Visiting Scholars Program

Best-selling author, investigative journalist, true-crime writer and Emmy-nominated television producer Casey Sherman examines hope, resilience and courage under fire in some of the most captivating stories of our time — from the greatest small boat rescue in U.S. history to his own personal search for justice in the notorious Boston Strangler case. His book The Finest Hours became the basis for the 2016 major motion picture starring Chris Pine, and his latest book, Boston Strong: A City’s Triumph Over Tragedy, is the basis for the upcoming film Patriots Day, starring Mark Wahlberg. 

 

Sherman is also a contributing writer for Esquire, Huffington Post, Boston Magazine and FOX News, and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work as a television news producer for WBZ-TV. He has appeared on more than 100 television programs, including segments for CNN, FOX News, The Today Show, C-SPAN, Unsolved Mysteries, The History Channel, ABC World News Tonight, The CBS Evening News, Discovery, The Travel Channel and The View.

Sherman was born in Hyannis, Massachusetts, in 1969 and graduated from Fryeberg Academy and Boston University. A gifted storyteller and commanding speaker, he has performed his one-man show Tales of Suspense at venues around the country, including the historic Wilbur Theatre in Boston.

Since his orchestral debut at age 11, pianist Alex McDonald has soloed with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Mexico, the Louisiana Philharmonic, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and the Utah Symphony Orchestra, among others. He has performed across the United States as well as in Israel, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Awards and fellowships include second prize at the 2007 New Orleans International Piano Competition and second prize at the 2001 Gina Bachauer International Young Artist Piano Competition. In 2008, he was named a Harvey Fellow by the Mustard Seed Foundation. In 2013, he was a competitor in the 2014 Van Cliburn Competition. He also served as the guest festival director for the Basically Beethoven Festival in 2016.

Dr. McDonald received his pre-college training under Lois Nielson, his bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory with Academic Honors and Distinction in Performance under Russell Sherman, and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Juilliard under Yoheved Kaplinsky and Julian Martin. 

Teaching in collaboration with his mother Marcy McDonald, their students have won national honors at various competitions and have soloed with the Dallas Symphony, the Dallas Chamber Symphony, the Fort Worth Symphony, among others. Deeply concerned about a healthy integration of life with music, Dr. McDonald  has actively pursued community formation both as an R.A. in the Juilliard residence hall and as president of Juilliard Christian Fellowship.