The Boston College
Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs january 16, 2014 VOL. 22 no. 9
University Establishes a Recovery Housing Program
INSIDE •Another good run for Walk Across Campus, page 2
Offices will provide support for students dealing with addictions By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor
•BC team helps out in Belize over break, page 2
•Chemistry researchers explore new ways to produce organic compounds, page 3 •STM book on hope is a group effort, page 4
Boston College has established
University President William P. Leahy, SJ, greeted Boston Mayor Martin a program aimed at providing supWalsh as he arrived onstage at Conte Forum for his inauguration. Other port for undergraduates recovering dignitaries included (L-R) Boston Archbishop Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM, Cap., US Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. from substance abuse or other ad-
A Day BC ‘Truly Shined’
Walsh inauguration put University in the spotlight By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor
•Immigrant Integration Lab Fellow reflects on her experiences, page 5 •BC senior wins award for international research, page 5 •Q&A with Lynch School dean Kenny, page 5
•BCPD Chief King receives honor, page 6 •Choosing good relations over profits, page 6 •Artwork donation to McMullen Museum, page 6 •Shirley third LSOE faculty member to take chair, page 7
Only a few weeks after concluding its Sesquicentennial celebration, Boston College added another illustrious chapter to its history by hosting the inauguration of Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, a graduate of BC’s Woods College of Advancing Studies. The Jan. 6 event transformed Conte Forum into a hub of civic tradition, pageantry and pride, with a bevy of special guests — including Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, US Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren, Boston Archbishop Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM, Cap., US Representatives Stephen Lynch, Katherine Clark and Michael Capuano, and former Boston Mayor Ray-
mond Flynn — seated on the main stage or among the audience of some 8,000. After Boston City Messenger Ron Cobb — dressed in tails and top hat, and holding a staff topped with the city seal — formally called the event to order, University President William P. Leahy, SJ, offered a welcome on behalf of BC. Fr. Leahy spoke of the University’s “long, productive and mutually beneficial relationship” with the City of Boston, and said BC “looks forward to continuing the partnership.” Boston “is a great environment for living and learning,” said Fr. Leahy, describing the city’s education leadership as propelled by the desire for schools that are “vibrant, strong and helpful to each other in appropriate ways. Continued on page 4
•Spring Gaelic Roots, page 8 •Photos: Sesquicentennial Mass, page 8
Conte Forum, and the BC campus, was a busy place for the Jan. 6 inauguration of Boston Mayor Martin Walsh. (Photos by Lee Pellegrini)
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dictions. Five students are currently enrolled in the BC Recovery Housing program, created through collaboration between several offices in the Student Affairs division, including Residential Life, Health Promotions, Health Services, Alcohol and Drug Education and University Counseling, and the University Mission and Ministry division. To enter the program, students must have received treat-
Grant Supports Lerner’s Study of Moral Development Among Youths By Ed Hayward Staff Writer
Lee Pellegrini
•CSOM’s Reuter is co-winner of Samuelson Award, page 3
ment for alcohol or drug abuse, or other addictive behaviors, and been accepted for reinstatement at the University. The students are offered substance-free campus housing and provided with various counseling and health-related services and resources to aid their continuing recovery. Administrators say that while BC Recovery Housing — which receives financial support from donor families — represents a “significant public acknowledgement” of addiction-related problems in the student population, the program also reflects Boston College’s commitment to the Jesuit philosophy of cura personalis – “care of the whole person.” “The impact of alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders and other addictive behavior on students and the campus community is a concern throughout higher Continued on page 3
Lynch School of Education Professor Jacqueline Lerner has received a $1.9 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation for a threeyear study focused on the moral development of children and teens. The study builds on Lerner’s prior research into child and adolescent character and positive development. This time, she is particularly interested in the significance of self-control, or intentional self-regulation, and the importance of adult role models in the virtuous behavior of youth. “We know that young people generally know the difference between right and wrong,” said Lerner, a professor of counseling, developmental, and educational psychology. “But what promotes the ability to actually do the right thing?” Titled “Doing the Right Thing: Intentional Self-Regulation and the
Prof. Jacqueline Lerner (LSOE)
Promotion of Character Development,” the project will assess 900 students in the fifth, seventh and ninth grades. Despite all of the early lessons about honesty, following the rules, and making decisions so they don’t harm themselves or others, youth often stray from virtuous behavior, said Lerner, who will serve as coprincipal investigator on the grant Continued on page 4
“Christian hope lives in the space between. It is clear-eyed. It is knowing that things are not perfect but having the belief that God will come to meet us. That trust is hope. It’s what sustains us and allows us to keep moving.” —School of Theology and Ministry Prof. Rev. Richard Lennan, page 4
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Chronicle january 16, 2014
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C AMPUS
STEPPING IT UP FOR WALK ACROSS CAMPUS Giovanni Buonopane, lead carpenter in the Facilities Services’ Carpenter Shop, is one of Boston College’s most active employees, with a daily walk regimen of near marathon distance. Buonopane was named the individual winner of the fall 2013 Walk Across Campus program, logging an average of 52,613 steps and 23.78 miles a day. Walk Across Campus, part of the University’s HEALTHY YOU wellness program, encourages employees to track their walking and other activity over a period of approximately two months each semester. Participants, who each receive a Fitbit pedometer to track their progress, form teams to provide one another with support and encouragement. Results for last fall’s WAC campaign were announced at a campus event in December. The winning team for last fall was CSON Insane, representing the Connell School of Nursing. CSON Insane recorded an average of 17,254 steps per day and
traveled a total of 6,195.4 miles. In total, fall WAC participants took a combined 615,604,977 steps and walked 276,113.3 miles over the course of the two-month walking and activity campaign. The fall WAC comprised 17,551,078 active minutes. WAC’s popularity continued to increase as well, with 1,400 employees participating in the fall, up from around 1,200 participants last spring. “The School of Nursing feels the challenge a little bit more acutely since nurses really want to lead the way in health promotion and disease prevention,” said CSON Clinical Associate Professor Colleen Simonelli, captain of CSON Insane. CSON had four teams in the competition, representing different levels of intensity. Simonelli logged an average of 27,833 steps and 18.47 miles a day by incorporating walking into her daily routine as often as possible — for example, walking and talking to people instead of calling or e-mailing and walking
paperwork over to another department instead of faxing. She would walk with a team member at lunchtime and stay after work and walk instead of sitting in rush-hour traffic. “It really opened my eyes,” said Simonelli. “The biggest thing was to see how totally inactive I was.” Another WAC participant found that walking had a positive impact on his productivity. “As I walked more, getting up to 10 miles per day, I found that my body wanted the extra walking,” said Associate Professor of Economics Harold Petersen, who walked to and from work. “And if I took time out at noon to take a walk I would be more productive for the rest of the day. So I told myself, ‘You don’t have time not to walk,’ and took it from there.” Associate Vice President for Human Resources Robert J. Lewis, a co-organizer for HEALTHY YOU, said, “What continues to make me feel good about the WAC — in addition to raisAs the end of the fall semester approached, the Boston College Chamber Music Society gave a performance in Gasson 100, which will be the setting for this semester’s first music event, on Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m.: a lecture and performance by Stephen Drury, artistic director of the Callithumpian Consort, titled “John Cage and the Flowering of the American Experimental Tradition.”
Photos by Lee Pellegrini
Academic Advising Center Associate Director Rory A.W. Browne chatted with students at last month’s “Professors and Pastries” event, part of a popular series that gives students the opportunity to meet informally with faculty, advisors, and professionals on various aspects of academic and postcollegiate life. The spring schedule begins Jan. 29, at 3:30 p.m. in Stokes South 140. “Professors and Pastries” is sponsored by the Academic Advising Center and Undergraduate Government of Boston College.
Director of NEWS & Public Affairs Jack Dunn Deputy Director of NEWS & Public AFFAIRS Patricia Delaney Editor Sean Smith
Contributing Staff Melissa Beecher Ed Hayward Sean Hennessey Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Michael Maloney Photographers Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini
The Boston College
Chronicle www.bc.edu/chronicle chronicle@bc.edu
Lee Pellegrini
A ROUND
Associate Vice President for Human Resources Robert Lewis with members of “CSON Insane,” the top team in last fall’s Walk Across Campus program: (L-R) Donna Cullinan, Zanifer John, Colleen Simonelli and Anne Severo.
ing employees’ awareness of their health and how important it is to eat nutritiously and exercise regularly — is the collateral benefit of the camaraderie and community spirit that this friendly competition has generated.” CSON Insane team member Zanifer John, an administrative assistant, underscored that sentiment: “I became closer to my colleagues and got to know them as friends. It made me feel like I’m
a part of something.” Registration begins Feb. 1 for this semester’s Walk Across Campus program, which runs (or rather, walks) from April 1-May 31. See www.bc.edu/healthy-you for information. —Kathleen Sullivan Connell School of Nursing Communications Specialist O. Angela Bowser contributed to this story.
MANY HANDS MAKE A HOUSE Fourteen Boston College students, along with two adult mentors, helped bring a touch of joy for the new year to a family in Belize by helping build them a house. The BC contingent, which traveled to Belize City through the Arrupe International Immersion Program, worked with the Hand in Hand Ministries “Building for Change” initiative. Over a period of four rainy days, they constructed a house for a mother and her seven children, one of whom is blind. Boston College was one of the original Hand in Hand partners in Belize. Before Belize City, the delegation visited Punta Gorda, a rural town in southern Belize, where they stayed with local families. They learned about various solidarity projects and efforts coordinated by a local Jesuit parish. BC’s participation on the Arrupe Program is administered by
Campus Minister for International Programs Kelly SardonGarrity. The student leaders for the trip were seniors Kevin McGovern and Nicole Crosby, and serving as mentors were Courtney Nichols, who is pursuing a dual degree in social work and ministry, and Lynch School of Education doctoral student Grace Cotter Regan. —Office of News & Public Affairs
Fundraising sites have been created to help meet the expenses of Boston College Athletics’ Dick Kelley [http://www.youcaring.com/ medical-fundraiser/help-bcs-dick-kelley-/52245] and Pete Frates [www.petefrates. com], both of whom are suffering from ALS.
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T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle january 16, 2014
By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer
Carroll School of Management Assistant Professor of Finance Jonathan Reuter is a co-recipient of the 2013 TIAA-CREF Institute Paul A. Samuelson Award, given for outstanding scholarly writing on lifelong financial security. Named for Nobel Prize winner Paul A. Samuelson, the award honors a research publication containing ideas that the public and private sectors can use to advance Americans’ lifelong financial wellbeing. “The TIAA-CREF Paul A. Samuelson Award is one of the best known and most prestigious awards in economics and finance,” said Reuter. “Having met Professor Samuelson as a graduate student at MIT, I am deeply honored to have my name associated with his. And the list of past winners is truly impressive — it includes world-class researchers.” Reuter, whose research focuses on the behavior of both individual investors and financial institutions, and University of Oregon Associate Professor of Finance John Chalmers were recognized for their paper, “How Do Retirees Value Life Annuities? Evidence from Public Employees,” which uses administrative data from the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) to study the demand for life annuity payments by a large sample of retirees. Economists have long been
Lee Pellegrini
Reuter’s Work on Annuities Honored •Demand for life annuities does not correspond to the actuarial value of life annuity payments, suggesting that retirees lack the financial knowledge required to compare life annuities to lump sums. •Demand for life annuities is lower when recent stock market returns are higher, suggesting that some PERS retirees either overestimate the investment returns that a lump sum will generate, or underestimate the risks. “Our paper helps economists better understand the source of the disconnect between economic Jonathan Reuter models, which predict that retirpuzzled by the low demand for life ees will use their 401(k) balances annuities, so to shed new light on to buy life annuities, and the real the question, Reuter and Chalmers world, where demand for life anexamined the choices made by par- nuities is quite low,” said Reuter. ticipants in PERS, where each re“If policy makers want to intiree must choose between a lump crease demand for life annuities, sum and a life annuity. we believe that they need to make “There’s a big disconnect be- it easier for retirees to purchase life tween what people do and what annuities within their 401(k) retireeconomists think they should do,” ment accounts. It takes a great said Reuter, who is also a Faculty deal of effort and self-confidence Research Fellow at the National to find and purchase a life annuity Bureau of Economic Research. from a life insurance company. We “It’s the under-annuitization puz- believe these costs greatly reduce zle.” demand for life annuities.” The findings reveal that 85 perAdded Reuter, “This award cent of PERS retirees chose to re- shows we’re doing world class receive all of their pension benefits as search at Boston College. The Carlife annuity payments, challenging roll School of Management is a the idea that the demand for life wonderful environment in which annuities is inherently low. Reuter to do research that is relevant to and Chalmers also found that: policy makers and practitioners.” •Retirees in poor health are less The award was presented at a inclined than healthier retirees to Jan. 3 ceremony in Philadelphia. choose life annuities.
Researchers See New Ways to Produce Organic Compounds Boston College chemists have developed a new chemical synthesis methodology that converts chemicals known as alpha-olefins into new organic compounds. By combining a pair of catalytic reactions in sequence, the researchers converted inexpensive and plentiful chemicals into new boron-containing organic compounds prized by researchers. The team reports in the journal Nature that their advance employed two catalytic reactions – one developed in their Boston College lab and another developed by colleagues at MIT. Combining the two reactions in a sequential process resulted in an unprecedented reaction that offered high levels of purity and selectivity, according to the lead researcher, Professor of Chemistry James P. Morken. “We developed the first reaction to convert alpha-olefins into new boron compounds,” said Morken. “The second reaction is a palladiumcatalyzed reaction that uses a catalyst developed by a team at MIT. Together, these two reactions result in an unprecedented reaction process that
Chemistry Professor James Morken and colleagues published their work on alpha-olefins in the journal Nature. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
works extremely well.” Organic chemists face the challenge of developing new compounds, such as medicines and materials, in a more efficient manner. A driving influence is to produce innovative compounds through simpler, more efficient processes that generate less waste and reduce costs, in particular through the use of readily available chemicals. Morken said the new methodology should allow for the rapid and efficient production of important compounds from raw chemical feedstocks. As an example, the team used the new process to convert propene gas into phenethylamines, which are
an important class of therapeutics, Morken said. In another application, the team used this new method of catalytic reactions to convert another alpha-olefin into pregabalin, which has been used in a variety of pain management drugs. Morken conducted the research with doctoral students Scott Mlynarski and Chris Schuster, both co-authors of the Nature report. The article, “Asymmetric synthesis from terminal alkenes: efficient diboration/cross-coupling cascades” can be found at www.nature.com/ nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ nature12781.html. —Ed Hayward
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“Our message to the students is, ‘This is a second chance, and we can provide the environment and support to help you succeed — but in the end it’s up to you.’ Accountability is a big part of recovery from addiction, and is therefore crucial to this program.” —Nicolas Sperry, Recovery Housing program manager
Program Aids Recovery for Students with Addiction Issues Continued from page 1 education,” said Office of Residential Life Director George Arey. “Boston College believes strongly that we should not ‘lose’ students of promise to addiction-related problems, and instead do whatever we can to help them achieve their potential. With Recovery Housing, we are centralizing services, resources and other kinds of support for students who are in good academic standing yet find it difficult to function in a traditional university setting. BC is bringing its values to bear on this issue.” At the same time, Arey and other administrators note, students enrolled in BC Recovery Housing must also accept the responsibility, and scrutiny, that comes with the program. While the students are not required to accept oncampus housing, they must have regular individual meetings with Counseling Services and program manager and clinician Nicolas Sperry ’11, MA’13. They also are expected to participate in community service and help sponsor others who are facing addictionbased issues. “Our message to the students is, ‘This is a second chance, and we can provide the environment and support to help you succeed — but in the end it’s up to you.’ Accountability is a big part of recovery from addiction, and is therefore crucial to this program.” “Students in BC Recovery Housing are not shut away from the rest of the world,” said Sperry, whose BC affiliations also include experience as an operations coordinator and resident assistant in Residential Life and escort program coordinator the BC Police Department. “We want them to be able to enjoy not only campus activities and events, but to go on off-campus excursions — camping for a weekend, for example — and to have authentic, fulfilling college experiences.” Arey noted that BC has many resources and services already in place to address issues related to addiction. These include campus housing for students who want an environment free of alcohol, drugs, tobacco and other substances, weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings open to students
and the public, peer-facilitated support groups, as well as trained professionals in the University Counseling and Alcohol and Drug Education offices. “What we’ve done through BC Recovery Housing is to link together these elements so there is effective communication between the different offices and providers,” he said. “Think of the design of a wagon wheel: We want the student to be at the center, connected to those services and resources, all of which in turn are linked to one another.” While recovery housing is increasingly common among colleges and universities, Sperry said it is particularly appropriate at a Jesuit institution like BC. “The connections between the 12-step recovery program model and Ignatian spirituality are striking,” he explained. “For example, Ignatius warns of ‘inordinate attachments,’ which can be construed as ‘addictions.’ The Jesuit emphasis on self-examination, meanwhile, corresponds to the personal-inventory process in recovery. “But perhaps the most significant connection is the Jesuit ideal of ‘men and women for others.’ Students who enroll in this program must carry their message to peers and others, and give back to the community that has supported them.” In fact, BC Recovery Housing students are to some extent already fulfilling that tenet, say Sperry and Arey: They were responsible for creating the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting hosted at BC, which draws upwards of 30 people a week. Arey said this first cohort of students also have demonstrated resolve and resilience in seeking to continue their studies at BC. “They are all brilliant, exceptional students, and you would never know they have addiction issues,” he said. “I meet with them once a week, at 8 a.m., and they are on time and engaged — and with them I enjoy some of the best conversations I’ve ever had. They are committed to doing their best, and we want to do the best for them, by letting them know BC will support them.”
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Chronicle january 16, 2014
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BC a Proud Host for Mayor’s Inauguration
Four of the School of Theology and Ministry faculty contributors to Hope: Promise, Possibility, and Fulfillment – (L-R) to Christopher Matthews, Rev. Richard Lennan, Nancy Pineda-Madrid and John R. Sachs, SJ – at the book’s launch last semester. (Photo by Caitlin Cunningham)
STM Faculty Examine the Nature of ‘Hope’ By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer
A recently published faculty book from the School of Theology and Ministry examines the promise, possibility and fulfillment of Christian hope — a collaborative project that itself is a testament to the possibilities that were envisioned when Boston College and Weston Jesuit School of Theology reaffiliated in 2008. Seventeen members of the STM faculty, from both the ecclesiastical faculty and the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry, came together to write original essays for Hope: Promise, Possibility, and Fulfillment, co-edited by STM Professor Rev. Richard Lennan and Associate Professor Nancy Pineda-Madrid. Fr. Lennan, who had the idea for the book, said the project “gave [the STM faculty] an opportunity to come together to talk about theology in a way we don’t usually do when we are working on our own separate projects. It really led to some great lunchtime conversations.” Added Pineda-Madrid, “The book is a work of our combined scholarship and represents the integration of the school as a whole. It’s a symbol of the STM.” Hope presents a theology of hope, connecting it to the principal themes of Christian faith, the revelation of God in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The authors each approached the topic of hope from their academic specialty, from liturgical theology to biblical studies to systematic theology to moral theology, and beyond. In their essays, they describe hope found in a variety of contexts, from the liturgy to migration and from the Gospel of John to St. Paul and Thomas Aquinas. “Hope is a word we all use, but what does it mean?” said Fr. Lennan, who described two
extremes common to human experience: despair and denial, or an optimism that is blind to anything bad. “Christian hope lives in the space between. It is clear-eyed. It is knowing that things are not perfect but having the belief that God will come to meet us. That trust is hope. It’s what sustains us and allows us to keep moving.” In the opening of the book, hope is described as both a gift and a choice. Hope is not a matter of temperament, according to the editors, but is about choice and practice. Pineda-Madrid, who authored a chapter on “Hope and Salvation in the Shadow of Tragedy,” says that hope is fragile. “Evil is quite real in our world and nothing challenges hope more than the presence of tragedy and intense suffering. But we are challenged to come to terms with the suffering and resist the temptation to despair.” While it is an academic study, Hope is not something reserved for a scholarly environment, according to Fr. Lennan, who noted that the volume is dedicated to the students of STM, past, present and future. He says the book is suitable for reading and discussion among parish groups and families. In addition to Fr. Lennan and Pineda-Madrid, the STM faculty members who contributed to Hope are: John Baldovin, SJ; Francine Cardman; Dominic Doyle; Christopher Frechette, SJ; Colleen Griffith; Thomas Groome; Daniel Harrington, SJ; Philip Browning Helsel; Christopher Matthews; Hosffman Ospino; John Sachs, SJ; Thomas Stegman, SJ; O. Ernesto Valiente, and Andrea Vicini, SJ. Another contributor is former STM faculty member Thomas Massaro, SJ, now dean of Santa Clara University’s Jesuit School of Theology. Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu
Continued from page 1 “Thank you for your presence,” he concluded. “May God bless Mayor Walsh in his new role, and may God continue to bless our city.” In addition to remarks by Patrick, Warren and Cardinal O’Malley, the inauguration featured two world-renowned performers, cellist Yo-Yo Ma — who played a medley that began with the Irish tune “Londonderry Air,” better known as the melody for “Danny Boy” — and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, whose rendition of “God Bless America” capped the event. Local schoolchildren also contributed to the musical highlights: Boston Arts Academy students sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and youngsters from the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School joined with former State Representative and mayoral candidate Mel King in presenting King’s composition “One Harmony.” After taking the oath of office from Massachusetts Supreme Court Chief Justice Roderick Ireland — and administering the oath to the Boston City Council members gathered on the stage — Walsh gave his inaugural address, presenting his views on the city’s needs and assets and outlining the priorities for his administration. He promised that his term would be marked by transparency and inclusiveness for all of Boston’s
Lerner Continued from page 1 with Tufts University Research Assistant Professor Edmond Bowers, PhD’09, a frequent collaborator and graduate of the Lynch School of Education. What prevents children from living the moral lessons they’ve been taught? Lerner and her research team are exploring the positive influences and individual strengths that lead children to make good moral choices. The answer may lie in self-control, or what Lerner and developmental psychologists refer to as intentional self-regulation – which includes the ability to understand the consequences of bad acts in advance and develop the skills to avoid the lure of poor choices. Lerner is interested in how such internal strengths — which she calls “internal assets” — are shaped by external forces like parents, peers and teachers. “When these internal assets and positive character exemplars line up in the lives of children, they have a good chance to develop positively,” said Lerner, who has conducted groundbreaking research on the topic with her husband, Richard M. Lerner, the Bergstrom Chair
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed during the Jan. 6 inauguration of Boston Mayor Martin Walsh in Conte Forum. Later, Walsh presented his first speech as mayor. (Photos by Lee Pellegrini)
residents. “I will listen. I will learn. I will lead,” he said, a quote that resounded throughout broadcast, print and social media coverage of the speech. Vice President for Community and Governmental Affairs Thomas Keady, a principal organizer of the inauguration, praised employees from Facilities Management, BC Police and Public Safety, Transportation and Parking, Dining Services, Information Technology, Athletics, Media Technology Services, Office of News & Public Affairs, and other departments and offices that made the event possible. “It was an honor to be selected in Applied Developmental Science at Tufts. “We’d like to learn from the positive experiences involved in the moral development of children – what they are doing right – rather than focus on negative acts or decisions. We think there are some insights to be gained from this approach.” Learning what helps children develop in a positive manner has long been a focus of Lerner’s research. More than a decade ago, Lerner, her husband and a team of leading scholars launched a landmark study of positive youth development that was funded by the National 4-H Council. The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development followed more than 7,000 adolescents in 42 states for eight years in an effort to define and measure positive youth development. The research resulted in the team’s development of the “Five Cs” model of youth development, which stresses the importance of competence, confidence, connection, character and caring in the emotional, social and moral growth of children and adolescents. Lerner’s new study will focus more specifically on character development and character exemplars and their links to self-control in
as the site for Mayor Walsh’s inauguration,” said Keady. “There were a lot of challenges involved in getting Conte Forum and the rest of the campus prepared, especially in terms of security: In addition to the mayor, you had two US senators, the Massachusetts congressional delegation, the governor and other constitutional officers. “But everyone who worked on the event, from the ticket office to the ushers to the food staff to the EMTs and police officers, came through. We have received many laudatory compliments. Boston College truly shined on this day.” moral decision-making and behavior. Exploring the relationships between youth and their moral role models may reveal how those kinds of interactions can be used to guide child development positively, she said. “We want to understand who young people look up to — be they parents, teachers or other adults — and why and how those relationships shape youth development in this particular area,” said Lerner. Ultimately, the researchers hope the study can provide the scientific evidence that will help parents, teachers, youth leaders, and mental health practitioners support the development of virtuous behavior and moral development in children and adolescents. “If we can really show that intentional self-regulation promotes character development, we can then develop tools and interventions to help youth who are struggling in these areas,” Lerner said. The study’s supporter, the John Templeton Foundation — formed by the late billionaire investor — sponsors scientific inquiry into some of life’s most pressing questions. Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu
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Chronicle january 16, 2014
Fellowship Highlights IIL’s First Year By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor
Officially launched during the 2012-13 academic year, the Graduate School of Social Work’s Immigrant Integration Lab — which provides resources, studies and leadership for efforts on immigrant integration — has enjoyed a productive first year: Its activities included helping sponsor major campus events such as a naturalization ceremony held as part of the University’s Sesquicentennial celebration, and a seminar on opportunities and obstacles for immigrant children in education. Another major IIL initiative saw the awarding of the first Immigrant Integration Lab Fellowship to Lyndsey McMahan MSW ’14. A native of Ardmore, Okla., McMahan worked with Lutheran Social Services (LSS) immigrant legal services and their staff attorney Erin Fricker, a 2010 Law School alumna, to identify resources for meeting basic needs of formerly detained asylum applicants. McMahan, who completed her term as IIL Fellow last fall, said the experience offered a disquieting insight into the lives of those who are caught in a bureaucratic limbo. “We have this large population of people without any kind of status,” said McMahan, interviewed before she left earlier this month for a semester in Cambodia. “They are out of detention and have been allowed to remain in the US, but have virtually no access to benefits or resources for essentials like housing. “As IIL Fellow, my mission was to collaborate with Erin to assess the needs of asylum seekers, find out who has the information or services that can meet those needs,
Lyndsey McMahan was the inaugural Immigrant Integration Lab Fellow. (Photo by Caitlin Cunningham)
and determine what can be done to improve the means through which these are provided. The aim is to create a system that works here in Massachusetts and can be replicated in other states that have a high volume of immigrants.” As her stint with LSS made abundantly clear, immigration issues don’t always come in neat, uncomplicated packages, said McMahan. One client she worked with, a native of Nigeria seeking asylum, had lost his family to an attack by the militant Islamic group Boko Haram; already at risk himself for “looking Western,” he kept a secret with potentially devastating consequences — he was gay. According to McMahan, he had come to the US to stay with a man he had met while working on a cruise ship, “but there had been some miscommunication, and he wound up being detained for seven months because he had no family in the US.” McMahan tried to help her client cut through the red tape, but he seemed stuck in a bad-luck/goodluck cycle: Although his case was
delayed until 2015, he was able to get work authorization — and then he encountered difficulty in obtaining a Social Security card. “It’s just not easy to navigate the system,” said McMahan. “He is at least fortunate in that English is his primary language; for those who are less fluent, the difficulties are that much greater.” IIL Director Westy Egmont said McMahan was an appropriate selection for the inaugural IIL Fellow. “In a very competitive pool of applicants, Lyndsey stood out for her experience, especially with her time in the Peace Corps. We needed someone self-sufficient who could help us in creating a new venture, and who was open to learning what would work in a situation with few precedents. “As IIL Fellow, Lyndsey recognized that effective advocacy requires an understanding of how the law can sometimes work in conflict with human needs. Passing on the lessons learned from her experiences will surely be helpful to all who work with persons applying for asylum — a population of some 35,000 per year. “This was an important step in deepening our partnership with LSS, and also establishing the lab as an applied research center. We want to continue exploring the needs of the immigrant community, and with a significant interest in the role of the faith community in supporting newcomers and acting as a connector to wider society.” For more on the Immigrant Integration Lab, see www.bc.edu/ content/bc/schools/gssw/research/ research-centers/iil.html. Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu
Senior Recognized for International Research Narintohn Luangrath ’14, whose work on migration and asylum policy issues earned her a prestigious Harry S Truman Scholarship, has been named as one of two winners of undergraduate research awards by the Forum on Education Abroad. The awards recognize excellence in academic work completed by students as part of an education-abroad program. Students’ projects are judged by faculty from Forum on Education Abroad member institutions, and considered the best examples of the highest quality academic achievements of undergraduates studying abroad. An International Studies major from Tigard, Ore., Luangrath was honored by the organization for her work as an intern with the Irish Human Rights Commission, providing research and analysis for the Irish government on policies con-
cerning refugees and asylum seekers. Her project focused on the treatment and housing of asylum-seekers awaiting decisions on their applications, and articulated policy recommendations to the government to improve its treatment of asylum-seekers, particularly those who are children. She also has visited Sean Smith France to study media coverage of that country’s burqa ban, and served as a BC Undergraduate Research Fellow for Political Science faculty members Professor Peter Skerry and Associate Professor Jonathan Laurence — both eminent scholars in immigration issues — and Assistant Professor Jennifer Erickson, who studies international security. This past spring, Luangrath was selected for a Truman Scholarship, awarded to undergraduates who demonstrate leadership potential
and the capacity to “make a difference.” Truman Scholars are selected on the basis of a strong record of public service, as well as a policy proposal that addresses a particular issue in society. The scholarship provides funding support for graduate study. “Doing research abroad in Dublin with the Irish Human Rights Commission was a formative experience for me as a student studying forced migration,” said Luangrath, who — along with fellow award winner Madison Stevens of Franklin College in Switzerland — will present her research at a plenary session at the Forum’s 10th annual conference in San Diego this coming April. “Throughout my almost four years at Boston College, I have been lucky to have the faculty and the administration’s full support while I explore my interest in forced migration, in particular, comparative asylum and refugee policy.” —Sean Smith
Conversations with Boston College’s Academic Deans
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DIALOGUE MAUREEN KENNY LYNCH SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
How do you describe the mission of the Lynch School? Over the past year, the faculty, staff, and administration of the Lynch School have engaged in a series of discussions to refine our strategic vision. Throughout this process, we have been building on the mission statement we developed more than a decade ago. As a professional school of education and applied psychology in a Catholic and Jesuit university, we have long endeavored “to enhance the human condition, to expand the human imagination, and to make the world more just through excellence and ethics in teaching, research, and service.” How does the school go about fulfilling its mission? The 2014 strategic visions and strategies validate our mission and achievements of the past decade, while also articulating a revised set of benchmarks that are intended to further strengthen our impact and be responsive to the complex challenges of a changing society. The preparation of John Gillooly undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders in the fields of education and applied psychology remains central in our vision. We do this through our rigorous, innovative, and evidence-based programs linked to practice and through the dissemination of scholarship with a focus on promoting equity and social justice. While Lynch School faculty are known as top scholars in their respective fields, we want to make sure that the scholarship produced through Lynch School extends beyond professional publication to impact public policy and educational and psychological practice at the local, regional, national, and international levels. What are some of the school’s immediate goals? In the short term, we are working to increase the research support for faculty so that they can secure the level of external funding needed to carry out research that informs solutions to educational and social problems. We also believe that we can strengthen the impact of our research through enhanced faculty collaborations across departments of the Lynch School and across the university, as well as with critical stakeholders locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. We are also working to increase the visibility of our effort within the university and externally and to more fully engage our alumni network in education and policy initiatives. We are also reviewing our academic programs and professional development offerings to ensure they meet the most pressing educational and social needs. We are seeking to enhance the marketing and branding of our programs to enable us to continue recruiting the most capable and committed students who represent diverse communities. In the long term, what major projects and priorities lie ahead for the Lynch School? We are working to focus the international efforts of the faculty and increase opportunities for graduate students to acquire the knowledge and skills to work as effective professionals in a global society. This will likely mean the development of strategic partnerships with select universities across the globe in research, clinical practice, and educational exchanges. A long-term priority also focuses on the development of certificate and professional development offerings that complement our degree programs. The best ways to effectively integrate technology and the hybrid learning opportunities to complement our current instructional technologies are also under consideration. What’s a surprising fact people may not know about the Lynch School? The Lynch School is very proud of our high quality programs in teacher education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, our partnerships with local schools, and the important educational research produced by our faculty. I have found that people across the campus are less aware of the programs that extend beyond teacher education. We have very strong graduate programs and faculty in quantitative research methods, higher education and student affairs, educational leadership, and applied psychology. In the applied psychology area, we have a very selective American Psychological Association-accredited PhD program in counseling psychology, a very strong doctoral program in Applied Development Psychology, and masters programs in mental health and school counseling and applied developmental psychology. Approximately 60 percent of the undergraduates enrolled in the Lynch School are majoring in applied psychology and human development. While some of these students are also majoring in elementary education, applied psychology is the sole Lynch School major for 44 percent of our undergraduates. Undergraduate enrollment in applied psychology and human development has been growing and is one of the 10 largest undergraduate majors in the University. —Ed Hayward
Read the full text at www.bc.edu/chronicle
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Boston College Police Chief and Director of Public Safety John King was named the inaugural winner of the D. Joseph Griffin Award for Administrative Excellence by the Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (MACLEA). King has devoted nearly 40 years to campus law enforcement, serving at Northeastern, Bentley and Tufts universities before arriving at Boston College in 2010. He was presented with the award — named for the retired chief of police for Northeastern University, a pioneer in the professionalization of campus safety and law enforcement efforts — at the MACLEA Dec. 19 meeting. “It is an honor to receive this award,” said King. “Joe Griffin has always been a leader in our profession and a mentor to me and many others. His exceptional leadership skills and advocacy for community policing has helped to advance the professionalism of campus law enforcement.” Nominating King for the award, Griffin praised “his outstanding leadership and management skills combined with his devotion to the campus law profession.” At BC, King reorganized the BC Police Department and created new bureaus to allow the department to better serve the University community. Under his guidance and direction, the BCPD placed an emphasis on community policing and crime prevention. Also under his tenure, BCPD received certification from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission and will become accredited next month. “No one is more deserving of this extraordinary accolade than John King,” said Thomas E. Atkinson Jr., Boston College deputy chief of police and associate direc-
Lee Pellegrini
King Receives Award for Administrative Excellence
Caitlin Cunningham
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Carroll School of Management Assistant Professor Metin Sengul
Money Isn’t Everything BC Police Chief and Director of Public Safety John King
tor of public safety, in remarks at the event. “Through his education, experiences, and decisions, John has clearly demonstrated that he is a highly effective leader and manager who exemplifies the best practices and professional standards in our field. He is a man of vision who has the rare ability to translate that vision into action. He has an unsurpassed ability to build teams and motivate people to work together towards common goals. “He cares about the welfare of his people, the Boston College community and their families. This professionalism, character, and integrity make John King one above the others within campus law enforcement, and law enforcement in general,” Atkinson added. Also honored at the meeting were BC Police Sgt. Jeffrey Postell, who received the inaugural Sean Collier Award, [http:// www.bc.edu/content/bc/publications/chronicle/FeaturesNewsTopstories/2013/news/bc-s-postellhonored-for-community-policing. html] and BC Patrol Officer Keith Holland, who was recognized for heroic action undertaken last December while a member of the Bentley University Police Department. —Kathleen Sullivan
Rockefeller Family Presents Artwork to McMullen Museum
Boston College parents Kimberly and Steven Rockefeller — who is the grandson of the late Nelson Rockefeller — made a special presentation of artwork to the University last month as they joined their son in celebrating the end of his BC undergraduate years. The couple presented Boston College with an Albrecht Dürer etching in honor of their two sons, which was received by McMullen Museum of Art Director Nancy Netzer. Titled “The Nativity,” the work by Dürer — considered the greatest German artist — is from the personal collection of the late Nelson Rockefeller, who served as governor of New York and vice president of the US. The Rockefellers were on hand to attend the Dec. 12 mid-year Baccalaureate Mass and reception for students who completed undergraduate degree requirements, including their son Christian ’14, who graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences. Also attending the event — held this year in conjunction with BC’s Sesquicentennial Mass to conclude the University’s anniversary celebration — were the couple’s two other children, Steven III ’09 and Kayla, as well as Christian’s grandmother. —Office of News & Public Affairs
There are times, says CSOM’s Sengul, when corporations decide it’s better to ‘play nice’ with a competitor than do anything to make a buck helps consumers. Profits go up usually at their expense. Less competition usually hurts consumers.” Sengul says corporations want subsidiaries to succeed – to a point. “A corporate head might say to a subsidiary, ‘I don’t want you to anger my multimarket rivals so that we are hurt overall. Other than that, I want you to make money. Go, do good business. But whenever you are making big investment decisions – increasing your capacity by 30 percent, for example – stop. Come and ask me. Let’s talk. And then I will tell you to do it or not. Don’t decide on your own.’ “Corporations don’t want to
rivals in multiple businesses who aren’t as aggressive. This approach to decision-making is part of a larger issue where corporations tacCorporations may have a repitly agree amongst themselves not utation for maximizing profits to upset the collective apple cart, he whenever possible, but a new study explains. Instead, the goal is to get co-authored by Carroll School of along across all industries within Management Assistant Professor a corporation’s market place and Metin Sengul shows that’s not alavoid “competitive spillovers.” ways the case. In fact, according to Sengul presents a hypothetical Sengul and his colleagues, compascenario: General Electric decides nies sometimes deliberately leave to cut its light bulb prices by 10 money on the table in an effort to percent and increase production by “get along” with and not upset their 20 percent in a bid to gain market competitors. share. That move might hurt SieThe paper, “Constrained Delemens, also in the light bulb market. gation: Limiting Subsidiaries’ DeciInstead of matching the price drop sion Rights and Resources in Firms and hurting its own bottom line That Compete across Multiple “A corporate head might say to a in the light bulb industry, SieIndustries,” published in Admens might go after GE in the ministrative Science Quarterly, subsidiary, ‘I don’t want you to MRI market, a space both comclaims corporate heads “selecanger my multimarket rivals so panies compete in. tively intervene” in the every“Let’s say that Siemens’ MRI day business of a subsidiary to that we are hurt overall. Other unit is relatively small compared deliberately sabotage decisions than that, I want you to make to their light bulb unit,” says that could positively shift the balance of power in the mar- money...’ Corporations don’t want Sengul. “Siemens’ headquarters tells the MRI unit, ‘Cut your ketplace. to centralize everything; they just prices,’ because the moment the “We showed how large multi-unit firms manage comwant to centralize big decisions.” MRI unit of Siemens cuts its prices, then it increases competipetition across markets, which —Metin Sengul tion in the MRI business. So no study before has showed,” now GE is hurt because as the says Sengul, whose co-author was Javier Gimeno of INSEAD in centralize everything; they just want competition escalates in the MRI market, GE starts losing money in France, where the study took place. to centralize big decisions.” To curtail any potential prob- that business, and health care busi“There are two ways a corporation head can ensure a subsidiary plays lems, Sengul says corporations not ness is important for the entire GE nice. One is to watch over its sub- only limit a subsidiary’s decision- portfolio. “Note that although it all started sidiary’s shoulder everyday, which making capacity, but also finanwith GE light bulb cutting its pricis very difficult for headquarters, cially handcuff them. “If you’re one of those units es, the unit that is losing money is especially if it has lots of different units. It’s very costly and impracti- that I want to behave,” says Sengul, not GE light bulb but GE health “I don’t leave lots of cash to your care. In that way, the initial comcal. “The other option — which is discretion because I don’t want to petitive action of one unit hurt what we are arguing — is to del- come back next year and see that another unit. That is what we call egate decisions that will not trigger you created new factories because competitive spillover. “Whenever corporate heads recompetitive aggressiveness to your you had the cash and you had the autonomy. It’s not good for the alize, ‘OK my unit competes with units.” Inside the corporate umbrella, corporation if we are competing other firms that can respond in this cooperative attitude toward with the same rivals in multiple dif- other markets,’ then they tell those units, ‘Behave. Don’t focus on marmultimarket rivals can lead to a re- ferent businesses.” A company that is a standalone ket share, don’t cut prices. Be nice. stricted growth in certain businesses of the corporation that compete entity will typically go after its com- Focus on profits, focus on increaswith units of other multimarket petitors aggressively when there is ing the margins.’“ firms. And in the end, it’s the con- an attractive market opportunity. sumers that are taking a backseat, Sengul argues that it’s the corpoContact Sean Hennessey at sean.hennessey@bc.edu he says: “Collusive behavior rarely rations competing with the same By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer
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Assistant Professor of Economics S. Anukriti’s research interests include economic development, demography and the economics of gender. Her current projects — much of which assess conditions in her native India — examine female sterilization and spousal violence, the influence of gender preference and financial incentives on male and female birth rates, and how arranged marriages affect support for the elderly. Anukriti, who earned her doctorate at Columbia University, is a research affiliate of the Institute for the Study of Labor in Bonn. Last year, she was honored by the European Meeting of the Econometric Society for the best paper in applied economics by a young researcher. In her spare time, she edits the online magazine The Boston Coffee House. Formerly Veblen Research Instructor at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study, Assistant Professor of Mathematics David Geraghty is working under a three-year National Science Foundation grant on the project “Modularity lifting in non-regular weight.” Geraghty earned a bachelor’s degree and a certificate of advanced study in mathematics from Cambridge University, and his doctorate from Harvard University. He has co-published in the Journal of the American Mathematical Society, Duke Mathematical Journal and Annales de Mathématiques de Toulouse, among others, and been an invited speaker at seminars hosted by Caltech, University of Chicago, Brown and Princeton, as well as the AMS Spring Eastern Sectional Meeting held last April at Boston College. He taught Linear Algebra last fall and is teaching a graduate number theory course this spring. A resident of China and Taiwan for many years, Assistant Professor of Theology David Mozina teaches the Religious Quest sequence in the core curriculum as well as courses in Chinese and East Asian religions. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, a master’s degree and doctorate from Harvard University, and formerly taught at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Mozina is working on a monograph, Quelling the Divine: The Performance of a Talisman in Contemporary Daoist Thunder Ritual, which explores the technology of talisman making in the strain of Daoist ritual currently practiced in central Hunan Province in south China. —Ed Hayward, Sean Smith and Kathleen Sullivan Photos by Lee Pellegrini “Welcome Additions,” an occasional feature, profiles new faculty members at Boston College.
Lynch School’s Shirley Is Named Chair at Institute in Singapore
Lynch School of Education Professor Dennis Shirley has been named the CJ Koh Chair at the National Institute of Education in Singapore, effective this coming March, marking the third time a Lynch School faculty member has received the prestigious visiting lectureship. The Lynch School has a long and enduring relationship with Singapore’s NIE, the nation’s central university for the preparation and development of teachers, administrators, researchers and education policy makers. “It’s a tremendous honor,” said Shirley, noting that LSOE grads have returned to Singapore where they are principals, curriculum developers and lead teachers. “That I’m the third Lynch School faculty member to receive this honor speaks volumes about the partnership the school has maintained
with Singapore educators and education leaders.” The school’s previous Koh appointees were John E. Cawthorne Professor of Teacher Education for Urban Schools Marilyn CochranSmith in 2006 and Thomas More Brennan Professor of Education Andy Hargreaves in 2011. Shirley has traveled extensively to Singapore over the past five years and conducted research into the curriculum, instruction and educator development programs that have placed Singaporean children atop the world’s leading educational assessments, particularly in math and science. The visiting lectureship will take Shirley to Singapore for approximately one week in March, when he will deliver a public keynote speech, meet with the Minister of Education and consult with education officials and faculty. —Ed Hayward
The Jan. 6 inauguration of Boston Mayor and Boston College alumnus Martin Walsh [see page 1] in Conte Forum was covered extensively by Boston media, including the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, WHDH-TV, WCVB-TV, CBS Boston, Fox News Boston, New England Cable News and WBUR, as well as by other outlets such as the New York Times and Irish Independent. In one of his last acts as mayor, Thomas Menino approved an ordinance banning smoking on Boston Common and the city’s other parks — a move that is especially ironic given the park’s history, wrote Prof. Marilynn Johnson (History), in the Boston Globe “Ideas” section. Johnson and some of her students curated an exhibit “Common Boston,” based on Burns Library collections. Walsh Professor of Bioethics John Paris, SJ, provided commentary for three stories in the Christian Science Monitor on ethical and medical issues raised by the case of California teenager Jahi McMath, who has been diagnosed as braindead. In a letter published in the New York Times, Lynch School of Education Brennan Professor Andy Hargreaves and Prof. Dennis Shirley said stopping destructive policies already in use is at least as important as adopting promising ones from high-achieving nations.
Christopher Huang
WELCOME ADDITIONS
Newsmakers
Five recently promoted members of the Boston College Police Department were honored at a campus reception last week: (clockwise from top left) Captain James M. Hussey, Captain Peter Keating, Sergeant David Flaherty, Lieutenant Laurene Spiess and Lieutenant Jeffrey Postell.
Murray and Monti Professor of Economics Peter Ireland looked at the impetus for the run-up in long-term interest rates and its likely impact on the US economy in a piece for Economics 21.
BC BRIEFING Adj. Assoc. Prof. Michael C. Keith (Communication) was interviewed by the Israeli magazine
NOTA BENE
The Boston College Association for Retired Faculty recently announced its grant recipients for 2013-14: •Matilda Bruckner—To attend and preside over the session “Voice and Silence” at the annual Modern Language Association convention. •Richard Mackey—Production of the monograph Learning from Couples in Relationships That Last. •Charles Meyer—Production of the book The Aftermath of Conflict: Photographs from the Balkans, Kosovo, South Africa, and Northern Ireland. •David Northrup—To attend the World History of Slavery conference in conjunction with preparation of a chapter for the Cambridge World History of Slavery. •Dennis Taylor—To attend the Shakespeare Society of America annual meeting on “Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Reformation.” Austin Mason PhD’12 was selected as a winner of a Distinguished Dissertation Award, considered the nation’s most prestigious honor for doctoral dissertations. Presented by the Council of Graduate Schools and ProQuest — an international dissertation archiving, discovery and access firm — the awards recognize recent doctoral recipients who have already made unusually significant and original contributions to their fields. Mason, currently a faculty member at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, was honored for his project, “Listening to the Early Medieval Dead: Religious Practices in Eastern Britain, 400–900 CE.” —Office of News & Public Affairs
Masa Acher (Other Journey) on the subject of World Radio Day.
Honors/Appointments The “Longfellow’s Serenity and Poe’s Prediction: An Antebellum Turning Point,” an article by Prof. Paul Lewis (English) published in New England Quarterly, won the Poe Studies Association’s 2012 James Gargano Award for best scholarly essay on Poe in a given year. Asst. Prof. Ralf Yusuf Gawlick (Music) was a finalist in the 2014 Red Note New Music Festival International Composition Competition for his chamber work, “Glocken-Spiel,” for piano quartet.
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: Provost and Dean of Faculties Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Biology Department Technology Manager, Residential Life Research Associate, Center for Retirement Research Administrative Assistant, Carroll School of Management Grant Administrator, College of Arts and Sciences Service Center Senior Associate Athletic Director for Marketing Administrative Assistant, Theater Department Staff Nurse, University Health Services
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LOOKING AHEAD
Gaelic Roots Spring Events Include Faculty Performers Boston College faculty musicians Jimmy Noonan and Sheila Falls will be among the performers featured during the spring 2014 Gaelic Roots series of traditional music. Directed by Sullivan Artist-in-Residence and master fiddler Séamus Connolly and sponsored by the Boston College Center for Irish Programs, the series brings to campus acclaimed musicians and experts in Irish, Scottish and other related Gaelic music traditions. Gaelic Roots events, all of which begin at 6:30 p.m., are free and open to the public. Noonan, an acclaimed and award-winning flute and tin whistle player, will present a concert on Jan. 23 with Paddy Keenan, one of the acknowledged masters of the Irish uilleann pipes and a founding member of the Bothy Band, a pioneering group in the 1970s Irish folk music revival. The concert will take place in the Walsh Hall Function Room. On Feb. 3, Connolly and BC Irish dance teacher Kieran Jordan ’96 will lead a participatory Irish
BC SCENES
Sean Smith
Among the performers in this semester’s Gaelic Roots series are Paddy Keenan, right, who will appear with Boston College faculty member Jimmy Noonan next Thursday, and the trio Mist Covered Mountains, who will play Feb. 27.
dance and ceili evening in Gasson 100, with student and local musicians. The Western Massachusettsbased trio Mist Covered Mountains will make its Gaelic Roots debut on Feb. 27 with a concert in the Walsh Hall Function Room. The band — fiddler Donna Hébert, vocalist Molly Hébert-
Wilson and guitarist-vocalist Max Cohen — performs music from Celtic traditions and contemporary sources, and last year released the album “This Distant Shore.” Falls, a former fiddle student of Connolly who joined the BC faculty last fall, will appear on March 27 in the Walsh Hall Function Room with Mark Rob-
erts, a solid performer on guitar, flute, bouzouki, banjo and other instruments. Among their many individual musical activities, Falls and Roberts have both been regular members of the fiddle supergroup Childsplay, which tours annually in the Boston area. For more about Gaelic Roots, see www.bc.edu/gaelicroots. —Sean Smith
CLOSING OUT A COMMEMORATION
Boston College formally ended its Sesquicentennial celebration on Dec. 12 in St. Ignatius Church, as University President William P. Leahy, SJ, celebrated a Mass that coincided with the annual baccalaureate ceremony for seniors who had already completed their undergraduate requirements. Afterwards, Fr. Leahy chatted with students.
Auditions will be held this month for the 10th annual BC Idol, the Boston College benefit talent competition inspired by Fox TV’s “American Idol.” Student musicians and singers are invited to BC Idol try-outs Jan. 21-23 and Jan. 26-28 from 7:30-10:30 p.m. in Gasson 100, and on Jan. 30 from 8-11 p.m. in Barat House on Newton Campus. This year’s BC Idol will take place Feb. 27 in Robsham Theater. Proceeds from the event go to benefit music programs at the St. Columbkille Partnership School in Brighton, whose students also participate in the show. Last year’s concert raised $4,500. BC Idol is organized by students in Emerging Leaders Program and Undergraduate Government of Boston College, as well as BC’s Office of Governmental and Community Affairs and Lynch School of Education. Contact kwiatejo@bc.edu for more information. See an Office of News & Public Affairs video about the 2013 BC Idol at http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bP6nBT43xbg.
Photos by Lee Pellegrini