2 Around Campus
CWBC Colloquium renamed for McGillycuddy; Stuff the Truck; Multifaith Thanksgiving.
Kathleen McGillycuddy; Stuff the Truck; Multifaith Thanksgiving.
3 New Minor Offers a theological window on scientific, technological issues.
8 ‘Support, Wisdom, Guidance’ Colleagues praise Kwasi SarkodieMensah, who retired from the University this fall.
BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Michael Bourque, Boston College’s Vice President for Information Technology Services (ITS) since 2010, has announced that he will step down from his position in March of 2026 after nearly 23 years of service to the University.
A respected administrator, Bourque is credited with building a strong ITS leadership team and a culture of support and professionalism during his tenure that enabled the division to meet the ever-changing technology demands of an R1 research university consisting of more than 3,600 employees and 15,000 students.
Executive Vice President Michael Lochhead praised Bourque for his contributions to BC, which include the successful integration of EagleApps, an internally designed set of web-based applications that manages the academic and enrollment activities for BC students, faculty, and administrators.
“I have had the privilege of working alongside Mike for the last 10 years,” said Lochhead. “He has done so much over his time at Boston College to advance not only the information technology goals for the University, but also its mission.
“He has created a strong customer-
BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
Boston College has received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help the Gloria L. and Charles I. Clough School of Theology and Ministry (CSTM) establish the program “So I Send You: Together in Christian Leadership and a Synodal Church.”
“So I Send You” is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, which is intended to help theological schools across the United States and Canada strengthen their educational and financial capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future.
“The Clough School of Theology and Ministry is deeply grateful to Lilly Endowment for its generous support of ‘So I Send You,’” said Clough School Dean Michael
BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
From his perspective as a longtime observer of political discourse in the United States, Political Science Professor Peter Skerry believes that the toxicity and polarization in American politics have never been worse.
His observation is supported by polling data from the Pew Research Center that confirms that the political divide in America is steadily growing, with more than 60 percent of registered voters believing that those in the other party are “immoral, dishonest, and close-minded.”
So, when Skerry was presented with an opportunity to become part of the solution, he readily embraced it, joining a volunteerled citizen’s movement called Braver Angels, the nation’s largest cross-partisan organization dedicated to depolarizing politics.
“I am old enough to remember how divided America was over the Vietnam War and the concomitant cultural changes of the Sixties Generation as well as the turmoil
around the Civil Rights movement and its aftermath, including the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers and Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Skerry.
“But in many respects, I regard what America is currently experiencing as even more disruptive, disturbing, and threatening. Braver Angels, whose goal is ‘to inspire and equip Americans to practice courageous citizenship across political differences through skill-building, convening, and collaborative action,’ is one of the few organizations that is genuinely attempting to overcome our rancorous divisions by getting ordinary Americans to sit down and just talk to one another across the divide.”
Braver Angels’ origins came in the wake of the 2016 presidential election when two former colleagues, David Blankenhorn and David Lapp—deeply troubled by the vitriolic rhetoric engulfing the nation—agreed to host a weekend meeting in southern Ohio among 10 or so supporters of Hillary Clinton and 10 supporters of Donald Trump with the goal of getting people to listen civilly to opposing views.
Peter Skerry
photo by caitlin cunningham
The success of their experiment led Blankenhorn and Lapp, along with University of Minnesota Professor Bill Doherty, to co-found Braver Angels, with the stated mission of “bringing Americans together to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen
A generous gift from Boston College alumnus and longtime benefactor Ronald E. Logue ’67, M.B.A. ’74, will endow the Kathleen McGillycuddy Fund for Women’s Philanthropy, in memory of his late wife, who co-founded the Council for Women of Boston College and was the first woman to chair the University’s Board of Trustees.
In recognition of this gift, the University will rename the Council for Women of Boston College (CWBC) Colloquium as the Kathleen McGillycuddy CWBC Colloquium, honoring McGillycuddy’s transformative leadership and enduring legacy. Established in 2015, the colloquium hosts exceptional thought leaders to consider contemporary issues through the lens of women’s leadership. Past speakers include Mia Hamm, Gayle King, and Reshma Saujani.
“We are deeply grateful to Ron for his generosity to the University in Kathleen’s memory,” says Vice President for Development Beth Thompson. “His thoughtful gift will accelerate our initiatives to engage alumnae and ensure that their leadership continues to thrive here.”
A 1971 graduate of Newton College of the Sacred Heart, McGillycuddy was a pioneering figure and key executive in Boston’s banking industry for nearly 30 years. She joined the BC Board of Trustees in 2002, became vice-chair in 2008, and served as chair from 2011 to 2014. She also co-chaired the Light the World campaign and, with Logue, established the McGillycuddy-Logue Center for Undergraduate Global Studies in 2008 to promote international education at BC.
In 2002, she co-founded the CWBC and served as chair until 2023. Under her 20-plus years of guidance, the council expanded to include more than 2,000 members worldwide who work to advance the role of BC women as leaders, mentors, and supporters of the University’s mission.
“Kathleen was a true thought leader,” says Trustee Associate Darcel Clark ’83. “She had vision, values, and grace to move things forward. We loved being around her because she was always kind, supportive, and encouraging. She wanted the best for BC and for all women.”
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Jack Dunn
SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Patricia Delaney
EDITOR
Sean Smith
Current CWBC Co-chair and University Trustee Pat Bonan ’79 agreed. “Kathleen inspired and engaged others, bringing alums in who would have not otherwise engaged with BC. She was strategic, patient, organized, and always gracious. A true role model and a dear friend.”
Beyond her professional achievements, McGillycuddy mentored BC alumnae and students, guiding them not only with her knowledge but with an impeccable style and a sense of humor that inspired others. “Brilliant and witty, Kathleen was always brimming with insights on a variety of subjects,” said University Trustee Beth Vanderslice ’86, current CWBC cochair. “It was just a pure joy to be in her orbit.”
“Kathleen loved Boston College and she believed deeply in the power of women to shape its future,” said Logue. “The fund is named for her so that her example of steadfast leadership and generous spirit will continue to inspire others.”
—University Advancement
Boston College’s annual Multifaith Thanksgiving Celebration takes place today at noon in the Corcoran Commons Heights Room. Sponsored by Campus Ministry, the event brings the University community together in song, dance, wisdom, and prayer to share mutual expressions of gratitude with one another. A light reception will follow.
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Phil Gloudemans
Ed Hayward
Audrey Loyack
Rosanne Pellegrini
Kathleen Sullivan
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Caitlin Cunningham
‘Stuff
Boston College is once again aiding efforts to combat hunger during the holidays in Greater Boston through the annual Stuff the Truck Thanksgiving food drive.
Sponsored by Campus Ministry in partnership with Catholic Charities of Boston, the drive—which ends today—aims to supply more than 500 families in need across the Greater Boston area with food for the holiday season.
Members of the Boston College community are encouraged to drop off nonperishable items in the orange buckets stationed around campus, the bins outside of Corcoran Commons, or at the U-Haul stationed outside McElroy Commons. Basic food items such as rice, beans, tuna fish, chicken, cereal, dried pasta, peanut butter, sauce, and canned fruits or vegetables are particularly needed.
administrators packed over 3,000 meal bags at last year’s event. In addition, for the last three years, BC students have volunteered at the Catholic Charities Yawkey Child Care Center in Dorchester on the Friday before Thanksgiving, packing meal bags for needy families. The meal bags are distributed at Catholic Charities’ food pantry locations in Dorchester, South Boston, Lowell, and Lynn.
“Many of us have been deeply troubled by the thought of children, families, and seniors struggling to eat,” said Kelley Tuthill, the president of Catholic Charities of Boston. “Partners like Boston College are leading the way to help vulnerable families in our communities.”
Begun in 2015 as a collaboration between Campus Ministry and Catholic Charities, Stuff the Truck has expanded to include campus partners such as the University Mission and Ministry division, the Office of the Dean of Students, Student Services, Women’s Resource Center, the Murray Center for Student Wellness, and St. Ignatius Parish, among many others.
Some 250 Boston College students and
“Although Stuff the Truck is a Thanksgiving-related event, we have to remember that the next day people still need to eat,” said BC Campus Minister Ellen Modica. “Combatting hunger is an effort that goes on all year round, but it is particularly important that we meet the demand for local families during the holiday season. We welcome the support of the BC community to help make a difference.”
Christopher Kerwin is a senior in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
S.J. (25 years in the priesthood), Paul McNelis, S.J. (60 years in the Society of Jesus), and James Bernauer, S.J. (50 years in the priesthood).
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BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
A newly launched Theology Department minor will help Boston College undergraduates explore technical and scientific fields from a humanistic and theological perspective, said Theology Chair Andrea Vicini, S.J., the Michael P. Walsh Professor of Bioethics.
The Theology, Science, and Technology interdisciplinary minor will provide students with the skills and opportunities to critically engage and thoughtfully reflect on the conversations, connections, and conflicts between theology, the sciences, and technology.
The minor also will equip students with the intellectual tools they need to recognize both the strengths in and limits to academic methods’ diverse ways of knowing.
“Theology is interested in exploring the relationship of human beings with the world and how we encounter God in reality,” said Fr. Vicini. “One area where we have interlocutors are the sciences, because they’re part of who human beings are in terms of ingenuity, creativity, applications, and also challenges. We want to help students find a way of developing and combining multiple interests that they have in sciences, in technological developments, and in the humanities.
“We want students to consider what the humanities and theology can bring to their scientific and technical fields in terms of a vision of science, of human beings, and of the world,” he said.
Fr. Vicini anticipates that the minor will interest students majoring in subjects such as human-centered engineering, global public health and the common good, nursing, neuroscience, biology, and computer science, among other fields.
Jeffrey Cooley, who helped create the Theology, Science, and Technology minor says, “Students are looking for insight as to how their faith and religious traditions can co-exist and, indeed, engage with their scientific worldviews and rapidly developing technological culture. The desire to ‘find God in all things’ should not result in intellectual and moral compartmentalization.”
“We envision a large spectrum of students with very specific interest in the sciences, but who want to take advantage of the opportunity of pursuing a more integrated study, engaging the humanities as part of a liberal arts education,” he said.
Applications for the Theology, Science, and Technology interdisciplinary minor open January 2; the initial cohort will be limited to 15 students.
A core element of the new minor is a mandatory three-credit capstone course, Theology, Science, and Technology Senior
Seminar. Organizers say the seminar will give students a synthesizing experience where they can bring together the various elements gathered throughout their studies in view of their future careers. The objective is to help students reflect critically, see connections, and understand how their studies have helped them grow as human beings.
Other requirements for the minor will be five electives, including one in a science class with a lab, one in technology/applied science, two in science and technology in
context, and one in theology and science. Fr. Vicini credits Associate Professor of Theology Jeffrey Cooley with shepherding the minor from inception to final approval.
“Students are looking for insight as to how their faith and religious traditions can co-exist and, indeed, engage with their scientific worldviews and rapidly developing technological culture,” said Cooley, a biblical studies scholar with a research focus on the Hebrew Bible. “The desire to ‘find God in all things’ should not result in intellectual and moral compartmentalization. Boston College is an ideal setting for this program: The University features not only one of the world’s preeminent theology faculties, but excellent natural science and nursing programs, relatively new programs in global public health and humancentered engineering, as well as the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society.
“Many students are looking for a pedagogical venue in which they can examine their scientific and technical vocations in light of their theological traditions, and this program seeks to offer them that,” he added.
Also instrumental in establishing the new minor have been Theology’s Director of Undergraduate Studies Matthew Kruger and Engineering’s Director of Undergraduate Studies Jenna Tonn, who serves as codirector of the minor.
“The Theology Department’s desire is to be an integrating presence within the University,” said Fr. Vicini. “We want to create opportunities for integration, avoiding the silos that we might experience in the academy. We want to create possibilities where we join other departments, other colleagues, and welcome faculty and students to reflect on what concerns our way of living on the planet and how we can promote it and make it better.”
BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Mathematics Professor Dawei Chen has been named a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (AMS) for 2026, one of just 40 mathematicians from around the world to earn the prestigious honor.
Dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, the AMS chooses fellows for outstanding contributions to the creation, exposition, advancement, communication, and utilization of mathematics, creating a class of mathematicians recognized by their peers as distinguished for their contributions to the profession.
“I am honored to congratulate the 2026 Class of AMS Fellows who were selected from a substantial pool of accomplished candidates,” said AMS President Ravi Vakil. “Their collected achievements highlight the many ways individuals devote themselves to our beautiful and essential subject. I am proud to work alongside them to support and advance our discipline.”
nition not only of past achievement but also of the broader impact of mathematics in scholarship and society,” said Chen. “Receiving this distinction marks a significant milestone in my professional journey and reflects the continued support and encouragement I have received from Boston College, the Department of Mathematics, and the broader academic community.”
Chen’s research field is algebraic geometry, with a particular focus on the geometry of moduli space. His research is supported in part by National Science Foundation grants and a CAREER Award.
Mathematics Chair and Professor Rennie Mirollo said he was pleased that Chen was recognized for his contributions to mathematical research through this coveted honor.
the structure of these subtle but important mathematical structures. He is eminently deserving of this important recognition of his contributions to the field of mathematics.”
Chen joins departmental colleagues McIntyre Professor of Mathematics Solomon Friedberg, and Professors Robert Meyerhoff, Avner Ash, Martin Bridgeman, and Tao Li as AMS fellows, further solidifying the department’s stature as one of the nation’s best.
In addition to the six AMS Fellows, the department’s 37 full-time faculty include six National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipients, four Sloan Research Fellowships, and four Simons Fellowships, among other honors.
Chen said he was grateful to have been selected as a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society.
“The AMS Fellows program is a recog-
“Dawei Chen’s work in algebraic geometry, specifically on moduli spaces of curves and in particular, on moduli of abelian differentials, has been tremendously influential,” said Mirollo.
“By cleverly combining ideas from several different fields, Dawei and his collaborators have obtained many new insights on
“I am sincerely grateful to my colleagues, mentors, and students for fostering the collaborative and inspiring environment that has made this award possible,” said Chen.
“I look forward to continuing to serve and contribute to Boston College and our academic community in the years to come.”
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service oriented culture within ITS and has led several important projects, including the successful development of EagleApps, the University’s state-of-the-art student information system. I wish Mike many years of health and happiness in his retirement.”
Bourque said his tenure at BC has been fulfilling both professionally and personally and that his role during the past two decades has afforded him wonderful and meaningful opportunities.
“As I reflect on my time leading Information Technology, I have a deep sense of pride in our team’s many accomplishments and profound gratitude for their abiding commitment to the institution of Boston College and to its students, faculty, staff, and extended community,” said Bourque.
“I have been blessed to have been a part of a talented and dedicated team contributing to the mission and goals of such a great university. I am so proud of how our team has greatly expanded the IT service portfolio across BC. We built robust infrastructure such as the St. Clement’s data center and a portfolio of hundreds of applications, helped the University to navigate COVID-19, and now are helping to manage the AI wave.”
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our democratic republic.” The organization’s protocol remains to pair red and blue participants in equal numbers in political conversations with the hope of demonstrating that Americans with different views can find common ground.
Since 2024, the movement has made the divisive topic of immigration its primary focus, which led Blankenhorn to invite Skerry, a respected author and national expert on immigration policy, to serve as chair of the Immigration Policy Roundtable of its Citizens Commission on Immigration. The commission will then bring together the outcome of the roundtable’s deliberations over the next year and a half with the results of ongoing grassroots Citizens Conversations being conducted by Braver Angels.
“I saw assuming the chairmanship of the Immigration Policy Roundtable as a unique opportunity to engage with individuals and organizations—many of whom I have known and worked or debated with over the years—in a framework that fosters constructive engagement on perhaps the most divisive issue now facing our nation,” said Skerry.
“I spent 13 years in Washington, D.C., and I feel comfortable dealing with people from various sides of the issue. I have also studied and followed immigration for more than 30 years. I hope that the Citizens Commission on Immigration, composed of people on all sides of the immigration divide, gives us credibility to successfully address this problem.”
The Citizens Commission on Immigration focuses on three areas: Grassroots Americans, which features scores of Braver Angels events devoted to immigration, including Common Ground Workshops
Associate Vice President for ITS Systems and Services Scott Cann said Bourque’s leadership style endeared him to staff in ITS.
“Mike has provided a lasting example of humility, integrity, and the importance of treating others with respect,” said Cann. “His approach is more than leadership; it
and Local Community Debates; National Leaders, which is centered around the Immigration Policy Roundtable and features a politically diverse group of nationally prominent experts and advocates; and Congress, with the goal of establishing ongoing conversations with members of Congress on immigration.
The Citizens Commission’s efforts will culminate in a Report to the Nation, outlining key immigration policy recommendations that reflect red/ blue consensus. The report is scheduled to be released in 2027.
“Americans should expect a detailed account not only of what the array of advocates—including immigrant/immigration advocates, immigration restrictionists, and business interests—participating in the roundtable has been able to agree on, but also of the points of agreement coming out of Braver Angels grassroots sessions of equal numbers of blue and red Americans in at least 100 different congressional districts across the nation,” said Skerry.
is camaraderie, encouragement, and the unwavering support of all individuals and teams.”
Thomas Rezendez, executive director of business planning and services, offered a similar assessment.
“Mike’s actions have built a positive culture of collaboration and a high-performance team that will benefit the University for years to come. He leaves a legacy of significant accomplishments and has made a positive impact on hundreds of current and former colleagues. He is one of a kind, an amazingly caring and competent leader. He will be dearly missed.”
Prior to joining BC’s ITS team as executive director of information technology in 2003, Bourque spent 20 years in industry. He was vice president of business systems at Parametric Technology Corporation and held various technology roles at Raytheon, ultimately leading the corporate business systems team. He was named associate vice president for information technology at BC in 2005 and then vice president five years later.
Bourque holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Merrimack College and a master of science degree in engineering management from the Uni-
Law School professor and former general counsel of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, will present another perspective in a paper titled “Resolute Enforcement Is Not Just for Restrictionists.” All the roundtable participants and attendees will then join each other for a reception at a nearby hotel.
“Braver Angels has an impressively effective methodology of getting ordinary, typical Americans to relearn how to talk to one another about challenging and controversial issues,” says Skerry.
“The Immigration Roundtable is engaging immigration advocates and restrictionists in focused discussions on areas of agreement and disagreement,” said Skerry.
“The immigration advocates have been the hardest to engage. The 2024 elections shocked them, but they realize that these conversations are useful, and I am happy to be involved in convening them. It is not always easy, but bringing people together is what I like to do.”
versity of Iowa. He has been active in the town of Wakefield, Mass., where he served on the board of trustees for the town library and coached youth sports. He and his wife Jo-Anne ’80 are the parents of three BC graduates: Joseph ’14, James ’16, and Julianne ’20. He is the brother of Daniel Bourque, who retired as vice president for facilities management last January.
“There are very different dimensions between a career in industry and a career at Boston College,” said Bourque. “Working at BC, I got a chance to do something that I loved while being a part of a very special community. There have been so many ways that I have been able to immerse myself in the BC community ranging from retreats to teaching and, of course, tailgating.
“I also had an opportunity to see my kids benefit from a Jesuit education, work alongside my brother, and support the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome with technology matters, all while enjoying our wonderful colleagues here at BC. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have served Boston College.” Boston College will launch a search for Bourque’s successor in the coming days.
as well as scholars from leading public and private universities coast to coast.
“People are being drawn to Braver Angels because to varying degrees they are experiencing feelings of anger, fear, exhaustion, and hope,” said Skerry. “The movement has an impressively effective methodology of getting ordinary, typical Americans to relearn how to talk to one another about challenging and controversial issues.”
Colleagues say that Skerry’s background and experience make him well suited to chair this important initiative. A former senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and research Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, he served as co-director of the Dialogue on Islam in America at AEI and as co-convenor of the Brookings-Duke Immigration Policy Roundtable, which in 2007-2008 convened a disparate group of academics and researchers to engage the topic.
“The report will reconcile and synthesize these findings and recommendations with the ultimate goal of creating guidelines on immigration policy.”
The commission is hosting its third plenary meeting of the Immigration Policy Roundtable in Washington on December 11, at which Skerry will present a discussion paper on ways of addressing the presence of the estimated 14 million undocumented living in the United States. At the same session, his Braver Angels colleague David Martin, a University of Virginia
It is this type of respectful public discourse on difficult topics that has led to Braver Angels’ growing popularity. Since its inception nine years ago, the organization has sponsored some 5,600 events that attracted nearly 70,000 participants. It now features 125 local alliances nationwide.
In addition to the Immigration Policy Roundtable, Braver Angels also sponsors the Scholars Council, an independent and politically balanced network of scholars who support bringing Americans together via debates, podcasts, and public forums to bridge the political divide. Skerry is joined on the Scholars Council by BC Concurrent Professor of Law and Philosophy Thomas Kohler and Senior Lecturer of the Humanities and Political Science Martha Bayles,
He is the author of Counting on the Census: Race, Group Identity, and the Evasion of Politics and Mexican Americans: The Ambivalent Minority, which was awarded the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. He has researched and written about Muslim communities and organizations in the United States and is now working on a book about U.S. immigration policy and politics titled Restoring Realism to America’s Immigration Debate.
“Braver Angels’ approach is so important to toning down the rhetoric and mistrust engulfing American politics because it is focused on reminding Americans how to exchange viewpoints in an environment that has become saturated with various media that thrive on disagreement and controversy,” said Skerry.
“We have to lower the temperature and find areas of agreement and trust. I remain hopeful that we can do so.”
BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Boston College School of Social Work doctoral candidate Christopher Baidoo, who studies the impact of public policies on marginalized populations, has been selected as one of 12 recipients for the 2025 Harry Frank Guggenheim Emerging Scholar Awards.
Formerly known as the Harry Frank Guggenheim Dissertation Fellowships, the Emerging Scholar Awards support promising researchers in their final year of writing a doctoral dissertation examining a salient aspect of violence. Areas of research may be related to topics such as war, crime, terrorism, family and intimate partner relationships, political extremism and nationalism, climate instability and natural resource competition, and racial, ethnic, and religious conflict.
Baidoo’s topic is “Do Legal Interventions Save Lives? Evaluating Their Impact on Fatal Police Encounters and Racial Disparities.”
“It’s gratifying to have your research recognized by such a renowned charitable foundation that is dedicated to addressing violence and its ramifications,” said Baidoo, who previously worked for 11 years at California Western School of Law in areas of admission, enrollment management,
and institutional research. “Being a Ph.D. candidate, an honor like this is an acknowledgement that you’re on the right path and means you can focus intently on completing your dissertation.
“I see the Emerging Scholar Award as helping to disseminate your work, and to probe emerging, urgent issues that impact lives.”
Baidoo’s project involves evaluating three legal interventions—state-level legalization of marijuana; the elimination of qualified immunity for police officers; and Justice Department intervention in local police departments with patterns or practices of unconstitutional policing—and examining how these may have affected police-civilian encounters that resulted in civilian’s death. He also will scrutinize the racial dimensions of these incidents.
This analysis will build on previous research, and in doing so, offer a more comprehensive assessment of the interventions’ impact on police-civilian encounters, he said.
Baidoo acknowledges that topics related to police conduct toward civilians, especially if there is a racial component, often trigger intense public and political debates. He said he is not seeking to inflame the discussion but rather to inform it.
“The fact is, there are approximately 1,000 fatal civilian encounters with police each year, and proportionally, Black and Hispanic civilians are over-represented,” he said. “I’m not saying all fatal encounters are due to racial animus or discrimination by police. The subject I’m exploring is not implicitly about bias individual police officers might have. You could theoretically correct for that and still have racial disparities in
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C. McCarthy, S.J. “This grant will provide an opportunity for pastoral leaders in the Boston Archdiocese to deepen their own faith and grow in service to their Church communities.”
“So I Send You” is a five-year pilot project that will offer formative experiences to 160 lay and ordained pastoral leaders from 16 parishes in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. The project includes eight multilingual educational sessions: four workshops, a retreat, an annual ministry renewal day, an evaluation summit, and an online course. The goal for all the activities is to encourage efforts that foster the kind of pastoral leadership envisioned by the recent Synod on Synodality (16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, 2021-2024).
“This is an exciting time for the Clough School of Theology and Ministry and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston,” said Fr. McCarthy. “This initiative aligns with the CSTM’s strategic plan and Boston Archbishop Richard G. Henning’s call to implement the fruits of the synod locally, empowering Church leaders to embody communion, participation, and mission at all levels of pastoral life.”
“I am deeply grateful to Lilly Endowment for this generous grant, which will help bring the vision of the Synod on Syn-
mindful of ways to avoid potentially fatal encounters, he said.
“The goal is to test the efficacy of legal interventions that influence police-civilian encounters, and to get that into the hands of policymakers,” said Baidoo. “These structural interventions are generally broader in impact, offering the most potential for reducing fatal incidents, which everyone would agree is a worthwhile outcome.”
odality to life in our local parishes,” said the Most Rev. Cristiano Barbosa, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston. “Pope Leo XIV has stated that synodality ‘is to help the Church fulfill its primary role in the world, which is to be missionary, to announce the Gospel, and to give witness to the person of Jesus Christ.’
“Therefore, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Archbishop Henning for his unwavering support, to the dedicated teams at the Clough School of Theology and Ministry, and to the Secretariat for Evangelization and Discipleship of the Archdiocese of Boston for their collaborative spirit in this important mission. Together, we will walk as one Church—listening, discerning, and journeying side by side in faith.”
The grant also provides opportunities for theological and pastoral engagement at the parish level for CSTM faculty and students, as well as possibilities for candidates from the Archdiocese of Boston to pursue degree programs at the CSTM.
“I am grateful to CSTM Special Assistant to the Dean Gandaf Walle, S.J., for his vision for and work on this project, and to University President William P. Leahy, S.J., and Winston Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley for their support,” said Fr. McCarthy, who also acknowledged
police encounters. So I’m examining how structures such as laws and policies may influence racial differences.”
In that context, explains Baidoo, the public policy angle is key to his research, since the legal interventions create a set of conditions and circumstances in which police operate. “If we find that, for example, legalizing marijuana is consistent with a drop in fatal police-civilian encounters, perhaps that’s a reason more states should consider legalizing it,” he said.
The elimination of qualified immunity— protection from civil lawsuits—for police officers might be even more impactful in police-civilian encounters, according to Baidoo. Colorado, Montana, Nevada, and New Mexico are the only states that have eliminated the policy, although Massachusetts, California, Washington, D.C., and New York City have imposed limitations on it. Police officers in these settings may be more
the invaluable work of Emily Gresh from the Office of University Advancement and CSTM staff Maura Colleary, Anthony Russo, Jackie Regan, Jen Bader, and Ethan Strouse on the proposal, as well as the support from colleagues in University Advancement and the Office of Sponsored Programs.
Fr. McCarthy added: “I’m especially grateful to Archbishop Henning for his welcoming a partnership with CSTM to develop programs to serve the people of the Archdiocese of Boston, and to Bishop Cristiano Barbosa and his team in the Secretariat for Evangelization and Discipleship for their involvement, collaboration, and commitment.”
The Clough School is one of 163 theological schools whose programs and projects have been supported since 2021 through the Pathways initiative. Together, the schools serve a broad spectrum of Christian traditions in the U.S. and Canada. They are affiliated with evangelical, mainline Protestant, nondenominational, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Catholic, Black church, Latino, Asian American, Indigenous, and historic peace church traditions.
“Theological schools have long played a central role for most denominations and church networks in preparing and supporting pastoral leaders who guide congregations,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “These schools are paying close attention to the challenges churches are facing today
Being named a recipient of an Emerging Scholar Award adds to an already eventful year for Baidoo, who earlier received a summer fellowship from the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, a research and policy center at Harvard University that encourages graduate students to spend part of their careers in public service. He worked in the Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate, which strives to ensure state agencies deliver quality care to youths. He examined initiatives in Massachusetts aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse in the digital world, focusing on issues such as online grooming and exposure to inappropriate content, and presented policy recommendations to the agency.
“The fellowship opened my eyes to how policy works in practice,” he said. “That experience underscored the importance of talking to people who are on the ground, dealing with these compelling social issues on a day-in/day-out basis. It’s something I am keeping in mind as I continue to work on my dissertation.”
Baidoo holds a bachelor of social work degree from James Madison University, a master of social work degree from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and a juris doctorate from California Western School of Law.
and will face in the foreseeable future. The grants will help these schools engage in wide-ranging, innovative efforts to adapt their educational programs and build their financial capacities so they can better prepare pastors and lay ministers to effectively lead the congregations they will serve in the future.”
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of religion and lift up in fair, accurate, and balanced ways the roles that people of all faiths and various religious communities play in the United States and around the globe.
BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
A student-run series of workshops that debuted this semester at the Carroll School of Management’s Shea Center for Entrepreneurship is focused on demystifying artificial intelligence through conversations and presentations involving Boston College faculty and alumni, industry executives, and undergraduate leaders.
“Start@AI: Build Your Toolkit” is coordinated by Luciano Casale ’27, a member of the Shea Center student executive board. The 75-minute sessions at 245 Beacon Street are open to any student curious about AI, regardless of major or class year.
“AI is transforming life and every field of business faster than anyone can keep up,” said Casale, a psychology major and finance minor from Los Gatos, Calif. who conceived the idea for the series. “Start@AI is meant to close that gap for BC students.”
The workshops kicked off on October 8 with Carroll School of Management Professor Sam Ransbotham, the David J. Mastrocola Dean’s Faculty Fellow and a professor of business analytics, who emphasized in his remarks that everyone recognizes the recent rapid progress in generative AI tools.
“With these tools, entrepreneurs can
quickly build out businesses, particularly in non-core support areas,” he explained. “As these supporting aspects become cheaper and easier, the core differentiating business idea becomes even more critical. Unfortunately, potential competitors also have access to these same tools and replication has never been easier. If everyone has access, what differentiates? I expect increasing returns to greater technical depth.
“People who better understand and use these tools will benefit; however, they aren’t eliminating the need for learning technical aspects—they’re increasing the technical depth required to differentiate.”
The Shea Center student executive board—typically 20-25 student leaders across a mix of class years and disciplines— reports to Kelsey Renda ’12, M.B.A. ’18, the senior associate director of the Shea Center for Entrepreneurship, who serves as their advisor and mentor.
“I help guide strategy, programming, and
execution across their initiatives,” said Renda. “My role is to provide institutional support, ensure alignment with the Shea Center and BC goals, and to serve as a resource for leadership development, alumni connections, and logistics.”
She explained that the Shea Center team has autonomy to propose and design series such as Start@AI based on emerging trends and student interest.
“It’s very much a partnership; students lead with passion, and I help turn their ideas into high-impact programs.”
Casale said Start@AI offers the opportunity for students to learn and practice the applied skills that would make them more hirable, promotable, and valuable in any role.
“The ideal outcome is an AI toolkit that will carry a student into any interview, internship, job, or project.”
He described the sessions as a mix of fireside chats with alumni and executives using AI to shape their industries; hands-on skill
labs to understand AI tools; mini projects and challenges to build a student’s AI toolkit; and peer collaborations that convert ideas into projects, each meant to blend inspiration and action.
Casale emphasized that the sessions are focused on tactics that turn AI into a career advantage by analyzing how it’s reshaping industries, mastering the tools that drive real results, and partnering with other students on projects that will eventually prove to prospective employers that BC students are ahead of the curve.
Top executives across finance, technology, and consulting overwhelmingly agree on one salient truth, said Casale: The future belongs to “AI-native” workers.
“Our mission isn’t just to prepare the BC community for that shift, but to lead it.”
Earlier this fall, Casale led a session focused on AI and investing, an informal, hands-on workshop attended by a dozen students that began with recent technology news and developments within the AI sphere, and then delved into AI’s use in investment companies, venture capital firms, and hedge funds.
Speakers anticipated for this semester include Peter W. Bell ’86, general partner at Amity Ventures and a past BC trustee and current trustee associate, who is a highly successful entrepreneur and earlystage investor.
More sessions are planned for the spring semester and next fall, including a proposed student-organized AI summit that would merge Start@AI with another student-led technology group focused on machine learning.
BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
Lynch School of Education and Human Development Assistant Professor Ido Davidesco was recently awarded a $1.5-million grant from the National Science Foundation to lead a three-year collaborative project focused on advancing computational thinking and microelectronics education through the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and engineering design.
The initiative, titled “Advancing Computational Thinking and Microelectronics Education through Generative AI within an Engineering Design Framework,” will investigate how AI can be utilized as a creative learning tool to support student engagement, design thinking, and algorithmic reasoning in high school classrooms.
Along with Davidesco, co-principal investigators include Aaron Kyle, a professor of the practice at Duke University Biomedical Engineering Department; Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut Neag School of Education; and Leslie Bondaryk, chief technology officer at the Concord (Mass.) Consortium, a nonprofit educational research and development organization.
During the grant’s term, the team will
design and pilot generative AI-enhanced instructional tools that align with both microelectronics and computational thinking learning objectives. In collaboration with high school teachers, the researchers will implement these lessons in classrooms, guiding students through activities such as programming microcontrollers, developing electronic prototypes, and using AI systems to support idea generation and troubleshooting.
According to Davidesco, the team aims to identify effective strategies for helping students become not only more computationally fluent but also more innovative, adaptable, and prepared for the rapidly evolving technological landscape by combining the strengths of generative AI and engineering design.
“Our goal is to use generative AI tools to help students develop their computational thinking without doing the thinking for them,” said Davidesco, a member of the Lynch School’s Counseling, Developmental & Educational Psychology department, and director of the Boston College Lab-to-Classroom Research Group. “Identifying the right level and form of AI support is a challenge but also an exciting opportunity for our interdisciplinary team of researchers and educators.”
Davidesco explained that computational thinking involves formulating problems in
ways that can be effectively executed by a computer, deconstructing complex challenges into smaller, logical steps, designing algorithms, and recognizing patterns.
“As recent advances in AI open new possibilities for interactive and adaptive learning, this project will examine how AIdriven tools can help students practice and refine these skills through authentic, handson design experiences,” he said.
Using a mixed-methods research design, the project will investigate how these experiences influence students’ computational
Assistant Professor Ido Davidesco will investigate how to use artificial intelligence as a creative learning tool to support student engagement, design thinking, and algorithmic reasoning in high school classrooms.
photo by caitlin cunningham
thinking, creativity, and understanding of engineering principles. The study will also explore how professional development for teachers can enable effective integration of AI into existing STEM curricula.
“Ido’s new NSF grant is particularly exciting because it marks the reopening of the federal research funding pipeline,” said Stanton E.F. Wortham, the Charles F. Donovan, S.J., Dean of the Lynch School. “This project will continue his robust research program in STEM education, including his innovative use of technology to facilitate learning in schools. It also includes work on AI, helping educators use this technology in productive ways and cutting through the hype and confusion.”
William “Bill” Rockwell Torbert, an elder statesman of the adult development, leadership, and organization transformation field, and an award-winning researcher, consultant, teacher, and author who served as graduate dean of the Carroll School of Management for 30 years, died on October 21. He was 81.
In 1978, Dr. Torbert launched his 30year tenure as graduate dean of the Carroll School of Management and director of the doctoral program in organizational transformation. The school’s M.B.A. program rose in rankings from below 100 to 25th nationally during his deanship.
In addition to teaching, he became the leader of an international community dedicated to “action inquiry,” the study of self-transformation in the process of understanding the world. He authored or co-authored numerous professional articles on the topic and conceived Collaborative Development Action Inquiry (CDAI), a method that integrates first-, second-, and third-person perspectives to transform individuals, organizations, and social science.
In 1991, Dr. Torbert won the first Carroll School M.B.A. Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award. He received the David L. Bradford Distinguished Educator Award from the Organization Behavior Teaching Society in 2008 and was named Leadership Professor Emeritus at BC.
“Bill was an academic force,” said Andy Boynton, the John and Linda Powers Family Dean of the Carroll School. “His prodigious writing, teaching, and engagement with students and the academic field at large were extraordinary. Moreover, he was one of the most innovative faculty members the Carroll School has ever had. He was always coming up with new ideas and new perspectives to management’s most complex and important challenges, and people paid attention to his ideas! What a great colleague, and scholar.”
In 2012, Dr. Torbert founded and led Action Inquiry Associates LLC, a consulting and leadership development firm that uses his action-logics—strategies outlined in his 2004 book, Action Inquiry: The Secret of Timely and Transforming Leadership.
“Bill Torbert was a scholar way ahead of his time, who integrated three levels of analysis in his work—individual, organizational, and the bigger social picture—all into timely action,” said Galligan Chair of Strategy Sandra Waddock, the Carroll School Scholar of Corporate Responsibility. “To this day, I use his ideas about action inquiry—a way to engage in difficult conversations successfully through framing, advocating, illustrating and inquiring—in my teaching. Bill brought his unique brand of instruction and leadership to the school
and put the M.B.A. program on the map.”
Dr. Torbert and Waddock also worked for 17 years in Leadership for Change, a program developed with the Sociology Department. “It was always a joy to work with him: He was fun, funny, and personable in addition to being a brilliant thinker and accomplished teacher. He will be greatly missed,” said Waddock.
Dr. Torbert’s groundbreaking work on CDAI was the foundation for the launch of Global Leadership Associates, a Londonbased organizational development firm he co-founded in 2016 and then served as director emeritus.
“Bill did a wonderful job as the dean of the graduate school, invigorating the program and introducing creative new dimensions,” said Jean Bartunek, the Robert A. and Evelyn J. Ferris Professor at the Carroll School. “He was an extremely good administrator, handling the more mundane aspects of making the program function bureaucratically extremely well. He was very good at taking scholarly knowledge—in several cases knowledge that he had helped create and develop—and translating it into practice in ways that M.B.A. students could understand and that fostered their development.
“Bill was a very charismatic instructor, who inspired several of our students very profoundly, and some stayed in touch with him until the end of his life. We were lucky to have him in the department.”
Dr. Torbert also served on the boards of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Trillium Asset Management, and the Helsinki-based consulting firm Amara Collaboration.
The elder son of Ambassador Horace Gates Torbert Jr., Dr. Torbert spent much of his childhood abroad, where he became fluent in Spanish, French, and German. Returning to the United States, he attended
Boston College Chronicle will publish its final edition of the semester on Tuesday, December 9 SCHEDULE NOTE:
Phillips Academy Andover and graduated magna cum laude from Yale University, where he was an editor, a columnist, and vice chair of the Yale Daily News— whose managing editor was David Gergen, later a presidential advisor and political commentator. Dr. Torbert also earned a doctorate in individual and organizational behavior from Yale.
Dr. Torbert began his academic career as associate director of the Yale Summer High School, then founded and led the Yale Upward Bound Program, which focused on providing academic support to New Haven high school students from low-income backgrounds or first-generation families to prepare them for college success.
He was an assistant professor at the Southern Methodist University School of Business, then an associate professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education for four years, followed by two years as the founder and director of The Theatre of Inquiry Inc., a research community based on his CDAI.
The last of his 11 books was the antiheroic, signature memoir, Numbskull in the
Vice President Joy Moore, executive director of the Pine Manor Institute for Student Success, was among the speakers at “Big in Boston: Empowering Girls, Igniting Futures,” a special event sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters Boston that took place October 29 at the
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Theatre of Inquiry, which recounts his early life in Spain, Austria, Italy, and Somalia as the son of a diplomat and foreign service officer, concluding with his creation of “The Theatre of Inquiry.”
“Bill Torbert played an important role in the Management and Organization department,” said Judith A. Clair, a Carroll School professor and the William S. McKiernan ’78 Family Faculty Fellow. “He shaped the department’s culture of inquisitiveness and community in ways that are still apparent today. Several generations of students were profoundly shaped by his research and philosophy, focused on themes including personal and organizational transformation, and reflective practice.”
Dr. Torbert is survived by his wife, Reichi Yeh Torbert, and sons Michael, Patrick, and Benjamin; his brother, James, and nieces Laura Rahe and Alice Coyle: his former wife and mother of his sons, Jennifer Cassettari; and five grandchildren.
Services for Dr. Torbert will be private; a celebration of life event will be held at a later date.
—University Communications
Omni Seaport Hotel. Moore joined WBZTV news anchor Lisa Hughes and author Tara Westover (Educated) for a tastingstyle reception showcasing recipes of top female chefs and restauranteurs including Kristin Canty, Janice Carte, and Nia Grace.
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Second Cook
BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Thirty-three years ago, Kwasi SarkodieMensah heeded an inner voice that told him to work at Boston College.
Earlier this year, he listened to another inner voice which said that it was time to leave.
“I loved being at BC and am so grateful for what I’ve been able to do here,” said Sarkodie-Mensah, a Ghana native who was manager of instructional services—and most recently senior instruction and programs librarian—for University Libraries, shortly before he retired earlier this fall. “I feel that there is more I would like to do, especially to spend more time with my family. And I want to visit Ghana and continue helping others there. I feel so lucky that God gave me opportunities to learn and grow from my years in the BC community.”
Sarkodie-Mensah left no shortage of friends and admirers at BC, who extol his generosity of spirit and fellowship, as well as his dedication to supporting the University’s educational and formational mission.
“Working with Kwasi and getting to know him as a friend and colleague has reminded me that being attentive to the person in front of me, remembering to lean on others for support and truly work together, and celebrating individual talents makes our work better, our lives better, and gives us perspective,” said Head Librarian for Instruction Services Leea Stroia. Filling his shoes may be impossible, she said, “but part of what Kwasi has left behind is a reminder to us all to bring who we are authentically to what is in front of us. I think he taught us to not try to be him, but to be ourselves and cherish others for who they are. That is something precious.”
The 33 years he worked at BC often gave Sarkodie-Mensah a unique window on the University, as both an educational institution and a community.
Sarkodie-Mensah’s duties included working with instructors in the English Department’s First-Year Writing Seminar (FWS)
BC Global Engagement
Leadership Attends World of Education Event in Rome
Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Peter Canisius Professor James F. Keenan, S.J., and Executive Director for Global Engagement Bryan Fleming attended the International Congress “Educational Constellations: A Pact with the Future,” held at the Vatican’s Conciliazione Auditorium as part of the Jubilee of the World of Education held October 27 to November 1.
At the International Congress, Fr. Keenan presented “Educating for Hope in a Time of Fragility.” Speaking as a faculty member who has taught for 38 years in various universities around the world, he addressed the urgency of equipping students not just with knowledge, but with the capacity to act ethically.
Fr. Keenan shared a foundational insight from his self-doubt regarding teaching eth-
courses and assisting first-year students on where and how to research information as part of the writing process. For SarkodieMensah, such tasks were an opportunity to directly support BC’s educational and formational mission.
“We want our students to set the world aflame,” he said, referring to the iconic St. Ignatius Loyola quotation, “but we don’t want them to do it with bad fire.”
Working in O’Neill Library also put Sarkodie-Mensah at a central University location that was often a locus for organized or spontaneous gatherings: the University prayer service held on the Plaza at O’Neill Library a few hours after the 9/11 attacks;
keeping with the idea of teaching men and women to be in service to others.”
Sarkodie-Mensah first observed service leadership as a boy in Ghana attending a school run by the Brothers of the Holy Cross, and their dedication left an impression on him. After he finished college in Ghana, he worked in Nigeria to save money to further his education in the United States, and in 1982 he enrolled as a master’s degree student at Clarion University in Pennsylvania to study library science—a field that appealed to him because it meant helping others with academic work. Following Clarion, he earned a doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Cham-
the groups of people who assembled in the O’Neill lobby to watch TV coverage of the election of Pope Francis; and the students who met up in the lobby to say goodbye on the day in March of 2020 when BC announced it was suspending on-campus classes and closing residence halls due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To see people gathering to comfort one another, to express solidarity and togetherness, it made me realize how often the library spaces are a welcoming ‘safe spot’ for the BC community,” said Sarkodie-Mensah, who was also a part-time faculty member in the Woods College of Advancing Studies. “I am very pleased to have been a part of the University Libraries’ mission. I feel that is in
Kwasi Sarkodie-Mensah retired this fall after 33 years in Boston College Libraries.
grams, among them First Year Experience and Campus Ministry service trips abroad.
And then he got an idea: Why not arrange a service trip to his native country with BC students?
“I wanted this to be a different kind of trip,” he said. “I really wanted for us to help the kids in Ghana learn about computers and to have the experience of being able to use them, because today’s world is all about computers.”
Sarkodie-Mensah would go on to lead 10 three-week summer service trips to Ghana, with computers donated by BC, as well as used tennis equipment for recreational activities.
“The first year was the hardest,” he recalled. “The [Ghana] kids, who had never been in front of computers, were afraid that if they broke them, their parents would have to pay. We had to give them reassurance. The BC students were the ones who really did the work, and they challenged the kids to do their best.
“But I also challenged the students: I asked them, ‘What did the kids teach you?’ If we don’t push our young people to learn from their experiences, then they won’t succeed.”
paign, and in 1989 joined Northeastern University as library instruction coordinator.
He enjoyed his time at Northeastern, but three years later he learned about a library administrative job opening at Boston College, whose Jesuit, Catholic character greatly appealed to him. “I just heard a voice inside that said, ‘Go to BC,’” he recalled.
Sarkodie-Mensah knew he had come to the right place. In addition to the highquality academic and professional environment, he found a community through which he could pursue his faith mission, and he became involved in various religious- and spiritual-based activities and pro-
ics: He realized he was teaching students what to do, but not why they should do it. He proposed a pedagogical shift focusing on two key modes of action.
“I learned to teach my students not only what they need to know, but also that they need to learn to act on what they know, and from this they need to learn to act both vul-
Vice Provost for Global Engagement James Keenan, S.J., with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.
nerably and collectively.”
During his visit, Fr. Keenan also had the opportunity to meet Pope Leo XIV, during which he presented the pope with a copy of his book The Moral Life.
More than 20,000 representatives of Catholic educational communities from around the world attended the jubilee, which celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on Education, Gravissimum educationis —University Communications
Sarkodie-Mensah feels he’s not done helping Ghana: There is still widespread poverty, and drug use and violence pose dangers for the coming generation of young people. “I want to build a safe place, where the kids can do their homework, use computers, and get something to eat—and, above all, be able to get off the streets.”
For now, he is reflecting on his BC years—as are the many colleagues and friends who attended his retirement party in September or bade him farewell privately.
“I’ve never met someone who genuinely cares as much and as deeply about others as Kwasi,” said O’Neill Library Associate Instruction Services Librarian Sarah Rebecca Gaglio. “He was an incredible librarian and coworker because he is such a fantastic human: open, curious, compassionate, and kind. His collaborative spirit—‘We did it together’ was a key phrase I learned quickly—and the way he centered the students in every aspect of the work continue to inspire me.”
Associate University Librarian for Research Services and Educational Initiatives Margaret Cohen praised his “deep commitment to fostering student learning and student formation” which has left “a lasting impact on countless BC students, faculty, and staff. His presence has been a constant source of support, wisdom, and guidance, and we are all so grateful for the care and kindness he brought to the entire community.”
For his reminiscence, University Librarian Thomas Wall recalled an all-staff meeting held early in the post-pandemic period. “We discussed BC Libraries reaffirming its commitment to the University’s mission, and the question was, ‘What would that look like?’” he said. “‘Well,’ I said, without hesitation or forethought, ‘just spend a few hours watching Kwasi.’”