Cathleen Chopra-McGowan '10

Hometown

Dehra Dun, India

Education

M.A., Yale Divinity School, 2013 anticipated
B.A., Theology, Boston College, 2010

Research

My area of focus is the Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible. I am particularly interested in the idea of the "remnant people" who will return to Zion. I am currently focused on studying the notion of the remnant people in the Book of Zephaniah. My second area of interest is in the metaphorical representation of childbirth in the Hebrew Bible prophets.

Notable Activities

At Boston College, I served as UGBC director of Religious Affairs in 2008-09, and director for Students with Disabilities in 2007-08. I was a member of the International Assistant Program from 2007-10; the Theology Association; and the Theta Alpha Kappa National Honor Society. I was an Advanced Study Grant recipient in 2008 and 2009, and a Fulbright Fellow 2010-11 at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.

Why did you choose to major in theology at Boston College?

I was drawn to the program because of the wonderful professors and the diversity of the courses offered in my area of study. My mentor, Dr. David Vanderhooft, guided my studies and encouraged me to learn the various languages necessary for further study in the field – Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. He also suggested that I participate in an archaeological dig. The Department of Theology provided me with a wonderful set of skills – academic, personal, and professional – necessary for subsequent work in the field.

What are your plans for the future?

I am currently doing a Fulbright research fellowship at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. While at the university, I am also taking classes in Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern studies, which include learning two cuneiform languages, Akkadian and Ugaritic. In the fall of 2011, I will begin an M.A.R. at Yale Divinity School. I plan to continue on to a Ph.D. program after that, and hope to be a professor of Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern studies.

How has studying theology at Boston College changed the direction of your life?

When I arrived at Boston College, I was a psychology major with a firm plan to become a forensic psychologist. My freshman year, I took a core theology class with Dr. Jeffrey Geoghegan and realized that, as much as I enjoyed psychology, biblical studies was what I loved. Dr. Geoghegan encouraged me to study biblical Hebrew with Dr. Vanderhooft, who subsequently became my mentor. Over the course of working with many of the amazing faculty members in the department, I learned about Christian Theology, Hebrew Bible, Judaism, and much more. My professors were dynamic and engaging. They provided me with a deep foundation and sound understanding of the nature of biblical studies. Four years at Boston College, and I now plan to be a biblical scholar instead of a forensic psychologist!