T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle SEPTEMBER 28, 2017
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Eagle Intern Fellowship Program Makes Difference in Students’ Lives Continued from page 1 “To hear these farmers share their stories about the reality of life on a family farm was inspiring. They were not trained or paid to lobby, they simply spoke from their experiences and ultimately from the heart. They deeply believe in the importance of family farms and the significance of producing food. “So now, having seen how important it is to the struggle for food justice, I’m definitely looking at policy work as a direction for my post-BC life.” Kaika is one of more than 260 BC students who have benefitted from the EIFP since it began in 2014, working for groups such as the International Rescue Committee, Foundations for Sustainable Development, Earthwatch Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, as well as in academic settings – including BC – and national, state or local municipal offices and departments. “The Eagle Intern Fellowship Program directly aligns with the University’s strategic direction of re-envisioning liberal arts education and enhancing the University’s commitment to formation among students,” said Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Career Center Director Joseph Du Pont. “The fellowship program removes financial barriers for students and allows them to explore career
formative experience.” “I’ve known for a while that I wanted to work for the government, and to serve my country abroad, but I hadn’t really known what the Foreign Service was all about,” explained MacLennan, an economics and communication major from Ridgewood, NJ. “I got to experience a small embassy environment and all the responsibility associated with it. I did high-level work like writing remarks for the acting ambassador and organizing events for US representatives and Vatican officials, which was challenging, but incredibly rewarding.” What’s more, while in Rome, MacLennan was able to meet and talk briefly with Pope Francis. “I was determined to speak to him in Spanish, and while waiting for him I rehearsed what I was going to say: I asked him for blessings for my family, health and education, but also to pray for peace and unity in our country.” MacLennan said her post-graduation plans are to work in strategic communications and compile skills that will enable her to pursue a career in the Foreign Service. “I’m so grateful for the Eagle Intern Fellowship Program for giving me this glimpse into what my future could be.” Eagle Fellows often derive personal and spiritual growth from their internships, as well as vocational for-
Career Center Assistant Director Nicholas Paschvoss spoke with a student at a presentation of Eagle Intern Fellowship projects, hosted by the center earlier this month. (Photo by Yiting Chen)
possibilities, engage in reflection, and develop their competencies so they can make a thoughtful decision about their next step. We are continuously working to increase the number of students who can take advantage of this fellowship program.” Students interested in the Eagle Fellows program must submit an application and a letter of recommendation, along with their resume and a description of the internship offered. Among other requirements, those who make the cut keep a blog about their internship experiences, check in regularly with a Career Center staff member, complete pre- and post-assessment evalua-
tions, and make a presentation at a campus poster session – as the 2017 Eagle Fellows did earlier this month. Through participation in the program, said Career Center administrators, Eagle Fellows are enabled to articulate skills and competencies employers seek in college graduates, and cite examples of how these were developed through the internship in a professional setting. The students also create three action steps based on reflection of skills, interests, values and organizational culture. Senior Kyla MacLennan called her internship at the US Embassy to the Holy See in Rome “a valuable
A documentary on Nobel Prizewinning Northern Irish politician John Hume that debuted in Boston last week includes archival material housed in the University’s John J. Burns Library. “In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America,” which premiered at the Boston Film Festival, traces Hume’s efforts to enlist prominent US politicians – including BC alumnus Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill Jr. – in securing a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland. Directed by Maurice Fitzpatrick and narrated by actor Liam Neeson, with music by “Riverdance” composer Bill Whelan, the film includes interviews with former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, British ex-prime ministers Tony Blair and Sir John Major and pop star/activist Bono, among others. Now retired from politics, Hume was a major figure in the Northern Irish civil rights movement and became Northern Ireland’s leading Catholic politician. In 1998, Hume was named co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize with Unionist leader David Trimble, who worked with Hume to forge the Good Friday Agreement. Hume has had extensive ties with Boston College, which awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree
at the 1995 Commencement Exercises, where he addressed the graduating class. In 1980, the Eire Society of Boston presented Hume with its annual Gold Medal. Interviewed last week, Fitzpatrick said the intention behind “In the Name of Peace” is to examine what he felt was an underappreciated chapter of Hume’s life. “As we approach the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it’s important to remember the critical role John Hume played in the process, and how much of a vital figure he is in Anglo-Irish history. “It’s also important to realize that Hume created a new consciousness in the US, and I think his experiences in Boston – where he met Irish politicians in positions of great power like Tip O’Neill and Edward Kennedy – were quite important in that regard.” Fitzpatrick found there was little source material about Hume’s outreach to the US. But through his past experience with Boston College – in 2010, he launched a US lecture tour for his documentary “The Boys of St. Columb’s” through BC’s Center for Irish Programs – Fitzpatrick knew the Burns Library’s rare books and special collections would likely have what he wanted.
Sure enough, Fitzpatrick found a number of Hume-related items in the Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. Congressional Papers, and the archive of Northern Irish photographer Bobby Hanvey. These included correspondence between O’Neill and his chief of staff Kirk O’Donnell about meetings with Hume, and statements by Hume on the death of imprisoned Irish hunger-strikers in 1981, as well as various candid and formal photos of Hume. The materials not only contributed to the film’s narrative but also its visuals: Fitzpatrick and his crew spent the better part of a day in the library’s O’Brien Fine Print Room setting up and taking footage of the items. “It was a pleasure to work with the Burns staff,” said Fitzpatrick. “They were helpful and attentive to our needs, and we were able to get important work done.” Burns Librarian Christian Dupont said Fitzpatrick’s project – while one of the more high-profile uses of its resources – is among many the library handles in a given year. “Burns Library assists everyone from undergraduates to international scholars to filmmakers and other artists,” he said. “We’re glad to have played a part in help-
Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu
Chronicle file photo
Hume Documentary Gets Assist from BC
mation. International Studies major Perry Bowers ’18 of Guilford, Conn., worked with Gateway Arts, a non-profit that provides art supplies, professional arts instruction and care for adults with developmental disabilities, who display and sell their creations in the organization’s attached store. It was, she said, “incredibly rewarding but also tiring. As an introvert, I had to learn to take care of myself after work, resting and replenishing my energy for the next day.” Whatever the demands of the job, Bowers added, “the most satisfying element was the joy you would see on the artists’ faces throughout the day. Gateway Arts reminds them that they have value to their community. When they get up in the morning, they have a place to go, co-workers to see, and work to complete. “In such a short time I felt so connected to people I otherwise wouldn’t have come in contact with. They brought so much joy to me, and I feel so grateful for their presence in my life.” Applications for the 2018 Eagle Intern Fellowship Program open Jan. 16. For more details, see http://bit.ly/ eagle-intern-fellowships.
John Hume speaking at Boston College in 1997, the year before he won the Nobel Prize. He was awarded an honorary degree by BC and served as a visiting lecturer.
ing the world learn more about John Hume’s leadership and contribution to peace in Northern Ireland. I hope that Maurice’s documentary will inspire greater multi-party and multilateral dialogue on compelling social and political issues.” Boston College historian Robert Savage, a specialist on Northern Ireland and Irish media, welcomed the release of “In the Name of Peace,” which he said offered an opportunity to reaffirm Hume’s links with BC. Hume has spoken several times on campus, including at the University’s 1997 Laetare Sunday Communion Breakfast, and in the late 1990s lectured as a visiting professor of history. “John was a regular visitor to my course A History of North-
ern Ireland,” recalled Savage. “He would come to Boston for a week and visit the class to talk about his experience in Northern Ireland. He usually addressed his involvement in the campaign for civil rights and his interactions with US political leaders like Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Ted Kennedy, Hugh Carey, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Tip O’Neill. “I believe that he is the one person most responsible for the Good Friday Agreement and I’m delighted his story is being told in this new film.” A screening of “In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America” and a panel discussion will take place at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. –Sean Smith