PSP welcomes new Director, Father KeenanVolume XV, Issue 1 Fall 2010

Inside...Summer Experiences.....p.2-5Thompson Island..............p.6

PSP Retreat.......................p.7

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM, BOSTON COLLEGE

By Nick Moffa, A&S ‘14

see Keenan page 2

Photo: Kris Brewer

“IamdelightedtobethenewDirector of the Presidential ScholarsProgram (PSP) here at BostonCollege,” said Father James Keenan,of the Society of Jesus (SJ). “I amvery happy with the Program, and Iam delighted with what Dr. DennisSardelladidwith thePSPfor thefirsttwenty years of its existence.” ThispastSeptember,Father JamesKeenantook over the Presidential ScholarsProgram from its Founding Director,Dr. Dennis Sardella. Since assuming

theroleofthePresidentialScholarsProgram Director, Father Keenanhas worked ceaselessly to adjustto the Program, meet the currentScholars and Alumni, and makechangeshe thinkswillbuilduponthe foundation created by Dr.Sardella.DuringaninterviewwithFather Keenan, he expressed hisgenuineinterestintheProgramandhisvisionforthefutureofthePSP. In 1970, Father KeenanbecameaJesuitatseventeenyearsof age in theNewYorkProvince.He graduated from FordhamUniversity,withadoublemajorinPhilosophyandEnglish.Followinghis graduation from Fordham,he participated in a three-yearregency,servingasateacheranda

communityorganizer.“IthenwenttotheWestonJesuitSchoolofTheologyto try for my Masters of Divinity,”explainedFatherKeenan.TheWestonJesuitSchoolofTheologywaslocatedin Cambridge,Massachusetts, in nearproximity toBostonCollegeandnowoperatesastheBostonCollegeSchoolof Theology and Ministry located onthe Brighton campus. Upon nearingtheendofhis secondyearatWeston,his provincial suggested to him thathe consider studying for a Doctor’sof Philosophy, or PhD. Althoughadvised by his mentor to studyPolitical Science or Urban Studies,after soliciting advice from his peers,he decided to conduct his doctoralstudies in Morals and Theology. “Iwas ordained the next year, and thenreceivedmydoctorateattheGregorianUniversity in Rome, Italy. I studiedwith both Klaus Demmer and JosephFuchs.” Father Keenan’s studies in

Rome lasted nearly five years, duringwhich he became officially licensedintheprofessionofteachingtheology,and,in1987,hereceivedhisdoctorate. From1987-1991,followinghistimeinRome,FatherKeenanreturnedtohisalmamaterofFordhamUniversityto teach theology. “During my timethere, I was recruited by both theUniversityofNotreDameandWeston.IdecidedtoreturntoWeston,whereIdirected graduate students for twelveyears. Then in 2002, I was offeredthe Gasson Professorship at BostonCollege.”TheGassonProfessorshipisgiventooneprominentJesuitprofessor,givingthemtheopportunitytoteachatBostonCollege for a coupleofyears.From 2002-2004, Father KeenantaughthereatBC,andin2004,hewasoffered a permanent job on campus. Duringthepastsixyears,FatherKeenanhastaughtanumberofclasseshere at the university. He has taughtChurch Ethics, HIV/Aids and Ethics,Sex,Gender,andBody,andatleasteightadditionalgraduatecourses.Inadditionto his dedication to the classroom, hehas organized several internationalconferences including a 2006 and2010conference focusingonCatholicMoralTheologians. FatherKeenan isalso thechair, founder,and fundraiserof Catholic Theological Ethics in theWorldChurch,aconferencededicatedto the international exchange of ideasamong Catholic theological ethicists. Withhisnew title asDirectorof the Presidential Scholars Program,Father Keenan plans to use hisexperienceattheuniversitytocontinuedevelopingandexpandingtheProgram.

Fr. Keenan has been appointed as the new PSP Director.

2

Service learning offers freshmen insight into Boston Summer Experiences

Oneweekaftertheendoftheirfreshmanyear,thePresidentialScholarclassof2013movedintoShawHouseon Upper Campus to begin their six-weekservicelearningprogram.Spreadamong seven service placements,the rising sophomores worked fourdays a week at two placements each,including a soup kitchen, a prison, ajuvenile detention center, an English-as-a-second-language program,and a government hotline involvedin food distribution. The varietyof placements and the exposure todifferent neighborhoods of Bostonmadeforgreatstoriesandconversationback at the Shaw House and anexciting beginning to the summer. Inadditiontotheserviceaspectoftheprogram,therisingsophomoresalso participated in seminar-stylediscussionswithProfessorMcMenamin,director of BC’s Pulse program,each Friday morning, examining thephilosophical, theological, economic,and social implications of theirexperiences. Often these classesrepresentedonlytheverybeginningofthe discussion, which could continueformanyhoursorevendaysamongthegroup.TheFridaymorningclassesalso

includedpresentationsby thestudentson the efficiency and effectivenessof each of the organizations atwhich they worked. Combined withfrequent reflection and a collectionof assigned readings on the relevantissues of social justice, the programprovided for a rigorous six weeks. Kelsey Swift said of hertime at Shaw House, “These pastsix weeks have been such an intenselearning experience, a challenge toso many of my moral and spiritualand social presuppositions.”Many of the sophomoreScholars share these sentiments. But not all of the work atShaw House called for such taxingengagement. The Scholars alsoimprovedtheirculinaryskills.Nearlyeveryafternoon,musiccouldbeheardfrom the Shaw House kitchen asstudents prepared that night’s meal.ThisbecameoneofthechiefactivitiesinShawHouse,involvinggrouptripstothegrocerystoreandcarefulplanningofkitchenresponsibilitieseachSundaynight.OverthecourseoftheirtimeatShawHouse,theScholarsevenhostedFr. Keenan, Jennie Thomas, KayteGiorgio, and Susan Migliorisi fordinner.Manyofthestudentsagreethat

itwastheconversationsandcooperationsurroundingthecookingthatledtothefurther development of friendshipsand the deepening of the bonds. Finally, the recurring dinnermeetings allowed for themembers ofthe rising sophomore class tobecomebetteracquaintedwithFr.Keenan,thePresidential Scholars Program’s newDirector. Themost exciting outcomeofthisinteractionwasthesurprisethatfromnowontherisingsophomoreclasswillhavetheresponsibilityofchoosinga particular social justice issue onwhich to focus throughout the yearandplanningaseriesofeventstoraiseawareness and attempt to correct theissue.Thisnewadditiontotheprogramshould build upon the experiencesgained at Shaw House and furtherchallenge Scholars to discover waysinwhichtheycanlivelivesofservice. Kevin Morris captured thefeeling among his classmates at theclose of the summer program as theyprepared to leave for home, vacation,or work abroad. He said, “I miss italready.”Thoughmanyofthemembersof the class of 2013 feel as thoughthe programended too soon, they aregratefulforthetimetheyspenttogetherand are excited for the year to come.

By Ben Martin, A&S ‘13

Keenan cont. from p. 1

FatherKeenan,asheexplains,hasfourmaingoalsforthePSPinthenearfuture.The first of these goals is to increaseScholar contactwith senior faculty atBostonCollege.FatherKeenanstronglybelievesintheimportanceoftheHonorsProgramfacultyandtheirrelationshipswith Scholars. Furthermore, hebelieves that better relations betweenthe Presidential Scholars and facultywith endowed chairs would behugely beneficial to the students. Father Keenan also hopesfor the PSP to become increasinglytailored toward individual Scholarinterests and goals, encouragingstudents toestablishpersonal learninggoals for themselves each year. He

will also hold face-to-face meetingswith the Scholars to further discussanddevelopthesegoals.Thiswillhelpstudents stay focused and determinedthroughout the year, academically,socially,andinextracurricularactivities.

Thirdly, Father Keenan hopesthat the Presidential Scholars become“architects of their sophomore yearandsummer.” Rather thanassigningaparticularcountry for students to traveltoaftertheirsophomoreyear,hewantsstudents to dedicate themselves tolanguageproficiency. Ideally,Scholarswillchooseaculturalimmersionprogramspecifictotheirlanguagestudygoalsandinterests. Hehopesfor thissummertobeagatewaytoapotentialstudyabroadexperienceduringtheirjunioryearatBC.

Finally,FatherKeenanwantstomakeitaprioritytofosteramoreactivecommunity between current ScholarsandPSPAlumni. Hebelieves that thePSPnetworkisavitalpartofthesuccessof the Program and that all Scholarsshouldfosterthiscommunity.Inordertoaccomplishthisgoal,hehopestoinstitutean annual dinnerwithAlumni, includeAlumni in regular PSP functions, andimplementseveraladditionalnetworkingevents throughout the academic year.

Father Keenan has beenwelcomed into the PSP communitythus far with open arms, and hisgoals to continue developing theProgram with new initiativespromises the PSP an exciting future.

3

Sophomores expand their horizons in FranceSummer Experiences

By Jessica Seminelli, A&S ‘12

The Jesuit mission has always had a global perspective, with Jesuits living and working on virtually all continents as scholars, teach-ers, and missionaries. Plunged into unfamiliar cultures, they adopted the habit of beginning by observing closely and listening atten-tively to the voices of the societies and cultures in which they found themselves to better understand how best to serve them. Presiden-tial Scholars, while not missionaries in the same sense, will inevitably find themselves exercising their professional skills in far-flung parts of the global village. For several years, Dr. & Mrs. Sardella have taken the sophomore Scholars to experience a month abroad in France as an opportunity to analyze a foreign society from all dimensions.

Dr.andMrs.Sardellaboardedtheir last Air France flight with agroup of Presidential Scholars in towthis summer, and I was one of thoseprivilegedmembersoftheclassof2012whoaccompaniedthem.ThoughIhadpreviously traveled to Europe, I hadnevermade it to that often fantasizedand romanticized locale, Paris, andhad no idea what to expect from it. It did not takelong for me to fall in love. When confronted with acity brimming with culture, history,and activism, my first reaction wasone of awe and a feeling of beingoverwhelmed. How could I ever seeitall,experienceallthatParisoffered,injust threeweeks?Theansweris,ofcourse,thatIcouldn’t,thoughwiththeguidance from the Sardellas andAnaConboy, a BC PhD-candidate actingas our French teacher and interpreter,I like to think that I had an adequatesampling,enoughtowhetmyappetitefor return trips to the city of light. AfterwearrivedandsettledintoourroomsattheFIAPJeanMonet,our trip took off in full swing, withmorningsofFrenchlessonswithAna,afternoons of lectures and forays intothe city, and evenings largely to fillas we pleased. French class, thoughbeginningbright andearlyat8:30am,was an amazing experience, as Anakeptusonourtoes,inundatinguswithvocabulary, useful phrases, games(which of course became intensecompetitions),andculturaltidbitsdrawnfromherextensivepersonalknowledgeof the French people and Paris itself.Though three weeks of instructionhardlypreparesoneforfluency,wedidacquireenoughlinguisticskillsformetobravelywalkupto the ticketbooth

at the train stationand successfullybook tickets for aweekend getawayin Biarritz, to goshopping andorder in restaurantswithout soundinglike an ignorantforeigner, and eveninteract with localcollege students.It is impossible toappreciate anotherculture withoutany insight intotheir language,and I voraciouslydevoured ourtwo-hour lessons,sopping up asmuch informationas possible toattempt at leastpartial immersion. P rofessorPotofsky, whohas been givinglectures toPresidential Scholars for the past 13years, again provided us with thehistorical background of France andof the city in particular, allowing usto understand and appreciatewhy theParisof todayhasevolvedin thewayit has. Supplementing the historicalknowledgewere lectures on business,medicine, politics, poverty, education,and geography by Parisians who hadextensiveexperienceinthosefields,sothatwe emergedwith amore holisticunderstanding of where we were. The best knowledge comes,however, from direct interaction andexploration.Thus after learning about le manifestation, the term given toworker strikes, we had countless

encounters of actual parading mobs,shouting angrily and blocking offtraffic and transforming Paris into ahobofpoliticalactivism.AsAmericanswe could do little but marvel at theenthusiasm and involvement ordinarycitizenshadinpoliticalaffairs,directlyprotesting government policies wellbeyond what the various Tea Partyaffiliates strived to accomplish here. Wealsomadeexcellentuseofthe endless museums in Paris, takinggroup tours in the Musée de Cluny,viewing a collection of medieval artand artifacts, and theMusée d’Orsay,which houses 18th and 19th centuryartwork. Most of us also purchased

see France page 8

Sophomores pose before a statue of Lamarck located in front of Le Jardin des Plantes in Central Paris.

Photo: Marjorie Sardella

4

Summer ExperiencesSeniors share insight about summer internships

At the conclusion of theirjunior year, Scholars complete aninternshipexperienceasanopportunitytopursuepotentialcareerpaths,goingbeyond undergraduate studies toexplore diverse job opportunities andinterests.Theseexperiencesarealwayspersonally enriching and gratifying,and each year a few Scholars areinvitedtogivebriefpresentationsabouttheir summer internships,which serve as a forumfor underclassmen togain ideas and advicefrom seniors. OnTuesday, September 14,four seniors formallypresented as a lead in toa question and answersession for all Scholars. First to presentwas Steven Liu, CSOM’11, who, as a Financemajor, chose to explorethe world of venturecapitalism during hissummer internship. Heinterned inSanFranciscowith True Ventures’True Entrepreneur Corps(TEC)programworkingatoneoftheirportfoliocompanies,B-StockSolutions.As an intern, Steve was assigned towork primarily for BStock Solutions,one of the firm’s start-up companies,spending four days with BStock andonedayinTrueVentures’officewhereinterns listened to guest speakers anddiscussions about entrepreneurship.Muchofhispresentationdescribedtheperks and pitfalls of entrepreneurshipsuch as the flexibility of being one’sown boss, the freedom of creativity,andthepotentialriskoffailureandpaycuts.Itwasclearthatthepastsummerstrengthened Steven’s interests inentrepreneurial endeavors; the onlyquestion remaining for him is whenhe should begin his own company. Kelly McCartney, A&S ’11,spoke about her experiences at New

Leaders forNew Schools, a principaldevelopmentprogramforurbanpublicschools thatworks in 11 cities acrossthe United States. New Leaders isa powerful non-profit entity with abudget of $50 million and a staff ofover150 in itsnationaloffice inNewYorkCity,which,Kellyremarked,wasanexcellentopportunitytoexperienceworkinginsuchalarge-scalesetting.Asanintern,herresponsibilitiesincludedarrangingandholdinginterviewswith

observation.Máncoraisaruralfishingvillage with widespread poverty, lackof education, and poor water supply;withno runningwater, residents storetheir water in barrels that are oftenbreeding grounds for mosquitoes.Andrewhelpedwiththeinspectionandtreatment of infestedwater aswell astheeducationofcitizenstohelppreventwatercontamination.Intheafternoons,heobservedlocalclinics,learninghowapoorly fundedsystemmustadapt tocare for those inneedwithout theaid

of the medical technologywe take for granted. Last to speak wasColleen Maher, A&S ’11,whoworked for theNavalCriminal InvestigativeServices (NCIS) atits headquarters inWashington D.C. InitiallyColleenhadbeenhopingtofind an internship positionwith the FBI, but becauseof funding problems,their internship programhad been cut for the year.Instead, she applied to theNCIS program, workingprimarily in their EqualEmploymentOpportunitiesand Office of DiversityManagement divisions.

Besides office work, Colleen alsoobserved death review boards, whichbrought together specialists to reviewopen cases of suicide, toured thePentagon, spent a day at the firingrange,andwenttotheNationalCenterfor Missing and Exploited Children.Although she does not plan onpursuing a career as a federal agent,Colleen did decide to apply to lawschoolafterwatchingmuchofthelegalproceedings involved inNCISaffairs. Followingthepresentations,allScholarsengagedinalivelydiscussion,with seniors providing insight andadvice to underclassmen. Membersof the PSP have diverse interests andvaluable connections, and, as FatherKeenan observed at the beginning ofthemeeting,“Youengageoneanother.You’re the resources in the room.”

high achieving principals as well asorganizing and attending a NationalSummit Planning Conference in NewOrleans.Because therewereonly twointerns in theofficeandNewLeadersdoesnot have a formalized internshipprogram, Kelly was able to be fullyintegrated into the workplace, askingher co-workers questions about theircareers and learning that workingfor a non-profit similar to NewLeaders is a feasible future endeavor. As a pre-med student,Andrew Rivera, A&S ’11, chose touse his summer to participate in thePara el Mundo program in Máncora,Peru to expand his knowledge ofmedicine and the Spanish language.His internship was comprised of twomain parts: working on the DengueFever Prevention project and clinical

By Jessica Seminelli, A&S ‘12

Photo: Jennie Thomas

Kelly McCartney, A&S ‘11, speaks before fellow Scholars about working for a non-profit organization in New York City.

5

Scholar reflects on summer research in IndiaSummer Experiences

By Karen Kovaka, A&S ‘12

Boston College’s Advanced Study Grants program provides funding, primarily to students in the summer following their first or second year, to support independent research projects or to enable them to develop tools necessary for future research, such as advanced lan-guage skills. During the summer of 2010, five second-year Presidential Scholars were awarded Advanced Study Grants to support a variety of projects. Thirty-seven Advanced Study Grants have been awarded to Presidential Scholars over the past five years. The fol-lowing article recounts the experiences of Karen Kovaka, a Philosophy and Environmental Geosciences major from the Class of 2012.

Spending two months thissummer in avillage in southern Indiawasoneofmygreatestlife-adventuresto date. Just a few days after thePresidential Scholars’ France studytour ended, I found myself alone inthe Bangalore airport at 6:30 a.m.trying to decide if I should travel 50km to the village of Magadi by taxior if I should be adventurous andputmyselfatthemercyofthebussystem.After comparing costs and spendinga few confused minutes looking ata map, I muttered to my self, ‘Withyour shield or on it, Karen,’ andstarted wheeling my suitcase towardthe buses. My decision to brave thebus, despite its total unfamiliarityand lack of English speakers, wasthe first of many adventurous andpotentially reckless choices thatmademy time in India one of the mostempowering things I have ever done. My internship (funded byan Advanced Study Grant from BC)was with the International WaterManagement Institute (IWMI). I was

placedinafieldofficeinMagadiwhere twofull time staffmembers werecoordinating aproject amongm a r g i n a lfarmers thatincluded thecreation of amicro-financeassociation andthe introductionof organicf a r m i n gt e c h n i q u e s .My role was

to learn as much about the functionof the program as I could, aswell asto work on two small projects thatfell within the scope of the venture. My first project was to workwithagraduatestudentondiscoveringthe influence of wastewater irrigationinMagadi.Millions of small farmersin developing countries use untreatedsewagewaterfromtownsandcitiestoirrigate their crops, and the influenceof this practice has both positive andnegative components that need to bebetter understood as governmentsworktoformpoliciesrelatedtowatertreatment.As part of our inquiry intothistopic,wespentthreedayswalkingalloverMagadiandconstructingamapthatcapturedthedrainagepatternofthetown.Weidentifiedthreemainchannelsintowhich the smallerdrainsemptiedand then followed these channels toa small lake southof the town that istheendpointforthesemainchannels.Alongthewaywefoundthesectionsoflandwherefarmerspumpwaterfromthechannelsanddirectlyapplywastewaterto their fields. We then identifiedsampling sites and collected soil,

waterandcropsamplesforevaluation. Formysecondproject,Iwasinchargeofdesigningandimplementingsixnutritionalgardens.Iidentifiedthepotentialsitesandconductedaweekofinterviews with the farming familiesin order to learn about their weeklyfood budget, diet, etc. I also usedpast consumption data collected byother students to tabulate the averagevegetable and greens intake perperson per day. Chronicmalnutrition,especially deficiencies in iodine,iron and vitamin A, is a pervasiveconditionformanyIndiansinruralandurbanareas,andbotheducationaboutnutritionandmodelsforimplementingnutritional gardens are needed. Inlight of this situation, my job was toanalyze the soil and available spaceateachsiteandthentoworkwiththefarmers to select a garden plot andseveral kinds of vegetables to grow. The great thing aboutthese projects was the amount ofindependenceandauthorityIhadovertheir implementation. I did weeklycheck-inswithmybossbyphone,andIhadatranslatortohelpmecommunicatewith government officials, purchasesupplies and interview farmers, butthe responsibility for planning howto get things done and then carryingthem out rested with me. Given mylackoffamiliaritywithIndianculture,this was a huge challenge, and ‘withyour shield or on it’ became thebackboneofnumerouspeptalksIhadto have with myself. At the end ofthe internship, I was certainly readyto come back to familiar people andplaces,butthecombinationoflearningabout a topic I love and having thefreedom to craft my own work in abewildering environment created asummer adventure that both met andexceededmy hopes and expectations.

Photo courtesy of: Karen Kovaka

Karen Kovaka, A&S ‘12 poses on an Indian garden plot with a traditional farming tool.

6

Class of 2014 bond during Outward BoundFreshman Scholars begin their Boston College careers by taking part in a ropes program run by Outward Bound on Thompson Island in Boston Harbor. After arriving on campus during the week before classes begin, Scholars engage in a range of activities designed to promote a sense of camaraderie among the group, to encourage in them the habit of pushing themselves beyond the boundaries of their comfort zones, to help them realize that they are capable of achieving more than they think they are, and to emphasize that leadership can be done from within a group as well as at the head of one, all qualities that we seek to nurture in Presidential Scholars. Francesca McCaffrey, a member of the Class of 2014, recalls her experience on Thompson Island.

Itisagorgeousday,andIfindmyself someplace I have never beenbefore.Theleafygroundliesbeneathme,thecobaltblueskyabove,sunlightpouring in through the holes in thecoveraffordedbythetreebranches.A gentle breeze meanders throughthe trees,making itswayacross theislandfromthebeach,whichismeresteps fromwhere I am now. Evenwithallofthisbeautyofsea,sunlight,andskysurroundingme,however,Icanseenothingbutthehanddanglingabove my head, and hear nothingbuttheurgentencouragementsfromdown below beckoning me to grabonto it. In another moment, I amclaspingthearmsofthoseaboveme,swinging above the ground, and Irealizethatitisnolongerentirelyuptomewhathappens.Iamputtingmytrustandwellbeingintothehandsofothers.Itisanoddfeeling,onewhosegravitycannotfullybegraspeduntilboth feet are back on solid ground,which, with the help of my fellowfreshmeninthePresidentialScholarsProgramwas thecaseonour trip toThompson Island on September 5th. Thompson Island lies inBostonHarbor.Afifteen-minuteferryride from the citywill takeyou to itsshore,andtoaworldapart.Theislanditself,agentlyslopinglandscapemadeup ofwide-open fields, long beaches,andwoodedcoves,housesanoutwardboundprogramthatpromotesauniquebalanceofself-relianceandteamwork.It presents participants with activitiesthatnotonlyencourageleadershipanddecision-makingindifficultsituations,but also the ability to communicateand trust others. Victoria Luu, PSP’14,whohasworkedwith theBostonHarbor Islands Program for two

years, said that viewing the islandsfrom this “team-building, communitystandpoint” instead of from a purelyecological perspective was a newexperience that she truly enjoyed. Upon arriving at the island,

weweresplitupintosmallgroupsandconfrontedwithvariousactivities.Wefiguredoutawaytobalanceoursmallgroup on a large wooden see-saw-likeplankwithoutspeaking.Weusedropes to swing between two woodenplatforms, helping each other to grabonto theropeandsteadyingeachnewarrival as he or she swung from oneplatform to another. Eventually weall rejoined as one large group andattemptedmoredifficult tasks suchasscalingaten-footwall.Alltwelveofusmadeitupandoverthewallthatday,tenfeetofsmoothwoodenplanksthatnoneofuscouldhaveclimbedonourown.

Given equal importance asthese physical and tactical feats werethe discussions that followed them, atimewhenallofuswouldgatherandtalkthroughwhatwentright,whatwentwrong, andhowwecould relate each

activityinsomewaytochallengeswehadeachfacedinourownlives.Itwasin these discussions that unexpectedtruthswerelearnedaboutoneanother,stories of personal experiences andcharacter traits thathelpedus togrowcloser as a group. What was sharedin these discussions led to feelingsof respect and trust that I have neverbefore experienced in a group thatI have known for such a short time. These feelings only becamemore pronounced as the daywent onandwemigrateddownawindingdirtpath past stately brick dormitories

see Thompson Island page 8

By Francesca McCaffrey, A&S ‘14

Scholars pose on the dock at Thompson Island before their departure.

Photo: Kayte Giorgio

7

First Annual PSP Retreat brings classes together

The inaugural two-dayPresidential Scholars Program retreat,held from September 5th throughSeptember 6that the ConnorsFamily Retreat andConference Centerin Dover, MA wasa gathering of bothminds and friends,as Scholars fromall four classesconvened for twodays of discussionand camaraderie.Before the onset ofthe new semester,Scholars savoredthe opportunity toplace the upcomingyear in perspectiveand set ambitiousgoals, all in thee n v i r o n m e n tof supportivepeers journeyingdown paths described by FatherKeenan as “analogous, but unique.” InthewordsofKevinMorris,A&S’13,“Theideaofanannualretreatis awesome—it establishes a sense ofcommunity within the program evenbeforethefirstdayofclass.”Scholarswere unanimous in their praise ofthe retreat and its dynamic format,which reinforced the wholeness oftheprogramandsenseofcommunity. The retreat began withsophomore, junior, and seniorScholars reintroducing themselves toeachother,witheachScholarstatinghis or her interests and activities,makingeveryoneintheroomawareofthemyriad,diversepursuitscontainedwithintheProgram,rangingfromthedance team to the rugby team, fromthejazzbandtotheschoolnewspaper.Later in the day, Father Keenanannouncedsomeexcitingplansfortheupcomingyearincludingavarietyofculturaloutingstotakeplaceduring

the Tuesday evening gatherings. Thesophomore Scholars announced theirplans for a yearlong series of eventsfocusing on a particular social justiceproject pertinent to the Boston area.

In keeping with the unity ofthe Presidential Scholars Program,local alumni were invited to theretreat to speak with Scholars abouttheir experiences both while in the

program and beyond. By the end ofthese discussions, Scholars felt partof a network—and it seems that thealumnididaswell.OneoftheScholarsnoted that some of the best advice

they received wasto always considerreaching outto PresidentialScholars Programalumni who are, asdemonstratedduringthe retreat, morethanwillingtoassistcurrent Scholars. Ontheeveningof September 5thfreshmen Scholarswerewelcomedintothe program amidsto v e r w h e l m i n glevelsofexcitementexhibited by theu p p e r c l a s sm e n .In the evening, aspirited game ofair hockey ensued,with seniorAndrew

Rivera, A&S ’11, emerging as thevictor. Perhaps senior dominancein the air hockey tournament willbe yet another hallmark of thePresidentialScholarsProgramRetreat! On September 6th FatherKeenan continued to describe thephilosophyoftheProgramand,duringmealsandfreetime,Scholarsengagedeach other, discussing their summerexperiences, upcoming theses, andhowtheyhopedtocontinuethebondingthat took place during the retreat. SeniorScholarTueTran,A&S’11, provided a fitting summary ofthe retreat remarking, “The retreatwas a great way to reconnect asa community and welcome thefreshmenintotheProgram.IlearnedalotaboutalltheincrediblethingsmyfellowScholarswereworkingon,andthefreshmennowhaveconnectionsinallareasofBC.Ihopeitbecomesanannual event, and I’mexcited for–andnervoustothinkabout–comingback as an alumnus in the future!”

By Brian Varian, CSOM ‘11

Photo: Jennie Thomas

Photo: Jennie Thomas

Fr. Keenan addresses Scholars about his visions for the future of the PSP.

Alumni share experiences with senior Scholars about post-graduate life.

8

and dining halls, passing throughgroves and fields of high grass, only

tofindourselves ina clearing with asixtyfoottalltower.This tower, whichwe soon learnedthat we weregoing to climb,was a loomingconstruction ofbo l t ed - t oge t h e rlogs, strategicallyplaced footholds,and swayingnets. After beingproperly helmetedand harnessed,

we dove into the task at hand, someclimbing, some spotting, and some

Thompson Island cont. from p. 6

passestotheenormousLouvre,makingmultiple trips through its extensivecollectionofartfromaroundtheglobe,including such marvelous artifacts aspiecesofHammurabi’sCode,enormousEgyptianmummiesandsphinxes,and,of course, the well-protected MonaLisa. I also spent an afternoon at theotherendoftheartisticspectrumintheincredibly modern Pompidou Center,a building as unusual and innovativeas the20thcenturyartwork ithouses. Aside from the contained,carefully preserved artwork behindmuseum doors, Paris is alive with arich architectural history, beginningwith famous churches and cathedralsleading to the stately, impressive18th and 19th century monumentspaying homage to France’s historyand accomplishments. As a groupwe toured le Pantheón, climbing tothe staggering height of the dome toappreciatea360degreeviewofthecityspreading before us and appreciatingthemeticulous layout involved in thepioneering urban designs of Paris.Around every corner, even in lessnotable neighborhoods, I discoveredyet another beautiful building, withartisticcarvings,intricatewroughtironbalconies overflowing flower boxes,

France cont. from p. 3 and an inexpressible charm addingto the overall sense of magnificencethe city exudes upon its visitors. Because we had three weeksto absorb the culture and history,I managed to overcome the initialfeeling of being a tourist obsessedwith seeing the essential sites (thoughla tour Eiffel never ceased to takemybreathaway,particularlyatnightwhensparklingwith lights)andwander intoless touristy neighborhoods and alsotake timetopause inacafe,sippingacoffee, savoring a pastry, and simplywatch people walk by, a favoritepastime of Parisians. And of coursemy taste buds savored every minuteof the trip, particularly appreciatingthe unexpected glory of a crustybaguette, creamypiece of chevre, andfresh cherries for dessert, all enjoyedon thehillofMontmartreoverlookingthe city unfolding in front of us. Group trips outside of Paristo Chartres, home to the enormousmedieval cathedral, in which wehad a both informative and highlyentertaining tour, and the palace ofVersailles, enriched our experience,as these historic sites broughtour lectures and readings to life. The final week of our four-weekstudytourwassetinStrasbourg,

a huge contrast to the metropolitan,quintessentiallyFrenchenvironmentofParis.Thoughmuchsmaller,Strasbourgwasnolessfascinatingandenrichingalocale,fromitsquaint,rusticchalet-stylearchitecture,paintedinlivelycolors,toits imposingcathedral in thecenteroftown.More importantly it is home tobuildingsoftheEuropeanUnion,whichwe toured, learning extensively abouthowtheEuropeanpoliticalcommunityoperates. Because it straddles twodistinctnationalities,StrasbourgandtheAlsaceregionitself,hascreateditsownunique cultural identity, formulatingauniquedialect and culinary traditionthat belongs specifically to the area.Wemostappreciatedthisduringadaytrip through the picturesque region,wherewe touredmultiplevillagesandculminatedinawinetastingatalongtimefamily-owned and operated winery. After our Strasbourg farewelldinner,myclassalltookofffordifferentdestinations,some, likeme,remainingin Europe for the remainder of thesummer,otherscrossingbackover theAtlantic to returnhome to internships,jobs,and timewith family.Butweallretainmemoriesandintimateknowledgeofanothercultureandcountry,exploredandenjoyedtogetherthankstothewell-planned guidance of the Sardellas.

Photo: Kayte Giorgio

belaying. Atdifferentpoints, eachofusplayedaroleofplacingone’s trustin someone else. Each of usmade ittothetopofthetowerthatday,whereabeautifulviewoftheBostonskylineacross the harbor awaited us. Noneof us made it alone.As NickMoffa,PSP ’14, said, “the fact that we allcheeredeachotheronandencouragedeachothereverystepofthewayreallyillustrated our class’s great friendshipand teamwork”. Sogoesourstoryofsuccess at Thompson Island on theday the Presidential Scholars class of2014 put our trust in one another. Ifwhat we were able to accomplishtogether in one short day is anyindication, itwillnotbe the laststoryof its kind over the next four years.

Maggie Scollan, A&S ‘14, proudly strikes a pose atop the Alpine Tower.

9

Welcome PSP Class of 2014!

Matthew AlonsozanaBaltimore, MD

David DePalmaStoneham, MA

Sarah GantonNorth Caldwell, NJ

Alumni in the NewsDustin Rawlin (PSP ‘97)hasbeennamedtothepartnershipofthegloballawfirmJonesDay.DustinisamemberofJonesDay’strialpracticegroupandisbasedinthefirm’sClevelandoffice.

Rich Aberman (PSP ‘07) and Bill Clerico (PSP ‘07) havenowraisedoverninemilliondollarsfortheirstartupcompanyWePay.com,anonlinewebsiteforgroupstosharemoney.Inaddition,theyhavenowhiredfiveadditionalgraduatesofBostonCollege,increasingtheirtotalnumberofemployeestofourteen.

Melinda (Holmes) Power (PSP ‘04)recentlyreceivedaF31IndividualTrainingFellowshipfromtheNationalInstituteofAgingtosupportherdoctoralstudiesinEpidemiologyattheHarvardSchoolofPublicHealth inBoston,Massachusetts.

Photo: Kayte Giorgio

Brooke LoughrinEdmonds, WA

Victoria LuuBrighton, MA

Joseph ManningOviedo, FL

Kevin Meme (PSP ‘03) recently published a book,Young and Catholic in America (Paulist Press, 2010),a collection of essays by young adult Catholics. Kevincurrentlyworks forTheBostonConsultingGroup,aglobalmanagement consulting firm in Boston, Massachusetts.

Brett Huneycutt (PSP ‘03)haslaunchedawebsitewithtwoofhisbestfriendscalled1000Memories.Thewebsiteallowsfamilyand friends tocreateaplace to recordandshare thestoryofalovedone’slifethroughphotos,stories,comments,andfoundationalgiving.Brettandhis friendshaverecentlyreceivedfundingfromseveralleadingAngelinvestorsinSiliconValleyaswellasahighlysuccessfulventurecapitalfirm.Tolearnmoreabouttheirwebsitevisitwww.1000Memories.com.

Francesca McCaffreyWakefield, MA

Nicholas MoffaLinwood, NJ

Marye MoranRye, NY

Maggie ScollanMahopac, NY

John WangSouth Pasadena, CA

Alison WawrzynekGlenview, IL

Boston College Presidential Scholars Program122 College Road•Chestnut Hill, MA 02467