Parents Receptions

April 17th, 2012 in Departments - Spring 2012, Spring 2012 0 comments

Los Angeles Parents Reception

Photos from the Parents Program reception held in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 24, 2012.

Photos courtesy of Daryl DeLuca

Event hosts Ian and Lisa Schapiro, parents of Shaun (CGS’13, BU’15), welcome Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore to their Los Angeles home.

From left: Daryl DeLuca, assistant dean of students, enjoys the company of Ian and Lisa Schapiro, parents of Shaun (CGS’13, BU’15); Jeanne Knox, chairman of the Parents Leadership Council; Christy Olson Loring, associate director of the Parents Program; and Kenneth Elmore, dean of students.

Jeanne Knox, chairman of the Parents Leadership Council, and Kenneth Elmore, dean of students, answer parents’ questions at the Los Angeles reception.

Orange County Parents Reception

Photos from the Parents Program reception held in Orange County, California, on Sunday, March 25, 2012.

Photos courtesy of Daryl DeLuca

Reception host Ilham Hamamji (center), mother of Peter (CAS’14), welcomes Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore and Parents Leadership Council Chairman Jeanne Knox to her Orange County home.

From left: Mike Donenfeld, father of Brent (SMG’14) and Troy (CGS’13, BU’15); Jeanne Knox, chairman of the Parents Leadership Council; event hosts Ilham and Sami Hamamji, parents of Peter (CAS’14); Kenneth Elmore, dean of students; and Dan Solworth, assistant to the dean of students, enjoy the Orange County reception.

Anna Seftel, mother of Briana (CGS’12, BU'14), chats with Suzie Reinhardt, mother of Jordan (COM’15).

Assistant Dean of Students Daryl DeLuca (in the red tie), greets the Donenfelds, parents of Brent (SMG’14) and Troy (CGS’13, BU’15).

Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore speaks with reception guests.

What’s Hot, What’s Not

March 6th, 2012 in Departments - Spring 2012, Spring 2012 0 comments

Compiled by Holly Barber (COM'12)

Tagged student trends, What’s Hot, What’s Not

A Letter from the Chairman of the Parents Leadership Council

March 6th, 2012 in Departments - Spring 2012, Spring 2012 0 comments

Dear Fellow Parents,

It’s hard to believe that the spring semester is almost over when so many of us are still waiting for winter to arrive. I have recently returned from a trip to the West Coast with the dean of students. We attended receptions for BU parents in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Francisco. The enthusiasm for and interest in Boston University was inspiring. I hope you share in this excitement, as parents are important members of the BU community.

Now that I am back on the East Coast, I am focused on Commencement Weekend (May 18–20, 2012), as I am again experiencing the incredible joy of being the parent of a graduate. This is a perfect opportunity to congratulate our graduates and their families, as well as to welcome the Class of 2012 to the BU alumni community of 300,000 and growing. I also want to recognize our Parents Leadership Council (PLC) members who are parents of graduating seniors—and to thank them for all their work on behalf of the University.

This summer, I’ll devote much of my time, with fellow PLC members, to summer Orientation. We are eager to welcome the parents and students of the Class of 2016 (the most competitive class in BU’s history) to the BU family.

In this issue of Parent, you’ll learn about summer leadership opportunities on campus; you’ll meet our new provost, Jean Morrison; you’ll be impressed by our outstanding student athletes; and so much more. As you read, please feel free to share your thoughts with us.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful summer break.

Best wishes,

Jeanne Knox
Chairman, Parents Leadership Council
Mother of Merrill (COM’06) and Bobby (CGS’08, SAR’10, SPH’12)

2011–2012 Parents Leadership Council

Tagged Jeanne Knox, Parents Leadership Council, Parents Program

Did You Know?

February 22nd, 2012 in Departments - Spring 2012, Spring 2012 0 comments

Photo by Kalman Zabarsky

BU Offers Free Nutrition Counseling

College is a transitional time when students begin to establish many lifelong habits, and the nutritionists at BU’s Sargent Choice Nutrition Center believe healthy eating habits should be among them. To that end, the center offers every BU student a free one-on-one nutrition counseling session. Students who are at nutritional risk for any reason are eligible for further sessions. To schedule an appointment, students can fill out the center’s online request form or call 617-353-2721.

The Sargent Choice Nutrition Center is staffed by five full-time registered dietitians who provide a variety of services to BU students, including group discussions for students with similar nutrition interests and needs; one-credit nutrition classes, such as Healthy Cooking on a Budget; and the Sargent Choice Healthy Dining Program, a collaboration with BU Dining Services to promote healthy food options on campus.

Watch a video of Sargent Choice Nutrition Center Director Stacey Zawacki offering grocery-shopping tips to novice cooks and first-time apartment dwellers:

Tagged dietician, nutrition, nutrition counseling, Sargent Choice, Sargent Choice Nutrition Center, Stacey Zawacki

The Center of Catholic Life at BU

February 21st, 2012 in Departments - Spring 2012, Spring 2012 0 comments

Spirit nights and spaghetti suppers help foster one of the campus’s largest faith communities.

By Daniel McCarthy (COM’13)
Photos by Kalman Zabarsky

Just a short walk from Marsh Plaza, squeezed between the Hillel House and the German House on historic Bay State Road, is Boston University’s Catholic Center. The four-story brownstone, owned by the Archdiocese of Boston, welcomes BU’s Roman Catholic students to meet their peers outside the classroom and grow in their faith.

“Looking back on my four years at Boston University, I don’t think I would be the person I am today without the Catholic Center,” says Amy Ashur (ENG’12), a member of the center’s undergraduate student executive board.

Ashur got involved with the Catholic Center her freshman year after being greeted by the center’s student leaders at Splash, the University’s annual fall showcase of student clubs and organizations. She was immediately welcomed into the community and has been a regular member ever since.

“It’s just amazing to know that even if you’re in this huge university, there are people who want to help you out and want to get to know you,” she says.

Terence Galasso (ENG’13) enjoys cooking for the Catholic Center’s Tuesday-night spaghetti supper.

While the three Sunday Catholic Masses in Marsh Chapel may be the most obvious expression of Catholicism at BU, the Catholic Center—one of several religious centers at the University—provides a constant presence on campus for the roughly 40 percent of BU’s undergraduates who consider themselves Catholic.

Whether through Tuesday-night spaghetti suppers, which bring 100 to 200 students into the Catholic Center’s basement each week to enjoy student-cooked spaghetti, or daily Mass in its third-floor chapel, the center looks to provide students with a place to work, study, and grow in faith.

“Its role is first and foremost sacramental ministry,” says Father John McLaughlin, head of the center’s pastoral board, “to help educate and direct students to understand Catholic faith in and outside of the University.”

Father John McLaughlin chats with students during dinner.

A major component of the center’s mission is student-organized annual retreats to Maine, Cape Cod, and other New England destinations. At different points during the year, the Catholic Center invites students to leave campus and draw closer to God, outside of the city with their peers.

The center also holds weekly “Spirit Nite Live” meetings, which take place each Tuesday after the spaghetti supper. Students gather to sing, pray, and talk about being Catholic at BU, discussing such issues as the sacraments, what exactly a saint is, the rules for living as a Catholic in college, and what it means to be pro-life on campus.

While the center is mostly student-run, McLaughlin is always on campus, giving students an opportunity to interact with and talk to a member of the Archdiocese of Boston.

“He’s incredible,” Ashur says. “He definitely puts in a lot more than eight hours a day.”

“I love that age group,” says McLaughlin. “It’s an age when everyone is full of hope and lots of dreams. I love the interactions with young adults.”

Brother Sam Gunn, another member of the pastoral staff, runs a program called “What Catholics Believe,” which provides students seeking to become Catholic the opportunity to experience the sacraments and officially join the church during the Easter Vigil at Marsh Chapel.

Among the other attractions in the Catholic Center that enable students to mingle and bond together are study rooms, a kitchen, and a large-screen TV in the basement—a recent addition that has drawn students there to watch Celtics and Bruins games. Thanks to such amenities, says McLaughlin, the brownstone is full of as many as 200 students at any point during the day.

“It all makes a difference,” Ashur says. “How great it is to have other people who care about you and a community that is welcoming through faith.” ■

Tagged Amy Ashur, Brother Sam Gunn, Catholic, Catholic Center, Daniel McCarthy, Faith, Father John McLaughlin, Religion, Roman Catholic, Student Life

The “Ultimate” Club Sport

February 21st, 2012 in Departments - Spring 2012, Spring 2012 1 comment

BU’s Lady Pilots build camaraderie by tossing Frisbees.

By Kendall Salter (COM’13)
Photos by Cydney Scott

The sport of Ultimate is a conglomeration of unusual influences. It combines a childhood toy with collegiate camaraderie, features strategies drawn from soccer and football, and is a free-flowing, fast-paced contest requiring creativity and quick thinking.

For members of the Boston University women’s Ultimate team, the sport is as much a part of the college experience as dorm food and all-nighters. To them, Ultimate is an outlet for exercise and competition. The sport also offers BU students a great way to get involved, become part of a team, and meet new friends.

“The sport is really, really fun. It is easy to learn,” says Rose O’Connell-Marion (CAS’14), fresh off a three-hour practice at Nickerson Field. “It’s different from any other sport.”

O’Connell-Marion is one member of the Lady Pilots—the women’s team’s official nickname—who discovered the sport in high school and carried her interest into her first year at BU. Like many students, O’Connell-Marion was looking for a way to meet people, but also wanted to continue playing the sport she had grown to love. BU’s Ultimate team was the perfect fit.

“I had no plans to just stop playing. It’s a constant in my life,” says O’Connell-Marion, who adds that one of her favorite aspects of the sport is the people she gets to meet. “It is a really strong community. It was one of my main resources for making friends.”

Ultimate, which is no longer referred to as Ultimate Frisbee because “Frisbee” is a registered trademark, is especially popular on college campuses. Many students are drawn to the quick pace of the game, the competition, and the teamwork necessary to succeed. The rules are also easy to pick up, a factor that makes it an especially attractive option for newcomers.

Mackenzie Fazekas (SAR’08) played Ultimate for five years at Boston University before eventually taking over as head coach of the women’s team. She says that many young women are drawn in by the welcoming spirit fostered by the players and join the team without ever having played Ultimate.

“There are no cuts. It’s a really fun group,” Fazekas says. “People are happy to be playing, happy to be running around. If you are looking for something new to try, this is a great thing.”

Fazekas remembers her own playing days at BU fondly. “We lived and died by our Ultimate team. That’s where I developed my strongest friendships. It was a big part of my life.”

O’Connell-Marion also encourages other students to try out, especially if they are new to the University or searching for a new group of friends. “We’re always joking around,” she laughs, before adding a little sheepishly, “even if it is a serious practice.”

For club president Tracy Snyder (CAS’12), Ultimate provided a chance to continue an athletic career that otherwise may have ended after high school. Snyder, like many Ultimate players, was an active participant in high school sports, but didn’t plan on playing at the varsity level in college. She says that Ultimate was the perfect transition.

“I really like playing sports. It’s always great just to be on a team,” Snyder says. “I heard about the team here so I just decided to show up and see what it would be like.”

She has been a member ever since.

There are other benefits to being part of the Ultimate scene at Boston University. Road trips, tournaments, dinners, and other activities help the team bond, forging relationships that last throughout college and beyond. (Team members recently spent spring break together at the annual High Tide Ultimate Tournament in Brunswick, Georgia, and have traveled to regional tournaments in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.) But the sport also emphasizes the importance of individual traits like accountability and honesty. Ultimate is self-officiated, meaning that each player is expected to call her own fouls. This unusual stipulation is a point of pride among Ultimate participants, and a reflection of the game’s high standard of sportsmanship.

“I think the big thing to focus on is really that spirit of the game, the values that the sport teaches,” Fazekas says. “Generally speaking, people are honest, people are good sports; it’s a great environment to learn in.”

The Lady Pilots’ season—along with that of the men’s team, the Ozone Pilots—begins in earnest in the spring, but the team plays year-round, regardless of the weather. That, too, is part of what makes Ultimate so fun.

“We practice all through the semester unless the field is absolutely covered in ice,” says O’Connell-Marion. Ice and snow make running more difficult, she says, but she and her teammates take pride in their determination to keep on playing. ■

Tagged club sports, Kendall Salter, Lady Pilots, Mackenzie Fazekas, Ozone Pilots, Rose O’Connell-Marion, Student Life, Tracy Snyder, ultimate, ultimate frisbee

20 Questions with Ali Lifton (CGS’12, COM’14)

February 17th, 2012 in Departments - Spring 2012, Spring 2012 0 comments

A busy sophomore, Alexandra (Ali) Lifton serves as the College of General Studies Student Union representative and recently joined the Sigma Kappa sorority. The Long Island native spoke with Parent about Greek life at BU, the joys of living in Boston, and more.

Photo courtesy of Ali Lifton (right); also pictured, Kara Niland (CGS'12, COM'14)

1. Why did you choose to come to BU?

I’m interested in advertising and had heard how wonderful the College of Communication is. While I was in high school, I did a two-week summer program at BU called Summer Challenge. I lived in Warren Towers and took classes in visual arts and mass communication, and that helped me realize that Boston was where I wanted to be.

2. What has been your most memorable experience at BU so far?

Venturing out into the city with my friends has led to great memories. Recently I was planning on having lunch with a friend in the dining hall, but instead we decided to get on the T, and we ended up at the New England Aquarium. Only in Boston can you be that spontaneous. I also have great memories of hockey games and of learning how friendly and accessible the Dean of Students Office is.

3. What are your responsibilities as the College of General Studies representative for Student Union?

I vote on issues being discussed at senate meetings. I’m also required to join one of three committees: Event Planning, Outreach, and Advocacy. Last year I was part of Advocacy and Outreach. This year I only joined Outreach, which does a lot of surveying to see what people want and what they think of certain issues. I’m also required to cover office hours every week in the Student Union office.

4. What have you gained from your Student Union involvement?

It’s helped me make a lot of connections and expand my network. Being in CGS, most of my classes are with the same people, and in Student Union I get to meet people from every BU school.

5. Why did you decide to join a sorority?

Greek life gives you a community. You see familiar faces on campus, and people stop and say hi. Every night this week, someone has said, “We’re doing dinner—come join us.” You meet people from all around, with different interests, who are excited every time they see you. And everything we do is about helping BU and making a difference.

6. Why Sigma Kappa?

Going through recruitment, you have to meet with every sorority, and it’s a mutual selection process—you eliminate some every day, and they eliminate you. Every day I seemed to like Sigma Kappa. They all just seem like very genuine people. Also, they do philanthropy work for Crohn’s disease, and last year—the first week of school—I found out I have Crohn’s, so that’s something I can relate to.

7. Does BU have a strong Greek community?

It’s strong for the people who are involved in it. Recently some fraternity members’ house burned down, and everyone in the Greek community pulled together to help them. My sorority decided we should help out with fundraisers and then made it a Greek-wide event.

8. How large is BU’s Greek community?

It’s getting larger. More than 600 girls went through sorority recruitment this year, which is up from not quite 500 last year.

9. If you had to join another student organization on campus, what would it be?

AdClub. I’ve always wanted to be a member, but it usually conflicts with my student government meetings.

10. Where is your favorite spot on campus?

I love hanging out at the BU Beach. When it gets warm out, it’s nice to be able to relax in an area that doesn’t feel as city-like. The Charles is also beautiful to look at.

11. In your opinion, where is the best place to live on campus?

I live in Student Village 2. It is the most amazing place to live, and I couldn’t ask for anything nicer.

12. What advice do you have for parents of college students?

Let your child be their own person. If they say they want to be an artist and you want them to be a lawyer, let them explore their options and their goals.

13. If you could give your freshman self a word of advice, what would it be?

Things get better. Don’t assume that your freshman year will define the rest of your college experience.

14. What do you hope to gain from completing your CGS Capstone this semester?

I’m hoping to get a better understanding of working in a group. I want to be in advertising, which will require a lot of teamwork.

15. Have you had any internships? If so, where?

Last summer I interned for Likeable Media. The CEO of the company, Dave Kerpen (SED’98, CAS’98), recently moved into my hometown. It was a great experience.

16. What’s your dream job?

I really want to be in the creative aspect of advertising, maybe doing graphic design.

17. What are your plans after college?

After college, I’m hoping to either get a job or go to graduate school for graphic design.

18. Where are your favorite places in Boston?

Newbury Street and the Boston Common.

19. If you didn’t live in Boston, where would you live?

Probably New York City. I have come to love living in a city.

20. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Australia. I’ve just always wanted to go there. It might actually go back to when I was little and watching Mary-Kate and Ashley movies!

Tagged Alexandra Lifton, Ali Lifton, Sigma Kappa, Sorority, Student Union