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Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs
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Dinneen 5 Romero, award winners
CSON trip to Haiti
Leahy’s annual 6 Fr.letter to BC March 31, 2011 VOL. 19 no. 14
By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs
BC hockey player Pat Mullane ’13 works with a fifth-grader at Brighton’s St. Columbkille Partnership School as part of a mentoring program that brings together University student-athletes and local schoolchildren.
‘I Like Knowing He’s There for Me’ To many, these BC undergrads are known as student-athletes. To this group of schoolkids, they’re something else: friends and mentors By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs
The Boston College men’s hockey team was denied in its bid to win its second consecutive NCAA championship and its third in four years, but to the students in Pat Mooney’s fifth grade class at St. Columbkille Partnership School in Brighton, they will always be champions. Through a program devised by Assistant Coach Michael Cavanaugh and enthusiastically supported by Men’s Coach Jerry York and Women’s Coach Katie
King, the players on the men’s and women’s hockey teams have each committed themselves to a one-on-one mentoring relationship that St. Columbkille Head of School William Gartside describes as a transformative experience for his pupils, who are reaping the benefits of having role models in their lives. Under the mentoring program launched last fall, the hockey players are teamed up with 23 St. Columbkille fifth-graders, with the goal of forming relationships that will last beyond their respective school years. Meeting in person regularly at both at BC and St.
Columbkille, the players help with homework and offer encouragement, while also making themselves available via email for the occasional boost of confidence that all preteens need as they navigate the often turbulent waters of adolescence. “What I like best about my mentor Chris Venti is that he listens to me,” says St. Columbkille fifth-grader Ryan Sullivan of Brighton. “I am not really a big hockey fan; I just like knowing that he is there for me.” The presence of the BC students has made a noticeable difContinued on page 4
BC employee among National Guard unit sent to Afghanistan
Josh Levine
A Boston College Farewell to the 182nd By Reid Oslin Staff Writer
For the next year, Boston College Dining Services employee Brian Casey will be replacing his white chef’s hat with a camouflaged Kevlar helmet. Casey, first cook at the University’s Stuart Hall dining facility, is also a member of the first battalion of the Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 182nd Infantry Regiment – a combat-ready unit that was recently activated for deployment to Afghanistan. Army Specialist Casey and nearly 700 of his fellow National Guard citizen-soldiers were given a rousing civic sendoff Sunday at an inspirational ceremony hosted by Boston College at Conte Forum. Casey won’t be doing much food preparation during the unit’s anticipated 12-month deployment
Dining Services cook Brian Casey with University President William P. Leahy, SJ, at Sunday’s farewell for the Massachusetts National Guard’s 182nd Infantry Regiment.
to unspecified locations along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. His military assignment will be as the battalion armorer – the person in charge of maintaining and repairing all of the unit’s weapons. “We are going over there to do a good thing,” said Casey, a 13-year BC employee. His National Guard combat unit will provide security for military construction and civil af-
fairs teams who will work to rebuild the war-torn nation’s infrastructure. “I’m a pretty quiet person and I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. But it is something that I want to do. I believe in the cause and I believe that it is good. I’m not on any soapbox — that’s not my thing. I am just doing my job.” Before becoming a professional Continued on page 4
Aditya Ashok ’12, a Presidential Scholar and student in the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, has been named a recipient of a 2011 Harry S. Truman Scholarship. A history and biology major in the pre-med program, the Nashua, NH native has distinguished himself at Boston College through his academic achievement and HIV-AIDs activism, having served as co-president of the AIDS Awareness Committee at Boston College, and director of international outreach at the Virginiabased Teen AIDS-Peer Corp. The prestigious Truman Scholarship, established by Congress to honor the memory of the 33rd president, provides recipients with $3,000 for their senior year of college and $27,000 for graduate study. It is awarded on the basis of leadership potential, intellectual ability and the likelihood of “making a difference.” The selection process requires that candidates have a strong record of public service, as well as a policy proposal that addresses a particular issue in society. Ashok credits experiences as a high school student working in Ghana on a HIV-AIDS initiative, and later at a summer camp for HIV-positive individuals, as the catalysts for his passion. He chose Boston College over several Ivy League universities,
Sean Smith
Lee Pellegrini
BC Junior Is Awarded Truman Scholarship
Aditya Ashok ’12
he says, because of its emphasis on service and its reputation for mentoring relationships between students and faculty. “Without Founders Professor of Theology and Presidential Scholars Program Director James Keenan, SJ, and Associate Professor of History Virginia Reinburg, I would not have had an opportunity to win this award,” says Ashok. “They are titans in their respective fields, and inspiring mentors.” Working with the Teen AIDSPeer Corp, Ashok has trained students from throughout the world to become activists and agents of change in their own communities regarding AIDS awareness and education. For his Truman Scholarship, he wrote a policy proposal to modify needle exchange programs in New York City, suggesting that they be moved from local communities, where they stigmatize patients and depress surContinued on page 3
‘Broken Tower’ Debut at BC Actor-director Franco adapts book by Mariani
Acclaimed actor James Franco will be at Boston College on April 15 to premiere his new film “The Broken Tower,” inspired by and based on a biography of American poet Hart Crane written by poet and University Professor of English Paul Mariani. The screening event — which will be held for BC undergraduates selected via lottery — will take place at 5 p.m. in the Robsham Theater Arts Center. Mariani will join Franco in a Q&A session following the screening to discuss the film, Crane’s life and poetic reputation — Mariani has described Crane as “brilliant, complex and obscure.” Details on the lottery for the event will be e-mailed to undergraduates shortly. Published in 1999, the year of Crane’s 100th birthday, Mariani’s book The Broken Tower: The Life of Hart Crane, received numerous awards and accolades, and was called “a compelling
James Franco
chronicle of artistic triumph and private ruin,” by Washington Post “Book World.” Mariani, who provided Franco with extensive background and at his request toured locations and was on the movie set, also has a small speaking part in the film as photographer and artist Alfred Stieglitz. Set in the 1920s and shot in and around Crane’s beloved New York City, the film Continued on page 3
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle march 31, 2011
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Spring “Splash!”
PRE-SPRING CLEANING
For that healthier you
The Undergraduate Government of Boston College organized a clean-up operation around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir March 20.
are not exposed to it,” said Vogue, a philosophy major and music minor who has been accepted to law school. “I never knew how prevalent classical music was today either until I came to BC and started taking some music classes on history and music theory. It provided significance to pieces written 300-400 years ago and I started to see the influence they had
on current artists. Even in Lady Gaga or Ke$ha, you can trace what they are doing directly back to classical forms.” Vogue, who finds himself comfortable in front of large groups thanks to his work as a campus tour guide, said that he thinks teaching the class is good practice for his envisioned law career. “As a future litigator, it’s a perfect
practice in presenting a good argument in front of a public audience,” he said. Other popular courses included “How to be Zorro: Intro to Fencing” and junior Mark Iannelli’s “Social Issues in ‘Glee.’” “I thought that this would be a positive way to turn my unhealthy obsession into something good,” said Iannelli, an admitted “Gleek” (as fans of the hit Fox TV show are called). “And the show really does take on some really important social issues: bullying, homosexuality, teen pregnancy, body image. “I think that unlike a show like ‘Gossip Girls’ where everyone is thin and white, ‘Glee’ has done a good job representing different ethnicities and all different body types, which is more reflective of the world we live in.” Cheng and fellow organizers Lisa Piccirillo ’13, Conor Sullivan ’13, Megan Shein ’13, Keegan Dougherty ‘’13 and Tommy Steichen ’14 are confident that “BC Splash!” will return next semester with even more students and student teachers. For more information about “BC Splash!” and the courses it offered, see http://bcsplash.learningu.org ‑MB
50 years of the Peace Corps Fifty years ago, Boston College students were among the hundreds of young adults across the country to answer President John F. Kennedy’s challenge to volunteer in service overseas on behalf of the US government. On Tuesday, BC celebrated the past five decades of volunteerism at the golden anniversary of the Peace Corps. The gathering, held the in Murray Room of the Yawkey Center, boasted hundreds of Peace Corps and BC alums, current students, faculty and staff. Since 1961, 718 Boston College alumni have served as Peace Corp volunteers. “Based on the Jesuit mission of the University and our desire to be ‘men and women for others,’ the Peace Corps is a very attractive option for many, many students here,” said Joanne LaRosee, a recruiting manager in the Boston College Career Center who helped organize the celebration. “Being service-minded is just part of who BC students are,” said
A ROUND C AMPUS
Frank Curran
Bigger and better was the aim for the spring “BC Splash!” And with 470 high school students — double that of the fall session — and 150 BC undergraduate student-teachers who participated in the program Sunday the goal certainly appears to have been reached. The concept for “BC Splash!” is simple: College students develop unique classes for high schoolers. High schoolers from across the state and New England register and attend classes on campus for the day, introducing many teenagers to college life for the first time. Debuting last November, “BC Splash!” re-created a successful peer educational program that was established at MIT. Other programs have also been launched at Harvard, Stanford and Duke. “BC Splash!” organizers said the program featured new and innovative classes — 120 in all — including “Duct Tape Crafts,” “How to Avoid Awkwardness” and “Feminism, Foreign Wars, and Folk Music: The History of Social Change in Song.” “The growth was a result of our more aggressive outreach efforts,” said co-organizer Hanyin Cheng ’12. “We contacted over 80 high schools from Massachusetts during winter break and stayed in touch with them through updates of our progress. These relationships were key to our success, because they helped us broadcast information to the parents and students more effectively. Stanford University actually sent two student representatives to ‘BC Splash!’ to observe how we run the program.” There are benefits for the student teachers as well. Senior James Vogue taught “From Bach to Rock: Intro to Classical Music Appreciation” and said “BC Splash!” afforded him the chance to hold forth on a topic about which he is most passionate. “Classical music is not part of the mainstream. Today’s students do not have anything against classical music, they just simply are not exposed to it – or, at least, think they
The “Healthy You” initiative, which seeks to improve the health and wellness of all Boston College employees, has introduced a new website [www.healthyyouhmi.org] to help provide information related to the program as well as various health-related resources. The site includes a page with links to BC-specific health and wellness resources; the page can be accessed via the “Your School’s Wellness Resources” drop-down menu [the direct link is at http://bit.ly/i7V6I6]. This Monday, April 4, will be the next in the series of “Know Your Numbers” campus health screenings. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care clinical staff will provide a free screening of cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index measures for BC employees and spouses who are Harvard Pilgrim members in the Vanderslice Cabaret Room from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, see http://www.bc.edu/offices/hr/employees/healthy-you.html.
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle ON Be sure to check out the Boston College Chronicle YouTube channel [www.youtube.com/bcchronicle] for video features on Boston College people, programs and events. New and upcoming videos include: •Boston College reaches out to Japan: The Japan Club of Boston College has helped lead the University community’s efforts to promote awareness of, and build support for, relief efforts in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami. •“ALC Showdown” Pep Rally: The AHANA Leadership Council organized a pep rally earlier this month to promote its annual “ALC Showdown,” a friendly competition between BC dance organizations that took place March 26. ALC officers talk about Showdown and what cultural and dance clubs mean to BC students. •“Binding Friendship: Ricci, China and Jesuti Cultural Learnings”: Students of Assistant Professor of History Jeremy Clarke, SJ, helped organize the Burns Library exhibit “Binding Friendship: Ricci, China and Jesuit Cultural Learnings,” highlighting the history of East-West exchanges. •BC MBA consulting in China: The Carroll Graduate School of Management International Consulting Program provides students with the opportunity to work with leading companies from around the world. Carroll School Lecturer Gregory Stoller, who leads the annual team trip to China, discusses this year’s visit and the unique opportunities for BC graduate students. The Boston College
Chronicle Director of NEWS & Public Affairs
LaRosee. “Our students are worldly and pay particular attention to issues of social justice abroad. It is part of the culture here to get involved with community service both locally and internationally.” According to Peace Corps data, Boston College has consistently been among the top producers of Peace Corps volunteers, compared to other medium-sized universities. This year, BC was ninth among competitive schools, with 38 alumni serving in the Peace Corps in 27 countries around the world. Tuesday’s celebration featured Erin Mone-Marquez, who earned a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Social Work in 1999. A Dover, NH, native, Mone-Marquez left a job in teaching to join the Peace Corps in 1994. Her career changed course, and she found herself helping children in some of the most dangerous corners of the world. She traveled to Afghanistan, Pakistan and refugee camps in Sierra Leone and
Liberia. Now the New England Regional Recruitment Manager for the Peace Corps, Mone-Marquez said the Peace Corps changed her life and encouraged students to be true global citizens. “During the past five decades, each member of our Peace Corps family has contributed to the success of this agency,” said Mone-Marquez. “As the world changes, and the needs of people in our host countries change, the work of the Peace Corps changes with it. But our mission remains the same and the simple idea of sending American men and women overseas to live, work, and become part of a community has become crucial to our understanding of the world. Boston College and its talented, hardworking men and women have been a major factor in the agency’s success. For more information on other Peace Corps celebrations throughout the country, see http://www.peacecorps.gov —MB
Jack Dunn Deputy Director of NEWS & Public AFFAIRS
Patricia Delaney Editor
Sean Smith Contributing Staff
Melissa Beecher Ed Hayward Reid Oslin Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Eileen Woodward Photographers
Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617)552-3350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. Contact Chronicle via e-mail: chronicle@bc.edu. Electronic editions of the Boston College Chronicle are available via the World Wide Web at http://www.bc.edu/chronicle.
T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle march 31, 2011
Better Late
University Continues Efforts to Support Japan Relief
After Two-Month Delay, CSON Group Is Finally Off to Haiti By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer
A group of Connell School of Nursing faculty, students and alumnae are in Haiti on a medical mission, a trip originally scheduled for January that had to be postponed due to political unrest in that country. The group left campus March 26 and will return this Sunday. The trip — the Connell School’s first to Haiti — is being led by CSON Clinical Assistant Professor Donna Cullinan, a certified family nurse practitioner who was on the ground providing aid to Haitians just weeks after last year’s devastating earthquake. Cullinan returned to Haiti last month for another medical mission and was heartened by the progress. “There is construction going on. Kids are back at school. There are still tons of tent cities, but the overall picture was very encouraging. The hope of the people in Haiti is amazing,” said Cullinan, interviewed prior to the group’s departure. The CSON team is staying in Leogane, about 20 miles west of the capital city of Port-auPrince, where they expect to see about 300 to 400 clinic patients a
Clinical Asst. Prof. Donna Cullinan (CSON), seated center, is leading the Connell School of Nursing trip to Haiti, which had been originally scheduled for January. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
day. Common ailments they will encounter are cholera, hypertension, acid reflux, scabies, diabetes, fungal infections, wounds and infestations. The group also will travel to the remote mountain top village of Basin Bleu, where they will set up a clinic for locals who very rarely receive any health care. In addition to Cullinan, the BC team consists of Carroll Professor of Nursing Judith Vessey, alumnae Elizabeth Donahue ’05, MS ’10 and Kathryn Quinn MS ’10, family nurse practitioner graduate students Elizabeth Hodgman, Laura Kondrat, Caitlin Reisman and Kate Sortun, and nine undergraduates. Each of the CSON team members brought three 50-pound suitcases filled with supplies such as pain relievers, vitamins, IV tubing and solution, toothbrushes, underwear, reading glasses, and antibiotics and other medicines.
Cullinan said the Haitian children are especially excited when they receive their new underwear. “They are so grateful for anything we can give them. Everything in their lives is hand-me-downs. They have nothing new,” she said. The group also is scheduled to visit an orphanage in Leogane and two orphanages in Port-au-Prince. “We have formula, diapers and linens ready to give them,” Cullinan said. The undergraduate nursing students participating in the trip were selected by Cullinan over the summer from a pool of interested applicants. The experience will qualify as their community health clinical rotation. The undergraduates are Myriam Charles-Pierre; Katie D’Souza; Emily Doyle; Kellyn Freed; Bridget Igo; Erin Kane; Djerica Lamousnery; Lauren Szabo and Molly Rosenwasser. For Charles-Pierre and Lamousnery,
Ashok Is Selected for Truman Scholarship Continued from page 1 rounding real estate values, to the city’s financial district. His research suggests that the move would enhance program participation while reducing costs. Fr. Keenan describes Ashok as an “extraordinary individual” whose interests in medicine and biology reflect his dedication to related areas of public service. “Among his many efforts, nothing matches Adi’s dedication to HIV/AIDS prevention work,” says Fr. Keenan. “He is mindful of the vulnerability of teenagers and of the need to reach out to them in a time of HIV/AIDS. Whether doing a research program on stigma, finding effective ways of advancing
needle exchange, or training people to assist teenagers with HIV–related issues, Adi is never a person who goes halfway. Rather he researches what exactly it is that keeps people isolated from proper programs and then finds strategies to make the programs more accessible to those who are so isolated. He is a man of enormous imagination and commitment.” During his years at BC, Ashok has served as a columnist for The Heights, the science editor for the student research journal Elements and coordinator of the Mendel Society Mentoring Program. He has also worked as an intern at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and as a volunteer at Rosie’s Place and the Labouré Center
in Boston and St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, NH. Ashok is one of 60 students nationwide to win the Truman Scholarship this year, and BC’s seventh winner overall. Upon graduation, he plans to pursue either a master’s degree in public policy and a medical degree, or an MBA-MD. He has already been accepted into Tufts Medical School. “I want to work in health policy, where the knowledge and lessons that I have learned from these experiences can be applied to the field,” says Ashok. “BC has been a great fit for me, and has prepared me to pursue my passions.” Contact Jack Dunn at jack.dunn@ bc.edu
Film Based on Mariani Book to Premiere at BC Continued from page 1 also features actor Michael Shannon. Making his directorial debut with “The Broken Tower,” Franco — who has appeared in numerous highprofile films and earned international fame, as well as an Oscar nomination for his role in “127 Hours” — also wrote the screenplay for the biopic and plays Crane. Crane, best known for his works The Bridge and The Broken Tower, committed suicide in 1932 at age 32 when he jumped to his death from a ship. Reportedly considered
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a biographical work inspired by his only heterosexual affair, The Broken Tower was published posthumously. The challenge of adapting the book, and depicting Crane’s life, on screen, Mariani notes, is encapsulating “so much energy and human complexity.” According to Mariani, Franco has succeeded. After viewing cuts of the film earlier this month, he says, “James had already chiseled the film into something like its powerful final version. It’s in black and white and
consists of what James calls 12 voyages, or segments, of Hart Crane’s life — interlocked thematically and visually — with James reading long stretches of Crane’s poems.” Mariani says the reaction of his students to his celebrity collaboration has been interesting. “It has been everything from disbelief to mild interest to bedazzlement. It’s been fun watching those reactions not only from undergraduates to graduates, but even my colleagues.” —Office of News & Public Affairs
Boston College activities to aid Japan continue this Saturday, April 2, at the Lynch School of Education “Global Night” event, from 5-8 p.m. in the Welch Dining Room of Lyons Hall. Donations collected at “Global Night” — which will feature multicultural food, refreshments and entertainment — will go to benefit relief efforts in Japan, which is struggling with the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Elsewhere at the University, a Dining Services point drive organized last week by the Japan Club of Boston College raised $17,000 to aid relief efforts in Japan. The $17,000 was $4,000 more than Dining Services had allocated for the point drive, and was raised in one day — far less than the drive’s scheduled five-day period. The Japan Club also set up an information table in McElroy Commons during the past week, and reported collecting donations totaling more than $1,000. In addition, all campus liturgies this past Sunday were offered for the people of Japan and BC students of Japanese heritage, and all collections were designated for the recovery of Japan. A service for the people of Japan was scheduled to be held last night in St. Joseph’s Chapel. For news and updates on BC’s outreach to Japan, see http://www. bc.edu/offices/vpsa/Japan.html —Office of News & Public Affairs the trip has special meaning because they have family in Haiti. Throughout the fall semester, the team members prepared for the trip by meeting regularly to discuss Haitian culture and attending IV and suturing workshops. The students also conducted a number of fundraisers to buy supplies. Cullinan’s work to bring sustainable health care to Haiti started 10 years ago when she began volunteering for the non-profit organization Circle of Hope, as part of a team of health care professionals who travel to Haiti to provide medical care. She is working
on a project to ensure that each Haitian has a medical record. She also has served as a mentor to a translator, who is now in medical school in the Dominican Republic, and to a student who recently graduated as valedictorian at FSIL School of Nursing in Leogane. “I know these BC students will be forever changed by this experience,” said Cullinan who says the team plans to present data and photos from their trip later this semester. “My hope is that whatever they do in their life and career after BC that they always find a way to give back.” Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu
Fr. Himes at Laetare Sunday Boston College will hold one of its signature spiritual celebrations, the Laetare Sunday Mass and brunch, this Sunday in Conte Forum. This year’s Laetare Sunday – the traditional mid-point of the Lenten season – will mark the 60th celebration of the occasion at BC. It is considered to be the oldest oncampus liturgical event of its kind in the nation. University President William P. Leahy, SJ, and priests from the Boston College Jesuit Community will concelebrate the Laetare Mass, which will begin at 9:15 a.m. Theology Professor Rev. Michael Himes, one of the University’s most respected and popular faculty members, will be the featured speaker at the brunch, which will follow the celebration of Mass. Fr. Himes has received many
teaching awards throughout his career, including “Teacher of the Year” honors at Boston College in 2002. He is the author of numerous articles and popular books on theology, among them The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholi‑ cism. “Laetare Sunday is an opportunity for us to celebrate the Lenten season and also to celebrate the excellence of the Boston College community,” said Associate Vice President for Alumni Affairs John Feudo. “Not only do we have the benefit of gathering for a Mass celebrated by Fr. Leahy and members of the Jesuit Community, we also get to hear from one of BC’s true ‘superstars’ in Father Himes.” Tickets for the event are available through the Boston College Alumni Association at www. bc.edu/laetare. —Reid Oslin
Mass Held for Alexander Grant The Boston College community gathered on March 22 in Saint Ignatius Church to celebrate a memorial Mass for sophomore Alexander Grant, who died earlier this month. University President William P. Leahy, SJ, presided over the Mass, and Director of Campus Ministry Fr. Tony Penna served as the homilist. Mr. Grant’s friend Max Hinchcliffe ’13 offered words of remembrance. Hinchcliffe and other friends of Mr. Grant shared their memories and impressions in an article published by the blog Her Campus/Boston College, at http://tinyurl.com/47hw8qu. —Office of News & Public Affairs
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Chronicle march 31, 2011
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A Winning Way at St. Columbkille Continued from page 1 ference in the attitudes of the St. a reminder to our players of what is Columbkille pupils, according to expected of them, and the good feelGartside. “This mentoring pro- ing they receive from giving back.” gram elevates the aspirations of St. Columbkille first-year teacher our students because they are sur- Pat Mooney says that in addition to rounded by people who have ac- the tutoring and personal encourtualized their dreams,” he says. “It agement the players offer when the shows them that there are more teams visit, the meetings provide possibilities than they could ever a developmental and motivational have imagined.” boost that goes beyond the classThe program has also had a posi- room. “The BC players are role tive effect on the BC student-athletes, models who provide an example who say that working with the St. of what hard work can do both Columbkille students has brought on the ice and in the classroom. their teams even closer as a result of That is one of the best things I the experience. “It is can drive home, that a good feeling to give “Other teams always in order to attend something back to the a great school like community and to serve try to copy our fore BC and compete at as a role model for a kid check or our penalty this level, all of the who might not otherBC student-athletes wise have one to look kill, but it is our team worked really hard up to,” said sophomore culture that is the key for what they have.” Pat Mullane. “But it Mooney says the to our success.” has also been good for program’s benefits our team, as it gives our — Michael Cavanaugh extend to the parteammates a common ents and families of bond through service.” the St. Columbkille Cavanaugh agrees. “Other teams pupils as well. “Our students have always try to copy our fore check or skated with the BC players on Kelour penalty kill, but it is our team ley Rink, and have been invited culture that is the key to our success,” to hockey and basketball games at he says. “When you are involved in Conte Forum with their families. a program like this and realize how The kids will say to their parents, happy you can make someone, it ‘Look, that’s my friend out there!’ makes you happier. This program is It gets the whole family involved.” an extension of the BC culture. It is The BC basketball team has also
partnered with the St. Columbkille School under the direction of Coach Steve Donahue, coming every other Friday to the school for an hour of reading, tutoring or individual instruction. BC seniors Joe Trapani, Biko Paris, Corey Raji and Josh Southern have been singled out for the warm relationships they have forged with the St. Columbkille students who welcome their guidance and friendship. Gartside says plans are also underway to set up a relationship with the women’s lacrosse team and the ultimate Frisbee club to mentor and offer instructional clinics. Coaches York, King and Donahue have also pledged to continue their teams’ involvement so that current fifthgraders who are paired with freshmen players will have the same BC mentor throughout their elementary and middle school years. “Every time I have ever had a need, BC has delivered more than I could have imagined,” said Gartside. “They are a wonderful friend and partner, and their student-athletes have become real-life heroes in relationships that our students will never forget.” For more on the St. Columbkille Partnership School, see http://stco‑ lumbkilleschool.net/ Contact Jack Dunn at jack. dunn@bc.edu
Above, Men’s Hockey Coach Jerry York observes Parker Milner ’13, left, and Chris Venti ’12 as they tutor St. Columbkille students. Below, Patrick Wey ’13 helps fifth-graders with a lesson. (Photos by Lee Pellegrini)
Emotional Send-Off at Conte Forum for Massachusetts Guard Unit BC alumnus has special duty to fellow soldiers
Almost 700 members of the 182nd Battalion are on their way to Afghanistan.
Continued from page 1 chef, Casey served on active duty in the Army between 1984 and 1988, assigned as a tank crewman with the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo. He spent 10 years in the BC Dining Services Catering Department before moving up to his current position at the Stuart dining facility. He rejoined the National Guard four years ago, and this will be his first extended active duty deployment. Sunday’s sendoff ceremony for Casey and his fellow soldiers was complete with full military trappings, Sousa marches, and distinguished speakers – all enthusiastically enjoyed by 4,000 family members and friends of the departing Guardsmen. A number of speakers, including Massachusetts Lt. Governor Timothy Murray and US Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), lauded the University for offering Conte Forum to the National Guard for the military sendoff ceremony.
Near the conclusion of the hourlong ceremony, University President William P. Leahy, SJ, presented the battalion with a Boston College flag that will be flown over the unit’s posts in Afghanistan and returned to the Heights for display at the end of the deployment. “We feel that Boston College has made us part of your community,” said Major Eric J. DiNoto, deputy commander of the battalion and principal planner of Sunday’s event. “We have a theme that ‘We are all in this together,’ and BC has opened their arms to us,” he said. “It means so much to all of us.” “There are a lot of BC fans in the unit,” added Casey, who noted that many of his fellow soldiers joined him at Alumni Stadium for a BC-Army football game and tailgate party two years ago and have maintained an affinity for the University and its sports teams. Contact Reid Oslin at reid.oslin@ bc.edu
“We ask God for reassurance that we will see each other again,” prayed Army Chaplain Lt. James Hairston, a 2004 Boston College graduate and ordained Baptist minister, as he offered a blessing for soldiers, family and friends of the nearly 700 members of the Massachusetts National Guard’s 182nd Battalion who prepared for deployment to Afghanistan in a touching and heartfelt ceremony at Conte Forum Sunday. Rev. Hairston, who will accompany the troops to the Middle East, is a Dorchester native who originally chose to attend BC because of its strong political science department, and the personal influence of Director of Undergraduate Admission John L. Mahoney Jr. Mahoney met with the young candidate three times during Rev. Hairston’s senior year at Boston’s Snowden International Charter School and encouraged him to consider applying to the University. Rev. Hairston is glad he followed Mahoney’s advice. “BC was a great experience,” he says. “They taught me how to look at the world through a lot of different lenses. The mantra of ‘Men and women for others’ really became ingrained in me. We are so used to being individualistic and looking only at ourselves, going to Boston College and learning self-sacrifice for the common good is something that has really helped me.” After graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences with his
Army Chaplain Lt. James Hairston ’04 offers a blessing at Sunday’s event. (Photos by Josh Levine)
degree in political science and a double minor in economics and Black Studies, Rev. Hairston earned a master’s degree in education from Lesley University. Realizing he had been hearing the call to a religious vocation, he enrolled in the Andover-Newton Theological School, where he received a master’s in divinity and eventually became associate pastor of the First Baptist
Church in Dorchester. After his ordination, Rev. Hairston says he heard still “another calling” – that of service to the nation. He joined the National Guard as a military chaplain, choosing that organization because of the Guard’s traditional focus on family values. “I will be in Afghanistan as a member of the clergy as well as a soldier,” said Rev. Hairston, although noting that chaplains do not bear arms in the military. “It’s my job to make sure that I am the moral compass and that I keep an ethical lens on all situations. When my soldiers get stressed out, it is my job to make sure that they are OK. “I want their families to know that I am there for them as well as for their husbands and sons and brothers,” he said prior to Sunday’s event. “I want them to know that I am going through this with them and for them to understand that God will be there with them when their soldiers are deployed.” -Reid Oslin
University President William P. Leahy, SJ, presented the battalion with a Boston College flag that will be flown over the unit’s posts in Afghanistan.
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Chronicle march 31, 2011
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2011 ROMERO SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS BANQUET
UMass TAG Director Is Romero Winner Envisions Teaching Career Dinneen Award Winner By Melissa Beecher Staff Writer
Charismatic student leader Jesus Damian Baeza ’12 has been named the 19th Archbishop Oscar A. Romero Scholarship recipient. Baeza was recognized last weekend in a ceremony hosted by the Romero Scholarship Committee and attended by University administrators, students and faculty. Romero Award winners demonstrate a commitment to the values and ideals inherent in the life of Archbishop of El Salvador Oscar Romero, an outspoken advocate for the poor and oppressed who was assassinated 30 years ago. The scholarship covers 75 percent of senior year tuition. Also honored was Ilyitch Nahiela Tabora ’03, MSW ’05, who was named the 2011 Rev. John A. Dinneen, SJ, Hispanic Alumni Community Service Award winner [see accompanying story]. Baeza, a Lynch School of Education undergraduate majoring in English and human development, has held multiple leadership positions at Boston College, including orientation leader, captain of the dance troupe Fuego del Corazon and co-director of recruitment efforts for the Organization of Latin American Affairs. A McNair Scholar, Baeza also helped raise $20,000 for the Mississippi Delta Region while on the AHANA Leadership Council Volunteer Corps immersion trip. When he studied in Madrid last year, Baeza co-organized activities for Moroccan children at the local YMCA. Baeza attributes his leadership role to the support of his friends, teachers and counselors at San Miguel High School in his native Tucson, Ariz. “I have been fortunate enough to come from a supportive place that encourages you to elevate to your potential,” he said. “The same values and ideals here at BC were very much a part of my high school education. I think that is what made me want to get into the field of education – to be part of that for the next generation.
Jesus Damian Baeza ’12 accepts congratulations on being announced as the 2011 Archbishop Oscar Romero Scholarship winner: “I have been fortunate enough to come from a supportive place that encourages you to elevate to your potential. The same values and ideals here at BC were very much a part of my high school education.” (Photo by Suzanne Camarata)
“It was an honor to be named a finalist for the Romero Scholarship. I feel that it validates all the work I’ve done throughout my years at BC.” Baeza said he hopes to join the Teach for America program and become a teacher or guidance counselor to help other students realize their potential. Other Romero Scholarship finalists were juniors Vieira Vargas and Stephanie Gonzalez. Gonzalez, a psychology and sociology major from Santa Ana, Calif., has been a leader in OLAA, helping coordinate the Hispanic Heritage Month on campus. She was a resident assistant at Walsh Residence Hall, where she worked with 48 young women. This semester she is studying in Madrid. “Oscar Romero is a very inspiring figure. In high school, I was a campus minister, so I am very familiar with the work and life of Fr. Romero,” said Gonzalez in a telephone conversation from Spain. “His work on behalf of the poor and oppressed is very inspiring to me.” Gonzalez said she hopes to enter the human resources field, an interest that was sparked after tak-
ing elective courses in the Carroll School of Management. Vargas is a psychology major with a clinical concentration and history minor from Spring Valley, NY, who credits a series of inspiring experiences for shaping her BC years. A consummate volunteer, she participated in the Obrigado Brazil service trip and spent her time teaching English and math to orphan children. “I think that they taught me more than I taught them,” she said. Drawn to clinical settings, Vargas volunteered at Mount Sinai Hospital, where she translated a safety website into Spanish to benefit large numbers of mechanics who do not speak or read English, and shadowed a physician she came to regard as a mentor. “This scholarship process has inspired me all over again,” said Vargas. “It has allowed me an opportunity to reflect on things I have done and made me look at what I need to do to make a difference in the future.” For more on the Romero Scholar‑ ship, see http://www.bc.edu/romero Contact Melissa Beecher at me‑ lissa.beecher@bc.edu
BC Plans Sustainability Forum April 15-16 Members of the University community are invited to attend Boston College’s first Universitywide environmental sustainability conference to be held on campus April 15 and 16. The two-day event will bring together alumni who are leaders in the national and global environmental sustainability effort, faculty members and administrators who focus on environmental concerns, economics and strategies, and students who are interested in learning more about careers in this rapidly expanding field. “The unique thing about this conference, is that members of BC’s Energy and Environmental Alumni Network are returning to campus to meet with faculty to discuss aspects of the curriculum
that will continue to make BC students marketable in environmentally-related careers, and then to help mentor students who may be interested in the field,” says Robert Sherwood, special advisor to the associate vice president of alumni affairs. “We will have alumni, faculty, administrators and students interacting with each other to explore this topic.” Friday’s sessions will include a 1 p.m. reflection session with Founders Professor of Theology James Keenan, SJ, on finding challenges and making a difference in the world through career choices. This event will be held in the Shea Room in Conte Forum. At 4:30 p.m. Friday in Higgins 300, Philip Landrigan ’63, MD, will offer the conference’s keynote
address, “Environmental Threats to Children’s Health.” Saturday’s program, to be held in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons, will feature presentations and panel discussions on a wide range of environmental topics and will include, among others, University Trustee Kathleen Corbet ’82, who will discuss the various ways faculty, alumni and students are responding to the environmental challenge, and BCEEAN co-chair Fran Dubrowski NC ’70, who will participate in a faculty/alumni presentation on “Creating a Green Economy.” Full information on the sustainability conference and registration form is available on-line at www. bc.edu/excellingatsustainability. —Reid Oslin
Ilyitch Nahiely Tábora ’03, MSW’05, whose work as director of the University of Massachusetts at Boston Talented and Gifted (TAG) Program has benefited thousands of Latino students and English language learners, is the 2011 recipient of the John A. Dinneen, SJ, Hispanic Alumni Community Service Award. A Brighton resident, Tábora received the Fr. Dinneen Award at Boston College’s annual Archbishop Oscar A. Romero Scholarship Banquet, held March 26. Since 1999, the Archbishop Romero Scholarship Committee has recognized an alumnus for commitment, leadership and service to the Latino community; the award is named for the late John A. Dinneen, SJ, former University chaplain and a charter member of the Archbishop Romero Scholarship Committee. In May of 2003, Tábora became coordinator for the UMassBoston TAG Program, which seeks to ensure that Boston Public School Latino students and English language learners excel academically, socially and personally, and thereby improve their ability to succeed in high school and at postsecondary levels. Tábora has helped to secure more than $330,000 in new grants to develop and expand TAG’s various programs, such as the PANAS Mentoring Program and the TAG Summer Program for English Language Learners (TAG/SPELL), both of which have been recognized nationally and locally for best practices in service to Latino and ELL students. In addition, Tábora has helped to inspire and improve the lives of the thousands of TAG participants, colleagues and friends who have benefited from her tireless dedication and endless support and affection. The nomination for Tábora cited her ability to help others re-
Ilyitch Nahiely Tábora
flect on “the value of sacrificing and sharing your gifts, talents and resources to a community. “Too often we misplace praise and recognition on people who have the charisma of a leader but lack the mutual exchange of deep affection between community leader and the community members who are the beneficiaries of the leadership. Ilyitch and TAG represent that perfect marriage between leader and community.” At BC, Tábora studied sociology and minored in Latin American Studies, graduating cum laude. While completing her undergraduate studies, she enrolled in the Graduate School of Social Work and studied community organization. As an undergraduate, she served on the board of the Organization of Latin American Affairs, and participated in and twice led an education-based service trip to the Dominican Republic. She also interned at the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative in the Roxbury/ North Dorchester neighborhoods, where she supported voter registration initiatives and the work of the Dudley Youth Council. Tábora was a finalist for the Archbishop Romero Scholarship in 2002. —Office of News & Public Affairs
Community Safety Day Is April 11 A hands-on community safety program featuring police K-9 demonstrations, mock vehicle crashes, impaired driver tests, emergency medical and rescue procedures, crime prevention strategies and fire extinguishing techniques, will take place on the Edmonds Hall parking lot on lower campus on April 11 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. [April 13 is the rain date.] The community safety event, organized by the Boston College Police Department, will bring numerous public safety and campus service organizations together to offer the University’s students and employees an up-close look at emergency services, crime prevention and both personal and property safety tips. “We have always tried to do law enforcement through education,” says BCPD Lt. Fred Winslow, an organizer of the event. “We want to let people know that we are not just here to be the ‘bad guys’ who break up parties, we and the other agencies in the area are actually here to take care of our community, not just to enforce the laws.” Public Safety Director and BC Police Chief John King added, “The activities and demonstrations during Community Safety Day will provide useful information to our students, staff and faculty which will be of values both on and off campus. I applaud the efforts of our officers in organizing this event”. Other activities planned for the day include identity theft prevention, child car seat restraints, rape aggression defense, and fire prevention and suppression instructions. In addition to local municipal police and fire departments, representatives from the State Police, MBTA police, Armstrong Ambulance, Negoshian’s Towing and Eagle EMT will also be on hand. Campus organizations participating include Facilities Services, Office of Residential Life, BC Auxiliary Services, Women’s Resource Center, BC Emergency Management and the Substance Abuse Task Force, among others. —Reid Oslin
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Chronicle march 31, 2011
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Finances, Facilities, Academics ‘Critical Areas’
March, 2011 Dear Members of the Boston College Community:
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or the last several years, I have written at this time to provide an update on the financial status of Boston College as well as information about significant University developments and plans. In this letter, I would like to focus on three critical areas: finances, facilities, and academics. From a financial standpoint, Boston College has emerged from the economic downturn that began in 2008 in a position of strength, having avoided layoffs, financial aid reductions, and program cuts that many colleges and universities were forced to implement to balance their budgets. The University was also able to continue admitting undergraduate applicants on a needblind basis and meeting their fulldemonstrated need, which makes it possible for individuals from all socio-economic backgrounds to attend Boston College. On March 4, the Board of Trustees approved the budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, and it calls for a 3.6 percent increase in undergraduate tuition, room, board, and fees, with tuition set at $41,480. Undergraduate financial aid will grow by 6.5 percent to $84.6 million, with overall student aid totaling $135 million. This budget also includes $4.5 million to fund academic initiatives outlined in the Strategic Plan approved in 2006, and additional funds to provide for a salary increase for staff and faculty (3.5 percent for employees earning under $50,000 and 2.5 percent for those over $50,000). The Board was able to limit the tuition increase and allocate resources to support Boston College’s strategic priorities partly as a result of $22.5 million in budget reallocations and savings that will be achieved between FY’09 and FY’12. Through planning, clear priorities, and reallocation, the $845 million operating budget for the coming year will provide the resources needed for Boston College to continue the institutional momentum of recent decades.
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he University’s solid financial footing has also enabled it to proceed with $150 million in construction and renovation projects outlined in its Institutional Master Plan. Stokes Hall, a 183,000 square foot academic building that will house the departments of history, English, philosophy, theology, and classics, and provide additional space for classroom instruction and student formation, is on schedule to be completed in the fall of 2012. Extensive exterior and interior work on Gasson Hall will be finished this August, in advance of the building’s 100th anniversary of construction in 2013. The remodeling of two buildings is also underway on the Brighton Campus: 129 Lake Street (formerly known as Bishop Peterson Hall) and 2121
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full demonstrated financial need Commonwealth Avenue n addition, the Uniof undergraduates students, a par(once the Chancery of the versity is in the process of ticular achievement since the vast Archdiocese of Boston). searching for new deans of majority of universities with this When these projects are the Lynch School of Edupolicy, such as Harvard, Princeton, completed in 2011 and cation and Boston College Stanford and MIT, are consider2012, respectively, emLaw School. Former Law ably better endowed. Nonetheless, ployees currently workSchool Dean John Garthe University seeks to maintain its ing in More Hall will be vey became president of current approach to financial aid relocated to the Brighton the Catholic University of and will need the increased support Campus, allowing the America last summer, and of BC’s donors to do so. University to eventually Father Joseph O’Keefe, Another pressure point is the build an undergraduate head of the Lynch School rising cost of health care for curresidence hall on the cursince 2004, will return to rent and retired Boston College rent More Hall site. the faculty next year after employees, which this year is proIn addition, Boston a sabbatical. Drinan Law jected to reach $42 million. To College completed conProfessor George Brown slow this expense, the University struction of facilities on and Lynch School Associate has embarked on a major employee Foster Street in Brighton Dean Maureen Kenny have wellness initiative called “Healthy and leased them to the been named interim deans. You” in the hope of improving Society of Jesus to proOur goal is to have a new employees’ health and reducing exvide living space for Jesuhead of the Law School appenditures. its studying and teaching pointed by early April, and The University is also engaged at the School of Theolthe next dean of the Lynch in a campus-wide energy conservaogy and Ministry who School named sometime tion campaign involving both stuhad lived in Cambridge Gary Wayne Gilbert next year. dents and staff, which last year led until last August. This to a greener campus and $1 million new school, established C students continue savings in energy bills. These efforts in 2007, continues to “From a financial standpoint, Boston to excel as well, both inside continue in the coming years. enhance the University’s College has emerged from the economic and outside the classroom, willFinally, our Provost and Dean international connections winning numerous presof Faculties Bert Garza and Exand contribute to the downturn that began in 2008 in a tigious academic scholarecutive Vice President Pat Keating strategic goal of Boston ships in the past year inposition of strength, having avoided have been involved in reviews of College becoming the cluding 16 undergraduate world’s leading Catholic layoffs, financial aid reductions, and Fulbrights, and national academic and administrative departments to enhance programs, university and theological program cuts that many colleges and championships in men’s ice reduce costs and reallocate funds to center. hockey and sailing. BC was Finally, I am pleased universities were forced to implement also ranked 9th this year support strategic priorities, with the goal of making the University as to report that our “Light among schools of its size in to balance their budgets.” efficient as possible. the World” Campaign the number of undergraduhas passed the mid-way ate alumni (38) involved oston College has a distincpoint, having raised $770 in the Peace Corps. Since tive mission as well as nationally million thus far toward the program’s inception •Assistant Professor of Physics recognized strengths in the liberal the goal of $1.5 billion. BC alumStephen Wilson and Assistant Pro- 50 years ago, a total of 718 Bosarts, teaching and research, and stuni, parents, and friends have shown fessor of Chemistry Dunwei Wang ton College graduates have served dent formation. The University has great generosity, and the University both received Career Awards from in the Peace Corps, placing BC achieved so much in recent years is counting on them to continue among the top universities in the the National Science Foundation. and aspires to even greater heights helping Boston College achieve its •Lynch School of Education United States. in the years to come. Because of goals and aspirations. As I have said on many occaMonan Professor Philip Altbach, its longstanding careful stewardship From an academic standpoint, director of the Center for Interna- sions, Boston College has much for of financial resources, as well as an this has been another successful tional Higher Education, was elect- which to be thankful. Yet while the abiding commitment to intellectual year for Boston College. Applicaed to the International Academy of University has been blessed in so excellence and our Jesuit, Catholic tions rose 10 percent to a record many ways, significant challenges Education. heritage, I am confident that Bos33,000, and the University climbed •Assistant Professor of Psychol- remain. ton College will continue to offer a to 31st in the US News rankings ogy Alexa Veenema won a prestitransformative educational experiof national universities, its highest he increasing requests for figious Young Investigator Award ence to our students and remain a position to date. In addition, the from the National Alliance for Re- nancial aid from BC families are beacon of hope for the world. University’s graduate school and search on Schizophrenia and De- putting a heavier burden on our professional programs rose in the operating budget. The University is pression. Sincerely, US News report released in mid•Lynch School Professor Re- one of only 21 private universities William P. Leahy, SJ March, with the Lynch School of bekah Levine Coley and her re- in the United States that is need President Education climbing from 19th to search team won a major grant blind in admissions and meets the 15th, the Connell School of Nursfrom the MacArthur Foundation ing from 26th to 21st, the Law to study the effect of housing on School from 28th to 27th and children in low-income families. the Carroll School of Management •Sweeney Professor of Accountfrom 39th to 34th. Among PhD ing G. Peter Wilson received the programs, the economics depart2010 Distinguished Achievement ment was ranked 31st and chemisin Accounting Education Award try 45th in the United States. Peter Sarnak, Eugene Higgins Professor of Mathematfrom the American Institute of ics at Princeton University and permanent member of the Certified Public Accountants. C faculty also continued to Institute for Advanced Study’s School of Mathematics, will •School of Theology and Minisachieve distinction in their respecbe the fourth annual Boston College Distinguished Lecturer try Professor Khaled Anatolios was tive fields. Among the notable in Mathematics and give three lectures on campus April 4-6. named one of seven Henry Luce III awards: Sarnak, who received the Polya Prize of the Society of Fellows in Theology for his contri•Associate Professor of Physics Industrial & Applied Mathematics in 1998, the Ostrowski bution to theological scholarship Willie Padilla was named a recipiPrize in 2001, the Levi L. Conant Prize in 2003 and the and research. ent of the Presidential Early Career Frank Nelson Cole Prize in Number Theory in 2005, also •University Professor of English Award for Scientists and Engineers, will meet with BC students and faculty during his visit. Paul Mariani’s critically acclaimed the highest honor bestowed by the For the titles and locations of his individual lectures, biography of Hart Crane has been United States government on scisee http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/math/research/seminars. made into a movie called “The Broence and engineering professionals html. ken Tower,” which will premiere in the early stages of their research on campus on April 15. careers.
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Sarnak to Serve as Distinguished Lecturer in Mathematics at BC
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Chronicle march 31, 2011
NEWSMAKERS
OBITUARIES
‘Addie’ Lalli, 88; Served Up Wisdom and Friendship
Adelaide “Addie” (DiMuzio) Lalli, a much-loved Boston College Dining Services manager and namesake for a popular campus eatery, died March 20 at her home in Chestnut Hill. She was 88. Mrs. Lalli worked in Dining Services for 35 years, making friends not only among fellow employees but also students, and becoming something of a legend for her fresh, homemade ravioli — and, according to one colleague, because of her penchant for starting a conga line with her staff at the end of campus functions. “Addie made sure the customer was happy and enjoyed their visit with us,” wrote Associate Director for Restaurant Operations Megan K. O’Neill in a letter to Dining Services employees announcing Mrs. Lalli’s death. “Many, many individuals learned from and benefited from her expertise, her dedication and certainly her determination.” When the Corcoran Commons dining hall opened during the 1993-94 academic year, it included a fast-serve counter under the direction of Mrs. Lalli that was formally named “Addie’s Place.” It was later turned into a café, “The Loft @ Addie’s,” specializing in foods from local and sustainable sources. O’Neill recalled Mrs. Lalli’s lasting rapport with her co-workers and staff. “She loved sitting down with her ‘students’ and hearing what they had been doing since they graduated umpteen years ago. She remembered each and every one of them and could usually tell a pretty accurate story of when they worked for her. She was so proud of each and every one that she worked with.” Mrs. Lalli also had an enduring bond with BC students, O’Neill added. “Alumni returning to campus every year still ask about Addie, and until this past year, didn’t seem surprised to hear she was still
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Prof. Kent Greenfield (Law) appeared on the New England Cable News program “The Morning Show” to discuss the constitutional legality of President Obama’s decision to join the coalition forces in military strikes against Libya. Assoc. Prof. Alan Kafka (Earth and Environmental Sciences) was interviewed on the WGBH-TV program “Greater Boston” for a show examining the impact of the Japan disaster on the nuclear power industry. A Boston Globe review of the current McMullen Museum of Art exhibition “Dura-Europos: Crossroads of Antiquity” called it a “fascinating” holistic view of the diversity of an ancient city.
working and could be found to say ‘Hello.’” Born in Italy, Mrs. Lalli immigrated to the United States as a child and along with her family settled in Newton, which would become her life-long home. During World War II she worked on a war production assembly line at Raytheon in Waltham. In 1961, she began working at Tony’s Italian Villa restaurant in Newton Center, managing most every aspect of the operation from kitchen to cash register, before moving to BC. She is survived by her husband, George; her daughters Diane White of Chestnut Hill and Linda Lindsey of Medway; and five grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Carmen DiMuzio of Hudson, Mass. Mrs. Lalli was the daughter of the late Cesidio and Giulia (Ferrante) DiMuzio, and sister of the late Ernest DiMuzio and Aurelio (Bill) DiMuzio. A funeral Mass was celebrated March 25 in Sacred Heart Church of Newton Center. Donations in her memory may be made to: Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. —Office of News & Public Affairs
Marie Flynn, 91; Was ‘The First Lady of BC Athletics’ Marie E. (Donovan) Flynn, who as the wife of long-time Boston College Director of Athletics William J. Flynn was often known as the “First Lady of BC Athletics,” died on March 21 after a long illness. She was 91. For many years, Mrs. Flynn entertained athletics officials from visiting colleges and their families, conference administrators and bowl game representatives before and after athletic contests on the Boston College campus. Mrs. Flynn always advocated the inclusion of coaches’ wives and families in athletics-related activities, according to daughter Mary Beth. In addition to Mary Beth, Mrs. Flynn is survived by six other children: William J. Jr., J. Michael, Timothy, Joseph, Christopher and Kelley. All seven are Boston College graduates. She also had 14 grandchildren – six of whom graduated from, or are currently attending, BC. Her husband Bill, who was director of athletics from 1957 until his retirement in 1991, died in 1997. Memorial contributions in Mrs. Flynn’s honor may be made to the William J. Flynn Fund at Boston College Athletics, or to the American Red Cross’ Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund, 2025 E St., Washington, DC 20006. —Reid Oslin
The Investor’s Business Daily “Leaders and Success” column featured Carroll School of Management Dean Andy Boynton, co-author of the new book The Idea Hunter.
Former pro football star turned broadcaster Boomer Esiason spoke in the Yawkey Center Murray Room March 25 as part of the Chambers Lecture Series on leadership. (Photo by Suzanne Camarata)
blog Room for Debate on the controversy over attempts to encourage energy efficiency among Americans. Weston Observatory Director Prof. John Ebel (Earth and Environmental Sciences) offered his expertise on New England’s earthquake risk to the Boston Globe.
BC BRIEFING
Vice President and Special Assistant to the President William B. Neenan, SJ, offered Bos‑ ton Globe columnist Alex Beam some perspective on Catholic teaching on hell. The Sunday New York Times Magazine included BC Dining Services’ popular “Screaming Eagle” variant on the cheesesteak sandwich in a roundup of signature campus offerings, and cited Dining Director Helen Wechsler and Associate Director Michael Kann. Fox 25 News spoke with Center on Work and Family Assistant Director Jennifer Sabatini Fraone on recent findings about working mothers’ struggle to balance work and family. Prof. Juliet Schor (Sociology) was among a group of experts who provided comment to the New York Times
Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Prof. Paul Schervish (Sociology) talked with New England Cable News about the differing responses among Americans to the Japan and Haiti disasters. The London Review of Books praised the book Britain after Rome: The Fall and Rise, 400-1070, by Prof. Robin Fleming (History), as “clear without being simplistic, and full of new information, bringing together in particular data from many archaeological sites that have been hidden away until now in specialist publications.” Assoc. Prof. Jonathan Laurence (Political Science) authored for Affarin‑ ternazionali an appraisal of US foreign assistance in North Africa and its influence on popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.
NOTA BENE Two Boston College scientists have been named among the top 100 experts in their respective fields, according to rankings based on the influence of their research and scholarship. Joseph T. & Patricia Vanderslice Millennium Professor of Chemistry and Department Chair Amir Hoveyda was ranked 90th among the Top 100 Chemists in an analysis by Thomson Reuters that drew on data from the past decade on the impact of research by more than one million chemists around the world. The 122 scientific papers published by Hoveyda during the most recent decade were cited 6,967 times, giving him an impact factor of 57.11. Professor of Physics Zhifeng Ren ranked 49th among the Top 100 Material Scientists worldwide in the past decade, according to Times Higher Education, which used data provided by Thomson Reuters on 500,000 material scientists. Ren, a pioneer in nanotechnology research, published 37 papers that have been cited 1,963 times, giving him an impact factor of 53.05. The rankings were compiled in recognition of 2011 being named the International Year of Chemistry. Lynch School of Education Professor David Blustein was selected for the American Counseling Association’s Extended Research Award, which recognizes an individual who has conducted high-quality research on issues of significance to the counseling profession over the course of at least ten years. Blustein’s work focuses on career development, including the psychology of work, work-based transitions, the exploration process, the interface between work and interpersonal functioning, and the impact of social class in human development. He received the award at the group’s annual conference in New Orleans.
PUBLICATIONS Assoc. Prof. Timothy Crawford (Political Science) published “Preventing Enemy Coalitions: How Wedge Strategies Shape Power Politics” in International Security. Prof. Solomon Friedberg (Mathematics) published “Weyl group multiple Dirichlet series, Eisenstein series and crystal bases” in Annals of Mathematics.
HONORS/ APPOINTMENTS Prof. Solomon Friedberg (Mathematics) has been appointed to the advisory board for Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education, which conducts research and designs support activities for projects focused on new STEM resources, models, and tools.
TIME AND A HALF Assoc. Prof. Rachel Freudenburg (German) presented her documentary “FREYA!” at Mount Holyoke College. Assoc. Prof. Timothy Crawford (Political Science) presented “Politics of Division: Discord Among Allies Over How to Divide Adversaries” at the Institute for Conflict and Security Studies at George Washington University, and “Wedge Strategies and the Problem of Concerted Accommodation: The Entente and Italian and Ottoman Alignments in the First World War” at the annual meeting of the International Studies Association, Montreal.
JOB LISTINGS 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 http://www.bc.edu/offices/hr: Program Assistant, School of Social Work
Graduate
HVAC Controls Mechanic, Facilities Management Events Manager, Center for Corporate Citizenship Director, Annual Capital Projects, Facilities Management Housing Assignments Specialist, Residential Life Assistant Manager, Residential Life Associate Vice President, Residential Life Associate Director, Classes & Reunions, Law School - Alumni and Development
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Chronicle march 31, 2011
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LOOKING AHEAD Celebrating a Virtuoso’s 20 Years at the Heights Music’s Thomas Oboe Lee to present concerts tonight and next Thursday By Rosanne Pellegrini Staff Writer
The Boston College Music Department celebrates accomplished faculty member Thomas Oboe Lee — a prominent Chinese-American composer and highly regarded professor marking his 20th anniversary at the University this academic year — with two campus concerts that will premiere his works. Tonight at 7 p.m. will be a performance of three Lee compositions: “Part the First: THOU mastering me God!” based on texts by renowned Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ; “De Profundis,” drawn from Oscar Wilde’s prison poem to Lord Alfred Douglas; and “String Quartet No. 12: The Seasons, after Franz Joseph Haydn.” The concert, with soprano Megan Stapleton, baritone Tim Krol and the QX String Quartet, will take place in Gargan Hall of Bapst Library. Gargan Hall also will be the setting next Thursday, April 7, for the Boston premiere of the song cycle “Vincent Millay Cycle.” The featured performer will be Lee’s former student soprano Mary Hubbell ’97, for whom he wrote the piece — based on the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay — as part of her Doctor of Musical Arts recital in New York City. The concert, which begins at 4:30 p.m., is being presented as part of the “Music in the Afternoon” series. Both events are free and open to the public. Lee’s credits span more than 135 works, including seven symphonies, 12 string quartets, concerti for various solo instruments,
A colleague of Prof. Thomas Oboe Lee (Music) calls him “an astonishingly versatile and complete musician who has touched the lives of BC students in myriad ways over the past two decades.” (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
choral works, song cycles, scores of chamber works and a 100-minute two-act chamber opera. Among the honors he has received are two Guggenheim fellowships, two National Endowment for the Arts Composers fellowships, two Massachusetts Artists fellowships, the Koussevitzky Tanglewood Composition Prize, First Prize at the Kennedy Center Friedheim Awards, and recording grants from the Martha Baird Rockefeller Music Fund and the Aaron Copland Fund for Music. He has had works commissioned by major organizations such as Amnesty International USA, the Thoreau Society, American Jazz Philharmonic, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, and Boston Landmarks Orchestra. His music
has been recorded on Nonesuch, Koch International Classics, Catalyst BMG, MCA Classics, Arsis, GM Recordings, Northeastern and BMOP Sound. Born in China, Lee left with his family following the Communist take-over in 1949, living in Hong Kong until he moved to Brazil in 1959, where he began his musical education as a jazz flutist playing with renowned musicians. Emigrating to the US in 1966, he continued his education at the University of Pittsburgh, the New England Conservatory of Music and Harvard University. In 1990, he joined the BC Music faculty, teaching courses in music theory, harmony, counterpoint and composition; he also has served as department chair.
BC SCENES
“In addition to being one of the very few American scholars who have received two Guggenheim Fellowships, Tom has been and continues to be a truly gifted teacher who has now inspired generations of Boston College students,” said Music Department cofounder and former chair Rev. T. Frank Kennedy, SJ, who holds the University’s Canisius Chair and directs its Jesuit Institute. Adds current Music Department Chair and Professor Michael Noone: “Tom is an astonishingly versatile and complete musician who has touched the lives of BC students in myriad ways over the past two decades.” He is “a wonderfully gifted and extraordinarily prolific creative force whose works are known and loved far beyond BC’s walls.” Hubbell, who after BC went on to earn degrees from the University of California at Santa Barbara and the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, said she found Lee’s St. Vincent Millay piece “profound and moving” and praised his “sensitivity and intelligence” in setting the poems to music. “Learning and performing this song cycle has proven to be one of the most fulfilling projects of my career, and I am truly honored,” said Hubbell, currently a student in voice at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, and a faculty member of the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. For more on Thomas Oboe Lee, see his website, http://www.thom‑ asoboelee.com Contact Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu
CASTING CALL Photos by Lee Pellegrini
Almost 50 Boston College undergraduates — including (clockwise from above) Adam Rose ‘12, Kyle Kerkhoff ‘13 and Brendan Benedict ‘12 — came to Corcoran Commons March 20 and 21 to audition for “Schooled,” a new series to be aired on New England Sports Network television featuring academic and trivia-type competition among three-person teams representing colleges and universities throughout New England. The first round, pitting BC against BU, will be videotaped in late April.
DATE & TIME Northeastern University Professor of Law Hope Lewis will present “A Critical Insider’s Perspective on the Boston Principles on the Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights of Noncitizens,” tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in Room 328 of Campanella Way. For information, see http://www. bc.edu/humanrights or e-mail karcz@bc.edu.
Two student music groups will appear in concert this weekend: the University Wind Ensemble on Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons, and the Boston College Flute Choir on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Trinity Chapel on Newton Campus. The Institute for the Liberal Arts “Race and Culture After 9/11 Lecture” series and symposium will sponsor the talk “The Immigrant in the War on Terror,” by Amitava Kumar — author of A For‑ eigner Carrying in the Crook of His Arm a Tiny Bomb — on April 6 at 4:30 p.m. in the Vanderslice Hall Cabaret Room. For information, e-mail michnac@bc.edu. Theology Department Chair Assoc. Prof. Catherine Cornille (Theology) will be part of a panel discussion, “Competing Discourses: Jewish-Christian Dialogue in a Multifaith World,” on April 8 at 4:30 p.m. in the Boston Room of Corcoran Commons. See http://www.bc.edu/cjl for more information.
Boston College will host the annual Greater Boston Intercollegiate Poetry Festival, featuring readings from undergraduates at 20 Boston-area colleges and universities, and a keynote speech by April 12 Humanities Series speaker Brian Turner (above) — whose debut book Here, Bullet was a 2005 New York Times Editors’ Choice selection — on April 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Murray Function Room of the Yawkey Center. Email bienent@bc.edu for more information. For more on Boston College cam‑ pus events, see events.bc.edu or www.bc.edu/bcinfo.