When a magazine editor turns to a blank page to plan the next issue, story ideas are whirling around calling for attention, touting their value to readers, competing with one another to land a spot. They come from everywhere—a writer’s story pitch, a press release, a conversation in the hallway, a breaking news report on an alum’s achievement, a scholarly accomplishment—and those are only a few of the sources.
Fortunately, because of the community that is Boston College Law School—its students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and the general population of readers—there is no shortage, and likely never will be, of compelling stories to tell. And while they all have some connection to BC Law, many of the articles speak to the human condition, doing good in the world, and law’s role in protecting truth and freedom, which are matters with universal resonance.
The Summer 2024 edition of BC Law Magazine brims with proof.
Inspired by the dynamic and informative new website “Black History at BC Law,” which launched in April, the magazine adapted the site’s audio and visual content into a narrative for these pages, providing a complementary touchstone in the Black community’s expanding archive. The insights are manifold.
A second tale that won this issue’s lottery is “Eyes Wide Open.” It is an anecdotally-driven article about—essentially—the unexpected. When students participate in clinics, externships, summer jobs, and other experiential learning opportunities, they often make transformative discoveries about 1) who they are, and 2) the type of law they thought they wanted to practice. The magazine calls them “aha!” moments.
It’s hard not to take a deep breath of astonishment when learning that Professor Aziz Rana’s 827-page The Constitutional Bind, which explains and calls for needed reforms to the United States Constitution to preserve democracy, is being called a “masterpiece” by eminent historians. Just reading about the new book provides feelings of hope in troubled times and an intellectual kick that could make change happen.
And then, among the dozens of other articles large and small, there is the profile of Rebecca Feldman ’97, a feisty little girl who grew up to have a long career in public service and recently founded the nonprofit Strong Girls United Women in Sierra Leone. Its mission is to provide employment and health education. It was just like her to do that. Read why.
Vicki Sanders, Editor
vicki.sanders@bc.edu