Back, L-R: University President William P. Leahy, SJ, Daniel Harrington, SJ, Ken Burns, Joseph Corcoran. Front, L-R: Margot Connell, Carolyn Lynch, Benaree Wiley.
University, Community Honor Six
2009 Honorary Degree Citations, as read at Commencement
By
The following are recipients of the University Honorary Degrees for 2009. Each year, the University honors people from a variety of fields, such as the arts, scholarship, public service, business and religion. The following is the full text of the Honoray Degree Citations read at Commencement on May 18.Joseph E. Corcoran
A respected real estate developer, Joseph E. Corcoran helped change decades of government housing policy with his steadfast belief that people of different incomes could and should live side by side. A pioneer in the development of mixed-income housing, he has given hope and a new beginning to those once trapped in the nation’s poorest public housing projects. For these life-changing contributions, he has been honored by the Urban Land Institute and the National Association of Homebuilders. The son of Irish immigrants, and recent author of Wasn’t That a Time! a poignant memoir of his Dorchester upbringing, he has similarly embraced other worthy causes close to his heart. They include his beloved ancestral home through the American Ireland Fund and the Irish Cultural Center of New England, Jesuit education through his dedicated service as a trustee and benefactor to both Boston College High School and Boston College, and the revitalization of urban neighborhoods through his creation of the American City Coalition. For his generosity of wealth and spirit, unwavering commitment to the Ignatian-inspired call for social justice, and uncompromising loyalty to family, Church and alma mater, Boston College proudly bestows upon Joseph E. Corcoran — on this the 50th anniversary of his graduation from “the Heights” — the degree of Doctor of Business Administration, honoris causa.
Daniel J. Harrington, SJ
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” Two thousand years later, inquiring minds still searching for an answer to that question turn to the writings of Daniel J. Harrington, SJ. As a young child, the story of Moses sparked his interest in the Bible. Today, this internationally esteemed Jesuit scholar is the author of 40 books that have shed light on Scripture and the life and times of Jesus. His dedication to Biblical scholarship is evidenced by his decades-long tenure as the general editor of New Testament Abstracts, summarizing literature on the New Testament from hundreds of books and journals throughout the world. This Jesuit of 51 years also spreads the Good News through his preaching and teaching. Every Sunday for nearly 40 years, he has celebrated Mass at St. Agnes Parish in Arlington, Massachusetts. For close to four decades, this son of Boston College has taught at the Weston Jesuit School of Theology and, with its re-affiliation with Boston College, now serves as a faculty member in the School of Theology and Ministry. Through his scholarship, writing and teaching, he has enabled generations of students and parishioners to discover who Jesus is in their lives. In recognition of his accomplishments, Boston College proudly honors this preeminent scholar, exceptional educator and faithful Jesuit priest with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.
Margot Cameron Connell
Today, Boston College honors Margot Cameron Connell, who personifies the ideals of family, leadership, generosity and devoted service so admired and valued by our community. The mother of six children, all of whom are Boston College graduates, and the wife of the late William F. Connell of the Class of 1959, after whom our School of Nursing is named, this chair of the board of Connell Limited Partnership and devoted advocate and active supporter of education and health care, has answered the call of deserving causes in Boston and beyond. Through her efforts, she has helped to put institutions such as St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute at the forefront of cancer care and research. A longstanding volunteer on behalf of the University, she is the convening co-chair of the “Light the World” campaign, and a vibrant presence at Boston College, whose students are and will be the beneficiaries of her generosity. In recognition of her lifetime accomplishments, years of service to the University and dedicated commitment to improving contemporary society, Boston College proudly confers upon Margot Cameron Connell the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.
Carolyn A. Lynch
St Ignatius Loyola affirmed that deeds, not words, are the measure of a person. Carolyn A. Lynch exemplifies that Ignatian principle. A diligent sower, her philanthropic harvest includes a bounty of improvements to education and health care, advancements in medical research, and preservation of history and culture. She has found “good ground,” advancing the growth of City Year, Teach for America, AmeriCares, Mass Mentoring and Partners in Health, and is a founder to both the Lynch Foundation and the Urban Catholic Teachers Corps. Generous benefactor of Boston College and namesake of the Lynch School, she has received papal honors in recognition of her commitment to Catholic education and the Church. A believer in entrepreneurial investing, she has supported worthy causes that have helped to overcome some of society’s most monumental needs. Daughter of a teacher, she has become a tireless advocate of schools, believing that “education is the great equalizer.” She has travelled the world as a religious pilgrim and relief worker, and she continues to be an agent of change who works for the advancement of all. Hers is a name long associated with the New England Conservatory of Music, Special Olympics, the Campus School of Boston College, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and Renew International, and she is also celebrated as devoted wife, loving mother and caring grandmother. She has been an influential trustee on countless boards, and her mastery of partnerships also applies to the game of bridge, where she recently earned world championship honors. With admiration for her profound legacy, Boston College proudly confers upon Carolyn A. Lynch the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.
Ken Burns
His widely acclaimed documentary "The Civil War" unfolded before 39 million public television viewers in 1990, laying bare the brutality and bravery of an epic battle to rid our nation of the evils of slavery. In his 20 documentaries and nine books of historical non-fiction, Ken Burns reveals the ever-present struggle for liberty and equality across so much of American life and culture. In his works on topics ranging from the Brooklyn Bridge to baseball, from Lewis and Clark to Jack Johnson, from the American West to Jazz, he has established himself as a master documentarian. With a painter’s eye and a storyteller’s ear, his films portray the scorched earth of Gettysburg, capture the power of the Columbia River and carry us across the beaches of Normandy. His films depict America’s greatness and its frailty, its audacity and humility, its humor and sorrow. They reveal the sacrifices paid by the men and women who came before us and those who inspire us today. His productions have earned many honors, including 10 Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards and two Academy Award nominations. For extraordinary research and scholarship that have stimulated interest in history among millions of Americans through film and literature, Boston College proudly proclaims Ken Burns, Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa.
Benaree Pratt Wiley
Educated in Washington, DC, public schools and at Howard University, Benaree Pratt Wiley arrived in Boston in 1970, at the brink of a divisive decade when school desegregation and its aftermath led to Boston being portrayed as a racist city. A graduate of Harvard Business School, which would one day publish a case study on non-profit leadership that bears her name, she served as president and CEO of The Partnership, where she transformed a struggling mentoring organization into a major force. Her efforts advanced people of color to positions of power and influence in Boston’s business world, and helped restore lost luster to a city’s reputation. Now, as principal of The Wiley Group, she nurtures the talented professionals of today, ensuring their representation among the global leaders of tomorrow. Hailed as Boston’s “secret weapon” in building leadership diversity, she has been praised for her corporate savvy and civic service by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, which bestowed on her its lifetime achievement award, and the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians. Boston College has also benefitted immensely from her wisdom and vision as a University trustee and a founding member of our Council for Women. Businesswoman, wife, mother, and champion of change where it is needed most, Boston College proudly confers on Benaree Pratt Wiley the degree of Doctor of Public Administration, honoris causa.