Boston College Chronicle

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 VOL. 29 NO. 3

PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

A Unique Class for a Unique Time

Flowery Sentiment

COVID forced a change in recruitment practices, but BC still wound up with an academically strong, diverse first-year class

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

It is one of the largest classes in Boston College history, enrolled through the most competitive admission cycle ever of any entering class to come to the Heights.

But one truly unique characteristic of the Class of 2025, attributable to COVID-19, is that its members explored BC as their potential college destination entirely by remote means, from Zoom chats to campus tours via smartphone.

In a larger context, the first-year class also upholds ongoing trends and affirms many strategic objectives in BC’s undergraduate recruitment and enrollment: academic excellence, geographical and ethnic diversity, and increased focus on Early Decision applicants.

INSIDE 2 Around Campus

Exhibit offers different perspective on dementia; CSON lab receives special donation.

3 Ignatian Year/Rattigan Gift

BC marking a Society of Jesus milestone; Rattigans endow BC women’s hockey coach position.

8 Marathon Musings

BC runners share their thoughts about taking part in Boston’s big run.

“It was challenging to shift our recruitment model to all-virtual, with no certainty of when things might begin returning to normal,” said Director of Undergraduate Admission Grant Gosselin, who praised the Admission staff for their ability to adapt to a drastically changed landscape. “Fortunately, the groundwork that’s been laid over the years means Boston College continues to be a place of interest for a growing number of prospective college students.”

The 2,516 members of the Class of 2025 were selected from 39,847 applicants, an acceptance rate of 19 percent that is the lowest known such figure for BC. Thirtyfour percent of Class of 2025 students are AHANA students, equaling last year’s total, and 53 percent are women.

First-generation college students make up 10 percent of the class, and BC enrolled 106 students through QuestBridge, a nonprofit program that helps high-achieving, low-income students gain admission and scholarships to the country’s top-ranked colleges and universities; this was the University’s first year participating in QuestBridge. Fourteen percent of the class are recipients of Pell Grants, federal subsidies awarded to undergraduate students with the highest financial need. BC is the country’s fourth best in graduating Pell Grant recipients [see separate story on page 4]; the 346 Pell students entering BC this year is the second-highest number ever enrolled at the University.

Thirty-one percent of the class is from New England, 30 percent from the MidAtlantic; the South/Southwest and West regions both make up 11 percent, followed by the Mid-West (nine percent). Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and California sent the majority of this year’s first-year students to BC. International students make up seven percent of first-year students, with most of them from

Continued on page 4

Pat Monahan, lead singer of Train, accepted a rose from an audience member during his band’s performance at the annual Pops on the Heights gala September 24 in Conte Forum.

The event raised a record $14.5 million for student scholarships. photo by gretchen ertl

NSF Grant Will Fund Study of Ocean Ecosystems

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Boston College is one of 10 institutions of higher education and marine biology labs sharing an initial, five-year, $25-million Science and Technology Center grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) designed to promote a deeper understand-

ing and appreciation of the chemicals and chemical processes that underpin ocean ecosystems.

The 10-member consortium will comprise the Center for Chemical Currencies of a Microbial Planet (C-CoMP), one of six new Science and Technology Centers simultaneously announced by the NSF.

Continued on page 3

BC Is New Home for Ricci Institute

BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

The internationally acclaimed Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History, a research center for the study of ChineseWestern cultural exchange, will move to Boston College from the University of San Francisco, where it has been located since its founding in 1984. The institute and its

library of more than 100,000 volumes— including rare books, manuscripts, and unique artwork from East Asia—will be placed in the Creagh Library on the Brighton Campus, with an anticipated opening date of February 2022.

The Ricci Institute is recognized as an international leader in the study of missionary history, with a focus on the Jesuit missions from the 16th to the early 20th

Continued on page 6

It reaffirms a commitment to the liberal arts and the impact they could have on people’s lives, it’s taking on one of the most pressing and challenging societal issues in mass incarceration, and it involves members of the BC community with acts of service and empathy toward a group who often remain either disparaged or ignored.

– patrick conway, director of bc prison education program, page 5

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September 30, 2021

Around Campus

Campus Exhibit Seeks to Put Dementia in a Whole New Light An evocative exhibit of portraits now showcased at Boston College juxtaposes images of individuals living with dementia with younger photographs of the subjects, accompanied by brief narratives about their lives. Created by photographer Joe Wallace, “The Day After Yesterday: Portraits of Dementia” delves into multifaceted aspects of dementia, including physical, emotional, community, and health care issues.

The series of 28 photographs is on display through October 29 in the library of the BC School of Social Work (a supporter of the project), and in the O’Neill Library Reading Room.

Wallace’s goal is to destigmatize those living with dementia, to use empathy as a means for connection and understanding, and to tell a more complex and complete story of those living with the disease and its effect on their families and loved ones.

“A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia can, in and of itself, be quite devastating for individuals and their loved ones, but the stigma that shrouds this disease often strips individuals of their personhood and isolates them, making it that much more so,” said BCSSW Associate Professor Christina Matz.

“My colleagues and I felt it was important to bring this exhibit to BC because art can be such a beautiful medium through which to open up a conversation.

“I hope that by bringing these images and their accompanying narratives into the daily lives of students, staff, and faculty

“The Day After Yesterday: Portraits of Dementia” is on display at BC through October 29. photo by lee pellegrini

on campus, it will provide the opportunity for folks to start talking about the stigma, which, in turn, will help to lessen the stigma. The goal is to recognize the misconceptions around what it means to live with dementia and to care for someone with dementia, to be able to grieve the losses associated with the disease in healthy ways, and most importantly, to recognize that people are much more than their diagnoses and should be treated and celebrated as such,” she added.

In 2020, 50 million people were living with dementia globally, according to the

exhibit website, and in the United States, one in three older adults have Alzheimer’s or dementia at their time of death. Despite the millions of individuals and families affected, dementia is often a taboo subject with limited public awareness or discourse, and a diagnosis can segregate those affected from society, and make it easy to see only the label instead of the individual.

Trained as a journalist, Wallace has been a portrait photographer and storyteller for two decades, and has a deeply personal connection with dementia. His maternal grandfather had Alzheimer’s; his maternal

grandmother had vascular dementia; in recent years, his mother began her journey with the disease.

While futility, despair, and loss are real and important elements of the dementia journey, Wallace felt that focusing on this narrow view does little to change the stigma of those living with the disease, and that stereotypical perspectives make it easier to continue ignoring this burgeoning health crisis and the individuals themselves.

As his website outlines, his approach is to depict the whole story, in order to give viewers courage to act in ways large and small. He believes the artist must not be afraid to show not only the fear, loss, and despair, but also the love, connection, dignity, and powerful humanity that always remain—in the subjects, care-partners, families, and communities. This is the path to evolve the narrative and have a positive social change, according to Wallace.

“I have always loved a good story,” he wrote in a biographical statement. “The last 15 years I’ve been telling stories through photographs. My approach to photography applies a fine art sensibility to the journalist’s eye for storytelling. I love crafting an arresting visual narrative and feed off the spark of collaboration.”

To read more on this ongoing project and compelling traveling exhibit, including how to participate by sharing a family story, visit portraitsofdementia.com.

—University Communications

Model Donation for CSON Lab The Connell School of Nursing’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Program has added to its lab three new “manikins”— human-shaped models used to teach students basic and advanced airway management prior to beginning clinical experience in the operating room—thanks to donations made in memory of CSON Clinical Assistant Professor Denise Testa, a nurse anesthetist and co-founder of the CRNA program who died in 2020 at age 62.

The manikins were unveiled on September 17 in the Simulation Lab in Maloney Hall. Attending the unveiling were Testa’s colleagues from her clinical anesthesia practice and BC, including CRNA faculty Susan Emery, Caitlin Vitale, and Allan Thomas, and James English ’74, B.S.N. ’79, former president of Anaesthesia Associates of Massachusetts, the group that partnered with the ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Jack Dunn SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Connell School in developing the nurse anesthesia program.

The CRNA program was co-founded in 2002 by Emery and Testa, who served as program director and assistant director, respectively. Testa, who earned a doctorate from Boston College in 2016, was a highly regarded clinician, educator, and mentor, according to her colleagues and former students.

“Denise had a unique ability to engage students in the classroom, simulation laboratory and the operating room,” recalled Emery, a clinical associate professor. “She was a strong student advocate and a wonderful colleague.

“Since Denise taught respiratory physiology as it relates to anesthesia practice, we thought these manikins would be an excellent way to honor her teaching,” Emery added.

—Kathleen Sullivan

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Sean Smith

pellegrini

Christine Balquist Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan

Chronicle

PHOTOGRAPHERS

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

Patricia Delaney EDITOR

The Connell School of Nursing’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Program recently obtained three new “manikins,” thanks to donations made in memory of late CSON faculty member and program co-founder Denise Testa, whose photo is displayed at left. photo by lee

Caitlin Cunningham Lee Pellegrini

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Chronicle

September 30, 2021

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University Prepares to Celebrate the Ignatian Year

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Boston College will observe the Ignatian Year—which marks the 500th anniversary of Society of Jesus founder St. Ignatius’s conversion—during the 2021-2022 academic year with a number of special events and programs that commemorate the Jesuit heritage “and how it has been embodied at Boston College,” according to John T. Butler, S.J., the Haub Vice President for University Mission and Ministry.

The Ignatian Year, which began in May and ends in July of next year, recalls the transformation of Ignatius of Loyola during his convalescence after being wounded in the Battle of Pamplona. Reading about the life of Jesus and the saints forever changed Ignatius from soldier to pilgrim, and gave rise to a spirituality and form of education that has shaped millions of people over the past five centuries.

A cornerstone of BC’s Ignatian Year observance will be the Ignatian Colleagues

Events and programs commemorating the Jesuit heritage and its impact on BC are envisioned for the Ignatian Year, according to Haub Vice President for University Mission and Ministry John T. Butler, S.J. photo by lee pellegrini

Program (ICP), a national initiative of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities designed to educate and form faculty and senior administrators more deeply in the Jesuit and Catholic tradition of higher education. The ICP, which spans a period of approximately 18 months, is composed of a series of online learning opportunities, an international immersion trip, an Igna-

tian retreat, a summer workshop, a mission venture, and a capstone project. Its goal is to provide a solid intellectual foundation so participants who are non-Jesuits can better articulate, adapt, and advance the Jesuit and Catholic mission of their respective universities.

In a recent letter, Fr. Butler asked those who have participated in the ICP to record and upload a brief video that captures their reflections on the experience, and how the Ignatian charism influences their work at a Jesuit, Catholic university. “Share your understanding or impact of Ignatius’s conversion in your own life and work. Did the ICP lead to any changes or conversions in your professional life or your understanding of working at a Jesuit, Catholic university?

How do you understand Jesuit Catholic for-

mative education?’”

According to Tomeu Estelrich, director of BC’s Center for Ignatian Spirituality, a number of videos have already been received, and he plans to intermittently post them on the “Heart of the Matter” section of the University Mission and Ministry website [bc.edu/ mission], allowing sufficient time for visitors to review and consider each submission.

“Each video provides a different approach, a different perspective, and a different outcome,” said Estelrich, who teaches in the Philosophy Department. “They reflect not only on the impact that the ICP has had in the lives of the participants, but the ripple effect that the program has in the life of the University.”

Additionally, these vignettes will be shared with the BC community and beyond through the University’s various external communications channels.

“May this year be one of conversion for us all, as we move from a pandemic reality to the possibility of the new, whatever that might be,” said Fr. Butler.

Rattigans’ Gift Is a Boost to BC Women’s Hockey Boston College Athletics has received a $3.5 million gift from Thomas “Tom” Rattigan ’60 and his wife, Jane, to endow the head women’s ice hockey coaching position. The Jane Rattigan Head Women’s Hockey Coach position is the first women’s head coaching endowment in Boston College Athletics history. Katie Crowley, who has led the BC women’s hockey program since 2007, will be the first to hold the position.

“This is a truly historic gift from Tom and Jane, who have been so supportive of Boston College and of our women’s hockey program,” said William V. Campbell Director of Athletics Pat Kraft. “We are appreciative of their incredible generosity and their gift will help ensure our tradition of excellence in women’s hockey will continue for years to come.”

Tom Rattigan, who joined the Boston College Board of Trustees in 1996 and became a trustee associate in 2003, is the former CEO of PepsiCo Bottling International.

After leaving PepsiCo in 1984, the long-time private investor then became the CEO of Commodore International before going on to lead the G. Heileman Brewing Company.

“Boston College women’s hockey is one of the most storied programs in the country,” said Tom Rattigan. “The success of the program year after year is such a point of pride for us and for all Boston College alumni and fans. With this gift, we want to express our gratitude and confidence in all of our current student-athletes, staff, and former players, and share our excitement for the future of BC women’s hockey under Katie’s guidance.”

The Rattigans have four children, including son Sean, who earned an M.B.A. from the Carroll School of Management in 1997.

In addition to serving as a University Trustee, Tom Rattigan has been a member of the University’s National Development Board, the Wall Street Council, and Boston College Technology Council, and is a benefactor of other areas throughout the University.

Thomas “Tom” and Jane Rattigan.

photo cour-

tesy of boston college athletics

In addition to being the first head coaching endowment of a BC women’s team, the gift marks the first coaching endowment of a women’s team at any Hockey East member

institution.

“I am so honored to be the Jane Rattigan Head Women’s Hockey Coach at Boston College,” said Crowley. “BC is a special place and people like Tom and Jane make it that way. On behalf of our entire program, I would like to thank them for their tremendous gift.”

In her 14 years since becoming head coach, Crowley has established the Eagles as one of the elite programs in the nation.

A two-time AHCA National Coach of the Year and four-time Hockey East Coach of the Year, Crowley has guided BC to 11 NCAA Tournaments, six NCAA Frozen Fours, five Hockey East regular-season titles, three Hockey East Tournament championships, and six Beanpot crowns. She has also coached two Patty Kazmaier Award winners, two National Rookie of the Year winners, 17 All-Americans and seven of the last 12 Hockey East Player of the Year winners.

—Boston College Athletics

BC Researchers Join NSF-Funded Project on Ocean Education Continued from page 1

The center’s aim is to foster education, outreach, and knowledge-transfer activities that engage students of all ages, expand participation in the next generation of ocean scientists, and extend novel openscience approaches into complementary academic and industrial communities.

According to Laura M. O’Dwyer, professor in the Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment Department of the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, C-CoMP will create initiatives to increase ocean knowledge in K-12 and the broader public and expand ocean sciences undergraduate curricula and research opportunities that provide multiple entry points into research experiences.

She said the project also will increase postbaccalaureate programs to transition undergraduates into graduate education and careers in STEM and ocean science, and develop interdisciplinary graduate student and postdoctoral programs that prepare the next generation of ocean scientists.

“A major emphasis of C-CoMP is the expansion of ocean literacy among students of all ages, and a broadening of workforce diversity in ocean science,” she said. “BC will examine the impact of various ocean and data science literacy educational interventions on outcomes for K-12 teachers and students, and conduct research on the impacts of training and outreach activities that export successful STEM initiatives to the education com-

munity.

“With expanded participation in ocean science research and ocean literacy throughout the society, the next generation of ocean scientists will ideally better reflect the diverse United States population.”

Research conducted under the auspices of C-CoMP links scientists in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, oceanography, and education. The interdisciplinary investigations will leverage recent advances in analytical and data sciences, incorporate new ocean sampling technologies and an open-science framework, and engage educators and policymakers to foster greater awareness of the chemicals and chemical processes that support ocean en-

vironments and other microbiomes that affect daily life.

Led by a team from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and the University of Georgia’s Department of Marine Sciences, Boston College researchers will collaborate with scholars at Boston University, Columbia University, University of Florida, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, Stanford University, University of TexasRio Grande Valley, and the University of Virginia, as well as the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and the Woods Holebased Marine Biological Lab. The project’s anticipated start date is October 1.

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September 30, 2021

Despite COVID, BC Recruits Another Strong Class Continued from page 1

China, South Korea, Canada, India, and Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China).

Gosselin notes that BC adopted a testoptional policy for applicants, given restrictions and other difficulties related to COVID, and plans to do so for the 2021-2022 admission cycle. Fifty-one percent of this year’s enrolled class submitted test scores.

This change contributed to an average SAT score of 1466 for the class, a significant increase over the marks for the classes of 2023 and 2024; the average ACT score is 33, which compares favorably with that of other recent classes.

“There was a significant shift this year to test-optional admission at most highly selective schools due to the challenges that testing centers presented students during the pandemic,” he said. “It remains to be seen whether this will be a permanent change. For our part, we still believe there is predictive value in standardized test scores, but will continue to watch national trends among selective universities.”

Gosselin said BC’s introduction of an Early Decision program—in which students submit applications by November 1 or January 1—during the previous admission cycle continues to reap dividends.

Forty-nine percent of the Class of 2025 enrolled through ED, with an admission rate of 39 percent compared to 17 percent for students who opted for Regular Decision.

“It is increasingly evident that Early Decision has become an important piece for both prospective students and BC,” said

“It was challenging to shift our recruitment model to all-virtual, with no certainty of when things might begin returning to normal. Fortunately, the groundwork that’s been laid over the years means Boston College continues to be a place of interest for a growing number of prospective college students.”

—Grant Gosselin photo by peter julian

Gosselin. “ED is good for students looking to increase their chances of getting into their top college choice, while reducing the uncertainty and anxiety of their college search. And it’s good for BC’s efforts to attract ‘best-fit’ students.”

Still, in this admission cycle—from the summer of 2020 through this past spring—the Office of Undergraduate Admission had to pivot away from many tried-and-true practices of engaging prospective and admitted students, such as in-person campus tours or events and presentations typically held in Devlin Hall. Gosselin and his colleagues turned to technology-enabled alternatives, including virtual “open house” sessions that featured the academic and social highlights of the BC experience, and live-video tours of the

BC 4th in Pell Grant Grad Rates

campus conducted by student volunteers using smartphones and camera stabilizers (“We initially had a problem at times with wind noise,” said Gosselin, “but we secured better microphones and that helped.”)

One of Admission’s most popular features, “Eagle for a Day”—where prospective students pair up with a current BC undergraduate for three hours on campus—became “Eagle for a Discussion,” a 30-minute chat via Zoom.

“We held about 20 to 25 of these a day,” said Gosselin. “Of course, it’s not the same as walking around campus with a current student, but the prospective students were still able to have those informal discussions and to ask the questions they wanted.

“BC wasn’t an outlier in terms of transitioning to virtual mode, but we were

very intent on making our programming robust, with a lot of depth and breadth in the programs we offered.”

An unexpected but welcome development during the past year was an influx of volunteers to the office’s Student Admission Program, through which current undergraduates lead tours and assist with other admission-related activities. The number of SAP participants grew from 900 to 1,100, said Gosselin.

“We were very impressed by the continued enthusiasm of our student volunteers. I think it was a product of students expressing their appreciation for being able to be here on campus, and having a strong desire for conversation; they really wanted to share their experiences with others. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

But while technology unquestionably aided the recruitment and admission process, prospective students and their parents are still hungry for in-person interaction, added Gosselin, noting that the office hosted some 25,000 visitors to campus this past summer (tours are limited to the outdoors). Meanwhile, although COVID continues to cast a long shadow, Gosselin and many of his staff have been able to get back on the road for recruiting trips.

“It had been about two years since we’d been able to get into a high school,” he said, following a recent excursion. “We’ve certainly seen what technology can do, and going forward our model will be hybrid.

But there’s really no replacement for the face-to-face, on-the-spot approach.”

Snapshot

A hero laid to rest

BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Boston College placed fourth in the Chronicle of Higher Education’s list of private colleges and universities with the best six-year graduation rates for Pell Grant students.

The Chronicle’s annual assessment, released on September 16, compares the percentage of first-time, full-time, bachelor’sseeking students who received a Pell Grant and enrolled in college in 2012 and completed their bachelor’s degree at the same institution within six years. The average Pell Grant student graduation rate among the 1,194 private colleges and universities was 54.6 percent.

Pell Grants are federal subsidies awarded to undergraduate students with the highest financial need. Created in 1972 and awarded annually by the United States Department of Education, Pell Grants can be applied towards any college costs, including tuition, fees, room and board, and other educational expenses.

Boston College’s graduation rate of 95.7 percent among 279 Pell students in its entering class in 2012 was exceeded only by Grinnell College (100 percent graduation rate among 104 students), Juniata College (96.9 percent graduation rate among 96 students), and Tuskegee University (96.3 per-

cent graduation rate among 347 students).

Boston College outperformed Amherst College (95.7 percent among 111 students), Yale University (95.5 percent among 155 students), Tufts University (95.3 percent among 150 students), and Harvard University (95.2 percent among 273 students).

Vice Provost for Enrollment Management John Mahoney said that the report was an affirmation of Boston College’s success in enrolling and graduating Pell students.

“This report underscores Boston College’s commitment to recruit and enroll talented students from low-income and first-generation college backgrounds,” said Mahoney. “But it is the mentoring and support provided by the Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center, Learning to Learn, and the Montserrat Coalition, as well as the commitment of BC faculty, which ensure that students graduate from Boston College well prepared to achieve success.”

Mahoney also noted that among the top 20 schools, Boston College enrolled the third-highest number of Pell students, trailing only Tuskegee University, a Historically Black College and University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

To see the full list of top 20 Pell Grant graduation leaders, and for a link to the Chronicle of Higher Education article, go to bit.ly/pell-grant-grad-rates.

PHOTOS BY LEE PELLEGRINI

Seventy-one years after he went missing in action in North Korea, former Boston College student and Brighton resident 1st Lt. Thomas Redgate came home to his alma mater for a funeral Mass at St. Ignatius Church on September 17. Lt. Redgate was reported missing in action on December 11, 1950, after his unit was attacked by North Korean and Chinese troops. His body was never recovered. But his DNA was discovered among the remains of U.S. servicemen returned by North Korea in 2018. Boston College veterans were among those who attended the funeral. For the full story and links to coverage by The Boston Globe and WCVB-TV, go to https://bit.ly/thomas-redgate-funeral.

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September 30, 2021

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BCSSW Faculty Study Work and Well-Being Links Boston College School of Social Work faculty members Erika Sabbath and Cal Halvorsen have received $1.7 million from a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the link between work and well-being for a pair of long-term research projects.

The two will team with the Harvard Center for Work, Health, and Well-Being to carry out the research, which is being funded by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety. Their studies account for two of the four research projects at the center, where interdisciplinary teams of scholars work to protect and promote the health of workers.

“Other social determinants of health, like racism or pollution, are really hard for any one individual or group to address and control,” says Sabbath, an associate professor who studies workplace stress. “But the power of studying and intervening at work is that managers and other leaders in organizations have the ability to change policies and practices that improve people’s health.”

Sabbath and her colleagues at BC received a five-year, $1.6 million grant to study how the working conditions at two large hospitals within the Massachusetts General Brigham Network affect the health and well-being of 40,000 workers. The project, called the Boston Hospital Workers Health Study, builds on past research that focused on the health and well-being of 22,000 nurses and nursing assistants at the two hospitals.

Sabbath said the next phase of the project will zero in on nearly every employee, including low-wage, minority, and immigrant workers who transport patients, prepare food, and clean. The research team, which includes Halvorsen, BC Law School Professor Dean Hashimoto, and BC ReErika Sabbath: “Managers and other leaders in organizations have the ability to change policies and practices that improve people’s health.”

photos by lee pellegrini

search Services biostatistician Matt Gregas, will analyze troves of administrative data and survey a subset of 3,000 workers to better understand how policies and programs affect employees depending on their age, race, ethnicity, and pay.

One particular finding from the previous phase of the project helped to shape the new agenda, according to Sabbath.

High-wage nurses and low-wage nursing assistants both took part in a program that trained participants to transport equipment and lift patients more safely, but only nurses experienced a decrease in injury.

The upshot, she said, is that the gap in injury rates among high-wage and low-

wage workers grew even though the overall health of the workforce improved.

Sabbath and her team will soon begin to look at which workers take advantage of the state’s new parental leave law, which went into effect in January. Under the law, parents receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child.

Halvorsen and his colleagues at BC will study older workers, many of whom are staying employed longer than ever before.

They plan to focus on how employer-provided health insurance, access to workplace retirement savings programs, and the ability to reduce hours contribute to the health and well-being of workers 50 and up.

Research has found that working later in life can be good for your health and the economy. But many workplace policies and benefits are not designed with older workers in mind, said Halvorsen, an assistant Cal Halvorsen: “We need better workplace policies, programs, and benefits that are designed to help” people stay in the workforce for as long they choose.

professor who studies productive aging.

“If one of our goals is to help people stay in the workforce for as long as they

choose,” he says, “then we need to have better workplace policies, programs, and benefits that are designed to help them.”

Backed by a two-year, $97,300 grant, Halvorsen, Sabbath, and Research Services research statistician Melissa McTernan will analyze six waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study, which surveys nationally representative samples of Americans 50 and older every two years.

Starting in 2024, the trio will analyze more than 30,000 observations from more than 12,000 employed adults living in more than 9,000 households.

Halvorsen hopes to pinpoint the workplace benefits and policies that contribute to longer, healthier lives both in and out of work. He is especially interested in exploring the link between workplace flexibility and employee retention.

Halvorsen and Sabbath hope that their research will go on to shape policies that enhance worker health, safety, and wellbeing. Sabbath says the Harvard center will create policy briefs and set up presentations with key stakeholders to share their findings.

“The center is a driving force for occupational health, policy, and research,” she says. “Having BC play such a big role in terms of the leadership of the projects really positions the school to have a big impact.”

—Jason Kornwitz, BC School of Social Work Read the full version of this story at bit.ly/ bcssw-work-wellbeing

Conway Is New Director for BC Prison Education Program

BY ALIX HACKETT SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

A new program director will soon lead the Boston College Prison Education Program, which kicked off its third year of instruction earlier this month at the Massachusetts Correctional Institute in Shirley, Mass.

Patrick Conway M.A.’12, a 2022 doctoral candidate in higher education at BC’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development, will take over the program, affiliated with the Bard Prison Initiative, on October 4. A former criminal defense investigator, Conway has spent the past nine years teaching in prison education programs while conducting research exploring the nexus between institutions of higher education and prison systems.

“I’m pleased to welcome Patrick as our new program director,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, who plans to teach a history course in the program next spring. “His extensive experience in educating the incarcerated and his deep knowledge of our University and its mission convince me that he is the right colleague to lead this important initiative.”

In his new role, Conway will build on the work begun by founding director Isabel Lane, who stepped down this summer to pursue other interests. After instruction paused in 2020 due to COVID-19, the BC program admitted a second cohort of

A classroom, says Patrick Conway, is “one of the only places in prison where for a twohour window people don’t feel like prisoners. I think that’s so needed in people’s lives, and it can lead to great discussions and really interesting insights.”

16 incarcerated students this fall, bringing the total number of students to 27. The inmates, who underwent a competitive application process, will attend college-level liberal arts courses taught by BC faculty,

and earn credits toward a BC degree.

Conway is already familiar with the classroom at MCI-Shirley, where he’s taught composition since the program’s inception in 2019. Prior to that, he taught composition and literature courses at state prisons in Norfolk and Framingham as part of the Boston University Prison Education Program, where he also assisted in the admissions process.

Conway’s first introduction to the prison system came in 2007, when he worked as a criminal investigator for the public defender’s office in Washington, D.C. In addition to interviewing witnesses, taking photos of crime scenes, and testifying in court, Conway met regularly with clients at the D.C. jail, a place “completely empty of anything that was nourishing for the people that were there.” Three years later, he enrolled in a master’s degree program in English at BC and later taught his first prison education class, where he was struck by the power of the classroom to create space for inmates’ personal development.

“It’s one of the only places in prison where for a two-hour window people don’t feel like prisoners,” he said. “I think that’s so needed in people’s lives, and it can lead to great discussions and really interesting insights.”

In his research, Conway has studied prison education programs from multiple angles. His dissertation project, College

Behind Bars: Exploring Justification for the Involvement of Higher Education in Prison, for which he was awarded a Lynch School doctoral dissertation completion fellowship, uses several methodologies to examine how relying on a rhetoric of recidivism—a prisoner’s tendency to reoffend—impacts prison education policies and programs. In a recent article in the Harvard Educational Review, Conway addressed the topic head on, advocating for higher education as a critical part of a more humanized response to incarceration, rather than an attempt to address recidivism or save taxpayer dollars.

As director of the BC program, Conway hopes to have an even greater impact in the prison education space, while getting others involved in what has become his life’s work.

“What excites me most about it is just how perfectly it seems to fit into BC’s larger mission,” he said. “It reaffirms a commitment to the liberal arts and the impact they could have on people’s lives, it’s taking on one of the most pressing and challenging societal issues in mass incarceration, and it involves members of the BC community with acts of service and empathy toward a group who often remain either disparaged or ignored.”

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

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September 30, 2021

Institute’s Move to BC Seen Aiding Global Scholarship

Continued from page 1

century, and the history of Christianity in China and East Asia. It supports research in a wide range of interests, including Chinese and East Asian history and relations with Europe, as well as the influence of China and Europe on each other, on religion and cultural philosophies of East and West, and on the sciences, technology, astronomy, cartography, and medicine.

Visiting scholars from around the world come to the institute to address these topics through symposia, conferences, and workshops in languages ranging from Latin, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, and English, to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Manchu.

The institute’s ongoing special projects include workshops on archival resources, digitizing and cataloging special collections, hosting exhibitions, and supporting research and publications on important topics in Sino-Western cultural exchange.

“The Ricci Institute is a renowned scholarly institute that features a priceless collection of books, paintings, artifacts, and digitized materials that will help to give us a better understanding of our Jesuit, Catholic mission,” said Vice President and University Secretary Casey Beaumier, S.J., director of the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies (IAJS).

“It is a great foundational claim that provides Boston College with a tremendous academic resource on our campus, as well as a strong opening to the East. I imagine that we will see many new relationships open up between the University and China, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea as a result of the institute coming to BC.”

The Ricci Institute features an extensive collection of Chinese and East Asian art, including an 1854 plan for the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Guangzhou, China from the Canton Archives collection of manuscripts, above, and an early 20th-century Chinese painting by Catholic artist Gao Tihan depicting “Jesus reciting his lessons from memory.”

Fr. Beaumier said that the Ricci Institute will be an independent entity possessing strong interdisciplinary partnerships with the University, as well as collaborations with the IAJS and its printing press, which can translate materials to make them accessible to scholars and students.

He envisions the Ricci Institute part-

nering with the International Symposium on Jesuit Studies to offer symposia in China, and IAJS utilizing its fellowships to bring scholars to BC to work closely with Ricci staff. In addition, Fr. Beaumier sees the Ricci Institute and the IAJS developing academic partnerships with the School of Theology and Ministry and its interna-

Sociologist to Co-Author Climate Assessment

BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER

Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies Andrew Jorgenson has been appointed by the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) to serve as an author for the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5), a report that will synthesize the state of the science, both physical and social, on global climate change.

Jorgenson, an environmental sociologist in his fifth year as chair of the Sociology Department, is tasked with taking the lead in synthesizing research on the anthropogenic drivers of climate change, which refer to the human actions that cause climate change and the societal factors that shape and condition those actions.

NCA5, slated to be released in late 2023, will undergo substantial review by various federal agencies as well as by members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

“This is an honor, a big responsibility, and I’m very humbled and excited to collaborate on this major endeavor,” said Jorgenson, co-author of the recent book Super Polluters: Tackling the World’s Largest Sites of Climate-Disrupting Emissions and

Andrew Jorgenson photo by christopher soldt/ mts

approximately 115 peer-reviewed research articles on the human dimensions of climate change and other related topics.

Jorgenson is the coordinator of the Global Environmental Sociology Lab at Boston College, a community of faculty and graduate students conducting research on the human dimensions of global and regional environmental change, with a focus on the drivers of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, industrial pollution, land cover change, and relationships between environmental conditions and population health.

“There has been growing effort for the past few decades in the U.S. and throughout the world to integrate more environmental social science into research and policy concerning climate change,” said Jorgenson. “This is absolutely essential given that climate change is primarily caused by human activities, requires complex solutions that will involve nontrivial changes to our social institutions, and is one of the most serious crises the world is facing.

“Doing this kind of work wouldn’t be possible without the support I receive here at BC, for which I’m very grateful,” added Jorgenson.

Established by presidential initiative in 1989 and mandated by Congress in the Global Change Research Act of 1990, the USGCRP is charged with developing and coordinating a comprehensive and integrated U.S. research program which will assist the nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes of global change. Comprising 13 federal agencies, the USGCRP is required to prepare and submit to the president and Congress a quadrennial assessment, referred to as the National Climate Assessment. Prior assessments were released in 2000, 2009, 2014, and 2018.

tional students.

“The Ricci Institute will give Boston College an increased understanding of the Society of Jesus’ mission and its ability to go to the end of the earth,” said Fr. Beaumier. “The institute magnifies that sense of mission and the desire for foreign encounter in a way that the University was not thinking of 25 years ago.

“The Catholic Church has been present in China since Matteo Ricci in 1583,” said Fr. Beaumier. “Now in Chestnut Hill, we have an opportunity for Boston College to explore its own possibilities for encounter at a time when we have more and more to say to the world.”

The Ricci Institute will be led at BC by its director, M. Antoni J. Ucerler, S.J., and director of research, Xiaoxin Wu, both of whom arrived at BC this fall. They will be assisted by Archivist and Librarian Mark Stephen Mir, Assistant Editor Stephen Ford, and an assistant director to help implement the institute’s programming and operations.

“Boston College is a premier Jesuit university that deeply values dialogue with other cultures and religions, and believes in the intrinsic intellectual value of the humanities for building a better world,” said Fr. Ucerler. “With its focus on the history of scholarly exchanges between Christianity and the great traditions of East Asia, both religious and scholarly, the Ricci Institute at BC will have a greater outreach, as it promotes the study of the encounters that centuries ago missionaries initiated between East and West.”

Fr. Ucerler believes that by moving to Boston College, the Ricci Institute will be able to take advantage of the opportunity to work closely with scholars at a major research university, as well as expanding ongoing connections with the Harvard Asia Center and the Yenching Institute, and Boston University’s Center for Global Christianity and Mission, thereby creating the world’s largest collection of research materials for scholars of Chinese-Western culture.

“I am convinced that Boston College will allow us to think big,” said Fr. Ucerler.

“Our ‘not-so-secret dream’ is for the Ricci Institute to become the world’s premier scholarly center for interdisciplinary research on Christianity in East Asia—from the history of art and architecture to the history of comparative science. We wish to expand our outreach to even more scholars from every continent conducting such research and bring them to Boston College to interact with each other and with the BC community.

“We are also greatly looking forward to sharing our unique archival and artistic collections with BC students and faculty. We hope to serve the entire BC community by becoming a major new resource for teaching and research across multiple disciplines and departments.”

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September 30, 2021

7

BC in the Media In a piece for the New York Times Magazine, Prof. Carlo Rotella (English) interviewed a Chicago school principal, one of seven teachers, administrators, and service providers asked to discuss what remote teaching is really like.

Colleagues and scholars from Boston College and elsewhere paid tribute to Monan Professor of Theology Lisa Sowle Cahill at the conference “Reimagining the Moral Life: On Lisa Sowle Cahill’s Contributions to Christian Ethics,” held on campus September 10 and 11. Above, Cahill listened to a speaker with Charles Curran, S.T.D., a faculty member at Southern Methodist University who gave one of the keynote addresses at the event. photo by lee pellegrini

OBITUARY

Marvin Rintala, PoliSci Marvin C. Rintala, a retired professor of political science who taught at Boston College for four decades, died on September 9.

He was 87.

A native of Cloquet, Minn., Dr. Rintala joined the University in 1963 after having been on the Brown University faculty.

He specialized in the politics of Western Europe and social forces and published five books and numerous articles over the course of his career at BC. Among his notable publications was Lloyd George and Churchill: How Friendship Changed History, an in-depth study of the personal and political relationship of two of Great Britain’s most prominent prime ministers of the 20th century, David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill—often referred to as “the Heavenly Twins” by envious colleagues. Publishers Weekly praised Dr. Rintala’s “masterful exposition” in comparing Lloyd George and Churchill’s formative years, the development of their oratorical and writing skills, the character of their mental depressions, and even their sex lives: “Lloyd George, according to the author, was a lecher; Churchill’s sexual requirements were modest.”

Dr. Rintala, who was of Finnish descent, also authored Four Finns: Political Profiles, a portrait of Gustaf Mannerheim, Vaino Tanner, K.J. Stahlberg, and J.K. Paasiviki, who played foundational roles in shaping Finland’s politics and government.

In another book, he recounted the creation and development of Great Britain’s National Health Service.

“Professor Marvin Rintala was a beloved political science professor at Boston College,” said W. Paul White, a former student of Dr. Rintala and former director of government affairs at BC. “Marvin was brilliant, witty, incisive, and passionate about the study of European political systems and the personalities of the leaders of these

countries. He inspired generations of Boston College students to study, understand, and appreciate the systems of government ‘across the pond.’

“I am forever grateful for the grace of having known him, been mentored by him, and for his friendship of over 55 years. I have appreciated our many lunches, calls, visits, and conversations these many years with our mutual dear friend Franklyn Salimbene,” said White, who noted that he had a lengthy visit with Dr. Rintala in August.

Among his other activities at the University, Dr. Rintala was a presenter in a wide-ranging lecture series, “Modern Man: The Cultural Tradition,” launched by the College of Arts and Sciences in 1965. He also was part of a group of faculty members in the 1960s that advocated for the establishment of an institute to study policies and practices in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

Fittingly for a political scientist, Dr. Rintala—known for his dry wit and devotion to students—mustered some support in a 1966 mock election on campus in which undergraduates cast ballots for several major offices: He received two votes to represent Massachusetts in the United States Senate, and one for Massachusetts governor.

He retired from BC in 2004.

Dr. Rintala earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago, and attended Helsinki University as a Fulbright Scholar. He received master’s and doctoral degrees from the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He later created a scholarship fund for graduates of his alma mater, Cloquet High School.

A private graveside service was held on September 20.

—University Communications

A Boston 25 News story on the more than 1,200 New England residents being monitored for 9/11 Ground Zero exposurerelated illness included comments from Global Public Health Program Director Philip Landrigan, M.D., who also spoke with the Associated Press on a new paper regarding actions needed to limit global warming.

Prof. John Baldovin, S.J. (STM), was interviewed about Pope Francis’ decision to place significant restrictions on the celebration of the Tridentine Latin Mass for “Inside the Vatican,” a podcast by America magazine.

Assoc. Prof. Peter Krause (Political Science) discussed teaching about 9/11 and

the impact of the legacy of 9/11 hero Welles Crowther ’99 on today’s students in an interview with WCVB-TV Channel 5 News.

Assoc. Prof. of the Practice Rafael Luciani (STM)—an expert advisor for the theological commission of the Secretariat for the next Synod of Bishops—talked about the preparation process with Religion News Service and Crux.

A reflection on art, vanity, and mortality by Prof. Maxim D. Shrayer (English/Eastern, Slavic, and German Studies) appeared in Tablet Magazine.

Jonathan Goodall, former bishop of Ebbsfleet in the Church of England, resigned his office to become a Roman Catholic, a path that is uncommon but not unprecedented. Assoc. Prof. James Weiss (Theology), an Episcopal priest, offered comments on Goodall’s decision to America magazine.

Nota Bene Beyond Repair? Mayan Women’s Protagonism in the Aftermath of Genocidal Harm, authored by Lynch School of Education and Human Development Professor M. Brinton Lykes and Alison Crosby of York University, Toronto, has been named as winner of the 2021 Lemkin Book Award by the Institute for the Study of Genocide. Lykes also serves as co-director of BC’s Center for Human Rights and International Justice. The Lemkin Book Award recognizes the best

non-fiction book published in English or translated into English that focuses on the causes, prevention, response, or consequences of genocide and mass atrocities. Beyond Repair? was selected for its methodological rigor, clarity of argument, and sophisticated analysis of the ways in which Mayan women have sought redress for the genocidal violence carried out by the Guatemalan state. The award will be presented in New York City this fall.

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.

Assistant Director, Strategic Sourcing, Procurement

Head Librarian, Digital Production Services

Associate Director, Graduate Student Services

Records Assistant

Liaison Librarian

Program Director, Ever to Excel

Associate Law School Technology Consultant

Faculty and Academic Affairs Specialist Associate Director, Urban Outreach Initiatives

Assistant Director, Digital Marketing Recovery House Manager

Lead Teacher, Pine Manor College Assistant Director, Residential Life

Program Director, Carroll School of Management

Administrative Assistant, Sponsored Programs

Research Associate, Center for Retirement Research

Post-doctoral Research Fellow (multiple positions)

Supervisor, ER

Facilities Supervisor, Residential Life

Driver (35 hrs., 52 weeks)

Administrative and Program Specialist, Bowman AHANA Intercultural Center

Fiscal & Grant Administrator, Morrissey College Service Center Senior Network Systems Engineer

Supervisor, Central Heating Plant

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September 30, 2021

Running for Good Members of the BC community talk about why they’re taking part in this year’s rescheduled Boston Marathon Grace Beinlich ’22 Charity: Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation “I learned so much about myself during the course of my training and fundraising. I pushed myself to new heights and exceeded my own expectations. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to cross the finish line with the Shamrock Foundation, which partners with community-based organizations to provide healthcare, shelter, educational assistance, and other vital support services to children in need.”

BY ALIX HACKETT SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Every time Emma Majernik ’22 goes for a run, whether it’s a 10-mile workout or a light jog, she heeds the advice of her high school cross country coach. “He taught me that the secret to running is to dedicate your run to someone else,” she recalled.

“Sometimes it’s a family member, a friend, or even someone I distantly know.”

On October 11, Majernik will be lacing up her sneakers to run the 125th Boston Marathon—rescheduled from April due to COVID-19—as part of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s charity team. She’s dedicating the 26.2 miles to her aunt, a breast cancer survivor, and her grandmother, who passed away from lung cancer.

Majernik won’t be the only Eagle in the field running for a cause—at least 11 other members of the Boston College community plan to don bibs for the historic race, testing their endurance in support of organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association and Boston Children’s Hospital.

Recently, these BC marathoners shared their personal motivations for running and who they’ll be thinking of as they make their way to the finish line.

Grace Cameron ’20, M.A. ’22 Charity: Boston College Campus School “The Campus School was a vital part of my undergraduate experience, and it solidified my intention to pursue a master’s degree in the field of special education.

Currently, I work as a teacher’s assistant in one of the high school/post-secondary classrooms and every day is a lesson in problem-solving, utilizing different modes of communication, overcoming obstacles, and reaching new goals, all resulting in lasting friendships and belief in the power of the human spirit. I am so grateful to be part of this extraordinary academic com-

Susie O’Donnell M.S.’12 , right, will be running the Boston Marathon in support of the Campus School, as will Megan Phillips ’21, left, and Grace Cameron ’20, M.A.’22. video capture by john walsh

munity and to be given the opportunity to run on behalf of the Campus School students. The challenges they overcome each day inspire every step I take.”

Sarah Kelley BC Law ’22 Charity: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute “This will be my fifth marathon and my second time running Boston. I actually qualified for the 2021 marathon but due to the limited field size, I missed the cutoff by 40 seconds, so I decided to join the Dana-Farber team. I’m dedicating this run to my grandmother, who is a cancer survivor, and to my other friends and family members who have been impacted by cancer. Running for Dana-Farber has given my running greater meaning than ever before.”

Shevanna Yee ’22 Charity: Lingzi Foundation “My cousin Lu Lingzi was a graduate student at Boston University in 2013 when her journey stopped unexpectedly while cheering on the Boston Marathon runners at the finish line. I was 12 at the time and running the marathon never crossed my mind, but when I came to BC, it became my dream to run for the Lingzi Foundation, a nonprofit established by our family to honor Lu’s memory. Putting in 26.2 miles to help make a difference in someone’s life is a challenge and opportunity I am glad to take on. Over the past three years, BC has helped me flourish as a student and individual, and running this marathon and raising funds for the foundation is my way of giving some of the lessons and love I received back to the world.”

Emma Majernik ’22 Charity: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute “I ran cross country when I was in high school and my coach would always tell us to ‘run for those who can’t.’ I’m running the Boston Marathon because I want to do all that I can to support my aunt and those like her who are still battling cancer, as well as the families who have lost those they love to cancer. I miss my grandmother dearly and I am in awe of both her and my aunt’s strength. I cannot think of a better way to show my support and dedication to them than by dedicating the marathon (and my training runs) to them.”

Susie O’Donnell M.S.’12, Campus School Business Manager Charity: Boston College Campus School “Running is a challenge but every day at school I see a lot of challenges, so as I run I’ll think of every student here—both present and future generations of the Campus School—and put my heart into it and do the best that I can.”

Read more at on.bc.edu/RunningforGood Alix Hackett is a senior digital content provider in the Office of University Communications

BC Scenes

A world within the Heights

The diversity of cultures and traditions at Boston College was in full view this month on campus. The Hispanic/ Latinx Heritage Month opening ceremony on September 21 in Gasson 100 included a performance by student dance troupe Fuego del Corazón (at left) and the Parade of Flags (above left). Details on Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month are available via the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center [bc.edu/baic]. (Above right) On September 14, the University held “Building Bridges, Baking Bread,” a welcoming picnic for the BC international community, on the Lower Campus green across from Maloney Hall.

PHOTOS BY FRANK CURRAN AND CAITLIN CUNNINGHAM