The Boston College
Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs september 8, 2011 Vol. 20 no. 1
Lee Pellegrini
INSIDE •Church in the 21 Century app, page 2 •New look for Chronicle, page 2
•Q&A with Jonathan Laurence, page 5 •Undergrads’ summer experiences, page 6 •9/11, 10 years later, page 7 •Gaelic Roots fall schedule, page 10 •BC and preparedness, page 10 •BC Briefing, page 11 •9/11 play “The Guys” at BC, page 12 •‘Making History’ at McMullen, page 12
Gary Wayne Gilbert
Gary Wayne Gilbert
•Mass of the Holy Spirit, page 3
•News from summer, pages 4-5
Fr. Leahy Sees Progress on Strategic Plan By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor
•McCann to speak at First Year event, page 3
•‘Coaches vs. Cancer,’ page 3
UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION
Gasson Hall: Back in Style After months of renovation, BC’s most iconic building looks better than ever By Reid Oslin Staff Writer
“Stunning” and “spectacular” are the words that most people are using to describe the newly completed renovation of the University’s most iconic building, Gasson Hall, says Executive Vice President Patrick Keating. “The building is approaching 100 years old and looks new,” Keating said of the multi-year exterior and interior renovation project that was completed in August. “The whole team did a fabulous job restoring this building to its original character and they accomplished the task literally to the day called for in the schedule.”
“I think that ‘stunning’ captures it quite nicely,” adds Associate Vice President for Capital Projects Mary Nardone, who helped to oversee the complex project that has restored the signature Collegiate Gothic-style building and bell tower to pristine form for Boston College’s 150th anniversary celebration in 2012-13 and provides modern and spacious classroom, study and administrative facilities for the current academic year and well beyond. In addition to a complete replacement of all of Gasson’s exterior pre-cast stone, the building got new weather-tight windows, stairways and entrance porticos
and improved handicap access ramps. “The new windows really make a difference to the exterior appearance,” Nardone says, “and are more in keeping with the original building design.” Inside Gasson, classrooms, offices, study and conference areas and restrooms were spruced up, renovated and refurnished. The large function room on the building’s first level – Gasson 100, also known as “The Irish Room” – received a similar facelift, including a new heating and air conditioning system, reconditioned floors, a new coat of paint that captures the historic character of the space, and specialty Continued on page 8
Boston College’s Strategic Plan — a broad-based blueprint for the University’s academic, formational and faith initiatives — was the subject of last night’s University Convocation in Robsham Theater, as the BC leadership offered assessments of the plan on its five-year anniversary. University President William P. Leahy, SJ, pointed to numerous indicators of progress in fulfilling the seven key facets of the Strategic Plan since it was launched in the fall of 2006. He also outlined what he called “imperatives” for the University in continuing to pursue the objectives of the Strategic Plan, and in meeting other challenges as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2012-13. Executive Vice President Patrick Keating and Provost and Dean of Faculties Cutberto Garza also spoke at the convocation, one of the traditional kick-off events for BC’s academic year, and — along with Fr. Leahy — expressed gratitude to administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni and others in the BC community for their roles in helping BC attain Strategic Plan goals. Fr. Leahy reviewed the seven “strategic directions” of the plan: leadership in liberal arts education; Continued on page 8
GSSW Celebrating 75 Years on Sept. 14 By Jack DunN Director of News & Public Affairs
Seventy-five years after its founding to train social workers to respond to the critical issues facing a nation mired in the Great Depression, the Graduate School of Social Work will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a day-long series of events on Sept. 14. The anniversary celebration, which will be highlighted by a
keynote address in Robsham Theater by Victoria Reggie Kennedy, widow of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, will also include a presentation on the “Power of Social Innovation,” an alumni reunion and luncheon, a liturgy with University President William P. Leahy, SJ, and an evening reception. “We are looking forward to marking this special occasion with a celebration of our school and the unique role our alumni have
QUOTE:
played as policy makers, academics, researchers and leading social service practitioners nationwide,” said GSSW Dean Alberto
School launches Social Innovation Lab, page 8 Godenzi. “We are particularly delighted to have Victoria KenVictoria Reggie Kennedy will give a nedy as our keynoter, given her keynote address at the GSSW 75th Continued on page 9 anniversary celebration next week.
“I can tell you that Welles loved Boston College. He loved it deeply. He would often tell his BC roommates, ‘When I make millions of dollars, I am going to endow a chair in the economics department or pay for a building or something.’ He always thought that would be his legacy.” —Jefferson Crowther (page 7)