Boston College Chronicle

The Boston College

Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of University Communications SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 VOL. 25 NO. 2

New Roles Announced for Fr. Beaumier, Moore

INSIDE 2 •Student Involvement Fair

•BC’s Conversation Partners Program role at Campus 3 •Ricciato’s School to change •University salutes faculty and staff at game

The Boston College Screaming Eagles Marching Band prepared to perform last Thursday as part of the annual First Year Academic Convocation. More photos on page 8. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

BC Exploring Partnership with Top Indian University

laborate on providing clean renewable energy to improve the health, socioeconomic, and environmental outcomes in low-resource areas of rural India.

Founded in 1958, the IITB is considered one of the top technical universities in the world and a leader in the field of engineering education and research.

“The multiplier effect of a BC partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay is significant,” said BC School of Social Work Dean Gautam Yadama, who Continued on page 6

BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER

Opijnen researches 4 •Van bacterial defense system •Lynch School faculty get grant for hydroponics •Read Aloud volunteers General chair is 5 •Mass. tribute to Dorothy Jones •Photo: Mancini Family Professor reception College program 6 •Woods out to change healthcare •Photos: AHANA Culture Festival Program seeks 7 •Affiliates candidates •McMullen wins award •BC in the Media; BC Briefings; Nota Bene; Jobs

8 •Lowell Humanities Series •Photos: Mass of the Holy Spirit; First Year Convocation

Boston College and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) have signed a memorandum of understanding, a first step in exploring a strategic partnership between the two institutions that could enhance research and evaluation, project development and implementation, coursework and field education, and knowledge sharing and dissemination.

The agreement presents an opportunity for BC and IITB to col-

Photos by Lee Pellegrini

Casey Beaumier, SJ

Joy Haywood Moore

Moore ’81, associate vice president for Alumni Relations, will now be in charge of the planning and direction of University Commencement.

Continued on page 4

Moran Settles In as Joseph Prof. of Catholic Philosophy

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

Serving as the Gadamer Visiting Professor at Boston College during Boston’s arduous, recordbreaking winter of 2015 did nothing to dissuade Dermot Moran from his desire to return to the University.

Now, Moran is back at BC under far different circumstances, as the newly appointed inaugural Joseph Professor in Catholic Philosophy and chairperson of the Philosophy Department.

A specialist in phenomenology and medieval philosophy – especially Christian Neoplatonism – who was a professor of philosophy

Lee Pellegrini

•BC 32nd in US News

Casey Beaumier, SJ, PhD ’13, inaugural director of the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies and of Boston College’s Loyola House residence for those discerning possible Jesuit vocations, has been named Vice President and University Secretary.

Fr. Beaumier succeeds Terrence Devino, SJ, who was transferred by the Northeast Province of the Society of Jesus to be a retreat director at the Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester.

Among his new duties, Fr. Beaumier will serve as a liaison to the Board of Trustees Committee on Nominations and Governance; host and coordinate visits of international academic, religious and political leaders; maintain official University records, and engage in pastoral outreach to students, faculty, staff and alumni.

“I am grateful to Fr. Beaumier for his willingness to accept additional responsibility at Boston College,” said University President William P. Leahy, SJ. “I look forward to working even more closely with him in the future.”

In addition, Fr. Leahy announced that Joy Haywood

Dermot Moran

at University College Dublin and held the National University of Ireland Statutory Chair of Philosophy (Metaphysics & Logic),

QUOTE:

Moran is director of the International Centre for Newman Studies, UCD, and current president of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie or FISP).

“It’s a great honor to be the inaugural Joseph Professor in Catholic Philosophy,” said Moran, a Dublin native who earned his doctoral, master of philosophy and master of arts degrees from Yale University. “Boston College is a university with a strong graduate program in continental European philosophy and history of philosophy, and that was a big attraction for me when I had the opportunity to teach here two

years ago.

“Additionally, I have been impressed by the presence of philosophy, as part of the Catholic intellectual tradition, in BC’s undergraduate program and especially its Core Curriculum,” added Moran, holder of a bachelor’s degree from University College Dublin, and a doctor of letters degree from National University of Ireland.

“In this way, BC emphasizes the importance of perennial questions – What is the meaning of life?

How should we live? – in a deep, meaningful way.”

Moran is founding editor of the International Journal of Philosophical Studies and co-editor of Continued on page 5

“We have consistently found that social justice is the ‘hook’ that generates the motivation for youth to learn about science to spark change in their community.”

–Lynch School of Education Professor G. Michael Barnett, page 4

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

2

A ROUND

C AMPUS

A FAIR CHANCE The annual Boston College Student Involvement Fair – when more than 250 BC student organizations, offices and programs set up shop to introduce themselves and (hopefully) sign up new members – transforms Stokes Lawn into a bustling, exuberant mass of humanity, as thousands of students and other visitors browse the rows of tables manned by organization and club representatives.

The fair – which took place this year Sept. 1 – offers an up-close study of strategies and tactics to promote and engage: offer snacks; stand on a chair holding a sign; play music (recorded, or by live musicians if possible); give live demonstrations of the club activity; or dress up in eye-catching costumes, like fruits or vegetables.

Sometimes, however, you just have to stand in the middle of the crowd and hawk your wares, like “JP,” a Carroll School of Management senior and member of the swing dance ensemble BC Swing Kids, who urged passersby to stop at the club’s table: “Do you want to have a good time? Learn to swing!”

Not everyone, of course, accepted the invitation.

“People will say, ‘Oh, I can’t dance,’ and they’re kind of shocked that someone wants them to join,” he said.

Chloe Fasnami ’18 (above left) and other student representatives used various strategies to call attention to their clubs and organizations at the Student Involvement Fair on Sept. 1. “We tell them we just want people to come give it a try,” said Fasnami, a member of Voices of Imani. “You sing, you dance, you laugh, you make friends.” (Photos

by Lee Pellegrini and Yiting Chen)

And that’s when JP gives the kicker. “I tell them, ‘Hey, I didn’t know how to swing dance when I came here, either.’ That’s the thing about the Swing Kids – no experience needed, you just have a good time.”

Seniors Chloe Fasanmi and Nikki Gold encountered similar reluctance while plugging the gospel choir Voices of Imani. “‘Oh, I can’t sing,’” said Fasanmi, repeating an often-heard remark. “We tell them we just want

people to come give it a try. You sing, you dance, you laugh, you make friends.”

“Even if someone doesn’t sign up, you say, ‘Well, come to our concert,’” added Gold. “And maybe that person sees we’re performing sometime and says, ‘Oh yeah, they were really nice. I should go check it out.’ You just want them to know about you.”

Elsewhere on Stokes Lawn, one member of Improv Comedy and Theater tried, unsuccessfully, to

press a leaflet on an acquaintance (“I’ve signed up for too much already,” he told her, apologetically).

“Yeah, you hear that a lot,” she said, “but the big one is ‘Oh, I’ve already got a leaflet.’ No, you don’t!”

For some organizations, their pitch relates more to students’ academic and professional interests, as noted Eleanor Brown ’19 of the Public Health Club. “What turns their eye is when they see we’re about pre-med, internships, interdisciplinary research – I don’t know

the statistics, but it seems like there are an incredible amount of students here who are pre-med, or are interested in similar kinds of fields.

We also get a lot of communication majors. These are people who are thinking ahead about what they might do down the road.”

Caroline Merritt ’18 of Sketch Comedy said humor isn’t just her club’s stock-in-trade, it’s a means of recruitment.

“My favorite thing is to go up behind someone, tap them on the shoulder, say ‘Excuse me, you dropped this,’ and then hand them one of our flyers – they sort of feel obliged to take it,” she said. “Or you just shout random stuff to attract attention: ‘Save Seaworld!’ or ‘Potluck dinner!’”

“Or ‘Wanna watch me fight her?’” joked one of Merritt’s colleagues.

When Merritt hears the “But I’m not funny” response, she has a ready comeback: “Me, neither. So sign up!”

But Merritt said that the Student Involvement Fair also is about being social. “If you run into someone who’s not outgoing, you just talk to them about what we do, so they remember you – hopefully in a positive way. You want to leave a lasting impression.”

–Sean Smith

TALK IT UP A “mutually beneficial crosscultural exchange” is how Adrienne Nussbaum, assistant dean and director of the Office for International Students and Scholars, describes the Conversation Partners Program at Boston College.

The program, which began 10 years ago, pairs an international graduate student with an Englishspeaking member of the BC community. There are rewards for both, explained Nussbaum: International students are able to improve their conversational English – from understanding slang to preparing for interviews or presentations – in a comfortable setting without the fear of judgment or pressure, says Nussbaum,

while their partner – typically an English-speaking American – is exposed to a new culture.

“It’s really nice for international students to form a relationship with someone in the BC community,” said Nussbaum. “This program is helping internationalize BC’s campus and helping international students to integrate.”

With close to 100 pairs participating last year, said Nussbaum, the program continues to grow as BC’s international graduate student population increases.

“I have been able to see my partner regularly for two semesters so we have developed a very good friendship,” said School of Theology and Ministry student Takeshi Miyauchi, who was paired with

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Jac k Dunn DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Patr i c i a Dela ney EDITOR Sean Sm i th

CONTRIBUTING STAFF Phi lG loudem ans Ed H ayw ar d R osa nne Pellegr i ni K a thleen Sulli van Si obha n Sulli va n PHOTOGRAPHERS G ar y G i lber t L ee Pellegr i ni

Carroll School of Management Lecturer Drew Hession-Kunz.

“Thanks to this program, I got an excellent friend.

“Since this program offers me an opportunity to communicate in English in a calm environment, I can practice and enjoy a conversation in English without distractions and concerns. My partner has also helped me to understand American culture, with which I often struggle.”

Said Hession-Kunz, “Carving out time is always hard. Every minute of our lives is already over-committed. However, it is important to make time for important things, and this program is important in several ways: It helps a grad student who is far

The Boston College

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from home acclimate to BC, it bridges cultural walls that keep people apart, and it helps the partner by opening new vistas into the world of another human being.

“In my case, I also made a great friend, which is enough reason to be in the program by itself.

As a grad student, Takeshi is actively in the process of learning and growing, and is a fascinating, interesting person besides.”

Like Miyauchi, Younghee Park, a graduate student in the Lynch School of Education, has found the Conversation Partners Program to be rewarding – as has the relationship with her partner, Jessica Hand, information technology and program operations

manager for the Woods College of Advancing Studies Master of Healthcare Administration program.

“The best thing I got through the program was making an American friend, Jess, who can help me to know American culture better,” said Park. “We still meet regularly on our own.”

While registration is closed for this semester, Nussbaum said, those who are interested in participating should check back for the winter/spring.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity,” said Nussbaum. “And I encourage people to participate in the future.”

–Siobhan Sullivan

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

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

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

3

After 30 years at the helm of the Boston College Campus School, Donald Ricciato will transition from director to a part-time role, effective June 30.

In an Aug. 30 announcement, the Lynch School of Education praised Ricciato for his leadership and dedication to the Campus School – a special education day school for students ages 3-21 with multiple disabilities, including complex health care needs – and its students, parents, staff and volunteers.

“From his first day as a graduate student at Boston College, Don has worked tirelessly to provide education, therapy, and health-care services to improve the quality of life of Campus School students,” the Lynch School announcement noted.

[Read the announcement at http://bit.ly/ricciato-transition] Asked to reflect on his fruitful three-decade tenure, Ricciato turned the focus away from himself and cited “the impact

Lee Pellegrini

Long-time Campus School Head to Take Part-time Role Next Year

Donald Ricciato has directed the Boston College Campus School for 30 years.

that the staff has had in profoundly changing the lives of our students and families” as most memorable.

“This extraordinary service does not stop at the end of the school day, but is continued in homes and at hospitals in support of our families,” he said.

The program also “has provided life-altering experiences for Uni-

versity students who have volunteered their time at the Campus School throughout their undergraduate years.

“The Campus School – because of its reputation and its role as part of the Lynch School of Education – has always been able attract the highest quality staff. Our dedicated and talented staff are committed to ensurDuring Saturday’s football game at Alumni Stadium, groups of BC employees (including some family members) were introduced as part of a University tribute to its administrators, faculty and staff.Top, the Capital Projects group; middle, faculty respresentatives; bottom, Facilities Services and Boston College Police Department. (Photos

by Jason Eggleston)

Boston College employees and their families had the opportunity to experience the pageantry of early-autumn football at Alumni Stadium, as the University held its third Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day at Saturday’s BC-Wake Forest game.

Through an initiative spearheaded by Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, Vice President for Human Resources David Trainor and Campbell Director of Athletics Martin Jarmond, the University provided more than 2,000 complimentary game tickets to BC faculty and staff and their families. Those who attended were provided access to a pre-game hospitality event in Conte Forum.

The University also recognized the contributions of its employees at various junctures during the game, as groups representing both academic and non-academic areas were introduced on the field. The representatives, selected by their respective departments, were: •Boston College Police Department: Hasnain Ali, Hamilton Araujo, Jennifer Scanlon •Capital Projects Manage-

ing that every Campus School student is able to achieve to their full potential,” according to Ricciato.

Under his leadership, the school has grown and evolved significantly.

“During my tenure, the program has continued to carry out its mission of responding to the needs of school-age students whose needs could not be met within their own public schools,” Ricciato said. “Due to the development of inclusion practices in public schools, the Campus School population has significantly changed during my tenure to a population of students with severe and multiple disabilities.”

In addition, he noted that the school’s array of services – in education, therapy and health care – has significantly increased.

“The sophistication of the teaching that occurs, with a focus on curriculum that is meaningful for each student, promotes students’ active engagement in school and in their communities, and creates high expectations for all,” he said.

“As director of our wonderful Campus School for 30 years, Don Ricciato has had a tremendous impact on the lives of hundreds of children with multiple disabilities and their parents, while also providing training for students in the Lynch School of Education and valuable experiences, never to be forgotten, for the thousands of Boston College undergraduates who have had a buddy in the Campus School,” said Professor of Economics Jo-

seph Quinn, co-chair of a Campus School advisory committee with former Vice President for Human Resources Leo Sullivan, now senior advisor to the president.

“We owe Don a tremendous debt of gratitude, and we are fortunate that he will remain a part of the school after stepping down as director,” Quinn added.

Prior to being named director in 1987, Ricciato served the Campus School in various roles, including special education teacher, school counselor, assistant principal, principal, and program director.

After earning an undergraduate degree from BC, he became involved in the Campus School while completing a master’s degree in special education, and went on to earn his PhD in educational administration and leadership in 2000.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to work with the Campus School students and families in providing responsive services that have contributed to their quality of life,” Riccato said.

“The undergraduate and graduate BC students involved at the Campus School have enriched the lives of our students, as well as embodying the mission of the University: men and women for others.

“It has also been very rewarding to work with University faculty, administration and staff who work with, or on behalf of, our students. These collaborations have greatly impacted the quality of our program.”

–University Communications

BC 32nd in US News Rankings

ment: Michael Leone, Glenn Hand, Matthew Hayes, Jamie MacDonald, Mary Nardone, Thomas Runyon, Paul Scarnici, Edward Stokes •Dining Services: Jason Cote, Amos Ettore •Facilities Services: Leo Croft, Michael Kane, Christopher Schofield •Faculty: Kathleen Bailey, Audrey Friedman, Robert Taggart •Staff Advisory Senate: Paula

Grealish, Lauren McGrath “This is an opportunity for the University to express our appreciation and gratitude to the faculty and staff who give so much to BC and its students, and to their families,” said Trainor. “It’s also a means to build community, by bringing together all the different areas of the University in a fun, festive way.”

–University Communications

Boston College placed 32nd among national universities in the 2018 US News & World Report survey, released this week.

The University, ranked 31st last year, saw its overall score in the rankings remain at 70, one point below University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and New York University, which tied for 30th with a score of 71.

Boston College also placed 34th in the “Great Schools Great Prices” ranking, reflecting the University’s commitment to need-blind admissions and to meeting the full demonstrated need of all of its accepted students. Among private national universities, Boston College ranked seventh in the “Least Debt” category for graduating students.

In addition, BC’s Carroll

School of Management placed 24th in the “The Best in Undergraduate Business” rankings of top AACSB-accredited programs. Its finance program was ranked 11th and management program 23rd.

Overall, in the 2018 National University rankings, Princeton was ranked first by US News, followed by Harvard, University of Chicago, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, and MIT. Wake Forest was ranked 27th, the University of Michigan 28th; and Tufts 29th.

William and Mary tied Boston College in the 32nd position, followed by Brandeis University and Georgia Tech and the University of Rochester, tied at 34th.

US News’ rankings of all colleges and universities can be accessed at www.usnews.com.

–University Communications

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

4

NSF Grant to Support LSOE Hydroponic Project

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

The Lynch School of Education has been awarded a threeyear, $2 million continuation grant from the National Science Foundation to engage Massachusetts urban public school students in the science and enterprise of hydroponic gardening.

The project, “Change Makers: Urban Youth Food Justice Ambassadors,” began Sept. 1 under the leadership of Professors G. Michael Barnett (principal investigator), David Blustein and Belle Liang (co-principal investigators), in partnership with College Bound, a program within LSOE’s Urban Outreach Initiatives.

The project will involve 840 public middle and high school students in Boston, Springfield and Waltham schools who will learn how to grow ethnically familiar produce without soil, and to sell those products at local farmers’ markets, with the guidance of trained, near-peer mentors. Mentoring will be focused not just on understanding the science and technology of soilless farming but on achieving long-term academic success.

“We have consistently found that social justice is the ‘hook’ that generates the motivation for youth to learn about science to spark change in their community,” said Barnett. “Participants, while learning the underlying scientific processes of hydroponic farming and techniques of entrepreneurship, will introduce and celebrate ethnic diversity within their communities.”

All middle and high school participants will receive vouchers for their respective local farmers’ markets to encourage them to purchase healthy produce. The project also will involve produc-

ing a digital cookbook.

“In addition to learning science, we want to change the perception that farmers’ markets are not for people of color or lower-income residents,” added Barnett. “The first step in that process is to create a path of entry for those who do not think that farmers’ markets are for them.”

The participants will share their work with a larger community of urban farmers at an upcoming Massachusetts Urban Farming Conference.

The project will operate in partnership with College Bound, a pre-collegiate enrichment and support program for urban high school students which aims to empower students to become positive change agents in their schools and communities. Students learn about a variety of important issues affecting their communities through a social justice and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) perspective.

Barnett also developed Urban Hydrofarmers, a NSF-funded initiative that engages high school students in math and science through hydroponic farming and green energy technology.

This work was showcased at the 2017 STEM Video Showcase where the project was recognized with a Presenters’ Choice award.

Students become entrepreneurs by selling their produce at local farmers’ markets, part of the project’s mission of preparing a “green-collar” workforce. Barnett and his team have also partnered with the STEM Garden Institute, GroundWork Lawrence, and Salve Regina University to bring hydroponic farming into schools throughout the US. Contact Phil Gloudemans at phil.gloudemans@bc.edu

Fr. Beaumier New Univ. Secretary; Moore to Oversee Commencement Continued from page 1 “Joy has extensive experience in planning major events, and she knows Boston College well,” said Fr. Leahy. “I appreciate her continued generosity and commitment to Boston College.”

Fr. Beaumier holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marquette University, and master’s degrees in philosophy and American Studies from Saint Louis University. He earned his master’s of divinity degree and licentiate of sacred theology from the Weston Jesuit School of The-

ology, and a doctorate in US history from Boston College.

Moore, who was presented with an honorary degree from BC in 2010, joined the Advancement Office in 2011 as director of stewardship and donor relations.

She previously worked as interim and deputy head of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa and held a variety of leadership positions at the Archer School for Girls in Los Angeles and her alma mater, Dana Hall School in Wellesley.

–University Communications

Understanding Antibiotic Resistance BC researchers probe inside the workings of the bacterial defense system

BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER

Central to understanding why bacteria become antibioticresistant is knowing how bacteria respond to the drugs trying to kill them. In a new study, Boston College researchers report that antibiotics disrupt the genetic defensive responses in lethal bacteria.

When facing a common – or

tablish an understanding of how bacteria rely on underlying genetic networks to function, said the findings may advance the development of new drugs and also help predict how bacteria evolve, adapt and become resistant to antibiotics.

Van Opijnen and co-authors Karen Zhu, a BC doctoral candidate, and former post-doctoral researcher Paul Jensen, now at the University of Illinois, com-

which genes play the most important defensive roles.

During the course of more than two years, the team’s RNASeq experiments analyzed 800 million genetic sequences and produced 150,000 data points.

Tn-Seq analyzed 1.2 billion sequences and produced 300 million data points, Zhu said.

“RNA-Seq looks at the activity of every gene in the genome of the organism,” said van Opi-

“[The] response to antibiotics was highly disorganized, showing that the organism has difficulties with this stress...[The] bacterium is far less familiar with antibiotics, not ‘knowing’ how to respond appropriately.”

–Tim van Opijnen

Lee Pellegrini

historic – threat such as deprivation of nutrients, the deadly bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae exerts a highly organized response – one influenced by the bacteria’s genetic evolution and powered by genes that respond cooperatively to stress, the researchers found. But when confronted with antibiotics – a relatively new form of stress – the bacterium mounts a confused defense, according to the study “Antibiotics Disrupt Coordination Between Transcriptional and Phenotypic Stress Responses in Pathogenic Bacteria,” published in the journal Cell Reports.

“We show that nutrient stress results in a highly organized response from the bacterium,” said Associate Professor of Biology Tim van Opijnen, the study’s principal investigator. “It basically seems to recognize the stress and knows how to deal with it.

“But the response to antibiotics was highly disorganized, showing that the organism has difficulties with this stress, trying out all kinds of unrelated things to come to a solution and overcome the stress,” he said. “This shows that the bacterium is far less familiar with antibiotics, not ‘knowing’ how to respond appropriately.”

Van Opijnen, whose datadriven research has helped to es-

bined large quantities of experimental data with a new, largescale computational model they developed to produce new insights and challenge some longheld assumptions about the interplay between bacteria and the drugs designed to treat them.

S. pneumoniae kills approximately 1.5 million people annually. In prior research, van Opijnen and colleagues have revealed that different strains of the bacterium respond uniquely to antibiotics. This time, the research team looked at how strains respond to different stressors. The team employed two analytical approaches – one in use for many years and one developed in the van Opijnen lab.

The team used a process known as RNA sequencing, or RNA-Seq, to assess bacterial genes that are provoked to change, a process known as transcription. This activity has long been viewed as central to understanding how bacteria combat antibiotics and other stressors.

The team paired that analysis with its own technique: transposon insertion sequencing, or TnSeq. Developed by van Opijnen, Tn-Seq combs through millions of genetic sequences and singlesout gene functions in bacteria.

The advantage of Tn-Seq is that it is able to begin to pinpoint

jnen. “The activity of every gene has always been associated with importance. The assumption for nearly three decades has been if you take an organism and stress it out, and a gene’s activity changes, it must be important.”

That assumption has been difficult to test, said van Opijnen.

But with Tn-Seq, van Opijnen has the ability to assess the importance of a gene in a specific condition.

“We found that you cannot assume that change in the activity of a gene means the gene is important,” said van Opijnen. It was a surprising finding, he said.

After all, why would a change in gene activity take place if it was not important to the organism’s survival?

Part of the answer may be in the collaborative nature of the way genes work across the entire genome of a bacterial strain, van Opijnen said. “They collaborate and corroborate to perform functions, to resolve into a specific phenotype,” he said. “So there is a relationship as genes all work with each other in pathways, or networks; they cooperate with each other.”

Read more at bit.ly/antibioticresistance-update Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Gift by Connell Establishes New Chair at Mass. General in Honor of CSON’s Jones

Gary Wayne Gilbert

A new endowed chair has been established at Massachusetts General Hospital in honor of Connell School of Nursing Professor Dorothy A. Jones. The ConnellJones Endowed Chair in Nursing and Patient Care Research will be held by a senior faculty member in recognition of his or her pivotal leadership within MGH Department of Nursing.

The endowed chair was made possible by a gift from philanthropist Margot C. Connell, a Boston College benefactor, mother of six BC graduates, and recipient of an honorary degree from BC in 2009.

Gaurdia Banister, executive director of the Institute for Patient Care and director of the Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, has been named the inaugural holder of the Connell-Jones Chair. Her nursing research interests include innovative models for interprofessional education, transition to practice considerations for culturally diverse nursing students, and the impact of mentoring on career success and progression.

“Margot Connell’s belief in nursing and her generosity in establishing this chair is transformative, and there is no nurse of whom I can think who is more deserving of the honor of having this chair in her name,” said Connell School of Nursing Dean Susan Gennaro. “Dottie Jones is an innovative leader who both through her research and teaching has changed nursing care at one of the most innovative health

tory surgery with local and general anesthesia and a nurse-coached intervention. She is also involved in the development and testing of a practice grounded in Margaret Newmans’ Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness and is a member of a research team at Massachusetts General Hospital focusing the on the development, implementation and evaluation

Caitlin Cunningham

care systems in the world. What an honor to have the Connell and Jones names linked together for this very important chair.”

“Being part of the ConnellJones Endowed Chair for Nursing and Patient Care Research at the MGH is a personal honor for which I am most grateful,” said Jones, an internationally recognized nurse researcher who has

BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER

Margot Connell

Dorothy Jones

taught at Boston College for more than 40 years. She is also director emerita of the Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research at MGH. “But even more important, this chair supported by Margot Connell recognizes her continuing commitment to nursing and is a tribute the contributions of the many nurse scholars in practice settings who are dedicated to advancing disciplinary knowledge that will impact patient care for individuals, families and communities on a global level,” added Jones.

Jones’ research includes a National Institutes of Health-funded study focusing on patients’ recovery at home following ambula-

of a Professional Practice Model and clinician satisfaction with the work environment.

A Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Jones has published more than 150 articles and book chapters and 15 textbooks (edited or co-edited). Earlier this year, she was named a Living Legend in Massachusetts Nursing by the American Nurses Association Massachusetts.

Jones noted that this recognition would not have been possible without “the continued leadership of MGH Chief Nurse and Vice President of Patient Care Services Dr. Jeanette Ives-Erickson.”

On Sept. 8, Carroll School of Management faculty member Sean R. Martin, (above) presented “Social Class: Understanding Its Effects in the Workplace” – his first lecture as the inaugural Mancini Family Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor. The event was attended by Raymond T. ’60, MBA’11 and Ann T. Mancini, P ’81, ’83, ’84 (right) and their family. Also speaking were Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, Carroll School Powers Family Dean Andy Boynton, Deborah Mancini Morrocco ’81, P ’10, ’14 and Raymond Thomas Mancini III ’19.

Photos by Lee Pellegrini

Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu

5

“On the one hand, there is increasing secularism in the world, but also a renewal of faith cultures,” says Moran. “This is where the Catholic tradition has traditionally found a good balance.”

Dermot Moran Joins Faculty Continued from page 1 the Springer Contributions to Phenomenology book series. Among his many publications, he is author of Edmund Husserl: Founder of Phenomenology and Introduction to Phenomenology, editor of The Routledge Companion to Twentieth Century Philosophy and co-editor of The Phenomenology Reader; his articles have been published in journals such as Continental Philosophy Review and American Catholic Philosophy Quarterly.

Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, SJ, said Moran’s appointment “highlights the central role of philosophy in the distinctive Jesuit, Catholic mission of Boston College.

“The search committee had a challenging task in seeking to identify the person who would serve as both the first Joseph Professor in Catholic Philosophy and the next chair of the Philosophy Department,” added Fr. Kalscheur. “We were looking for an outstanding philosopher whose scholarly profile fit the criteria for the endowed professorship, who could advance the vision of the department and contribute to the mission of the University as a whole, and who also possessed strong leadership ability and administrative skills.

Dermot is uniquely qualified in all those areas.”

Fr. Kalscheur said Moran’s international stature as FISP president, in which capacity he is organizing a major conference – the 24th World Congress of Philosophy – next August in China, helps ensure that “Boston College is firmly engaged with the global philosophical community.”

The establishment of the Joseph Professorship and Moran’s arrival at BC, said Fr. Kalscheur, comes at a critical time in the discipline of philosophy – Catholic philosophy in particular.

“The whole notion of Catholic philosophy is one that raises interesting questions: What does it mean to talk about Catholic philosophy, and how does this dimension of philosophy interact with wider philosophical conversations? At BC, we are striving to understand Catholic philosophy in a fairly broad way, grounded in a commitment to understanding faith and reason as complementary and mutually illuminating, and recognizing theology as a serious dialogue partner. Dermot will play

a prominent role in this exploration.”

Said Moran, “This professorship is an excellent opportunity to examine the meaning of Catholic philosophy, in historical and contemporary terms. The challenge is to preserve the unique insights of Catholic tradition – the idea of living the full life as expressed classically in the Aristotelian concept of eudaimonia, or ‘human flourishing’ – and to be on the cutting edge of intellectual tradition, including dialogue with the sciences.”

Moran said he looked forward to interdepartmental dialogue with Theology, which could lead to “a broader understanding of how religion is functioning today: On the one hand, there is increasing secularism in the world, but also a renewal of faith cultures.

This is where the Catholic tradition has traditionally found a good balance.”

The 24th World Congress of Philosophy that Moran is organizing in Beijing – which some 5,000 academics from more than 90 countries are expected to attend, including BC faculty and graduate students – will be a useful window onto that global landscape of philosophy, he said. He also sees an opportunity to forge ties between BC and Peking University and other leading Chinese academic institutions.

Such initiatives and activities can aid in developing a “greater professionalization of our graduate students for employment,” he said, “and equipping them for competitive placement.”

Moran said he looks forward to learning more about philosophy in the undergraduate domain at BC, through the PULSE Program and Perspectives, for example, and the ongoing renewal of the Core Curriculum.

“The skills you learn – about how to formulate questions, how to evaluate and respond to arguments – through the liberal arts education BC provides are transferable to numerous settings and contexts,” he said. “I’m sure my colleagues and I will have many discussions on how to strengthen the qualities that make BC so distinctive.”

Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu

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BC Sees Potential Boon in Partnership with IITB Continued from page 1 led the outreach efforts with IITB. “BC School of Social Work is already collaborating with the IITB to examine the impact of deploying seven million solar lamps to rural households in India. With the IITB team, we have developed a systems analysis of what it takes to localize the production, distribution, and maintenance of solar technologies for the poor.

Our partnership with IITB offers a powerful illustration of how universities can collaborate to liberate the productive capacities of poor

solutions to the problem of energy poverty in India. The research partnership will also provide experiential learning opportunities for both IITB and BC students to work in the field not only assisting faculty in identifying solutions but also testing solutions ‘in-country.’

The experience will provide students with the skills necessary to design potential solutions and to implement and iterate solutions in a human-centered and community-based design context.”

Yadama and Chiles noted that

“Our partnership with IITB offers a powerful illustration of how universities can collaborate to liberate the productive capacities of poor households and communities.”

–Gautam Yadama

households and communities.”

Added DeLuca Professor of Biology Thomas Chiles, who also serves as vice provost for research and academic planning, “Energy poverty represents a complex problem that requires multidisciplinary teams to identify solutions that can then be rapidly implemented on a timeframe of months instead of decades.

“Faculty from across BC in a variety of disciplines will work collaboratively with IITB to identify

the transdisciplinary approach to provide solutions is potentially scalable to other resource-poor regions around the globe.

“Simply stated,” concluded Chiles, “this memorandum of understanding embodies the type of research that Boston College envisions and seeks to foster in the future with the new Institute for Integrated Science and Society.”

Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu

The Sept. 2 AHANA Culture Festival offered first-year students an opportunity to learn about various AHANA arts, cultural and social groups at the University. The event, held at the Stokes Hall Amphitheater, was hosted by Black Student Forum and Sexual Chocolate. (Photos by Christopher Huang)

Transforming Healthcare

BC's innovative Master of Healthcare Administration program prepares patient-centered, creative leaders to improve the way healthcare is delivered

A panel of healthcare entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders addressed Master of Healthcare Administration students who gathered for the program's inaugural Innovation Weekend immersion event. (Photo by Jim Johnston)

BY PATRICIA DELANEY DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

A surgeon is admitted to a worldclass, acute care hospital. Complications to his condition result in a sevenweek stay. He recovers, and is grateful for the skilled, often compassionate care that restored him to health. From his perspective as a physician, however, he identifies problems with the experience—including communication lapses, revolving care providers, and treatment delays—that caused anxiety and frustration for him and his family.

He wonders: How could the process be better?

Responding to the above question was the challenge for students who gathered this summer for Innovation Weekend, the inaugural on-site component of Boston College’s online Master of Healthcare Administration degree program, launched one year ago by the Woods College of Advancing Studies. The students’ task: to think outside the box in order to develop a creative, feasible, cost-effective plan to improve the quality and delivery of patient care.

The Innovation Weekend was the culmination of a monthlong course in innovation-based healthcare strategy led by Dr. Jon Chilingerian, who also serves on the faculties of Brandeis University and Tufts School of Medicine, and is ranked among the world’s top healthcare management educators.

A central feature of the BC MHA program’s design, the immersion event exposes the online students to the Boston healthcare market, and provides them with an in-person experience of the Boston College campus.

“Innovation-based strategies are a source of competitive advantage in an industry with strict regulation and limited financial resources,” said Emily Raviola, interim director

of the BC MHA, the University’s first online degree program. “Our next generation of healthcare leaders must be poised to drive innovation. These healthcare leaders need to develop creative approaches that will ultimately improve care and outcomes.”

At a time when challenges to the US healthcare system often make headlines, the BC MHA is responding to the growing demand for high-caliber, ethical leaders for this increasingly complex field.

The MHA program curriculum — designed with input from an industry advisory board composed of healthcare leaders from institutions including Mass. General, Atrius Health, Beth Israel Deaconess, VA Boston Healthcare, and Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, among others — ensures that the BC MHA provides a learning experience closely aligned with current industry needs.

In its first year, the program has developed partnership agreements with nine healthcare institutions, including, for example, Mass. General and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and has enrolled more than 40 students representing healthcare settings ranging from Mass. General and Boston Children’s hospitals to Bayer Healthcare, and private healthcare consulting.

In addition, the BC MHA has a key differentiating factor: a strong emphasis on ethics and values. “We stress a patient-centered perspective,” said Woods College Dean James P. Burns, IVD. “By graduating highly-qualified, morally responsible, dedicated healthcare professionals from this program, we hope to improve how individuals are treated within the healthcare system.”

The patient perspective was central to the case challenge component of the three-day Innovation Weekend, which is mandatory for students in the program. Highlights

of the weekend included a site visit to the Brigham Digital Innovation Hub at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an evening with healthcare thought leaders and entrepreneurs, and a panel discussion moderated by Chilingerian.

After a Saturday of coursework on the BC campus, the students spent the following day developing creative, strategic responses to the surgeon-turned-patient case scenario, which they presented for assessment to a panel of industry and faculty judges.

“It was a great experience!” said Dr. Mary P. Leahy, chief executive officer of Bon Secours Charity Health System in New York, an MHA student.

“I think the class discussions can be very useful in implementing change across our organizations.

Students were taught improvement science tools and tactics that should be helpful in the journey towards the quadruple aim,” she said, referring to improving population health, increasing patient satisfaction, reducing per-capita health care spending, and ensuring there is also care of the provider, such as avoiding physician burnout.

The program also drew praise from industry participants.

“The Innovation Weekend showcased the undeniable commitment of the program’s faculty in introducing its students to worldclass entrepreneurs, innovators, and healthcare thought leaders,” said Rachel Rosenbloom, chief operating officer at Atrius Health and a member of the BC MHA advisory board. “There is no doubt, they are already succeeding in their efforts to energize, inspire, and ignite the next generation of healthcare leaders in the spirit of transforming the way care is delivered in the future.”

For more information, visit the Boston College MHA website at http://onlinemha.bc.edu/ Read the full version of this story at bit.ly/mha-transforming-healthcare

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BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MEDIA On the eve of Pope Francis’ sixday visit to Colombia, Assoc. Prof.

Hosffman Ospino (STM) offered remarks on challenges facing the pontiff during his stay in the wartorn country, for articles appearing in The New York Times, National Catholic Reporter, US News & World Report and Reuters.

Rachel Newhall, left, and Priya Atiyeh ’18, representatives of the Office for Health Promotions weren’t shy about trying to attract passersby at the Student Involvement Fair. Story, photos on page 2. (Photo by Yiting Chen)

Affiliates Program Seeks Candidates Boston College’s University Affiliates program, which provides AHANA employees with opportunities to broaden their management experiences and study critical issues in higher education, is accepting applications for the 2017-18 academic year until Sept. 25.

Affiliates receive a thorough orientation to vice presidential areas, schools and departments throughout the University and are mentored by senior University administrators, enabling them to observe leadership in action and learn about the methods used to address strategic issues in higher education.

Eligibility criteria include, but are not limited to, a bachelor’s degree; a minimum of one year of professional (or equivalent) work experience at BC in an exempt position; and the support of the applicant’s University department.

Learn more about the Affiliates program at the Office for Institutional Diversity website, www.bc.edu/diversity.

–University Communications

McMullen Museum to Be Honored

by Boston Preservation Alliance A year after the McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College debuted its new, world-class venue at 2101 Commonwealth Avenue, the building project will be recognized with a prestigious Preservation Achievement Award by the Boston Preservation Alliance.

An important and critically acclaimed cultural resource, the McMullen is one of 10 projects chosen for the award, which annually honors outstanding achievements in historic preservation and compatible new construction in Boston.

Preservation Achievement awardees will be honored next Tuesday at the State Street Pavilion at Fenway Park.

“Boston College has successfully given this 90-year-old treasure a new life for the BC community and for Boston,” said Boston Preservation Alliance Executive Director Greg Galer.

“Finding successful new uses for large, monumental, institutional buildings isn’t easy, and the cost

to rehabilitate them and the value of the land on which they sit often leads to unfortunate outcomes for historic fabric.”

Associate Vice President of Capital Projects Management Mary Nardone, who worked closely on the project, said the University is honored by the recognition.

“The renovation of this Renaissance Revival mansion into a state-of-the-art museum of art and University conference center was nothing short of transformational,” said Nardone. “The work included a careful renovation of the existing building, with a delicate new addition of glass and masonry that both respects and celebrates the original building. The building has a rich history and the new addition on the east end of the building provides a prominent gateway to the campus.

Read more of this story at http:// bit.ly/mcmullen-preservationaward —University Communications

Prof. Jeffrey Cohen (CSOM) published “Media Bias and the Persistence of an Expectation Gap: An Analysis of Press Articles on Corporate Fraud” in Journal of Business Ethics and “Enterprise Risk Management and the Financial Reporting Process: The Experiences of Audit Committee Members, CFOs, and External Auditors” in Contemporary Accounting Research.

Following President Trump’s announcement on ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Asst.

Prof. Kari Hong (Law) wrote a commentary for WBUR “Cognoscenti” in favor of the bipartisan 2017 Dream Act that would make DACA law. She also spoke on the Translation. Shrayer also joined the editorial board of Prooftexts: A Journal of Jewish Literary History.

Work by part-time faculty member Ariel Freiberg (Studio Art) is featured at the Abigail Ogilvy Gallery and the Yezerski Gallery and Samsøñ in Boston’s SoWa Art & Design District and the Boston Center for the Arts, and beginning today in the O’Neill Library Level One Gallery.

BC BRIEFING

Prof. Maxim D. Shrayer (Slavic and Eastern Languages; English) published the following: a third edition of Genrikh Sapgir: An Avant-Garde Classic, in Russia; “Reflections of a Translingual Writer” in The Odessa Review; “Bez Nabokov (Without Nabokov)” in Snob. ru; a translation of “First Snow,” from the Russian of Leonid Martynov – co-translated with Tatiana Rebecca Shrayer – in Four Centuries: Russian Poetry in Translation; translations of “And what if we try thirds...” and “In the rustbelt of Brest’s leaky boroughs...,” from the Russian of Dmitri Dragilew, in Four Centuries: Russian Poetry in

Assoc. Prof. Andrea Vicini, SJ (STM), was part of “Contending Modernities,” a research initiative on Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, and secular engagement with modernity based at the University of Notre Dame. The initiative produced a 46-minute podcast [soundcloud.com/contending_modernities] that discussed issues concerning science and religion explored for a broad non-specialist audience.

Fr. Vicini was one of four expert witnesses interviewed on the subject of gene editing.

NOTA BENE Brennan Professor of Education Andrew Hargreaves will receive an honorary degree on Nov. 17 from The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). A leading authority in the fields of teacher development and educational change, Hargreaves will be one of five recipients who will be acknowledged for significant contributions in their respective fields in advancing education and contributing to social progress.

Hargreaves is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Hong Kong, president of the International Congress of School Effectiveness and Improvement, founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of Professional Capital and Community, and adviser in education to both the premier of Ontario and the first minister of Scotland.

The EdUHK – whose faculty is ranked second in Asia and 13th globally – is a publicly funded tertiary institution dedicated to the advancement of teaching and learning through a diverse offering of academic and research programs on teacher education and complementary social sciences and humanities disciplines.

–Phil Gloudemans Robert Hasson, a 1992 graduate the Lynch School of Education doctoral program, was confirmed as the Maine Commissioner of Education earlier this year. He has served as an elementary school teacher, special education director, principal and, for more than 20 years, superintendent of schools in Cumberland and North Yarmouth in Maine.

legal battle taking shape to block the president’s plan – her quotes appeared in The Boston Globe, Associated Press, NBC News and WTOP (Washington, DC).

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, and other severe storms on the horizon, Assoc. Prof. Noah Snyder (Earth and Environmental Sciences), director of Environmental Studies, was among experts asked

by NBC Boston to weigh in on extreme rainfall events. Meanwhile, Prof. of the Practice Tiziana Dearing (BCSSW) discussed relief efforts for Texas as a guest on WBUR Radio Boston.

Prof. John Ebel (Earth and Environmental Sciences) provided analysis for The Boston Globe on a minor earthquake in Central Massachusetts – the region’s first in five years.

In an interview with Fortune, Center for Work and Family Visiting Scholar Lauren Stiller Rikleen discussed Ivanka Trump’s approach to advocacy for women.

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

For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/offices/hr: Administrative Assistant, Rappaport Center, Academic Affairs/Provost Director of Development, Law School Director, Advancement Talent, University Advancement Campus Minister, University Mission and Ministry Associate Vice President, Principal Gifts, University Advancement Head Librarian, Academic Affairs/Provost Research Associate, Academic Affairs/Provost Senior Philanthropic Advisor, University Advancement Third Cook, Dining & Catering Producer, ACC Network Production, Athletics Senior HRIT Analyst, Human Resources Senior Public Safety Dispatcher, Auxiliary Servies Events Assistant, Alumni Chapters, University Advancement Associate Director, TRIO Program, Academic Affairs/Provost

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HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

Opening ceremony Friday, 5 p.m., Plaza at O’Neill Library Food • Music • Performances • Raffle facebook.com/HispanicHeritageMonthBC

Continuing its tradition of hosting influential and high-profile speakers — novelists, poets, journalists, scholars and others from a variety of spheres – Boston College’s celebrated Lowell Humanities Series offers six events during the semester. All events are free and open to the public, and begin at 7 p.m.

Pagan Kennedy Sept. 27, Devlin 101 In her 2016 book, Inventology: How We Dream Up Things That Change The World, awardwinning writer Kennedy explores the science of human imagination as it pertains to innovation and creativity. The author of 11 books, her work has appeared in dozens of prominent publications including a column she wrote for the New York Times Magazine. As an MIT journalism fellow, she studied microbiology and neuroengineering, and has won numerous other awards including an NEA, Smithsonian, and two Massachusetts Cultural Council fellowships.

Poetry Days presents Billy Collins Oct. 4, Gasson 100 No poet since Robert Frost has managed to combine critical acclaim and broad popular appeal as Collins, according to series organizers. His work has appeared in periodicals including the New Yorker, The Paris Review and The American Scholar; he is a Guggenheim fellow and a New York Public Library “Literary Lion.”

Collins has published 10 col-

Lowell Humanities Series speakers include (clockwise from top left) Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Pagan Kennedy, Billy Collins and Eimear McBride.

lections of poetry, most recently The Rain in Portugal (2016).

He was appointed United States Poet Laureate for 2001-2003, and named New York State Poet Laureate for 2004-06. Elected a member of the American Academy of Arts & Letters in 2016, he is a distinguished professor at both CUNY and Rollins College.

Eimear McBride Oct. 18, Gasson 100 Irish native McBride wrote

her first novel, A Girl is a Halfformed Thing (2013), at age 27 and spent the next nine years trying to have it published. The book has since garnered numerous awards including the inaugural Goldsmiths Prize, the Baileys Prize for Women’s Fiction and Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year. Called “a future classic” by the New York Times Book Review, McBride’s novel elicited international praise that includes com-

BC SCENES

parisons of McBride to such acclaimed authors as Edna O’Brien, Virginia Woolf and James Joyce.

Published last year, her second novel, The Lesser Bohemians, was shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize and the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction. Her appearance is co-sponsored by BC’s Irish Studies Program.

Khalil Gibran Muhammad Oct. 25, Gasson 100 A professor at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, Muhammad is the Suzanne Young Murray Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and past director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture – one of the world’s leading research facilities dedicated to the history of the African diaspora. His book The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime and the Making of Modern Urban America, which explores the roots of the popular conception of black criminality in America, won the 2011 John Hope Franklin Best Book Award in American Studies. His work has appeared in many publications including the New York Times, the New Yorker and the Washington Post.

Sanford Biggers Nov. 8, Devlin 101 Biggers creates artworks that integrate film, video, installation, sculpture, drawing, original music and performance. To offer new perspectives and associations for established symbols, he intentionally complicates such isLee Pellegrini

sues as hip hop, Buddhism, politics, identity and art history and makes works that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are conceptual, according to organizers. A Columbia University professor, Biggers recently exhibited work at the Brooklyn Museum, Sculpture Center and Mass MoCA. He has won awards including the American Academy in Berlin Prize, Greenfield Prize and the Lambent Fellowship in the Arts.

Patience Agbabi Nov. 15, Gasson 100 A poet and performer who has been featured worldwide on radio and TV, Agbabi is the author of four books. Her most recent, Telling Tales (2014), is a vivid retelling of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales for the 21st century. Her poetry collections include R.A.W., Transformatrix and Bloodshot Monochrome. A former Poet Laureate of Canterbury, she was nominated in 2004 as one of the UK’s Next Generation Poets. Agbabi was a recipient of The Cholmondeley Award and was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Prize for New Work in Poetry. Now a Fellow at Oxford Brookes University, she has taught at several UK universities.

For more details on the series and speakers see the Lowell Humanities Series website [www. bc.edu/lowellhs]. The series is sponsored by the Lowell Institute, BC’s Institute for the Liberal Arts and the Provost’s Office.

–University Communications

RITES AND CEREMONIES Last Thursday, Sept. 7, was the day for two of Boston College’s signature events.

In the late afternoon, the Class of 2021 gathered on Linden Lane for a blessing from the Jesuit community, faculty and administration (near left), followed by the annual First Flight Procession (lower left) to Conte Forum, where author Lev Golinkin ‘03 (bottom) presented the First Year Academic Convocation keynote speech.

Earlier in the day, the University community came together in Conte Forum for the Mass of the Holy Spirit, a tradition for the opening of the school year at Jesuit institutions. University President William P. Leahy, SJ (above), celebrated the Mass.

Photos by Lee Pellegrini

Lee Pellegrini

Rose Lincoln