Boston College Chronicle

The May 12 edition of The Boston College Chronicle

Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs Six seniors to remember The BosTon College USPS MAILING ADDRESS INSIDE: 3 CSON student gives 4/5 medical aid in Japan 8 Head, heart and FISTS MAY 12, 2011 VOL. 19 NO. 17 Senior Earns Another Top Honor BY JACK DUNN DIRECTOR OF NEWS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS With a Goldwater and National Science Foundation grant under her belt, Anne Kornahrens is first BC student to land Skaggs-Oxford Scholarship as a junior and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship earlier this year, will study organic chemistry at Oxford for the next two years before embarking on three years of chemistry studies at TSRI's Kellogg School of Science and Technology. Established in 2003, the Skaggs-Oxford Scholarship funds 10 students in total "whose research will help to develop drugs and treatments to alleviate human suffering." It accepts just one or two students each year. "I was looking to study abroad when I discovered the SkaggsOxford Scholarship," said Kornahrens. "I have always wanted to work in pharmaceuticals developing medicines that can save people's lives. This program will help me to achieve my goal." Kornahrens has been conducting research since her freshman year, working with Assistant Professor of Chemistry Jason Kingsbury on a methodology study that expands molecules' frameworks through carbon insertion. She credits Kingsbury as a mentor who helped her to fall in love with organic chemistry. "He treated me Continued on page 6 Senior chemistry major Anne Kornahrens has become the first Boston College student to win the prestigious Skaggs-Oxford Scholarship, a joint five-year PhD/D. Phil. program of study at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in La Jolla, Calif., and the University of Oxford, which trains researchers in integrated biosciences. Kornahrens, a Presidential Scholar from Minnesota who earned a Goldwater Scholarship Anne Kornahrens '11 has compiled an impressive array of achievements during her undergraduate years at Boston College. (Photo by Caitlin Cunningham) TIME TO GO FORTH Burgess Aids Initiatives on Internet Safety for Children Connell School of Nursing Professor Ann Burgess and a team of researchers have released several law enforcement bulletins as part of a US Justice Department-funded project aimed at improving Internet safety and reducing online sexual victimization of children and adolescents. The bulletins are intended to assist law enforcement officers and other frontline officials in apprehending offenders and preventing Ann Burgess criminal activity. "We can do nothing about the fender who also had a history of advance of cyber technology or the non-sexual antisocial behavior from cyber sophistication of some child childhood to adulthood (expulsion molesters. However, we can im- from school, fighting, cruel behavprove considerably our understand- ior toward an animal, etc.) is more ing of the offenders, or would-be likely to also be a child molester, no offenders...who use the Internet as matter how much time he spends a vehicle for identifyon the Internet. ing, locating, grooming, "We can no longer say However, if the and assaulting children," Internet sex offender write the researchers in `Don't talk to strang- has a high level of their bulletin. ers.' Kids are talking to Internet preoccupaBurgess and her coltion but no previous others online and, in leagues examined data antisocial behavior, on more than 460 child their minds, these peo- he is less likely to be molesters and Inter- ple are not strangers." a child molester. net sex offenders. They For another bul--Ann Burgess letin, the researchers identified characteristics of Internet sex offendused data collected ers that can help law enfrom thousands of forcement officers and prosecutors middle school, high school and colin preparing for suspect interviews lege students to better understand and depositions and in developing how some children become victims better Internet safety programs. of Internet sex offenders while othThe researchers honed in on the ers do not. question: What is the likelihood that One of the more startling stasomeone charged with an Internet- tistics was that more than half of related sex offense is also a hands-on middle school students (grades 6-8) child molester? They determined reported meeting someone in perthat two variables, Internet preoc- son that they had previously only cupation and antisocial behavior, known online. best led them to be able to predict "We can no longer say to chilthat outcome. An Internet sex ofContinued on page 3 Lee Pellegrini BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER School of Theology and Ministry students who will graduate later this month, as well as December and August 2010 graduates, received a special blessing as part of a Sending Forth ritual performed during Mass at St. Ignatius Church on May 5. STM Prof. Rev. Richard Lennan presided over the Mass, and Associate Dean for Student Affairs Jacqueline Regan and Prof. Thomas Groome called forth the graduating students for the blessing. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini) Student Group Plays Big Role in Campus Safety Eagle EMS Program contributed 4,200 hours of service in past year BY REID OSLIN STAFF WRITER Few student-run organizations at Boston College can boast the size � or the operational impact � of Eagle EMS, a division of University Health Services made up of some 170 undergraduates who provide basic medical assistance at campus events and emergency services instruction to the entire BC community. Leaders of the Eagle EMS organization estimate that members contributed nearly 4,200 volunteer hours of service this past year � whether assisting medical response crews at Alumni Stadium football games or holding state-certified continuing education classes for students and staff interested in becoming licensed emergency medical technicians. Eagle EMS president Christopher Faherty '13 says that about 80 Eagle EMS volunteers have already received EMT certification at the state or federal level and most other club members are taking courses to qualify for the license. Members of the group also visit local elementary and middle schools, teaching students the basics of first aid and accident prevention. "You name it, and if there are a large amount of people expected to be there, we will put it on our schedule," says Faherty, a certified EMT in New Jersey as well as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Little Silver. "My heart is set on being a physician," says Faherty, who is studying psychology and is in the pre-med program. "But not every member of Eagle EMS is in pre-med; we have lots of students studying business or education, too. It doesn't really get much more basic � if you want to give something back and you want to be a student leader, there are not many places where you can do it like this. "Helping a stranger, meeting them for maybe 20 minutes, giving everything you have to them and then saying good-bye, probably never to see them again � it's kind of the definition of `giving back,'" he says. "It's very fulfilling." Eagle EMS was founded in 1997 by Mark Ritchie '00, who launched the organization after his attempts to assist a fellow student Continued on page 6 2 Chronicle MAY 12, 2011 T he B osTon C ollege A ROUND C AMPUS Brothers in debate Whatever else freshman Michael Maerowitz accomplishes during his time at Boston College, he's already helped make history at the Heights. Maerowitz was awarded the Fulton Medal as top speaker at the recent Fulton Prize Debate, three years after his brother Matthew '10 earned the honor. It's the first time a sibling has ever won the medal in the annals of the Fulton Debating Society, which began holding its prize debate in 1890. A Phoenix native, Michael Maerowitz was teamed with last year's Fulton Medal winner Brendan Benedict '12 to debate for the negative side on the topic, "The US should abandon the use of military force to support humanitarian intervention in the Middle East." Debating for the affirmative side were seniors Grant Gendron and Daniel Berkowitz. The three debate judges unanimously awarded the contest to Maerowitz and Benedict and named Maerowitz top speaker. Michael's name will join Matthew's on the roster of Fulton Medal winners that is painted on the wall of Gasson 305, known as the Fulton Debate Room. Debate would seem to be a Maerowitz family trait: Maerowitz's parents were debate partners at the University of Southern California, and his two older brothers were college debaters. But Maerowitz says he enjoys debate for its own sake: "There is nothing quite like having judges tell you that you beat another person in an argument." Matthew, now a first-year law student at the University of Arizona, congratulated Michael on his achievement and is "just as excited as I am to have our names on the Fulton wall together," reports Michael. Naturally, being brothers as well as debaters, each felt compelled to get the last word in. "Matthew did attempt to convince me that being the first to win the award in our family warrants originality points," says Michael. "However, that's when I responded by noting that I had won in my freshman year, as opposed to his junior year." --SS Two Boston College students steer their canoe during the recent Run of the Charles. Floating their boat It has been dubbed the "annual adventure in muscular intellectuality" by College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program Director Mark O'Connor -- and this year it was back. For the glory of the golden oar, 40 students from the A&S Honors Program picked up paddles to compete in the annual 24-mile Run of the Charles, New England's largest canoe and kayak race. Three boats � representing the freshman, sophomore and junior classes � resurrected what had been a two-decades-long hallowed Honors Program tradition. "This had always been a staple of the Honors Program, a way to unify the classes with the best motivator � competition," said Devon Behrer '13, head of the sophomore boat. "I think there were 75 canoes on the water that day, but we chose to ignore the other 72. It was class against class." Donning golden Superfan tshirts, the students rowed in teams of two over the course, broken into five legs, scrambling and hauling their vessels over several portages. "We were hoping to offer an opportunity for students to create a memory that they would always have with them," said Lynch School of Education graduate student Katie Wostbrock, graduate resident director in charge of logistics. "When we asked for feedback, students talked first about how physically demanding this event was, but quickly followed with how they met new friends after the shared experience of paddling up the Charles, fighting through the woods and frogger-ing across the streets with the canoes." Said Pathways Program Manager Catherine-Mary Rivera, "For years Professor O'Connor and [Assistant to the Vice President for Mission and Ministry] Tim Muldoon have been telling us what a great tradition this is. Seeing how much camaraderie it built among the Honors House, it really proved the point. "But this event couldn't have been possible without the manpower � faculty and staff volunteers who were able to come in and help bring back a loved tradition." The Office of Residential Life lent support to the event by sponsoring a barbeque after the race and awarding a "golden paddle" to the winning sophomore team. "It was a beautiful day and so much fun," said Behrer. "Students are already planning for next year, and dressing as pirates or Vikings. I hope the Boston College canoes are back for good." Next year, organizers pledge the event will return as so long as the student enthusiasm and spirit endure. They hope to have a senior and faculty boats represented along with a larger barbeque celebration. �MB Chronicle ON Recent and upcoming additions to the Boston College Chronicle YouTube channel [www.youtube.com/bcchronicle]: �90 Seconds at the Arts Festival: Snippets from the 2011 Dance Showcase. �Flash Mob: Seniors participated in a flash mob for the thousand-plus people gathered on O'Neill Plaza. �BC Says "Snow Thank You": The University paid tribute to the employees who helped BC through a severe winter. �Piano Guy Bids Adieu: Dennis Carr '11 -- known as the "Eagle's Nest Piano Guy" -- played his last concert May 5. The BosTon College T he B osTon C ollege Going GIS Earth and Environmental Sciences graduate student Josh Coefer and geology major Christopher Soeller '11 are among Boston College's exemplars of geographic information systems (GIS), which is emerging as a highly valued technology in business and government. Coefer and Soeller were the first and second-place winners, respectively, of Boston College Libraries' second GIS Mapping Contest, highlighting the University's campuswide geospatial research program. The awards are based on map quality, use of GIS as a research tool and originality, with special consideration given to topics depicting social implications of the research such as environmental issues. The two winners' projects certainly fulfilled the social-significance criteria: Coefer did research on "Land Use and the Extent of Road Salt Contamination in Surface Water and Groundwater, Eastern Massachusetts," while Soeller worked on "Potential Pollution of Water Resources in the Boston Metropolitan Area." Coefer collected hundreds of surface water samples from streams, lakes and ponds north of Boston. After determining how much road salt was in each water sample, he used GIS to analyze the observed levels of contamination for patterns. "Road salt contamination is responsible for the death of plants and animals, corrosion to vehicles, bridges, and other infrastructure, the Chronicle DIRECTOR OF NEWS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS Jack Dunn GIS Mapping Contest first-place winner Josh Coefer, left, and second-place finisher Christopher Soeller '11. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NEWS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS Patricia Delaney EDITOR release of other deadly contaminants, and much more," says Coefer. "It really disrupts the natural environment. "Unfortunately, most areas I investigated are severely contaminated. I was able to show that there was a strong correlation between the observed levels of road salt contamination and the density of roadways, particularly highways and major roads. I was also able to show that by purposefully reducing the amount of road salt applied to roadways, some towns were able to significantly reduce contamination levels." To create his project, Soeller gathered Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and hydrography GIS data and used several programs to create a map that showed pollution sites in and around the Boston metropolitan area. "I learned that there are a lot of potential pollution sites, like gas stations and dry cleaners, that are close to water bodies in the Boston metropolitan area," he said. "Maybe in the future there might be more stringent zoning regulations that make it so these potential pollution sites are built further away from water resources. A lot of these sites are old gas stations that were built decades ago when society was just beginning to learn how widespread water pollution was." Judges for the competition were Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Rudolph Hon, Information Technology Services Research Associate Constantin Andronache, Science Librarian Sally Wyman, Biology and Earth and Environmental Sciences Librarian Enid Karr and Data/GIS Librarian Barbara Mento. --SS Sean Smith CONTRIBUTING STAFF Melissa Beecher Ed Hayward Reid Oslin Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Eileen Woodward PHOTOGRAPHERS Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617)552-3350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. Contact Chronicle via e-mail: chronicle@bc.edu. Electronic editions of the Boston College Chronicle are available via the World Wide Web at http://www.bc.edu/chronicle. Chronicle MAY 12, 2011 T he B osTon C ollege 3 Disaster struck her homeland, so CSON doctoral student Nahoko Harada decided to put her nursing skills, and her caring and dedication, to work BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER Heeding the Call for Help Back Home shelter was. No one was complaining." Japanese are known for their reserved and careful nature, Harada notes: "The feeling is that `I should behave with care because if I act selfishly it will cause trouble for others.' We always consider others." Harada was stationed at the Hashigami Junior High School in Kesennuma, which served as a shelter for some 1,500 evacuated people. She stayed at the shelter until March 19 and then returned for a second stint from March 23 to 28. Since those with life-threatening or major injuries had already been treated or evacuated in the critical hours after the earthquake, Harada's team saw patients with minor injuries and chronic, preexisting conditions like hypertension or asthma exacerbated by limited medications, undesirable conditions and trauma from the disaster. But conditions at Kesennuma were a challenge for Harada and her colleagues. There was no running water, only generator-powered electricity and limited food. They could not conduct lab work and did not have an EKG. Two physicians Harada worked with did not speak Japanese, so she served as a translator, taking patient histories and making assessments and then presenting to the doctors. All the while, the medical staff and evacuees experienced powerful and terrifying aftershocks. The fuel shortage prevented many people from reaching the medical centers and shelters, so Harada's team worked with local agencies and set out into the community to find people stranded in their villages or in smaller shelters in temples or shrines. During Harada's visit she was able to check on her family, including her mother, who lives in the coastal city of Chiba, and her two sisters in Tokyo. All were safe and unharmed. Harada also spoke to Japanese media about the relief efforts. It was an earlier disaster, albeit man-made -- the aftermath of the 1995 bioterriorism attack in the Tokyo subway system -- that inspired Harada's interest in studying post-traumatic stress disorder. She came to the United States in 2004 to pursue advanced studies in nursing, with the goal of being a nurse practitioner. After earning a master's degree from University of Pennsylvania, Harada chose to enroll in the Connell School's doctoral program based on the strength of Professor Ann Burgess' reputation in the field of trauma. "Nahoko is a remarkable nurse with intellectual curiosity, passion and leadership skills," said CSON Associate Professor Angela Amar of her research assistant. "Nahoko's innovative research is about understanding the experiences of Asian-American women who en- When a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami hit her native Japan in March, Connell School of Nursing doctoral student Nahoko Harada, a nurse practitioner with training in adult acute care and trauma, knew she had to act. "I'm comfortable in the center of a disaster," said Harada in a recent interview, after completing two tours of duty providing emergency medical care and disaster relief in Japan. "It's more stressful for me not to go and contribute." Harada traveled as the only nurse with a group of three physicians, two Japanese and one American, from Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. The team had secured a connection with Tokushukai Medical Aid Team, a Japanese non-profit organization that provides disaster relief. Harada's group -- dubbed "Team America" -- was on the ground in Japan by March 14, just days after the earthquake and tsunami struck. They traveled nearly seven hours from the airport to the disaster relief headquarters, a damaged but functioning municipal hospital in northeastern Japan. Although the scene in Japan was "devastating," says Harada, she was struck by the resilience in spirit and essence of the Japanese people. "I was amazed at how strongly united everyone in the Connell School of Nursing doctoral student Nahoko Harada works with a patient during her visit to Japan as part of a medical team, shortly after the earthquake and tsunami. "I was amazed at how strongly united everyone in the shelter was. No one was complaining." dure intimate partner violence. I have great respect for her desire to work with Asian-American women and to learn the unique ways that intimate partner violence affects their lives. She will make a difference in the US as well as in Japan." Asked what she would tell those from outside of Japan about the disaster, Harada replies: "Please don't forget Japan. The situation is improved but not recovered. It will take decades for Japan to recover. There are still 12,000 people missing and families are looking for them. "Also, not all the victims are radioactive. The media is focusing on the nuclear plants, but many parts were not affected by this." The unexpected trip to Japan did derail Harada's studies. She was planning to take comprehensive exams in May, but now will have to wait until fall and also make up for the coursework she missed this semester. She credits the Connell School, and particularly Amar, with assisting her. Despite this setback, Harada has no regrets. "I'm Japanese. I'm a nurse. I have to care for the people." Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu Burgess Aids Internet Safety Continued from page 1 dren `Don't talk to strangers,'" said Burgess. "Kids are talking to others online and, in their minds, these people are not strangers." Burgess says that many parents are in denial or use their own technological insufficiencies as a reason for not policing their children on the Internet. This has consequences, point out the researchers: Students who engaged in risky Internet behaviors were more likely to participate in health-risk behaviors such as drinking alcohol or smoking. Parents and guardians reported having a high level of trust in their children's Internet use. These parents/guardians reported not checking their children's Internet histories, cookies or previously visited websites. But parents' reliance on filters or blocking software package offers a false sense of protections, as the research shows that 24 percent of middle school students, 54 percent of high school boys, and 32 percent of high school girls reported being able to manipulate or disable the filter/blocking software. "Parents have to have their children's passwords. If a child refuses to divulge a password, that's a red flag," said Burgess. A special area of concern for Burgess is children's exposure to pornography over the Internet. Because viewing pornography can lead to viewing more deviant material, Burgess and the other researchers warn that Internet pornography can put children not only at risk of browsing traumatizing content, but also in danger of prosecution for criminal possession or transmission of pornography. They also increase their exposure to adult child molesters. The other members of the research team are: Lead investigator Robert Prentky of Fairleigh Dickinson University; Elizabeth Dowdell of Villanova University; Neil Malamuth of the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, and Paul Fedoroff of the University of Ottawa. The study was supported by a grant awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice. Pact with NSTAR Seen as Aiding BC Energy Efforts Boston College and NSTAR have entered into an agreement administrators say will dramatically cut energy use at the University, saving 6.5 million kilowatt hours of power use and an estimated $3 million in utility costs over the next three years. The new initiative, signed by University Executive Vice President Patrick Keating and NSTAR Senior Vice President of Corporate and Customer Relations Joe Nolan in Botolph House last Thursday, calls for a cooperative effort to target energy efficiency opportunities including improving existing operational control systems, laboratory process improvements, lighting upgrades and occupancy sensors and numerous mechanical system upgrades. "The agreement between Boston College and NSTAR reflects an investment in our future, to reduce energy consumption and related costs," said Keating. "The variety of projects that will be implemented will produce significant returns to the University and is one of the ways BC is working to be more sustainable in use of our resources." "This is a great day for us and Executive Vice President Patrick Keating, right, and NSTAR Senior VP Joe Nolan after signing an agreement on campus energy efficiency. (Photo courtesy of NSTAR) for Boston College," said Nolan, a 1985 College of Arts and Sciences graduate who also received an MBA from the Carroll Graduate School of Management. "We are proud to be helping Boston College with their commitment to dramatically reduce electricity use through improved efficiency. By taking advantage of NSTAR's generous incentive offers, BC can expect to realize a financial payback of less than three years on these projects." Among the points of agreement are the joint development of baseline energy reduction and energyefficient material selection for new construction and major renovations on campus; assistance in selection of preferred energy-related vendors; and creation of increased energy awareness programs for students and the University community. "This is a great opportunity to enhance our energy reduction projects for the next three years," said Facility Services Energy Manager John MacDonald. "NSTAR is a very conscientious energy provider with a lot of qualified people to assist in our efforts. Saving 6 million kilowatt hours of electricity will be a community effort that we can make happen together." --Reid Oslin `Healthy You' Deadline Extended The deadline to take the Boston College "Healthy You" health questionnaire -- and receive a $100 Visa gift card -- has been extended through May 15. To date, more than 1,900 Boston College employees and their spouses have completed the questionnaire as part of the Healthy You initiative, which seeks to improve the health and wellness of all University administrators, faculty and staff. For more information, see http://www.bc.edu/offices/ hr/employees/healthy-you.html. 4 Chronicle MAY 12, 2011 T he B osTon C ollege Matt DeLuca Hometown: Chatham, NJ Major: English, minor in philosophy Notable Activities/Achievements: Editor-in-chief of The Heights, the independent student newspaper of Boston College; Research Assistant, English Department and Office of Marketing Communications; jazz guitarist in the BC musical, "The Last Five Years." Post-Graduation Plans: Writing internship at Inc. magazine, New York City. Overview: A gifted writer, researcher and editor, DeLuca found his passion chronicling Boston College's stories during his four years of leadership positions at The Heights. Respected by faculty, administrators and students for his dedication and professionalism, DeLuca helped The Heights to continue its ascendancy to the pantheon of the best college newspapers in the United States. Q: How have your activities influenced your four years at Boston College? When I came to BC as a freshman, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I played jazz guitar so I thought I'd join BC bOp! I did not even go to the first Heights meeting, but I eventually agreed to take a story and I got hooked. Writing for The Heights was a great way to meet students and others at BC. I found mentors when I was an underclassman and a community of people who were doing things that were meaningful. The Heights became a full-time job for me; it was my project, and it defined the friends I made and the career path I followed. I think it has been of tremendous value to work for a paper that is completely independent, self-funded, and where I had to make editorial decisions that were final. Often the college learning environment is a way of saying one can make mistakes without consequences. It's a better experience, I think, to make decisions, put out 8,000 copies of a paper, and then stand by what one decided. Q: Which faculty members had the greatest effect on your personal development? I was a research assistant in the English Department with Associate Professor Kevin Ohi working on several projects including Victorian poetry, free indirect narration, and the relationship between love and learning. I also did my thesis in the English Honors Program on the poetics of Giorgio Aganben, a contemporary European philosopher, with English Professor Frances Restuccia as my advisor. Both of them played an important role in my academic experience at Boston College. Q: How did Boston College make a difference in your life? BC was one of those happy accidents for me. Because I did not have an immediate love for it freshman year, I had to make it mine. Working with The Heights, doing historical research for OMC and learning about the history of the campus and BC's own evolution became very interesting to me in a way I had not anticipated when I first came. Because of the people I met and the things I did, BC became a great experience for me. My work at The Heights and in my English classes also prepared me to do freelance work for the Dorchester Reporter, Boston Irish Reporter and the Boston Globe, which has helped me in my career ambitions. Q: What will you miss most about BC? I will miss the faculty, my colleagues at The Heights, and the opportunity to so easily meet such a diverse group of students who are interested in doing things for no particular gain other than their love of the subject. I hope to carry that spirit with me into the next step of my life. --Jack Dunn SIX TO REMEMBER Academic excellence. Involvement in campus life. Dedication to service. These members of the Class of 2011 exemplify what's best about Boston College Photos by Lee Pellegrini Kristin Borrero Hometown: Westford, Mass. Major: Finance, minor in philosophy Notable Activities/Achievements: Teaching Assistant, Carroll School of Management Portico program; president of the Student Consulting Team; co-president of Management Consulting Club; Jenks Leadership Program; member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the business honor society, and Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honor society; completed 2011 Boston Marathon to raise funds for the Boston College Campus School. Post-Graduation Plans: consultant, LEK Consulting, Boston. Accepted to Harvard Business School in 2013 under the 2+2 program. Overview: Mentoring middle school students in Boston for the PULSE program as a freshman awakened Borrero to the fact that she liked to help make things better. She took up a finance major and set off on a path to help companies run better, University offices work more efficiently and students get more out of their BC experience. She has worked as a student consultant on projects as wide-ranging as the Haley House Bakery Cafe, Pine Street Inn fundraising and campus sustainability efforts. She also taught healthy nutrition and fitness habits to students at Edison Middle School in Brighton. Q: What has had the most profound effect on your BC experience? Everything I've done at BC has been an outgrowth of my involvement freshman year with the PULSE program. I volunteered at Tenacity, a program in Boston that teaches children from the inner city how to play tennis and offers mentoring and support for school and other activities. That really set the course for my education. I met these middle school students whose experiences were so much different from mine. But I saw I could also make an impact in their lives, even if I was just 18. I saw that I could use my time in college to do something that was good for other people and PULSE allowed me to see that. That started everything for me. Q: What did you enjoy most about being a teaching assistant for Portico, CSOM's introductory ethics course for freshmen? Portico was another chance for me to share from my experiences and what I've gained from my time here with freshmen at BC. Serving as a mentor to 10 freshmen CSOM students, I tried to help them find the value they could add to the campus. A mentor is someone I wish I had when I was a freshman and had questions about registering for classes or how to get involved on campus. Hopefully I served my students in that capacity. Q: Which class stands out as your favorite? like I made a real connection with so many people we treated because I spoke the language and looked like them. I got to see my old house in Port-au-Prince and my uncle. It was very emotional for me. I feel closer to my culture as a result of that trip. Q: Talk about the project you worked on as Undergraduate Research Assistant. I was part of a research team led by [CSON Associate Professor] Angela Amar that examined dating violence on college campuses. We surveyed a number of schools to determine what kind of training and resources schools had to deal with dating violence situations and if students who were victims of dating violence felt supported. We found that many students were not comfortable reporting incidents of dating violence at their schools and that many schools were lacking adequate resources to properly respond to such situations. Financial Accounting with [Senior Lecturer] Amy LaCombe. It's financial accounting, so you have to take it as part of the CSOM core, so it might not be everyone's favorite subject. But Professor LaCombe has such an energetic teaching style and a passion for the subject. She cares so much about all of her students, which made me want to be there and learn the material fully. Q: How has your time at BC changed you? When I came to BC, I thought I would just be one of 2,000 students in my class. But I saw that each one of us can make a difference. It has given me a completely new outlook on life and has shaped almost all of my decisions...I think I'm a lot more confident in my leadership skills than I was when I was a freshman. I've taken on a lot of roles in projects on campus and at non-profits off campus and those have given me the skills to speak to groups and motivate other students. My experience as a teaching assistant in the Portico program has helped me become a good mentor and that is something I learned over the past few years. Q: What will you miss most about BC? I am going to miss many of the people who I have become close with on campus. These people have shaped the person I have become, and in my opinion the cultural education I have had at BC has in many ways been more transformative than my academic education. I will especially miss two-hour long lunches at Hillside and stopping into the CSOM Dean's office to visit Sara Nunziata, Erica Graf and Amy Donegan, who have all made an impact on my time here. --Ed Hayward Q: Who have been the most important people on campus to you? [CSON Associate Dean] Catherine Read has been integral in my growth here at Boston College. She saw something in me from the start and has given me faith in myself. She's opened doors to so many opportunities for me. She is my cheerleader. Angela [Amar] is another amazing woman. I am very inspired by her. Q: How has BC made a difference in your life? My experiences in South Africa and Haiti have spurred my interest in global public health. I have seen first-hand the disparity in health care. Q: What will you miss most about BC? I will miss my friends and the closeness and community of support that the Connell School offers. BC has amazing students; everyone has such passion for their projects. --Kathleen Sullivan Djerica Lamousnery Hometown: North Attleboro, Mass. Major: Nursing Notable Activities/Achievements: KILN (Keys To Inclusive Leadership In Nursing) Scholar; Undergraduate Research Assistant; First Year Experience Orientation and 48 Hours Leader; member, Council for Women at Boston College Student Advisory Committee; 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship finalist. Post-graduation Plans: Work as a staff nurse at a hospital and later pursue advanced studies to become a nurse practitioner and work in the global public health arena. Overview: Lamousnery, who always had an interest in science, said she first thought seriously about becoming a nurse in high school when a hospital stay brought her in contact with the compassionate care of nurses. As a Connell School of Nursing student, she's conducted clinical rotations at the Brigham and Women's Hospital's postpartum unit and Massachusetts General Hospital's medical surgical unit, and earlier this year spent a week in Haiti where she and other CSON students saw about a thousand patients in clinics in rural villages and a tent city. During her semester abroad in South Africa, Lamousnery volunteered with University of Cape Town medical students on mobile medical clinics that delivered health care services to impoverished residents of nearby townships. Selected for the pilot class of KILN Scholars -- a program designed to increase diversity in nursing leadership -- she worked with a mentor to develop a curriculum that could educate and certify nurses for emergency relief work. Q: What has been your most memorable experience during your years at BC? Earlier this semester I went to back to Haiti, for the first time since I was six years old. I went on a [CSON] trip to provide medical care to those living in remote parts of Haiti. I had wanted to go there since last year's earthquake and help people. I feel Chronicle MAY 12, 2011 T he B osTon C ollege 5 Sarah Onori Hometown: Cary, NC Majors: Communication and sociology Notable Activities/Achievements: UGBC senator; treasurer of the African Student Organization; conducted research in Italy on the connection between food and Italian families' social structure; tutored students at the MATCH Charter High School; Rhodes Scholar nominee; intern at Nixon Peabody LLC; BC representative in New England Sports Network quiz show "Schooled"; tour guide for Undergraduate Admission Office. Post-graduation plans: Attend law school at Northeastern University. Overview: Growing up the youngest of nine in a small town in North Carolina, Onori seldom had to think about her next move. She said a decision to come to Boston, BC in particular, was the first step in "finding her voice." Academically gifted -- she was a Rhodes Scholar nominee -- this diehard Tarheels fan-turnedEagle became active in UGBC, serving as a senator. She also got involved with Peer Health Exchange, a program that works with high schools lacking health education and where the majority of the students live at or below the poverty line. Onori said BC has helped her redefine herself and her future. Q: What made you come to BC? I really wanted to get out of the "Southern bubble" and see what life was like beyond it. I was looking at schools in Boston and BC was the only campus where I actually went on the campus tour. My guide was so phenomenal that I was convinced that this is the school where I needed to be. Once here, I thought I had the personality and the voice to be the face of the University for other incoming students, so I became a tour guide. It was the best summer job. Q: What experience stands out? For as long as I remember, I have always wanted to travel to Italy. My favorite place in Boston is the North End. Through two scholarships � the Amanda V. Houston Fellowship and the McGillycuddy-Logue Travel Grant � I was able to fulfill that dream. I studied at the University of Parma and lived with an Italian host mom. It was through that experience that I found my research topic, which combined Italian culture, food and women's roles in society. I was able to spend five months abroad and came back with a better sense of my own Biochemistry with [Assistant Professor] Jianmin Gao. It was the most enjoyable experience I had in any class. You went there every day and it was always challenging, but it was always things that you could use in real life � like learning how to synthesize proteins basically from scratch. It was a lot of cutting-edge technology type things. It was very cool. In my freshman year, I took a literature class. Literature is obviously not biochemistry or it's not math � the two things I did. [Adjunct Associate Professor] John Anderson was the teacher and it was a blast. It involved an in-depth analysis of books. It really got my brain working and got me ready for college. It was phenomenal. Q: How did you balance a challenging biochemistry major with the rigors of playing Division I college football? I took a very strict approach to this in terms of when I was in class. I was 100 percent focused on taking notes and making sure that I completely understood everything that they were talking about in the class. I was then able to work on my football when it was football time and work on my classes when it was class time. I actually even managed to have some free time to hang out, too. It really was a great experience. Q: What will you miss most about Boston College? Probably seeing all the familiar faces around, whether I am in the Corcoran Commons dining hall, or in the football locker room or in the lab. I'll miss all the people I went through four years with. Q: Coming out of high school, identity. Q: Who have been your most influential mentors at BC? Professor Dale Herbeck and Associate Professor Donald Fishman. I took my communication law courses with them and I developed a passion for intellectual property law. The only way I can describe it was to say that their classes intrigued me. I knew I was going to learn something when I walked in the door. Also, my public speaking teacher, Peter Nowak. We developed a great bond. Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of? There are so many things I have participated in and experienced, but I am most proud of the fact that I have lost 90 pounds since my freshman year. I was an obese child and when I came to Boston College, I was blown away at the level of fitness and the focus on health. I remember standing in front of a mirror and thinking that this body was holding me back and this is not who God wanted me to be. So I started going to the Plex and started with the stationary bike. Then, I started to lift weights and take a few classes. Last semester I finished my first 5K. I've made eating well a priority. And so in many ways, BC has changed my life completely. Q: What will you miss most? The sports and the people. I'm a huge football fan and I will miss sitting in the student section � wearing the matching shirts, singing the songs, being part of that experience. Now, I'll have to sit in the alumni section, wishing I were in the student section with y'all. --Melissa Beecher Stephanie Fernandes Hometown: Steubenville, Ohio Major: Communication, minor in philosophy Notable Activities/Achievements: Screaming Eagles Marching Band; University Chorale; Liturgy Arts Group; Salt & Light; Order of the Cross and Crown; president of Lambda Pi Eta (honor society for communication students); elected to Phi Beta Kappa; top GPA for BC communication major. Post-graduation Plans: Has internship with National Disability Rights Network. Plans to attend law school in the fall, and specialize in education law and child advocacy. Overview: Blind from birth, Fernandes has relied on a different kind of vision: one of herself as a strong, independent woman. She has realized this through her devotion to academics, service, music and faith, and by a winning spirit -- she likes to call it "feistiness" -- that has impressed friends, peers, teachers and mentors alike. As a freshman, Fernandes wasn't convinced she could make it at BC, but with graduation less than two weeks away she reflects on a college career full of challenges and triumphs, from learning to play Irish fiddle to ministering for prison inmates. Q: What have been some of the most meaningful experiences for you at BC? There have been a lot, but my activities with the Liturgy Arts Group and Salt & Light stand out in particular, because my faith is very important to me. Going with LAG to MCI-Framingham, and being able to sing Mass and share our faith with prisoners was incredible. We also did the same for the retired priests at Regina Cleri. I love the connection between music and ministry. Through Salt & Light, I helped lead retreats for high school students, which gave me the opportunity to hang out with complete strangers -- one of my favorite things to do. Q: So, somehow during your years at BC you found time to learn how to play Irish fiddle -- you even got to do a solo at the Arts Festival this year. How did this happen? I started playing violin when I was in second grade, but by the time I got to BC I wasn't doing it so much anymore, and I missed it. A friend of mine I'd known from church choir had taken the Irish fiddle class here from [Sullivan Artist-in-Residence] Seamus Connolly, and suggested I try it, so I signed up in the second semester of freshman year. Irish music was completely different than what I'd been playing before -- it was so fast, and there were so many notes. And people would tell me, "You don't have to play all the notes," and I'd say, "But that's what I'm used to!" It was definitely challenging, but I enjoyed it, and Seamus was wonderful to work with. I was kind of the comic relief for the class, because I'd play loud and everyone could hear my mistakes. But I didn't mind: The louder you play, the better you can hear yourself; and it brings up the comfort level for everyone else. Q: You've identified law as your future occupation. How did you develop this interest? It goes all the way back to fourth grade. My parents and I wanted me to go into my school's accelerated program, but they wouldn't let me because of my blindness. My mother -- who's even more feisty than I am -- was going to take them to court, and the school agreed to a compromise that involved me having to go to Pittsburgh and take an IQ test. In the end, I did get into the accelerated program, but I thought it was unfair that I had to go through all this. From then on, I was always attuned to issues of unfairness and inequality, especially where children are concerned. But I also realized I had an incredibly supportive community of family, friends and neighbors, and not every child is so fortunate. So my education was never about me, but what skills and knowledge I could bring back with me that would make a difference. And I came to believe that going into education law and child advocacy offered a concrete way to affect people's lives for the better. Q: Which people have been the biggest influences for you at BC? Again, so many: Bonnie Jefferson and Dale Herbeck in the Communication Department, Marina McCoy in Philosophy and Stephen Pope in Theology, Meyer Chambers in the Liturgy Arts Group -- and I've loved my roommates. Some of the greatest people I've met at BC are the dining hall cashiers. Sometimes you don't realize how much a simple "Hello" can mean to you. Often that "Hello" will lead to a conversation, and then you learn about their children and grandchildren -- which one plays soccer, which one is learning the violin, which one is getting married. As students, we're lucky to have such a strong, caring community around us. That sense of community can be more important than you think. My first year at BC was difficult: There were some miscommunications and things that just went wrong -- nobody's fault, it was simply what happened. I thought for sure I would not only have to transfer from BC, but that I would fail. So I was really surprised to see how well I had done at the end of the year. And it was definitely because I had a good support network in place. --Sean Smith Anthony Castonzo Hometown: Hawthorn Woods, Ill. Major: Biochemistry Notable Activities/Achievements: AllAmerica offensive tackle and four-year starter for the Boston College football team; All-ACC First Team; three-time ACC All-Academic Team; "Eagle of the Year" as outstanding male athlete in graduating class; Scanlan Award as top football scholar-athlete; winner of National Football Foundation ScholarAthlete and post-graduate study award; Rhodes Scholar nominee. Post-Graduate Plans: Will play offensive tackle for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. After his pro football career, he plans to return to graduate school in biochemistry to study cancer research. Overview: As the first true freshman in a decade to earn a starting assignment in BC's offensive line, the 6-foot-7, 295-pound Castonzo started in every game during his varsity football career and was rated by experts as the top tackle prospect in the recent NFL draft. He was drafted in the first round by the Indianapolis Colts to help protect future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning from enemy tacklers. His academic accomplishments match his playing skills, as he was nominated by the University for a Rhodes Scholarship along with a host of other scholastic honors. Q: What are your special memories of Boston College? A lot of my memories are of the BC dining halls. I had to eat so much to maintain my weight. Seriously, in terms of class experiences, there were two different classes that really stick out in my mind � this past year I took Advanced Topics in some people figured you would have a hard time playing major college football -- how did you prove them wrong? I set my own goals and don't listen to naysayers. Even my own high school coach told me I could only possibly play at the Division II or Division III level. My dream was to play Division I football, so I took advantage of every avenue possible, every opportunity that was presented to me, to get to where I am at. It's been a great ride. Being selected in the first round of the NFL draft was a great moment. It was the culmination of a lot. Q: Have you started to think about your future NFL career? I just got a call from [Colts' QB] Peyton Manning and [center] Jeff Saturday welcoming me with open arms to the team and offering to take me out to dinner and show me around Indianapolis. It makes you excited to get there and get started. --Reid Oslin 6 Chronicle MAY 12, 2011 T he B osTon C ollege Another Honor for Senior Continued from page 1 like a grad student, put me on my a volunteer at the Italian Home for own projects and encouraged me Children in Jamaica Plain, where to study abroad," said Kornahrens. she prepared lessons and chemistry "I grew a lot in my research skills experiments for abandoned chiland independent thinking, which dren, many of who were severely has prepared me well to go on and abused. do graduate research." This year, she also volunteered Kornahrens also cites her faculty in the Campus School's "Creative mentor, Chemistry Professor Larry Kids" program, playing the tamScott, as an individual who helped bourine to engage the students in challenge her to enhance her skills the joy of music. She also spent the and research acumen. "Professor second semester of her junior year Scott has been very instrumental at the University of New South in things I pursued, while also Wales in Sydney, Australia, where encouraging me to apply for things she studied physical chemistry I did not know about such as and engaged in an undergraduate the Goldwater Scholarship and the chemistry research project while NSF Graduate Research Fellow- also pursuing her passion for scuba ship. Both of these mentors saw diving. more for me and in me "Anne always than I did in myself." gets the most out The daughter of of whatever she is an engineer who indoing and never lets troduced her to the an opportunity slip joys of science exby her," says Scott. periments at a young "She has a kind age, Kornahrens took heart and an upbeat AP chemistry in high disposition that enschool before entering livens any crowd. the honors chemistry She is an extraordiprogram at BC. She nary person who is wrote a research proclearly destined for "I don't know exactly posal on how to target success." natural products that what I will do, but I alPresidential have biological releScholars Proways felt that chemistry vance in anti-bacterial gram Director and activity, which earned and Boston College would Founders Professor her the NSF FellowJames Keenan, SJ, help me to get there." ship to pursue a PhD says Kornahrens is in chemistry. She was Photo by Caitlin Cunningham "much admired" accepted to every doctoral program among her fellow Presidential to which she applied, says Scott, in- Scholars for her research and her cluding Stanford, California Tech, work as the natural sciences seYale and Columbia universities, as nior editor of the undergraduate well as the University of California research journal Elements, and as a at Berkeley. Ultimately, she chose member of the Women in Science the Skaggs-Oxford Scholarship & Technology Program, where to fulfill a longstanding desire to she serves as a mentor for female study at Oxford University. students from high schools in the "In sum, Anne Kornahrens is Boston area. a remarkable young woman," says "I was never told that I couldn't Scott. "She is extremely energet- do something, and I never thought ic, incredibly bright, unabashedly that I couldn't do something on my fearless and thoroughly prepared own," says Kornahrens. "For me, it for graduate studies in what is is important to give people the oparguably one of the best chemistry portunity to believe in themselves. PhD programs in the world. I am I never doubted it in my own case. proud to have been her mentor for "I have been blessed with the four years at BC." gifts I have been given and I want Outside of the classroom, Kor- to find a way to give back," she says. nahrens brings the same trademark "I don't know exactly what I will energy to her volunteer efforts that do, but I always felt that chemistry distinguish her academic pursuits. and Boston College would help me She has sung at Mass every Sun- to get there." day as a four-year member of the Contact Jack Dunn at jack. Liturgy Arts Group, and served as dunn@bc.edu Eagle EMS president Christopher Faherty '13, right, and fellow volunteer Matthew Shaughnessy '12 on duty in Lower Campus during a football game last fall. (Photo provided by Christopher Faherty) Continued from page 1 who was stricken while playing intramural basketball in the Recreation Complex failed to revive him. Ritchie is currently a physician's assistant in Utica, NY. Faherty began his own volunteer career at his local firehouse, where once or twice a week he helped firefighters and EMTs organize their equipment. In subsequent years, he took various EMT courses and eventually became state certified. "I always remember my first call as an observer in the ambulance. An elderly gentleman had fallen. I looked at him and thought `Somebody should call 9-1-1.' Then I realized, `You are 9-1-1.'" He laughs: "It was pretty scary at the time. "Most things are not life or death, but they do happen," says Faherty, who was named EMS Ea- Eagle EMS Program Making a Difference gle president by the end of his freshman year � the youngest student ever to hold that post. Eagle EMS members work with professional first responders, riding with ambulance crews as observers and helping with campus directions, or scheduling more than a dozen CPR classes for the BC community throughout the academic year. They receive medical direction from University Health Services Director Dr. Thomas Nary and daily advisement from the Office of Student Programs. "They are professionals," says Dr. Nary. "They are accredited and can and do work in their own communities, city ambulances or any other service. It's a tremendous opportunity for them � they don't just do events, they are first responders to any student or others with [medical] difficulties on campus. Many of them are going in to nursing or pre-med or whatever, but others are there because they enjoy the work. " Earlier this spring, Eagle EMS received a "Striving for Excellence" award from the 200-member Collegiate EMS Foundation during the organization's spring meeting in Philadelphia. Faherty says Eagle EMS would eventually like to have their own first response vehicle, as do similar student emergency medical teams at University of Massachusetts, Northeastern, Fordham, Georgetown and Notre Dame. "We like to say that we are EMTs who also happen to be students," Faherty says. "The sky is the limit." Contact Reid Oslin at reid.oslin@ bc.edu Forum Explores `Scholarship and Discernment' Finding and nurturing your intellectual passion -- and connecting it with academic and extracurricular work -- was the subject of a recent panel discussion that featured Boston College seniors Anne Kornahrens and Alicia Johnson and other area college students, all finalists for some of the country's most prestigious post-graduate fellowships. The event, "Scholarship and Discernment" -- which took place April 27 in McGuinn 121 -- was sponsored by the BC University Fellowships Committee and the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program. Joining Kornahrens and Johnson were: 2004 Rhodes Scholar Olivia Rissland, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Whitehead Institute; 2011 Rhodes finalist Sara Minkara of Wellesley College; and Kenzie Bok, a 2011 Marshall Scholar from Harvard University. Amanda Rothschild '11 -- a Rhodes finalist who was one of only 40 college students nation-wide selected for the Hertog Political Studies Program -- moderated the discussion. The five panelists represented wide-ranging interests -- including science, law, children's advocacy and sexual health issues -- as well as impressive scholarship and fellowship honors, such as Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater and National Science Foundation. Each shared insights and experiences they said helped them to identify their field or discipline, and to seek resources enabling them to cultivate these areas of interest. Kornahrens -- a Presidential Scholar who earned a 2010 Goldwater Scholarship, an NSF grant and most recently a Skaggs-Oxford Scholarship [see story on page 1] -- talked about the pressures that come with deciding which scholarships and fellowships to pursue. She recalled feeling worried as to whether accepting such an opportunity would end up affecting every choice, academic or career-related, she would make in the future. "When you're in the bubble, looking at these very prestigious awards, grants and scholarships," she said, "it's hard to see that it doesn't have to change who you are, and it's not a decision you have to make for the rest of your life. Really, what it does is open doors." Johnson, a 2010 Truman finalist, recounted how early on at BC she developed an interest in sexual health and women's health issues, one she has pursued in both extracurricular activities and academics, including through research with Sociology Professor Sharlene HesseBiber. She said the application process for the Truman Scholarship, while unsuccessful in her case, helped her to focus on and define her post-BC goals. "I had five very long essays that I had to write -- they really had you map out what you're doing now, what graduate school you want to go to, what you want to do afterwards. That was intimidating, because I had no idea what I was going to do. "But sitting down with the application forced me to think about what I wanted to do. A lot of it's changed, a lot of it is still the same, and I'm sure I'm not going to do the same thing I predicted 10 years from now. But I did sit down and say, `I want to work on sexual health, I want to go to a graduate school for public policy, I want to work for Planned Parenthood' -- it was a huge learning process for me." Kornahrens agreed: "The conversations, both with myself and with other people, I've had during all the applications I've worked on have helped get me to where I am now. I feel more enlightened by knowing about these other things that I could've done, and that there are many paths out there for me." --Sean Smith A brief video about the "Scholarship and Discernment" event is available on the Chronicle YouTube channel [http://www.youtube. com/bcchronicle] eTeaching Day Offers Insights on Technology in the Classroom The Office of Instructional Design and eTeaching Services (IDeS) hosts its annual eTeaching Day next Wednesday, May 18, offering expert commentary and sessions to assist faculty who want to learn more about incorporating technology into instruction. The keynote speakers are David Bogen, associate provost for academic affairs at the Rhode Island School of Design, and Eric Gordon, an associate professor in the department of Visual and Media Arts at Emerson College. They will speak at noon in Devlin Hall. IDeS will also present the Teaching With New Media Awards, in addition to offering a range of discussions on the latest topics on technologies that are transforming instruction. For more information or to register, see the website https:// idesweb.bc.edu/ides/website/eteachingday_reg or contact Cristina Joy at ext.2-2773. Chronicle MAY 12, 2011 T he B osTon C ollege 7 Rite of Passage Five welcomed to Catholic Church at St. Ignatius what it meant to be part of this community and thought the best way to figure it out for sure was to talk to For one, it was a gradual, spiritual people already in it." So began his year of study and conversion. For another, a growing desire to be an official part of the reflection, leading up to his baptism Catholic community that he has on Sunday. "I've never been a spiritual person lived among for the last four years. Five people, each with ties to Bos- in the slightest. I honestly had a very ton College -- three undergraduates, cynical view of religion," he said. a graduate student and a fianc� of a "So I was really starting, knowing BC alumna -- were welcomed to absolutely nothing about being a the Catholic Church last Sunday Catholic. Nothing about Jesus or the through the sacrament of baptism Bible. I'm just now starting to really or profession of faith, in ceremonies understand who God is and how I fit into this framework." held at St. Ignatius Church. Peter Roman '11 said enrolling Brian Himes, a graduate student at the School of Theology and Min- at Boston College was a "step in the istry, said his journey of faith began right direction" on his faith journey, as a Protestant. His parents raised which was aided by the pre-med curhim in a Christian tradition, but he riculum he took at BC. "People always say that science admits to having doubts and "sliding into agnosticism and maybe even and religion are diametrically opposed," says Roman, atheism" before redisan Andover native. covering his faith. Since October, "I'm just now start- "As a scientist, I need Himes had partici- ing to really under- answers. Science helps me see and observe pated in Tuesday night stand who God is the world around me. classes for the Rite of Christian Initiation of and how I fit into Religion has helped me seek the answers to Adults. this framework." all of the other ques"It was nice to be so focused on scripture, to -- Greg Cocchiola '11 tions science doesn't provide. read and talk about the "I always felt that passages. That comsomething was missmon reflection was, in many ways, why this makes sense ing. I knew after talking with Sister to me at this point in my life," said Mary and much reflection, that I needed to make this a permanent Himes. While some, like Himes, em- part of my life." Sue Ly '13 and Dan Pearce, braced Catholicism from other Christian faiths, others like senior whose fianc� is Abby Hasebroock Greg Cocchiola started the process '08, also were confirmed as Catholics on Sunday. from the beginning. Himes, whose relationship with "I was raised outside any faith tradition, and I'd say during my God and organized religion was espesophomore year at BC, I started feel- cially complex being a student of theoing the desire to become Catholic," logical studies, said he felt studying to said Cocchiola, a finance major with become a Catholic alongside students a history minor who will begin work- like Cocchiola and Roman provided ing at Bank of America after gradu- him with a new insight. "It was nice, in the practical sense, ation. "I started researching, but as time passed and classes became more that it forced me to focus on the basic difficult and more time-consuming, questions, to see the fresh perspectives. And I think it is very symbolic that I forgot about it. "Then, last semester, I was walk- with the right of initiation, those who ing by the Campus Ministry office are newly baptized take the light of in McElroy. I can't tell you how or the Easter candle and ignite everyone's why, but for some reason I turned light, passing the light throughout the in and walked right into Sister Mary church. They help re-ignite all of us." Contact Melissa Beecher at melissa. [Sweeney]'s office. I wanted to know beecher@bc.edu BY MELISSA BEECHER STAFF WRITER NEWSMAKERS Prof. Thomas Groome (STM) was interviewed by CNN regarding the beatification of Pope John Paul II, and Prof. Harvey Egan, SJ (Theology), spoke on the topic with the Boston Globe. Carroll School of Management senior Andrew Boni and MBA student Courtney Scrib were among those contributing to a Boston Sunday Globe section devoted to ways in which the City of Boston can attract and retain young entrepreneurs The Irish Times published an open letter to Ireland's cabinet, written by Assoc. Prof. James Smith (English) and cosigned by many scholars and advocates for the victims of the Magdalene Laundries, soliciting the Cabinet's support for the survivors. ners and scholars in different health professions committed to advising public policy makers on health care issues. Louise and Jim Vanderslice and Family Professor of Chemistry Lawrence T. Scott was presented with the George A. Olah Award In Hydrocarbon or Petroleum Chemistry by The American Chemical Society . Senior Russell Lauletta received awards for top student paper and top debut paper at the 102nd Annual Eastern Communication Association Convention in Virginia, BC BRIEFING where she presented her paper "Vocational Anticipatory Socialization of the Surgeon Profession: An Analysis of the Media's Portrayal of the Work-Lives of Surgeons." Lauletta was nominated to present her work by Asst. Prof. James Olufowote (Communication). David Norris, an Irish civil rights campaigner, James Joyce scholar and 2011 Irish presidential candidate, visited Connolly House on May 2 to talk and perform sections of Ulysses. (Photo by Melissa Beecher) "Rescuing a Jewish-Russian Boy: Nabokov's Stories in Anticipation of Catastrophe" in Nabokovski sbornik. TIME AND A HALF Prof. Margaret J. Kenney (Mathematics) presented "Use Conjectures to Reason and Connect Geometry, Algebra, and Number" at the 89th Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in Indianapolis. Roche Professor of Economics Arthur Lewbel presented "Regression Discontinuity Marginal Threshold Treatment Effects" at the 16th Annual Meetings of the Society of Labor Economics in Vancouver, Canada. School of Theology and Ministry student Sara Knutson wrote in a blog published by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on her decision to give up marathon races and donate the money saved to the poor. PUBLICATIONS Carroll School of Management Prof. Jeffrey Cohen and Assoc. Prof. Kenneth Schwartz had their article, "Client Engagement Risks and the Auditor Search Period," accepted for publication in Accounting Horizons. Prof. Maxim D. Shrayer (Slavic and Eastern Languages) published HONORS/ APPOINTMENTS Asst. Prof. Susan Kelly-Weeder (CSON) was elected to the National Academies of Practice, a non-profit organization comprised of practitio- The US Postal Service office in McElroy Commons will close for the summer on May 23. Postage stamps will be available in the Boston College Bookstore. To find other USPS branch offices, go to http://usps.whitepages. com/post_office Enrollment Period for Medical and Dental Plans Ends May 20 Boston College employees have until May 20 to enroll in medical and dental plans or make changes to their existing health coverage, the Benefits Office recently announced. In addition, the office published the health plan premium rates for 2011-12 that will go into effect on June 1. The Harvard Pilgrim PPO individual plan will be $644.28 per month (with an employee cost of $148.16), while the family plan will be $1,739.71 ($400.12 employee cost). The Harvard Pilgrim HMO rates will be $570.15 for individuals ($102.60 employee cost), $1,539.71 for families ($277.12 employee cost). The DeltaPremium dental plan individual rate will be $35.62 ($14.24 employee cost), the family rate $120.81 ($48.32 employee cost); DeltaCare premiums will be $35.92 for individuals ($35.92 employee cost), $88.80 for families ($35.52 employee cost). Employees can also sign up for the University's contributory life insurance plans during the enrollment period. For more information, go to the Human Resources website [www. bc.edu/hr] and click the "Open Enrollment" link under "News." The Woods College of Advancing Studies honored 1963 alumna Velia DiCesare, a 75-year employee of the Massachusetts Office of Unemployment, with the Ignatian Medal at its annual Senior Dinner last month. Woods College Dean James Woods, SJ (in photo with DiCesare), said DiCesare's lifetime "of dedicated public service to the Commonwealth embodies Boston College's mission: `Women and men for others.' "As our nation celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps," added Fr. Woods, "how fitting that we recognize an icon, an example of what it means for a citizen to choose, to take to heart one's responsibility to contribute to the betterment of society." Fr. Woods noted that, at age 93, DiCesare -- who holds a bachelor's degree in economics from BC, which she attended at night -- is in her office most days at 8 a.m., "cross-checking electronic databases and searching the Web to investigate tips from the agency's fraud hot line. Fit, trim, and just an inch taller than five feet, she played tennis into her 80s and still works out three times a week at a nearby gym. "Her unique perspective and invaluable encyclopedic memory impresses colleagues," added Fr. Woods, quoting one of DiCesare's co-workers: "`Any time I have a question, Velia could tell me where to look. But most of the time, she just knows the answer.'" Mary Jane Mitchell, a 1991 graduate who is chief financial officer of the US Air Force Joint Strike Force, delivered the address to the graduates. JOB LISTINGS The following are among the most recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see http://www.bc.edu/offices/hr: Locksmith, Facilities Management Housing Assignments Specialist, Residential Life Assistant Manager, Residential Life Associate Vice President, Residential Life Associate Director, Classes & Reunions, Law School - Alumni and Development Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences Administrative Assistant, Center for Corporate Citizenship 8 Chronicle MAY 12, 2011 T he B osTon C ollege Step in the Right Direction Student group FISTS combines dance, service and solidarity BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR The young women, grouped in two horizontal lines of four apiece, stand tensed and ready, each one holding her fists together at chest height. And smiling. Suddenly, there is a flurry of movement and corresponding noise. In near-perfect synchronization, the eight whirl their arms in a variety of directions, occasionally clapping hands together -- as well as on knees, shoes, chest -- all the while dipping, weaving, bending and stepping, their moves punctuated with rhythmic stomps of their feet. After a couple of minutes, they end as they began, standing with fists together in front. And smiling. This is the language of the Boston College student group Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step (FISTS) -- a language not just of the body but the soul and spirit. Founded in 1999, FISTS is nominally a dance team that performs at the annual BC Arts Festival, the AHANA Leadership Council "Showdown," Relay for Life and other events. Their percussive style of dance, known as stepping, melds elements of African and Caribbean traditions with numerous other influences, cultural and otherwise; stepping is associated with, though not limited to, historically African-American fraternities and sororities. But FISTS is equally concerned with service and solidarity, offering its members the means to build friendships, self-confidence, discipline and leadership skills. "It's just awesome," says freshman Janeisa Lashley, who signed up for FISTS on the spot last fall after seeing them perform on the Campus Green. "I love all the girls and the quality time we spend together. I also like the fact that I'm a freshman, and they're upperclassmen, and I can learn a lot from them." The mentoring aspect of FISTS is one of its most important qualities, say seniors Carissa Wright and Breana Ware, who have both held leadership positions on the team. "When I first came here, I was worried about being far from home, and how I would find my place at BC," says Ware, an Atlanta native who has been FISTS president the last two years and also served as secretary. "But the upperclass girls on the team helped me adjust to being at college, and gave me good advice on how to balance things." Wright, who as team co-captain is responsible for leading practices, recalls: "Being able to ask these older girls about anything, from boys to what classes I should take, was such a help to me. They really cared a lot about me. They'd check in to see if I was OK, even offer to tutor me." Members say they care about and look after one another be- cause the demands on time and energy are profound. "You need to have a lot of discipline and time management, you always need to check your syllabus and schedule, because this is a lot of work," says co-captain Corinne Pierre-Louis '13, "Regardless of how easy it might look on stage, putting on a good show takes Seniors Breana Ware and Carissa Wright (foreground left and right) feel they have grown in many a lot of preparation." ways with Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step (FISTS). (Photo by Caitlin Cunningham) FISTS takes that message of through a rough time, or perhaps gram, the 48 Hours Council and strength and support beyond given a schoolkid something reas- the Huntington's Disease Society Boston College, organizing work- suring to think about, also brings of America fundraiser; both also have served as resident assistants. shops and other events at schools plenty of gratification. But FISTS also offers enlightBut FISTS is something else. in the Greater Boston area. "We work with their step teams, and ening insights into the meaning of "Being in the group forced me to with girls especially, to teach them leadership. In a close-knit group develop leadership qualities in a about discipline, the importance of like this, sorting out roles -- as way nothing else has," says Wright. commitment, eating right, practic- officers, friends and teammates -- "I had to learn to appeal to someing, listening to their captain," says can be an intricate process. What one as a leader, a sister and a friend, works best, members say, is to and to bring empathy into the Ware. "They're not just learning about keep in mind that the team speaks practice room." Adds Ware, "Learning to take stepping," says FISTS vice-presi- with many voices. For example, dent Alysa Delerme '11. "They're even as Ware and Wright discuss criticism after being in a leadership learning about college life, the ac- their leadership experiences, they position is a growth experience, tivities that we have here, and they are quick to credit Delerme for and makes you that much better see how bonded we are and what the part she's played in the team's a leader. I think we've all learned development. what works best, not just in a team this brings to our lives." Ware and Wright, who were setting, but with others -- and The satisfaction FISTS members derive is multifaceted. There both candidates for the 2010 that's something we can carry with is, of course, the pleasure that Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar- us." A short video about FISTS is comes from putting on a good ship Award, have plenty of acshow, and seeing the enthusiasm complishments and milestones to available on the Chronicle YouTube their performances invariably gen- look back on: for Ware, the Mul- channel, http://www.youtube.com/ erate among audiences. Knowing ticultural Christian Fellowship and bcchronicle Contact Sean Smith at sean. you've helped a teammate make it the Mock Trial Association; for Wright, the Shaw Leadership Pro- smith.1@bc.edu Scenes from the Boston College Arts Festival (April 28-30) Caitlin Cunningham REACHING THE HEIGHTS Caitlin Cunningham Lee Pellegrini Caitlin Cunningham Caitlin Cunningham Caitlin Cunningham Lee Pellegrini Honors for Prince of Thieves author Chuck Hogan '89 and English Department chair Professor Suzanne Matson highlighted the Boston College Arts Council Awards presented at the University's recent 13th annual Arts Festival. Hogan -- who appeared at several events during the festival, which was held April 28-30 -- received the Alumni Award in recognition of his achievements as bestselling author of acclaimed novels such as Devils in Exile, The Killing Moon and The Standoff, as well as Prince of Thieves, which was adapted into the feature film "The Town." Matson, a poet and novelist herself -- her books include The Tree-sitter, A Trick of Nature and Hunger Moon -- was presented with the Faculty Arts Award. Her efforts to promote and support poetry and creative writing at BC, the Arts Council said, "have enriched our understanding of literature and humanity." The Arts Council also gave awards to undergraduates who have made "outstanding contributions to the arts" in specific disciplines: Bryan Bernfeld '11 (English, theater); Bailey Budd '11 (Studio art); Nicholas Foster '11 (Theater); Lauren Gomez '11 (Studio art); Eric Kim '11 (Music); Brianna LeRose '11 (Film); Sean Meehan '11 (Film); and Keith Noonan '12 (English). In addition, senior Lauren Tempesta won the inaugural Jeffery Howe Art History Award, named after the first Arts Council chair.