The Heights April 27, 2017 by The Heights

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THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017

Louis the Child to Headline Modstock BY CHRIS RUSSO Assoc. News Editor Students should get ready for a “Fire” night next week, as Louis the Child will be performing at Boston College. The Chicago-based duo will headline this year’s Modstock festival, the Campus Activities Board (CAB) announced today. The group creates electronic-pop music and has hits such as “It’s Strange” and “Weekend.” Modstock will take place on Thursday, May 4 at the Mod Lot from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. The winner of BC’s Best,

which will be decided on Thursday night, will be the opening act of the show. CAB will sell 5,000 tickets on Friday and Saturday. Louis the Child consists of Robby Hauldren and Freddy Kennett. Hauldren attended one year at the University of Southern California before dropping out to pursue his music career. The two met at a concert while in high school and began to play in small venues in 2013 and 2014. Their single, “It’s Strange,” was praised by Taylor Swift and was featured on the FIFA 16 soundtrack. The duo has opened for artists such

as Madeon and The Chainsmokers. They have also performed at Coachella, the Electric Forest Festival, Electric Zoo New York, and Lollapalooza. In December, the two joined forces with Pell and created the band Pellican Child, whose six-track EP is due this year. Previously, Modstock has featured artists such as T-Pain, Ludacris, and Macklemore. Modstock is the third concert hosted by CAB this year. Earlier this year, it hosted StokesSet featuring Misterwives and Plexapalooza featuring Marshmello. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF STONEY ROADS

The electronic-pop band will perform at the annual Modstock concert next week.

Jarmond Brings Excitement Martin Jarmond believes that every winning program has a vision, a shared vision. His is deﬁned by passion, alignment, and competitive excellence. BY ANDY BACKSTROM Asst. Sports Editor Until June 2, Martin Jarmond will continue to serve as The Ohio State University’s deputy athletics director and chief of staff. But on Monday, when University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J. introduced Jarmond as the school’s new William V. Campbell Director of Athletics, the 37-year-old already looked the part. Donning a Boston College tie and pocket square, Jarmond addressed a packed Yawkey Athletics Center, filled with media, BC administration, coaches, and alumni. Before Jarmond took the microphone, Leahy explained what went into the selection process. For close to two months, administrators—most notably vice president of human resources David Trainor—faculty, and trustees

interviewed and evaluated prospective candidates. “Their charge was to identify candidates who were successful, proven leaders in intercollegiate athletics, with experience at the highest level, and who could motivate and inspire,” Leahy said. Parker Executive Search, which BC employed on March 19, was also involved in the hunt. The firm contacted Jarmond back in March, and the two have been communicating back-and-forth ever since. Leahy feels that Jarmond meets the above criteria. He alluded to not only Jarmond’s experience as an assistant and associate AD in the Big Ten, but also to his playing days at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. As far as Leahy is concerned, Jarmond’s enthusiasm and energy is what BC athletics needs moving forward. Jarmond’s appointment was announced on April 20. He will replace Brad Bates, who

decided to step down on Feb. 20, effectively ending his six-year tenure. With the hire, Jarmond is now the youngest AD in the Power Five. But the Raleigh, N.C. native was quick to clarify that, for him, “being young” isn’t anything new. After all, he was named the assistant athletic director for development and director of regional giving at Michigan State University when he was just 26. “In my professional career, I’ve always been young,” Jarmond said. “To me that doesn’t matter. It’s about people. It’s about respect. It’s about trust.” In response to a question, concerning potential hirings and firings of his new staff, Jarmond also noted that he has already had experience with letting go coaches. But he made it clear that, at the moment, he has no such intentions to do so at BC until he

See New AD, A3

JULIA HOPKINS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

O’Malley Hopes Federal Gov’t Will ‘Catch Up’ With Gun Reform Maura Healey and O’Malley discussed state-level gun reform. BY HEIDI DONG Asst. News Editor Over 100 students, faculty, and other members of the Boston community joined Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and former governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley, to discuss gun reform on the state level on Tuesday afternoon. Both Democrats have a history of combatting gun violence. In Maryland, when O’Malley was governor, he implemented measures to try to reduce gun violence through place licensing, fingerprinting, background checks, and required safety training for all gun buyers. Healey has been facing criticism and lawsuits as a result of cracking down on “copycat” assault weapons. The Rappaport Center for Public Policy’s last event of the semester kicked off with introductions of the two speakers by Michael Cassidy, the faculty direc-

tor of the Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy. He then prompted them to speak about their history with the issue of gun violence. Healey rattled off a list of statistics for context—90 Americans die at the hand of a gun per day, gun violence is the leading cause of death for black men between the ages of 15 and 24. Every year, Healey continued, there are around 30,000 gun deaths compared to about 34,000 deaths from car crashes. The Center for Disease Control spends around $5 million on researching the latter, compared to $100,000 on the former. “This isn’t about the Second Amendment,” Healey said. “Protecting public safety, protecting public health is not mutually exclusive of respecting the rights of the Second Amendment.” Healey attributes the fact that Massachusetts has one of the lowest rates of gun deaths in the country to the strict gun laws within the state. “We’ve argued for stronger background checks, and have fought for a stricter interpretation on the federal ban on straw purchasing,” Healey said. Healey has also helped implement a first-of-its-kind training for doctors,

KATE MAHONEY / HEIGHTS STAFF

O’Malley (left) and Healey (right) discussed strategies of combating gun violence in front of a crowd of over 100 students and faculty. making resources regarding gun safety and gun violence available if they need to talk about guns as a risk factor for their patients. Finally, Healey said, her office has been enforcing laws that are currently on the books in the state of Massachusetts.

O’Malley shared his legacy of gun control in Maryland, which he said had helped facilitate the reduction of violent crime to 35-year lows. Cassidy asked about the Maryland Firearm Safety Act of 2013. The Firearm Safety Act prohibited, with exceptions, the possession and sale

SPORTS

SCENE

BC has a rematch with Notre Dame in the opening round of the ACC tournament today.

The satirical and irreverent musical presents an alternate history of BC’s founding.

THIS ISSUE

NEWS: Ever to Excel

Students, faculty, and staff received awards on Monday night for their contributions...........B2

See Gun Control, A3

NOW IT COUNTS

BOOK OF CARNEY

INSIDE

of combat assault weapons in Maryland, as well as transporting them into the state. Reminiscing on getting the bill passed, O’Malley told the crowd that the bill did not receive a single Republican vote and even struggled to rally some

METRO: Upgrading Training

With Humon Hex, athletes can closely monitor their vitals and train better......A5

INDEX

NEWS.......................... A2 ARTS & REVIEW............ B1

The Heights

TOP

things to do on campus this week

Today from 12 to 1 p.m., Gareth Taube, CEO of Market Recognition, will speak to students about his experiences as CMO for early stage companies and his role as CEO at the last of the Lunch with an Entrepreneur series sponsored by the Shea Center for Entrepreneurship. The lunch will be held in Cushing Hall 208.

Thursday, April 27, 2017

The Jesuit Institute will sponsor a lecture titled “Amoris Laetitia: Beyond Veritatis Splendor and Familiaris Consortio” today at 4:30 p.m. The event is in Stokes Hall 301N and will feature Martin Lintner, the president of the International Network of Societies for Catholic Theology (INSeCT).

Cuban poet and writer Juana Rosa Pita will read some of her poetry and discuss it at the McMullen Museum of Art on tonight at 6:30 p.m. A friend of Rafael Soriano, her poetry was inspired by his art. Her poems have been extensively studied and translated in five languages.

NEWS Soccer Star Rapinoe Will Discuss LGBTQ+ Issues BRIEFS By Bernadette Darcy

Orrick Rules on Sanctuary Cities

William Orrick, a graduate of Boston College Law School and a judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, struck down a Trump administration executive order withholding funding from sanctuary cities on Tuesday. Sanctuary cities refuse to comply with some federal laws on immigration enforcement. By making the order, which was signed in January, Orrick argued that Trump overstepped his power as president because he limited separate funding based on compliance with immigration policy. Orrick said only Congress could take that kind of action, according to The New York Times. Trump responded on Twitter, writing, “Out of our very big country, with many choices, does everyone notice that both the ‘ban’ case and now the ‘sanctuary’ case is brought in the Ninth Circuit, which has a terrible record of being overturned (close to 80%). They used to call this ‘judge shopping!’ Messy system.” Trump was referring to two executive orders that attempted to limit travel to the U.S. for the citizens of several Muslim-majority countries. In February, after the first of those orders was signed, BC joined an amicus brief filed by several Boston-area universities in a case challenging the order. The brief argued that the order adversely affected foreign scholars and students.

Poets Gather at BC Poets representing around 20 Boston-area colleges and universities gathered at Boston College on Tuesday evening for the annual Greater Boston Intercollegiate Undergraduate Poetry Festival. The event, free to the public, was held in the Murray Function Room of the Yawkey Athletic Center. The participants read all original work during the event. The event began with keynote speaker Andrea Cohen, director of the Writers House at Merrimack College and the Blacksmith House Poetry Series in Cambridge. Cohen has received a PEN Discovery award as well as a Glimmer Train’s Short Fiction Award. Her poems and stories have appeared in the New Yorker, Poetry, The Threepenny Review, and The Atlantic, among other publications. Sherry Hsiao, MCAS ’17, a senior from Taiwan, was selected to present her poem “Twenty Minutes to Jing An,” which portrays her relationship with China. “Its inclusion in the festival encourages me to continue writing from different perspectives, and I hope ‘Twenty Minutes to Jing An’ allows readers who are unfamiliar with China to gain a better understanding of the country’s culture,” Hsaio said to The Chronicle. The inspiration for the poem came from her experience on a metro ride in Shanghai last summer. She heard the announcement “Next stop: People’s Square,” and immediately decided that she needed to write something about China, Mao’s Space, and the complexities of China’s national identity. “As a Taiwanese person who grew up in China but received an American education, I feel like an outsider no matter which culture I’m writing about,” she said. “But I hope that through my writing, I can confront my own ambivalence toward each culture, and help others become conscious of those same intricacies.”

Heights Staff

On the soccer field, Olympic goldmedalist and FIFA World Cup champion midfielder Megan Rapinoe is known for her speed, versatility, and crafty style of play. Off the field, she’s known for her advocacy and authenticity. Rapinoe plays for Seattle Reign F.C. in the National Women’s Soccer League. Since 2009, she has been an integral player for the United States Women’s National Soccer Team, most famous for her equalizing assist to Abby Wambach in the 122nd minute of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinal match against Brazil. On Friday, Rapinoe will discuss both her professional and personal successes with Boston College students during “Dscvr: Diversity with Megan Rapinoe” at 1 p.m. in the Heights Room. Organized by the Marketing Academy of BC (MABC), the event marks the first installment of MABC’s DSCVR or “Discover” speaker series. On Friday afternoon, Rapinoe is expected to discuss how marketing, diversity, and authenticity helped her establish

a successful personal brand. An important facet of Rapinoe’s personal brand is her belief in living authentically. With the help of her twin sister, Rachael, Megan founded Rapinoe SC, LLC. The mission of their company is described as “help[ing] people of all ages and backgrounds tap into their own individuality and uniqueness by living in the true essence of Being Your Best You.” According to Jackson Rettig, head of MABC and CSOM ’17, the speaker series aims to connect students in the Carroll School of Management, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Lynch School of Education, and Connell School of Nursing. Rettig explained that aspects of marketing, from personal branding to communication, play key roles in successful careers across disciplines. “Marketing is the bridge between the schools,” Rettig said. Throughout the last year, MABC underwent a rebranding process of its own. The organization entered the fall 2016 semester with a new executive board and new team members. From establishing a larger online presence, to collaborating with other on-campus organizations, MABC restructured itself to have a

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Megan Rapinoe will talk about authenticity on Friday at 1 p.m. in the Heights Room. broader appeal. “Our goal is to connect all types of students at BC,” Rettig said. “We want to host interdisciplinary events and appeal to a wider audience.” Friday’s event is co-sponsored by Allies of BC, the Undergraduate Government of BC, the Women’s Center, BC’s Communication Department, BC Athletics, and the Office of Student Involvement.

As an avid LGBTQ+ and women’s rights advocate, Rapinoe utilizes her platform as a successful professional athlete to take a stand against inequality in America. “She’s had a lot of success on and off the field,” Rettig said. “Rapinoe fought for equal pay and stood against injustice. We thought she could connect with BC students authentically, in a variety of ways.” n

Students Honored With Excel Awards for Service Work By Chris Russo Assoc. News Editor and Heidi Dong

Asst. News Editor On Monday evening, 14 awards were presented to Boston College students in recognition of their contribution to the University, their growth, and their involvement in campus life. Two awards were also given to faculty, staff, or administrators to recognize their contributions. The awards were presented by the Office of Student Involvement, and each award recipient was nominated by members of the BC community. Joseph Nano, MCAS ’20, won the Nicholas H. Woods Award, which is given to a freshman who demonstrates initiative, motivation, and potential for continued student leadership within the University. Nano arrived in the United States in 2012 with his parents and brother to visit his uncle and cousins. Because the crisis in Syria had become more dangerous, his father decided they should stay in the States. His father, however, had to return to Syria due to his job as the Dean of the Architectural Faculty at Damascus University. Starting high school, Nano did not speak English while enrolled in ELL classes, French, science, and math. During his junior year, he took the regular English III class, where he learned to write poetry. “In my senior year, I decided to challenge myself by writing a book of poetry that would craft images that would challenge people to look at life from a different angle,” Nano said in an email. Last semester, his book Flowers are People, Too was published. In his book, he describes his experience as a Syrian

refugee—what it feels like to live with no father, experiences in his high school, homelessness in Syria, and the importance of mothers and family. Nano is a Biology major on the pre-med track and involved in BC-EMS. He hopes to return to Syria, equipped with an education, to help his native country. “… in Aleppo, Syria there are only a couple doctors in the whole city,” Nano said in an email. “Most of the doctors were either killed or immigrated to different countries. Today, there are terrorists in Syria and they forbid schools for the kids. I think that I can fight terrorism by getting educated here and then come back and help people.” Nano feels that EMS has both given him a community that supports each other and taught him more about how to love, care for, and sympathize with a patient—skills that he feels are very important in the medical field. “Today, this awards means a lot to me,” Nano said. “First, it makes me think of how people around me appreciate my hard work. Second, it motivates me to work harder. Boston College is very challenging. However, there is nothing that can stop me from reaching my goals.” Sean O’Rourke, MCAS ’17, won the Congressman John Joseph Moakley Award, which is given to a student who most clearly demonstrates a passion for faith through international service and volunteer work. O’Rourke was homesick when he first came to BC from Ireland, but since he arrived, it seems he has been travelling everywhere but back home. He transferred to BC in his sophomore year and found it difficult to adjust to the fast-paced East Coast culture and the stark

difference in the academic environment. “I wasn’t really expecting the culture shock I got,” he said. O’Rourke didn’t think it would be such a change for him since Boston has quite a large Irish population, but nevertheless, he struggled at first. He soon found his home in service work. He joined Arrupe and travelled to Ecuador in his junior year. The experience was transformational for him, as he enjoyed working with children in the community. “It gets you out of your own head,” he said. “It puts all of life in perspective.” He also went on a trip with the Appalachia Volunteers to Kentucky over his Spring Break. The 22-hour drive was the longest period of travel he had done, but in that moment, he wasn’t homesick. He said the experience meeting the local people taught him about the value of faith. His group helped an old couple on top of a hill, who, he said, had a faith and trust in God that permeated everything they did. He was inspired by their willingness to love and accept the BC student volunteers in their community. “It was a really special place and definitely somewhere I felt was home,” he said. Service played a large part in making O’Rourke feel at home at BC. He was recently accepted to the Jesuit Volunteer Corps International Program and will be working in Belize for two years starting in July. Stephanie Madzey, MCAS ’19, won the Welles Remy Crowther Award, which is presented to a student who demonstrates selfless sacrifice and determination in serving the needs of others. Madzey was given the award by the Volunteer and Service

What is one song you want played at your funeral?

Learning Center. Madzey has been involved in several service organizations on campus. She travelled to Mexico on her Arrupe trip and helped a women’s cooperative, which was created and run by women who teach young girls how to weave. The girls sell the baskets and can become financially independent. “Service has always been a part of me,” she said. “It has always been a big part of my life, which has grown into more than just volunteering.” She said service is about more than giving back—it is about forming relationships with people. While on a tour of BC, Madzey liked how she saw a community of students who actually enjoy serving, not just for a spot on their resume. She is also a volunteer at St. Joseph’s Project, where she makes and delivers meals and clothing to Boston’s homeless. “The first time [I served] was definitely startling and upsetting, especially in the way that people can just pass by others without caring,” she said. She said she and her friend would get strange looks from passersby as they interacted with homeless people in Boston. Despite this, she continues to strike up conversations with people on the street because she believes they matter and deserve to be acknowledged. Madzey also volunteers through 4Boston tutoring children of Somali refugees. She admits that her work is extremely challenging, but earning the children’s trust is a satisfying feeling. “It showed me how rewarding perseverance is, and you might not see the fruits of your work, and that’s okay,” she said. n

POLICE BLOTTER: 4/19/17 – 4/25/17 Tuesday, April 25

“Amazing Grace.” —Caroline Fernandez, CSOM ’17

“Satisfied Mind.” —Steven Denmark, MCAS ’18

1:53 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a trespass warning being issued at Middle Roadways 4:29 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a medical incident at Lyons Hall.

“Closer.” —Kayleigh Clermont, MCAS ’20

“She Will Be Loved.” —Vivian Lee, MCAS ’18

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

CORRECTIONS Please send corrections to eic@bcheights.com with ‘correction’ in the subject line.

The Heights

Thursday, April 27, 2017

O’Malley, Healy on Guns Gun Control, from A1 Democratic votes. Shifting to the national stage, O’Malley spoke on the platform that he ran on in the 2016 presidential election. “Secretary Clinton and Senator Sanders had not the same consistency of position on this that I had, nor had they accomplished things in office as I had been able to accomplish,” O’Malley said. “And I was glad to see them both come around to what I believe is a broad majority opinion within the democratic party when it comes to common sense gun safety legislation.” Most notably, he proposed requiring microstamping, a ballistics identification technology. Microstamping essentially links any bullet to the gun it was shot from by using a laser that engraves microscopic markings onto the tip of the firing pin, and onto the breech face of a firearm. When a gun is shot, the etchings will transfer to the primer and the cartridge case head. If police recover the case of the bullet, the markings on the cartridges can help them trace the firearm back to its last registered owner. The technology is required by law in California, and as a result, however, two large gun manufacturing companies have said they will no longer sell in California, citing the microstamping law as the reason. Healey welcomes technological advances. “Everything should be on the table,” Healey said. O’Malley said that he is pleased with the focus on gun control that the Democratic Party has as a whole, but wishes the federal government would step up on the issue. “It’s a shame that we allowed the Assault Weapons Ban even to lapse, but we did, and now I think they’re going to see different leapers of action—state by state, court cases, courageous attorney generals—stepping forward and doing what needs to be done,” O’Malley said. The Federal Assault Weapons Ban was enacted in 1994, and expired in 2004.

The 10-year ban included the prohibition on the manufacture of certain semi-automatic firearms that it defined as assault weapons for civilian use. There were multiple attempts to renew the ban, but all were unsuccessful. Cassidy also brought into question whether or not the left underestimates the strength of interest in lawful gun ownership in rural America. O’Malley and Healey had varying answers for, seemingly, the first time throughout the event. O’Malley conceded that sometimes the left fails to recognize the cultural importance of guns, specifically, the rural hunting tradition. “The danger is to talk past each other and not acknowledging where people are coming from,” O’Malley said. “I think that’s the real danger—talking past people or vilifying our opponents who may have a disagreement with us about it.” Healey responded more cynically, reminding the audience of the role the National Rifle Association and moneyed interests play in dividing the nation on the topic of guns. She believes that there is a common ground, but it seems far from reach given the politics and the processes in place. Healey then cited the Second Amendment, which reads “a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” She stated that “well regulated” means something, not no regulation. “There have always been lines in this space. That’s why we can’t bury grenades and in our property or walk around with them,” Healey said. “So don’t tell me that this is about hunting, and don’t tell me this is about sport. This is about a particular agenda and interest that I don’t think has the interest of true sportsmen and hunters in mind.” Healey made it clear that the issue is about gun violence, not taking away the ability for people to hunt or learn to shoot. “It’s my belief that as we progress as a people, the federal government will also catch up one day, and start playing a role here,” O’Malley said. n

Kate Mahoney / Heights Staff

Martin O’Malley finished up his stint as the Rappaport Visiting Professor on Tuesday.

At Presser, New AD Shows Youthful Exuberance New AD, from A1 learns more about his co-workers. Jarmond repeatedly cited the importance of meeting and developing relationships with people. For Jarmond, this is a starting point. Like any other career, he believes that getting to know the people you are working with is the top priority. Before Jarmond does anything, he plans to learn about all of BC’s 31 varsity programs and their respective coaches. But that’s merely the beginning of Jarmond’s vision for BC athletics. He centered the majority of his introduction around three core values: passion, alignment, and competitive excellence. Jarmond referred to passion as the fuel that builds momentum. In terms of alignment, he feels that it is necessary for everyone within BC athletics to understand the school’s shared goals, as well as the individual roles that they serve. Jarmond asserted that “competitive excellence”—the final theme—is defined by a relentless commitment to win. It seems as if Jarmond has taken the advice of Ohio State AD and mentor, Gene Smith. Jarmond revealed that Smith always told him to stick to a plan and follow the

process. When asked why he left his position at Ohio State, Jarmond turned to BC’s high academic standard, the conference it plays in, and the investment that it has made in its athletic programs. “Our University is among the very best in the world,” Jarmond said. “I see opportunity for BC athletics and what we can be.” Right now, Jarmond is focused on helping his family make the move and transition to Boston. He has yet to explore Bates’ $200 million plans to build new baseball, softball, and intramural fields, a field house, and an enhanced student recreational complex. But that’s not to say that he doesn’t know how valuable the investment is. Jarmond pointed out that there is always a benefit to upgrading one’s learning or playing environment. He even jokingly thanked Leahy for the financing. Four days in, and Jarmond has already been thrown into the line of fire. But he wasn’t expecting anything less. “Even though I don’t officially start until mid-June, it’s game on right now,” Jarmond said. “And I can’t wait to start.” n

Photo Courtesy of the Office of Marketing Communications

Pemberton Will Screen Film Next Week By Connor Murphy News Editor Steve Pemberton, B C ’89, the global head of diversity at Walgreens and a member of Boston College’s Board of Trustees, will host a private screening of his new film A Chance in the World on May 1 in Robsham Theater. The event is free, but students have to go to the Robsham ticket office beforehand to get a ticket. Pemberton spoke to the Class of 2020 at its Convocation ceremony in September. He wrote his memoir, also titled A Chance in the World, about his experiences growing up in an abusive

foster home and eventually finding his way to BC and success in the business world. Pemberton was added to the Board in the fall amid requests from the AHANA Alumni Advisory Council that the Board increase its members’ diversity. Pemberton told The Heights in September that he wanted to go to BC as soon as he saw a BC brochure in the seventh grade. His foster parents prevented him from going to libraries, using computers or participating in extracurriculars. When he was 16 he left the foster system, and was taken in by a teacher, Mr. Sykes, when he was a senior in high school.

“When I am asked about home and what it means to me, I think of Boston College,” Pemberton said in a University press release. “It was a place that fully welcomed and accepted me.” Pemberton told the Office of Marketing Communications that he was moved to make the movie because of the impact his memoir had on its readers. “So many others were inheritors of difficulty they never asked for who said to me, ‘Your story is what I needed, and what this country needs to hear,’” he said. “It is a story beyond race and class, a story about the universal power of goodness.” n

Ryan Uses Footage Without Permission By Connor Murphy News Editor Speaker of the House Paul Ryan released a video about tax reform on Tuesday that features footage of Boston College students at Commencement. University Spokesman Jack Dunn said BC had not authorized its use. The school invites media to campus for Commencement and some other events, and they often shoot B-roll footage. Ryan’s office could not be reached for comment. The footage was taken by Sean Casey, who has made several

promotional videos for BC. Casey tweeted that Ryan’s office did not ask him if it could use his footage. “This video includes footage from one of my videos for BC the Speaker did not receive permission to use. :20-28. Shame.... Shame.... Shame…,” he wrote. In the video, Ryan suggests that taxes could be simplified to the point that people could file on a form the size of a postcard. “If you’re a family trying to pay for college tuition, you have to wade through more than a dozen ta x

provisions and almost 100 pages of IRS instructions to figure it out,” he says in the video, as footage of BC Commencement rolls, including Gasson Hall, with graduating students walking down Linden Lane in their robes. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump unveiled a tax proposal that would create a 15 percent business tax and form three tax brackets of 10, 25, and 35 percent. According to Reuters, Ryan said he and House Republicans are about “80 percent” in agreement with Trump’s plan. n

The Heights

Thursday, April 27, 2017

MaryElizabeth Mooney / Heights Staff

At MFA, Helguera Explores Wealth in the 19th Century By MaryElizabeth Mooney Heights Staff

In the 19th century, university clubs and gentlemen’s lounges were popular places where males of high social class could relax and unwind after a day of work to discuss politics and culture. But these clubs were exclusive in the strictest sense of the word, hallmarked by uniformity in both gender and race. In the Museum of Fine Arts’ new Club Americano exhibit, however, New York-based artist and educator Pablo Helguera turns tradition on its head, and welcomes everyone into the lounge—and the conversation—by exploring “historic and contemporary definitions of American identity.” The exhibit, which opened on April 22, was curated in collaboration with Liz Munsell, the MFA’s assistant curator of contemporary art and special initiatives, and many of her colleagues spanning a multitude of departments.

Club Americano invites people into the small Bernard and Barbara Stern Shapiro Gallery, which is painted a deep burgundy and lit in a way reminiscent of the late evening. Curators decorated the gallery to resemble one of those elite 19thcentury institutions, with an ornate, dining table and matching chairs serving as the centerpieces. Placed around the room are comfortable leather chairs and a couch, each with an end table holding information cards about the art that is hanging from the walls. These pieces include a 20th-century reproduction of Paul Revere’s pewter Sons of Liberty Bowl, juxtaposed with a Mexican stone mask placed inside an ornate cabinet. Also featured are Henry Sargent’s The Dinner Party, which depicts the exact kind of social scene that the room is set up for: a colorful 19thcentury Mexican embroidery sample that includes gadgets like a perspective machine, which is a popular 18th-century device that allows users

to feel like they are “in” a photograph. If it weren’t for the the informational cards placed on the tables, visitors wouldn’t be wrong to assume they had just stepped into the past. Each piece reflects the exhibit’s theme, examining what it means to be an American—here meaning it in the broadest sense of the term, and encompassing anyone in North and South America. A video of Helguera pays tribute to a key function of social clubs: the after-dinner speech. On select Friday nights, there will be performances by various speakers to evoke these after dinner speeches. Each talk will address the objects in the room, and how they relate to the theme of the exhibit. Speakers will range from artists to academics, and will even feature members of the MFA’s Teen Arts Council and Urbano, a nonprofit community art studio based in Jamaica Plain. The first of these events, entitled “What Is a Club?” took place on

Friday. It served as an introduction to the social club idea, and focused on some of the objects featured in the exhibition related to a sense of belonging, while others did just the opposite. The event was hosted by curator Liz Munsell, and featured Benjamín Juárez, a professor at Boston University; Zaira Meneses, Mexico’s premier classical guitarist; Yvette Modestin, a founder of Encuentro Diaspora Afro, an author, poet, and community activist; and Darianna Young, a member of the MFA’s Teen Arts Council. The next two events, “Worldly and Otherworldly Perspectives” and “Making America,” will take place on May 19 and June 2. Both will examine other pieces in the room, such as the perspective machine, and look at the idea of identity through these various lenses. According to the MFA’s press release, the Club Americano exhibition hopes to help visitors explore the idea of unity, and how some objects and emotions are meaningful enough to

transcend the borders that divide people. “In a moment where the politics of divisiveness have had such presence in the public discourse, I believe it is important to point out how art and culture are not subject to borders,” Helguera said in the press release. “‘Club Americano’ is meant to be a place where all sorts of borders, be they geographical or socioeconomic, are eliminated.” Club Americano will run at the Museum of Fine Arts until June 4, 2017, providing visitors with two more months of a fresh perspective on what it means to be American, and how that identity shapes Americans, their actions, and their beliefs. The exhibit invites all to join in the conversation, and bring their own ideas to the table so we can understand where we’re going. “It is my hope that Bostonians— and beyond—might be able to visit and participate in this experiment of education and curatorial practice,” Helguera said. n

Embracing Adventure While Finding Comfort With Food William Batchelor I wasn’t always an adventurous eater. In elementary school, I refused to eat anything other than pizza pockets and chicken nuggets. As I grew up, however, my parents started taking me to restaurants, opening me up to more sophisticated dishes. My first experimental adventure with food was at a Spanish restaurant. I was getting to an age where I wanted to take risks and try new dishes. After experiencing the spiciness of chorizo and the richness of croquettes, I was hooked on the cuisine. Since moving to Boston, I’ve been on the lookout for a Spanish joint I can frequent whenever I’m craving tapas—Spanish-style appetizers. Tapas have evolved into a celebrated cuisine in many corners of the world, and serve as the quintessential Spanishfood experience. Tapas are always served “family style”—meaning the dishes are put in the middle of a table and shared by everyone. Dining in this fashion means

you get a little taste of everything. For me, eating tapas is just as much about the company as it is about the food. I cherish sitting around a table with loved ones as delicious dishes are passed around the table and conversation fills the room. Recently, I had been eyeing a popular Spanish restaurant in the South End that is one of Beantown’s best. Toro has been a hotspot for Boston foodies since 2005, known for its unique take on Barcelona-style tapas. Last weekend, my foodie friends and I decided it was time to finally try this restaurant that we had heard so much about. Only my cravings for Spanish food could get me to pay for an exorbitant Uber fare from Chestnut Hill to the South End, but it seemed worth it. Toro runs on a first-come, firstserved basis. It is a walk-in only restaurant, and does not accept reservations, making it almost impossible to get a table. Sure enough, upon arrival we were told it was going to be a two-hour wait until a table was free. Disappointment set in as my friends scrambled to call other restaurants nearby, hoping for a reservation. As we began to leave, the maitre d’ from the restaurant rushed outside say-

ing they had a table available. “How did a table free up?” I asked. “We aren’t that busy tonight,” he replied. With the restaurant overflowing with people, I wondered what it looked like on a busy night. Inside the restaurant, the trendy crowd of Boston’s restaurant-goers gathered around the bar, adding to the joint’s slightly chaotic atmosphere. The brick walls, steel chairs, and wooden table-tops gave the restaurant’s interiors an industrial feel. The eclectic menu puts a twist on traditional Spanish dishes, taking conventional flavors and inventing new dishes. The first dish to arrive at the table were the gambas—shrimp cooked in oil and garlic. Traditionally, the sizzling prawns are served in a terra cotta clay pot called a cazuela. It came as a shock when instead I was presented with grilled prawns served in a creamy chilli sauce and garnished with parsley. “Are those the gambas?” I asked with confusion. The surprises didn’t stop there. Dishes I had never eaten at a Spanish restaurant before, like setas y huevos— wild mushrooms topped with a raw egg yolk—and panza de cerdo—crispy pork belly served with thinly cut sweet potato

William Batchelor / Heights Editor

Toro’s innovative tapas include sautéed mushrooms topped with a raw egg yolk. chips—slowly trickled in to the table. While all these plates were delicious, they certainly weren’t the classic Spanish tapas I was expecting. There was, however, a silver lining as the dinner winded down. At the end of every Spanish meal comes the foremost dish, the paella—a rice bowl flavored with saffron and filled with seafood and chicken. Thankfully, when it was brought to

the table, the paella had no fancy presentation or unconventional ingredients. Even the most creative chef’s at fusion restaurants will not alter this famous dish, and so I got a familiar taste of something that reminded me of home.

William Batcheor is the asst. metro editor for The Heights. He can be reached on Twitter @williambatch.

The Heights

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Brain Fair Helps Visitors Learn About Neurological Diseases By Madison Semarjian For The Heights At the 2017 Brain Health Fair, a little girl slipped a pair of flippers one her feet, exploring one of the many interactive exhibits. “Mommy, this is what it feels like to walk with MS,” she said as she entered the MS Inside Out Virtual Reality Simulation, that helps visitors understand what it is like to live everyday life with a neurodegenerative disease. “Mommy, this is what it must be like,” she continued. Planned by the American Academy of Neurology Institute (AAN) and local neurologists, the seventh annual Brain Health Fair made its way to the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center for the first time this past weekend. Each year, the AAN plans the fair as the general public’s complement to their seven-day meeting, at which 13,000 neurologists meet for educational courses and scientific sessions. “The goal of the event is to educate the general public about what neurology is,” said Wendy Vokaty, a AAN Staff Planning Workgroup member. “It’s really all about giving resources to the general public and caregivers, and allowing people to get access to neurologists.” Located in the Education Zone, “Ask the Neurologist Booths” were set up for visitors with questions regarding their own or loved one’s neurodegenerative diseases. Specialists in various diseases, such as

multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, were available to speak with individuals in an informal, non-consultation setting. Geared toward families, the Brain Health Fair featured interactive and sensestimulating booths in which children could learn about neuroscience in a hands-on environment. Sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the “Brain Guy” booth gave visitors the opportunity to hold real human and animal brains (don’t worry, they wore gloves). Through virtual headsets, visitors could feel the symptoms of fatigue, weakness, and dizziness associated with multiple sclerosis. If fair-goers needed to give their brains a break, trained service dalmatians were there to play. Visitors could learn about the different functions of the brain in blow-up AmeriBrain, the world’s most interactive 20-foot walkthrough brain. In addition to the fun and games, top physicians got serious on the stage and gave speeches on topics of their given expertise. The keynote speaker, Marty Samuels, discussed the neurological method and how we overlook the function of a healthy brain in our moment-tomoment actions. “The nervous system influences every thought you take, every breath you breathe,” Samuels said. Other notable speakers included Robert Stern on long-term consequences

madison Semarjian / For the Heights

The Health Brain Fair kicked off with an interactive event, during which visitors could explore diseases through virtual reality. of hits to the head in sports, Rosie Doherty on dreaming big and living a fulfilling life even with a nervous system disorder, and Marie Pasinski on outsmarting stress. “We’d like to expand to make this even more appealing to schools and kids,” Vokaty said. “To allow this to become part of their educational curriculum and a hope to

foster an interest in the field of neurology in these kids.” While the fair has its sights set on L.A. next year, and will then continue to bounce from city to city, Vokaty promised that Boston will be one of the lucky few to get a repeat visit. “Everyone kept asking if we could come

back and do it again,” Vokaty said. “We are booked out about ten years in advance, but I know we are coming back to Boston.” Regardless of their locations, all Brain Health Fairs share a uniting vision. “We hope people will learn how powerful the brain is and how to take care of it,” Vokaty said. n

A Break From Beauty

Madeleine D’Angelo

Photo courtesy of Humon

Athletes Boost Potential With Humon By William Batchelor Asst. Metro Editor Why is it that people know more about their cars than their own bodies? Baffled by this notion, MIT graduates Alessandro Babini and Daniel Wiese founded Humon, a B oston-ba se d te ch star tup that empowers athletes and civilians with the body information they need to be their better selves. B abini, Humon’s co-founder, grew up in France and completed his undergraduate studies in the United Kingdom before moving to Boston. Babini graduated from MIT’s Sloan School of Management in 2015 where he met Wiese. The two founded Humon in 2015, while Babini finished business school and Wiese completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. The company’s name—Humon— comes from an amalgamation of the words “Human Monitor”, and points toward the company’s original direction. Instead of a wearable-tech or fitness startup, Babini and Wiese first bonded over the idea that technology and biology could intersect to help people understand more about their bodies. “We had no idea where to start, but knew we wanted to create something that could monitor the way the body behaves,” Babini said. Babini oversees the business side of the startup, and works to keep his team moving forward. Some of his duties include fundraising, marketing, and business development. Wiese handles the te ch n o l o g i c a l s i d e , d e v el o p i n g innovative software platforms and algorithms for Humon products. Together, the two have created a

startup attracting attention and recognition from leaders in the fitness industry. Boston was the ideal setting for Babini and Wiese to get their startup off the ground. The two leveraged the resources provided by their graduate studies at MIT, and utilized the powerful tech network present in the city. Babini explained that Boston is a great environment for biotech and hardware startups. “The mentality we have is that we will go wherever to make our company successful,” Babini said. “Today, we think that Boston is where we can make the most progress.” Last year, Humon began shipping a prototype device to users called the Humon Beta. The device, a small, black hexagonal sensor, was attached to a thin strap securing the device to the user’s leg. Babini and his team then listened to user feedback to build better features that would fit into users’ habits, and help them best train on a daily basis. Babini explained that he did not just want to sit in a room with his team and decide what athletes needed. It was important to ship devices to customers and get their honest reactions. While the criticisms were harsh at times, Babini was always focused on perfecting the product. Wi t h t h e p r o t o t y p e , B a b i n i learned that athletes did not have regular access to the high level of information they needed to enhance their training. These athletes only had access to heart rate monitors, which report data that is essentially useless on its own. The data collected and the feedback received from the Humon Beta paved the way for the startup’s flagship device, the Humon

Hex. “We experimented with market research by talking to athletes to understand what their problems were and built a solution for them and with them,” Babini said. The Humon Hex device measures the way muscles use oxygen. Much like the prototype, the device is comfortably strapped around the quad muscle, and has a battery life of 12 hours. Based on the way the quad muscle uses oxygen during the workout, the user receives a real time insight that allows them to optimize his or her training. The Humon Hex advises users on how far they can push themselves without exceeding their limits during a workout. The device helps athletes warm up and recover, while giving reliable feedback through a phone or smartwatch. The sensors in the Human Hex seamlessly integrate with the software platform that provides feedback for continuous improvement. The device gives users information that they can immediately incorporate into their routines. With this insight, Babini suggests that users can make decisions that enable them perform at their best, and be more happy and healthy. For now, Humon’s main focus is on helping athletes learn faster and train better. This summer, the Humon Hex will begin shipping the device to athletes all around the country. Babini hopes to help entire teams reach their full potential using the Humon Hex device in the coming months. “The Humon Hex will give users access to unparalleled information that will help the body work at its best,” Babini said. n

A small group of tourists, most bundled up against the rain and wind that awaits outside, are standing still and staring at the ceiling above them—I’m one of them. With our necks craned it would seem that we have all forgotten every childhood lesson about good manners. Our mouths have fallen open, just begging for someone to come in and lecture us about the risk of catching flies, and giving us the appearance of some state of shock. But, to be quite honest, shock might describe how I felt quite accurately. The ceiling in question that has so completely captured my attention is that of the foyer in The Breakers in Newport, R.I. Except I’m not really sure that “ceiling” and “foyer” are really the right words in this situation. Perhaps “ornate work of art” and “palatial receiving room” would serve as more accurate choices. Built in 1895 by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, the railroad mogul whose family essentially served as American royalty until families like the Kardashians captured the national attention, The Breakers served as the family’s summer estate. It was designed by Richard Hunt in the style of the Italian Renaissance (but with handy features like electricity and running water included), and contained 70 palatial rooms, even though The Breakers was only inhabited for a few months out of the year at most. The Breakers is not the only mansion in the area, it is just one of an entire fleet of gigantic homes dubbed the “Newport Mansions” that are open to public today. You can essentially go mansion hopping, ogling at one magnificent home after another, and staring in disbelief at neighboring estates that are still privately owned. Once you see those, and maybe a Bentley pulling through the towering electric gates as one of the owners pulling through, you might consider throwing yourself in front of the car and trying to marry into this family or something, before quickly rejecting the idea. You might not have a gigantic mansion to call your own, but at least you have a sense of pride. Sort of. But back to the ceiling. If you were visiting The Breakers as a valued guest of the family, this impressive feat of molding and gold leaf would be one of the first things that you would see. I can only imagine that it would’ve made for quite the first impression—as I stood there with my head tipped back, listening to the calm voice of my audio tour explain some of the home’s background

while my mouth hung open, impressed is another word that could’ve described how I was feeling. The ceiling, which towered far above my head, was created in imitation of an outdoor piazza. A large rectangular painting of a robin’s egg sky filled with fluffy white and gold clouds made up the center of the ceiling, and it was surrounded by a detailed molded border. Covered in a glimmering gold leaf, this first border was followed by yet another border which contained painted reliefs of angels, acorns, and flowers—and, of course, more gold leaf. A few more stripes of golden artisanal molding, and the ceiling came to an end, allowing viewers’ eyes to travel down one of the glowing golden chandeliers that hung from each of the four corners. The whole room was bathed in a rich wash of soft light, and I started wondering about how it would feel to return to this place after a long day of managing my active life as a Newport socialite and call it home. After wrestling the imposing front doors, would I waltz into this imposing room and shout to my family “Guys, I’m home!”? I could just hear my voice echoing through the space with no reply. Even back home—where the number of rooms to contend with is significantly less than 70—voices can echo, and questions shouted to the rest of the family can go unanswered. As all of our parents could tell us, these moments, where you are ignored or unheard, leave you feeling ticked off and slightly empty. So, as I wandered through The Breakers’ many rooms, each more opulent than the next, I kept turning this problem around in my head. I could only imagine being lonely but still surround by all these pretty things—it seemed miserable. The beauty would lose its charm with each quiet return home, becoming more tainted each day. Eventually, even if living in such a huge space didn’t end up being oppressively lonely, wouldn’t I eventually become desensitized to the marvels that surrounded me? That would be a fate just as terrible as loneliness. To appreciate a beautiful object, you must give your eyes a rest every once in a while. That is the phenomenon of beautiful things. In the object’s absence, you will be able to understand what it adds to the world in full, and cherish it all the more once you find it again. Perhaps that is why the families who lived in these estates limited their time there, and why I was so relieved to finally leave The Breakers once the tour was over. That same phenomenon is why, once out of the gilded home, the craggy tree branches silhouetted against yet another gloomy New England had a beauty that I hadn’t noticed before.

Madeleine D’Angelo is the metro editor for The Heights. She can be reached on Twitter @mads_805.

The Heights

Editorials

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Students Should Explore Creative Commentary Throughout his four years, Anthony Perasso, LSOE ’17, has been an influential figure in the Boston College community. To cap off his career, Perasso wrote and directed a satirical play called The Book of Carney, which will be showcased this Monday and Tuesday. The play recounts a mock history of the University, and comments on a number of familiar themes at BC, including the administration’s failure to recognize issues of race and sexuality. By fusing creativity with criticism, Perasso has pioneered a different way to draw attention to the what he believes to be the most problematic aspects of BC. Perasso is widely known for the “Ranchony” campaign alongside Rachel Loos, MCAS ’18, in the 2015-16 UGBC president and executive vice president election. Although some interpreted the pair’s

Thursday, April 27, 2017

candidacy as a joke—likely in part based on their leadership with The New England Classic, a satirical publication at BC—their actions represented important commentary on the issues around UGBC. They exposed students’ perceptions of the organization on campus and called on UGBC to make a change in the establishment. “If you can use satire to increase attention on the thing that isn’t the joke, that’s the ultimate goal, deep, deep down,” he said to The Heights last year. And this is exactly what he has done. As editor-in-chief of The New England Classic, he has spearheaded one of the University’s most prominent critcs, developing the publication into an important eye for campus culture. While the Classic is funny, it also increases awareness of pressing issues, including the lack of accom-

“Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

modations for those with disabilities on campus, as well as the University’s investment in fossil fuels . This is a direction worth imitating. Students at BC should not view their four years as a time to go through the motions. They are meant to leave this University better than when they first arrived, and Perasso has certainly done this—albeit in his own unique, and sometimes odd, way. There are many creatives among the student body with potential contributions to campus conversations. It is up to the students at BC to keep the administration in check and to be vocal about the changes that they want to see. This call to action doesn’t need to come through conventional approaches like news articles and protests on O’Neill Plaza—as Perasso has proven, sometimes the best method for change is a satirical musical.

Gasson Goofs

By Pablo Cardenal

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The Heights

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Body Shaming and Social Media Alex Brunstad Successfully Staying Dry - The obstacle course loomed before the freshman like a 10-page final he was ridiculously unprepared for. The puddles that arise atop the uneven pavement on Upper when it rains create a treacherous hike from anyone looking to get to their classes from the far side. The freshman laced up his shoes and prepared for a skipping, jumping, and disaster-evasion effort fit for the likes of challenges such as American Ninja Warrior. He glided over massive puddles, his instep finding the small scraps of elevated pavement among the multiple oceans that threatened to ruin his shoes and his day. After one final leap, the freshman found himself on the other side of Kostka by the top of the stairs. His shoes were still dry, and his dignity was still intact. At least for a little while. Hidden Sadness - The rain is pretty good at masking tears. When you’ve just about had enough with the crap life’s been throwing you lately, and you need to let the waterfalls flow, take a step out into the precipitation and participate in some good old pessimism. No one will know that you’re crying under your already wet face, and you can listen to “Closing Time” by Semisonic in peace.

Using Summer As A Verb - When I arrived at orientation, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I entered my temporary 8-man room in 90 (perhaps the only chance I’ll have to live in an 8-man) unassuming and excited to meet some of the people I would be spending the next four years with. My peers and I engaged in casual conversation, where we’re from, what we planned to study, what we wanted to get involved in, the usual. One person explained that she was from California, but didn’t have to drive too far to arrive at campus for orientation. Understandably confused, I inquired as to why this was. “Oh, I summer in Cape Cod,” she said casually, as if uttering such a phrase was just as normal as anything else she could have said in the moment. Her words hit me like a shovel. I was so taken aback. I had never heard the season of summer be used as a verb. To me, the verb “to summer” encompasses the unforgiving and unrelenting pretentiousness that per vades Boston College. I could hear the dollars pouring out of her mouth and hitting the floor as she spoke. There is nothing wrong with having wealth, but to alter a noun into a verb to make sure everyone knows that you have enough money to pick up and spend your entire summer at a different house or property is seriously asking for people to resent you. When you don outfits worth more than this school’s yearly tuition, are you “Guccing?” When you hop in your expensive foreign car, are you “Bentleying?” When you fly to Europe just in time for dinner, are you “Parising?” And when you return home, are you “mansioning?” I still cannot get over this gross reappropriation.

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All too often it’s easy to dismiss comments online as harmless remarks made by “internet trolls,” or even the more serious, personal attacks as “jealous comments.” “Love your body! But never settle for less than the best!” “She’s skin and bones. Someone give her a burger!” “Strong is the new skinny!” “Real women have curves!” After having dealt with a considerable amount of (unwarranted) commentary on social media during my adolescence and subsequent weight loss journey, however, I cannot say certain words still don’t rattle around in my consciousness. Through my own story, I hope to explore how these seemingly innocuous phrases actually can be harmful, particularly with respect to our developing relationships with our bodies. Although health is currently an integral part of my life, I was not always focused on eating a balanced diet, exercising, and most importantly, maintaining a positive relationship with my body. I deliberately choose to use the word “maintaining” because body acceptance is a continuous, and sometimes difficult, process. Whilst being the (perfectly content) outcast in high school, I was what some students described as “chunky.” It never particularly bothered me until I began believing it should. At the time, I did not have the foresight to understand that, no matter how I looked, there would always be detractors, eager to inform me how my body didn’t fit the mold of their standards. On top of that, these standards vary from person to person, but people nevertheless, behind the “safety” of a computer screen, compare others to their subjective standards. We sometimes outwardly respond to this criticism, manipulating our own bodies with photo editing programs, camera angles, and lighting. In response to my critics, I spent the rest of my high school career researching nutrition information, adjusting my diet, exercising more often, and eventually, posting pictures of my 50-pounds-lighter frame on

social media. Despite my changing exterior, however, my mindset remained the same. In the beginning, I felt more confident, which made me warmer and open to forming new relationships. But as my followers grew on social media, so too did those masked voices behind computer screens, waiting to either encourage me, or inform me of my failure to meet certain physical standards. For every well-wisher’s compliment, there seemed to be a complementary snub from another. On some days, I didn’t fit into the category of “woman” because I didn’t have big enough curves. On others, I felt euphoric from the praise, congratulating my progress, encouraging me to continue my efforts. But then again, I should be cautious “not to lift too often” because I might “look manly” (which is, by the way, terrible advice). The most hurtful comments were the simplest: “You looked better before.” It’s easy to tell a friend, a daughter, to toughen up. Grow a thicker skin. But for me, even though outwardly I appeared different, I was still in the early stages of developing something far more important—my own relationship with myself. Social media, originally a platform by which I hoped to give and receive support from likeminded individuals, quickly became a toxic environment for strengthening my relationship with my body. I soon noticed that even the role models I followed on Instagram not only endured the same mixture of compliments and criticisms, but they also unwittingly contributed to the larger problem of judgmental comments. Yes, captioning a photo “Strong is the new skinny” may be empowering for some—namely, those getting stronger—but perhaps we should first shift our focus toward ensuring that our relationship with our bodies is “strong.” Some may find exterior and internal strength in lifting weights, but surely implicitly devaluing “skinny” women (and likew ise devaluing “curvier” women in other situations) isn’t the best means of self-empowerment. Does disparaging others truly liberate our own insecurities? Although losing weight and generally feeling healthier improved my confidence, my change in eating and exercising was ultimately catalyzed by criticism. So what happens when we change

our bodies, but the bullying, and inevitable self-bullying, continue? I wish I would have first sought to improve my personal image of myself, treating it as the foundation of my health that it truly is. To solve a problem superficially is one thing, but to dig deep to its roots, its core, is a whole other entity—a journey in and of itself. If I had first endeavored to appreciate my body for what it is, for what it does for me, and then begun focusing on how I could enhance its performance in sports, its overall mood, and yes, even its appearance, perhaps the negative and positive feedback from others would carry less importance. I would have benefitted from the realization and acceptance that yes, some women have curves, but others are muscular or lanky. Some have a gap between their thighs, some have smaller hips, and some couldn’t care less. More importantly, the only qualification for being a “real woman” is having a heartbeat. Yes, obesity is evidently a problem in America, but our society as a whole, including all body types, suffers from the ridicule and shaming of an overly-critical culture. Insulting people who appear to be overweight (even when they may not be) is never the solution. The previous column I wrote cites more effective tactics discovered by research that can effectively combat negative eating behaviors. Individually, however, we have a personal responsibility to cultivate our own interests, respect our bodies and others, and improve ourselves. Never is there an accepted space for outwardly offending others simply because their health decisions don’t fit within our neatly-categorized boxes of “right” and “wrong.” Similarly, I do not aim to disparage women and men from making healthy lifestyle changes simply for improving their appearance, but I do hope that as social media continues to play an increasingly large role in our lives, we begin to choose our words more carefully. Even if it’s as simple as describing a feeling with more descriptive words than, “I feel fat,” we can adjust the potential impact of our speech on others.

Alex Brunstad is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

How to Change BC for the Better Josh Behrens Boston College may be one of the most hypocritical colleges in America. Constantly calling for its students to be “men and women for others,” BC fails to live up to its own hype, actively discarding its marginalized students in favor of prestige and arbitrary tradition. Here’s just a small sample of the ways BC’s hypocrisy shines: We still do not have an LGBTQ+ resource center, which is a huge slap in the face to the entire BC queer community. We have more students from the top 1 percent than we do from the bottom 60 percent, which is a disgrace given our $2.2 billion endowment and supposed support of America’s poor and working class. Just last week, it was discovered that some of the braille on campus is printed onto the signs. Let me repeat that. BC braille is printed on so that you cannot feel it. What a terribly poetic metaphor. One of the only aides to the blind and visually impaired students on campus is a cheap facade, nothing more than worthless lip service (but is honestly nothing new in the long history of BC doing relatively little to accommodate people with disabilities on campus). I could write about this every week. Well, I practically do. Thankfully, this isn’t to be yet another look-how-hypocritical-BC-is pieces, one of those unproductive columns just adding useless noise to The Heights. While it’s important to continually point out BC’s insincerity, the more pressing issue is finding solutions. How do we change BC then? How do we recognize BC’s hypocrisy and respond in turn, using our four years here to leave BC a little better than we entered? Well, it’s not easy. BC changes slowly. Like really slowly. I’ve had multiple conversations with faculty and administrators where they’ve lamented how difficult it is to enact any meaningful change here given the conservative administrative climate and

the incredibly restrictive bureaucracy. And while it’s hard for faculty to make changes here, it’s even harder for students to make a difference, especially given our fleeting time, demanding schedules, and lack of experience. Sometimes it can feel hopeless at BC, that the common-sense reforms we want like an LGBTQ+ resource center are too “progressive” for this place. We shouldn’t despair, though. We truly have the power to change BC into the vibrant, welcoming campus we envision. The first reason why is that we’re students. Sometimes I think we forget how integral we are in changing the world. Young people have always been on the forefront of social and political movements. College students were instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement, African Apartheid Divestment Movement, in Standing Rock and resisting the Keystone Pipeline, and in the Queer Liberation Movement, just to name a few. I mean, Alexander Hamilton was 21 when he helped free our country from British tyranny. Lest we forget, we are the future, and we determine what sort of world we will live in tomorrow. Filled with endless energy and passion, we can work tirelessly toward any cause if we put our minds to it. Just take a look at O’Neill at 3 a.m. if you need proof. This cynical world of ours can break us down and turn us into tired, pessimistic adults if we let it. The internship rat race and looming student debt does its fair share toward this end. But we should never, ever forget that we are the youth of our nation, of our world, and we hold the future in our eyes and hearts. Secondly, we have changed this campus. BC has come a long way since its early days as an Irish Catholic boys club. In 1939 and 1940, BC acquiesced in benching its first black player against Southern schools, including in the Cotton Bowl, because he was black and it would have offended the segregated colleges we were playing. BC only allowed women into all of its programs in 1970. Throughout its entire history, BC has historically had a complex relationship with its LGBTQ+ students, offering them relatively little accommodation and recognition. Yet, despite this oppressive history,

marginalized students have persisted, and among the student body, we have a more inclusive culture than ever. It is far from perfect, and there are still issues of inclusivity among us, but we have made giant strides since the days when gay students received bricks through their windows. The truth is, campus activism works. It may seem like those pesky protests on O’Neill Plaza are just photo-ops for #woke students’ Instagrams, but they can be truly transformative events that change the campus culture, inspiring hundreds of small conversations that improve the campus one student at a time. In my three years at BC, activist groups such as Climate Justice BC and Eradicate BC Racism have gone from being radical fringe groups to central parts of campus culture, focal points of social justice and student involvement. More students are organizing each day, putting in countless hours in addition to the intense work load of classes and extracurriculars to ensure that each and every student is welcome here. The UGBC presidency of Akosua Achampong and Tt King is the epitome of this diametric shift and a symbol of the hope to come, the hope of a better BC that represents all students. Untold numbers of brave student activists have paved the way for this reality, opening BC up enough to elect the first all-woman executive team composed of a black woman and a lesbian. We need to work to ensure that this trend continues and that the BC of tomorrow is even more inclusive, engaged, and truly ready to set the world aflame. We still have a long way to go before all of the braille on campus is more than just facade, before we have more students from the bottom 60 percent, before LGBTQ+ students feel truly welcome. But if we keep organizing, BC’s culture will continue to change, bringing about Achampong’s and King’s, more CJBC’s and Eradicate’s, more “Men and Women for Others.” Then, maybe, just maybe, BC’s insanely slow bureaucracy might just catch up to us.

Josh Behrens is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

The opinions and commentaries of the op-ed columnists and cartoonists appearing on this page represent the views of the author or artist of that particular piece, and not necessarily the views of The Heights. Any of the columnists and artists for the Opinions section of The Heights can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

Saying Farewell Carolyn Freeman After a tumultuous and strange first semester at Boston College as a nursing major in the Connell School, I decided to start writing for a campus publication in January of my freshman year. I had been the online editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper, an experience that left me in love with the news but burnt out from the constant barrage on my time. I needed a break, and my 17-year-old self had thought that the only way to do that would be to switch passions entirely, from words to needles. It didn’t work. Since joining The Heights, I spent a year as a staff writer, a year as head news editor, a year as editor-in-chief, and finally, a semester as a columnist on campus issues. It has been the hardest thing I have ever done, and the best. Let me tell you a story. On Monday, Jan. 25, 2015, Winter Storm Juno arrived at BC. That night, Governor Charlie Baker declared an official state of emergency, so editor of the New England Classic declared an official University-wide snowball fight. Members of the editorial board realized quickly that nearly all the stories we had planned for the Thursday issue would have to be scrapped. We met in the room of the assistant metro editor in Vanderslice Hall and discussed the best way to cover a storm that would shut down the University for two days and become one of the largest storms in Boston history. That was the start of a series of blizzards that were as welcomed and persistent as a cold sore. With it came a Groundhog Day-like cycle that precluded any sort of joy. I was knee-deep in news, and the blizzards kept coming. Two weeks after Juno, Baker declared another state of emergency. This time, the blizzard struck on a Sunday, and the newspaper worked long into the night before the snow day was declared. That winter was extremely cold. And we never had class. But we always put out a newspaper, even when we were trapped in the office for hours, and walking home meant traversing between two, 10-foot walls of ice-cold snow on Stokes Lawn. Together, we were in the trenches. In the ultimate cliché, there are too many people who are important to me to thank in this column. But know this: Everyone I have met in McElroy 113—from my first day sitting in the biz office writing a news article, to my final production, teary-eyed over my last-ever front page—has changed me in some way. The top-down Jesuit structure of BC demands that students impose meaning on their life before they even have a developed sense of self. A flier for Halftime urges me to figure out what I want to do before I realize I hate my first job. Instead of wanting me to fail, and learn from it, BC wants me to succeed right out the gate. Everything about this school is set up to spit out well-adjusted, but not wellrested, curious men and women. It is a hard narrative to avoid, and harder still to realize that you may not have succeeded in it. Graduation is right around the corner for me, now. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel that sometimes seems like a bright spot of sun and other times like the flash that apparently comes right before death. I sometimes wish I had taken more time in the last four years to breathe. But most of the time, I think that there is more I could have done. That notion of everything can come in the small spaces instead of in the big, sweeping expanse of four years, though. The feeling of accomplishment, of knowing a place and how you fit into it, of pushing yourself and doing almost everything you wanted to, can come in the 3 a.m. headline re-writes and the 11:05 chicken fingers. It can come in Chocolate Bar lattes, matching black turtlenecks, and the pulsing drums before the tumultuous middle of “Hannah Hunt.” For me, it came in all of those things, and it came in the people who walked home with me from Heights production, in a blizzard, after a 12-hour work session, with snow stinging our faces and catching in our eyelashes, and stars winking at us from above.

Carolyn Freeman is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

The Heights

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Delicious Dumplings Arrive at Bess’s Bess’s Cafe opened its doors last month with a minimalist menu. By Madeleine D’Angelo

asking her to step in as the cafe’s executive chef. Together, the two women built the menu using recipes that came from Chin’s mother and grandmothers. With Jenny’s dumplings as a starting point, they focused on “simple, healthy, Asian small dishes,” and worked to source ingredients that met their standards for taste and quality. They wanted to keep everything delicious, but also healthy—a quality that Lee noted can sometimes be hard to find in Boston-area Asian restaurants. “Asian food out there, some is really good, but some is junk,” Lee said. “We eat [the cafe’s food] too. I’m here every day, [and] I eat here [all day].” Lee also worked to transform the restaurant space itself, keeping the décor straightfor ward and clean. The light-green walls and minimal-

Metro Editor

Jenny Chin’s dumplings are nothing like the dumplings that you might usually order to fill a late-night craving for Asian food. Take her pork and chive. The steaming wrapper of each dumpling, which is just thin enough to be unobtrusive—not gumming up the eater’s mouth with starch—and just thick enough to give it body, before quickly giving way to an exceptionally juicy filling. Instead of being chalky and bland, the dense and flavorful pork and chive mixture explodes into your mouth before melting onto your tongue. The pan seared bottom of the dumpling leaves you with a final crunch, and the desire to dive back into your generous plate and finish off the rest. So, it makes sense that these dumplings inspired Bess Lee to take a new journey and open her eponymous eatery, Bess’s Cafe. After softly opening to the public about a month ago, Bess’s Cafe is just two stops down the D line, cozily nestled in Brookline - Bess Lee, the co-owner of Bess’s Hills. It was after finding this perfect space, which originally housed Brick Wall Kitchen, that Lee decided to ist-black tables provide a vibrant finally make the leap, and open a cafe atmosphere, and allow visitors to of her very own. focus on the focal point of the cafe: an After moving to Boston from Hong exposed brick wall that Lee has filled Kong with her family 28 years ago, Lee with her own mother’s traditional worked as a personal shopper in retail brush paintings. for over two decades. But for Lee, it Big, storefront windows also fill was time “to change and have a new the space with light, making the resadventure.” She began toying with taurant open and bright, while invitthe idea of opening her own shop, ing curious passersby to peek in and maybe a one focused on makeup, or explore the new addition to the area. a boutique curating the high fashion But be warned. After peeking in that she knew so well. and getting a whiff of the herbs in When Lee found the Brookline the dumplings as they steam away, or space last January, however, the desire of the spices in a hearty broth being to open her own restaurant crystal- prepared in the back, stepping back lized, and she immediately turned to out without taking a taste will be close Chin, one of her best friends. to impossible. After meeting Chin through muAs people averse to long, complex tual friends over 20 years ago, the menus, Lee and Chin kept the menu two women instantly clicked, and Lee short, and filled it with “easy, simple frequented Chin’s table for dinner. food.” After perfecting the selection Jenny’s homemade dumplings were of dumplings—which range from some of the best that Lee had ever the aforementioned pork and chive, had, so when the concept for Bess’s to succulent chicken dumplings Cafe took shape, Lee turned to Chin, coated in a bright and spicy Sichuan

sauce—the duo curated a selection of wraps, flaky scallion pancakes filled with beef or chicken, and buns. The buns feature a pillowy, steamed bread encasing fillings like beef and pork belly. Topped with finely chopped cucumbers and one of Jenny’s homemade sauces, the buns are umami rich, and still refreshing from the vegetables. Diners looking for a bigger meal might head for the noodles and soups after their dumplings. The rich and spicy Dan Dan noodles are already a crowd favorite, and Lee explained that they are nut-free in order to make the dish accessible to everyone. Lee’s attention to her customers is obvious from the moment that one steps into the cafe. Happily chatting with anyone new, and excitedly greeting an already growing groups of regulars, Lee is eager for their feedback. She has already added a range of vegetarian options (dumplings, n o o d l e s , a n d ap p e t i z ers) to the menu for the community ’s meat-free inhabitants, and is happy to introduce any diner to a new dish. Cafe For those with a sweet tooth, this new dish might take the form of the delicious “Sweet Sticky Rice Pudding,” which combines beans, barley, seaweed, and fruit in a sweet, plum-colored sauce. And while the dish might seem unusual to some customers, for others it might provide a taste of home. “[We also opened the cafe so] that people can taste real Asian food and not have to travel back home,” Lee said. “It will be good for students too. I think that some overseas students might be homesick.” In fact, Lee has already gotten comments of surprise from some visitors who are shocked by the flavors that Jenny has been able to create and replicate. And that’s the point to Lee—creating the flavors of home and spreading them to the community around her. For Lee, Bess’s Cafe is “a family business.” But with each customer who steps into the restaurant, it looks like that family will be growing larger and larger. n

“Asian food out there, some is really good, but some is junk.”

Madeleine D’angelo / heights editor

The cafe serves Asian dishes such as pork and chive dumplings and scallion pancakes.

CommonWealth Kitchen ‘Pops Up’ in The Street at Chestnut Hill Located near Shake Shack, it sells sauces, cookies, and granola. By Simran Brar Heights Staff With the warm weather peeking through during the past few weeks, The Street at Chestnut Hill is often a go-to spot for locals to hang out, grab a bite to eat, and make new discoveries. And the newest discovery to be made is The Street’s most recent pop-up, CommonWealth Kitchen. Nestled behind Shake Shack, CommonWealth Kitchen has taken over the pop-up storefront in its first-ever retail venture. Until May 31, the light-filled pop-up space will showcase some of Boston’s local culinary treasures, many of which are

created by small, local businesses that lack a physical storefront. The wide shelves of the CommonWealth Kitchen pop-up will display local sauces, cookies, granola, and many more options that visitors can enjoy between its airy, pastel-colored walls. All of this innovation arises from CommonWealth Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that is one of the country’s biggest food business incubators. Started in 2009 by founder Jen Faigel, CommonWealth Kitchen has undergone incredible growth over the past eight years. Originally based out of Jamaica Plain in a 2500-square-foot space with only two to three staff members, the facility relocated to Dorchester in 2012 to fill a 15,000-square-foot space with a staff that now includes 15 employees. Faigel, who used to work in real estate, conceived the idea when she came across an empty warehouse. Hoping to

put the space to use, Faigel considered the limits of her experience with affordable housing. “We were putting roofs over people’s heads, but we weren’t doing much to change their socioeconomic status,” Faigel said. After observing other food incubator models that had tried and failed, Faigel decided to give it a shot as well. Now, almost eight years later, CommonWealth Kitchen is home to over 50 food businesses including food trucks, caterers, and wholesalers. Dedicated to the mission of helping minority groups, 70 percent of the small businesses that CommonWealth Kitchen works with are owned by women and minority racial groups. “What we are trying to do here is intentionally invest in groups that have been left out of the marketplace and provide

simran brar / heights staff

The 8-year-old non-profit offers products from over 50 food businesses, including food trucks, caterers, and wholesalers.

the resources and chance that they need to enter it,” Faigel said. The typical process of developing each business ranges from three to six months. Prior to even approaching CommonWealth Kitchen, the organization requires that each business have a license, permit, and insurance, and to display its full dedication and intent on following through with this venture. Once businesses are accepted, CommonWealth Kitchen employees emphasize their role as a helping hand, widely encouraging the business owners to develop their own problem-solving skills. “We help them with anything like label design, to market place entry, or even with community reception. The main focus here though, is that it is all collaborative work,” said Pat Gray, senior advisor for strategy and development. Businesses that are a part of CommonWealth Kitchen all operate on different schedules. Some cook in the Dorchester facility every day, while others may only appear once a week—all depending on the needs of its company. When not in the kitchen, many business owners are out- networking and talking to retailers and wholesalers, trying to further their footing in the marketplace. Due to the differing scale of each company, with some businesses operating in 80 stores while others are in 200, the businesses have varying levels of experience. This difference offers an unique opportunity for collaborative work between the businesses themselves, not just with CommonWealth Kitchen. When looking ahead for the future, Faigel hopes to create a model for other communities seeking to set up food incubators and to further the collaborative work and integration of services that the CommonWealth Kitchen operates on. Gray explained that CommonWealth Kitchen has involved lots of “trial and

error,” which has ultimately bred a community of “problem solvers,” and an organization where those involved are “always looking to be better and can recognize everyone’s unique contribution” Specifically, the organization is working on getting some of its shelf products into local universities within the next few months. It has already made some headway with Harvard and Northeastern. “College students love local products these days,” Faigel said. “They would be the perfect consumer base that many of our businesses are trying to extend out to.” All the items stocked are made in the Dorchester facility. But instead of each business individually selling its product through the storefront, they are bought by the organization, and then sold through the pop-up. And so far, the shelves offer a variety of local options to explore. During the warm weeks to come the small-batch ice cream from Little G’s will certainly fly out of the shop, and honey-sweetened, homemade marshmallows from Apotheker’s Kitchen will satiate anyone’s sweet tooth. In addition to the goods on the shelves, the store will have a rotating schedule of two food trucks cooking in-house, so fresh daily options will be available as well. The month of April will feature the food truck Jamaica Mi Hungry, while May will feature The Dining Car. The pop-up will also feature special events during its stay in The Street, including an upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebration that will offer succulent pork tacos from The Dining Car. And even though May hearkens the end of CommonWealth Kitchen’s stay on The Street, Fiagel and Gray look at the departure with resolute optimism. “Hey who knows,” Fiagel chuckled. “Best-case scenario this could become a permanent space for us.” n

COLUMN

MUSIC MYSTERIES VOL. 3

‘HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN’ AND ‘EVIL WOMAN’ GET A HEARTY ANALYSIS TO THEIR MYSTERIES, PAGE B3

REVIEW

CERTAIN FILMS WERE NEVER MEANT TO BE MADE. THIS IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM, PAGE B4

ONE MAN’S LIFELONG QUEST FOR GLORY TAKES HIM TO THE AMAZON, PAGE B4

‘BIGGER FATTER LIAR’

‘The Lost City of Z’ THURSDAY | APRIL 27, 2017

THE

MEG DOLAN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The Heights

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Are You There, God? It’s Me, (Sister) Margaret. Senior Anthony Perasso’s satirical musical ‘The Book of Carney’ is the untold (and fictional) story of Sr. Margaret Carney. By Connor Murphy News Editor Anthony Perasso, LSOE ’17, sits in a folding chair, his laptop open. Molly Collins, MCAS ’17, his co-director, is beside him. “The year is 1491,” he says. Pretending to give birth to St. Ignatius, Carolyn Townsend, MCAS ’17, starts screaming. “Push!” says Maggie Harrington, MCAS ’17, playing a midwife. Lights. “A child named Inigo Lopez de Loyola is born into a wealthy Spanish family,” Perasso says, in his best Morgan Freeman impression. Out pops Michael Quinn, MCAS ’19, playing Ignatius, fully clothed and immediately posing as his statue out in front of Higgins Hall. “Hello,” Quinn says. From the edge of the room, Collins starts adding direction. “To the audience,” she tells him. “Hello,” Quinn says again, turning slightly. “Baby Inigo grew to be a young man who lived a lavish life of opulent pleasures. He engaged in intellectual pursuits, he enjoyed fighting for sport … ” Perasso says, as Tom O’Boyle, MCAS ’17, seated in front of a keyboard, starts picking at his guitar, giving the scene some rhythm. “ … and womanized his way through todas las chicas hermosas en Basque Country.” “So when he’s saying that, the light is off,” Collins says to Harrington, who’s also playing Make-Out Girl. “You’re gonna come on while that’s happening, and your back’s gonna be turned.” They re-set. Harrington walks in and makes out (or fakes out) with Ignatius, the spotlight on them. “Hey! Hey! Back off! I’m not a saint yet, so it’s cool,” Quinn says. “Inigo was a notorious rabble-rouser,” Perasso says. “In fact, according to some cursory research done on Google, Inigo is the only canonized Catholic saint with a violent police record.” Welcome to The Book of Carney. That name means many things—it’s a weird and silly history of a weird and overly serious school, a 90-page script with 12 original songs and five parodies, one of which is called “All Men Blow,” set to the tune of “Let It Go.” It’s a cast and crew of experienced performers and some relative theatre novices, rewriting lines and talking out the blocking as they go. It’s one last Boston College hurrah for someone who has seemingly been everywhere and done everything over the past four years—let’s call it Perasso’s unofficial senior thesis in the English, history, and theatre departments—with some of his best friends along for the ride.

Yeah, it’s all of those things. But most of all it’s a snapshot of what BC means, from its own historical roots in Ignatius and the Jesuits, to its cultural place in this city, and its students’ place in it. Book is your classic story within a story. It starts with an incoming BC freshman, played by Lindsay Hyman, LSOE ’20, who gets the Book of Carney as a grad present from God. After an original song called “Where I’ll Go” (“I need a school that says premarital sex is a sin / With beautiful buildings, expensive food, and a shitty gym”) the show launches into the little-known and very fictional story of the not-actually BC founder Sr. Margaret Carney (played by Michaela Chipman, MCAS ’19), a spunky nun who spits bars and bashes the patriarchy as she vents her frustrations at her male partners in BC’s founding, Fr. McElroy and Fr. Fitzpatrick, both of whom actually existed and helped to found BC in the mid-19th century. (And there was actually a guy named Andrew Carney.) The sexist Fr. McElroy is played by Meghan H o r n b l o w e r, M C A S ’17, with Stephen Kiely, MCAS ’20, as the bumbling idiot sidekick Fr. Fitzpatrick. They also play Fr. Gasson and Fr. Newton, who come in later in the show. They allow Perasso to develop Sr. Carney as a vehicle for commentary on the sexist underpinnings of the Catholic Church—their antics form the basis of “All Men Blow,” for example. In some ways, Sr. Carney is an amalgam of any ambitious and frustrated nun, and how they might have been treated in that time period. “To a certain extent, she really expresses a lot of attitudes that I think a lot of women at BC have, because it’s a complex relationship between a feminist and the church, not to say that they’re not reconcilable,” Chipman said. Just as they squabble among themselves, the show also takes on Protestants’ discrimination against Catholics: the trio initially sets out from New York for Philadelphia, but, afraid that they’ll run into some WASPs, they decide to walk and accidentally end up in Boston instead. But the whole thing is also militantly unserious, leading to stage directions like this: “FR. MCELROY and FR. FITZPATRICK are passed out on the floor with a mess of beer cans around them. As the lights turn on, they slowly wake up. Meanwhile, SISTER CARNEY is already awake, nervously

pacing and looking around while referencing a map.” That all combines to form a very complex satirical landscape. Perasso’s best-known contribution on campus might have been his work as editor-inchief of the fake newspaper The New England Classic, where he has spent years skewering BC for everything from its obsession with having nice grass to the eclectic personality of Steve Addazio. In Book, he’s doing the same thing, just on a much larger scale than ever before. In the show’s burning bush moment, God raps to Fr. McElroy about what he thinks BC should look like: “An administration that preaches and reaches for grace / Is silent on issues of race / An LGBTQ disgrace,” God tells him. Perasso is weaving together criticism, history, and entertainment, mocking orientation leaders and ex-

I’m not that nimble / But I still want to devote myself to a cause / Hey, what if I was a Vin Diesel for God?”). “I didn’t think I’d have a shot, but I thought, ‘This show’s too funny to pass up even the opportunity of auditioning for it,’” Kiely said. “We’ve been cutting things, we’ve been changing things, we’ve been adding things the entire way through.” Since they started rehearsing in late March, the cast has gotten a new script practically every week, as Perasso continues to tinker with it. He just added the final song last weekend. “It’s been a challenge, but very refreshing,” Chipman said. “It’s not the directors and the cast, we’re all a team … Anthony’s got a way of writing something that is him, and we’re expressing him, but it’s also us.” In addition to writing it, Perasso ser ves as co-director with Collins, and O’Boyle is in charge of music, including the original score. Perasso contacted both of them around the fall of junior year, they said, when he had started thinking about writing the show and was trying to figure out how to put it on. “It’s like a triumvirate,” Perasso said. “This is my first theatre production I’ve ever done, so I didn’t want to pretend that I know more than I do.” Collins and O’Boyle described Perasso as an ideas guy. He’s used to writing words for people to read in an article, and they’re translating that style into writing for people to speak and sing. Perasso started writing it over the summer, jotting down lines, “like any dumb English major,” in a moleskine notebook during lunch breaks. He didn’t touch it during the fall, and then wrote it over Winter Break, reading a history of BC for inspiration. Collins and O’Boyle never really anticipated what it’s become. “[When he first asked me] I was like yeah, sure,” Collins said. “Did I actually think it would get this far? I wasn’t that certain … I thought it would be fun to do a last hurrah with some of my buds who I’ve been friends with since the beginning.” For Kiely and Chipman, who have a lot of theatre experience, cutting and adding on their feet is a new experience. Collins and Perasso will provide direction as scenes continue in front of them, and O’Boyle will adjust or adapt the music accordingly (at first O’Boyle

“The point that he’s really trying to push is ‘You see this thing that we see every day on campus that people are constantly frustrated about? [...] This goes much deeper.’” —Tom O’Boyle, MCAS ’17

ploring hot-button social issues with the same breath. It’s not mean—it’s familiar. And true. “I think the big takeaway, the point that he’s really trying to push, is ‘You see this thing that we see every day on campus, that people are constantly frustrated about and constantly talking about? This goes way deeper,’” O’Boyle said. “It’s the idea that so much has changed and nothing has changed at the same time.” The jokes are relentless and pointed, and nothing is off limits (not even Spotlight). Take the opening scene, for example, which only gets more irreverent. Inigo’s antics continue with the same wry narration and absurd dialogue: he brawls with heretics (“Interested in bad boys? I just punched some nonCatholics in the name of God.”) and gets the ladies’ attention (“Oh, Inigo! Come forth and set our loins aflame!”), but famously ends up getting crippled by a cannonball and renouncing his ways (“I must relinquish my life of hedonism / And instead live a life of Adam and Eveonism / Now I’ll never be an action hero like Vin Diesel / Can’t be fast or furious,

planned to just be somewhat involved with the music, but then Perasso kept writing songs for him to score. “Tom’s a hero,” Collins said). Collins, Perasso said, provides an extra layer of ideas, coming up with stuff he hadn’t thought of, and O’Boyle takes Perasso’s rhyming lines and puts them into a finished musical product. It makes for an organic, collaborative process, which Chipman said reflects the cast members’ different styles and also Perasso’s vision. Hornblower said that Perasso has been very receptive to feedback on how to make a joke land a little better. Sometimes the cast will be talking, and he’ll realize that something is funny and would fit well in the show. “It was definitely very much like, ‘Here’s what I’m thinking, run with it and do whatever you want with it,’” O’Boyle said. The Book of Carney, which runs on May 1 and May 2, is sponsored by the Musical Theatre Wing. Perasso said they were enticed by the idea of bringing in students from outside that bubble. Kiely and Chipman have a lot of experience in theatre, but some of the other cast members and musicians don’t, which in some ways is part of the goal. “I think this campus doesn’t really foster a lot of opportunities for students to do things that they’re interested in in a more casual way,” Collins said. Kiely recently delivered a line in rehearsal in a very different way from how Perasso pictured it—different, but better, he decided. Other shows, Kiely said, are much more set in stone. “To take a backseat and watch other people do what they’re best at and brings themselves to the songs and the characters, to watch people add an element to a song that I didn’t imagine—it’s been really cool,” Perasso said. Back in rehearsal, they’re onto scene three. “I fixed the script, so now you can have the ‘Genesis’ lyrics, I’m just gonna send them to you,” Perasso says to O’Boyle. There’s a song at the end of the scene that isn’t quite ready to rehearse, so they’re going to skip it and just work on the blocking. In the show, God has just given the book to Hyman’s character, Katie the high school grad. “You’re gonna be alone and you’re gonna sit down with the Book of Carney,” Collins says. “We can start that one until they come in. So you can just say, ‘Well, here we go.’” Hyman starts her lines. “Well, here we go, the book that descended down from heaven from God for me to read and learn from so I can revive the legacy of Sister Margaret Carney. No big deal,” Hyman says. “Okay,” Collins says. “And then you’re just gonna open the Book.” n

Julia Hopkins / heights Editor

The Heights

Thursday, April 27, 2017

The Coming Action Grind

Isabella Dow

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE VOICE

Jacobs Documents Detail Proactive Life By Caleb Griego Arts & Review Editor The developed city has often stood as the worldly representation of the United States’ expansion and excellence. Through her cities, fit with skyscrapers, beautiful parks, and an ever-expanding expanse of interconnected roads, America stood above the rest. During the 20th century, the creation of functional and efficient infrastructure remained of paramount concern. But for many living among the waves of change, the undertow proved too strong and destructive. Neighborhoods were threatened by large-scale urban renewal efforts and once vibrant neighborhoods were deemed slums in efforts to greedily redevelop areas. It was through critics, like activist Jane Jacobs, that serious concerns were levied against the brash urbanization efforts in 20th-century America. Her personal papers, writings, and influential works on urban theory attest to this pointed stance in the Burns Library exhibit Dark Age Ahead or Systems of Survival?: Jane Jacobs and the Ethics of Economies. Jacobs did not have a college degree or any formal training in formal planning, but that did not stop her from making her voice heard. Jacobs went toe-to-toe with figures like New York master-builder Robert Moses, and was instrumental in the cancellation of projects she saw as a detriment to affected communities like the Lower Manhattan Expressway, which threatened her home in Greenwich Village. Elsewhere, she championed opposition of the Spadina Expressway in Toronto and its many offshoots. Throughout her life, she brought these ideas to others through writing. Penning the influential book The Death and Life of Great American Cities in

1961, Jacobs outlined what she saw as the degradation of organic urban life in favor of a rigorous order at the detriment to existing communities. The exhibit documents the life of the activist through her personalized papers and writings in the possession of the Burns Library. Several of the pieces attest to Jacobs’ relationship with the Boston area and Boston College itself. A copy of Death and Life remains open to a before-and-after picture of Boston’s West End. One photo shows parishioners in 1958 walking to Mass at St. Joseph’s Church amid a horizon of other buildings and friendly-looking community edifices. The next shows the same pilgrimage to mass four years later, in 1961. Instead of other buildings, piles of dirt and debris decorate the side of the road, leaving only a bare landscape to to traverse through. One panel documented an exchange between Jacobs and an urban city planner with regard to Boston’s North End. What the planner called a slum, Jacobs saw a beautiful community rich with culture. Additionally, she cited its infant mortality, disease, and delinquency as the lowest in the city. “You ought to have more slums like this,” Jacobs said. This exchange underlined the misuse of terms like “slum clearing,” Jacobs criticized. Under the auspices of renewed infrastructure, regions were condemned in order to further nefarious economic desires fueled by minority interests. In the activist realm, Jacobs proved she was a force with which to be reckoned. As a writer, Jacobs proved to be just as impactful. One panel describes the impact Jacobs has had on one of BC’s most influential programs. She is cited as one of the influences on the founders of the

PULSE Program, due to her extensive work in social capital, emphasis on community, and community enrichment. Jacobs spoke at BC multiple times during her career, usually in conjunction with PULSE administrators and students, including a two-day symposium in 1987 and a talk in 1993. Correspondence, in the form of letters, from administrators and Jacobs speak to the successes of the programs and the feeling, held by both parties, that the dialogues were productive ones. Other documents attest to the successes of Jacobs’ endeavors. A N.Y. Daily Report cover harbors the title “DOWNTOWN EXPRESSWAY KILLED.” On the margin of the paper, a note scrawled on the side from Jacobs thanks friends and states elatedly “We did it!.” Another snippet from The New York Times details Jacobs’ arrest for demonstrating and the subsequent riot charge she received. One photograph, as if peeking through the bars into a jail holding cell, show Jacobs sitting inside flanked by much younger delinquents. Her unassuming nature may suggest that her offense was less impactful, but history would say otherwise. All these things show just how influential Jacobs was as an activist and the personal jeopardy she was willing to put herself stated in for her beliefs. Everything within the exhibit is touched by Jacobs. Many of her own handwriting remains on the pages and etched onto typed letters. As an activist, journalist, and writer, it is no surprise that her voice remains laden in every facet of her dealings. Her impact at BC is longlasting, and this exhibit documents how one woman, regardless of education or social standing, could make a difference in communities she valued and saw as beautiful. n

The coming summer months will bring the world numerous new installments in the action genre, and the masses will love it. There’s a lot of spectacle involved in the action genre, with flashy explosions, fierce battles, and the ability of a few misguided characters to destroy everything they encounter. The scene is undeniably exciting: Some character is flying down the highway in a dangerous, reckless car chase, or engaging in an intense battle that viewers watch with eyes as huge as flying saucers. But then I realized that I’ve seen that exact dynamic play out countless times, often repeatedly within a movie or episode. It seems that whenever I watch something from the action genre, it becomes so saturated with uninspired violence and chaos that I really don’t care what the result turns out to be. I don’t care if you get into yet another fight with adversaries over some ill-defined or ultimately inconsequential conflict. I don’t care if you level a city to defeat some alien bent on destroying humanity for some unspecified reason (looking at you, Man of Steel and Avengers). That scenario turns the plot into a paper tiger, a mindless backdrop over which to throw (hopefully) compelling characters and witty one-liners, which support the sequences of action and make the story entertaining. I resent when a story insists on using obvious tactics to stun the viewers, or drag them into a story by preying on their emotions to compensate for a story without substance. This tactic often assumes the viewers will be so floored by the story that they will miss the fact that all the pomp and fuss amounts to a hollow notion of goodness or justice. If a plot requires that the characters are moved past the point of words and resort to gratuitous destruction to resolve a conflict, it had better be done mindfully. By skipping over why any of the following action matters beyond a vague sense of “saving the world,” the viewer misses what it is about the world that’s worth saving. Some viewers may even tune out of the story entirely, finding the violence, intensity, or morally repulsive problems

that drive some plots to be too much to consider. But carefully constructed displays of jarring or unpleasant material can give viewers deeper insight into what a theme or character is trying to convey, which can create a truly gripping experience. That said, some action-genre material just aims to appease the viewer with an artificially exciting world for the sake of commercial success, which perhaps doesn’t scream “insightful” or “able to satisfy existential angst.” But the action genre remains prolific, and does have redeeming qualities. For anyone familiar with the cult film Heathers, the premise of that movie involves blowing things out of proportion with extremes to get attention and assign gravity to one’s actions. Grand displays can be a pointed way to explore the lengths characters will go to fight for something important to them. The action genre, however bombastic, can remind us that people have real agency in the world. Society and individuals are plagued by inaction. Whether it’s mere procrastination or getting stuck in one’s own web of indecision, it seems that inaction pervades life more than anything else. The majority of viewers are faced with a lifestyle that closely resembles “the daily grind,” and consuming a story that is filled with more immediate and large-scale conflict is an appealing form of escapism. But life is not a condensed story that crafts the perfect situation to expedite the resolution of unquestionably important issues. It doesn’t contain deafening sound effects and CGI to alert people of what to do or when to do it. Subtle battles are fought by individuals everyday, regardless of whether they move at a more painstaking pace than the epic clashes of metal and determination that are found onscreen. And superhuman abilities or elaborate conspiracies are not a prerequisite toward chasing something compelling. So take the action genre as an extreme, magnified version of what can be undertaken in life, and something that bolsters the idea that people can overcome grand battles in their own world. Or, you could probably just use the genre as a show to marvel at over a bag of corn-derived snacks, and escape a mundane world with sensational spectacle.

Isabella Dow is the asst. arts & review editor for The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.

Media Mysteries Vol. 3: An ‘Evil Woman’ in the ‘House of the Rising Sun’

Jacob Schick Often, when we watch movies, read books, or listen to songs with a story, there is a clear protagonist and antagonist. We like to know who to root for and who to root against. It helps us, as consumers of media, identify with the people we should identify. Yet, I have found that sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones in which the line between hero and villain isn’t so clear. This is why shows like Breaking Bad and Dexter are so compelling. We like to root for the person we feel we should be rooting for, even if they aren’t doing the right thing. I find, however, that we can gain a whole new depth to the piece of media if we take a step back and look at it from a new perspective.

I have recently done this with one of my “old people” songs, “Evil Woman” by Electric Light Orchestra. The song, when you first listen to it (or have been listening to it for years, like me), seems fairly cut and dry. The narrator is singing about an “evil woman” who hurt him. She has been moving from town to town, seducing men for their money. Her tricks have apparently lost their magic, and she finds herself with “no place left to go,” because she has alienated everyone in the area where they live. This is pretty bythe-book as the narrator feels vindicated because she got what she deserved, in his view. I have recently begun to take issue with my own view of this song. I don’t think all of the awful things that have happened to her are what she deserves. Throughout “Evil Woman,” the singer literally mocks this person for all of the suffering she experiences. He says, “It’s so good that you’re feeling pain” and “ha ha woman what you gonna do / you destroyed all the virtues that the Lord gave you.” I don’t think this woman’s

CALEB GRIEGO Arts & Review Editor The Circle hit theaters this Friday, laden with stars such as Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega, and Patton Oswalt. The film, based on the 2013 Dave Eggers novel, depicts an all-too-familiar world progress to technological greatness. Through surveillence and analytic technologies, ‘The Circle’ company rids the world of a lot of crime and many diseases. But as the film progresses, one may begin to wonder at what cost comes this apparent utopia. Directed by James Ponsoldt, hopefully the film will offer up meaningful commentary on our progression.

actions are morally defensible either, but the narrator seems to be lowering himself to her level by taking pleasure in her pain. This sort of retribution is going much too far for the narrator to be solely a sympathetic character. The good guys or protagonists are supposed to take the high road. If this person is going to invoke a deity to do her ill, he should play by his own rules. I haven’t spent a lot of time in church (thank God), but I’ve seen enough movies involving religion to know a few things. This guy has clearly heard the phrase “Turn the other cheek” and “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” It doesn’t sound like he is doing any of those things. If the woman in the song is evil, then so is this guy. I would say to call the song “Evil People,” but it wouldn’t be nearly as catchy. On the other hand, there is a character in another song who does bad things, but is a good person. A song I’ve been thinking about more and more is “House of the Rising Sun” by the Animals. I really,

really like this song. Full disclosure: I first heard this song when ninth-grade me was into the CBS show Supernatural, and one of the episodes (Season 2 Episode 16, “RoadKill,” a fact I definitely didn’t know off of the top of my head) had a ghost that played this song on the radio every time he got close. I have since moved on from that television show, but the song has remained one of my favorites. But, as always, I believe I have found a new meaning to this song. I think that the song isn’t about a real place in New Orleans. I think it is about a gambling addiction. The singer describes how the House (gambling) has “been the ruin of many a poor boy” because they have gambled all of their money away. The singer admits that his father was a gambler, so it is something he grew up seeing, and it would lend itself to him becoming a gambling addict, too. At the end of the song, the singer has been in a different place for a while, but he has given in and is “goin’ back to New Orleans / To wear that ball and chain” (read: be tied down

JACOB SCHICK

Assoc. Arts & Review Editor This weekend marks the release of Sleight. This film is about a young boy forced to make hard choices to take care of himself and his little sister after his parents die. The young boy, played by Jacob Latimore, is also capable of magic. These powers, however, are not what makes the movie interesting. The compelling aspect of Sleight is the story of survival in an envrionment that wants you to fail. The film is from a relatively unknown director, J.D. Gillard, and has received mixed reviews, which can usually be taken to mean it will be very good, and slightly controversial, in the vein of Get Out.

by his addiction to gambling). He knows that what he is doing is wrong, but he feels a compulsion to do it anyway. He tries to tell others not to do what he has done, don’t “spend your lives in sin and misery / in the House of the Rising Sun.” Some might consider this man a sorry sight, giving in to his baser desires, but I think there is admiration due to him. He realizes that he can’t escape this addiction, but he is trying to stop others from suffering a similar fate. Both of these songs have a hidden message inside of them. The lessons themselves might be cheesy: take the high road and don’t get in over your head, but unlocking them is the point. We might be faced with hidden meanings in our lives everyday, but we won’t know unless we are looking. We can get a different frame of mind if we only take a step back and squint.

Jacob Schick is the assoc. arts & review editor for The Heights. He can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.

ISABELLA DOW

Asst. Arts & Review Editor You know her from her song, “1234” that was used in an Apple commercial for the cutting-edge iPod Nano circa 2007. This fact, from which she has endlessly tried to distance herself, may finally be forgotten. Now singer-songwriter Feist returns after a five-year hiatus with indie pop album, Pleasure, which shows the artist’s evolution of her easy-going, enigmatic style into something moodier with an edge. Pre-released singles include the hazy, fierce tracks, to “Century,” and the meditative, edgy “Pleasure,” both of which introduce some of the reflective aspects of a new era in Feist’s career.

THIS WEEKEND IN ARTS: EDITORS’ PICKS

THE HEIGHTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017

‘Lost City of Z’ Finds Itself Searching for Purity BY PETER GAVARIS Heights Staff

At the heart of James Gray’s newest film, The Lost City of Z, lies a tremendous sense of unrestrained longing. At the dawn of the 20th century, the world became a little smaller as the rapid expansion of the British Empire seemed to bring all corners under the same sphere of influence. No longer were the days of Columbus when an explorer could, by chance, happen upon an entirely new continent with new civilizations. Rather, the early 1900s allowed for a certain kind of arrogance—the British, and the British alone, were the conquerors of all nations. There was nothing left to

discover, and all sense of mystery fell by the wayside. Although it is never explicitly mentioned, British officer-turned-explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) spends much of the runtime grappling with his own existential crisis stemming from this absence of uncertainty. When he is asked by the Royal Geographical Society to venture into Bolivia to map the uncharted land, he zealously agrees. Leaving his pregnant wife (Sienna Miller) and young son back in England, Fawcett ventures out into the vast jungle along with fellow explorer/cartographer Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson). While mapping his way up river, Fawcett learns from an indigenous

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person that there exists a hidden city in the center of the Amazon jungle, untouched by white men. Thoughts of this mysterious city occupy Fawcett’s mind as the raft floats back down the wide river, Apocalypse Now-style. Fawcett returns to England soon after, completely engrossed by the idea of this elusive “Lost City of Z”—it has offered him a solution to the neuroses plaguing him by restoring a sense of childlike wonder and amazement within him. Fawcett’s return to England is expectedly bittersweet. The warm embraces of his family are heartfelt and genuine, but the lingering desire to explore still haunts him. His continued involvement with the Royal Geographical Society seems to further alienate him, as the snobbish Brits are only capable of scoffing at him for his interest in this lost city. The Lost City of Z subverts past clichés of the adventure genre. After having seen the people of the Amazon, Fawcett returns to England as a defender of the indigenous people—offering that they are, in fact, smart and resourceful. The Brits, sitting in a ornate, mahogany-laden boardroom, mockingly grant him permission to return to the Amazon for the second time. Fawcett leads, along with Costin, another failed mission. Fawcett’s life was, clearly, one of dedicated repetition. After returning to England after this second expedition, Fawcett must join the army and fight

in the trenches of World War I, and Gray juxtaposes the quiet of the jungle with the mortars and machine gun fire of the Western Front. The scenes depicting the grimy, rat-filled trenches on the Somme certainly recall Stanley Kubrick’s filmmaking in the masterful Paths of Glory (1957). After returning from war, Fawcett, unsurprisingly, decides to lead one final expedition into the Amazon jungle— even if this preoccupation seems to alienate him from his family—especially his son, Jack (Tom Holland). This familial drama comes to the forefront of the story whenever Fawcett returns home, promptly asking the audience whether or not these extensive trips and tours are justified in neglect of family. Like Fawcett, writer/director James Gray, too, seems to have a preoccupation with the past, returning to a kind of epic filmmaking that is generally unseen in contemporary multiplexes. While today’s spectacle films are comprised of the latest Marvel or Star Wars property, Gray has made a two-hour, 20 minute-long film that recalls epics that predate the commoditization of movies that seems to value brand over storytelling. Gray lingers on images of the blue river water and the vast jungle in a genuine attempt to inspire a sense of wonder and amazement in a postmodern world. Gray, like Fawcett, is searching for something pure and unadulterated, and that should be commended. 

Nye’s New Show Saves World From Ignorance, Apathy BY CAROLINE MCCORMACK Heights Staff

In Bill Nye Saves the World, the beloved scientist of everyone’s childhood gets to the bottom of things. Choosing pressing and controversial topics like climate change, GMOs, vaccinations, and life beyond earth, the show suggests nothing is off limits or beyond the realm of science. According to Nye, curiosity is part of what makes us human. It’s what drives us—the joy of discovery. Incorporating famous guests , including Karlie Kloss, Zach Braff, and Desiigner, the show pulls from a great network of celebrities to articulate the importance of an expansive dialogue on these issues. On climate change, Kloss took a trip to Paris to speak with experts about how rising sea levels damaged ancient buildings and artifacts. Desiigner explained why his favorite chocolate or sushi may no longer be around if certain trends continue. Nye elaborated on this point later, invoking more celebrity, as he set an overarching tone for his show. “What, you thought I’d get a new TV show and not talk about climate change? Come on, for crying out loud, we’ve had world wars, pandemics, we’ve even had reality television, but global warming and climate change are way worse,” he said. “Paraphrasing my colleague Jay-Z, it’s not one

problem, we’ve got 99 problems and they’re all … difficult.” Nye employs a variety of segments that flow seamlessly together and help communicate nuanced messages to the audience. One of the most developed segments are panel discussions held with experts on the issue. Experts range from a large-scale industry farmer to a planetary protection engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. Each guest contributes thoughtfully in their respective realms and have a unique take on any given issue. In one episode, Nye speaks with NASA’s Moogega Stricker, who explains topics ranging from the “flashing bulb problem,” the search for extraterrestrial life, and his work with the 20/20 mission to Mars to ensure that involved parties abide by contamination and planetary protection rules. In one segment, “Bill’s Need a Minute,” Nye gives his take on a specific issue backed with his scientific expertise. In one of these segments, Nye spoke about people buying into medical products that are scams. Cautioning viewers about “magic” substances that are not backed by empirical data, Nye outlined his argument. “You could be doing yourself harm and no one would be the wiser,” he said. “All sorts of things are sold as dietary supplements that aren’t tested,

that don’t need to be tested, and it wouldn’t matter except billions are spent on these things by people who are just hoping that this thing will do some magical things.” Segueing out of informed opinion, Nye also tries to offer up solutions. He uses the scientific method to prove the points he proposes as remedies to the problems. One of the most interesting tests Nye did was about alternative medical treatments. Magnetic knee bands are said to help because blood has iron in it and, in theory, because blood has iron in it, it can draw blood to

parts of your body to help them heal. The scientist disproved this by taking a magnet to his own blood with no result. This is because the iron in his blood is bound to a complex hemoglobin, rendering it nonmagnetic. Nye has such a way with words. He breaks difficult scientific subjects down into easy nuggets that people can understand, regardless of their level of experience. Through his use of humor, technology, and scientific expertise, he may be on his way to saving the world through informing the public of the most serious issues we face. 

Assoc. Arts & Review Editor Contrary to what Ron Oliver, the director of Bigger Fatter Liar might have believed, no one was, as Duran Duran might put it, “Hungry Like The Wolf” for a standalone sequel to Big Fat Liar. In fact, it’s doubtful that anyone even thought that a standalone sequel (whatever that means) of Big Fat Liar was possible at all. And yet, every one of the millions of Netflix subscribers find this ... thing … at the tips of their fingers. There can be no introduction to this 94-minute, IMDb-page-having, rated-by-the-MPAA YouTube video calling itself a movie that

does justice to the sheer revulsion one feels when watching Bigger Fatter Liar. But the review must go on. Bigger Fatter Liar has decided that it has actors, even though that word doesn’t apply to the people in this movie. Ricky Garcia, an actor who is best known for his breakout role as Cool Kid in the episode “Gun Fever Too: Still Hot” of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, plays Kevin Shepard. Kevin is the most teenageboyish of all the teenage boys in town. He has a “cool” room that slams the audience in the face with every possible signifier that, yes, a teenage boy lives here. He has more posters than wall space, he has desk toys, games, dirty clothes everywhere, an

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TOP SINGLES

1 Humble. Kendrick Lamar 2 Shape Of You Ed Sheeran 3 That’s What I Like Bruno Mars 4 DNA. Kendrick Lamar 5 Mask Off Future 6 iSpy KYLE ft. Lil Yachty 7 Stay Zedd & Alessia Cara 8 Something Just Like This Chainsmokers & Coldplay

TOP ALBUMS

1 DAMN. Kendrick Lamar 2 The Search for Everything John Mayer 3 More Life Drake 4 Divide Ed Sheeran 5 Memories...Do Not Open The Chainsmokers

Source: Billboard.com

MUSIC VIDEO BARRETTE JANNEY

“IT AIN’T ME” KYGO FT. SELENA GOMEZ

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‘Bigger Fatter Liar’ Commits Crimes Against Cinema BY JACOB SCHICK

CHART TOPPERS

enormous desktop computer, and … three giant skulls stacked on top of each other. Just like every teenage boy. Kevin is also a pathological liar who is also a world-class programmer because of course he is. Kevin plagiarizes an entire paper and is caught by his teacher. He is given the option of failing the class or writing a new paper. If he fails, he faces summer school. Kevin writes a paper about the plot for a video game and is on his way to hand it in when he hitches a ride from video game executive Alan Wolf (Barry Bostwick). Wolf steals his project, titled “Bigger Fatter Liar,” and rides off cackling into the sunset. Shepard is forced to go to summer school and vows revenge. Through a series of lies, hijinks, and movie magic, Shepard and his friend/romantic interest/voice of reason Becca (Jodelle Ferland) find themselves in San Francisco. They go there in order to convince Wolf to come clean about stealing Shepard’s project, absolving him from his father’s disapproving looks. Dynamic duo Kevin and Becca first meet with Wolf to ask him nicely to call Shepard’s father and tell him the truth. Wolf refuses to do so and, in true teenage fashion, Kevin and Becca literally ruin his entire life. First, they commit massive fraud by stealing Wolf’s credit card and using it to fund their stay in San Francisco for the next three days. Then, they slowly enlist the help of all those Wolf has spurned over the course

of his career. They knock Wolf unconscious with a massive overdose of his own medication, permanently bleach his face white and his hair purple, and expose him as a jerk in front of his company and the world at large. Because Shepard couldn’t handle a month of summer school, they ruin a human being’s, albeit a mean one’s, entire life. The entirety of Bigger Fatter Liar’s problems cannot be contained in this small review, nor one 10 times as long. Bigger Fatter Liar is not worth the 94 minutes of time on this earth that it takes to watch. This movie is not worth the fractions of pennies it takes to power a television or a computer to play it. This movie is not worth the bandwidth it uses when streaming it over the internet. Sure, the young actors involved might have had a good time (as evidenced by the bloopers, as if this entire film isn’t a blooper in itself), but there were actual adults involved in the making of this movie. Real people, with real jobs, working to support themselves. Now they have this anchor tied to them, weighing down their proverbial balloon. None of the actors in this movie will go on to bigger and better things, but no one deserves to have been a part of this refuse. If you like Big Fat Liar, Bigger Fatter Liar will make you hate it. If you like movies, this isn’t one. If you have the capacity to like things, Bigger Fatter Liar will replace that capacity with a gaping maw of hatred. Please, don’t watch this movie. Please. 

While bright visual artistry, an alluring plot, and an infectious melody all characterize Kygo and Selena Gomez’s newest music video for “It Ain’t Me,” a lack of convergence of these individually compelling elements translates into altogether detachment. Released as a single on Feb. 16 and as a music video on April 24 by Interscope and Ultra, “It Ain’t Me” serves as the first tease for DJ Kygo’s second studio album. The song itself conveys the dissolution of a relationship plagued by debilitating partying and alcoholism. The video commences with a couple suiting up for a motorcycle excursion in the dark. While coasting down an empty curved road, an unforeseen flash of light blinds them, causing the male driver to swerve and flip the bike. The woman, clad in red leather, peels off her helmet to reveal her horrified expression as she gazes upon her immobile partner. She removes his helmet and exposes his cut face, the moment which ushers in Gomez’s raw vocals. A series of clips exhibits a slew of physicians attempting to revive the man, but he ultimately remains in a coma as the woman anxiously paces his hospital room. We then enter into the surreal realm of the man’s subconscious, a state enveloped by a violent cobalt mist, which a healthy, albeit dazed, version of him stumbles through. The woman, whose desolation transforms into peaceful bliss and pacing molds into dancing, places her headphones on her partner, and his subconscious erupts into a multitude of varying colors that shift instantaneously with the music. The closing of the video captures the man’s waking, a miracle met with the stark absence of his partner. While the independent features of music, plot, and visuals intrigue, together they each seem to move past each other, never achieving true accord. This translates into a wholly discordant art piece that does no justice for the endless possibilities for creation that the song allows. Although “It Ain’t Me” certainly draws attention, it fails to hold it due to an absence of concept fluidity. 

SINGLE REVIEWS BY TOMAS GUARNA MALUMA “Felices los 4”

LANA DEL RAY FT. THE WEEKND “Lust for Life” King of breaking the internet, Maluma, released “Felices los 4,” a feel-good, slow reggaeton about a couple that broke up and found someone else (or about a foursome—as it happens often with the genre, we’re never really sure). The song doesn’t take too many risks, but it’s an overall solid spring jam.

“Lust for Life” captures all of LDR’s greatness. It’s a song about her usual topics (a pulse for living, being young and free, what “keeps us alive”), made excellent by beautifully-set synths and The Weeknd’s falsetto. Also, it’s a good reminder to watch out for Del Rey’s eponymous album.

PARAMORE “Hard Times” Paramore has turned into an unrecognizable project, now foraying into overproduced indie pop. “Hard Times” is an unsurprising song that features Williams’ already tiring vocals and a sticky, yet cheesy, melody. The band is, undeniably, going through some “hard times.”

CLASSIFIEDS

Thursday, January 17, 2014 Thursday, April 7, 2016

Thursday, April 27, 2017

The Heights TheTH heeights Heights

B5 B5

The Heights

Thursday, April 27, 2017

ATHLETICS

In Introduction, Jarmond Short on Details, High on Energy Jarmond, from B8 Athletics and really get in and learn where I can help. I have not thought about that at all.” He wasn’t done yet. “Then as far as me ever hiring or

firing, I have done that,” Jarmond continued. “You just don’t know that, but I have. But that’s not something that you typically put on a resume.” In his first appearance as the University’s most visible administrator, Jarmond’s versatility was on full

display. He stood firm in response to hardball questions, charmed with answers to softer questions, and mixed in a few witty remarks along the way. The soon-to-be youngest AD in the Power Five won’t transform a

struggling athletic department based on his magnetic personality alone, but it’s certainly a start. If anything, his energy was refreshing. “Passion is contagious,” Jarmond said. “It spreads, and it is the fuel that builds momentum. We need passion

and energy among all our staff and coaches in all that we do.” In Jarmond, BC found itself a new AD with plenty of passion. And, even before he officially takes over in midJune, you can already feel it beginning to spread. n

Julia Hopkins / Heights Editor

Martin Jarmond, the soon-to-be youngest director of athletics in the Power Five, was introduced as Brad Bates’ replacement by Leahy at a press conference in Yawkey Center on Monday afternoon.

There’s No Better Time Than Now to Watch BC Softball Show Up for SB, from B8 have generally been close, though— BC lost by one run in four of her losses and by two runs in three of her losses. If Dreswick’s commanding pitching alone isn’t enough to draw you in, consider some of the batting statistics of her teammates. Tatiana Cortez has made the most of her senior season so far—she has posted a batting average of .306, adding 20 runs for the Eagles this season. She’s doubled six times, gone deep nine times, and walked 20 times. Cortez leads BC in RBIs, knocking in 38 runs over the course of the season so far. (Jordan Chimento, in second place, has 25 RBIs, and Chloe Sharabba, in third, has 19.) Sophomore Lexi DiEmmanuele has also put up strong numbers this season. Batting .287, she has recorded 39 hits and scored 29 runs. She’s been especially productive lately, scoring eight runs over the course of eight games between April 12 to 23. Sharabba has also been an offensive asset to the Eagles this year. In 139 at-bats, she has been good for 43 hits. Sharabba has knocked in 19 RBIs, contributing 33 runs herself.

She’s hit five doubles and seven home runs, too, proving that she’s got the power to record extra-base hits. Home games are when BC excels—and fortunately for BC, it has four coming up. The Eagles will host North Carolina State in a series over the weekend before welcoming Providence next Wednesday for the final home game of the year. The Eagles currently have a 9-2 record at Shea Field. And the two times they’ve lost at home this year have been close—a two-run loss to conference opponent Louisville, and a one-run loss to in-state opponent University of Massachusetts. But for the most part, BC has dominated at home. The Eagles have outscored their opponents 37-14 at home over the course of their nine home wins. What’s more, seven of the nine home victories have been against ACC opponents. You may want to just coast through the rest of the semester, just getting by until exams end and you’re free from schoolwork for a couple of months. Believe me, I understand that feeling all too well. But with the weather finally improving this weekend (supposedly … ), there’s no better time to go support the Eagles.

Shaan Bijwadia / Heights Staff

Jessica Dreswick became the program’s first-ever 20-game winner after picking up three wins in a sweep last weekend. After all, they’ve more than proved they deserve it. Dreswick, Cortez, DiEmmanuele, and Sharabba are just four of the talented players on the roster—many of their teammates have also put up strong numbers, making games fun for fans and putting BC in a good position right before the ACC Tournament. Plus, with BC’s dominant home

BASEBALL

BC’s Beanpot Title Becomes Official By Tom DeVoto Heights Senior Staff In anticlimactic fashion, Boston College has defended its Baseball Beanpot title. Last Wednesday’s championship game between BC (16-22, 6-15 Atlantic Coast) and Harvard University (1620, 5-11 Ivy League) at Fenway Park only lasted four and a half innings before officials halted the game due to inclement weather. Coaches from BC and Harvard had hoped to find a common date to finish the game at one of the teams’ home fields, but no such date was available. It was announced on Tuesday afternoon that the 3-2 score from the top of the fifth inning would be recorded as official. The victory over Harvard, BC’s second of the season, marks the thirdconsecutive Beanpot title and the 13th title overall for Birdball. “It’s great to get a W on this field— or close to a W, or whatever you want to call that,” Gambino said following the conclusion of the game. “Regardless of the number of innings that you play, anytime you can leave the field with the lead feels pretty good.” Freshman Jake Alu scored the game-winning run for the Eagles by doing all of the work on the base-

paths himself. After working a walk against Harvard pitcher JT Bernard, Alu stole second base, then took third base without a throw from the catcher, then stole home plate on a wild pitch. That happened on three consecutive pitches. “One of the things we work on is looking to get that second bag as soon as we steal,” Alu said after last week’s game. “I got a good read on his delivery and got a good jump off of second base.” With five home games relocated, three games rescheduled, and four games postponed completely—including contests originally scheduled for this week against UMass Lowell and Bryant—BC has battled against Mother Nature even more so than usual in this ongoing season. Having to adjust on the fly comes with the territory when trying to play baseball on a grass field in Boston in the early springtime, but it doesn’t seem to bother Gambino’s players one bit. “That’s our life, man,” Gambino said. “Where are we playing our home games? What time are we hitting? That’s our life, but the boys do a great job of adjusting. Their biggest concern was whether the pregame subs were gonna get here on time.”

Well, did they? “They did,” Gambino said with a smile. Sitting in last place in the ACC, it will take some luck for BC to sneak into the ACC Tournament, but it’s not impossible —and it certainly looks like more of a possibility after last weekend’s sweep of NC State. The series saw Dan Metzdorf and Brian Rapp throw eight and nine innings, respectively, as the starting rotation stepped up at a crucial time. The Eagles have six conference games left on their schedule, and they’ll likely need to win at least four or five of them to have a chance. This weekend, they welcome Miami to town for a rematch of last year’s Super Regional series. BC ends the season with a crucial home series against the University of Notre Dame, who sits right above BC in the Atlantic Division. The conference recently changed the format of its postseason baseball tournament, with the bracket updated to include 12 teams instead of 10. The teams will be split into four pools of three teams for a round robin stage, and the winner of each pool will advance to a single-elimination bracket to determine the conference champion. n

record, it’s a safe bet you’ll get to see some victories before the semester ends. So there’s really no better time than now to support BC softball. With the season winding down, the Eagles will want to keep their foot on the gas, charging into postseason play with all the momentum they can muster.

You can definitely find worse things to do than spend a few sunny, warm hours watching BC dominate a conference opponent at home this weekend.

Annabel Steele is the assoc. sports editor for The Heights. She can be reached on Twitter @Steele_Heights.

The Heights

Thursday, April 27, 2017

LACROSSE

BC Eyes First ACC Tournament Win Since 2013 By Andy Backstrom Asst. Sports Editor Notre Dame all but took Boston College lacrosse’s Kate Weeks out of the game. Weeks, the ACC’s fourthleading scorer, was limited to just one goal on Saturday, and it came in the first 15 minutes. On paper, it appeared as if the senior was shut down. After all, she only whipped up three shots—practically half of her normal output. It was the fifth time all season that Weeks failed to record more than one point. In those five games, the Eagles are a meager 2-3. But there’s a reason why one of those two wins came on Saturday. And you won’t find it in the box score. Like Kayla O’Connor and Kaileen Hart—BC’s third- and fourth-leading scorers—Weeks stole the attention of the Notre Dame defense. Notre Dame head coach Christine Halfpenny will face the same dilemma on Thursday when the teams face off in the opening round of the ACC Tournament in Richmond, Va. As long as Weeks was on the field, she had a target on her back. Coming into the matchup, Weeks had already tallied 53 goals on the year. Instinctively, Halfpenny planned to prevent Weeks from adding to her total. But all that did was leave other Eagles open. Weeks, O’Connor, and Hart all drew defenders, creating holes in the Irish defense. Kenzie Kent and Sam Apuzzo cashed in, leading an 11-goal comeback in the second half. Kent scored

a season-best five goals, and the two combined for 12 points. But if you ask head coach Acacia Walker, it could have been anyone. “I think the reason why one or two people can have a really good game is because there are seven girls out there that are scoring,” Walker said in an April 25 press conference. “And you can’t really pay attention to just one or two, because then the other two or three will step up.” In ACC competition, No. 12 BC (12-5, 3-4 Atlantic Coast) averages 13.14 goals per contest—the secondmost in the conference. Along with North Carolina, the Eagles are the only team in the league to post 13 or more goals a game. Seven different players have scored at least 10 times this year, and four have eclipsed the 30-goal mark. On Wednesday, the Eagles’ top two scorers—Apuzzo and Weeks—received All-ACC honors. Defender Elizabeth Miller also earned the distinction. Apuzzo, who racked up the third-most points in the country this year, made the First Team, while Weeks and Miller were listed on the Second Team. Fortunately for the No. 13 Irish (11-6, 4-3), they have a few weapons of their own. Thanks to Cortney Fortunato and Casey Pearsall, Notre Dame features the nation’s 22nd-highest scoring offense. The duo strikes a similar resemblance to that of Apuzzo and Weeks. Fortunato fits the mold of a player like Weeks, a pure scorer. On the other hand, Pearsall is the complete package. Identical to Apuzzo,

EDITOR’S

PICKS Less than a week after beating Notre Dame on Senior Day, lacrosse rematches the Irish in the first round of the ACC Tournament. Will the Eagles stay hot in the postseason? Or will Notre Dame exact revenge when it matters most?

RILEY OVEREND Sports Editor

Celine Lim / Heights Staff

Junior attack Kaileen Hart strides up the field during a win against Yale last month. the senior ranks in the top-50 in the assist department, all while possessing the ability to get to the net. In the teams’ first go around, both Fortunato and Pearsall were relatively quiet. The BC defense held them to a combined four goals. But Walker isn’t taking anything for granted. “Honestly, it takes an entire defense to stop those two,” Walker said. Walker noted that the Eagles have placed a huge emphasis on once again restricting Fortunato and Pearsall for Thursday’s game. Samantha Lynch, the team’s third-leading scorer, did not record a goal last weekend. Lynch, who routinely comes off the bench, has provided the Irish with a consis-

tent scoring presence. Considering that the sophomore notched hat tricks in the two games prior to the regular season finale, it will be interesting to see what kind of role she plays on Thursday. For the past two years, BC has lost in the first round of the conference tournament. In 2015, the Eagles dropped a double-overtime thriller to Syracuse. One year later, the Orange relied on two five-goal rallies to bounce BC for the second-consecutive season. Having defeated four top-25 teams this year, the Eagles’ boasted some pretty big wins. But none would be bigger than one on Thursday. n

MEN’S BASKETBALL

What Does Turner’s Transfer Mean for Program?

B C ’s w in la st we ek against the Irish was a tale of two halves. The Eagles entered halftime facing a 75 deficit, but rallied for seven-straight goals to capture the victory. Sam Apuzzo and Kenzie Kent combined for 12 total points . But in the opening round of the ACC Tournament in Richmond, Va., BC won’t have the benefit of home field advantage. Away from Newton Campus Field, the Eagles may find themselves unable to crawl out of an early hole if the Irish come out of the gate strong.

PREDICTION Notre Dame 13 BC 12

ANNABEL STEELE

State of MBB, from B8 Though Turner clearly wasn’t the player he was projected to be two years ago, he offered a vital contribution to the roster. He meshed well with Bowman and Robinson as a low-usage secondary playmaker and defender. Additionally, he built himself into one of the cornerstones of a rebuilding program, a player with two seasons as an ACC-caliber starter under his belt and a growing role as a team leader. So as news broke a few weeks ago that he received his release from BC, seeking to transfer elsewhere to play out the remainder of his NCAA eligibility, just about everybody was left stunned. With no obvious acrimony between player and coaching staff or with any of his teammates, the most common reason for transferring doesn’t fit the situation. Speculation is futile, since Turner himself didn’t divulge any reason for the decision—certainly, he’s under no obligation to do so. But while the program itself may not have prompted an angry request to transfer, it does seem fair to say that what the program had to offer him no longer served as strong reasons to keep him here. Turner was presented the opportunity to start over 100 games in the ACC and to be a key piece—alongside Bowman and Robinson—in the Eagles’ rebuild. Though it sounds like a cliché, he was given the chance to be a part of building something lasting. And whatever the reason, Turner decided that package no longer appealed to him. Instead, as was reported Wednesday, the former Eagle will take his talents to Northwestern, where he will be reunited with 2017 signee Anthony Gaines, a prep school teammate of Turner’s. The decision offers further evidence of BC’s specific recruiting pitch lacking appeal. Though they made the tournament this past season, Northwestern and head coach Chris Collins are still recruiting under the premise of players being part of building a lasting program, much like Christian does. However, the most strenuous part of

Assoc. Sports Editor

Fresh off a dominant win over Notre Dame last week, Boston College lacrosse will match up against the Fighting Irish again in the first round of the ACC Tournament in Richmond, Va. Fear not, BC fans—the Eagles will earn another big win over the Irish. Kate Weeks and Sam Apuzzo are both in a serious groove right now and will take down Irish goalie Samantha Giacalone en route to a win. Look for solid performances from both BC goalies Zoe Ochoa and Lauren Daly, doing an excellent job of stopping the Irish attack.

PREDICTION BC 18 Notre Dame 9 Julia Hopkins / Heights Editor

A.J. Turner (11) announced earlier this month that he was leaving BC, and yesterday, he picked Northwestern as his next destination. the Huskies rebuild appears to be in the past, as the team has established a baseline around a .500 record. Perhaps this is the point at which recruits sour on BC. While the idea of building something, not just serving as a cog in a finely tuned machine, appeals to players, the prospect of actually suffering through the early years of heavy losses doesn’t strike them as alluring. For Christian, this represents a bit of a crisis point. Of the 10 recruits he signed for his first three seasons as BC’s head coach, five have now transferred from the program: Idy Diallo, Matt Milon, Sammy BarnesThompkins, Ty Graves, and Turner. Whereas the first four names on that list represent role players faced with no guarantee of steady time on the court, Turner was an unquestioned starter who was a lock for 30 minutes per game. If someone with that type of welldefined role, who had been offered the elevated status of establishing a

SCOREBOARD SOFTBALL BC 6 | GA TECH 2 BC|MOORE H 2RBI

BASEBALL

BC|STREM 2RBI

GA TECH|BELL RBI

4/22 SOFTBALL BC 4 | GA TECH 2

CHESTNUT HILL, MA

BC 8 | NC ST 3

NC ST| DEBO 2RBI

foundation for future success, decides it’s no longer worth it to remain with the program, how much more does Christian really have to pitch to future recruits? If the chance to grow alongside the top young backcourt in the ACC doesn’t inspire a firm desire to play with this team, what will? Despite Bowman’s breakout year and the valuable contributions of Nik Popovic and Jordan Chatman, the hope of this past season has begun to fade. In its place is a familiar cynicism. The Eagles only have two recruits currently signed for next season—6foot-10 forward Luka Kraljevic and 6-foot-4 guard Avery Wilson. Neither seems ready for heavy ACC minutes, with Kraljevic needing to add muscle to his frame and Wilson needing to refine his game. As in prior campaigns under Christian, the Eagles figure to be active in the graduate transfer market, especially for their thin frontcourt rotation. That they still need to do

BC|CORTEZ 3RBI

4/22 BASEBALL BOSTON, MA

BC|ALU 1H 1R

this heading into the fourth year of the current regime is indicative of the fact that the coaching staff ’s recruiting pitch is falling on deaf ears. Just this week, Malik Ondigo—a three-star, 6-foot-9 center with good athleticism and shot blocking instincts—opted to play at Texas Tech, despite having BC among his top five school choices. None of this should imply Christian and his assistants are incapable of recruiting well—Bowman and Robinson are effective counterarguments against that idea—but at a certain point, it is fair to wonder if they can offer what recruits want to hear. In the meanwhile, Christian will continue trying to beef up his roster, pitching recruits a college experience replete with growth for both the individual and the program, highlighting the satisfaction of watching the success of something they’ve personally built. As he continues his search, only one question remains. Will it be enough? n

4/22 SOFTBALL

GA TECH|CHISHOLM RBI

CHESTNUT HILL, MA

BC 2 | NC ST 1

NC ST|MENDOZA R

4/23

CHESTNUT HILL, MA

ANDY BACKSTROM

Asst. Sports Editor

Last weekend, No. 13 Notre Dame held Kate Weeks in check. She was limited to just one in the season finale. But because the Eagles have seven legitimate scorers, someone was bound to step up. That someone was Kenzie Kent and Sam Apuzzo. This time around, the same thing will happen. Unlike Saturday, Cortney Fortunato and Casey Pearsall will shoulder the Irish’s scoring load. Still, BC will prevail. Regardless of who it is, the offensive shootout will end with an Eagle notching a game-winning goal in the final minutes.

PREDICTION BC 15 Notre Dame 14

BC 8 | GA TECH 3

BC|THOMAS 2RBI

BASEBALL BC|HARDAWAY R

GA TECH|SONNON 2R

4/23

CHESTNUT HILL, MA

BC 1 | NC ST 0 NC ST |PITARRA 2H

4/23

CHESTNUT HILL, MA

SPORTS

B8 THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017

ATHLETICS

‘Passion Is Contagious’

@HEIGHTSSPORTS

See Softball at Shea ANNABEL STEELE

JULIA HOPKINS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Martin Jarmond, 37, refrained from discussing speciﬁcs, but he made a charming ﬁrst impression in his inaugural press conference as the next AD. BY RILEY OVEREND Sports Editor Martin Jarmond wrapped up his opening statement and opened the floor to questions from the press. The new Director of Athletics tucked his script away and looked around a packed Yawkey Center crowd full of administrators, coaches, and media. Over the past month of inter views with University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J. and a selection committee led by vice president of human resources David Trainor, Jarmond had nailed his audition and won the part among a crowd of more experienced candidates. Now was his first performance for the people. The first question came from Fox25’s Tom Leyden, who introduced himself as a BC grad, Class of 1994. “I like you already, Tom,” Jarmond quipped. Leyden asked him how he would apply what he learned at Michigan State and Ohio State to his new job on the Heights. “First and foremost, I have to get here, and I want to learn and understand what we do and who I work with—our coaches, our staff,” Jarmond said. “And then once I learn

more, I can start to kind of form my plan and how I can help support because, at the end of the day as your Athletic Director, that’s my job is to find support, how I can help each of our programs be competitive and win.” Several questions later, the microphone returned to Leyden. Jarmond, recognizing him from earlier, delivered his most genuine moment of the press conference. “Tom, B C grad,” Jarmond recalled. “We’re going to ask you for money, too.” The room burst out in laughter as reality set in for the audience. With Jarmond, the University hadn’t just hired a fundraising extraordinaire, as evidenced by his recordsetting campaigns at MSU and OSU—it had hired a 37-year-old leader brimming with charisma. Jarmond went on to give one of his most thoughtful answers of the day to Leyden’s question about the gameday experience for BC fans. “The gameday experience, you have to envision the customer from their home to when they get to Conte or Alumni,” Jarmond said. “You have to look at the whole process and understand the challenges that they’re going to go through. So it has to be from,

when I leave, is there traffic? How do I navigate? When I park, where is parking?” Jarmond appeared comfortable at the podium, keeping it fun and casual while seriously addressing questions from reporters. One member of the media asked what excites him about plans for new facilities in the future. “What’s exciting is $200 million,” Jarmond said before turning to Leahy. “Thank you, Father.” The toughest question of the afternoon came toward the end of the press conference, and Jarmond more than held his own. “Both women’s and men’s basketball programs haven’t had a winning season since almost 2010,” one reporter said. “They’ve usually been forgotten about at Boston College. There might be coaching changes. You’ve never had to hire or fire a coach. Do you have people in mind already?” “I stand before you today with no particular plan for any kind of program,” Jarmond replied. “I’m just here today to tell you how excited I am to join Boston College

See Jarmond, B6

The weather might not be cooperating, but there’s no denying it—we’re quickly approaching study days, finals week, and (mercifully) Summer Break. I’m betting many of you may be preoccupied with bumping (or saving) your grades, studying, securing summer housing and jobs, and figuring out just who is playing Modstock next week. That’s a lot to handle, so you’re probably missing out on the end of the Boston College sports year. You might think it’s no big deal, because football, basketball and hockey are over. But if you’re not paying attention now, you’re actually missing out on a lot. Plenty of teams are still in season, including softball—and softball has given students plenty of reasons to show their support. First of all, junior pitcher Jessica Dreswick has been considerably more than solid all season. In fact, you could say she has been elite. Dreswick, the team’s best pitcher, has hurled more than 193 innings this season. She has recorded an astonishing 148 strikeouts this season, good for top-50 in the country. Her strikeout mark thus far this season also represents a major improvement from 2016, when she threw a relatively unimpressive 81 strikeouts. Her big leap this year comes after numerous games with more than just a couple of strikeouts. In February, Dreswick started the season strong when she struck out nine batters against Arizona State. In March, she twice recorded eight strikeouts in a single game—against Kansas and then against Pittsburgh. So far in April, Dreswick has struck out eight against Syracuse, eight against Boston University, and 10 against Georgia Tech. In 14 games, Dreswick has recorded at least five strikeouts. It’s safe to say that she is definitely in a dominant groove heading into the final games of the regular season. She pitches more than just strikeouts, however—Dreswick earns wins for BC. Earlier this week, in a series sweep of Georgia Tech, Dreswick earned her 20th victory of the season. With the win, she set the BC program record for wins in a season, surpassing Allison Gage and classmate Allyson Frei, both of whom recorded 19 wins in a single season. Dreswick currently has a 20-10 record on the season. Her losses

See Show Up for SB, B6 MEN’S BASKETBALL

Turner’s Transfer Indicates BC’s Struggles With Recruiting

BY CHRIS NOYES

Heights Staff

The early days brimmed with optimism. Though his program had suffered a mass exodus of talent prior to his hiring and virtually every key contributor from his first year at the helm had either graduated or declared for the NBA Draft, Jim Christian seemed unusually cheery about what the coming years had in store for both himself and Boston College. His positivity was largely the result of his first real recruiting class at BC. Hired in April 2014 to replace Steve Donohue, Christian had entered the toughest conference in college basketball already well behind schedule on recruiting. But after filling out the margins of his roster for the upcoming season, he immediately set out to shape the 2015 roster in his own image.

INSIDE SPORTS

The jewel of Christian’s recruiting class was unquestionably A.J. Turner. A 6-foot-7 small forward from Mt. Clemens, Mich., Turner arrived on the Heights as the Eagles’ first Rivals150 recruit since Rakim Sanders in 2007. Spurning programs like Iowa State, Harvard, and Stanford for Chestnut Hill, he projected as a program-altering signing, a player with both talent and commitment to building a culture of competitiveness. From the outset, Christian lost no time saying as much. “He’s a perfect fit for the way I play and for BC,” the coach said a few weeks prior to the 2015 season opener. “He’s just here to learn and get better and play as hard as he can and I think as his time continues to grow here, he’s going to emerge as a great leader for us.” And though his play didn’t exactly live up to some of the more outsized

expectations , true to Christian’s word, Turner became a crucial component of BC’s lineup and leadership structure—alongside classmate Jerome Robinson—over the past two seasons. In his first season, he shot an abysmal 33.5 percent from the field and just 26 percent from 3-point range despite taking 3.6 long-range attempts per game. He sometimes looked overmatched physically and avoided the contact that would come from driving to the basket. Turner posted a usage rate of just 14.3—the percentage of the team’s plays that he used while on the floor— which ranked below limited offensive players such as Garland Owens and Darryl Hicks. Still, he started 24 games as a college freshman playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference and showed flashes of his athleticism and passing vision, particularly in transi-

tion, when he wasn’t confronted with the physicality of the ACC. This season, Turner took huge strides forward. Playing next to the dynamic, ball-dominant backcourt of Robinson and Ky Bowman, the former top recruit slid into the role of secondary playmaker and performed with aplomb for sustained stretches early in the season. He shot a much-improved 37.1 percent from downtown and averaged three assists per game, looking comfortable driving into a defense scrambled by initial guard penetration and finding open shooters across the court. In a skill not even noticed by most, Turner became one of the best inbounders in the conference, routinely serving as the triggerman for plays called after timeouts or dead balls. He also led the conference in assist to turnover ratio among players who saw more than 10 minutes of playing time per game.

BASEBALL: BC Crowned Beanpot Champs LACROSSE: ACC Tournament Preview Birdball couldn’t reschedule a postponed title game against Harvard, so the 3-2 score became final.................................B6

Though his shooting slipped late in conference play—Turner shot 32.9 percent from beyond the arc in ACC games—he made a positive impact on the team’s offense. In fact, Turner posted an offensive rating—the number of points the team would score per 100 possessions with him on the floor—of 112.3, tops on the roster and easily better than his 91.5 mark the prior season. Despite his slender frame and issues in the paint, Turner also developed into a capable wing defender for the Eagles over the past two seasons. His long arms and mature defensive approach allowed him to defend without fouling, enabling him to effectively handle perimeter players. Turner committed the fewest fouls per 40 minutes of any ACC underclassman, according to kenpom.com.

The Eagles head down to Richmond, Va., for a rematch against Notre Dame in the first round........................................B7

See State of MBB, B7

SCOREBOARD............................ B7

EDITOR’S PICKS.......................... B7