PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
OCTOBER 29, 2026 VOL. 34 NO. 5
THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION
‘It Will Be an Honor and a Joy to Serve You’ Boston College Formally Celebrates Its New President BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Boston College formally inaugurated John T. Butler, S.J., as its 26th president on October 16, the crowning event in a threeday campus celebration of community, history, tradition, and formative education. After receiving the symbols of office— the presidential medallion, the academic mace, and a copy of the original charter of Boston College—at the Inauguration Ceremony in Conte Forum, Fr. Butler welcomed, and expressed gratitude to, the many guests attending the event, notably representatives from the Society of Jesus, the Catholic Church (including the Archdiocese of Boston) and various academic institutions. Then he made a point of offering “a different kind of thank you” to the Boston College community, where he has worked since 2002, including as the Haub Vice President for University Mission and Min-
University President John T. Butler, S.J., after receiving the presidential medallion at the October 16 Inauguration Ceremony in Conte Forum. photo by matthew healey
istry prior to becoming president-elect in 2025. “I’ve been at this university for onethird of my life,” said Fr. Butler, who assumed the presidency on July 31, succeed-
ing William P. Leahy, S.J., now University President Emeritus. “What I have to do for my Boston College family—the trustees, trustee associates, administrators, faculty, staff, and students—is to thank you for
forming me. I come from you and I have been missioned to serve you. “It will be an honor and a joy to serve you as we begin a new chapter in the Boston College chronicle as we move into a new era of our life. Thank you for allowing me to be the servant of this university.” In his remarks, Fr. Butler—who paid tribute to his two most recent predecessors, Fr. Leahy and J. Donald Monan, S.J.—readily acknowledged the many pressure points facing academia today, such as rising costs, plunging college-age demographics, anxiety over artificial intelligence, and chaos in collegiate athletics. But while it has always been incumbent on higher education—Catholic higher education included—“to reform, to adapt, and adjust,” he said there should be no move to “reinvent” it. Fr. Butler recounted his experience in an internship at a psychiatric hospital, where his mentor urged him to look beyond a patient’s accumulated health problems and instead focus on the whole. “Before you can deal with the pathology, you have to look at how you can help and support the goodness, how you support the health of the organism. And that will lead you to ad-
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Student Formation Continues to Be Draw for BC Undergraduates BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
At a time of declining college-age demographics in the United States and both public and political skepticism about the value of higher education, Boston College continued to set new standards in recruiting its current first-year class. The most recent admission period saw a record number of applications for the Class of 2030—41,923—followed by the lowest admit rate in the University’s history, 13 percent. The yield, or percentage of accepted students choosing to enroll, was BC’s second highest ever, 43 percent. Meanwhile, the 2,400 first-year students meet the standards of academic excellence of their predecessors: 92 percent ranked within the top 10 percent of their high school class, and test scores for the class average 1469 on the SAT and 34 on the ACT. The Class of 2030 hails from 48 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico,
and armed forces postings. International students represent 8.7 percent of the class, up from 7.9 last year. First-year students hold primary citizenship in 60 countries around the world. First-generation students and children of alumni both constitute 12 percent of the class, while AHANA students make up 35.5 percent, compared to 34.7 last year. Fifty-two percent of the Class of 2030 are women. One hundred and 26 students came to BC, including 102 via Early Decision, through QuestBridge, a non-profit program that helps high-achieving, lowincome students gain admission and scholarships to top-ranked colleges and universities. The University is now in the seventh year of its partnership with QuestBridge. BC undergraduate admission administrators readily acknowledge the challenges facing American higher education institutions and they continue to review and finetune their practices. But the University’s ongoing success in recruiting talented and
accomplished students suggests that Boston College has carved out an enviable niche as a university which offers personal and spiritual formation as well as strong academics. “BC’s distinctive element is student formation,” said Dean of Undergraduate Admission and Financial Aid Grant Gosselin. “We find that while undergraduates seek a college with a solid academic reputation, they also look for connection, direction, and most of all, mentoring.” Gosselin cited numerous opportunities and resources for first-year BC students to find their footing in this transitional time of their lives, notably through the First Year Experience office, which organizes orientation, the First Year Academic Convocation, Conversations in the First Year, 48Hours, the Compass Mentoring Program, and First Year Hub. “It’s striking that so many students’ BC experience is defined by mentorship— someone they can talk to, who can help them sort out their experiences and transitions,” said Gosselin. “Whether it’s the pro-
fessor of their First-Year Writing Seminar or a cashier at Newton Campus, students find that at BC there are caring adults who will listen to them.” That was what Laura Trebilcock, a firstyear student from Dorado, Puerto Rico, had in mind when she began her college
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INSIDE 2 One Decade Along
Conference on Cyber Security marks its 10th year.
3 New Chairs
CSOM announces trio of distinguished professorships.
8 BC Research
Inaugural Boston College Research Day.
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October 29, 2026
Conference on Cyber Security Marks Its First Decade BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
The Boston Conference on Cyber Security, a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Boston College Law School Master of Legal Studies in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance Program, marked its 10th anniversary on October 14 at BC Law with a daylong offering of talks and panel discussions. Jose Perez, operations director of the Criminal and Cyber Branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, stressed the critical importance of such convenings, emphasizing that the agency’s strength is derived from how well it shares information, learns from one another, and acts together. “The cybersecurity threat is no longer a technical issue,” said Perez. “It’s a boardroom issue, a classroom issue, it’s a public safety issue that affects everyone. The threat environment is moving faster, reaching farther every single day, impacting more Americans. That’s why gatherings like this matter; no single agency, company, university, or country can meet this challenge alone.” His appeal for collaboration was a central element of his keynote address at the event, the result of a long-term partnership between the FBI and the Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance Program at BC Law. “The distinction between cyber and physical threats has disappeared,” Perez said. “The cyber actors targeting critical infrastructure, health care systems and other essential services are not simply causing digital disruption; they’re putting American lives at risk every day. Criminal organizations and nation-state actors have created a complex threat environment that demands unprecedented collaboration across government agencies, industry partners, and international allies. Meeting this challenge requires agility, innovation and unity of effort.” FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks concurred in his opening remarks. “There’s no question, we’re reaping the rewards of unprecedented digital innovation, but our expanding digital landscape has also created more ways for malicious actors to attack us,” said Docks. “Your FBI is focused on investigating and disrupting these attacks, supporting victims, and increasing our impact through partnerships. That said, we are only as good as the information we share with each other when an incident occurs, which is why events like this are so critical to advancing our shared goal of sharing ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Jack Dunn
SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Patricia Delaney EDITOR
Sean Smith
intelligence and making cybercrime harder, riskier, and far less profitable for those behind it.” During the event, Odette Lienau, the Marianne D. Short, Esq., Dean of Boston College Law School, addressed the gathering and recognized Kevin R. Powers, faculty director of M.L.S program, who launched the conference a decade ago in collaboration with the FBI. “So much of this depends on Kevin,” she said. “He is so important to bringing together our partners in academia, private industry, and the government.” The conference also included two panel presentations composed of cybersecurity and legal experts discussing in turn the threat landscape and a simulated cyberattack. The first, titled “Cybersecurity and AI Governance: Navigating the Threat Landscape and Staying Ahead of the Curve,” was moderated by Michael Roberts, counsel at McDermott, Will & Schulte. Panelists included Matthew Greenberg, assistant general counsel and executive director, Cybersecurity and Incident Response at Wells Fargo; Brigadier General Nathan Kearns, U.S. Cyber Command, U.S. Air Force; Mark Sutton, managing director and CISO, Bain Capital Ventures; Michael Kelly, special agent, FBI Boston-Cyber Division; and
Conference co-founder Kevin Powers, faculty director of the M.L.S. in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance at BC Law School, speaking at this year’s event, held October 14. photo by caitlin cunningham
Christopher Porter, head of International Security Cooperation & Threat Intelligence at Google. The second panel, “Cyber Attack Simulation: Resilient Incident Response in the Age of AI,” was moderated by Heather Egan, partner, Cybersecurity, Incident Response & Data Privacy at Morgan Lewis. Panelists included Simon Taylor, CEO and
founder, HYCU, Inc.; Katie Jenkins, executive vice president and CISO, Liberty Mutual; Scott Lashway, partner and chair, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Group, Mintz; Jarret Wright, chief information officer, MassPort; Josh Madeley, Incident Response Practice lead, Mandiant (Google); and Doug Domin, supervisory special agent, FBI Boston-Cyber Crime Division.
Chatterjee Wins Ono Science Initiative Award BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
Professor of Chemistry Abhishek Chatterjee has received a 2026 Ono Pharma Foundation Breakthrough Science Initiative Award, which includes $1 million to support his research project “RNA Switches for Controlling Gene Therapies in Mammalian Cells.” The prestigious award program supports chemical biology research with the potential to transform human health and make a significant impact on the treatment of disease, according to the foundation. The award provides $1,035,000 across three years, including $300,000 per year for Chatterjee’s laboratory plus an additional 15 percent per year in associated costs. The purpose of the Ono Initiative is to support scientists who have developed creative ideas in selected scientific research fields with the mission of seeking discoveries and solutions and the development of high-impact science, according to the foundation.
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Professor of Chemistry Abhishek Chatterjee photo by lee pellegrini
Ono Initiative awards are among the most selective in the field: The foundation invites two nominations each from 66 leading universities and confers only three awards each year. Chatterjee joins this year’s two other recipients, Emily Balskus
Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Audrey Loyack Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan
Chronicle
PHOTOGRAPHERS
www.bc.edu/bcnews chronicle@bc.edu
Caitlin Cunningham Matthew Healey
of Harvard University and Brian Belard of the University of Texas. Chatterjee said the award will fund his work to overcome a central limitation of today’s gene and cell therapies. Once administered, these therapies express their therapeutic genes at a fixed level that cannot afterward be modulated. That lack of control can compromise both safety and effectiveness, Chatterjee said. The Chatterjee Lab is developing genetic switches, built entirely from RNA, that would let the activity of a gene therapy be turned up or down in a patient using an approved small-molecule drug. These switches will be compatible with the leading therapeutic formats, including AAV gene therapy, mRNA, and CAR-T cell therapy, and will significantly enhance their safety and efficacy. “We are thankful to the Ono Pharma Foundation for this honor and for supporting our ambitious project,” said Chatterjee. “This is not just an individual accomplishment, but a testament to the thriving research ecosystem at Boston College.”
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 University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135 (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 University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135. A flipbook edition of Chronicle is available via e-mail. Send requests to chronicle@bc.edu.
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October 29, 2026
CSOM Adds Trio to Its Distinguished Professorships BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
The Carroll School of Management recently named three faculty members to endowed chairs, increasing the number of distinguished professorships to 10 within the last decade. Seidner Department of Finance professors Nadya Malenko and Andrey Malenko were respectively named the Tim and Debbie Connors Family Professor and the Evelyn J. and Robert A. Ferris Professor, while Sam B. Ransbotham, a professor of business analytics and the David J. Mastrocola Dean’s Faculty Fellow, assumed the Peter F. Drucker Chair in Management Sciences. Nadya Malenko, who rejoined Boston College in 2023 following three years as an associate professor of finance at the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business, was previously named the Carroll School’s Wargo Faculty Fellow and the Giuriceo Family Faculty Fellow after launching her BC teaching career in 2011. She is an associate editor at the Journal of Financial Economics and the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, and editor of the European Corporate Governance Institute’s Working Paper Finance Series. She is a past president of the Finance Theory Group and associate editor at the Journal of Finance, Review of Financial Studies, and Journal of Corporate Finance. She has also served on the board of several major finance associations, including the American Finance Association, Western Finance Association, European Finance Association, and Financial Intermediation Research Society. “I am honored to receive the Tim and Debbie Connors Family Professorship and very grateful to the Connors for their support,” said Nadya Malenko. “Boston College has been a very special place for me, and I am excited to continue my research and teaching, and to work with the wonderful students and colleagues here.”
Sam Ransbotham (above) and Nadya and Andrey Malenko are the newest endowed chairs at the Carroll School of Management. photos by matthew healey
Andrey Malenko joined BC in 2023 after three years as an associate professor of finance at the Ross School of Business, one year at the Carroll School, and eight years as the Jon D. Gruber Career Development professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. He is an editor of the Review of Financial Studies, a research fellow at the Centre for Economic and Policy Research, and a research member of the European Corporate Governance Institute. His past appointments include board member of the Finance Theory Group and associate editor of the Journal of Finance, Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Management Science, Review of Finance, and Review of Corporate Finance Studies. “I’m deeply grateful to be named the Robert A. and Evelyn J. Ferris Professor,” said Andrey Malenko. “Good research rarely happens in isolation: It grows out of conversations with smart and curious students and colleagues, and Boston College has given me both. I look forward to contributing to the BC community through teaching and research for years to come. I’m very thankful to the Ferris family for their generosity.”
Ransbotham, who joined Boston College in 2008 as an assistant professor of information systems, is collaborating on groundbreaking research with Siedner University Professor and Nobel Laureate Paul Romer, a faculty member in the Carroll School’s Seidner Department of Finance. He served as a senior editor at Information Systems Research, an associate editor at Management Science, and an academic contributing editor to the MIT Sloan Management Review’s Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy Big Ideas initiative. In 2017, Ransbotham was named the McKiernan Distinguished Fellow, a BC faculty honor designated to support and recognize exceptional professors who excel in research, teaching, and their professional disciplines, and he was honored by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences with the Information Systems Society’s Sandra A. Slaughter Early Career Award. In 2014, the National Science Foundation bestowed a CAREER Award for his analytics-based research on security. “Fostering ideas that can help society
has never mattered more,” said Ransbotham. “Turning those ideas into progress depends on the conditions we create for them to grow. I’m grateful for the Peter F. Drucker Chair that supports my work to help beneficial ideas grow and make a difference.” The Drucker Chair was established in 1989 through a gift by then-Trustee John A. McNeice Jr. ’54 in honor of Drucker, characterized as the inventor of modern management, who believed in business as a human-driven enterprise that could be profitable and socially responsible. Drucker helped develop one of the country’s first Executive M.B.A. programs, and later, the management school at Claremont Graduate University. Ransbotham is the third holder of the Drucker Chair, succeeding Alicia Munnell, who served from 1997-2024, during which time she directed the Center for Retirement Research at BC. Frank Morris, former president of the Boston Federal Reserve Bank, was the inaugural Drucker Chair. “These chairs are a vital part of our strategy to attract and retain top faculty talent,” said Andy Boynton, the John and Linda Powers Family Dean of the Carroll School of Management. “Nadya, Andrey, and Sam are but three excellent examples of outstanding academics who are foundational professors to the Carroll School’s and BC’s success today and tomorrow, both in the classroom and with research creating exciting new knowledge.” Carroll School faculty members who have been named to endowed chairs since 2020 include: Accenture Professor Edith Hochkiss, Seidner University Professor Paul M. Romer, Coughlin Family Professor Ran Duchin, and Haub Family Professor Ronnie Sadka, all from the Seidner Department of Finance; Joseph F. Cotter Professor Mark Bradshaw and Joseph L. Sweeney Chair Mary Ellen Carter, both from the Accounting Department; and Ferrante Family Professor Jiri Chod of the Business Analytics Department.
BC Scenes
Red Bandanna Run
Glorious autumn weather greeted Saturday’s 22nd annual Red Bandanna Run, a 5K race that celebrates the memory of 9/11 hero Welles Crowther ’99. Prior to the start, Crowther’s mother Alison gave her traditional greeting (far right) to the participants, who spanned generations. The Boston College Volunteer and Service Learning Center organizes the event, which supports the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust.
photos by caroline alden
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THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION
Three-Day Gala Celebrates Presidency of Fr. Butler Continued from page 1
dressing the problems.” Whatever the competition between individual institutions in recruiting students or seeking grants, American higher education as a whole should recognize its collective strengths, its capacity to “lift all people,” said Fr. Butler. “We have the ability to adapt and stand with each other and we can confront whatever the challenge is because we’re not in it alone. We are in it together.” Fr. Butler pointed to formative education, the centerpiece of Jesuit, Catholic institutions like Boston College, as a shining example of the value in higher education— bringing together intellectual, professional, personal, and spiritual development of the
After his investiture, Fr. Butler embraces his predecessor, University President Emeritus William P. Leahy, S.J. photo by caitlin cunningham
person, who will then offer his or her gifts to help others. He shared how formative education had provided the means for his own growth, as someone who had struggled with dyslexia, to the extent that his parents had worried that he would never be able to read and write. “We must remain strong in our Jesuit and Catholic identity, continue to work on refining our formative education and how to integrate it even better into the liberal arts curriculum,” he said. “Our pedagogy needs to be worked on even more to bring about greater synergy, greater integration, and a better sense of how to get our students engaged. We need to acknowledge that we are an undergraduate university with select graduate programs and try to be the best we can be in all that we do because it is our motto: Ever to Excel. “Our research should help stretch what it means to be human and to help foster a better world. We need to look for best practices while being resolved in the way of our proceeding. We should not make decisions based on fears, anxieties, or circumstances beyond our control. We need to focus on who we are, what we do well, and we need to take that deeper. “This is our moment to stand up and take on more responsibility, not less, for the
future of our young—for we are educating that future right now in the present,” said Fr. Butler. “The future is our students and nothing should have more hope than the hope we engender in them.” Winston Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley served as emcee for the Inauguration Ceremony, and Boston Archbishop Emeritus Cardinal Seán O’Malley, O.F.M., Cap., offered welcoming remarks. There followed a series of greetings from speakers representing a spectrum of academic, administrative, and religious domains within BC and elsewhere: University Trustees Chair Travis Rhodes ’93; USA East Province of Jesuits Provincial Robert Reiser, S.J.; Professor of English Suzanne Matson; Custodial Supervisor Paul Eastman; Undergraduate Government of Boston College President Jonah Renz ’27; graduate student Sr. Anna Thuy Hoang, M.A.’26, Th.M.’27; BC Alumni Association President Christina Sliwa ’93, M.B.A.’00; Nicholas Burns ’78, Goodman Family Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relation at Harvard University; Salve Regina President Kelli Armstrong Ph.D.’96; Wellesley College President Paula Johnson; and University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan. Fr. Butler received the symbols of office from Fr. Leahy, whose own inauguration as president had taken place nearly 30 years ago to the day, BC Jesuit Community Rector Claudio Burgaleta, S.J., Fr. Reiser, Trustee Vice Chair James Carey ’88, J.D.’91, and Trustee Secretary Susan Martinelli Shea ’76. Boston Archbishop Richard G. Henning, S.T.D., gave the benediction. Musical interludes added celebratory and contemplative elements, with performances by the Boston College Symphony Orchestra, the University Chorale of Boston College, Chapel Choirs, and the Liturgy Arts Group. The conclusion of the ceremony segued into a community celebration on Middle Campus that lasted into the evening, with musical performances, a collaborative mural project, and displays of colorful lights. Earlier in the day was an Inauguration Mass—also held in Conte Forum—with Archbishop Henning as celebrant, representing the Archdiocese of Boston and diocesan priests. Principal concelebrants represented various religious orders that have been especially influential in Fr. Butler’s intellectual, spiritual, and personal growth. Bishop Joel Konzen, S.M.—one of Fr. Butler’s most influential high school teachers—representing the Society of Mary (Marists), was the homilist. Other concelebrants were Philip Dabney, C.Ss.R., of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists); Kenneth Sicard, O.P., of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans); Raymond Dlugos, O.S.A., of the Order of Saint Augustine (Augustinians); and Fr. Reiser (Society of Jesus). Br. Adam Zielonka, O.C.S.O., representing the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists), served as the cross-bearer. Prior to the Inauguration Ceremony was
Above, Fr. Butler presents his inauguration speech; left, Fr. Butler with Boston Archbishop Richard G. Henning, S.T.D., who served as celebrant at the Inaugural Mass; below, Associate Professor of the Practice of Music Anna Wittstruck conducts the Boston College Symphony Orchestra during the Inauguration Ceremony.
photos by caitlin cunningham and matthew healey
a gathering at Linden Lane with selected readings from Jesuit and Boston College history, followed by an academic procession to Conte Forum featuring University trustees, BC faculty and senior administrators, and presidents and delegates from colleges and universities throughout the country. The previous day featured a pair of academic symposia in Robsham Theater, “The Light Shines Through: The Catholic Intellectual Tradition” and “Jesuit, Catholic Education at Boston College: Formation for Wisdom and Hope.” Speakers included Boston College senior administrators and distinguished faculty members, as well as special guests Donna M. Carroll, president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and
Universities; Sr. Mary Ann Dillon, R.S.M., former president of Mount Aloysius College; University of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.; and St. John’s University President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. [see page 5] The Inauguration Celebration concluded on Saturday with an Alumni Homecoming Tailgate in the Plaza at O’Neill Library, followed by the BC-Pittsburgh football game in Alumni Stadium—which the Eagles won, 27-21. For information about the Inauguration, and links to the YouTube livestreams of the academic symposia, Inauguration Mass, Academic Procession, and Inauguration Ceremony, go to bc.edu/inauguration
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THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION
Symposia Offer Insights on Jesuit, Catholic Education
Left, “The Light Shines Through: The Catholic Intellectual Tradition” was the first of the October 15 academic symposia. (L-R) David Quigley, Donna Carroll, Robert Dowd, S.J., Mary Ann Dillo, R.S.M., Brian Shanley, O.P.
BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
A pair of academic symposia held October 15 in Robsham Theater launched the three-day Inauguration Celebration for University President John T. Butler, S.J., offering a series of perspectives on Jesuit and Catholic education at Boston College and elsewhere in academia. Read the full story about the Inauguration Celebration Academic Symposia at bit. ly/Boston-College-Inauguration-Celebration-Symposia. “The Light Shines Through: The Catholic Intellectual Tradition” The first symposium included Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities President Donna Carroll; Mary Ann Dillon, R.S.M., former president of Mount Aloysius College; University of Notre Dame President Robert Dowd, C.S.C.; and St. John’s University President Brian Shanley, O.P. “True to our deep commitment to our work is a recognition of what we learn and gain from being engaged with our partners in Catholic higher education around the country, and the ways that so many different traditions come together,” said Winston Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, who served as moderator, in his opening remarks. The panelists each described the roots of their vocation, among them the works of St. Thomas Aquinas (Fr. Shanley), the Second Vatican Council reforms (Sr. Dillon), and attending grade school taught by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, based at St. Mary’s College on the Notre Dame campus (Fr. Dowd). Carroll characterized herself as a “late bloomer” in coming to Catholic education. “I knew I was looking for kindness, a sense of community, and someplace that had a deeper meaning, and a commitment to an intellectual life that was deeply threaded by a sense of faith and hope. Now I get to work with Catholic higher education across the country to see the rich diversity of who we are.” Panelists discussed how the Catholic intellectual tradition serves to address the most basic, and often difficult, questions of human existence. Fr. Shanley said St. John’s encourages discussions “about the meaning of each student’s life; what has God made them to do? How do they live lives that are more than just paychecks? We want them to get good jobs, but we also want them to lead a good life.” Sr. Dillon said the values of mercy, service, justice, and hospitality undergird Sister of Mercy colleges nationwide and serve as their defining difference. Addressing the challenges facing Catholic higher education today—and higher education in general—panelists discussed the socalled demographic cliff, AI, and the current political polarization in the United States. Carroll said she was confident there
photos by matthew healey
“Jesuit, Catholic Education at Boston College: Formation for Wisdom and Hope” concluded the event. (L-R) Andrew Boynton, Mary Crane, Avneet Hira, Ryan Patrick Hanley, Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., Jeffrey Bloechl.
would be sufficient demand for higher education, especially among families and students looking for institutions “that have values and a moral compass.” Fr. Dowd said Catholic institutions of higher education are critical in the age of AI. “The world needs people who are both technically proficient—completely AI fluent, regardless of their major—and fluent in human competencies and capabilities, with a grounding in the humanities.” Sr. Dillon said higher education institutions should look beyond the traditional four-year degree path and think about providing educational opportunities “that are outside of and beyond those boundaries and partnering with each other.” “Jesuit, Catholic Education at Boston College: Formation for Wisdom and Hope” The second symposium focused on the distinctive approach Boston College of-
fers through its Jesuit, Catholic mission and commitment to forming students for wisdom and hope. The all-BC panel, moderated by Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., featured Fitzgibbons Chair of Philosophy Jeffrey Bloechl; Powers Family Dean of the Carroll School of Management Andrew Boynton; Rattigan Professor of English Mary Crane, director of the Institute for the Liberal Arts; Moakley Chair in Political Science Ryan Patrick Hanley; and Associate Professor Avneet Hira, the Sabet Family Dean’s Faculty Fellow in Engineering. Fr. Kalscheur opened the session by citing the distinctive facets of Jesuit education that characterize BC. As a Jesuit university, he said, BC “is not a place where different schools, academic departments and scholars exist as isolated entities doing their own siloed disciplinary work.” Bloechl spoke about the PULSE and Perspectives programs, and their respective re-
lationship with formative education and the Jesuit mission. Both educate BC students about social injustice by placing them into direct contact with marginalized populations and social change organizations, followed by discussions on classic and contemporary works of philosophy and theology. Referencing Pope Leo’s statement concerning “the world’s increasing fragmentation of knowledge,” Hanley said BC can address such concerns “if we offer students a formative education that promotes their integral development, if we model scholarship that promotes unitive inquiry committed to the common good, and by harnessing the power of transdisciplinary inquiry into the permanent questions.” Hira described how BC’s Human-Centered Engineering program ties in with the University’s mission. “Jesuit education calls us to be attentive, reflective, and loving,” she said. “I would argue that hope is an inherent assumption in human-centered engineering, and in our curricular experiences so far, it has neither been silent or abstract.” Crane discussed the recently launched Boston College Bridge Scholars Program, an interdisciplinary undergraduate initiative designed to make the integration of the humanities, management, and sciences more intentional and reflective. “We needed to do more to help students broaden their aperture beyond their focused disciplines,” explained Crane, one of the program’s architects. Boynton remarked on BC’s ability to innovate for the betterment of its students. “Here I am, a business school dean, working with Mary Crane, a Shakespearean scholar. No one ever thinks about what’s best for our school or me. It’s always what’s best for the undergraduates at Boston College. I think that gives us hope. “I think we can innovate, we can change, we can adapt, we can work together, and we can give these undergraduates—who are better students than we ever had—an amazing formative experience.” A livestream of the symposia is available at youtube.com/live/lT4SmLjgbiw
Pomp and pageantry—including colorful banners—were part of the Inauguration Celebration. Above, students participating in the Inauguration Mass in Conte Forum. Left, an Academic Procession of administrators and faculty wended its way from Linden Lane to Conte Forum for the Inauguration Ceremony. photos by caitlin cunningham and matthew healey
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October 29, 2026
BC Author Offers Insights on Battling Anti-Judaism BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, an Episcopal priest and leading scholar of ChristianJewish relations at Boston College, says both Catholics and Protestants have done a lot of work in the last 70 years addressing antisemitism in the life of the Christian Church, building on the landmark Vatican II document Nostra Aetate. But as he points out in his new book, Resisting Anti-Judaism: Practices of Christian Solidarity, there remain Christian practices that are implicitly anti-Jewish, and addressing these in the Church will enable Christians to more easily recognize and respond to antisemitic behavior in the larger world. “Christian churches, broadly speaking, have done a really good job of rejecting anti-Jewish positions, which are now largely gone from the life of the Church,” said Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, the Kraft Family Professor and Director of the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at BC. “What we have left are these little remainder elements that can make you realize there might be some more work to do. “This book is written for Christian clergy, religious educators, music directors, and others responsible for the worship and educational aspects of congregational life. It is designed to equip readers to diagnose issues of anti-Judaism within their congregational contexts and then to develop constructive means of countering it.” Joslyn-Siemiatkoski will formally launch his book at a Center for Christian-Jewish Learning webinar at noon on November 11. Also participating is Peter Ochs, the Edgar M. Bronfman Professor of Modern Judaic Studies Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia, and Philip A. Cunningham, professor emeritus of theology and co-director emeritus of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations of Saint Joseph’s University. [Go to bit.ly/BostonCollege-Resisting-Antisemitism-Webinar] The first half of Resisting Anti-Judaism looks at “stumbling blocks” in Christian practice and life, including the interpretation and presentation of the Scriptures in worship, song lyrics, and religious education materials. An example is the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which opens with “O come, O come, Emmanuel/And ransom captive Israel/That mourns in lonely exile here/Until the Son of God appear.” “There’s a ‘lonely Israel’ that’s in exile and is mourning,” said Joslyn-Siematkoski. “Who’s Israel here? Do we mean the Jewish people? Are the Jewish people still longing and waiting and suffering until Jesus returns? What the Catholic Church and other churches have been saying over the past several decades is we should honor the ongoing religious vitality of the Jewish people. So maybe we don’t want to describe a ‘lonely mourning Israel’ because that casts a negative image about the Jewish people. “On the other hand, someone could say, ‘Well, we think Israel here is the church.’ This is really about us longing for Jesus. But then all of a sudden, you’ve erased Jews
photo by matthew healey
“It is crucial to have parishes and congregations develop local partnerships with Jewish synagogues or other communities,” says Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski. “So when there is a problem—like antisemitic graffiti in a school or on a synagogue— Christians can show up in concrete ways to show solidarity.” from the story of salvation. “This is an evocative hymn. Some people don’t feel like it’s really Christmastime until you sing this song in church. We want to honor that. So, in my book I don’t say we cancel ‘O Come, Emmanuel.’ Instead, we look at those words and figure out where we can substitute alternative words.” Joslyn-Siemiatkoski contends that Christians could do more to center Jesus’ Jewishness during the Christmas season. He suggests Christian churches should take extra care during Holy Week, especially with the reading of the Passion (the trial and death of Jesus). He also raises issues with children’s educational materials that he says can present very binary descriptions of Jesus and his rivals, with those opposed to Jesus presented in “starkly negative terms and simplified emotional range.” He encourages Christians to teach the story of Jesus in ways that the people Jesus debates with don’t come off as “so simplistically and flatly bad.” Joslyn-Siemiatkoski said Resisting AntiJudaism is a synthesis of his talking to Jewish colleagues and responding to the needs of his students. Prior to coming to BC, Joslyn-Siemiatkoski taught at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Tex., where the students he taught “were aware they were going to churches where they had to deal with difficult gospel passages, difficult Bible passages. They were aware of the potential stumbling blocks that could be found in Holy Week.” He team-taught with Rabbi Neil Blu-
mofe, who encouraged Joslyn-Siemiatkoski to work on revising some Holy Week liturgies for his own Episcopal church. Rabbi Blumofe wrote the foreword for Resisting Anti-Judaism, calling the book “a gift.” The book’s second part leans into the concept that Christians’ sensitivity to antiJudaism in church practices builds solidarity between Christians and Jewish communities, which in turn helps Christians to recognize and respond to antisemitism in the broader world. “We want to foster a covenantal imagination where Christians and Jews are envisioned as journeying together with God and towards God,” said JoslynSiemiatkoski. “Because Jews and Christians are bound together spiritually that means we can never stop paying attention to this relationship. “It is crucial to have parishes and congregations develop local partnerships with Jewish synagogues or other communities. So when there is a problem—like antisemitic graffiti in a school or on a synagogue—Christians can show up in concrete ways to show solidarity, whether it’s Christian parents attending a school board meeting to say ‘This is a problem’ or congregational leaders helping to clean the graffiti off. “This is a moment in time where many Jews feel alone,” said Joslyn-Siemiatkoski,
who presents three case studies in the book of Jewish and Christian communities in Boston, Pittsburgh, and Lexington, Mass., that have come together in solidarity. Joslyn-Siemiatkoski is an advisor to the Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association, through which he became a co-founder of Lexington United Against Antisemitism (LUAA), where congregations and synagogues collaborate to address issues of antisemitism. Joslyn-Siemiatkoski and two Christian clergy colleagues in LUAA developed a toolkit—included in Resisting AntiJudaism’s appendix—to assess and address anti-Judaism in church practices. “At the end of the day, this book is really about how to create healthy relationships between Christians and Jews. If Christians seek solidarity with Jews, it’s an exercise in developing these habits and skills that can also be applied to supporting other communities, such as the Muslim community or immigrants and refugees. This is really a way of living out the Christian vision that all people have fundamental dignity, and we are better when we are striving together for the common good.” This fall, Joslyn-Siemiatkoski is teaching a theology elective titled Antisemitism, Racism, and Christian Nationalism; next semester, he will teach Facing Anti-Judaism in Parish Ministry at the Clough School of Theology and Ministry.
BC Veterans Day Mass and Remembrance Boston College will hold its 26th annual Veterans Mass and Remembrance Ceremony on November 11, beginning with a 9:30 a.m. Mass in St. Mary’s Chapel. The remembrance ceremony, which includes a reading of the names of Boston College alumni veterans killed during the nation’s wars dating back to World War I, takes place just steps from the Boston College Veterans Memorial, where those names are inscribed. This year’s keynote speaker is Major General Jeannine Ryder, a 1991 Connell School of Nursing alumna who is the Medical Readiness Command-Bravo (MRC-B) and director of the Defense Health Network (DHN) Continental. MRC-B is an evolving organization that will be tasked with cultivating present and future medically ready forces for four major commands, two Direct Reporting Units and all United States Space Force installations, while sustaining more than 12,000 ready medical forces at 33 medical units capable of thriving in the toughest environments. As director, Ryder oversees executive management, clinical operations, business operations, and strategy for 26 military hospitals and clinics operating on Air Combat Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Force Materiel
Major General Jeannine Ryder ’91 is guest speaker at this year’s event.
Command, U.S. Space Force, and Colorado Springs installations. She is responsible for a budget of $1.1 billion while providing health care to more than 480,000 beneficiaries. A luncheon reception in Gasson Hall will immediately follow the ceremony. This event is sponsored by the Boston College Alumni Association, Boston College Veterans Alumni Network, Army and Navy ROTC at Boston College, the Office of the Executive Vice President, and the Office of Campus Ministry. For more information about the event, email bcvets@bc.edu. To learn more about Boston College services and programs, see bc.edu/veterans. —University Communications
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Chronicle
October 29, 2026
Class of 2030 Shows Continuing Strengths for BC Continued from page 1
search. “I didn’t just want a campus, but a place with a sense of community, a space where you could connect with people,” said Trebilcock, a biology major on the pre-med track, and one of 25 native Puerto Ricans attending BC. “I wanted to go somewhere different than Puerto Rico but find a community that felt familiar.” Her father’s experiences as a student at Marquette University got Trebilcock thinking about Jesuit, Catholic institutions, and a pair of campus visits to BC—with opportunities to explore Boston—made a favorable impression on her. So did the Office of Undergraduate Admission “Eagle for a Day” program, which pairs a prospective student with a current undergraduate. “The girl I was with was so considerate and really went out of her way to make sure I met people and saw as much of the campus as possible,” recalled Trebilcock. “It just said to me that BC is a place where there are people who care.” Nearly two months have passed since Trebilcock moved in at the Heights, and she has no reason to regret her decision. In addition to enjoying her classes—notably the Courage to Know course on formation—she has dived into extracurricular opportunities, like the Emerging Leader Program, which helps selected first-year students develop leadership skills and competencies that can help facilitate positive change on campus and in their communities. “I could feel the energy in ELP right from the beginning,” she said. “There’s a lot of emphasis on how our perspective affects others, and not being afraid of vulnerability—to share what is important to us.” As someone who envisions a future in the health care profession, Trebilcock has been gratified by the opportunity to volunteer for The Family Van, a mobile community health clinic affiliated with Harvard Medical School that delivers free, preventive medical care and social service referrals
Snapshot
photo by patrick mills
directly to underserved neighborhoods in Boston. She had a similar experience in Puerto Rico, which led to one of the more memorable moments in her life. “I was checking up on someone I’d seen previously, and as I talked with him, I addressed him by name. He said, ‘Thank you for remembering my name,’” recalled Trebilcock. “It might seem like a small thing, but he felt as if he was being treated with simple dignity and respect. That’s what you need to do in health care: Be compassionate even as you use your professional skills and judgment in evaluating a patient’s needs. “I feel that Boston College is a place where I can learn how to strike that balance.” Cohasset, Mass., native Ryan Dowden ’30 was well acquainted with BC even before he started looking at college options: His father James ’97, J.D. ’00, a part-time faculty member at the Law School, often brought Ryan and his younger siblings to campus for football games and other events. “BC was a part of growing up,” said Dowden, who is in the Lynch School of PHOTO BY SEHO LEE ’27
Autumnal Activity
Education and Human Development. While Dowden had no preconceived notions about attending BC, having grown up in a Catholic family, the Heights had what he wanted: a robust Catholic tradition as well as top-notch academics and a campus with a spirited sports culture. That was the Boston College he knew. As it turned out, however, there was a Boston College he didn’t know. “I had thought that everyone was a ‘model student.’ They were just good at everything,” he explained. “But there’s no carbon copy;
Jobs The following are among the recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/jobs or scan the QR code at right. First or Third Cook, Corcoran Commons Director, Dining Services Director of Advocacy Programs Assistant Carpentry Supervisor Construction Building Envelope Manager Data Services Librarian Assistant Director, Financial Management Systems Associate Director, Career Advising & Programming
Resident Director Assistant Director, Benefits Associate Director, Church in the 21st Century Center Fiscal & Procurement Specialist Assistant Manager, Corcoran Commons
Bartender
Physical Security Technician
Assistant/Associate Director, Leadership Giving
Fire Safety Manager Teacher Assistant
Research Associate, BC School of Social Work
Assistant/Associate Director, Athletics Leadership Giving
Research Associate, Connell School of Nursing
Associate Director, Women’s Center
Assistant Director of Program and Operations
The Office of First Year Experience recently hosted its Fall Fest at O'Connell House, offering students some self-care with pumpkin painting, apple cider donuts, and other treats.
like me, people here have their strengths and weaknesses. It’s easy to make friends if you just put yourself out there.” Dowden is pursuing a dual major in applied psychology and political science, a combination he feels offers the capacity for personal, intellectual, and analytical growth that can be useful in numerous disciplines and settings. Like Trebilcock, he is greatly enjoying Courage to Know, as well as Behrakis Professor in Hellenic Political Studies Robert Bartlett’s course How to Rule the World, which includes readings of classic literature such as Machiavelli’s The Prince and Shakespeare’s “Richard III.” In what he calls “the best decision I’ve ever made,” Dowden is volunteering as a “Buddy” at the Boston College Campus School, which educates students ages 3-22 with extensive support needs. He’s already formed a fast friendship there with Miles. “It’s been incredible: I’m learning how to effectively communicate non-verbally, which just gives you a whole new takeaway on life. Whatever I may do for Miles, he’s doing at least as much for me.” Dowden is also eager to take part in formational opportunities such as 48Hours and the Kairos retreat program. “With what I’m experiencing inside and outside the classroom,” he said, “I feel like I’m going to graduate BC a different person than I am now. A whole person.”
Executive Director, Krantz Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Humanity Development Assistant, University Advancement
Administrative Assistant, Mathematics Department Associate Director of Graduate Admissions & Financial Aid Program Nurse Assistant Coach, Sailing
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Chronicle
October 29, 2026
BC Research
Campus Event Spotlights Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
Boston College celebrated interdisciplinary research and innovation, and the breadth of scholarship within the University community, at the first Boston College Research Day, held October 13 in Hayden Hall. The daylong event, co-hosted by the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research, included talks by BC administrators, keynotes by Nobel Prize winner Moungi Bawendi and Science magazine Editor-in-Chief Holden Thorp, and faculty and student presentations. In his welcoming remarks, Dunwei Wang, interim Seidner Family Executive Director of the Schiller Institute, noted that the event held special significance, serving as a prelude to the inauguration of BC’s new president, John T. Butler, S.J., which took place October 15-17. “We look forward with great anticipation to Fr. Butler’s leadership and vision for the future,” said Wang, the Margaret A. and Thomas A. Vanderslice ’53 Chair. “The spirit of discovery, innovation, and collaboration that brings us together today will undoubtedly play an important role in that future. Research Day is a celebration of discovery, but it’s also a celebration of community. It’s a chance to learn from one another, discover new connections, and imagine what we can accomplish together.” Winston Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley noted that he had pitched the “Back to the Future” idea of a Research Day to Wang and Deluca Chair of Biology Thomas Chiles to “engage with the spirit of those advancing research and scholarship on campus,” similar to an event that had been organized during 2014-2016. “This day is a way of marking this mo-
Associate Professor of Physics Qiong Ma was among the faculty to speak at the October 13 inaugural Boston College Research Day. photo by matthew healey
ment in the University’s and the institute’s history by linking with the spirit of the Inauguration Celebration,” said Quigley. “That sense of generative possibility—imagining the frontiers of research—is the hope, and that spirit is very much in play today. “The work and value of the research university animate our vocational commitment to push on the frontiers of science, is what holds us together as an academic community. The question then is how do we chart a course at BC to emerge as an even stronger research university over the next few years? Doubling down on our commitment to research, to engaging with scholarship for the common good, has never been more important.” BC School of Social Work Dean Gautam Yadama, Associate Professor of Economics and Schiller Institute core faculty
member Edson Severnini, and Professor science because we see people who don’t of Earth and Environmental Sciences Yi want to get vaccinated, and who still don’t Ming, a Schiller Institute professor of clithink that climate change is real,” said mate science and society, also were part of Thorp. “But it’s a small portion of the the leadership for Research Day. American public who feel that way. SevenChiles introduced Bawendi, best known ty-six percent of adults still have confidence for his breakthrough research that made it in scientists to act in the best interest of the possible to alter quantum dots according to public. size, allowing them to achieve predictable “Attacks on science are being used as properties. This paved the way to the devel- leverage to attack universities: 70 percent opment of large-scale technological applica- of Americans think that higher education tions such as light-emitting diodes (LEDS), is going in the wrong direction. If we don’t solar cells, photodetectors, photoconducsolve the problems facing higher education, tors, lasers, and biomedical imaging. science will continue to struggle. But my “We are where we are today because message to students is, keep science going, of the curiosity and innovation, and the even when it’s difficult.” relentless progress of basic science over the The range of research across disciplines last century,” said Bawendi. at BC was evident in the “If you look at any field faculty presentations by As“Doubling down on of science, and you think sociate Professor of Physics our commitment to reabout where we were 20 Qiong Ma, Louise and Jim years ago, it’s unbelievable. search, to engaging with Vanderslice and Family ProAs was noted earlier, basic fessor of Chemistry James scholarship for the com- P. Morken, Connell School science is under assault, but progress rests on basic of Nursing Assistant Profesmon good, has never science. If we don’t keep sor Patti Underwood, and investing in curiosity-driven been more important.” BC School of Social Work science, the pipeline of Assistant Professor Ed-Dee —David Quigley progress will run dry.” Williams. Bawendi, the MIT LesStudent flash talks— ter Wolfe Professor of Chemistry, outlined featuring 19 undergraduate and graduate his team’s work on advances in the chemical students—described their current research production of high-quality quantum dots, projects within two minutes or less. Each for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize also held poster sessions within the buildin Chemistry in 2023. He offered a simple ing. and clear message for students: “Stay curiA closing panel discussion moderated ous, keep learning, be flexible, don’t give by Chiles, “Implications of AI to Research up, and enjoy what you’re doing.” and Teaching at BC and Beyond,” feaThorp, a professor of chemistry and tured BC Law Professor Natalya Shnitser, medicine at George Washington University, the David and Pamela Donohue Faculty encouraged those present not to despair Fellow; Carroll School of Management about the political and social turmoil facing Professor of Business Analytics Sam science nowadays. Ransbotham, the Peter F. Drucker Chair; “It’s easy to get down in the dumps and Augustus Long Professor of Education about how people have lost confidence in Marina Bers.
BC Scenes Fall Fan Fest
PHOTOS BY SEHO LEE ’27
Boston College’s Campus Activities Board hosted “Fall Fan Fest” at Baldwin’s Backyard outside the Connell Recreation Center on October 14 as part of the annual Homecoming celebration. Activities included making BC spirit gear, fall-inspired snacks, and showing off Superfan spirit.