The Heights, Dec. 5, 2022

BC Launches STM Financial Aid Fund

By Will Martino For The Heights Claire Foley For The Heights

The University created a new financial aid fund to enable students to attend the School of Theology and Ministry (STM) and preserve former STM Dean Rev. Thomas D. Stegman’s, S.J., legacy, according to Ken Mostello.

“Long after he’s gone, and after we’re gone, future STM students will be able to attend Boston College with this endowment and will want to know who Fr. Thomas Stegman, S.J. was and why his legacy endures,” Mostello, BC ’79, said in an email to The Heights.

Rev. Michael McCarthy, S.J.

McCarthy replaced Stegman—who served as the STM Dean from 2016 until 2022—after Stegman announced he would step down from his position due to health issues.

“A few years ago, he was diagnosed as having a fairly aggressive brain cancer, and he beat a lot of odds as he continued as dean but finally had to step down last summer,” McCarthy said in an email to The Heights. “I am privileged to be his successor.”

McCarthy said everyone at the school loves and admires Stegman.

“In the face of significant health issues, [Stegman] has shown courage, patience, and trust in God,” McCarthy said.

Eagles Break Record With Three-Set Win

By luke evans

For The Heights

Until Saturday, Boston College volleyball had never recorded a 21win season.

But in their matchup against St. John’s in the second round of the 2022 National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), the Eagles prevented history from repeating itself.

BC (21–13, 7–11 Atlantic Coast)

swept St. John’s (20–14, 10–8 Big East) by scores of 25–18, 25–22, and 25–20 to advance to the tour-

nament’s third round.

“Since I got here as a freshman, chasing 21 has been a goal consistently every single season,” BC libero Anna Murphy said. “So, to actually achieve it this year is special, and then to achieve it with this group of girls is even more special.”

Earlier this season, the Eagles fell to St. John’s in five sets during the Red Storm Invitational.

Things couldn’t have gone more differently on Saturday, as BC coasted to victory in three sets.

Car Crashes at Newtonville Intersection Spark Concern

By olivia Joung Copy Editor ella song For The Heights

Paulo Henrique Alves-Back was in his home office on Nov. 14 when he saw a car suddenly crash through his front yard’s fence after colliding with another vehicle.

Just over 24 hours later, Newton police were dispatched to the very same corner of Watertown Street, Eddy Street, and Eliot Avenue after another two-car crash. Then, as soon as a tow service removed one of those vehicles, yet another collision occurred, according to a police report.

“Accidents—I’ve been here 26 years— they’re too numerous,” Joe Killilea, a resident near the intersection, said. “My son has gone out, pulled a woman out of a car. I’ve gone out and, you know, talked to people and stuff like that. … Thank God nobody ever gets killed.”

Within two days after the accidents, signs reading “DON’T STAND HERE! DEATH TRAP! THREE CRASHES IN 36 HOURS” were placed by the intersection.

Vehicle-related incidents have occurred at this intersection for years. Since 2018, it has seen a total of 15 reported crashes, averaging three per year, according to an email from the Newton

police chief.

“You’re coming from a highway, and you’re kind of conditioned to drive one way, and then you go into a cut street that is not supposed to be a high-speed intersection,” Alves-Back said. “That’s what happens.”

Ward 3 Councilor Julia Malakie also cited speeding and the intersection’s location as factors in the crashes.

“Eliot to Eddy Street or vice versa is the most direct route from Walton Street to Watertown Street or Washington Street, which is part of the problem,” Malakie said. “So that seems to be why the accidents are happening in the daytime. … People are in a hurry, they get careless.”

The Eliot Avenue and Eddy Street route is a convenient alternative to avoid West Newton Square, a village center known for higher volumes of traffic at the intersection, according to Malakie.

“It’s kind of a confluence of a very busy road—Watertown Street—[and] a very convenient cut-through, which is Eddy/ Eliot, for people trying to avoid West Newton Square, which has always been congested,” Malakie said.

Similarly, Ward 5 Councilor-at-Large Andreae Downs said that GPS has contributed to a higher potential for crashes by directing drivers toward residential

roads such as Watertown Street, Eddy Street, and Eliot Avenue to avoid traffic. She explained that adjusting speed limits in residential areas could address this issue, forcing navigation apps to direct drivers away from them.

“When we put in a new speed limit, [navigation apps] have to take it into account as if you’re obeying the speed limit,” Downs said.

Responding to the recent crashes, the Newton Department of Public Works Transportation put up flex posts—plastic posts used to guide traffic and alert drivers to possible hazards—along the shoulder of Watertown Street to calm traffic and raise awareness when turning. The city also installed a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) traffic light this fall to help pedestrians cross Watertown Street more safely, according to Newton Director of Transportation Operations Jason Sobel. Additionally, the city recently began collecting traffic data to better determine how road safety can be improved, Sobel said.

Alves-Back, however, said the city has acted slowly in solving problems at the intersection.

In addition, the city recently began

By luCy FreeMan For The Heights

Boston College will offer a new major in global public health and the common good administered by the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society and the Connell School of Nursing, according to a University release.

“The excitement level is off the charts,” said Phillip Landrigan, the director of BC’s global public health

program. “As far as I’m concerned, this is a dream come true.”

One hundred students currently participate in BC’s global public health program, which offers both a minor and an independent minor.

According to the release, students will have to apply to the new major, and the University will enroll approximately 45 applicants.

The release states that the major’s curriculum will include 12 courses for 36 credits. Classes will cover topics

such as epidemiology, biostatistics, ethics, law, data analysis, and health inequities, and seniors will either complete a thesis or a service project as part of their capstone project.

“Like every other good public health program, we work very hard to teach our students the technical aspects of public health: epidemiology, biostatistics, and similar courses,” Landrigan said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAULO HENRIQUE ALVES-BACK

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

New Major in Global Public Health and The Common Good

the service-learning aspect of CSON.

Laura Steinberg, the Schiller Institute Seidner Family Executive Director and professor of earth and environmental sciences, said she anticipates the new major will integrate well with the Schiller Institute’s current course offerings.

“The Schiller Institute was conceived as a home for interdisciplinary curricular programs at BC, especially those related to health, climate change, and data science,” Steinberg said. “We see a great deal of synergy between the institute’s current work and the focus of Global Public Health and the Common Good major.”

Katherine Gregory, the dean of Connell School of Nursing (CSON), added that she is thrilled to welcome the major to CSON and collaborate with the Schiller Institute. Gregory also said that she believes the new program will complement

“We are confident that this program will be successful as a result of the strengths of our faculty, not only in the Connell School where we have many faculty who have long taught in the program and are passionate about public health, but also from across the University,” Gregory said.

Since the development of BC’s first three-course sequence in public health, students have demonstrated an interest in the subject, according to the release.

“What sets us apart is our very explicit focus on the social dimension of public health, our emphasis on the preferential option for the poor, and our students’ strong commitment to public service,” Phillip Landrigan, director of the Global Public Health Program and the Global Observatory on Planetary Health and professor of biology, said. n

SA Discusses Holding Constitutional Review Board

By adiTya rao Heights Staff

UGBC will hold a review board during the winter to evaluate its constitution, Student Assembly members said in their meeting on Tuesday.

“We’re trying to find moments where we could, as an organization, run more efficiently and more smoothly,” said Joshua Golden, SA representative and member of the Community Relations Committee. “We’re going through the constitution thinking we may need these protocols there, but how can we change them so they better reflect the work that we’re doing?”

According to Julia Spagnola, UGBC vice president and MCAS

’23, the constitution serves as the “structural organization of UGBC,” defining different branch functions and their purposes.

“Then, if you look at the standing rules, that’s something that mostly pertains to the student assembly, how we operate, and what the procedures are for things,” Spagnola said. “Some of [the standing rules] are worthwhile and worth keeping, but I think other things are worth taking a look at.”

According to Golden and Johah Kotzen, the Council for Students with Disabilities policy coordinator and MCAS ’24, members of the UGBC Executive Board and the SA will suggest changes to improve efficiency and condense the documents at the review. The SA will then vote

on the proposed changes in the spring semester.

Following explanations of the review board’s logistics, Julie Canuto-Depina, SA representative and CSON ’25, discussed the Intersectionality Committee’s ongoing initiative to reduce the minimum amount of money students can add to their Eagle One accounts, which are used to pay for laundry, printing, and dining services.

According to Canuto-Depina, the committee hopes to reduce the amount from $20 to $5. She said this would make topping up Eagle One accounts more convenient.

“As of right now, the IT department has something it’s testing, and they’re looking to have it ready by spring semester,” Canuto-Depina

said. “Here, money would be charged to their student account and they can use that money to do their laundry as opposed to charging their Eagle One card.”

SA representatives then deliberated about BC’s PULSE program. While students in the program receive Charlie Cards to fund transportation to their service placements, Daniel Wise, MCAS ’25, said the T is still unfeasible for some students—either taking too long or not traveling to the necessary locations.

“So, of course, I pay out of pocket for Uber and things like that,” Wise, an SA representative, said. “And over the course of the semester and the year that comes up to a lot, and I think it’s pretty unfair that students have to pay more for such a popular

academic program.”

SA representatives proposed potential alternatives to the current transportation system for PULSE, such as the University providing Lyft rides to PULSE placements, using Eagle Escort for transportation, and consulting with other intercollegiate governments experiencing similar dilemmas.

Caira Mathieu, MCAS ’23, spoke last, concluding the meeting by explaining a mental health self-assessment survey she created to help students assess their mental health and gauge student engagement with University Counseling Services. SA members and Matthieu said they hope to collaborate in tabling events to promote the survey around campus. n

Directors of BAIC and Montserrat to Switch Positions

By NaTalie arNdT Newsletter Editor sofia laBoy Asst. News Editor

Rev. Michael Davidson, S.J., director of the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center (BAIC), and Yvonne McBarnett, director of the Montserrat Coalition, will switch positions in 2023, according to a University release.

“The changes, senior administrators said, will enable both directors to utilize their extensive experience and student-mentoring skills in a way that best assists BC students,” the release reads.

In the University’s announcement on Thursday, Haub Vice President for University Mission and Ministry Jack Butler, S.J., said he looks forward to Davidson rejoining the Division of Mission and Ministry—where he worked as a campus minister from 2012 to 2018.

“I am pleased that he will be returning to our division to lead the Montserrat Coalition, where he can help even more of our students to find the academic, social, and spiritual support that will help enable their success,” Butler said.

Montserrat’s website explains that the office, which is part of the Division of

Mission and Ministry, seeks to support students with high financial need by ensuring they can access all areas of student life. As the Montserrat Coalition’s new director, Davidson said he is excited to focus on students, especially those from

financially modest backgrounds.

“As a Jesuit, I am charged by the Gospel to find God in all things and all people and to give selflessly, especially to those living on the margins of society,” Davidson said. “I intend to create a space

where students are loved, celebrated, and their voices are heard-- regardless of their demographic differences.”

According to the BAIC’s mission statement, the purpose of the BAIC is to serve undergraduate AHANA+, multicul-

tural, multiracial, and Options Through Education students.

McBarnett said she is honored and humbled to become the new director of the BAIC.

“One of my goals will be to work on eliminating perceived barriers, so that the students can pursue their spiritual, social, and intellectual development here at Boston College,” McBarnett said. “I am excited for the opportunity to continue on the journey of helping students and building bridges with my campus partners across the University.”

Before heading the Montserrat Coalition, McBarnett worked as an administrative assistant, counselor, and program administrator for the BAIC.

Vice President for Student Affairs Shawna Cooper Whitehead said McBarnett will be a good fit for the position given her past experience.

”Yvonne began her career at BC working in the BAIC, and this transition will give her an opportunity to return to a center that is critically important to our students,” Cooper Whitehead said. “She has a wealth of experience and a unique ability to connect with people, particularly

underrepresented and underserved students. She is an ideal fit for the BAIC.” n

Join Sidney Tarrow as he lectures on his research surrounding European democratic regimes and how polarization impacts American politics this Thursday at 4 p.m. in Gasson 100.

Join Monsignor Liam Bergin, a theology professor at BC, for a Christmas Agape Latte as he shares the story of his faith journey this Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Hillside Cafe.

Get through finals season with help from some furry friends! Spend time with therapy dogs at Murray House this Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

NICOLE VAGRA / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The new major will be administered by the Schiller Institute and CSON, according to a University release.

Davidson and McBarnett will switch positions in 2023, according to a University release.

Carole Hughes Awarded for Work in Student Affairs

B y L ucy F reeman

For The Heights

Director of Graduate Student Life Carole Hughes was named a Pillar of the Profession by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), according to a University release.

“[Hughes] has mentored generations of students and student affairs professionals,” said Hannah Chalufour, Boston College’s assistant director of graduate student life. “Her generosity of spirit and her ability to nurture community and empower and inspire others seem to know no bounds. She’s a gift to our field, and her impact cannot be overstated.”

Hughes won the award after 35 years at BC and long-term involvement with the NASPA. She said she was honored to receive an award that recognizes student affairs professionals who have participated in leadership roles for the organization.

“I was deeply honored that some of my colleagues locally and nationally had nominated me to be in the 2023 Pillar of the Profession class,” Hughes said in an email to The Heights.

Hughes said she began working with NASPA as a graduate student at Boston University, and she currently serves as the public policy representative for the NASPA Regional Advisory Board.

According to Hughes, she was notified about her award win through a phone call she received in October.

“The NASPA Foundation Board [notified me] because they raised the money for NASPA,” she said. “It’s the chair of the board, who’s a college president out in Montana, who called to tell me about it.”

At BC, Hughes

Hughes said that the office aims to support graduate students through programs such as the Graduate Student Association and Murray House, a place where students are free to study and spend their free time.

“We’re going to keep trying to do what students would like us to do, hopefully,” she said. “We try to do assessments, figure out what things they might like to do, but what they really like is having this space, which is really important to them.”

Chalufour, who said she works closely with Hughes, added that the mission of the office is to support graduate students at BC and help

create a community for them.

“Our mission is to support and enhance the graduate student experience for the 5,000 graduate students at BC—assisting them in their transition to graduate school, creating community, and serving as a hub to connect grad students to the wide variety of resources available to them at BC,” Chalufour said in an email to The Heights

Chalufour said that Hughes skillfully collaborates with BC’s schools to help support students.

“She is an exceptionally strong collaborator and advocate and works closely with partners across campus and in the 8 graduate schools and colleges to support the graduate student experience at BC,” Chalufour said.

“When you step back and think about it, it was maybe one of the least surprising things that I had seen in a while, because she’s a tremendous force at BC and in the profession, and it was really great to see her be formally recognized,” DeWitt said.

According to DeWitt, Hughes focuses on BC graduate students’ development.

“She’s very much focused on the professional development that we get as students but also making sure that while this is obviously a

part of our experience, it’s not the whole thing–that we’re able to focus as students, that we’re able to take the classes that we want to take, and sort of have that really well-rounded experience, but at the same time making the work that we do here feel as though it’s meaningful,” DeWitt said.

DeWitt credited Hughes as a positive influence on his time at BC and said that he was excited to see Hughes recognized for her work.

“Working in this office and working with her, along with [Chalufour], has probably been the most influential part of my Boston College experience,” DeWitt said. “And it was just really great as someone in the profession to see her get recognized.” n

STM Financial Aid Fund Honors Former Dean

By cLaire FoLey For The Heights WiLL marTino For The Heights

The University created a new financial aid fund to enable students to attend the School of Theology and Ministry (STM) and preserve former STM Dean Rev. Thomas D. Stegman’s, S.J., legacy, according to Ken Mostello.

“Long after he’s gone, and after we’re gone, future STM students will be able to attend Boston College with this endowment and will want to know who Fr. Thomas Stegman, S.J. was and why his legacy endures,” Mostello, BC ’79, said in an email to The Heights.

Rev. Michael McCarthy, S.J. McCarthy replaced Stegman—who served as the STM Dean from 2016 until 2022—after Stegman announced he would step down from his position due to health issues.

“A few years ago, he was diagnosed as having a fairly aggressive brain cancer, and he beat a lot of odds as he continued as dean but finally had to step down last summer,” McCarthy said in an email to

The Heights . “I am privileged to be his successor.”

McCarthy said everyone at the school loves and admires Stegman.

“In the face of significant health issues, [Stegman] has shown courage, patience, and trust in God,” McCarthy said. Ken Mostello and Michelle Maglaty, BC ’79, were lead donors in the establishing the fund, alongside

four other families who chose to remain anonymous, according to a University release.

Mostello said their past involvement with the STM, as well as their close relationship with Stegman, led

the fund was driven by their attachment to the Jesuit community and hope of leaving a lasting positive impact.

“I recall what Fr. Monan said in a homily at a Shaw Society Mass years

nite, and Fr. Stegman is reminded of that sobering reality every day. His courageous battle with glioblastoma compels us all to confront our own inescapable mortality.”

Director of Development for Schools and Programs Amanda Angel, who led the fundraising efforts, said in the release that the fund will go into effect once the contribution goal is reached.

“We can begin offering the graduate fellowship once we reach $250,000 in contributions received,” she said. “Our goal is to continue to raise money so that one day we will be able to offer multiple Stegman Fellowships each year.”

Mostello and Maglaty said Stegman was informed of the new fund at a dinner over the summer and was moved by the tribute. Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley said he worked closely with Stegman during his time as the STM dean.

to the Office of University Advancement team asking them for their help in creating the new fund. He said the motivation for their contribution to

ago, ‘You’re here today because you understand that there’s something more enduring than yourselves,’” Mostello said. “Life on earth is fi -

“I was supportive of the [new financial aid fund] and see it as a wonderful way of honoring all that Fr. Stegman has done for generations of students at the School of Theology and Ministry,” Quigley said in an email to The Heights n

directs the Office of Graduate Student Life, a division of Student Affairs.

Zeke DeWitt, a graduate assistant at the Office of Graduate Student Life and LGSOE ’23, said he was not surprised when he read on LinkedIn that Hughes won the award.

ALYSSA ANDERSON / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Carole Hughes won the award after 35 years at the University and long-term involvement with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.

Ken Monstello and Michelle Maglaty, BC ‘79, were lead donors in establishing the new STM fund.

SAM ZHAI / HEIGHTS ARCHIVES

Residents, Officials React to Car Crashes in Newtonville

Crashes, from A1

“I think 2018, there [was] an email where the city says, ‘Yeah, we’re going to perform a study to understand what to do,’”Alves-Back said. “And ever since the study, I think the only thing that they did until those flex poles [was] painting lines.”

Malakie said these lines, which the city painted to visually extend the corner and promote safer turns, were largely unsuccessful.

“That didn’t work too well because, you know, drivers could just ignore them,” Malakie said.

Killilea also added that the RRFB traffic light is not particularly effective at making cars stop for pedestrians.

“If you stood here during the day and watched people press the light and counted how many cars went through [instead of waiting], the percentage would be, I’d say at least 40 percent,” he said. “I’m not sure people know what a blinking yellow light means.”

Like Alves-Back, Killilea critiqued the city’s response to accidents at the intersection.

“Unfortunately, the only time people in governments do what they should do is when someone gets badly hurt, and you hope it doesn’t happen,” he said.

Killilea said he wants to see the city provide more solutions in the future, such as new traffic lights.

“It’s expensive to put a traffic light there because it’s a state highway, [but] you can put speed bumps,” he said. “And a four-way stop sign is probably the only thing that the city can do without doing something crazy.”

Larisa Pazmino, another resident of the area, also expressed an interest in longer-term action to improve the intersection.

“Right now, they put up traffic calming poles, which I think will help,” Pazmino said. “But you know, I do think that just staying on top of it [and] continuing to communicate with the City Council or with the mayor’s office about this kind of thing is going to be important.”

According to Malakie, flex posts have led to more permanent solutions in the past, like at the intersection of

Lowell Avenue and Austin Street in Newtonville—a high-crash area with frequent trucks headed toward Star Market.

“They had flex posts there to extend the curb lines at that intersection as kind of a test, and we just recently approved money to kind of make the

curb extensions permanent,” she said. “So it’s kind of a good way to test something that you want to make permanent.”

Downs said she hopes to specifically address speeding in residential areas throughout Newton.

“I’ve been asking our traffic engineers repeatedly to find ways and I’m actually talking with people at the state level about different ways that we can … lower limits that are just too high for residential areas where kids are biking or walking to school,” Downs said.

The limited nature of the city’s traffic-calming budget and the large number of intersections and well-traveled roads in Newton, however, mean that this specific location likely will not see immediate, large-scale change, according to Downs.

Other higher priority areas of the city, such as Lowell Avenue, take

precedence in the allocation process, Downs said.

Eddy Street ranked No. 30 in the 2019 traffic calming prioritization evaluation, while Eliot Avenue ranked No. 79, according to Downs, who chairs the Newton Public Safety and Transportation Committee.

The city determines these rankings using the site’s crash statistics, the severity of speeding, vehicle volume, and proximity to highly frequented areas.

Despite the lower ranking, Downs said it is important to remedy the intersection’s dangers.

“A really important part of being a livable city, where people feel comfortable walking to do their errands or biking to do their errands or whatever, and feel comfortable letting their kids walk to school on their own, is having the streets be safe,” Downs said. n

Newton Hosts Mini Golf Event as Part of Gift Drive

By Shruthi Sriram Heights Staff

A vibrant mini golf course lined with stuffed animals and colorful flags snaked through the City Council Chambers, War Memorial, and mayor’s office on Saturday and Sunday.

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller hosted a holiday mini golf event as a part of City Hall’s annual holiday gift drive, an initiative The Village Bank has sponsored for 15 years.

“I’m seeing people of all ages laughing, and laughing while they’re in City Hall seems like a terrific thing,” Fuller said.

Families had the opportunity to play mini golf in exchange for donating one gift to the gift drive. Local children will receive the gifts from Fuller’s event and other donation initiatives hosted by The Village Bank, according to its website.

While the city has held drive-thru gift drives in the past, it wanted to create an event that generated more community

involvement than past initiatives, according to Hattie Derrick, Newton’s director of community engagement and inclusion.

“We thought this would be fun and a way for families and friends and neighbors to come together, give a gift, and do a fun activity, because, you know, people love mini golf,” Derrick said.

The city wanted to find a way to give more residents the chance to experience City Hall, according to Derrick.

“This is super cute,” Newton resident Elizabeth Norian said. “It was really nice to get to see the whole City Hall. I’ve never been in here before, so we got to see it top to bottom. It’s a beautiful building.”

The golf course stretched through

the mayor’s office, which was filled with gifts and snacks available for the event’s participants. Norian left a note on Fuller’s desk, thanking her for the event.

Library Mini Golf, a company that has previously set up mini golf fundraisers at local libraries to raise money for Hurricane Katrina relief, organized the course. The Village Bank coordinated Library Mini Golf’s involvement in bringing the event to City Hall.

“It took about four hours to set up with volunteer help,” Russ Bolton, one of Library Mini Golf’s founders, said. “I’ve done churches, synagogues, and historical houses. But this is the first time I’ve ever done something like this.”

The city hosted an exclusive mini golf event for city councilors and their families on Friday in order to show employee appreciation, according to Fuller.

Two hundred and twenty families had signed up three days prior to the event, according to Derrick.

During the event, Newton resident Melissa Crocker said she believed the event drew a larger turnout than previous gift drives because of the novelty of it being centered around playing mini golf.

“I’m not opposed to donating by any means,” Crocker said. “But I think the event triggered people’s memories and reminded them to come out and bring gifts.” n

SHRUTHI SRIRAM / HEIGHTS STAFF

The 18-hole mini golf course stretched through various rooms in City Hall.

Newton Department of Public Works Transportation lined the intersection with flex poles, which aim to calm traffic.

NICOLE VAGRA / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Fifteen accidents have occured at the intersection in the past four years, with some causing damage to surrounding areas.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAULO HENRIQUE ALVES-BACK

SHRUTHI SRIRAM / HEIGHTS STAFF

In exchange for playing mini golf, participants were required to provide a gift for local children in need.

AGAZINE

Campi Inspires Moments of Connection and Community

By Spencer Steppe

For The Heights

Michael Faris had no intention of creating an app until he moved out of his Walsh dorm sophomore year. After rummaging through the dumpsters behind Walsh Hall, the number of valuable items he found in the trash shocked him. Hoping to combat this wastefulness,

Campi has received about 1,500 downloads across 20 different universities, according to Faris.

In addition to noticing material waste on campus, he said the Campi team also observed how hard it is for student organizations to advertise their events. Faris recalled looking at event posters lining the walls in O’Neill Library and seeing groups promote events on the Quad,

“That way, you can make the most out of your college experience by meeting people that you wouldn’t without the app, or going to events that you wouldn’t even know existed if the app wasn’t on your phone,” Wittman said.

The Campi team has launched several initiatives to publicize their app within the BC community. In September, when Faris heard the Student Organization Funding Committee ran out of money for the rest of the semester, Campi launched a $5,000 campus activity grant to provide student organizations—such as dance groups that still needed to buy costumes—with an alternative source of funding. Faris and Wittman said this initiative aligns perfectly with Campi’s mission to maximize resources for college students.

“The goal is to just give clubs the ability to throw things and have events that they wouldn’t be able to have without the campus grant,” Wittman said.

her peers download and enjoy the app.

“I was watching the audience of people basically lighting up, and people were sending pictures and jokes,” Divino said. “All these people who, most of them didn’t really know each other before, and

Looking forward, Faris said the team’s main goals are to continue increasing downloads, expanding to more college campuses, and getting more student groups onto the app.

“Our main goal right now for the BC

Faris channeled his frustration and created an online campus marketplace to eliminate waste, effectively kick-starting his app Campi.

Though Campi started with the goal of eliminating material waste from college campuses, Faris said it quickly expanded to include more features. He now aims to foster a private virtual community for every college campus.

“You can sign in with your educational institution email, and you come in, and you get linked with only people that are from your university,” Faris, CSOM ’23, said. “And within that virtual space, you can do things like exchange goods and services.”

After he thought of the idea for Campi, Faris said he reached out to two of his friends, Bobby Wittman, CSOM ’25, and Maddy Divino, MCAS ’23, who were immediately on board. Wittman currently serves as the director of underclassman affairs and Divino serves as the director of marketing strategy for the app.

Faris said the next year of his life was characterized by lots of sleepless nights as he learned how to code and developed the Campi app, which launched on the Apple App Store about two months ago.

but he said these methods tend to be ineffective in boosting attendance. So, the four sections of Campi—news, events, groups, and the marketplace—were inspired by the team’s observations and personal experiences at Boston College, Faris said.

“There’s no one platform that offers all four of those, and I don’t think there’s one platform that offers even three of those,” Faris said. “So there’s lots of group apps. There’s lots of events apps, but none of them integrate the four things that we thought were most important.”

Besides its unique number of features, Wittman said Campi allows college students to share their interests in a more casual setting than an official club. The groups and events features on Campi allows students to optimize their college experience by connecting them to a wider variety of activities and people, Wittman said.

He gave a hypothetical example of a student who really loves to play soccer but did not make it onto the school or club team. Instead, Wittman said, they could join the Campi soccer group and play with other students in their free time.

The team has also held a range of events on the BC campus to promote Campi. Faris said his team has held fun competitions and gives out food on the Quad once or twice a week. In addition to these smaller events, Campi also hosted “Mods Got Talent,” a talent show in the Mods with a $250 gift card prize for the winner. Many groups, including dance teams and a cappella groups, performed. The audience chose the winner by voting on the Campi app, which Divino said effectively boosted app downloads.

Though Wittman said Campi’s marketing has been successful, he said creating enough “buzz” to encourage students to join the app is now the team’s greatest challenge.

“It’s just a matter of getting people onto it, so they can see the value that it brings them, and it’s really cool to watch people start to interact with it and like use it for what it’s meant for,” he said.

Watching people download the app is the most gratifying part of the Campi team’s work, Divino said. Specifically, she said the “Mods Got Talent’’ event was her favorite moment in her Campi experience so far because she was able to see

now they’re all in this giant group chat.”

Faris and Wittman also said it’s rewarding to see fellow students realize Campi is a valuable resource.

“Our mission is to inspire moments of connection and community,” Faris said. “And you know, we did it that night. It was just a great thing to see.”

In addition to holding events at BC, the Campi team also launched an on-campus internship program. The interns work with the team members to improve the app. Faris said the Campi team tries to play to each interns’ individual strengths, including coding, marketing, and writing. Divino said this internship program is a reflection of the Campi team’s goal to continue making the app better because Faris is working to push out new updates almost every week based on the interns’ feedback.

campus is to get every single event going through our application,” Faris said. “So anyone at any time can see what’s going on.”

Eventually, Faris said the Campi team wants to involve multiple local businesses with the app. Campi just announced their partnership with Crazy Dough’s Pizza, for example, where they will offer different deals and discounts through the app, Faris said.

Faris said Campi hopes to continue pushing out frequent updates and adding new features to fulfill his vision for the app, deepening the connections between all types of BC students.

“We just don’t want anyone to feel left out or disconnected,” Faris said. “Especially new people, like freshmen, that are coming into BC who might not know where to look for everything.” n

B y K arolina B ertulis Heights Staff

The moment November strikes, the semester flies by in the blink of an eye. The most hectic time at Boston College tends to be the weeks connecting Thanksgiving and Winter Break, where students are caught in a limbo between completing all of their coursework and enjoying the Boston winter wonderland. So, here are some tips on how to finish out your fall semester successfully.

Prepare for Finals as Soon as Possible

To get ahead of the end-of-semester craze, it is crucial to create a plan for finals right after Thanksgiving Break. To do this, you should gather the due dates for all your assignments and exam dates. Some students prefer to use a physical planner, while others use Google Calendar or digital sticky notes on their laptops. When

you plan out your time, you should account for the difficulty and rigor of each course’s assignments. Instead of allotting whole days to certain subjects, many people find it more man-

Do a Deep “Winter” Clean of Your Living Space

Whether you live on campus or off campus, you should clean your space prior to your journey home—

of-season items home and bring back more preferable items. It is also important to toss out any perishable food items so your living space is ready to take on the rest of the academic year.

Get Into the Holiday Spirit

Another way to make the most of the fall semester’s end is to embrace the holiday spirit. Whether you are celebrating a certain holiday or are just eager to begin a new year, this time of year is typically dedicated to spending time with loved ones. You can bring your BC friends together by facilitating gift exchanges and planning trips into Boston with them.

something for everyone to enjoy.

Continue to Take Care of Yourself

The holiday season can be chaotic because you have to find time to complete your coursework and also enjoy the festivities. So, it is vital to take care of yourself. If you have access to a kitchen, meal prepping is a habit that can save you lots of time and money while ensuring you stay nourished as you study.

ageable to handle multiple smaller tasks and complete assignments over several days. This way, you can plan out how much time should be dedicated to memorization for exams, writing for papers, and collaboration for group projects.

whether you live 20 minutes away or halfway across the globe. This is the perfect time to take any unnecessary items back home and clean your space, giving yourself a fresh start to the spring semester. You can plan a clothing swap, where you bring out-

Some special holiday events in Boston include The Holiday Market at Snowport, ice skating at various locations, the Holiday Lights Trail, and various tree lightings throughout the city. No matter how you celebrate the winter season, there is

It is also crucial to treat yourself as you prepare for finals, which may include indulging in your favorite meal from Pino’s or Chipotle. In addition to fueling yourself, you should take time to do things you love. This could be a study break day in Boston or even just a movie night. All in all, hard work should be rewarded through healthy balance. After all, we only have four years as undergrads, some of which should be spent outside the walls of Bapst or O’Neill. n

GRAPHIC BY PAIGE STEIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

COURTESY OF BOBBY WITTMAN Campi started as an online campus marketplace to combat wastefulness.

Ground Zero for Below-Ground Life

I know).

I have a somewhat gross confession to make. And where else to share such a confession but a totally non-anonymous public platform? Isn’t the internet just a place where we unabashedly share these way-too-personal details?

So, without further ado, I will tell you that I’ve been cutting my nails outside. I didn’t even think it was too gross until I explained to someone why I was outside barefoot in such cold weather.

I started fumbling over my words, trying to say the nails just go everywhere if I cut them inside, so I figured there is no real harm in cutting them outside. I could just see their face scrunching up in a disapproving way, and that was the exact moment I started to reflect and think, “Hm … maybe this is a bit odd of me.” No one else I’ve ever talked to cuts their nails outside.

Regardless of how peculiar my habit is, it did get me thinking. I was curious about how our bodies—or parts of them, like nails—contribute to the soil’s microbiome. This is especially relevant in the modern age, where we generally spend our lives indoors and away from nature. But, humans still affect the earth’s soil in critical ways, including after we die. This mostly comes into play with burials because our bodies are in complete contact with the earth (morbid,

You may ask, how significant is this contribution? As it turns out, a large part of humanity’s environmental impact on the soil occurs during the burial process. This impact is largely determined by the type of burial families choose for their deceased loved ones. Modern burials, generally speaking, are not environmentally friendly— chemicals used in embalming, cremation, and the burial process itself all eventually leach into the environment surrounding the burial site.

Conversely, our bodies alone are quite environmentally friendly. They provide vital elements to the soil that are usually only present in small concentrations, including iron, zinc, sulfur, calcium, and phosphorus. These elements can later contribute to the health of farms, forests, or parks because they help maintain healthy and fertile soil.

Truly, the human body is magnificent— both in life and in death. In the first 30 days after a no-casket burial, nutrients flowing from the body support microbial life in the soil. This type of burial also prevents around one metric ton of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere through cremation.

As the environmentalist I am, I often wondered if there was a way to take full advantage of our bodies’ innate ability to provide for the earth’s soil.

Then, I discovered there are new, hyper–environmentally friendly burial practices called burial pods. They’re completely biodegradable and allow the aforementioned nutrients from the body to support life above ground. A tree is also planted above as a physical manifestation of that support.

Morbid? Yes. Incredibly different from

current societal practices? Yes. Will historical burial practices change to be environmentally conscientious? Maybe. I can say with conviction, however, that cultural upheaval will be necessary to combat our current ecological crisis.

I do think there is something beautiful in tangible life coming from death. It forever connects you to nature, a beautiful and everlasting concept.

There is also a personal aspect of pod burial: you can choose the type of tree you will buried with. At the end of my life, I would love to support a blue spruce pine tree or a weeping willow tree. I love these trees in life, and quite literally transforming into them would be such a sweet way to love them in death as well.

Our bodies are connected to the earth in life. We rely on so many natural resources from the land, and we are made up of all of the chemical elements that once were a part of the land. Is it so crazy to return those elements back to the earth in death?

The way I see it, when I die, I am no longer using what the earth originally gave me—my body and the natural resources that sustained it. So, I should return it. There is something quite poetic about fully taking part in the circle of life—it’s a brilliant dance that every organism must take part in.

Putting aside all that talk about death, I hope you enjoy the life you have here and now. And who knows, maybe I’ll be seeing you in the next one too—just don’t be alarmed if I seem much more leafy than I do now.

Alli Hargrove is a columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at allison.hargrove@bc.edu.

Last Week of Classes

Fourteen weeks of school down and only one to go! It’s time to say goodbye to small talk with the classmate you only sort of know, the anxiety of whether you’re going to be cold called, and the pain of rolling out of bed at 8:42 a.m. for your 9 a.m. class. That’s right, the final push has arrived. As grateful as we are for what we have learned this semester, we’re all ready for a much-deserved break. So let’s finish strong—we’re almost there!

Holiday Cheer

Deck the Heights with boughs of holly, fa la la la la, la la la la. With Christmas trees popping up in dorm windows, holiday music streaming out of the dining halls, and cheer spreading across campus, it finally feels like the holiday season. Despite finals quickly approaching, spirits are high and smiles are big. Students look forward to their study day trips to Snowport, late night secret Santa exchanges, and stuffing their roommates’ stockings with all sorts of absurd trinkets. From us at The Heights to you, we hope you have a warm and happy Winter Break!

Improving Student-Professor Connections

all changed when I took AP English Literature and Composition with a teacher who transformed my interest in reading and writing. When I think back to that time, I realize what excited me the most about her class wasn’t the content—it was the energy she put in, which felt like an affirmation of my capability as a writer.

right answers. Consequently, I shied away from them because—like the average college student—I’m a mess. I didn’t want to be judged.

Have you ever had a really shitty teacher? Maybe they didn’t explain the material well, were very strict with their assignment deadlines, or just put half the class to sleep. It doesn’t just matter what they teach, it matters how they teach. Education stirs students’ feelings and opinions about a subject—sometimes even their stance on the world. Teachers mold delicate minds, so the manner in which they instruct classes should be authentic and effortful above all else.

If you’re like me and come from an underserved school district, then you probably had around three really good teachers throughout your academic career (four if you’re lucky). At my high school, teachers had low morale, so they substituted their lectures with worksheets and at times wouldn’t even show up. Students filed passionless classes in the back of their brains to collect dust and cobwebs.

A teacher who isn’t dedicated to their job— or at the very least interested in their work— can be miserable and often far removed from their students. In contrast, the best teachers that I’ve had were interested in their subjects and made an effort to get to know their students. A teacher who’s more invested in the topics they’re teaching is more likely to spark academic curiosity in their students.

As a freshman in high school, I was so invested in STEM that I completely disregarded English, history, and literature. That

Now that I’m in college, I believe the traits that make great teachers also make great professors. I’ve been fortunate enough to love most of my professors at Boston College. I’m intrigued by the cursing habits of one of my professors, how another one of my professors eerily resembles Drew Barrymore, and how one professor’s used an imaginary penis on wheels as an analogy to describe logos, pathos, and ethos (I know it sounds absurd, but there was a point to it).

There’s an undeniable pull to any professor who loves the material they teach. I used to think I would only ever like professors that were loud and full of energy. But, it turns out I just enjoy professors who genuinely enjoy teaching and have confidence in their students’ abilities

Now you’re probably thinking of the professors that teach chemistry, psychology, English, or philosophy, etc. that you actually hate. Perhaps the class got you into the “C’s get degrees” mindset, the professor was strict, or you didn’t see the point of learning the material— the list could go on and on. More importantly, however, I would bet you didn’t actually know the professor very well.

An aspect of high school that doesn’t translate well to college is the student-professor relationship. For some reason, it feels like there’s a larger barrier between us. For the longest time, I thought of professors as people who have everything together and know all the

But every time I took that leap of faith and made it past the student-professor barrier, I’ve been proven wrong. Most professors are actually understanding and personable. When I’ve nervously expressed my confusion, disappointment, or frustration with material to professors, my professors made the effort to understand.

Truthfully, it has still been difficult for me to grapple with the idea that professors aren’t perfect, but I’m starting to believe they also experience insecurities and are still figuring it out—whatever “it” is. When I heard a professor talk about experiencing imposter syndrome, it blew my mind. I’m aware it may sound like a reach that getting to know your professor will change your attitude toward a class you don’t love, but what do you have to lose?

Recognizing that all relationships require effort from both parties, I encourage professors to be open with their students. That includes sharing mistakes, insecurities, and humor, as opposed to only organization, knowledge, and apparent perfection. I’m not sure if professors are scared of losing credibility or a role model status, but I assure you all that students will be more receptive to you and hopefully your material if you’re willing to show the imperfect parts of yourself and embrace your authentic energy. Both students and professors can benefit from having relationships—not just sitting through 50- or 75-minute lectures with no knowledge of one another.

Alexa Piedra is a columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at alexa.piedra@bc.edu.

What Happened to the Christmas Tree?

If you’ve spent any time on Herrd in the last few days, you are familiar with the great Christmas tree disaster of 2022. Many students—already expressing disappointment on the app about the multicolored lights— were heartbroken to see half the lights pitifully go out on Saturday night. Cries of “why can’t we have nice things?” echoed through the halls of O’Neill as students peered out at what looked like a multicolored pole on the Quad.

No Snow!

With temperatures dropping into the 30s, BC students—especially those new to the New England cold—are pulling out big coats and pom pom hats. But what’s the point of the cold if your teeth aren’t chattering under beautiful clouds of white? Yes, the flurries might mean you have to add a few minutes to your trek to class, but with December well upon us, it’s about time! There’s nothing that makes Gasson look more breathtaking than those fluffy blankets of snow.

Alli HArgrove

AlexA PiedrA

The opinions and commentaries of the op-ed columnists appearing on this page represent the views of the authors of those particular pieces and not necessarily the views of The Heights

GRAPHICS BY PAIGE STEIN AND ALYSSA ANDERSON / HEIGHTS EDITORS

Shovelhead Satirizes College Tropes in Fall Show

By Parker Leaf For The Heights

Amid the ramp-up to final exams, students gathered in Fulton 511 on Thursday as Hello…Shovelhead! orchestrated a night of laughter with its show “They’re Doing WHAT!?!?!?! At the Beach?”

The comedy group opened its performance with a pre-recorded video sketch that introduced each of its comedians. The sketch showed the comedians trying to arrive in Fulton 511 in time for the show,

emerging from the Res after a swim and The Circle Tavern after what appeared to be a late night out.

Shovelhead also performed the show, which consisted of 15 pre-recorded and live skits, on Dec. 2 and 3.

The crowd roared with laughter throughout a video skit that mocked tours around Boston College’s campus.

Mary Carol Phelan, MCAS ’24, played the role of the tour guide, visiting notable buildings such as Gasson Hall and making jokes about each while receiving cheers

and hollers from the audience. Phelan’s comparison of Fulton Hall and Carney Hall prompted roaring applause.

“The interior of this building is supposedly inspired by the movie The Wizard of Oz, whereas the interior of Carney is inspired by the South Delaware Correctional Facility,” Phelan said.

Students cheered on Phelan as she chased fellow Shovelhead member Liam Conner, CSOM ’25, up the stairs leading from McGuinn Hall up to Stokes Lawn, where she tackled him for an interview on the Student Admission Program’s social media pages.

In another skit, the comedians used a combination of live acting and a projection of a student’s laptop screen. Thomas Chen, MCAS ’24, played a professor teaching a lecture on American history. The skit began with Chen asking the class who is considered a citizen. All of the comedians that raised their hands to answer the professor’s question were white men.

“That’s right, only white land-owning

Three Shovelhead members perform as characters in a Middle Ages love triangle.

males,” Chen responded.

The projection on the screen portrayed a student switching between tabs on her computer. The tabs consisted of class notes, a game of 2048, a running document about why she believed the professor is a loser, and a document entitled, “Romance Novel Draft 122,” which contained a sexual narrative the student was writing.

In another skit, Shovelhead co-director Sam Stevenson, MCAS ’23, pretended

to be hosting her own Clue-themed 37th birthday party. The guests were clearly bored the whole time, and the party went awry when guests discovered Stevenson kidnapped and murdered someone for the game.

The show’s 12 other sketches provoked laughter and cheering from the crowd, some more than others, and at the end of the show each comedian individually ran back on stage to receive a huge round of applause.

Chorale and Orchestra Collaborate in Christmas Show

By LyLa WaLsh For The Heights

The University Chorale of Boston College and the Boston College Symphony Orchestra filled Trinity Chapel with Christmas carols on the opening night of their annual “Christmas on the Heights” concert on Friday.

The groups also held performances of the concert on Saturday and Sunday.

John Finney, director of both groups, welcomed the crowd and invited audience members to sing along to the show’s opening song “Joy to the World.” Finney is in his 30th year directing both University Chorale and the BC Symphony Orchestra.

The powerful voices of Chorale’s singers filled the chapel and combined with the upbeat sound from the orchestra for an energizing performance of the classic Christmas song. This piece was followed by “Tollite Hostias” from Oratorio de Noël by Camille Saint-Saëns. After the performance, Finney reminisced on his experience conducting University Chorale

as it sang the song underneath a waterfall during the group’s trip to Puerto Rico in 1994.

The groups then performed “We Three Kings of Orient Are,” which featured multiple instrumental and vocal soloists. It began with a beautifully intricate blend of violin, viola, and cello music. Then, sweet sounds of the harp slowly trickled into the musical introduction.

Singers joined in with passionate voices and soloists Elizabeth Ratliff, CSOM ’23; Nicole Graziano, MCAS ’23; and Bridget Corcoran, MCAS ’23, each led a verse.

The groups then delivered a performance of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” during which robust and angelic singing voices resonated throughout the chapel. The sound of trumpets triumphantly joined halfway through, making a clear impact on the overall sound and blending with the voices of the singers. As soon as the elongated final note of the piece came to an end, immediate applause filled the chapel.

The next two performances were of “For Unto Us a Child Is Born” and “Ding Dong Merrily on High,” which each highlighted the vocal variation throughout the chorale as high and low voices alternated singing throughout the pieces.

Next, the orchestra alone performed “Trepak,” a well-known piece from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. The orchestra created an invigorating sound that excited the audience.

Next came “O Holy Night,” which contrasted the previous songs’ intensity with its calming sound. The performance began peacefully and softly, with the soothing melody of the flute adding a layer of dimension to the work’s sound. The impact grew as more instruments joined and the voices of the entirety of University Chorale came together, maintaining the tranquil energy of the piece until the end.

“A Christmas Festival” followed, which Finney described as a “wonderful tapestry of Christmas music.” The song included excerpts of “Jingle Bells,” “Joy to the World,” “Deck the Halls,” and more

Christmas classics. The orchestra aided singers in transitioning from one melody to the next, creating a seamless, uninterrupted sound.

“Sleigh Ride,” which the orchestra performed by itself, was one of the night’s most notable performances because of the song’s familiarity and the musicians’ delivery. The performance incorporated a wide range of sound effects, including pieces of wood clapping together to

mimic a whip, and the work finished with a stringed instrument loudly mimicking a horse’s neigh.

To finish the night, Finney invited former members of University Chorale to join the group on stage and perform “Hallelujah!” from George Frideric Handel’s Messiah.

Former members of the group filed to the front of the chapel, some embracing as they reunited with old friends.

Review: Gore in ‘Bones and All’ Detracts From Message

By Tarisa VaThanakuL Heights Staff

A romantic relationship blossoms between two cannibalistic young lovers as they travel through America in Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All. The film’s portrayal of blood and gore turns a romance story about two outcasts into a cult-esque slaughter film.

Guadagnino is known for his romantic coming-of-age films such as Call Me By Your Name, which focuses on human connection and forbidden love. While Bones and All addresses mundane conflicts that occur between couples and the hardships of human connection, it also tests the waters of addressing taboo topics—like cannibalism—in film.

The movie centers around young Maren (Taylor Russell) and social

drifter Lee (Timothée Chalamet) as they embark on a 3,000-mile adventure across the United States to escape their past and a society that they do not fit into. The journey tests Maren and Lee’s

love for each other as they discover each other’s differences.

It is difficult to concentrate on the main plot of Maren’s life story as the film includes scenes portraying guts

and organs. Unexpected jump scares, vivid depictions of organs spilling out of bodies, and visuals of characters chewing off fingers seem unnecessary when the true message of the film revolves around Maren’s internal struggles.

At the beginning of the film, viewers see the central conflict of Maren wanting to fit in but being overcome by temptations to eat other human beings. In one scene, during an innocent sleepover with her high school friends, Maren becomes intoxicated by their smell.

Maren becomes unable to resist the smell as her friend puts her hand toward her face. As her friend shows off her newly painted nails, Maren bites her finger.

The scene creates an unsettling start to the film and a clear divide between Maren and her peers.

After Maren’s father abandoned her, she was left alone to survive in a world where she does not belong because of her cannibalistic temptations. Maren ventures through different stages of life, meeting more cannibals and half-cannibals. Throughout this journey, an ethical question arises: how human is a cannibal?

In one scene, Maren tells Lee that she doesn’t want to hurt anyone.

“Famous last words,” he replies.

Maren is an inherently carnal being, but she has a pure and virtuous mind. She epitomizes the idea of being a victim to one’s own identity. She has innate cravings to eat people, but in order to do that, she would have to kill them.

CALLIE OXFORD / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Shovelhead members act in a skit about a Clue-themed birthday party gone wrong.

CALLIE OXFORD / FOR THE HEIGHTS

University Chorale singers line up to perform a series of classic Christmas songs.

KATHERINE CANNIFF / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Eagles Take Down St. John’s for Program-First 21 Wins

“Actually, we’ve lost to St. John’s 15–13 in the fifth two years in a row, so having this chance, every single person on our team was like, ‘We are not losing this game,’” Murphy said.

Silvia Ianeselli and Izzy Clavenna each tallied nine kills in the sweep.

“I think it’s been a lot of fun,” BC head coach Jason Kennedy said. “We took a very specific path in building this and really trying to develop our roster to get them to be consistently improving.”

Just 24 hours after sweeping Buffalo in the first round of the NIVC, BC continued its momentum into the tournament’s second round.

“We’re feeling great,” Clavenna said. “I feel like it’s really nice to have these sweeps under our belts so we know how to play in this tournament, you know. We’re comfortable, especially being at home.”

Neither team took a commanding

lead throughout the entirety of the first half. A kill from BC’s Katrina Jensen tied the set at 14, and a St. John’s service error gave the Eagles a one-point lead.

That was the spark that the Eagles needed as they quickly took a 20–16 lead, forcing St. John’s to take a timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Eagles maintained their momentum to earn the first-set win.

The Red Storm looked like a different team to start the second set, though, and took an early 10–3 lead, forcing a BC timeout.

But BC followed up with an 11–4 run to come all the way back and tie the set at 14 apiece. A St. John’s attack error gave the Eagles an advantage.

“Even when we were down 10–3, I had full confidence that we were gonna win that set and that game,” Murphy said.

Another St. John’s attack error clinched the second set for the Eagles.

“Well, we knew they started playing a different lineup in that second set,” Kennedy said. “So we weren’t

really sure what it was going to look like as the set evolved and we figured there were going to be some weak points and opportunities to exploit some runs of our own, so we just had to stay in it.”

St. John’s recorded 15 attack errors throughout the first two sets while the Eagles tallied seven.

The third set followed a similar pattern to the first set, with neither team taking a commanding lead early on.

BC eventually pulled away, and a powerful kill from Ianeselli—her seventh of the game—gave the Eagles a 10–8 lead. BC capitalized on its momentum and extended its lead to 14–9 before the Red Storm called a timeout. A Julia Haggerty kill secured BC’s sweep.

“To see our growth and that maturity come to life this late into the year, into December, I think it’s a huge testament to the team’s ability to train, our coaches, our staff, and quite honestly, just how hard this group of athletes has worked to get here,” Kennedy said. n

Shootout Goal Sends BC Past Providence

By nick Pulice Heights Staff

One day after losing a shootout to No. 10 Providence in Conte Forum on Friday, Boston College men’s hockey had a chance at revenge against the Friars on the road. The Eagles found themselves in another shootout Saturday, but this time around, BC forward Matt Argentina deked out Providence’s net minder Philip Svedebäck and slotted a backhand shot into the net for an extra point in Hockey East standings.

Trevor Kuntar and Andre Gasseau nearly sealed the overtime win for BC (5–5–4, 4–3–3 Hockey East) with a tic-tac-toe play, but the Eagles couldn’t capitalize. It took Argentina’s heroics for BC to cap off its upset shootout victory over the Friars (9–3–5, 6–0–5), which they couldn’t muster in Friday’s heartbreaker.

Neither team scored in the first period Saturday although officials called back a BC goal just past the three-minute mark. Colby Ambrosio appeared to put BC up 1–0 on the power play after deflecting Cutter Gauthier’s slapshot into the net. Officials quickly reviewed the goal and overturned it due to an offsides violation, keeping the game scoreless.

Nine minutes into the game, Providence went on the man advantage but failed to score despite peppering shots into Mitch Benson’s crease. Similar to his 39-save performance the night before, Benson shut down 31 of the Friars’ shots throughout the game.

The second period was all Providence, though. As they did in Chestnut Hill a night prior, the Friars continued to send a barrage of shots from all over the ice toward Benson. Nearly 10

minutes into the period, Providence’s Nick Poisson finally broke through the stalemate. Benson originally saved Poisson’s shot, but Poisson stuck with it, corralling his own rebound and tucking the puck into the net to hand Providence a 1–0 lead.

The Eagles netted the equalizer with less than five minutes left in the period. Eamon Powell sent a shot from the point which Svedebäck stopped, but Connor Joyce found the loose puck. Joyce fired a turnaround shot through traffic that sailed past Svedebäck, making it a 1–1 game with just over four minutes remaining in the second frame.

Through two periods, the Friars outshot BC 28–14.

But despite being outshot, the Eagles broke the tie seven minutes into the frame. Nikita Nesterenko completed a cross-ice pass to Argentina, who rifled a shot past the glove of Svedebäck and into the back of the net.

The Eagles’ lead was short-lived, though. Four minutes later, Poisson found himself in the right place at the right time yet again. This time, Poisson recovered a loose puck in the crease, and with Benson out of position after saving the initial shot, put the puck into the net. Poisson’s second goal of the night tied the game at 2–2 with 9:39 left to play.

The Eagles created several scoring chances in the three-on-three overtime period. Gasseau missed an open net on a two-on-one opportunity and Svedebäck denied Cam Burke on a breakaway.

After both teams made three attempts at securing the shootout win, Argentina finally stepped up for BC, slotting home the game winner. Then Benson denied Poisson’s attempt, icing the game for BC. n

By Jack Bergamini Asst. Sports Editor

Last season, it appeared as though Boston College men’s basketball had a chance to pull off an upset win against then-No. 7 Duke. BC was down just two points with three minutes left in the first half before the Blue Devils pulled away in the second half for an 11-point win.

On Saturday, BC (5–4, 0–1 Atlantic Coast) was down one point 11 minutes into its game against No. 17 Duke with a fighting chance. But shooting struggles and multiple Blue Devil scoring runs put the game out of reach for the Eagles, who fell to Duke (8–2, 0–1) 75–59.

“I thought the effort was there,” BC head coach Earl Grant said. “We played really hard. I thought early in the game—the first 11 minutes—we did a good job of executing the game plan and controlling the tempo, keeping the crowd out of the game.”

The Eagles played aggressively early, and a Chas Kelley III 3-pointer put BC up 7–4 five minutes into the game. But Makai Ashton-Langford suffered a right

hamstring strain early, forcing him to leave the game after playing just four minutes.

“Not having [Ashton-Langford] is a huge deal because of his experience and his ability to stay poised and calm down his teammates anytime it gets a little bit hectic,” Grant said. “We used what we had and tried to compete at the highest level we could.”

Ashton-Langford’s absence left Kelley and Jaeden Zackery as BC’s only true ball handlers available, and Duke’s zone press put full-court pressure on BC.

“We didn’t turn it over against the press,” Grant said. “But some of the shots [BC took] kind of were like turnovers. [Duke] sped us up.”

BC recorded nine turnovers on the night. Checking in off the bench, DeMarr Langford Jr. converted a difficult finish through contact with 10:55 left in the half.

Langford Jr. added another point from the free-throw line and cut Duke’s lead to one.

Mason Madsen, who has started seven games for Langford Jr. amid his early-season ankle sprain, shot 0-of-6 from behind the arc.

“Take it one day at a time,” Grant said. “[Langford Jr.] has been out of the lineup

for a while with injuries, so he’s returning back, just trying [to help him] find his rhythm, but we’ll go day-to-day and make that decision.”

Langford. Jr. finished the game with five points in 35 minutes. Duke took advantage of Ashton-Langford’s absence. A Dereck Lively II jump shot capped off a 12–5 Duke run, as the Blue Devils took a 22–16 lead with seven minutes left in the half. Duke never relinquished its lead again.

The Blue Devils continued their scoring streak with an 8–2 run to take a 30–18 lead. Duke’s Kyle Filipowski and Lively played hard in the paint, working BC’s defenders down low.

BC struggled to find any quality looks late in the first half and didn’t make a field goal for the last 2:41 of the half. Devin McGlockton, however, scored BC’s last five points of the half, sending the Eagles into the break down 35–23. The Eagles shot 27.3 percent from the field in the half and 1-of-10 from behind the arc.

CJ Penha Jr. scored BC’s first five points in the second half with a hook shot from the paint and a deep 3-pointer. Penha led the Eagles in scoring with 16 points.

Lively

on a 14–7 run. Roach hit a 3-pointer to put Duke up by 21, sending Cameron Indoor Stadium into ecstatic cheers.

Penha made a layup to bring BC within 15 points, but Duke’s Mark Mitchell iced the game with eight straight points—two from the corner 3-pointer spot—and BC walked away from Cameron Indoor Stadium with its first conference loss.

“I had a feeling that it was important for him to get five to six minutes, you know, so he can maybe get 10 to 12 in the next game,” Grant said. “It was nice to get him out on the floor for a few minutes.”

Zackery’s seven straight points cut the Blue Devils’ lead to 10 with 12:44 left in the game, giving the Eagles some life. Duke, however, regained its momentum, going

“Just make daily improvements,” Grant said of BC’s adjustments heading into the bulk of ACC play. “It’s a 20 game season. We got three non-conference games and Christmas break, and like any other season, just keep developing and trying to grow. It’s a journey, and it doesn’t end until March." n

and Jeremy Roach executed the pick and roll all game, and BC failed to find a way to answer, as Lively made three dunks off rolls. Freshman Prince Aligbe checked in for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 11 about five minutes into the second half. Aligbe played for four minutes.

Boston

St. John’s Boston College 0

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

STEVE MOONEY / HEIGHTS EDITOR

BC continued its 12-game losing streak inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Boston College Providence 2 2

Waggoner Leads BC to Battle of Comm. Ave. Win

By luke evans

For The Heights

In a game that featured 12 lead changes and 11 ties, Boston College women’s basketball had to battle for the full 40 minutes Sunday against Boston University in the 28th Battle of Comm. Ave.

Dontavia Waggoner led the way for the Eagles (7–3), notching a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds as BC scored a season-high 90 points en route to a 90–80 win over BU (4–4).

“We talked about last year—that [loss to BU] was a tough loss for us, and we wanted to make sure this year that we came ready to play and play together, and kind of show our growth and where we’re at as a

program,” BC head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said.

The Terriers defeated BC 69–65 last year in a down-to-the-wire contest. On Sunday, BU jumped out to an early six-point lead before a JoJo Lacey 3-pointer followed by back-to-back Eagles’ steals allowed BC to quickly regain its advantage.

The Eagles maintained this momentum and continued to apply pressure on BU’s defense on a 12–0 run. Waggoner and Lacey led the Eagles in the first quarter recording six points each to help the Eagles establish a 19–12 lead after the game’s first 10 minutes.

The Terriers, however, entered the second quarter with newfound energy and took a five-point lead. But Andrea Daley converted an and-1 and Lacey followed with a 3-pointer to reestablish the Eagles’

lead with 5:12 left in the first half.

BC entered halftime leading 36–35, led by Lacey’s nine points and three steals and Waggoner’s 10 points, six rebounds, and two steals.

The Eagles continued to take advantage of BU’s turnover struggles in the second half, forcing 11.

“I think that we got more aggressive,” Waggoner said. “I think that when we’re getting steals, we’re getting more aggressive. I think that we were playing a little bit soft in the beginning and then we started to get more aggressive, and that’s when we started to pick it up.”

BU continued to battle, though, tying the game at 51 apiece in the third quarter. Daley played aggressively on both ends of the court, recording a fast-break score to put the Eagles up by two and blocking a shot to force the Terriers to take

a timeout.

Success from behind the arc kept the Terriers in the game and BU’s Liz Shean’s fourth 3-pointer to tie the game at 57. But Lacey responded by converting an and-1 to put the Eagles up by four in the fourth quarter, forcing another BU timeout.

Shean refused to let the Terriers go down quietly, recording her fifth 3-pointer to bring BU within three points with 5:25 to play. BU netted 11 total 3-pointers, shooting 64.7 percent from behind the arc.

“Listen, that was crazy,” Bernabei-McNamee said of BU’s 3-point shooting. “I do believe we contested a few of them and they still went in. So, that was a tough pill to swallow during the game.”

With a minute to play, the Eagles extended their lead to four. Then

Lacey stole the ball and scored a fast-break bucket to extend BC’s lead to six points with just 40 seconds remaining. Lacey finished the game with 22 points.

Then the Terriers recorded their 22nd turnover of the night to seal the Eagles’ victory. BC scored 29 points off BU turnovers.

The Terriers resorted to fouling in the game’s final moments, but BC’s Taina Mair and Daley nailed the free throws to secure the win.

Mair—who played all 40 minutes of regulation along with Waggoner— tallied 12 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in the victory.

“I think the momentum of the game kind of kept me, personally, like, my energy there,” Waggoner said. “But, I was definitely feeling it when there was 40 seconds left in the game.” n

Eagles Defeat Holy Cross 4 – 2 in Conte Forum

By IsaBella CalIse Heights Staff

With its leading scorer Hannah Bilka and third leading scorer Kate Ham out of the lineup with injuries, Boston College women’s hockey faced a considerable gap in its offense when Holy Cross came to town Saturday.

But sophomore forward Katie Pyne was there to fill that gap.

Pyne stepped into the spotlight on Saturday against Holy Cross (2–17–1, 1–13–0 Hockey East), earning her first career two-goal game. Following a slow first period (11–7–1, 9–5–0), BC scored three second-period goals to defeat the Crusaders 4–2.

“You know, two solid players are out, I think a lot of us just want to step up and be the best we can for our team,” Pyne said. “I think it was an all-around team effort and we got the win, so that’s all that matters.”

BC jumped out ahead of Holy Cross from the first puck drop, applying offen-

sive pressure on the Crusaders’ defense and peppering shots on Holy Cross goaltender Madison Beck. Caroline Goffredo filled the role of a missing Bilka, sending backhanded shots on net, while Alexie Guay landed herself in the penalty box for slashing six minutes into play.

The Eagles killed the penalty successfully, and by the end of the period led in total shots 14–9. Goffredo, Pyne, and Gaby Roy led BC’s offense but failed to find the back of the net. Pyne almost landed a top-shelf goal late in the period but it ricocheted off the pipe.

With less than five minutes left in the first frame, Holy Cross had a two-on-one breakout, but Darci Johal’s wrap-around attempt slid just wide of the post.

“We didn’t realize [Holy Cross] was going to be as aggressive as they were until yesterday when we played against them,” BC head coach Katie Crowley said. “They’re probably one of the most physical teams we’ve seen. It’s just being prepared for it, being ready for it. I think we were a little bit better today.”

Just over two minutes into the second

period, Goffredo landed a pass to sophomore Abby Newhook. Newhook, who scored her ninth game-winning goal the afternoon prior, tallied her sixth goal in the past five games to give the Eagles a 1–0 lead.

The Eagles’ crisp passing continued, as Jenna Carpenter took the puck down the wing and sent it to Deirdre Mullowney. Mullowney moved the puck to the near side of the net and poked it past Beck, putting BC up 2–0.

“Overall, I thought this was probably one of the most offensive-zone possession games we’ve had up until this point,” Crowley said. “That’s something we’ve really been working on.”

The Crusaders then pushed the tempo and moved into BC’s defensive zone. After several lunging saves, BC netminder Abigail Levy let through a Lilly Feeney shot, which cut the Crusaders’ deficit to one.

Then Pyne took matters into her own hands.

On a breakaway, Pyne slotted a backhand shot into the net to reestablish BC’s

two-goal lead.

“[Pyne’s] such a smart player and a lot of times she might not be the fastest, so a lot of people don’t see that,” Crowley said. “The little things she does without the puck are so elite, and that I think helps her linemates and has really shown through this year with how she’s playing the game.”

It didn’t take long for the Crusaders to come back for revenge. Just 18 seconds into the third frame, Mary Edmonds fired a backhand shot past Levy, cutting the

Eagles’ lead to 3–2.

With 25 seconds left, Pyne found another breakaway opportunity and sent the puck flying into an empty net, solidifying her first career two-goal game and the Eagles’ win.

“You can see her confidence grow throughout this whole season,” Crowley said. “I think she’s one that we’re gonna rely on to score and to help her line score. I think that she’s starting to show that now as we get later in the semester.” n

BC Defeats Buffalo for Postseason Victory

By RoBeRt BRennan Heights Staff

In five years at the helm of Boston College volleyball, Jason Kennedy has transformed BC’s program. In his first four years on the Heights, Kennedy became the fastest coach in program history to earn 50 wins and on Nov. 21, he established himself as BC’s all-time leader in ACC wins.

Kennedy led BC to its first-ever postseason victory in 2021, and after a 20–13 regular season in 2022, the Eagles qualified for the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) for its third postseason appearance in four years.

On Friday, a packed student section filled BC’s new home court as BC (20–13, 7–11 Atlantic Coast) took on Buffalo in the first round of the NIVC. The Eagles swept the Bulls (19–14, 10–8 Mid-American)

in three sets by scores of 25–18, 25–17, and 27–25 to advance to the tournament’s second round.

In the first set, the game’s momentum shifted back and forth until the Eagles took a 15–14 lead and Kennedy called a timeout. From there, the Eagles pulled away. Buffalo made two consecutive serving errors, and a Jenna Pollock ace set the Eagles up for a scoring run that led them to victory.

“I think anytime you start kind of the second season, if you will, everybody’s a little uncomfortable,” Kennedy said after the first set. “It’s gonna take a little bit of adjusting. There’s a lot of pressure in these games. Now you win or you go home so I think we just had to get over the initial jitters.”

The Eagles’ offensive power, led by kills from Katrina Jensen and Silvia Ianeselli fueled the Eagles’ hot streak. Buffalo found a chance to slow the Eagles’ long rally after it made a

crucial dig to keep the ball in play, but BC’s Kate Brennan ended Buffalo’s chances with a spike, causing the packed student fan section to erupt in cheers. The Eagles capitalized on a Pollock kill to win the set 25–18.

BC built off of its momentum from the first set and stayed in control in the second. After Pollock killed a Buffalo serve to put the Eagles up 2–1, BC didn’t relinquish its lead for the rest of the set.

Buffalo came within a few points of the Eagles several times in the set, but BC responded at every important juncture. After Buffalo blocked an Abby Leigh kill to make it 13–12, Jensen’s two key kills and Pollock’s ace put the Eagles on a 4–1 run.

After going up 21–16, the Bulls took a timeout, but their reset did nothing to slow down BC as it finished the set on a 4–1 run to take the set, 25–17.

Buffalo took control of the third set early on and wouldn’t relinquish

its lead until Alayna Crabtree made two consecutive aces to give the Eagles an 18–17 lead.

The game’s intensity did not die out, as the final stages of the game were packed with action. Kennedy called a timeout as the Bulls led 22–20, looking to prevent BC from having to play a fourth set.

Buffalo took BC to the brink of losing the set twice, but the Eagles responded both times with clutch kills from Julia Haggerty. After two back-to-back kills, Jensen finished the job with a kill of her own, taking the set 27–25 and completing BC’s sweep of Buffalo.

“We have to win this in three because there’s no guarantee that you’re gonna win, and if you don’t, I think it gets dicey or in dicier,” Kennedy said. “The longer you go where, you know, you get into four sets, then you’re one set away from going five and you really don’t want to be in that situation.” n

LEO WANG / HEIGHTS STAFF

Although shorthanded, BC earned a 4–2 victory over Holy Cross on Saturday.

Every year, as The Heights welcomes a cohort of new members, it says farewell to another group of editors who have served on its board. Below are their favorite moments from their time on The Heights . Their leadership and initiative have shaped this organization and their work will certainly not be forgotten. The Heights commemorates each of the outgoing board members for their contributions, and it wishes them the best in the future.

“Big 3” Departing Members

Megan Kelly Editor-in-Chief

Mac McGee General Manager

Lauren Wittenmyer Managing Editor

Over the course of the last three years, The Heights has given us a home in Mac 113, countless memories—both good and bad—and friendships that will last a lifetime. We are incredibly grateful to the many editors, staffers, and contributors we’ve worked with who have changed us for the better. While our time on The Heights is a minuscule contribution to over a century of serving the community, we could not be more impressed by the dedication this board has shown to telling the stories of Boston College. We are proud of everything the 104th board has achieved this past year and beyond excited to see what the 105th will do in the year to come.

Three-Year Board Members

Two-Year Board Members

Julia Kiersznowski, Emma Healy, Mac McGee, Lauren Wittenmyer, Julia Remick, Liv Charbonneau, Megan Kelly, Rachel Phelan, and Maddie Phelps

Eamon O’Malley, Gavin Zhang, Kate Canniff, MC Claverie, Annie Corrigan, Amy Palmer, Maggie Leahy, and Stephen Bradley

“Last year’s Christmas card photo, Maine traditions, and spending Sundays with some of my best friends.” -Emma Healy

“Hanging out by the lake with everyone in Maine, and laughing through the delirious late night hours in the office with some of my best friends.” -Rachel Phelan

“Hanging out in the sports corner freshman year and getting to see my favorite people every Sunday.” -Liv Charbonneau

“Digital Dinner with Maddie, Onur, and Natalie, and spending time with my metro editors, Maggie and Josie.” -Julia Remick

“Laughing in the Mac hallway with fellow arts editors, post-production tarot card readings with Grace and Alicia, and Friendsgiving with Josie and Pat.” -Kate Canniff “Addie’s Late Night after my first Heights party, Newton charcuterie night, and everyone reading for hours on end on the Maine roof.” -Julia Kiersznowski

“Playing extremely intense and exciting games of football and volleyball in Maine!” -Maddie Phelps

“Many of my favorite moments are from production. I always loved floor moments with Magazine and Metro, aux-ing and adding mischievous songs to the queue, and spending my Sundays hanging out with some of the best people at BC” -Maggie Leahy

Seniors Juniors

“Skipping down Comm Ave with Stephen, listening to ‘All Too Well’ on repeat in the office, and doing what I love with some of my closest friends.” -Amy Palmer

“Screaming ‘Wagon Wheel,’ late night feral moments at production, attempting to watch the sunrise (not once but twice), and spending time in Mac 113 with my best friends.” -MC Claverie

“Elevated surfaces in Maine—roofs, tables, chairs—and ‘Wagon Wheel.’” -Sophia Maher

“Making some of my first friends at BC in the Heights office (Guac Night), both trips to Maine, and all of the late-night (or early-morning) laughs and laments at production.” -Stephen Bradley

“Both Maine trips, going absolutely insane with MC singing ‘Johnson City, Tenn.,’ during ‘Wagon Wheel,’ pre-production breakfasts, creating traditions with the junior class, and every incredible memory in Mac 113 that we made over the past two years.” -Annie Corrigan

“Heights intramurals, the Maine trip, and Sunday productions.” -Eamon O’Malley