The Boston College
Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs march 14, 2013 VOL. 21 no. 13
INSIDE
Board of Trustees Sets Tuition for 2013-14 Year
READY FOR THE JOURNEY
•Women’s Resource Ctr. marks 40th, page 2
University to increase undergraduate financial aid to $97 million
•Students prepare for Irish dance “Olympics,” page 2 •BC alum Moniz nominee for Energy Secretary, page 3
By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs
•GSSW faculty member on gun violence panel, page 3 •Cornille named as Newton Alumnae Professor, page 3 •Graduate programs in 2014 US News survey, page 3 •Sesquicentennial events for March, page 4
•BC named Changemaker Campus, included on President’s Community Service Honor Roll, page 5 •LSOE grad Byron running marathon to benefit school’s technology, page 5 •BC students take part in ACC initiative, page 6 •Burns exhibit explores Connolly’s musical roots, page 6 •“New Voices” speaking up at Robsham, page 8
Students taking part in the annual Appalachia Volunteers service program during spring break gathered in St. Ignatius Church March 1 for the traditional Mass prior to their departure. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
Sixteen Faculty Members Promoted University President William P. Leahy, SJ, has announced the promotions of 16 Boston College faculty members. College of Arts and Sciences faculty promoted to full professor were: Christopher Baum, Economics; Kalpana Seshadri, English; Tao Li, Mathematics; Gerald Easter, Political Science; Elizabeth Kensinger, Psychology; and M. Shawn Copeland, Theology. Also promoted to full professor were Mary-Rose Papandrea of the Law School and Ana Martinez-Aleman of the Educational Leadership and
Higher Education Department in the Lynch School of Education. Faculty members promoted to associate professor with tenure were: Brian Quinn and David Olson of the Law School; Thomas Crea, Graduate School of Social Work; Heather Rowan-Kenyon, Educational Leadership and Higher Education (LSOE); and in A&S, Jianmin Gao, Chemistry; Kendra Eshleman, Classical Studies; Hao Jiang, Computer Science; and Gorica Petrovich, Psychology. —Office of News & Public Affairs
BC to Host Naturalization Ceremony on March 21 By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs
To honor its origins as a university founded 150 years ago to serve Boston’s immigrant population, Boston College and the Graduate School of Social Work will host a naturalization ceremony on March 21 at 3 p.m. in Robsham Theater. One hundred immigrants — including BC freshman Chuda Rijal of Bhutan — will take the oath of allegiance to the United States in a ceremony presided over by US District Court Justice George A. O’Toole Jr., a 1969 graduate of
Boston College. The ceremony, which is open to the BC community, will also feature several BC musical groups and an appearance by BC ROTC students and Undergraduate Government of Boston College Vice President Kudzai Taziva ’13. “Hosting this ceremony is a great fit for us,” said GSSW Dean Alberto Godenzi, who was naturalized in Boston in 2010 along with his wife and daughter. “Social work is all about inclusion and empowerment. There is something unique about experiencing this moment, when people from Continued on page 4
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The Board of Trustees has set tuition for the 2013-2014 academic year at $44,870, as part of a 3.6 percent overall increase in tuition, room and board. To maintain Boston College’s commitment to providing access to students regardless of financial need, the University increased need-based undergraduate financial aid by 7.9 percent, to $97 million, and overall student aid to $152 million. Boston College remains one of only 21 private universities in the United States that is need-blind in admissions and meets the full demonstrated need of all accepted undergraduate students. Nearly 70
percent of Boston College students receive financial aid, with the average need-based financial aid package projected to exceed $35,000 this year. In addition, the Board of Trustees set the University’s 2013-2014 operating budget at $886 million, which includes an additional $7 million in support of academic priorities outlined in the 2006 Strategic Plan. “This budget will provide funds essential for Boston College to continue investing in academic programs, facilities and student financial aid, and to maintain institutional momentum,” said University President William P. Leahy, SJ. Executive Vice President Patrick Keating stated that the budget and corresponding tuition increase reflect the University’s ongoing commitment to limiting tuition growth through cost containment initiatives. “Through our various Continued on page 4
Technology Initiative Centers on Faculty-Student Interaction By Melissa Beecher Staff Writer
Picture a lecture hall — but without the lecture. More than 100 students arrive to class ready to participate in discussions because they have already viewed the lecture and supplemental materials online. The professor, able to engage more thoroughly on each topic, determines mastery of the subject through real-time polling — instant pop quizzes, of sorts — that students take on handheld devices they click throughout the discussion. The professor gains immediate data on what material needs to be reviewed and modifies the lesson plan. That scenario may be closer to reality at Boston College than you think. A movement is underway at the
University to analyze classroom technology as a means to improve the interactions between professors and students, through the Academic Innovation Programs (AIP) initiative led by the Academic Technology Advisory Board. The board, a committee of the Office of the Provost, is currently gathering comments and suggestions from faculty through group meetings. The open comment period —which ends next month — will help establish programming that could be implemented as soon as fall 2013. University Provost and Dean of Faculties Cutberto Garza set the stage for AIP at Convocation last semester when he urged BC to examine how expanding technological capabilities could transform student/ faculty relationships and interactions. Continued on page 6
“Without opportunities like ‘New Voices’ to produce the plays I’m writing, I would never get a chance to improve. Plays are meant to be performed, so until they are given an opportunity to be read and commented on by actors, there will always be something missing.” —Student playwright Maggie Kearnan ’14, page 8
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Rayana Grace ’13 read selections of her poetry at “Ever Progressive: A Sesquicentennial Celebration of Black History,” the closing ceremony for Black History Month held Feb. 28 in the Yawkey Center Murray Room. Deacon Arthur Miller, president of the National Association of Black Catholic Administrators, was the guest speaker. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
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comprised of prominent past and present contributors to the WRC. Slated panelists are: Newton College Alumnae Professor Emerita Judith Wilt, a founding member of the Women’s and Gender Studies program; Sheila McMahon, former director of the WRC; Assistant Professor of History Arissa Oh; former WRC student staff member and current Harvard Law School student Rachel Lamorte ’10; and Colby Campbell ’14, the only male member of the WRC student staff. Vice Provost for Faculties Patricia DeLeeuw will serve as moderator. This event will take place in Stokes Hall 195S at 6 p.m. A reception will follow. In addition to celebrating the center’s proud history and accomplished alumnae, WRC Director Katie Dalton says she hopes these events serve as “an impetus to encourage current students to recognize their potential and harness their power to be successful in their post-graduate pursuits. We’re here to support, educate and empower all students. We want them to know there is a place here for them.” Coinciding with the WRC’s anniversary is “Reflections through Time: A Celebration of Women’s Accomplishments at Boston College and Beyond,” an exhibition co-sponsored by the WRC and Boston College Libraries on display now through Aug. 30 in the Level Three Gallery of O’Neill Library. For more on Women’s Resource Center events and activities, see www.bc.edu/wrc. —Kathleen Sullivan
Boston College Recreation invited students to submit their Spring Break photos. Take a look at http://pinterest.com/bostoncollege/spring-break-2013.
On ‘the Worlds’ stage While Boston’s hopes for landing the Olympic Games seem to be a long shot, later this month the city will host another event of Olympian proportions — and one with a Boston College presence. From March 24-31, Boston will be the site of the 2013 World Irish Dancing Championships, which is expected to draw some 7,000 competitors from Ireland, the UK, Canada, Australia and the US. It’s only the second time in its 40-plus years that “the Worlds,” as the event — often referred to as “the Olympics of Irish dancing” — is popularly known, has taken place in the US, and the economic impact for the Freshmen Madeline Jacob, left, and regional economy is esti- Bridget TeeKing will be competing in the mated at upwards of $13 World Irish Dancing Championships. and stunning, sparkly, colorful million. Among those taking part in dresses. However, any sense of the Worlds, which comprises pageantry fades away once the solo and group competitions in girls begin to dance, because you numerous age categories, will see them perform lightning fast be five members of the Boston footwork and push themselves to College Irish Dance student or- their potential.” TeeKing finds herself “conganization: freshmen Madeline Jacob and Bridget TeeKing, tinually inspired by the level sophomores Taylor Laffey and of execution that raises the bar Kiera Keller, and junior Stepha- higher and higher every year.” Says Jacob, a Media, Pa., nanie Armstrong (four other BCID members have competed in the tive majoring in secondary education and mathematics who past). When it comes to the Worlds, started dancing at age four, Jacob and TeeKing are seasoned “There are different accents, veterans, both of them making different languages, and differtheir seventh appearance this ent clothing styles wherever one year — but neither have become looks. Dancers are warming up in every open space, teachers are jaded about the experience. “It’s one of the most impor- giving their last words of advice, tant and stressful times of the mothers are running everywhere. year but also one of the most Some may say this is a chaotic enjoyable, because you get to see time with wigs, fake tanner, and and meet friends from all over the rhinestones everywhere you look world,” says TeeKing, a pre-med — but I would say that this is biology major from Brookfield, normal.” BCID Co-president Brianne Ct., and an Irish dancer since age five. “The scene is both beauti- Marron ’13 isn’t taking part this ful and terrifying, as you walk year, but she competed in seven into the hall seating thousands of the eight Worlds for which of spectators intently watching a she qualified, and is grateful for massive stage. You see girls with the confidence and sense of acbig curled hair, made-up faces, complishment she gained.
Sean Smith
This month, the Boston College Women’s Resource Center (WRC) is marking both Women’s History Month and the center’s 40th anniversary, with a series of events to celebrate and discuss the women of today and yesterday. The WRC, an advocacy collaborative focused on women and gender issues, provides the University community with a forum to discuss contemporary social topics through educational programs, peer-to-peer support groups and outreach awareness campaigns. The dual celebration kicked off Tuesday with a keynote address by Grace Simmons ’05, who served as president of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College during her senior year and is now vice president for strategic initiatives for Chobani. Prior to her talk, Simmons met privately with a select group of 18 female undergraduates considered future leaders. The evening also included a screening of the Council for Women of Boston College’s documentary “Making Our Place.” On March 20, the WRC will host the panel discussion “Balancing Act” at noon in the Corcoran Commons Heights Room. The panelists will talk about work/ life integration. Danielle Hartmann of the Center for Work and Family and Susan Fonseca of the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations, representing the Women’s Collaborative, are organizers of the event. The following day will be the WRC’s signature anniversary event, “Still Fighting the Good Fight: Feminism, Then and Now,” with a panel on feminism
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“Competing in the Worlds gave me the opportunity to travel and make life-long memories with friends that end up meaning so much more than any one year’s result,” says Marron, a Dix Hills, NY, resident majoring in history with a minor in Environmental Studies. “It’s great to enjoy the experience with people you have really bonded with through the ups and downs of preparing for the competition. There’s a real sense of community.” For more on the World Irish Dancing Championships, see clrg.ie/boston2013. —Sean Smith The Boston College
Chronicle
Director of NEWS & Public Affairs
Jack Dunn Deputy Director of NEWS & Public AFFAIRS
Patricia Delaney Editor
Sean Smith Contributing Staff
Melissa Beecher Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Michael Maloney Photographers
Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini
The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617)552-3350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. Contact Chronicle via e-mail: chronicle@bc.edu.Electronic editions of the Boston College Chronicle are available via the World Wide Web at http://www. bc.edu/chronicle.
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—Former BC professor Joe Chen
BC Graduate in Line for US Energy Secretary Post By Ed Hayward Staff Writer
News of President Barack Obama’s nomination of 1966 Boston College graduate Ernest J. Moniz as US Energy Secretary has elicited approval from BC Physics faculty members past and present. “We are delighted that Dr. Moniz has been nominated by President Obama,” said Evelyn J. and Robert A. Ferris Professor and Physics Department Chairman Michael Naughton. “In these critical times for US and world energy policies, there is no one more qualified for the job.” Moniz, who earned his bachelor’s degree in physics, is currently the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics and Engineering Systems at MIT, as well as the director of the MIT Energy Initiative and the Laboratory for Energy and the Environment. No stranger to Washington, Moniz served as undersecretary of energy from 1997 to 2001, overseeing all of the Department of Energy’s science and energy programs and the national laboratory system. From 1995 to 1997, he served as the associate director for science in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Retired Professor of Physics Joe Chen, meanwhile, recalls a younger Moniz as a diligent and helpful undergraduate, talented enough to earn recognition as a Scholar of the College.
In a recent email, Chen said that Moniz stood out among a group of excellent students who came to BC to study physics in the 1960s. “He thrived in our challenging research environment without all the ancillary supports. His honors thesis was a beautiful piece of work during which he had to learn group theory all on his own.” Moniz’s special qualities extended beyond the classroom, according to Chen, whether excelling on the tennis court or pitching in to help relocate lab equipment from Devlin Hall to temporary quarters in McElroy. “During the renovation of Devlin Hall, he helped us move and reassemble all the heavy research equipment to a spare room in McElroy – next to the loading dock and all the trash cans.” He praised Moniz’s broad range of accomplishments during his career in science and public policy. “Ernie has moved on with significant contributions both to science and the overall welfare of this country,” Chen said. In a 2009 interview [available at http://bit.ly/ZutyU9], Moniz fondly recalled his time as a student at BC. He stressed the importance of undergraduate research opportunities and called Alumni Stadium his favorite campus location. Addressing his “secrets to success,” Moniz cited “hard work, core values, and high standards – all without compromise.” In 1999, the Alumni Association
By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer
Ernest J. Moniz, Class of 1966.
honored Moniz with its Award of Excellence for his achievements in science. Moniz currently serves on the President’s Council of Advisors for Science and Technology and on the Department of Defense Threat Reduction Advisory Committee. He recently served on the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future. Moniz’s principal research contributions have been in theoretical nuclear physics and in energy technology and policy studies. He has been on the MIT faculty since 1973. If he wins confirmation, Moniz would lead the largest US funder of research in the physical sciences. The DOE, which had a budget of more than $29 billion in fiscal year 2012, runs 17 national laboratories and many other research facilities, and has more than 16,000 federal employees and 90,000 contract employees at the national laboratories and other facilities. Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu
Boston College has announced the appointment of Theology Department Chairwoman Catherine Cornille to the Newton College Alumnae Chair in Western Culture. An internationally acclaimed scholar in the field of comparative theology, Cornille succeeds Judith Wilt, the inaugural Newton College Alumnae Professor, who retired in 2011. In addition to her academic prominence, Cornille has a reputation as a pioneer: Prior to joining Boston College in 2005, she was an associate professor of religious studies at the Catholic University of Leuven in her native Belgium, the first female theologian on the teaching staff in the university’s 500-year-old history; then, in 2010, she became the first woman to chair BC’s Theology Department. “Catherine Cornille has been a terrific chair of the Theology Department for the last three years and she has established an international reputation as a leading scholar in the field of comparative theology,” said College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dean David Quigley. “I’m pleased to see that Catherine will succeed Judith Wilt as the second holder of the Newton College Alumnae Chair.” Cornille’s teaching and research focus on interreligious dialogue and comparative theology and on particular theological questions arising from Hindu-Christian and Buddhist-Christian dialogues. She has written or edited 14 books in
Lee Pellegrini
Theology Chairwoman Is Newton Alumnae Professor
“Ernie has moved on with significant contributions both to science and the overall welfare of this country.”
Catherine Cornille
English and in Dutch, including the award-winning The Im-Possibility of Interreligious Dialogue. She is the founding editor-in-chief of the book series Christian Commentaries on non-Christian Sacred Texts. From 2008 to 2012, Cornille organized the annual Boston College Symposia on Interreligious Dialogue, which brought together scholars from different religious traditions to discuss issues such as women, cultural change and economic development. “I am humbled by the appointment,” said Cornille. “As religious diversity is becoming an integral part of Western Culture, I hope that my work on interreligious dialogue will shed some light on the religious challenges and opportunities raised by this continuously evolving reality.” The Newton College Alumnae Professorship in Western Culture was endowed by alumnae of Newton College of the Sacred Heart to preserve the Newton College name and to honor its tradition. Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu
GSSW’s Sudders on Gun Violence Panel
Grad Programs Make US News List
Graduate School of Social Work Associate Professor Marylou Sudders has been appointed by Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo to a special advisory panel that will study and recommend possible legislative solutions to address gun violence. The panel, which is comprised of legislators and experts in mental health, law enforcement and other related areas, is chaired by Northeastern University Associate Dean Jack McDevitt. Other members include Natick Police Chief James Hicks, Massachusetts General Hospital Associate Chief of Psychiatry John Herman, Revere Public Schools Superintendent Paul Dakin and attorney Raffi Yessayan, former chief of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Gang Unit. Sudders, a former Massachusetts Commissioner of Mental Health, chairs the GSSW Health and Mental Health Concentration and focuses her teaching and research on mental
Boston College’s graduate programs were recognized for excellence in the 2014 Best Graduate Schools rankings from US News & World Report. The Carroll School of Management’s finance program was ranked 12th among specialty programs, its highest ranking to date. Accounting was also ranked 19th and management ranked 23rd, representing the first time either department has been recognized as a top specialty program by faculty colleagues and deans. In addition, the College of Arts and Sciences was represented among elite programs with economics (32nd), sociology (46th) and history (50th) placing among the top 50 graduate school programs. English improved to 52nd, a jump of six places, and political science debuted at 61st. Psychology was ranked 67th among its competitor programs. The Lynch School of Education
health policy, children’s mental health, mental health planning, and child abuse and neglect. “I appreciate that, with the creation of this panel, we are trying to have a thoughtful conversation about guns and mental illness, instead of reacting viscerally to events,” said Sudders. “I am honored to play any part I can in aiding this dialogue.” A frequent media commentator in the wake of the Dec. 14 Newtown, Ct., shootings, Sudders said reaction to the tragedy suggests a willingness on the part of Americans to examine the role of mental illness in gun violence. But the conversation needs to be an informed one for it to be effective and lead to meaningful changes, she warned. “Unfortunately, we tend to talk about mental illness as a result of tragedy, rather than to get together and look at the issue more fully,” Sudders said. “The fact is, individuals with
mental health problems are more likely to be victims, not perpetrators, of violence. I would hope we bear facts like those in mind as we look for solutions.” Instead of looking at mental illness as the default explanation for events such as Newtown, Sudders said examining patterns of risky or anti-social behaviors — such as drunk driving or instances of extreme rage — offers as much, if not more, of an insight into why mass shootings happen. “There has been an ongoing struggle for many years to de-stigmatize mental illness, and to have mental health viewed as an integral part of our health care,” said Sudders. “Our goal should be to ensure that people get the mental health services they need, not to stigmatize mental illness all over again, and undo all the progress that’s been made.” —Sean Smith
saw its elementary education program retain its top-20 ranking at 18th and its Higher Education program improve to 21st. BC Law School continued to be recognized for its specialty programs in tax law, at 16th, and clinical training at 23rd. Among the University’s graduate schools and colleges, the Lynch School of Education was ranked 19th, the Law School placed 31st, the MBA program was ranked 40th and the part-time MBA program 38th. The graduate programs in nursing and social work were not evaluated this year by US News. The Graduate School of Social Work is currently ranked 10th and the Connell School of Nursing 21st. Information on the 2014 Graduate School rankings can be found at www.usnews.com. —Office of News & Public Affairs
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•“Migration: Past, Present and Future,” March 21-22 •Sesquicentennial Concert at Symphony Hall, March 23
Celebrating THE
BC 150th Celebration Continues Sesquicentennial By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor
Boston College’s Sesquicentennial celebration continues March 2123, with a slate of events that epitomize the University’s longstanding commitment to exploring critical social issues, and its passion for the performing arts. On March 21 and 22, BC will host the academic symposium “Migration: Past, Present and Future,” that will examine historical and enduring issues in migration, including refugees and forced migration, race and class in US immigration, and policy. Sponsored by the University’s Center for Human Rights and International Justice, the conference will be highlighted by a daylong series of panel discussions on March 22 with eminent scholars, authors and commentators. “Migration: Past, President and Future” is free and open to the public, but registration is required by tomorrow, March 15. Online registration is available at http://bit.ly/ Vi78Yd; for questions, email 150@ bc.edu or call ext.2-3292. Then, on Saturday, March 23, the University Chorale, Boston College Symphony Orchestra, BC bOp! and the University Wind Ensemble will present a Sesquicentennial concert at 2 p.m. in Boston’s famous Symphony Hall, featuring a performance of Aaron Copland’s “A Lincoln Portrait” with actor Chris O’Donnell ’92 narrating. Adding to the festivities — and as a complement to “Migration: Past, Present and Future” — the Graduate School of Social Work will host a naturalization ceremony for 100 immigrants (including a BC fresh-
Chris O’Donnell ’92 will narrate “A Lincoln Portrait” at the March 23 Sesquicentennial concert in Symphony Hall.
man) living in Massachusetts at 3 p.m. in Robsham Theater, prior to the symposium kick-off on March 21 [see story on page 1]. Center for Human Rights and International Justice Director David Hollenbach, SJ, who will give the introduction for the symposium, said the event is a highly appropriate commemoration of Boston College’s heritage. “BC has a strong historical link with the reality of migration, given that many of its earliest students came from Irish immigrant families,” said Fr. Hollenbach, the University Professor in Human Rights and International Justice. “Today, migration is one of the strongest social forces shaping our world. Over 200 million people are living outside the countries of their birth, some forced from home as refugees, some seeking to escape desperate poverty, some
seeking better lives for themselves. “So while BC remembers its past and shapes educational programs that look to the future, it is surely fitting that we reflect on the reality of migration as we celebrate the University’s Sesquicentennial.” The center’s associate director, Law Professor Daniel Kanstroom, added, “Migration is a deeply significant and particularly resonant topic for us to consider as part of the Sesquicentennial celebration of Boston College. It clearly relates to the specific demographic history of the University as well as to its religious and ethical foundations, and also exemplifies our continuing commitments to rigorous academic inquiry, to diversity, and to the pursuit of social justice.” Opening the conference at 7 p.m. in Robsham will be a keynote address, “The Border Is Not a Straight
Naturalization Ceremony at Robsham
Continued from page 1 all walks of life collectively embrace the values of the nation. We wanted to bring this ceremony to BC to be witnessed by the students, faculty and staff of Boston College.” Godenzi credits Denis Riordan, district director of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with approaching the school to host the ceremony after the successful launch of the GSSW’s Immigrant Integration Lab. “Everyone at Boston College from the president to the maintenance staff has shown enthusiastic support for this event, which is connected to the migration symposium and our 150th anniversary,” said Godenzi. “This
naturalization ceremony is BC at its best; I am humbled to be a part of it.” The ceremony will serve as a backdrop for a two-day symposium on migration issues beginning in Robsham Theater later that day, an event being held as part of BC’s Sesquicentennial celebration [see story on page 4]. The 100 citizenship candidates come from 42 countries including Albania, China, India, Nigeria, Peru, Turkey and Vietnam. They reside in Massachusetts communities ranging from Allston to Winthrop. According to the USCIS, each year the United States welcomes approximately 680,000 citizens during naturalization cer-
emonies across the US and around the world. “Hosting this naturalization connects Boston College to its roots and the globe,” said Westy Egmont, the director of the Immigrant Integration Lab and a part-time faculty member in the GSSW. “Education is the escalator from the docks to the Federal Bench, as witnessed in Judge O’Toole and the rise of many Irish and other ethnic families with the help of BC. As part of the GSSW and the Immigrant Integration Lab, fostering a country of commitment and extending the franchise of full citizenship, is the vehicle for creating a healthy democracy for the decades to come.”
Line,” by Peabody Award-winning be introduced by Professor of Politiauthor and essayist Richard Rodri- cal Science Peter Skerry and moderguez, who wrote an autobiographical ated by “PBS NewsHour” senior trilogy on class, ethnicity and race: correspondent Ray Suarez, consists Hunger of Memory, Days of Obliga- of: Washington, DC, Archbishop tion: An Argument With My Mexican Emeritus Cardinal Theodore McFather and Brown: The Last Discovery Carrick; Yale Law School Simeon of America. Baldwin Professor Emeritus Peter The symposium resumes the next Schuck; David Martin, Warnerday at 9 a.m. in the Heights Room Booker Distinguished Professor of of Corcoran Commons with the first International Law at University of of three panels, “Forced Migration: Virginia; and Center for Migration Refugees and Economic Migrants.” Studies Executive Director Donald Panelists will be BC Law Dean Vin- Kerwin Jr. cent Rougeau, who will give the inBiographies of the symposium troduction and serve as respondent; speakers are available at http://bit.ly/ Jesuit Conference Wm99nO. of Asia Pacific Presi- “BC has a strong historiTicket informadent Mark Raper, tion and reservaSJ; and University cal link with the reality tions for the March of California Hast- of migration, given that 23 Sesquicentenings College of the nial concert are Law Professor Kar- many of its earliest stu- available online at en Musalo, director dents came from Irish im- http://www.bso.org/ of the Center for Performance/Demigrant families.” Gender & Refugee tail/50201. In addiStudies. —David Hollenbach, SJ tion to “A Lincoln “Race and Class Portrait,” the Choin US Immigrarale and Symphony tion,” which begins at 11 a.m., will will perform the first movement of be chaired and moderated by Lynch Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (by School of Education Professor M. the Symphony only), Camille SaintBrinton Lykes, associate director of Saen’s “Tollite Hostias” and the the Center for Human Rights and “Hallelujah Chorus.” International Justice. The speakers The University Wind Ensemble are: Columbia Professor of History will present an all-Leonard Bernstein Mae Ngai, who is Lung Family Pro- program, including “Symphonic fessor of Asian American Studies; Dances from ‘West Side Story’” and Michael Olivas, Bates Distinguished “Slava!” The set by BC bOp! will Chair in Law at Houston University; feature Hank Levy’s “Decoupage,” and Harvard University Winthrop Don Menza’s “Groovin’ Hard” as Research Professor of History Ste- well as vocal renditions of “Moonphen Thernstrom. glow,” “Perdido” and “That Cat A luncheon keynote, “Boston Is High.” [To read a Chronicle story College and the Immigrant Experience: The First 150 Years,” will be about the Sesquicentennial conpresented by Clough Millennium cert, go to http://bit.ly/VTkdGC] For news and features about Professor of History James O’Toole, who will be introduced by History the Boston College Sesquicentennial, see www.bc.edu/150. Professor Kevin Kenny. The final panel, “Future of MiContact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu gration Policy in the US,” which will
Tuition for 2013-14 Announced Continued from page 1 institutional assessment and energy conservation programs, we will continue to find ways to reduce costs without sacrificing the programs and services that make the Boston College experience so enriching for our students,” said Keating. Nationally, the average tuition, room and board increase for private universities for the 2012-2013 academic year was 4.1 percent, according to the College Board. Boston College was ranked
39th in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category among national universities by US News & World Report. It also placed 26th in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s ranking of the top 50 “best values” among American private universities. Overall, the University is ranked 31st among national universities by US News & World Report, and 26th in Forbes magazine’s “America’s Best Colleges.” Contact Jack Dunn at jack.dunn@bc.edu
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A Pair of Honors for BC University designated a ‘Changemaker Campus’
Elizabeth Byron ’06 with her students at the Gardner Pilot Academy in Allston. (Photos by Lee Pellegrini)
Putting Her Best Foot Forward
Lynch School alumna and teaching fellow is gearing up to compete in 156-mile marathon — and bring technology to the kids at her school By Ed Hayward Staff Writer
Next month, deep in the Sahara Desert, Elizabeth Byron ’06 will compete in the Marathon de Sables, an ultra-marathon across 156 miles of Moroccan sand and dust that has been called the “toughest footrace on Earth.” It isn’t a catered eco-tourism affair. Byron will carry 25 pounds of dehydrated food and survival gear on her back. Mandatory race equipment includes an anti-venom pump. Crevasses, bone-dry wadis, a “stony pass,” the occasional oasis, and a steady tide of sand dunes mark the route. Not that any of this intimidates Byron, an All America swimmer and a Rhodes Scholar nominee as an undergraduate. The daunting task is something more personal: leveraging the run to raise $50,000 to purchase new laptops so every sixth grade student at the Gardner Pilot Academy in Allston, where Byron teaches, can benefit from cutting-edge technology. To date, she is halfway toward her goal. She is paying all travel and race expenses out of her own pocket. “The fundraising is tougher,” said Byron, who taught in New York and internationally for almost three years before joining the Boston Public Schools in 2010. She also is a Lynch School of Education teaching fellow. “I can control the race and the training. Raising money is much harder than I thought, but it’s such a great cause. I think people understand that all students should have these opportunities.” Byron rarely shies away from a challenge. She starred for four years on the BC swim team as a recordsetting sprint specialist, two-time BC swimming and diving MVP and Academic All American. Swimming and Diving Coach Tom Groden said his former star never let anything stand in her way, either athletically or academically. “As an athlete, Liz’s raw talent
is matched by her work ethic,” said Groden. “Her attitude is: Anybody can do it. You just have to want to do it. If you work hard enough, you can succeed.” Byron, who worked to overcome the learning disability dyslexia, graduated at the top of her Lynch School of Education class. She went on to earn masters degrees from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and Lesley University. In her spare time, she started running. She has finished six marathons, completed an Ironman Triathlon and undertaken other races and competitions. But Byron’s overriding passion is teaching, particularly working with students in urban schools. At the Gardner, Byron is a learning specialist teaching reading, writing and math to an inclusive class of 42 sixth graders. In a pilot school where Byron
“I think it’s crazy that students today wouldn’t have laptops or access to the benefits of technology,” says Byron. “I think that’s crazier than running through the desert.” says the teaching culture encourages finding innovative solutions to any problem, she has taken aim at a digital divide that places her students at a disadvantage to peers who come from schools and homes with greater technological resources. “These students deserve improved access to technology in the classroom,” she said. “To expect them to be productive members of a technologically-oriented society and not provide them with that op-
portunity is mind-boggling. It’s like saying you’re going to be a chef, but we’re not going to supply you with any food as you learn to cook.” For the past four years, Byron has applied for entry to Marathon de Sables, finally receiving a race number this year. Byron quickly decided to meld the adventure race with the Gardner’s technology initiative. The money she raises will purchase laptops to serve every sixth grader, upgrade Wi-Fi connections and service the new technology. Principal Erica Herman said her young teacher is “what Gardner Pilot Academy is all about.” Associate Professor of Education Richard Jackson, who co-teaches a graduate seminar with Byron, said she embodies the Lynch School’s commitment to social justice and improving the lives of all students. “Students all over America are learning 21st-century skills using technology, and Liz asks why can’t her students receive the same opportunity,” said Jackson. “So she runs to inspire, raise hope and purchase laptops for her students at Gardner Pilot Academy. Liz is an amazing person.” Byron has been running between 10 and 20 hours a week, with training runs varying from five to 50 miles. The seven-day race starts on April 7. Her strategy is to stay hydrated and healthy and avoid getting passed by a camel. “There’s a camel at the back of the pack, going at the slowest pace allowed,” said Byron. “If the camel passes you, you’re out of the race.” Byron said more than a few people have asked her if she’s crazy. “I think it’s crazy that students today wouldn’t have laptops or access to the benefits of technology,” she said. “I think that’s crazier than running through the desert.” For more information about Liz Byron’s Run For Laptops fundraiser, conducted on behalf of the Boston Educational Development Foundation, see Byron’s webpage at http:// www.runforlaptops.org.
Boston College has been named a Changemaker Campus by Ashoka, a global association of leading social entrepreneurs. The Changemaker designation recognizes colleges and universities that “have embedded social innovation as a core value,” according to Ashoka, and built “supportive environments for changemaking across the entire institution – from admissions through the curriculum, career services, all the way to community and alumni engagement.” Ashoka cited BC’s use of social innovation as “a pathway to social justice,” noting the establishment of a social innovation program in the Graduate School of Social Work. BC “not only provides students the opportunity to become changemakers through its Social Innovation and Leadership master’s degree, but also invites traditional service agencies and community organizations to build social innovation capacity by participating in BC’s Social Innovation Lab.” Since its founding in 1981, Ashoka has elected nearly 3,000 leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows, providing them with living stipends, professional support, and access to a global network of peers in 70 countries in an effort to develop innovative models for collaboration and design new architecture for social change. Ashoka U, Ashoka’s university division, also named Dublin City University of Ireland and the University of Northampton (UK) as Changemaker Campuses, bringing to 22 the number of institutions that have received the designation. GSSW Associate Professors Mar-
cie Pitt-Catsouphes and Stephanie Berzin, who are leading GSSW’s social innovation efforts and helped coordinate BC’s participation in the Changemaker Campus selection process, applauded the designation. As a Changemaker, they said, BC will have access to Ashoka expertise, events and resources that offer opportunities to improve and potentially broaden the University’s social innovation activities. “Ashoka U also has access to outside resources that support social innovation education,” said Berzin, “and through our affiliation, we will be uniquely positioned to use these.” Added Pitt-Catsouphes, “BC is now on the national stage of social innovation. The Changemaker status provides a meaningful platform and structure for faculty, staff, and students to link their activities as appropriate, so the ‘whole’ is more than the sum of its parts.” Provost and Dean of Faculties Cutberto Garza also welcomed the news. “Boston College is proud of its designation as a Changemaker Campus by Ashoka, joining Brown, Duke, Cornell, Johns Hopkins and 18 other outstanding institutions with this designation. Professors Pitt-Catsouphes and Berzin merit special thanks for bringing this distinction to our University. Their efforts — along with those of other colleagues — are enabling us to maintain our commitment to social innovation, as we strive individually and institutionally to improve the human condition.” —Sean Smith
Named to Higher Ed Community Service Honor Roll Boston College has been named to the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, an endorsement from the highest levels of the federal government of the University’s commitment to service and civic engagement. Launched in 2006, the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll annually recognizes higher education institutions and their students, faculty and staff for exemplary service that achieves meaningful outcomes in their communities. “This recognition by the Corporation for National and Community Service confirms that Boston College students are serious about the challenge of a Jesuit education, the challenge to become a ‘woman or man for others,’” said Daniel Ponsetto, director of Boston College’s Volunteer and Service Learning Center. “Boston College students serve in so many ways throughout the year. With the Sesquicenten-
nial year and the challenge to get everyone involved, we have seen a deeper commitment among our students to engage in projects that aid the underserved in Boston.” Boston College is one of 690 colleges and universities named to the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The University’s commitment to community service is exemplified in its three nominated 2011-12 initiatives: BC Bigs, a partnership between BC and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay and the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston; the Appalachia Volunteers, the largest and oldest service organization at Boston College; and PULSE, an academic service-learning program that combines fieldwork with classroom study to educate students about social justice issues and put them in direct contact with marginalized populations in the Boston area that need assistance. —Kathleen Sullivan
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AIP
“The Musical Roots of Seamus Connolly.” (Photo by Gary Gilbert)
Seamus Connolly, the architect and guiding spirit behind Boston College’s acclaimed Irish music programs, is the subject of a current exhibition at the Burns Library. On display through May 23, “The Musical Roots of Seamus Connolly” offers a glimpse of milestones in the life and work of Connolly, a 10-time fiddling champion who joined the University’s Irish Studies Program in 1991 and became Sullivan Artist-in-Residence in 2004. Connolly also directs the Gaelic Roots series that brings renowned traditional musicians to campus for concerts and workshops. “Musical Roots” is one of four current Irish-themed exhibits featured by University Libraries. Also on display at Burns are letters sent from an Irishman living through the Great Famine to his children in Boston. In the O’Neill Library Lobby are exhibits about pioneering Celtic artisan Eva McKee and on efforts to promote the Irish language. The “Musical Roots” exhibit includes various publicity, performance and informal photos of
Connolly — often with some of his many musical friends, collaborators and acquaintances — prizes he won in music competitions, and covers of, and some excerpts from, his albums and other recordings on which he appears. “Musical Roots” also gives some background to the Irish music tradition and notes prominent influences in Connolly’s life, while highlighting his role as teacher, mentor and scholar in addition to that of master musician. For example, the exhibit displays a copy of Francis O’Neill’s landmark 1903 publication Music of Ireland. Early on in his days as a fiddler, Connolly would spend hours at a friend’s house learning tunes from the book, which, in lieu of a music stand, he propped up on a two-pound bag of sugar. Another part of “Musical Roots” notes Connolly’s appearances in the “Masters of the Folk Violin” US tours of the late 1980s, which showcased fiddlers representing different musical traditions — among them future multiple Grammy Award winner Alison Krause. See the University Libraries website at www.bc.edu/libraries —Sean Smith
Alcoa Grant Helps BC Recycling In a boost to its conservation and sustainability efforts, Boston College will receive 75 recycling bins as part of the Alcoa Foundation Recycling Bin Grant Program. BC is one of 35 colleges and universities being given a portion of more than 11,500 recycling bins by Alcoa Foundation, in partnership with national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful and the College & University Recycling Coalition. The campaign will help schools boost their recycling results during the current RecycleMania Tournament — a friendly eight-week competition that aims to change behavior about recycling and raise awareness about waste reduction programs on college campuses — and expand their recycling efforts throughout the year.
The 75 bins — which will be be used in different campus settings, such as in dining facilities and at catered events — enable BC to get additional recycling infrastructure where it needs it most in an effort to divert recyclables from the waste stream, administrators said. “Last year BC was number two in the rankings for the amount of recycled materials per person, and we are hoping to move into first place in that category,” said Sustainability Program Director Bob Pion. BC’s recycling actions netted an equivalent of 2,106 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which Pion said is the equivalent of keeping 413 cars off the road or the amount of energy for 182 households. —Office of News & Public Affairs
Continued from page 1 “Boston College’s path lies not in embracing these new technologies uncritically, nor in ignoring them,” said Garza at the time. “The University’s greatest value lies in the conversations and exchanges that nourish collaborative learning and teaching, model its wise uses most effectively, and cultivate lasting habits of scholarship.” In a recent interview, Executive Director of Academic Technology Rita Owens said that while the AIP is looking at peer schools as models, Boston College is truly taking an innovative approach on placing the focus on improving student-faculty interactions. “The impetus really was the disruption that is going on in higher education because of all the new opportunities that are available through technology,” said Owens. “We at Boston College have always taken good advantage of technology in teaching, but this latest review started by the provost is looking at how to empower and support our teaching mission through technology.” Members of the Academic Technology Advisory Board, University Teaching Council and Office of the Provost have worked for the past seven months honing in on ways to derive the richest engagement between teacher and student from existing and new technologies. Currently under review are five areas for improvements: large and introductory courses; experiential and out-of-classroom learning (e.g. foreign study, field work, placements); interdisciplinary and
Executive Director of Academic Technology Rita Owens (center) with Sarah Beckjord, chair of the University Teaching Council, and Alec Peck, Academic Technology Advisory Board chair. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
co-taught courses; teaching and learning foreign languages; and effective writing and reasoning. “Students are using a lot of technology and this is an effort to meet them where they are,” said Romance Languages and Literatures Associate Professor Sarah Beckjord, chair of the University Teaching Council. “We are not looking for more distractions, but to utilize technology to find new ways to reinforce our age-old goals of a liberal arts education,” said Beckjord. “Whenever you have interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaboration, there is fruitful discussion and good ideas. That has been energizing for all involved.” Lynch School of Education Associate Dean Alec Peck, chairman of the Academic Technology Advisory Board, said: “Unlike individual faculty research projects, these will be attempts to come up with projects that would impact multiple courses. We plan to support projects that use technology to better engage with students.” One way is reimagining the lec-
ture hall, according to AIP representatives. In the most recent faculty discussion, 30 faculty from Economics, Biology, Chemistry and other departments came together to discuss how to better engage students in classes that exceed 100. “A lot of attention has been given to a concept of ‘flipped’ classrooms, so students view the lecture online on his or her own time and then in-classroom time is spent engaged in discussion, deep conversation, or sorting out what they don’t understand,” said Owens. “The opportunities are endless, but we tried to focus on these five areas.” “In some ways, this is less about technology and more about recrafting the pedagogy and the way we teach,” said Owens. Faculty interested in participating in the discussion sessions or in contributing ideas are invited to email eteach@bc.edu by April 1. For more information on Academic Innovation Programs, see http://bit. ly/ZE8N8P. Contact Melissa Beecher at melissa.beecher@bc.edu
BC Students Take Part in ACC Advocacy For many students, spring break involves a much-needed break from their academic workload and sometimes a tropical destination with friends. But Boston College seniors Elizabeth Zappala, Alexander Hoffarth and Jennifer Wanandi spent their week off with Congress on Capitol Hill, discussing the importance of federal student aid programs and research funding. March 4 marked the first day of the inaugural ACC Educational Advocacy Day in Washington, DC, where Boston College and its fellow Atlantic Coast Conference member schools sought to bring a coordinated message to Congress on issues of importance to students and higher education. For three students with political aspirations after graduation, this experience proved to be nothing short of eye-opening, especially at such a dynamic time for the federal government. They met with many prominent play-
ers in American politics, student leaders from several universities, and were even given the opportunity to have a constituent coffee with US Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Washington was familiar territory to Zappala, who spent the last two summers as an intern with then-US Sen. John Kerry and the Democratic National Convention. On this visit, she and her two BC student colleagues hoped to communicate the need for Congress to maintain research funding levels from federal agencies, given how this influences students’ post-graduation plans. “Research funding is an investment in the future, and there is no reason to sacrifice this investment for arbitrary cuts,” she said. But the students quickly realized that in Washington there is more than one side to every issue, and nothing is as cut and dry as
it seems. “In regards to a rather simple issue of financial aid and research funding,” explained Hoffarth, “the Democrats and Republicans are approaching matters from what seems like two irreconcilable viewpoints. It is as if they cannot agree that ‘2+2=4,’ and I’m quite concerned about the progress this Congress will make on this issue, let alone immigration, gun control, and so on.” After meeting with members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation’s staffs, each of the students were able to give personal appeals in the hopes of garnering attention for certain issues. Wanandi said, “Actually taking the time to meet with the members of Congress and their staffs helps to make a personal connection with all the issues that exist in our society.” —Michael Maloney
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WELCOME ADDITIONS The career of Carroll School of Management Marketing Lecturer Edward Gonsalves has been firmly rooted in industry and academia. For the past 18 years, Gonsalves taught undergraduate and graduate-level marketing classes, as well as executive education, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute — where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees — and Providence College. During the course of a 30-plus year career in the technology field, Gonsalves held positions in design, applications, sales, marketing and management. His areas of interest are in the marketing and development of high technology products and he retains an active consultancy practice in these areas. Gonsalves holds eight patents and frequently presents at industry conferences in the area of RFID. James Conn, SJ, is a professor of the practice of canon law at the School of Theology and Ministry, where he had been a visiting professor for the past four years. He previously served as the Ordinary Professor of Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He is a consultor of the Holy See’s Congregation for Catholic Education and Congregation for the Clergy, and a commissioner of the matrimonial section of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He holds degrees from Fordham University, Woodstock College (NY), University of Pennsylvania and Pontifical Gregorian University. His teaching and research areas in canon law include sacraments, parishes, ecumenism, priestly formation and Catholic education. Carroll School of Management Finance Lecturer Robert F. James teaches Basic Finance, Corporate Finance, and Investments at the undergraduate level, and Corporate Finance, Financial Management, Financial Markets and Instruments, and Investments at the graduate level. James, who earned his master’s degree in finance at the Carroll School, has research interests in corporate finance, turnaround management, and valuation. He has also taught at Babson College, Boston University, and Northeastern University, where he received the Broderick Prize for Teaching Excellence in 2011. James is a member of the American Finance Association and the Financial Management Association International. Atef Ghobrial became an assistant adjunct professor in the Slavic and Eastern Languages Department last fall after eight years as an adjunct faculty member. Ghobrial teaches and develops curriculum for Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Arabic, and also teaches classes in Arabic language and culture, newspaper and media, and business. A graduate of Cairo University in Egypt, Ghobrial earned master’s and doctoral degrees from Boston University, where he was an adjunct faculty member. His scholarly work includes contributions to two forthcoming volumes of Science and Faith, and a translation of writings by Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Have You Seen the One I Love: Contemplations on the Song of Songs. —Ed Hayward, Kathleen Sullivan and Sean Smith Photos by Lee Pellegrini “Welcome Additions,” an occasional feature, profiles new faculty members at Boston College.
Seven Juniors Earn Gilman Scholarships Seven Boston College juniors are participating in study-abroad programs this semester — in Japan, Ireland, Brazil, South Korea, South Africa and the UK — through prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships. According to the University’s Office of International Programs (OIP), the seven scholarships represent continued success for Boston College in the Gilman program, compared with other schools on a national scale. During the 2012 summer and fall semesters, nine BC juniors and seniors studied abroad through Gilman Scholarships. BC students selected to study abroad this spring are: elementary education major SangEun Bae, (Sophia University, Japan); English major Jacqueline Delgado (NUI Maynooth, Ireland); biology major Khoi Do (PUC Rio de Janero, Brazil); theology major Grace Ko (Sogang University, South Korea); accounting major Rebehak Mark (Rhodes University, South Africa); communication major Titilopemi Oluwo (BC in Granada, Spain); and English and philosophy major Robert Williams (University of Glasgow, UK). —Rosanne Pellegrini
Newsmakers Boston College faculty members continued to offer their expertise in the wake of the papal transition. Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology Richard Gaillardetz provided commentary to ABC Radio News and WBZ-AM on Pope Benedict XVI’s final day in office, while School of Theology and Ministry Professors James Bretzke, SJ, and Thomas Groome spoke about the transition and conclave with, respectively, KCBS Radio (San Francisco), and WBUR and the Boston Herald. Woods College of Advancing Studies faculty member Terri Giuliano Long — whose efforts in the field of independent publishing sold 125,000 copies of her first, awardwinning novel and paved the way for a second book due this spring —was among “empty nesters” reinventing their lives highlighted by the Boston Globe. Carroll School of Management Drucker Professor Alicia Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research, gave a sober perspective on the future for American retirees in an interview with US News & World Report. Richard McGowan, SJ, an adjunct associate professor in the Carroll School of Management and Economics Department, was interviewed by National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” on efforts by several states to establish a foothold in online gambling — an activity that federal officials were only recently trying to ban.
Honors/Appointments The Oxford Bibliographies Online — for which Research Prof. Christopher R. Matthews (STM) serves
(L-R) Amanda Mei ’13, Keyla Pimentel ’15 and Jon Lee ’13 chatted with State Rep. Kevin Honan ’81 (D-Brighton) during Student Financial Aid Day at the Massachusetts Statehouse.
as editor-in-chief of the Biblical Studies Module — was selected by the Association of American Publishers for a 2012 Prose Award in the category of eProduct/Best Multidiscipline Platform.
Publications Founders Professor in Theology James Keenan, SJ, published “Catholic Conscience Awakening:
BC BRIEFING The Evolution of Our Contemporary Dependence on Conscience” in Fluchtpunkt Fundamentalismus. Gegenwartsdiagnosen katholischer Moral and “The Achievement of Moral Theology at Vatican II” in Asian Horizons.
Time and a Half Prof. Michael Noone (Music) presented “Performance criteria in medieval and Renaissance music” at the International University of Andalucía in Spain. School of Theology and Ministry administrators and faculty members
obituary
Philosophy Prof. Norman Wells, 86 A funeral Mass was celebrated March 2 at St. Mary’s Church of Randolph for Norman J. Wells, who taught medieval philosophy at Boston College for 42 years. Dr. Wells died on Feb. 26 at the age of 86. An expert on the work of Descartes, Dr. Wells authored or co-authored numerous articles in such publications as The Review of Metaphysics, American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly and Journal of the History of Philosophy. In addition to teaching philosophy classes, Dr. Wells also was involved in the University’s Medieval Studies program. A native of Boston, Dr. Wells served in the US Navy during World War II and graduated from Boston College in 1950, later earning his doctorate from the Univer-
sity of Toronto. Dr. Wells taught at Fordham University and St. John’s Seminary as well as BC. Dr. Wells retired in 1999, but remained active in academics and writing — in 2010, he published “Descartes and the Coimbrans on material falsity” in The Modern Schoolman. Dr. Wells is survived by his sons Matthew, Kevin and David, his daughter Monica Reilly, and four grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife Lenore (Simmons) and son Gary. Burial was in St. Mary Cemetery, Randolph. Contributions may be made in Dr. Wells’ memory to the VNA Care Network and Hospice, 120 Thomas St., Worcester, Mass. 01608. —Office of News & Public Affairs
made the following presentations: Dean Mark Massa, SJ, “A Pox on Both Your Houses: Moving Beyond Conservative and Liberal Labels Within the American Catholic Community,” 2012 Mullen Lecture at St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Wickliffe, Ohio; Prof. Khaled Anatolios, “The Soteriological Grammar of Conciliar Christology,” Thomistic Institute symposium “Jesus Christ, True God and True Man: The Promise of Chalcedonian Christology” in Washington, DC; Assoc. Prof. Melissa Kelley, “The Mosaic of Grief,” American Association of Pastoral Counselors annual conference of the eastern and northeast regions in Williamstown, Mass.; Asst. Prof. Theresa A. O’Keefe, “Growing up Alone: The New Normal of Isolation in Adolescence,” Association of Youth Ministry Educators conference in Dallas; Asst. Prof. Hosffman Ospino, “Faith and the New Evangelization,” keynote address at the Year of Faith for the Diocese of Jefferson City, Mo.; Assoc. Prof. Andrea Vicini, SJ, “Catholic Bioethics and New Biotechnologies: Shaping a Social Justice Approach,” Boston Theological Institute Ethics Colloquium.
JOBS The following are among the most recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/offices/hr/: Head Librarian, Social Work Library Administrative Assistant, Student Program Office Vice President for Student Affairs Associate Director, Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Institutional Diversity Digital Content O’Neill Library
Specialist,
Senior Associate Director, Major Giving, BC Law Advancement Staff Psychologist, University Counseling Middleware Manager, Information Technology
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LOOKING AHEAD
Theatre Dept. Production Gives Voice to Student Playwrights Lee Pellegrini
By Rosanne Pellegrini Staff Writer
The fresh voices of student playwrights will be showcased next week in “New Voices 2013,” a production of original short works by Boston College undergraduates. Curated by Associate Professor and Theatre Department Chair Scott T. Cummings, “New Voices” will be presented in the Robsham Theater’s Bonn Studio on March 22 and 23 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. “New Voices” is part of the Theatre Department’s commitment to foster work by students and faculty. This year’s edition marks the fourth production of original student plays since 2005. “‘New Voices’ is a great opportunity not just for student playwrights but for student actors to learn about the new play development process,” said Cummings. “We’re making something brand new, and the crucible of rehearsal prompts lots of changes and adjustments in the scripts. It’s an exciting process.” The program includes six pieces: four 10-minute plays by juniors Kyle N. Brown and Maggie Kearnan and seniors Chris Gouchoe and Timothy N. Kopacz, and two pieces by students in the Workshop in Puppet and Object Theatre class taught by Monan Professor of Theatre Arts John Bell. Cummings will direct both Ke-
BC SCENES
(L-R) Timothy Kopacz, Chris Gouchoe, Maggie Kearnan and Kyle Brown look forward to seeing their plays staged next week at Robsham Theater.
arnan’s “16 Gigs,” a comedy about an office romance, and an existential mystery play by Gouchoe titled “A Night in the Low Light.” Theatre Department Lecturer Theresa Lang will direct Brown’s “Let Me Go Ever,” about a bittersweet reunion between two ex-lovers, and Kopacz’s “Marcel at Alice’s,” about three female friends taking tea and tussling over paying the bill. Bell will direct his students — Kopacz, Kearnan, Christine Movius ’13, Eliott Purcell ’14 and Katie Donnelly ’14 — in a shadow puppet theatre piece titled “The Nightingale,” based on a medieval literature story, and in an object theatre experiment titled “The Wall.” While “New Voices” is Gouchoe’s first foray into playwriting, Brown, Kearnan and Kopacz have had pre-
vious experiences, whether at BC or elsewhere. Chronicle asked the student playwrights to talk about their works, the creative process and the opportunities offered by “New Voices.” [Read the full interview at www.bc.edu/chronicle] Give a brief synopsis of your play. Brown: High school sweethearts Eddie and Robin reconnect during their mid-20s when Robin goes to an open house to see Eddie and the apartment he is moving out of. Gouchoe: The play functions so that the audience doesn’t necessarily know what has happened to the characters, but the gist is that two high school boys wake up in an unfamiliar limbo and have to figure out how they got there. Kearnan: “16 Gigs” is about a young woman who takes a risk by making a strange proposition to her office crush.
Kopacz: Three women are having a heated conversation over tea. We find out more about who they are, and who they are to each other. It plays with the idea of interior and exterior space as well as the monologue form. Why is it important that BC Theatre provides students this showcase opportunity? Brown: It’s another great way for us to practice our craft for the world beyond Boston College. I’m always proud to say how well BC Theatre prepares us for careers on the stage — as actor, director, designer, stagehand and/or producer—and this production adds to that list for me and my fellow playwrights. Gouchoe: It’s an incredible opportunity to have the Theatre Department produce our work because beside the fact that it would never happen anywhere else with this much assistance at our age, we are given the reigns creatively to explore the characters and ideas in the world of the play in an academic setting that is critical and challenging, but incredibly willing to collaborate based upon substance and innovation—not the ability to sell tickets, which would be the case elsewhere. Kearnan: Since taking playwriting courses at BC, plays have become my primary form of writing. Understanding the construction process of a
STAGE OF SUCCESS
play has helped me grow as an actor, director, designer and vice versa. I like being able to see a play from every angle. Without opportunities like “New Voices” to produce the plays I’m writing, I would never get a chance to improve. Plays are meant to be performed, so until they are given an opportunity to be read and commented on by actors, there will always be something missing. Kopacz: I think it’s very important that BC provides as many opportunities for student writers as possible, because the only way you can hone and craft your writing is to do more. While this can be done on your own, it is ultimately useless without hearing it out loud, without performance. The performance of the text is half the feat, and the only way to figure out the quality/existence of a strong performance aspect is to stage it.
Admission to “New Voices 2013” is $15 for the public; $10 for BC students, seniors and BC faculty and staff. Go to www.bc.edu/theatre for ticket information and details about the plays, including cast and production team members and scripts. Tickets also are available through the Robsham Box Office or by calling ext.2-4002. Contact Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu
Photos by Caitlin Cunningham Boston College held its ninth annual “BC Idol” singing competition in Robsham Theater Feb. 28, raising $4,500 for the music program at Saint Columbkille Partnership School in Brighton. Eleven Boston College students vied for the title of BC Idol at the event, which also showcased the singing and musical talents of students from St. Columbkille. Videos of this event are available at the BC News YouTube channel, www.youtube. com/bcchronicle.
Also getting into the act were this year’s BC Idol judges (L-R) Campus Minister Michael Davidson, SJ, School of Theology and Ministry student Mario Powell and Campus Minister Donald MacMillan, SJ, offering a rendition of the classic rock song “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
Among the performers was the St. Columbkille Choir, above, which got its start from funds raised during a previous BC Idol event, and St. Columbkille seventh-grader Siobhan Hayes-Keane, right, who sang “On My Own” from “Les Miserables,” and received congratulations from Baldwin. BC freshman Caroline Portu, left, was named this year’s BC Idol for performance of “Feeling Good.”