, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Began working at BC in 1993 “Being a part of Boston College is not only a job or profession; it is a vocation. It’s a lifelong project which one undertakes, not only for one’s self, but for all who will enter this ongoing conversation. At BC, we’re engaged in an ongoing conversation which enables us to come together as a community. Central to Boston College is that it’s a place where people are giving themselves away to others, and in doing so, we become what is most valuable to say about being human. We become the people who photo by lee pellegrini celebrate the reality of God—that God is pure and perfect selfgift. Boston College has given me rich frameworks and many opportunities to participate in conversation and for which I am profoundly grateful.”

May 27, 2021

Retiring and 25-Year Employees Boston College is recognizing those faculty, administrators, and staff who have retired or marked 25 years at the University during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Those retiring are: John Anderson, Jane Ashley, Ali Banuazizi, Betty Blythe, George Brown, Barbara Burdick, Gary Christo, Alston Conley, Michael Connolly, David Corkum, James Cronin, Jacqueline Doucette, Pamela Fraser, Mary Ellen Fulton, Rodolfo Garcia, Mary Ann Glynn, Janet Helms, Fr. Michael Himes, Yolanda Hobin, David Holstein, Ana Jimenez, Dorothy Jones, John Kane, William Keane, Paul Kerrigan, Shui (Wendy) Lau, Thomas Leehan, John MacGillivray, Paul Madden, and Ellen Mahoney.

Also, Michael O. Martin, John Masciovecchio, Arnold Mazur, David McFadden, Mary McGranahan, Larry McLaughlin, David McMenamin, Barbara McNamara, Thomas Nary, Kevin O’Neill, Jorge Pedraza, Mary Polluci, Anthony Raymond Sr., Jane Regan, Alan Rogers, John Rounds,

James Ruth, Jeri Schefts, Anthony Schreiner, Francine Sherman, Elizabeth Sparks, Judith Speed, Eithel Torres, James Vaulding, Radames Vazquez, Benjamin Veliz, Ellen Winner, Catherine Wong, and Ellen Zamecnik-Bowley.

Faculty, administrators, and staff observing 25 years at BC are: Peter Caruso, Janice Daly, Christopher Darcy, Joanne Goggins, Susan Hallee, Darren Herlihy, Peter Hunt, Amy LaCombe, Cynthia Lubianez, Ezabel Lynch, Joyce Mannix, Michele Mueller, Julie Olivieri, Thomas Rourke, Maria Arevalo, Rolando Guillen, Lillie Albert, Michael Barry, Nasser Behnegar, Mark Cooper, Jan Engelbrecht, Solomon Friedberg, Andrzej Hercynski, Jacqueline Lerner, Jane Regan, Maxim D. Shrayer, Eliot Smith, David Vandherhooft, Ziqiang Wang, Panayiota Kennos, Kathleen LeBlanc, Patricia Ryan, James Hutchinson, Kathy Ortiz, Catherine Samya, and Anna Tom. —University Communications

Janet Helms

Augustus Long Professor of Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology Lynch School of Education and Human Development Founding Director of the Institute for the Study and Promotion of Race and Culture Began working at BC in 2000 “When I came to BC, race was not a comfortable topic. In fact, having ‘race’ in the institute’s name was distressing to many people on campus. Research into race was considered ‘high risk’ in the photo by chris soldt/mts beginning, and we had many small battles in our effort to normalize race as a topic. Now, the term ‘race’ is all over the place, at BC and throughout the country, and I believe the institute not only helped the University focus on it, but also helped the BC community to join the rest of society in acknowledging the relevance of issues of race and diversity happening nationwide. In particular, our institute’s national conference, the Diversity Challenge, did a lot to normalize race and ethnic culture. It was useful to BC to see a diversity of people of color on campus, whether conference attendees were individual scholars or groups participating in on-campus activities, and for administrators to learn not to fear them.”

Interviews by Christine Balquist, Rosanne Pellegrini, John Walsh, and Phil Gloudemans

Grant Helps Develop Curriculum in Christian-Jewish Learning School of Theology and Ministry Associate Professor of Old Testament Andrew R. Davis has been awarded a grant from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Confraternity of Christian Doctrine to develop a curriculum for a course in Jewish-Christian learning based on the Psalms.

The curriculum, titled Calling Out from the Depths: A Curriculum for CatholicJewish Encounter with the Psalms, will be based on a course Davis has co-taught for several years with Rabbi Or Rose from Hebrew College.

“The course brings together Catholic students from the School of Theology and Ministry and rabbinical students from Hebrew College for prayer and conversation around the shared sacred texts of the Psalms,” said Davis. “Given the success of the course, Or and I decided to develop it into something that can be replicated at

School of Theology and Ministry Associate Professor Andrew R. Davis photo by lee pellegrini

the parish/synagogue level. We are grateful to have the U.S. Bishops’ support and enthusiasm for the project.”

STM Dean Thomas D. Stegman, S.J., praised the initiative, which he says reflects the school’s commitment to enhancing interreligious understanding.

“The STM is committed to teaching Scripture in a way that honors and respects Jewish interpretations. Andrew and Rabbi Rose’s class—bringing together Jewish and Christian ministry students—is a model for interreligious dialogue and education.

That their curriculum will become available in parishes and synagogues is a wonderful multiplier effect.”

Among Davis’ research interests are literary approaches to Biblical narrative; Prophetic literature, especially Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Amos; The Book of Job; feminist approaches to the Old Testament; ancient Israelite religion; and Biblical historiogra-

phy. His STM courses have included Book of Isaiah, Prophets, and Job and Suffering.

According to the May 10 announcement by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, this spring the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine awarded eight grants for projects that support its goals to promote Catholic biblical literacy and Catholic biblical interpretation.

“The CCD works with the Catholic Biblical Association to offer these grants, accepting applications only from the CBA, including the organization itself, its designees, and its full and associate members. In fidelity to Dei Verbum, the CBA’s purpose is to promote scholarly study in Scripture and related fields by meetings of the association, publications, and support to those engaged in such studies,” according to the announcement.

—University Communications

Chronicle

May 27, 2021

7

Lynch School Team Scrutinizes Teacher Preparation

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Although people feel it’s important to think about how America’s teachers are educated, according to Boston College faculty member Marilyn Cochran-Smith, “they don’t agree on how teachers should be recruited, how they should be prepared, and how they should be socialized into the field of teaching.”

Stoking the discord about teacher preparation are “nGSEs”—new graduate schools of education—that offer accredited teacher licensure and master’s degree programs in teaching but are unaffiliated with colleges or universities, said Cochran-Smith, the Lynch School of Education and Human Development’s Cawthorne Professor of Teacher Education for Urban Schools.

Through a grant from the Spencer Foundation, Cochran-Smith and her team of current BC students and alumni investigators examined how teachers are prepared at nGSEs, a term they coined. The results of their three-phase inquiry were recently published in a special, guest-edited issue of The New Educator, a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal.

“Some people think these new graduate schools of education are going to reinvent the way we do teacher preparation, improving teacher quality by relocating teacher preparation and focusing more on practice,” said Cochran-Smith, whose introductory article is drawn from the first phase of research and lays the groundwork for the issue. “Others have sharply critiqued some nGSEs as taking a technical, more rigid approach to pedagogy—a strategy critics say will reproduce the kinds of inequities we already have. Our goal is not to judge it, but

Marilyn Cochran-Smith photo by lee pellegrini

to get underneath the rhetoric and controversial claims to see what’s really going on at new graduate schools of education.”

Between 2006-2019, 12 nGSEs emerged in the increasingly crowded organizational field of teacher education, some with more than one campus, and each approved by its home state department of education. Relay GSE, with 18 campuses, is the largest; others include Boston’s Sposato GSE, High Tech High GSE in San Diego, the MAT program in Earth Science at the Richard Gilder Graduate School at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and Washington, D.C.-based TEACHNOW GSE, an online-only, for-profit organization recently renamed Moreland University.

According to the researchers, the innovative but controversial relocation of teacher preparation to nGSEs stemmed from multiple converging political and professional trends over the last several decades that

“created a climate that was not only amenable to the emergence of teacher preparation at nGSEs, but also to a certain extent, privileged and supported the expansion and legitimation of teacher preparation at nonuniversity professional schools and other non-university sites.”

These movements included the common perception that there was an urgent need for change in the ways teachers were recruited, prepared, evaluated, and supported; the emergence of a market-driven private sector, coupled and in tension with test-based accountability; the increased influence of private philanthropy; new roles for technology in teacher preparation; the policy consensus that education, rather than social policies, could redress inequality; an amplified focus on the importance of practice in teacher preparation; and the increasing involvement of a new cadre of professional educators and educational entrepreneurs.

According to the study, these combined forces resulted in a 30 percent enrollment drop in traditional university teacher preparation over the past five to seven years.

During the same time frame, enrollment at some nGSEs has increased. However, while nGSEs are responsible for the preparation of only a small portion of new teachers each year, they have generated a disproportionate amount of media attention and private and public funding for teacher education.

“There was virtually no research about this new phenomenon that represents a major break from U.S. teacher education over the last 50-70 years,” said CochranSmith. “We found a lot of variation but also some common features, such as new funding models coupled with a practice-based approach that breaks from the knowledge

McMullen Museum Reopens Doors to Area Residents The McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College has welcomed back community members after a period of closure to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Since May 12, visitors have been able to make appointments to view the exclusive New England display of “Taking Shape: Abstraction from the Arab World, 1950s–1980,” on view in the Daley Family and Monan Galleries. The museum has been open to the Boston College community by appointment since February 1.

Originally slated to close on June 6, the exhibition remains on view through June 13.

Safety protocols—including a requirement that visitors wear masks and maintain social distancing—are in place. The public may schedule visits at www.bc.edu/sites/artmuseum/book.html.

“After our closure to the public, the McMullen is pleased to be able to welcome back visitors from the community to view this groundbreaking exhibition for an extended run this spring,” said Nancy Netzer, the Inaugural Robert L. and Judith T. Winston Director of the McMullen Museum of Art

traditions and structures of the university.”

Teacher preparation at nGSEs is distinct from both university programs and from fast-track entry routes, which assume that learning to teach occurs primarily on the job.

Comprising the New Educator special edition are four case studies drawn from the second phase of research, all written by former or current Lynch School doctoral students: Molly Cummings Carney, Ph.D. ’19; Elizabeth Stringer Keefe, Ph.D. ’17; and Andrew F. Miller, Ph.D.’17 (a Lynch School assistant professor); Juan Gabriel Sánchez, Ph.D. ’19; and doctoral students Marisa Olivo and Reid Jewett Smith. The cases reveal that the missions and goals of nGSEs vary considerably based on widely differing ideas about good teaching, the knowledge needed to instruct well, and the pedagogies and practices that support the learning-toteach process, said Cochran-Smith.

“On the one hand, nGSE leaders frame teacher preparation at their institutions in terms of the marked contrasts they perceive between their programs and teacher preparation programs at universities, which serves as one of their principal justifications for the relocation of teacher preparation to new, non-university organizations,” conclude the researchers. “On the other hand, there are stark contrasts within and across nGSE sites in how teacher preparation is conceptualized and enacted, depending primarily upon the interplay of underlying assumptions and values and the larger professional and political purposes to which particular nGSEs are attached.”

Jobs The 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.

Since May 12, members of the public have been able to visit the McMullen Museum of Art on Brighton Campus by appointment. photo by lee pellegrini

and BC professor of art history.

The McMullen Museum’s new booking system has proven a great success, allowing as many visitors as possible to enjoy “Taking Shape” and the museum’s scenic terrace, while adhering to current capacity restrictions, according to organizers.

“Taking Shape” raises a fundamental question: How do we study abstraction across different contexts, and what modes of analysis do we use? Examining critically the history and historiography of mid-20thcentury abstraction, the exhibition rethinks

art historical canons and expands discourses around global modernisms. The artists it features are a varied group of Arab, Amazigh (Berber), Armenian, Circassian, Jewish, Persian, and Turkish descent.

The exhibition is organized by the Grey Art Gallery at New York University and is drawn from the collection of the Barjeel Art Foundation based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The full news release is available at www.bc.edu/sites/artmuseum/ press/taking-shape.html —Rosanne Pellegrini

Assistant Registrar, Transfer Articulation Director, Advancement Talent Associate Director, Data Management Administrative Assistant, School of Social Work Assistant Director, Financial Aid Design & Prototyping Manager Assistant Director, Strategic Sourcing Assistant Buyer, Auxiliary Services Systems Integrator/Developer Senior Fiscal & Grant Administrator Technical Research Consultant Application Administrator Senior Associate Director, Creative Services Leadership Coach, Lynch Leadership Academy Associate Director, Graduate Admissions

Chronicle

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May 27, 2021

BC Global

Outlook Improves for Study-Abroad Fellowships Last year was a disappointment for Boston College students and graduates planning to take part in academic and formational programs abroad with the support of prestigious fellowships, as COVID-19 shut down most all international travel and, as a result, studyabroad opportunities.

This year, with efforts to halt the pandemic making headway in the United States and other countries—the European Union announced last week that it would allow fully vaccinated visitors—organizations in the United States or abroad that administer the fellowships are cautiously optimistic that most programs will go ahead, although in some cases they may be offered as hybrid courses or at different dates and locations than originally planned.

Office of International Programs Associate Director Christina Hatzipetros said her office is planning for fall and spring academic programs to resume for the 2021-2022 academic year, pending further confirmation from the University next month. BC-sponsored grants and scholarships that support study abroad through the OIP, including the McGillycuddy-Logue Travel grants and the Fung Fellows Program awards, are contingent upon BC programs running.

“The health and safety of our students, staff, partners, and host communities are our top priority as we continue to monitor conditions in BC program sites regularly,” she said. “I am optimistic that BC students will again be able to leave a meaningful mark in all places of the world, as I am very hopeful that many programs will be able to resume safely this fall.

“Regardless of whether or not students are able to participate in their programs as planned, it is a great achievement and honor to have been selected. The work students put in to apply for these highly respected programs was worthwhile, because the application challenged them to discern their goals and make fundamental decisions about the directions of their academic and future careers.”

•Ten members of the Class of 2021 and two recent BC alumni have been awarded Fulbright Scholarships, which support a year’s post-baccalaureate study abroad. Recipients—chosen on the basis of academic merit and leadership potential—typically pursue research in various disciplines, or serve an English Teaching Assistantship, through which they teach English language and provide insights about American culture.

Winners of Fulbright open study/research awards and their prospective host countries are Sophie Frushell ’21 (Dominican Republic), Luke Murphy ’20 (Peru), Jaehun Lee ’21 (South Korea), and Austin Bodetti ’18 (Peru); English Teaching Assistantships were awarded to 2021 grads Brianna Stonick (Cote d’Ivoire), Elizabeth Davis (Germany), Holly-Anne Grell (Germany), Suzanna Diehl (Kyrgystan), Alexia Kovatsis (Netherlands), Grace Cavanagh (Spain), Catherine Passarel-

lo (Spain), and Jennifer Liao (Taiwan).

In addition, the following Class of 2021 members have been designated as Fulbright alternates, pending confirmation of funding for their projects: Chloe Zhou (Malaysia), Rachel Vatelia (France), Jasmine Schmidt (Germany), Darren Zheng (Germany), Albert Ha (Bulgaria), and Jacob McErlean (Hungary).

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program, operated by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Institute of International Education, announced in March that “the decision to allow in-person exchanges to resume is 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.”

•Three new alumni and two undergraduates are recipients of Critical Language Scholarships, enabling them to participate in an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities.

Most of the CLS institutes will be held in virtual format.

Bridget Sakowski, who graduated this week from the Boston College School of Social Work, will study Arabic, as will Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences 2021 graduates Sofia Marino and Keegan Coppola; Morrissey College students Rigas Rigopoulos ’23 and Isaiah Brown ’24 will study Russian. In addition, Morrissey College rising sophomore Vincent Sablich was chosen as an alternate to study Russian.

•Nine BC undergraduates—out of 10 overall who applied—were selected for the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, which enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to American national security and economic prosperity.

Three Morrissey College students were selected for awards to fund summer studies: Ashmini Weerakoon ’22 in France, Jax Cai ’23 in the Czech Republic, and Mark Darko ’24 in Italy.

Ireland is the planned destination for Morrissey College rising junior Madison Cabrera, who received a Gilman Scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year. Also expecting to study in Ireland are two other rising juniors, Jacqueline Rojas (Connell School of Nursing) and Noleen Smith (Lynch School of Education and Human Development), who were awarded funding for the spring 2022 semester.

Two Carroll School of Management rising juniors are among the Gilman recipients: Andy Bonilla, who seeks to go to Spain this fall, and Abel Yohannes, who would study in Australia next spring.

Another prospective Gilman Scholar for

BC Physicist Earns Fulbright to Conduct Research in Ireland

BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER

Evelyn J. and Robert A. Ferris Professor of Physics Michael J. Naughton has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Ireland, the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board have announced.

Beginning this fall, Naughton will conduct research with colleagues at Trinity College Dublin’s AMBER Centre (Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research), in support of projects on bioelectronics and nanostructured photovoltaics using a perovskite mineral compound.

“I am honored to be selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar,” Naughton said. “It will enable me to get out of my comfort zone a little and pursue new avenues of research at the interface of physics, materials, energy, and biotechnology, in collaboration with excellent faculty and facilities at TCD AMBER, as well as other universities in Ireland and Europe.”

An authority on experimental condensed matter and materials physics and nanoscale integrated science, Naughton’s cutting-edge research encompasses nanophotonics, photovoltaics, biophysics, and superconductivity. He has developed nanoscale devices for magnetic and bioelectronic sensing and neural optrode interfaces. Naughton, a fellow of the American Physical Society, has had his research funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy, U.S. Army, and W.M. Keck Foundation.

Naughton will share knowledge and help connect researchers in the United States and Ireland. The Fulbright Program supports cutting-edge research and expands researchers’ professional networks, often fostering collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for future partnerships between institutions. spring of 2022 is Morrissey College rising junior Baris Tezel (Netherlands).

In addition, two BC undergrads awarded Gilman Scholarships during the previous cycle of funding, Gabriella Knox ‘24 of Morrissey College (France) and Connell School rising senior Jamarii Johnson (Switzerland), are looking to pursue studies this summer.

•Amarlyis Valentin ’23, a Morrissey College student, was approved for study this fall at the American College of Greece in Athens with the support of the Fund for Education Abroad, a program that aims to make the demographics of American undergraduates studying abroad reflect the rich diversity of the U.S. population.

•Morrissey College rising junior David Kim plans to spend the 2021-2022 aca-

Michael Naughton

photo by lee pellegrini

Working in Ireland holds special significance given the University’s roots as a college for the sons of Irish immigrants.

Among the many connections to Ireland today, BC Ireland is a hub of activity and programming for BC students on exchange, as well as researchers working in Ireland.

“Boston College has strong ties with Ireland, which has positioned itself as a gateway to Europe, and so I look forward to availing myself of BC Ireland’s facilities while there, helping to strengthen links between BC and Irish, and U.S. and European science,” said Naughton, a descendant of Irish immigrants.

Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, scholars share their experiences and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad. Fulbright Scholar alumni join a network of thousands of esteemed scholars, many of whom are leaders in their fields—their ranks include 60 Nobel Prize laureates, 86 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 37 who have served as a head of state or government. demic year at Waseda University in Japan as a Boren Scholar. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships are awarded to those undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate commitment to long-term, overseas immersive language study and to public service. In exchange, they agree to utilize those skills within the government by seeking and securing federal employment for at least one year.

•Kim is also one of two BC students to win a Freeman-ASIA Award, which provides need-based funding to defray the cost of the study-abroad program and related expenses, including airfare, basic living costs, local transportation, and books. Connell School student Michelle Li ’23 is the other winner.

—University Communications