Feedback: A Portrait of Perseverance, Remembering a Mentor
A Portrait of Perseverance
THIS COMPELLING portrait captures a remarkable, inspiring human (“Rahul Desikan’s Story of Love, Science, and Facing Down Death,” Winter–Spring 2019). Thank you, Sara Rimer, for writing this and thank you, Dr. Desikan, for sharing your life and your work.
Meg Campbell
Dorchester, Mass.
GREAT ARTICLE and I applaud the work and perseverance of Dr. Desikan and team. Hopefully, we can find cures to these horrible diseases.
Michael Kalavritinos (GRS’90)
New York, N.Y.
Inquiring about Inclusivity
THE ARTICLE “BU Launches LGBTQIA Task Force for Staff and Faculty” (Winter–Spring 2019) was both affirming and personally puzzling. As a person of faith, a social conservative in the tradition of Edmund Burke, and a limited-government libertarian, I believe in and advocate for the principle that every person should be treated with dignity, respect, and courtesy. It was in this spirit that as an elementary school principal, I led my school in the successful inclusion of a transgender student.
The puzzling piece of the article was the statement “All kinds of people are welcome and valued here.” No doubt for LGBTQIA faculty, staff, and students. But for faculty, staff, and students who exhibit traditional religious piety and profess conservative and libertarian views? Will our presence and speech be truly indicative of a diversified inclusive community at BU, or merely tolerated or even seen as an act of violence? If a response hinges on the last two choices, perhaps it is time for a Faith, Conservative, and Libertarian Task Force to also be activated.
Joe Marlow (Wheelock’78)
Olathe, Kans.
Remembering a Mentor
I AM VERY SAD to hear of Natalie McCracken’s passing (“The ‘Gift of Lightness,’” Winter–Spring 2019). You see, Natalie gave me my official start to a career in journalism, via this very magazine. I was lucky enough to have a work-study position as an editorial assistant at Bostonia during all four years at BU. Natalie was my boss. Her guidance (and unlimited patience) shaped me as a writer, instilled in me the meaning of editorial integrity, and gave me the confidence to conduct myself professionally in the working world. Since graduating, I have enjoyed a successful career in writing and editing. Being an English major may have helped, but being a student of Natalie McCracken is what made all the difference.
Susanna Leuci Rosensteel (CAS’97)
Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Literary Appreciation
I FIRST LEARNED of Sigrid Nunez’s work in 2002, in my Modern American Novel class at BU (“Sigrid Nunez Wins Top Literature Honor,” Winter–Spring 2019). I was hooked on her words after my first reading of A Feather on the Breath of God. I’ve followed her literary releases ever since. How fabulous that she’s lecturing at BU now, and how fortunate those Creative Writing students are to be able to work with her.
Kelly Andreoni (Wheelock’03)
Barrington, R.I.
Comments & Discussion
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