Monday Morning Update

February 01, 2010

Black History: Before the racial integration of the NBA began in 1950, there was the Black Fives Era in which dozens of African-American basketball teams excelled. On February 4th, the Intercultural Affairs Office and Skyhawk basketball teams will host a presentation on the pioneers of African-American basketball at 7:00 p.m. in the Martin Institute. This Black History month event will feature Claude Johnson, the founder of Black Fives Inc, which promotes and preserves the history of that era. To learn more, visit here.

Hip to be Zen: Many people imagine Zen - a strand of Buddhism - as a loose collection of poets and hermits free from conventional morality. These popular perceptions notwithstanding, history presents a different picture, as a new book Imperial Way Zen by Professor of Religious Studies Christopher Ives explains. Ives explores the contributions of Zen Buddhist leaders to the rise of Japanese imperialism in the first half of the 20th century. To read a Stonehill Alumni Magazine interview with Ives, visit here.

Miraculous Recovery: Given the tough reality of the court and prison systems where he works, Jack Sullivan '61 hardly seems like someone who would put his faith in miracles. Yet, Sullivan did just that and now the Catholic Church has declared that his healing from a debilitating back condition is an official miracle. A history major and a self-taught artist, he is active in prison ministry and is a serving deacon. To learn more about Sullivan's faith and his experience with the power of prayer, visit here.

Constitutional Matters: Alumnus Theodore Riordan '87 has been recognized as one of the Lawyers of the Year for 2009 by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. When a judge ordered a convicted child rapist, who had violated his probation, to submit to GPS monitoring, Riordan took the case on appeal. He argued successfully that the Commonwealth was subjecting his client to a law passed 13 years after his crime and that the Constitution prohibits retroactive punishment. "Just as John Adams had to take on unpopular clients, the role of the lawyer is to take any client who has legal needs. The particular context in which constitutional issues come up -- whether it's a sex case, an assault and battery or an OUI doesn't really matter," he explained. For a profile of Riordan and the case, visit here.

Visiting Fellow: All this week, Kate O'Neil, an expert on business ethics, entrepreneurship, risk management and leadership, will be in residence on campus as the College's third annual Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow. The President and CEO of Liberty Street Advisors in Riverside, Connecticut, O'Neil will be sharing her business expertise with students and faculty as she visits classes and speaks with small groups. Today, in the Martin Institute at 4 p.m., O'Neil will present a public lecture on international business and global markets. All are welcome. For more, visit here.

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