Dean's Message

I have been a Jesuit for 18 years and a good number of those have been dedicated to the work of Jesuit education. I am a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and have attended a number of our Jesuit institutions since, including Boston College. However, in these past years, I have also been involved with the leadership of a number of Jesuit institutions through my service as a trustee. I have come to appreciate in that work the complex reality of a university and the many stakeholders involved in decisions. I have also taught now both at the college preparatory and higher education levels, so I come to this role with a background and experience of both secondary and university education. 

My research in immigration and urban sociology have also unfolded over the course of my direct engagement with various communities outside of the Academy and within and that research shapes the questions I bring to this role. Having pursued doctoral work just down the road at BU, my early research focused on local Boston neighborhoods. It does not take much time to see inequality and the need for new responses. When I think about what Boston College is undertaking with Messina, I am proud that this university is responding to the need for increased educational access. 

Messina College will offer a two-year associate’s degree program with the goal of enhancing educational opportunities for first-generation and low-income students beginning in the 2024 academic year. It will enroll 100 students annually and be located on the new Brookline Campus of Boston College. 

Messina College will offer two-year associate’s degrees built on the excellence on Boston College's core curriculum. Students may choose from four majors including Applied Data Science, Applied Psychology and Human Development, General Business and Health Sciences. These four majors will prepare students for specialized careers in education, business, health, and STEM fields. Students will also be well positioned to further their studies and pursue a bachelor's degree.

A. We will connect the Brookline Campus through a shuttle service similar to the service that is offered to Newton and Brighton. Students enrolled at Messina will have access to our campuses and facilities. Beyond logistics, however, I want to be sure we develop opportunities for interaction between colleges. I can anticipate opportunities for intramurals, academic tutoring and mentoring, as well as engagement in service in Boston neighborhoods. As 2024 approaches, there will be abundant opportunities for students of all colleges to get involved. 

A. The Pine Manor Institute for Student Success is the umbrella organization for the University’s efforts to ensure success of our first-generation and low-income students. Headed by Joy Moore, who serves as the inaugural executive director, the Institute includes an Academy that offers students in grades 8-12 summer courses in English, math, and science; Messina College; as well as existing programs: Options Through Education, Learning to Learn, and the Montserrat Coalition. All of these programs offer opportunities for BC students to get involved. Learn more about them and get involved! 

My parents are immigrants and that certainly plays a big part in what I research and teach. I think it’s my life as a Jesuit though that has attuned my eyes to see and my heart to respond to populations of people at the margins. My work looks at exclusions in spaces. I have seen exclusion occur in churches, neighborhoods, and a host of other institutions. And so when I think about what we are doing here with Messina, I think about offering a response to exclusion in education. Now, my work will include providing access to a transformative Jesuit education and making sure that we create spaces where our students feel they belong.