Terriers of 2018: Highlighting the year’s proudest moments
2018 was a year of exciting initiatives, accolades, and change for the University. Two schools merged to form a new college. Faculty members were honored for their groundbreaking research, and a few large donations have set the foundation for more scholarships and opportunities at the University. It’s moments like these that have us #ProudtoBU. As we wrap up the year, we’re counting down our picks of Terriers that define 2018 for Boston University.
Let the countdown begin! Say hello to our Terriers of 2018.
Jamil Siddiqui (ENG’93, Wheelock’94, GRS’98)
Why we picked him:
Beyond math, colleagues and students talk about Siddiqui’s decades-long commitment to his school. He is the kind of a teacher who hosts barbecues for students, attends their sports games, and routinely stays late as a club advisor or a confidante.
That passion for his subject and dedication to his students has recently earned Siddiqui a singular honor. He has been named 2019 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year.
Mehrbano Sethi (CAS’00)
Why we picked her:
Sethi launched her beauty line, Luscious Cosmetics, online in 2007. Today the brand sells its lipsticks, bronzers, eyeshadows, and more in 11 countries, mostly in the Middle East; it entered the United States in August 2017. Global sales for the 2016–2017 fiscal year were $4.5 million, up from $3.5 million the year before. The company now has offices in Los Angeles, Dubai, and Lahore, and a workforce of 500, mostly based in Lahore.
Fashion magazine Allure has described Luscious as “Dubai’s cult favorite makeup brand.” The company has caught the eye of top beauty influencers and received favorable reviews from Instagram stars like Isabel Bedoya (who has 2.6 million followers) and Hailie Barber (361,000 followers).
Richard D. Cohen (CGS’67, Questrom’69)
Why we picked him:
Boston University trustee Richard D. Cohen (CGS’67, Questrom’69) is stepping up once again in support of scholarships—and once again, he is challenging others to join him.
Cohen will match, dollar for dollar, all new or increased gifts made for need-based undergraduate financial aid, up to a total of $1 million. Donors who take the Cohen Challenge will help the University in its ongoing quest to make undergraduate education affordable for all students and their families, regardless of their means—and those donors will see the impact of their gift doubled.
Full story on BU Today | Make a gift
Meixu Lu (CFA’14)
Why we picked her:
Watch out, Yo-Yo Ma. Cellist Meixu Lu has been taking America by storm with her amazing talent. To date, she has performed for charities and orchestras in more than 20 states in the US and that number continues to rise. Some of her countless accolades include appearances at prestigious concert halls such as: Isaac Stern Auditorium Hall, Arthur Zankel Hall and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Boston Symphony Hall, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, Dallas City Performance Hall in Texas, the United Stated Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and at the United Nations in New York City.
We expect to see a lot from Meixu in the coming years.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (CAS’11)
Why we picked her:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Pardee ’11) is the youngest woman ever elected to the United States Congress after winning New York’s 14th Congressional District, comprised of the Bronx and Queens, on November 6, 2018.
After upsetting longtime incumbent Democrat Joe Crowley in the district’s June primary, Ocasio-Cortez defeated Republican Anthony Pappas, a St. John’s University professor in the general election.
Ocasio-Cortez, who graduated from Boston University with degrees in international relations and economics, is a former organizer for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and a former staffer for the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
Full story on the Fredrick S. Pardee School of Global Studies website.
Lucy Wheelock
Why we picked her:
Lucy Wheelock (February 1, 1857 – October 1, 1946) was an American early childhood education pioneer within the American kindergarten movement. Wheelock was the founder and head of Wheelock Kindergarten Training School, which later became Wheelock College.
In June of 2018, Wheelock College merged with Boston University’s School of Education to become the Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. Amidst negotiations it was determined the Wheelock name should be part of the new college, with that, Lucy’s legacy will continue to live on.
Frederick S. Pardee (Questrom’54, Hon.’06)
Why we picked him:
Five years after Frederick S. Pardee donated $25 million to endow the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and advance the next generation of global leaders by supporting education and research at Boston University, BU announced this year that Pardee has committed another $25 million to further support the school he created.
A former economist who runs a real estate management firm in Los Angeles, Pardee (Questrom’54, Hon.’06) has said his passion and determination to help build a more peaceful society was born when he was a child during World War II. He was able to attend BU on scholarship and has said the financial aid that provided him that opportunity—he earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree at what was then the School of Management—became a driving force in his desire to better the world.
Russell Hornsby (CFA’96)
Why we picked him:
Accomplished actor Russell Hornsby (CFA’96) is best-known for his performances in Lincoln Heights, Fences, Seven Seconds and now, the critically acclaimed film The Hate U Give. Russell joined us this year to launch the inaugural episode of our “Proud to BU” podcast to discuss his formative experiences while a student at BU, embracing acting as a craft throughout his career and preparing for his recent roles which have powerfully addressed racial injustice.
Listen to his appearance on our Proud to BU podcast
Dean Susan Fournier
Why we picked her:
The first female dean to lead the Questrom School of Business, Fournier is credited with pioneering the brand relationships subfield in marketing, which explores the emotional relationships consumers form with brands and products. She is the author of two acclaimed books and numerous book chapters as well as several best-selling Harvard case studies on branding. The sought-after expert’s soon-to-be-published research paper examines the pitfalls of celebrity-based branding based on her 14-year analysis of Martha Stewart’s career. She has also received several best paper awards, including the JRC Long-Term Contribution Award from the Association for Consumer Research and Emerald Publishing’s Citation of Excellence Award for the top 50 articles in management.
David Quinn (CAS’89)
Why we picked him:
After five years of leading BU men’s hockey to championship competition, former head coach David Quinn took the next step in his career as head coach of the NHL’s New York Rangers.
Under Quinn (CAS’89), the Terriers won two Hockey East tournaments (2015 and 2018), two regular-season Hockey East titles (2015 and 2017), and the 2015 Beanpot. His leadership brought the Terriers to four straight appearances in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Division I championship game in 2015
Quinn’s 105-68-21 overall coaching record makes him the fourth most winning coach in program history. He was named Hockey East Coach of the Year and New England Coach of the Year in 2015.
Meghna Chakrabarti (Questrom’13)
Why we picked her:
WBUR, Boston University’s National Public Radio Station, announced in July 2018 that a pair of familiar voices to its radio listeners, Meghna Chakrabarti and David Folkenflik, will take over permanent hosting duties of the live call-in radio program On Point.
Chakrabarti, who holds a graduate degree from Harvard and an MBA from BU’s Questrom School of Business, is a regular for both WBUR and NPR. She is the former host of Radio Boston and has appeared as a frequent fill-in voice on the midday program Here & Now and as the voice of the podcast Modern Love, a collaboration between WBUR and the New York Times.
Billie Weiss (COM’13)
Why we picked him:
As the Red Sox manager of photography, Billie Weiss can go where other media members can’t. In 118 seasons of baseball, World Series Champions, the Boston Red Sox have never had a better season than 2018. What does it take to document a historic season? Weiss, Red Sox manager of photography, estimates that he’s taken 50,000 shots this season.
Professor Ann Mckee
Why we picked her:
MED Researcher Ann Mckee made Time Magazine’s annual list of the world’s 100 most influential people for her research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the progressive brain disease crippling many athletes and soldiers. McKee says Time’s honor is a tribute to her research team. “I know what enormous hard work, thick skin, and persistence this has required from all of us over the past 10 years. I am very grateful to receive this tribute on behalf of the entire team.”
With another great year in the books, we’re looking for game-changing alumni for 2019. If you or someone you know is driving change, tell us about it by emailing alumsoc@bu.edu.