Boston College Chronicle by Boston College

The Boston College

Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs september 22, 2011 VOL. 20 no. 2

Day of Festivities Puts Spotlight on Social Work

•High marks for Dining Services, page 2

By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor

•Faculty/Staff art show, page 2 •Good start for ‘HEALTHY YOU,’ page 3 •’Got Green’ energy update, page 3 •Peter Ireland on the economy, page 5 •One Jesuit’s milestone, page 5

•C21 announces fall schedule, page 6 •BC Bookmarks, page 6 •LSOE revamps advising, page 6 •Affiliates candidates sought, page 7 •Fall 2011 Humanities Series, page 8

•Pops on the Heights preview, page 8

40 Years Later, ‘Mama Hannah’ Bids Farewell

By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs

Louise Hannah made friends with students and colleagues alike By Reid Oslin Staff Writer

In her 40 years of service to the University, Louise Hannah helped to process tens of thousands of applications for undergraduate admission – all done while winning the hearts and friendships of generations of Boston College students and fellow employees along the way. Affectionately known as “Mama Hannah” to her student charges, Hannah retired in August as supervisor of support services for the Office of Undergraduate Admission. She is one of the “heroes” of the

Victoria Reggie Kennedy gave the keynote speech at the Graduate School of Social Work 75th Anniversary celebration last week.

difficult days, we saw the power of social workers to make a difference, to do good for the world.” Kennedy’s talk — which included a Q&A with audience members — was the climax to a day that saw the GSSW commemorate 75 years of illustrious social work teaching and research while also presenting a vision for the future, of both the school and the profession. Participants and guests at the celebration attested to the emergence of the GSSW as a widely acclaimed international hub of scholarship on Continued on page 4

University Holds Steady in 2011 US News Rankings

Lee Pellegrini

•’Healthapalooza’ to hit Heights, page 5

Boston College paid tribute to 1999 alumnus and 9/11 hero Welles Crowther at the Eagles’ home football game Sept. 17 as 6,000 fans sported the former BC lacrosse player’s trademark red bandanna in tribute to his selfless actions, which saved many lives in the south tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Crowther’s family members were guests of honor at the game and received a prolonged standing ovation from the crowd following a ceremony in his memory. (Photo by John Quackenbos)

Social workers are an indispensable source of aid and comfort, as they showed in the wake of one of America’s greatest catastrophes — the 9/11 terrorist attacks — said Victoria Reggie Kennedy in her keynote address for the Graduate School of Social Work’s 75th anniversary celebration on Sept. 14. Kennedy, the widow of US Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, told a near-capacity Robsham Theater audience how her late husband, after hearing a 9/11 widow describe her plight in trying to get assistance, declared, “We need social workers — now!” With the aid of social workers, Kennedy explained, Senator Kennedy and others were able to “put together a lifeline” for people who had lost family members in the attacks, enabling them to find financial and other kinds of needed support. “The worst event in our history spontaneously brought out our best,” she said, “and in those

Rose Lincoln

INSIDE

GSSW 75th Anniversary

TRIBUTE TO A HERO

Undergraduate Admission Support Services Supervisor Louise Hannah retired in August.

University, says Director John L. Mahoney Jr. “With the colleagues she supervised, she led through example when she could and through coaching and encouragement when she needed to,” Mahoney told several Continued on page 4

QUOTE:

Boston College placed 31st among national universities in the US News & World Report survey for 2012, retaining its ranking from last year. The University was bolstered by an improved showing in faculty resources, a strong assessment from high school guidance counselors, who placed BC at 26th overall, and improvements in the average alumni giving rate. Boston College also improved to 39th in the “Great Schools Great Prices” ranking, reflecting the University’s commitment to need-blind admissions and to

meeting the full demonstrated need of all of its accepted students. In addition, BC’s Carroll School of Management was ranked 24th in the “Best Business Schools” survey. Provost and Dean of Faculties Cutberto Garza said he was pleased with the 2012 US News rankings and the positive way in which Boston College continues to be viewed among top national universities. “The rankings reflect the benefits of our strategic investment in teaching, research and student formation, all of which contribute to our students’ intellectual and personal development,” said Garza. Commenting on the Carroll Continued on page 3

“The political fiasco over raising the debt ceiling, which was mainly politics, led to a great deal of hesitation on the part of businesses and their hiring decisions and may have been the reason in and of itself there was virtually no new job creation in the month of August.” —Peter Ireland (page 5)

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle September 22, 2011

a single person sitting at a desk, it’s many, many people of various skills working together to come up with these menus and recipes and then getting them to the customer in the quality and fashion that we do.” Few BCDS employees deal more directly with student tastes in food than Jeronimo Colon, first cook in the Corcoran Commons dining hall. He credits the wide variety of choices offered on BC

menus as a big factor in making BCDS fare so well-received. “When I started here 23 years ago, I think we only had two lines of food service in the dining facilities,” says Colon, one of three finalists for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association’s “Cook of the Year” competition in 2010. “Now, we have many,” he says, pointing to multiple areas that serve specialties from sushi to cooked-to-order burgers. “And, if you look at them, there are people ordering in every one of them. We offer a lot of choices.” Colon says BC chefs often Frank Curran add a personal touch to their cooking skills. Among his personal specialties are ox-tail stew and the popular chicken stew dishes. “I cook them here exactly the way I cook them at home,” he says. Colon has a direct line to student views on not only BCDS offerings but his own cooking skills. “My daughter Rebecca is a freshman,” he says. “She loves the food here.” —Reid Oslin

ite, carved wood, poetry, sound performance and more.” Over the years, according to Brubaker, “the show has gained popularity in several departments across campus, as shown through increased participation and varia-

well as Facilities staff.” “I look forward every fall to the Annual Faculty/Staff art exhibit in the Bapst Gallery,” said Professor of Chemistry David McFadden. “Oil painting for me is a source of satisfaction and of

Once upon a time, e-mail was the big breakthrough for college administrators looking for ways to reach out to students. But now? The Carroll School of Management has starting using the popular social media site Twitter to connect with its undergraduates. The @Fulton360 Twitter feed is being used to let students know about deadlines, events and topics of interest to Carroll School students, said Erica Graf, manager of undergraduate programs in the office of CSOM Associate Dean Richard Keeley, which is located in Room 360 in Fulton Hall. The office is following in the footsteps of CSOM Dean Andy Boynton, who frequently Tweets about leadership and management issues, and faculty like Associate Professor of Information Systems John Gallaugher, who uses a variety of online technologies and tools to connect with students. “We’re trying to get our information out there so our students see it and it can be useful to them and we’re not filling up an inbox with emails,” said Graf. “The e-mail inbox isn’t where students look for information as much as they used to. Twitter forces us to be concise and get our information out effectively and that helps students understand what’s going on.” The 140-character limit has posed its own set of challenges to Graf, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Curriculum Ethan Sullivan, Associate Director of Undergraduate Advising Amy Donegan and Keeley, who are supplying content to the feed. “One of the first messages we put out, someone wrote back ‘Too long. You need to be more clever.’ So there’s a learning curve there. But we think we’ll get the hang of it,” said Graf. —Ed Hayward The Boston College

Chronicle

Director of NEWS & Public Affairs

Jack Dunn

“Thus I try to have something ready to show every September, which I have nearly accomplished over the past few years. My love of painting inspired the creation of ‘Intersection of Science and Painting,’ a natural science core course that I teach in the spring, now in its fourth year.” The Art Club strives “to include as many pieces as possible,” Brubaker said, given space constraints of the gallery, which is located on the first level of the library. More information about the Art Club is available at www. bcartclub.com. —Rosanne Pellegrini

Correction A painting by Chemistry Professor David McFadden, who will be among those exhibiting works in the BC Art Club’s Faculty/Staff Show: “I feel fortunate to have this opportunity to show my work in public and I enjoy seeing what artistic activities my colleagues are up to in their spare time.”

tion of submissions. Though a large percentage of submissions come from the Fine Arts Department, the show also represents members from the History, Chemistry, English, Theatre, and administrative departments, as

discovery. “I feel fortunate to have this opportunity to show my work in public and I enjoy seeing what artistic activities my colleagues across the University are up to in their spare time,” he added.

All a-Twitter at Fulton

An artistic tradition The student-curated Faculty/ Staff Show — which annually celebrates and showcases the diversity of artistic talent among community members — once again launches the Bapst Student Art Gallery’s academic year exhibition program. An opening event will be held at 5 p.m. on Sept. 28, and the show will be on display until Oct. 12. Faculty and staff submissions will be accepted in the Bapst Student Art Gallery today and tomorrow from noon to 4 p.m. “For eight years, we’ve aimed to expose students to the large, often untapped well of artistic talent in the larger BC community,” said Jennifer Brubaker ’12, president of the Art Club, which hosts the exhibit. The club officers, she added, “are ecstatic to host this event each year, and find great purpose in their work through the support shown by faculty and staff.” She estimates that “about 1012 faculty and staff contributors participate in each show,” and submit works in a variety of media which include “sculpture and ceramics, oil, acrylic and watercolor paint, mixed media, graph-

ourselves to local restaurants to make sure that we are in synch. We even try to do a little better than the restaurants to entice our students to stay on campus and dine with us. “We put a lot of effort into careful planning of our menus, and that goes back to our team approach,” Wechsler said. “It’s not

Bon Appetit, Boston College! Patrons at Boston College dining facilities are eating some of the best campus food anywhere, according to a recently released ranking by Newsweek/The Daily Beast. The poll placed Boston College Dining Services seventh among all campus food providers in the nation, ahead of such schools as Virginia Tech (No. 10), Cornell University (11) and Georgetown University (15). Tiny St. Olaf College in Minnesota offers the country’s best on-campus dining experience according to the survey. “It’s a great honor to be recognized among our peers, many of whom have terrific dining programs as well,” said BCDS Director Helen Wechsler. “It’s really a testament to the talent of the people who make it happen – our dining culinary team and dining management team.” Wechsler says constant communication is an important key to having happy diners. “We talk to a lot of student groups throughout the year. We also pay attention to industry trends and we compare

Heights cuisine

Some of the photos of Gasson Hall that appeared in the Sept. 8 Chronicle were improperly credited. The interior shots of Gasson on pages 1 and 8 were taken by Caitlin Cunningham. Chronicle regrets the error.

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 september 22, 2011

A Good Beginning for ‘HEALTHY YOU’ New Trustees Head Marks “HEALTHY YOU,” the University initiative to improve the health and wellness of all Boston College employees, is off to an encouraging start, with statistics from its first year showing a good rate of participation — and a BC workforce that appears in generally good health. Launched last fall, HEALTHY YOU emphasizes individual choice and responsibility through a voluntary program that focuses on wellness. It includes a range of resources to help faculty and staff avoid the risks that lead to an illness or ongoing health issue, and to improve management of a chronic illness. Eligible employees and their spouses were asked to fill out a personal, confidential health questionnaire — administered through Harvard Pilgrim Health Care — that included information on their biometric numbers for height, weight, blood pressure, overall and HDL cholesterol and blood glucose levels. The University also offered free biometric screenings on campus, hosted by nurses from HPHC and the Connell School of Nursing.

Statistics from the 2010-11 academic year show that 2,028 employees and their spouses took the HPHC questionnaire, or 43 percent of all those eligible. Among employees, 49 percent of those eligible completed the form, along with 31 percent of eligible spouses. Nearly 47 percent of those filling out the questionnaire were male, which HPHC officials said repre-

sented a higher percentage than is typical for similar Harvard Pilgrim outreach efforts. The average “wellness score” for those at BC taking the questionnaire, 88.6, was significantly higher than the average result for all those completing the form — 82 — and closer to the ideal wellness score of 90. Almost 72 percent of those persons at BC who filled out the questionnaire are at what is considered a “low risk level.” The most prevalent health risks identified among respondents included body weight, blood pressure, stress and physical activity.

The top three behaviors respondents are planning to change are to increase physical activity, lose weight and reduce their fat and cholesterol consumption. HEALTHY YOU statistics also showed that 319 participants decided to use the services of a health coach provided through the program free of charge, and set an overall total of 552 goals for improving their health. “Overall, the results show that our population is very healthy compared to the HQ norm. As anticipated in an adult population such as ours, the major health risks are body weight, blood pressure and stress,” said Associate Vice President for Human Resources Robert Lewis. “The health priorities for this group of employees and spouses are greater physical activity, stress management and better nutrition. “Towards this end we will be designing HEALTHY YOU-related programs over the course of this year to help employees meet these health priorities.” More information about BC’s HEALTHY YOU program is available at http://www.bc.edu/hr —Sean Smith

‘Got Green’ Campaign Heating Up Again The start of the academic year brings renewed attention to the University’s ongoing efforts to conserve energy, both as a cost-containment measure and a key component of the movement toward campus sustainability. To keep the need for continued vigilance in this area top of mind with faculty, staff and students, organizers of the “Got Green?” awareness campaign have sought some saintly assistance, so to speak, with the latest entry in the popular poster series. Beginning this month, St. Ignatius Loyola, as portrayed by the statue on Middle Campus, will join the gallery of luminaries who have sported green mustaches for the conservation cause. In the new poster campaign, which will have a presence in academic buildings, offices, and residence and dining halls, the founder of the Jesuit order’s exhortation to “set the world aflame” is coupled with a reminder to “turn off the lights before you go.” The campaign parody of the popular “Got Milk?” white mustache ads kicked off in 2010 with University Vice President William B. Neenan, SJ, lending the inaugural upper lip to the cause. Subsequent posters featured Football Head Coach Frank Spaziani, members of the national championship-winning men’s hockey team, and, last semes-

ter, Eagles mascot Baldwin. Though the faces of the campaign change, “Got Green?” organizers from the Office of News & Public Affairs say the core message remains the same: that the actions needed to save energy are quick and easy, and that a major collective de-

crease in consumption can result from individuals making a few small changes to daily habits. “The BC community plays a vital role in energy savings,” said Energy Manager John MacDonald, adding that the support for the campaign evidenced by numerous offices across campus, notably Facilities Services and student groups such as UGBC and EcoPledge, is greatly appreciated

- and is yielding positive results. Despite a colder than average winter, oil and gas use on campus over the last year were down by 6 percent, according to MacDonald, and though the unusually hot summer of 2010 caused an uptick in electrical use, Boston College was able to come in 3 percent under its energy budget thanks to conservation efforts. Still, administrators say, more can be done to achieve the dual goals of conserving the earth’s resources and reducing BC’s costly utility bills, and that every individual can make a difference. “‘Turn off the lights before you go’ is a very strong message with significant savings behind it,” MacDonald said. “We want to continue to encourage the pursuit of energy savings with all groups on campus.” Among multiple campus initiatives to that end is a new agreement with NSTAR that calls for a cooperative effort to target energy efficiency opportunities, such as improving existing operational control systems and laboratory processes; use of occupancy sensors, and upgrades to lighting and mechanical systems. As always, tips for conserving energy on a daily basis, both now and as cooler temperatures approach, can be found at www.bc.edu/green. —Office of News & Public Affairs

a Milestone for University By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs

When the Boston College Board of Trustees convenes its first meeting of the academic year on Sept. 30, it will mark the first time in the University’s history that a woman will preside as chair. Kathleen M. McGillycuddy, retired executive vice president of FleetBoston Financial and a 1971 graduate of Newton College of the Sacred Heart (which merged with Boston College in 1975), was elected chairwoman of the Board of Trustees by her fellow board members. McGillycuddy became a BC trustee in 2002 and has served as vice-chairwoman since 2008. She is also co-chairwoman of the ongoing “Light the World” capital campaign, and founding co-chairwoman and current chairwoman of the Council for Women of Boston College, whose mission is to support women as leaders and influential participants in the University community. A long-time BC benefactor, McGillycuddy and her husband, Ron Logue, established the McGillycuddy-Logue Center for Undergraduate Global Studies in 2008 to promote innovative international learning for undergraduates at Boston College. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this distinguished board and to work directly with so many talented and dedicated faculty, staff and

Trustees Chairwoman Kathleen M. McGillycuddy, NC’71

students at Boston College,” said McGillycuddy. “I am committed to doing all that I can to support the continued success of Boston College.” McGillycuddy’s career in financial services spanned more than three decades and reached the highest levels of the region’s financial institutions. After 18 years at Bank of New England, she joined BankBoston in 1992, leading its Global Markets Division and chairing its Asset/Liability and Capital Committee. Until her retirement in 2002, McGillycuddy served as executive vice president at FleetBoston Financial and head of its Private Clients Group, overseeing more than $50 billion in assets. In a second historic first, John F. Fish, president and CEO of Suffolk Construction Company, will serve as vicechair of the BC board. He is the first non-alumnus to serve in that capacity. E-mail Jack Dunn at jack. dunn@bc.edu

BC Retains Ranking in Newest US News Survey

Continued from page 1 School’s “Best Business Schools” ranking by US News, CSOM Dean Andy Boynton said, “It’s always nice to be recognized among the top undergraduate business schools. It is a reflection of the wonderful faculty, staff, and students here at the Carroll School. Most importantly, it affirms our work towards our mission of preparing undergraduates to be caring leaders in a complex global community.” Senior Vice President for University Advancement James Husson noted the significance of the progress in alumni giving cited by US News. “Although the giving rate is just a modest component of the ranking formula, BC is blessed

to have an alumni body that makes giving back to the University a priority. Their collective gifts have a tangible impact on our students, faculty, and the BC experience. We are grateful for the gains we have made in recent years and excited by the opportunities that lie ahead, as even more alumni recognize that that each gift, every year, makes a difference.” In addition to the US News rankings, Boston College placed 26th in Forbes magazine’s annual list of “America’s Best Colleges,” released in August. US News’ rankings of all colleges and universities can be accessed online at http://www.usnews.com.

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle September 22, 2011

GSSW Celebrates 75 Years

Continued from page 1 critical social issues in areas such as poverty, aging, families and children, and mental health. Other events during the 75th anniversary celebration included a presentation on social innovation in social work — the focus of a recently launched GSSW program — a luncheon discussion on the school’s diversity initiative, and a liturgy celebrated by University President William P. Leahy, SJ, with Founders Professor of Theology James Keenan, SJ, as homilist. Fr. Leahy also spoke prior to Kennedy’s keynote, congratulating GSSW on its milestone and praising its “motivating force to do good, and to alleviate the pain and stress of members of our community — locally, nationally and abroad.” He added that BC, as a Jesuit, Catholic institution, is “challenged by the gospel to reach out to those in need, and to lessen poverty and ignorance. Through the Graduate School of Social Work, BC has a very concrete way to live out its mission.” Canisius Professor and Jesuit Institute Director T. Frank Kennedy, SJ, who gave the invocation, said, “Seventy-five years is a wonderful preparation for more success. Let the future be a prolongation of what [GSSW] has achieved so far.”

In his formal welcome to the Robsham audience, GSSW Dean Alberto Godenzi expressed gratitude to the school’s administration, faculty, staff, students and alumni: “Your inspiring presence reflects the vitality of GSSW.” Kennedy, an advocate for women, children and families who is co-founder and trustee of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the US Senate, praised the GSSW’s legacy of “training and inspiring so many to transform other people’s lives.” Echoing a comment she attributed to Godenzi, Kennedy said, “Social workers tackle the most challenging issues. They get involved where it’s the messiest. They help to bring order out of chaos. And Lord knows, we need that.” The potential of social innovation — which combines social work and entrepreneurship — to address critical societal problems was the subject of the day’s opening event. Assistant Professor Stephanie Berzin gave an overview of GSSW’s recently launched program in social innovation, of which she is co-director. Successful models of social innovation, such as Individual Development Accounts and the GSSW-based National Resource Center for Participant-Directed

Highlights of the GSSW celebration: left, GSSW Dean Alberto Godenzi congratulates Victoria Reggie Kennedy on her keynote address; center, panel discussion on social innovation; right, University President William P. Leahy, SJ, speaks. (Photos by Rose Lincoln)

Services (NRCPDS), show its promise, said Berzin. But it is social work’s unique blend of various elements — including professional and academic skills, outreach to marginalized communities and concern for social justice — that distinguishes social innovation, she said. “Social work must be on the front line of research,” said Berzin, “and at the table for discussions of innovative ways to take on social issues.” Berzin’s co-director, Associate Professor Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes, took part in a panel discussion with GSSW Advisory Board Cochairman Bill Allen MSW ’71, a former senior manager for United Way, University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Dean Larry Davis, Boston Women’s Fund Executive Director Josefina Vázquez and GSSW Professor Kevin Ma-

honey, the director of NRCPDS. Allen pointed to the new US Census Bureau report showing poverty in the US at a 52-year peak as an indication of the “enormous challenges” faced by Americans, and asked panelists how social innovation might offer hopes for a positive change. “How can we take the risk of not doing something new?” said Pitt-Catsouphes. “Through social innovation, there is the opportunity for access to the economy — which so many people lack — as well as entrepreneurship, training, opportunities in small groups, and so on. It’s business for social change.” In a subsequent discussion on the troubled economy, panelists said the advent of social innova-

tion is timely, given the increased demand for cost-effectiveness of programs aiding the needy and disenfranchised. “Ours is the power of ideas and research,” said Mahoney. “Our job is to look creatively at costs as we formulate programs, and to be persuasive speakers.” A photo gallery of the Graduate School of Social Work 75th anniversary celebration is available at Flickr [http://bit.ly/p4BlcH] For more information about the Graduate School of Social Work Social Innovation Program, see www. bc.edu/socialinnovation E-mail Sean Smith at sean. smith@bc.edu

Continued from page 1 hundred people who gathered to honor Hannah at a retirement fete. “Her colleagues trusted her, took direction from her and knew from her demeanor amid the daunting piles of work and the stress at deadline times that it would all get done. And it always did.” But Hannah’s most valuable contribution was that of coordinator and mentor to the legions of work-study students that she supervised over the years, Mahoney said. “Louise has been an important presence in the lives of hundreds of students through the years,” he said, “in some cases as important as any faculty advisor or personal counselor.” Hannah’s philosophy for interacting with her work-study students was simple, yet effective: personal interest and interaction. “We were always good for each other,” she says of her charges. “They were away from home and I was at BC. So, whenever they had issues — with money, schoolwork or just everyday problems — I would meet them after work and we would chat. I always tried to work with students who might need a little bit of support.

“I sometimes had to keep them under control,” she laughs. “They all did pretty well.” Hannah, who grew up in Augusta, Ga., came to Boston in 1963 to live with a cousin and finish her high school education. After working for an electrical company in Brighton, she was one of five persons who scored highest in qualification examinations and was accepted into a state-operated program that funded advanced educational and career opportunities. Through this program, she took several courses at Boston College and was originally hired as a workstudy assistant in BC’s Undergraduate Admission office, then located in Gasson Hall. “We had typewriters in the office back in Gasson,” she laughs, “and maybe a couple of thousand applications each year. We did everything by hand.” By the late 1970s the admission operation began to grow and the office was moved to more spacious quarters in Lyons Hall. “I think we went up to 16,000 applications or so when Doug Flutie was here,” she said of the popular BC football player of the mid-1980s. “We got a

bigger staff and our first computer terminals. “Then we went to Devlin Hall,” Hannah says, “where everything really changed. We went up to 30,000 applications, state-of-theart computers, mailing houses — it was a whole new world.” In spite of the technical and logistical advances, Hannah never forgot her personal touch with her student employees that flourished throughout her long career at the University. She proudly points to her very first work-study assistant, Christine Neylon ’75 – now Professor Christine O’Brien, chair of the business law faculty in the Carroll School of Management. “To this day we still are the best of friends,” Hannah says. “I went to her wedding. I went to her sister’s wedding. We still do things together. I just became so close to Christine and her family. She’s a wonderful person – but at that time, some 40 years ago, she needed a big sister, and I was her big sister.” While at BC, Hannah played key roles with the Black Faculty and Staff Association and the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar-

Lee Pellegrini

Hannah Cherishes Four Decades of Boston College Memories

“I have been blessed at Boston College. I love those students. They made my job easy because we always worked as a team.” —Louise Hannah

ship Committee. She frequently represented the Admission Office at AJCU Conferences on Multicultural Affairs held at various Jesuit colleges and universities. Hannah says she still gets letters, family photos and holiday cards from many of her former workstudy aides. “One of my students was even my accountant for 27 years,” she says with a hearty laugh. “People are always coming back

to visit me,” she says. “When they come back for different things – football games or whatever – they always let me know when they are in town. When I travel they always say ‘Come and stay with me.’ I have met their parents and their families. I have been blessed at Boston College. I love those students. They made my job easy because we always worked as a team.” Hannah has no plans to slow down her pace in retirement. She owns a three-family home in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood and is an active and long-time volunteer at Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Overeaters Anonymous programs in Boston. She also works out three days a week at Boston’s Reggie Lewis Sports Center and frequently lunches and travels with old friends from BC. “Boston College is a wonderful community,” Hannah says. “The people here have been great role models for me over the years.” The feeling, say her many admirers, is mutual. E-mail Reid Oslin at reid.oslin@ bc.edu

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle september 22, 2011

Led to Faith by ‘Life-giving Conversation’ The Profession of Final Vows offers BC Jesuit a chance for reflection

A FEW MINUTES WITH... Peter Ireland

Murray and Monti Professor of Economics Peter Ireland is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and has published extensively on monetary economics, in particular on testing monetary theories and the business cycle impact of monetary policies. Ireland recently spoke with Ed Hayward of the Chronicle on the American economy’s continuing troubles. To read the full interview, go to the online Chronicle at www. Photo by Caitlin Cunningham bc.edu/chronicle

By Melissa Beecher Staff Writer

Never underestimate the power of conversation. The path Associate Professor of Law Gregory Kalscheur, SJ, took to the priesthood was a journey that began with — and has been sustained by — important discussions with his friends and family, his Jesuit brothers, and God. “I met the Jesuits while studying as an undergraduate at Georgetown and was impressed with them as scholars and teachers,” said Fr. Kalscheur. “As far as entering the order, it was when I was in law school and had a good friend, with whom I had lots of meaningful conversations about faith and the church. Something about that resonated with me.” Even as Fr. Kalscheur continued pursuing law as a career – graduating from Michigan Law School, serving a clerkship in the US Court of Appeals and practicing law in Washington, DC — he “felt God calling me back. I think, at the time, I needed to go do that work, with the gifts and talents I had been given, but in my heart, I felt a calling to do more.” On Sept. 9, Fr. Kalscheur ful-

Associate Professor of Law Gregory Kalscheur, SJ, delivers the homily at St. Ignatius Church after making his final vows. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

filled that calling when he took his Profession of Final Vows as a Jesuit, one of the most important, and joyous, rites of passage for a priest as it marks the commitment to a religious life. Delivering his homily before the congregation at St. Ignatius Church – the first three pews filled with his family and friends — Fr. Kalscheur, who entered the Society of Jesus in 1992 and has been on the Boston College Law faculty since 2003, reflected on the conversations that helped bring him to God. “I’ve been told that the verb ‘to converse’ can mean both ‘to speak together,’ and ‘to share a life together.’ I will need to rely daily upon such conversations of shared life with my Jesuit brothers, and with

my family and friends, to sustain and encourage me as I endeavor to live faithfully the vows that I profess today. “Above all, I know that I will need to rely daily on the life-giving conversation of shared life with Jesus. Such conversations up to this day have always nurtured in me God’s gifts of freedom, wholeness, and fullness of life. I will give thanks to God for such conversations in all the days that are to come.” Fr. Kalscheur said afterwards that he felt “gratitude for the vocation, my life as a Jesuit and the gift of the experience. I feel immense gratitude for the friendship and companionship I have felt along the way.” E-mail Melissa Beecher at melissa.beecher@bc.edu

Healthapalooza Highlights New Emphasis on Student Health On Oct. 5, O’Neill Plaza will transform into a veritable student health Mecca as the University’s first “Healthapalooza” takes over. Yoga classes, chair massage, cooking demonstrations and samples of locally grown and produced foods are just some of the services that will be made available to students free of charge through the new Office of Health Promotion. Director of Health Promotion Elise Tofias Phillips said Healthapalooza is a collaboration between more than a dozen offices, departments and organizations across the University. “Healthapalooza is the official Health Promotion kick-off event that brings together our community partners to celebrate student health, introduce students to our new initiatives and resources, and connect students to valuable health and wellness resources that exist across campus,” said Phillips. “We want this to be a celebration of student health and for everyone to have a lot of fun.” Said Vice President for Student Affairs Patrick Rombalski, “Healthapalooza is a symbolic step for the University because it marks an im-

Q&A

portant shift in our attention to health. Now more then ever we are focused on prevention and wellness. In the Jesuit ideal, a healthy person is healthy in all dimensions — physical, social, spiritual and intellectual. We also recognize that many factors lead to good health, such as student culture, the campus environment, family situations, hours of sleep, good nutrition, healthy relationships, positive self-image, and so many others. “The Office of Health Promotion and their kick-off event will serve as one beacon to remind us that we must work together as a community to provide a healthy campus for our students.” Healthapalooza will also serve as the launch of Health Promotion’s “Be Chill” campaign, which encourages students to participate in activities that promote healthy lifestyles. Students who attend Healthapalooza will receive all kinds of BC gear – tshirts, sunglasses, healthy food and more – as well as information and resources related to stress reduction, yoga and meditation, nutrition, fitness and exercise, spiritual health, and other health-related topics, or-

ganizers say. In addition to bringing together Health Promotion’s partners, Healthapalooza will formally mark the introduction of student health coaches: students certified and trained through Health Promotion to work with peers individually and in small groups on various health topics, including individual health plans, stress and time management, nutrition, relationship violence, bystander intervention education, and alcohol and drug education. “Our students are incredibly driven, busy people and often times they neglect their health and wellness needs to satisfy their other goals and aspirations,” said co-organizer Don Camelio, program administrator for Alcohol and Drug Education. “Hopefully, Healthapalooza will put all of these very important needs at the forefront of our students’ thoughts and encourage them to be mindful of the bigger picture. The idea that they need their health to be truly happy and successful.” The rain date for Healthapalooza is Oct. 12. See www.bc.edu/ www. bc.edu/healthpro for information. —Melissa Beecher

How do economists define a recession? An economy is in recession when it experiences two or more consecutive quarters of declining real gross domestic product – a measure of economy-wide income. In the US we had four consecutive quarters of declining GDP beginning in the middle of 2008 and running to the middle of 2009. So by that definition, the US economy experienced a recession in 2008 and 2009, the magnitude of which made this most recent recession probably the worst economic downturn this country has experienced since the Great Depression. If the recession is technically over, why doesn’t it feel like it’s really over? In late 2009 and early 2010, we had a period of time where real GDP was growing around 4 percent in annualized terms. That’s nothing to blow anyone away, but still solidly above average. In the middle of last year, that growth began to slow. We’ve now had four consecutive quarters of growth in real GDP lower than the historical average of 3 percent. So we’ve had a year of sub-par growth in historical terms. The first two quarters of 2011 saw very little growth at all. Where do things stand with the economy now? We’re at a time when there is a great deal of uncertainty. Is the recovery going to regain the momentum we had at the outset or are we in the process of sliding back into a recession? It could go either way. That’s really where things stand now. What is the most significant factor in play in this anemic recovery? It has to do with the debt overhang faced by many American households in the aftermath of the collapse in housing prices that sparked the recession in the first place. But it is worth noting that researchers have found that recoveries from financial crises like what we’ve just experienced are measured in terms of years and not months. Against that backdrop, it is unrealistic to expect that we’re going to regain everything we’ve lost in a very short period of time. It is unrealistic to expect that the government or anyone else is going to be able to restore what we’ve lost over a very short period of time. Is there any “good news” on the economic front? There are other forces having an impact on the economy that are likely to prove more transitory. This is where the good news comes in. The market slowing that we began to see at the beginning of 2011 has to be attributable to some extent to the disruption in global manufacturing that occurred because of the Japanese tsunami and earthquake. It was a human tragedy for certain that many people will never recover from. But from an economic standpoint, most people expect that Japanese manufacturing is going to come back on line in the next several months and that will replace a headwind with a tailwind that should help improve things going forward. The political fiasco over raising the debt ceiling, which was mainly politics, led to a great deal of hesitation on the part of businesses and their hiring decisions and may have been the reason in and of itself there was virtually no new job creation in the month of August.

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle September 22, 2011

In his new book The Myth of Choice: Personal Responsibility in a World of Limits [http://amzn.to/qIzFJp], Law Professor Kent Greenfield shows that the so-called “choices” that confront us daily are often not choices at all. An expert in the areas of constitutional law, business law and legal theory, Greenfield takes a provocative and culturally savvy look at how many of our decisions are constrained, manipulated, and forced upon us by a gauntlet of biological, economical, and cultural influences. In Henry James and the Queerness of Style [http://bit.ly/nBd9R7], Associate Professor of English Kevin Ohi asserts that to read Henry James — particularly the late texts — is to confront the queer potential of style and the traces it leaves on the literary life. Unlike other critics, Ohi maintains that James’s queerness is found in many elements of his style, with belatedness as a thematic marker. His book presents original readings of a series of late Jamesian texts, and according to the publisher, represents an exciting possibility for future queer theory and literary studies. The above entries are excerpted from the “BC Bookmarks” blog, which includes notes on recent books by current Boston College faculty, administrators, staff and alumni. For more information, visit the blog at http://bcbookshelf.

CELEBRATION IN DANCE

C21 Fall Events Focus on Eucharist By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer

A visit by the Archbishop of Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap., a scholarly discussion of a new survey of American Catholics, the return of best-selling author Rev. James Martin, SJ, and the debut of University President William P. Leahy, SJ, at the popular Agape Latte series are among the highlights of Church in the 21st Century Center events this fall. Most of the events sponsored by C21 — co-sponsors include the School of Theology and Ministry, Campus Ministry, the Alumni Association, Office of Employee Development and the Theology and Philosophy departments — this semester focus on the theme of the Eucharist and its centrality to Catholic faith. The fall 2011 issue of C21 Resources, edited by School of Theology and Ministry Professor John Baldovin, SJ, is also devoted to this theme. Fr. Baldovin, an expert in historical and liturgical theology and author of Bread of Life, Cup of Salvation: Understanding the Mass, will present “The Eucharist from the Last Supper to Benedict XVI: How It Has Changed Yet Remained Unchanged” on Sept. 27 at 5:30 p.m. in Gasson 100. His STM colleague, Professor Thomas Groome, chair of the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry, will discuss “Will There Be Faith?” on Sept. 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons. Published last month, Groome’s new book Will There Be Faith? is a guide for parents and educators on teaching Christian beliefs and values in the face of mounting obstacles. Fr. Leahy will discuss his faith and life influences with students at

Gary Wayne Gilbert

The Bookshelf

Faculty author Thomas Groome will speak on Sept. 28.

Agape Latte on Oct. 4 at Hillside Café at 8:30 p.m. Other Agape Latte speakers this semester include Theology Professor Stephen Pope (Dec. 6). “Hey, Did I See You at Mass?,” a student panel moderated by Lonergan Institute Associate Director Kerry Cronin, will take place on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. in Gasson 100. On Oct. 25, Cardinal O’Malley will present “The Eucharist: The Center of Catholic Life” at the Murray Function Room in the Yawkey Center at 4:30 p.m. During his visit to campus, Cardinal O’Malley will meet privately with students and faculty from STM and the Theology Department. He also will celebrate Mass at noon at St. Mary’s Chapel. On Nov. 2, National Catholic Reporter Editor-at-Large Tom Roberts will moderate “American Catholics: Persisting and Changing,” a symposium on the latest survey of American Catholics by researchers from The Catholic University of America. The 2011 survey, which will be published in the Oct. 28 NCR, will have a special focus on Hispanics and Millennials. The symposium will feature the survey’s

authors, William V. D’Antonio and Rev. Anthony J. Pogorelc, SS, as well as other scholars and will take place in Gasson 100 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Dec. 1, Fr. Martin will talk about his new book Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor and Laughter are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life at Robsham Theater at 6:30 p.m. Fr. Martin is a culture editor of America magazine, a media commentator and the author of several books, including The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life. Other C21 presentations throughout the semester include: •STM Professor of Moral Theology Thomas Massaro, SJ, “The Eucharist and Social Justice,” Oct. 6, 5:30 p.m., Gasson 100. •Regis College Professor Ernest Colamatti, “The Eucharist: The Center of Family Life,” Oct. 11, noon, Reserves Room, O’Neill Library. •STM Professor Daniel Harrington, SJ, “The Eucharist in the Early Church,” Oct. 20, 5:30 p.m., 9 Lake St., Brighton Campus. •Margaret Nutting Ralph of Lexington Theological Seminary, “Catechesis on the Eucharist: New Testament Models,” Nov. 1, 5:30 p.m., Heights Room, Corcoran Commons. •McGill University Professor Emeritus Charles Taylor, “Revitalizing the Catholic Intellectual Tradition on Catholic University Campuses: A Conversation with Charles Taylor.” Nov. 10, 4:30 p.m., Heights Room, Corcoran Commons. •Rev. Msgr. Kevin W. Irwin of The Catholic University of America, “Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.” Nov. 17, 5:30 p.m., Heights Room, Corcoran Commons. Find out more about the Church in the 21st Century Center at www. bc.edu/church21 E-mail Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu

Lynch School Expands Advising Services

Two dancers performed “Marinera Norteña,” the national dance of Peru, in O’Neill Plaza at last Friday’s opening celebration for National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs until Oct. 15. During the month, lectures, exhibitions, performances and other events at Boston College — and elsewhere in the US — will commemorate Hispanic culture and history. (Photo by Caitlin Cunningham)

Under the leadership of newly appointed Assistant Dean Audrey Friedman, the Lynch School of Education’s Office of Undergraduate Student Services has undergone changes designed to expand advising services, deepen ties between students and faculty, and build stronger connections with first year students, LSOE Interim Dean Maureen Kenney said. The changes are designed to deliver an expanded menu of services to more than 600 undergraduates in order to ensure they are aware of requirements within the Lynch School and the College of Arts and Sciences, where a large percentage of LSOE students pursue a second major. “The Lynch School offers a range of support services to students across their undergraduate career,” said Kenny. “Dr. Friedman will

bring her talents as a superlative teacher to enhancing links between academic and student services. In addition, Audrey will provide oversight to the First Year Professional Development Seminar, the undergraduate research fellows program, student senate, and serve as the liaison with student families and student affairs across campus.” Friedman will join Associate Director Maureen Raymond and Student Services Representative Lindsey Itzkowitz. In addition, A&S Assistant Director for Academic Advising Rebecca Schmitz will spend part of the week in the office assisting students with questions they have about requirements in the college. “Our goal is to continue to offer superb advisement services,” said Friedman, named the 2009 Massachusetts “US Professor of the

Year” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. “The Lynch School has earned a reputation of providing advisement tailored to student needs and we will keep doing that, but with added supports from staff, faculty and graduate students that will help ensure our students have an excellent undergraduate experience in the Lynch School.” Friedman’s research has focused on building effective teachers and she has worked closely with students, particularly as they take part in their school-based practicum experiences. Her work with student teachers at Brighton High School earned her the Boston Higher Education Partnership Award for school-university collaboration in 2005. —Ed Hayward

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Chronicle september 22, 2011

NOTA BENE J. Donald Monan Professor of Law Daniel R. Coquillette was selected for the Henry C. Lind Award by the Association of Reporters of Judicial Decisions. Presented only six times in the past 20 years, the award is given to “individuals who have made a significant contribution to the improved reporting of judicial decisions or the preservation of historic court records.” Coquillette received the honor at the 30th annual meeting of the ARJD in the John Adams Courthouse Social Law Library in Boston. ARJD President Ralph Preston presented the award after Coquillette gave the talk “The Birth of American Judicial Reporting and the Extraordinary ‘Lost Patriot,’ Josiah Quincy Junior.” John Quackenbos

Director of Athletics Gene DeFilippo (left) and recently retired Carroll School of Management Associate Professor Peter Olivieri ’65 are among the 14 new members of the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame. The two were inducted into the select group at a ceremony in Conte Forum last Friday evening and then introduced during a halftime presentation at Alumni Stadium during Saturday’s BC-Duke football game. DeFilippo, who has headed the University’s athletics program since 1997, was honored for his leadership role in promoting Boston College’s membership in the Atlantic Coast Conference; the overall success of BC’s teams on the field and the accomplishments of the University’s studentathletes in the classroom; and the growth and improvement of Boston College’s athletic facilities. Olivieri, who taught computer science in CSOM for 41 years, also served more than 20 years as director of the control room in Conte Forum and worked closely with BC athletic administrators to implement ways for computer technology to improve the performances of BC’s teams, coaches and student-athletes. Cristina Lucier, a doctoral student in the Sociology Department, has won the prestigious Marvin E. Olsen Student Paper Award, given by the American Sociological Association’s Section on Environment and Technology in recognition of the most outstanding paper presented by a graduate student at the organization’s annual meeting. Lucier delivered her paper, “Obstacles to Precaution and Equity in Global Environmental Governance: Applications to the Basel Convention,” at the ASA meeting held last month in Las Vegas.

LSOE Hosts STEM Forum Lynch School of Education faculty and staff helped to organize a conference on campus to ask researchers and students about the factors that motivate high school students to pursue studies and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). “Advancing Research on Youth Motivation in STEM,” held Sept. 9-11, was sponsored by Newton-based EDC, Inc., and focused on the findings of researchers in the National Science Foundation program Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST). Lynch School Associate Professor Michael Barnett, Professor David Blustein and Director of Urban Outreach Catherine Wong, who all work on issues regarding STEM education, were part of the organizing committee for the conference. Barnett, who has received funding through two ITEST grants, said student presenters, including students from West Roxbury Education Complex and Brighton High School of the Boston Public Schools, provided invaluable insight to the meeting. Barnett said the STEM projects that resonate most deeply with the students he works with are rooted in issues of social justice – such as the distance separating inner-city neighborhoods from markets selling fresh produce, or the restoration of vacant lots through community development. “When you can use the tools of science to combat issues of social justice, that really captures the kids’ attention,” said Barnett. “From there you’re able to engage them in learning the science, math and technology skills we want all children to understand.” —Ed Hayward

Newsmakers Although the economy is technically in a recovery, unemployment remains high, and the Fed’s decision to keep rates low through mid2013 suggests that policymakers expect weak growth for the foreseeable future. Center for Retirement Research Director Alicia Munnell looked at the impact on older workers in her latest post for the Smart Money blog. Center for Work and Family Executive-in-Residence Lauren Stiller Rikleen is lead author of a report on expanding the roles of millennials in the workplace. She discussed the topic with Fox 25 News and the Worcester Business Journal. Center for Human Rights and International Justice Director Prof. David Hollenbach, SJ (Theology), recently addressed the Parliament of the Republic of South Sudan on the role of moral values in shaping the institutions of the world’s newest country, and conducted a workshop for leaders of its Catholic community in the national capital of Juba. He was interviewed on Radio Bakhita, Juba’s leading FM station.

Lynch School of Education Associate Professor Eric Dearing has been awarded a three-year, $150,000 Young Scholar award from the Foundation for Child Development to examine student support for immigrant students in high-poverty elementary schools. Dearing, an expert in applied developmental psychology, will conduct the research at the Lynch School’s Center for Optimized Student Support, which is dedicated to developing the most effective ways to address the out-of-school factors that influence how students learn and thrive in school. Evil is an intellectual problem, and too many intellectuals have got it wrong, according to Political Evil: What It Is and How to Combat It, the latest book by Prof. Alan Wolfe (Political Science), director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, which was featured by

tic Kidney Exchange,” Conference on Economic Design, Montreal; Prof. Marvin Kraus, “Road Pricing with Optimal Mass Transit,” Kuhmo Nectar Conference and Summer School on Transportation Economics, Stockholm; Prof. Tayfun Sonmez, “Admissions Reform at Chicago’s Selective High Schools: Comparing Mechanisms by their Vulnerability to Manipulation,” International Conference on Economic Modeling, Ponta Delgada, The Azores.

BC BRIEFING

In mental terms, certain scenes are sums of their objects, according to a study co-authored by Asst. Prof. Sean MacEvoy (Psychology) and published in Nature Neuroscience. The results help explain how people quickly and accurately recognize complicated scenes such as playgrounds, kitchens and traffic intersections. Prof. Marc Landy (Political Science) and Asst. Prof. Richard Albert (Law) both offered views to New England Cable News on President Obama’s recent speech outlining his jobs plan. Landy said the president is coming late to the game with his plan but also outlines the consequences for the GOP should its members reject the plan outright. Albert said the president wore many hats in his jobs speech, including that of a candidate for re-election, as law professor and a general.

the Chronicle of Higher Education Review.

Publications Assoc. Prof. Chuck Morris (Communication) published Remembering the AIDS Quilt. Prof. Scott FitzGibbon (Law) published Educational Justice and the Recognition of Marriage. A Japanese translation of a chapter from Prof. Maxim D. Shrayer’s (Slavic and Eastern Languages) book Waiting for America appeared in a volume published by Tokyo University.

Honors/Appointments Prof. Maxim D. Shrayer (Slavic and Eastern Languages) was invited to join the board of the Millersville University Conference on the Holocaust and Genocide.

Time and a Half Economics Department faculty made the following presentations: Assoc. Prof. Utku Unver, “Altruis-

Affiliates Program Seeks Candidates The University Affiliates Program, which helps prepare AHANA employees for potential leadership positions at Boston College, is looking for applicants for the 2011-12 academic year. Mentored by a team of senior BC administrators, University Affiliates learn about the methods used to address strategic issues in higher education. Through regular meetings with mentors as well as special presentations and other events during the academic year, participants can deepen their knowledge of the

University and strengthen their viability for promotion. All applicants for the University Affiliates Program must submit to the Office of Institutional Diversity a one-page resume, a letter of application (which includes a statement of purpose and an elaboration of career objectives) and one letter of recommendation from their vice presidential area. The deadline is Oct. 7. For more information, see www. bc.edu/offices/diversity/affiliates. html. —Office of News & Public Affairs

Prof. Daniel Kanstroom (Law) spoke at a plenary session of the Council of Foreign Relations on the subject of immigration and border security, where he participated as part of a panel discussion moderated by New York Times writer Julia Preston.   Prof. Susanto Basu and graduate student Brent Bundick of the Economics Department presented “Uncertainty Shocks in a Model of Effective Demand” at the Stanford Institute for Theoretical Economics Summer 2011 Workshop. E-mail people.chronicle@bc.edu

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/: Associate Director, University Fellowships Office Report Writer/Analyst, Advancement Services Athletic Maintenance, Facilities Management Application Server Administrator, Information Technology Senior/Applications Systems Developer, Information Technology Staff Nurse, University Health Services Investment Officer, Treasury Operations Associate Project Manager, Information Technology Services Escort Van Security Attendant Faculty Support Assistant, Psychology Department

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle September 22, 2011

LOOKING AHEAD

Humanities Series Begins Oct. 5 Oct. 19: Gary Shteyngart won the Stephen Crane Award for First Fiction and the NaA Pulitzer Prize-winning jour- tional Jewish Book Award for nalist, a celebrated satirical novel- Fiction for his first novel, The ist, a distinguished classicist and Russian Debutante’s Handbook. a renowned music critic are on His second novel, Absurdistan, the fall schedule for the Lowell was a national bestseller, named Humanities Series — one of the 10 Best one of Boston College’s Books of the Year by most celebrated forums The New York Times for intellectual, artistic Book Review, Time, and literary discourse. and several other pubThe series, under the lications. Shteyngart’s leadership of Professor latest work, Super Sad of English and AmeriTrue Love Story, was can Studies Program an instant New York Director Carlo Rotella, Times bestseller. next month will begin Isabel Wilkerson Nov. 2: Beth its 54th year of hosting Raymer studied offshore gameminent writers, artists, perform- bling operations in Costa Rica, ers and scholars. A look at the Nicaragua and Panama as a fall line-up: Fulbright fellow with an MFA Oct. 5: Isabel Wilkerson, from Columbia University. Her professor of journalism and di- memoir, Lay the Favorite (2010), rector of Narrative Nonfiction chronicles her years in the highat Boston University, was the stakes, high-anxiety world of first black woman to sports betting. Focus be awarded a Pulitzer Features and Random Prize in journalism and House Films acquired the first black American the rights to produce a to win for individual film adaptation, which reporting. She received is slated for release in a John Simon Gug2012. genheim Fellowship to Nov. 16: Alex complete the research Ross has been the mufor The Warmth of sic critic of The New Other Suns, her epic Yorker since 1996. His Beth Raymer account of the Great first book, The Rest Is Migration, which also won the Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Mark Lynton History Prize. Century, became an international By Rosanne Pellegrini Staff Writer

bestseller and has been translated into 16 languages. His second book, Listen to This, was published in 2010 and he is now working on a book titled Wagnerism. Dec. 7: Mary Lefkowitz, who was the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Wellesley College from 1979 until her retirement in 2005, is one of the best-known classical scholars in the country. In her recent work, Lefkowitz has sought to restore the gods to their original and frequently misunderstood role in ancient narratives. According to The New York Times Book Review, the “thoughtprovoking G r e e k Gods, Human Lives is precisely an attempt to write the gods back Alex Ross into Greek myths.” Complete series details — including event times and locations, and the spring semester schedule — are available at www.bc.edu/ lowellhs. Events are open to the public, free of charge. The series is sponsored by the Lowell Institute, BC’s Institute for the Liberal Arts and the Office of the Provost. E-mail Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu

BC SCENES

Pops on the Heights Concert Promises ‘Wicked’ Good Time

Award-winning Broadway stars Stephanie J. Block and Julia Murney — best known for their portrayals of the Wicked Witch of the West in the smash-hit musical “Wicked” — will perform along with the Boston Pops, led by conductor Keith Lockhart, at the 19th annual Pops on the Heights concert on Sept 30. Net proceeds from the concert go to fund scholarships for Boston College students. Since its establishment by University Trustee Associate James Julia Murney F. Cleary ’50, Hon ’93, the Pops on the Heights Scholarship Fund has distributed close to $9 million via 732 scholarship grants to 330 Boston College students. Block played Elphaba in the Broadway production of “Wicked” and in the show’s first national touring company, for which she won the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress. She also starred as Liza Minnelli, opposite Hugh Jackman, in “The Boy From Oz” and earned a Drama Desk nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Judy Bernly in “9 To 5: The Musical.” Murney also portrayed Elphaba on Broadway and on the national tour, for which she received an Acclaim Award. She has a number of television appearances to her credit, including on “30 Stephanie J. Block Rock,” “Sex and the City,” “Brothers and Sisters,” “Ed” and “Law & Order,” and has done extensive voiceover work. The Pops on the Heights concert will be held in Conte Forum. Doors open at 6 p.m. with pre-concert festivities, including performances by student musical groups the Acoustics, the Bostonians, the Dynamics, the Heightsmen and the Sharps. The concert begins at 8 p.m. The University Chorale will perform with the Pops during the concert. At press time, tickets were still available. Go to www. bc.edu/pops for details. —Kathleen Sullivan

THE ROAD MOST TRAVELED

Linden Lane is known primarily as the grand entrance to Boston College’s historic Middle Campus. But over the course of one week this month it was used for two special events: Student Involvement Day — formerly known as Student Activities Day, the showcase for BC’s student organizations — on Sept. 9 (photos at left), and the “First Flight” processional to begin the annual First Year Academic Convocation on Sept. 15 (below).

BCTV’s Joseph Bushee ’14 and Krissy Mussenden ’13 interviewed a grizzled Danny Zawodny ’14, representing a student comedy group.

Members of the Class of 2015 assembled on Linden Lane to begin the processional across campus to Conte Forum, where they listened to a keynote address by author Colum McCann.

Photos by Caitlin Cunningham Isaiah Telewoda ’14 signed up for BC’s NAACP chapter with Eatonia Davis ’12 looking on.