Laetare Sunday: A BC Lenten Tradition. On Sunday, March 2, the Boston College community gathered in Conte Forum for the 57th anniversary of Laetare Sunday. This year's observance began with a Mass celebrated by University President William P. Leahy, SJ (pictured on left). Afterwards, Provost and Dean of Faculties Cutberto Garza gave the keynote address at the Laetare Sunday brunch, where alumni were seated by graduating class.
Former Alumni Association President Edward O'Brien '63 threw out the first pitch, flanked by Wally the Green Monster, the Red Sox mascot.
BC Baseball's annual game against the Boston Red Sox in Fort Myers, Florida, has become a true rite of spring. On February 28, the Eagles faced off against the World Series champions, in what was the Sox's first game since defeating the Colorado Rockies last October.
Most of the 300 BC alumni in attendance enjoyed a pregame cookout at City of Palms Park.
View the Eagles's 2008 schedule.
Rodney Alberto '01, JD'04, was one of 15 alumni who participated in the immersion trip to Jamaica to care for orphaned children in the Mustard Seed Communities.
While Jamaica may be best known as a luxury vacation spot, 15 BC alumni traveled to the Caribbean island for a much different experience. They took part in an immersion trip from January 26–February 2, spending the bulk of their time serving the needs of orphaned children in the care of Fr. Gregory Ramkissoon, MA'81, '82. His Mustard Seed Communities successfully balances religious outreach with a variety of social initiatives that serve the poor and underprivileged.
The BC contingent was led by Bob Hart '60, MSW'62, who participated in his seventh Jamaica trip through the BC Alumni Association, but his first since 2001. "It's amazing to see how Fr. Gregory has expanded the Mustard Seed program for these children over the years," says Hart.
In addition to caring for orphaned children on a daily basis, the BC group assisted Mustard Seed Communities with painting projects and clothing drives.
View more photos of the alumni immersion trip.
Read more about Fr. Ramkissoon in the Class Notes section of the Boston College Magazine winter edition.
Taren '94 and R. Eric Shorter '94 met on their first day at BC.
Valentine's Day is over, but love remains. Thank you to all the BC couples who submitted stories about how they met to Alumni Connections. Here's one couple's story to get things started:
Taren '94 and R. Eric Shorter '94
My husband and I met our very first day at Boston College during AHANA's Options Through Education summer program. That was 1990, and we were together throughout all four years at BC. We became engaged our junior year and were married two years after graduation in July 1996. We now have two beautiful daughters, Shalyn Erica, 10, and Sydnee Lynn, 8.
More stories and photos from BC couples
You might not have known about the Golden Lantern, the trivia subject in January's Alumni Connections, so here's a second chance to prove your BC expertise!
It's difficult to envision the BC campus without the Mods, yet they were once and still are considered temporary housing. What year were the Mods built?
A. 1965
B. 1970
C. 1972
D. 1975
Answer by logging into the Alumni Online Community. The first 20 people to respond correctly will win a BC decal.
Share your favorite Mod memory for next month's Alumni Connections at uacommunications@bc.edu and we'll send you a photo of what your Mod looks like today! Don't forget to include your Mod number.
2008 Alumni Awards of Excellence
Each year, the BC Alumni Association proudly recognizes outstanding alumni in a variety of professions. It also honors an exceptional graduate of the last decade and confers its highest accolade, the William V. McKenney Award, on a distinguished alum. Nominations are due April 10. View the website for more information.
Board of Directors: Your Alumni Leaders
All alumni are encouraged to submit nominations for the Boston College Alumni Association Board of Directors. Members of the board serve three-year terms. Please submit the name of any graduate who you feel will best serve Boston College and represent our nearly 150,000 alumni. To nominate an alum, please complete the nomination form and submit it to Maggie Edmonds by March 15. You may fax the form to Maggie at 617-552-4626.
Michael Durkin '77
Michael Durkin '77 recently became president and CEO of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. More
Patric Verrone, JD'84, the president of the Writers Guild of America West, played an instrumental role in ending the writer's strike in Hollywood. More
Michael Violante '67 is the new district attorney of Niagara County, New York. More
More news stories about alumni
Members of the Class of 1998 (left to right), Sara Cue '98, Brendan Kennealey '98, and Margaret Higgins '98, gathered at a 98 Days to Reunion event.
Celebrate Reunion 2008 with classmates and fellow alumni on May 30–June 1. Reconnect with old friends, attend your class party, and tour the Brighton Campus. There is a full weekend of fun and remembrance planned for all Reunion classes. Discover more.
On Friday, February 22, the 10th Reunion Committee got its celebration underway early with a 98 Days to Reunion event for the Class of 1998 at JA Stats, a bar in downtown Boston. The event gave Boston-based alumni the opportunity to meet up before Reunion Weekend. If you are interested in organizing an event for your Reunion class, contact Erica Rosenthal at the BC Alumni Association at 617-552-2696 or rosenthe@bc.edu.
Curious about what your classmates have been up to? Want to get a head start on Reunion plans? Your friends and classmates are much easier to find these days through the Alumni Online Community. Create your own friends network, find old classmates in the Alumni Directory, update your own profile, and much more.
Log into the Alumni Online Community.
First-time users register here.
Enter more deeply into the readings for Holy Week with C21 Online's free minicourse "The Death of Jesus: Four Gospel Account." Log on for a self-paced look at the passion narratives, including an examination of the five scenes that are common to each. The minicourse is cosponsored by BC's Center for Christian-Jewish Learning.
For more information, visit C21 Online or contact Melinda Donovan at 617-552-0185 or melinda.donovan@bc.edu.
Lent, No Ordinary Time!
A reflection by Dan Leahy '82, M.Ed.'91, assistant director of the Office of Spirituality and Service:
Believe it or not, we are halfway through the season of Lent. Each year, we are given this special time to use in preparation to celebrate the resurrection of Christ at Easter. Lent is a true gift, an invitation to reflect on the depth of God's love for us and to consider how we have loved Him in return. The Catholic Church offers us this 40-day retreat to reflect deeply on our relationships with God, others, and ourselves. The Church also recommends three important ways to guide us on this journey towards renewal: prayer, fasting, and the giving of alms.
The Alumni Association's Office of Spirituality and Service has several opportunities to enhance your Lenten experience. For more information, visit the website and consider joining us as we journey towards Easter.
Educational Symposium: Teaching and Ignatian Spirituality
On Saturday, April 5, and Saturday, May 3, the Alumni Association will host a two-part symposium, entitled "Go Forth and Teach: Reflections on Applying the Timeless Educational Principles of Ignatian Spirituality to the Art of Teaching." Both programs will be held at Alumni House on Newton Campus and begin at 9:00 a.m. To register or for more information, contact Dan Leahy in the Office of Spirituality and Service at leahyd@bc.edu.
Lenten Reading
Last Words for Seven Weeks: Praying with Jesus on the Cross, a book by Mary Sweeney, SC, encourages and instructs the busy reader to set aside time for daily Lenten prayer.
Eagles vs. Red Sox
Jamaica Alumni Immersion
Valentine's Day Stories
Trivia Question
Mod Memories
Alumni Nominations
Alumni in the News
Reunion 2008
BC Social Networking
C21 Online
Spirituality Events
Psychology Professor Lisa Feldman Barrett is conducting groundbreaking research on the science of emotion—supported through a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. Read more.
Rattigan Professor of English Emeritus John L. Mahoney recites the spoken verse from a selection of Irish poems he's recently released on a compact disc—with works ranging from William Butler Yeats to Seamus Heaney. Thursday, March 13, 7:00 p.m., Alumni House. All alumni are invited. To attend the poetry reading, contact Julie Nuzzo, NC '74, at 617-552-4577 or julie.nuzzo@bc.edu by Monday, March 10.
Do you have a treasure in your attic? BC's Lifelong Learning Institute is offering an appraisal session to help you discover the value of your art and antiques. Skinner, an appraisal industry leader, will conduct the session. To register, please contact the Lifelong Learning Institute at 617-552-2950 or bclli@bc.edu. The fee of $25 includes a reception and the appraisal of one item. Thursday, March 27, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Alumni House.
Join fellow BC graduates on a weeklong immersion trip to El Salvador from May 3–9, marking the third consecutive year that a group of BC alumni will travel to the country. Alumni will have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the cultural, economic, and political realities of El Salvador. For more information, contact Dan Leahy at 617-552-3478 or leahyd@bc.edu.
Join alumni across the country for BC's third annual National Day of Service on April 19. The event promises to be a memorable grassroots gathering of BC grads working through their local chapters to make their respective communities better. Contact your local alumni chapter or call the Alumni Association for more details at 617-552-4700.
Tickets are on sale now for the 16th annual Pops on the Heights Scholarship Gala, which will take place on Friday, September 26 (the Friday night of Parents' Weekend), in Conte Forum. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-767-5591 or by visiting the website.
The 20th anniversary of the Boston College Wall Street Council Tribute Dinner will take place on Thursday, April 24, at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. The reception will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. This year's honoree will be William C. Weldon, P'00, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. For more information on ticket and table prices, contact Renee LeBlanc at 617-552-2234 or visit the website.
The Alumni Travel and Study program is offering significant savings on several trips if you act now. For instance, couples can save $1,000 on an October trip to Burgundy & Provence if reservations are made by March 28. View more savings.
Former BC female student-athletes are invited to return to campus to celebrate the many accomplishments and strides that women's athletics has made at the Heights over the years. A BBQ and a dinner reception, along with a variety of other family-friendly events, are planned for April 26. Current student-athletes and coaches will also participate in the festivities. Read More.
Tree of Paradise: Jewish Mosaics from the Roman Empire, an exhibit presenting mosaics, marble statues, ritual objects, and textiles from the Brooklyn Museum, will be on display at the McMullen Museum of Art through June 8. Monday–Friday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 12 p.m.–5 p.m. The museum will be closed March 21 and March 23. For more information, call 617-552-8100.
A student production of Wintertime, a play by Charles Mee, will be presented at Robsham Theater from March 13 to 15 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10. For more information, call 617-552-4002.
Sponsored by the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, What Do We Owe the Iraqis? is a panel discussion featuring Andrew J. Bacevich of Boston University, Rev. J. Bryan Hehir of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, and Paul McNellis, SJ, of Boston College's philosophy department. Tuesday, March 18, 5 p.m., Cushing 001. For more information, call 617-552-1860.
The Church in the 21st Century Center has launched a new website, which allows easy access to all C21 resources and publications dating back to the center's 2002 launch.
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