‘Holy Cross show documents Italian nativity art’

“Piazza San Pietro” by Margot Balboni.

“Piazza San Pietro” by Margot Balboni.

On the front page of the arts section, the Boston Globe reviewed the College of the Holy Cross’s Cantor Art Gallery exhibit “The Italian Presepe: Cultural Landscapes of the Soul,” calling it a “rare art exhibition that small children might take as much pleasure in as the adults who bring them.” The show runs through Dec. 17.

The exhibit showcases a collaborative project by Margot Balboni, an independent curator and photographer, and Sarah Stanbury, a medievalist and the Monsignor Murray professor in the arts and humanities in the English department, on an important form of Italian installation art: the nativity scene, or the “presepe.”

The Boston Globe says it is “unusual because of its subject matter and the imaginatively varied way the exhibition gets at it.”

The exhibit includes more than 50 of Balboni’s photographs of nativity scenes from the 13-century to today, along with photographs of artists at work in contemporary workshops in Rome, Naples, and Puglia, three regions where the presepe has developed distinct regional styles. Each presepe, a miniature “cabinet of memory,” is a palimpsest of Italian art and culture.

Balboni writes on the presepes, “The story is always the same, but the personal act of making a presepe continuously reenergizes the story.”

 

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Jacqueline Smith ’15.

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‘Two Holy Cross alumni are on the Frontlines of the Ebola Virus’

Anthony Fauci '62

Anthony Fauci ’62

Anthony Fauci ’62, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been the go-to expert for many national news outlets since the Ebola virus outbreak started. Just this week, he warned against “draconian” requirements for health care workers returning from West Africa.  “I don’t want to be directly criticizing the decision that was made but we have to be careful that there aren’t unintended consequences,” Fauci told NBC News about the 21-day mandatory quarantines instituted at airports in New York and New Jersey. He also told ABC News he would not have supported the quarantine had he been consulted about the decision.

On Tuesday, Jim Collins ’87 told the Boston Herald, he developed a prototype Ebola test that could detect the virus in 30 minutes and cost less than $1 to reproduce. A professor of biomedical engineering at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Collins said he and his team created the test in 12 hours, using just $20 of materials. “We’re keen to see if we can move the technology out into the field to address the (Ebola) crisis,” Collins said.

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This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Cristal Steuer.

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Unity Week Events to Celebrate Diversity and Inclusion at Holy Cross

Unity-Week_Newsroom

The Student Government Association, in partnership with the Diversity Leadership Team and various academic departments, offices and student organizations, have planned various discussions, film screenings, workshops and multicultural festivals around topics related to diversity and inclusion. The events, which run from Nov. 9 to 16, are part of the 14th annual Unity Week celebration.

The events celebrate the diverse interests, talents and views of students, faculty and staff. The Unity Week planning committee says, “This is our chance to celebrate who we are: our race, gender, sexual orientation, religion and background. This is our chance to be proud of who we are; our chance to educate ourselves on who we are not.”

Unity Week means a lot to Chris Campbell ’15, the director of diversity for the SGA and member of the Diversity Leadership Team, because “it allows us to learn from those whose experiences, beliefs and perspectives are different from our own.” Tom Cadigan ’02, associate director of Alumni Relations and a fellow member of the Diversity Leadership Team, agrees. Diversity and inclusion “are woven into the fabric of our mission statement,” he says. “It’s a shared responsibility of the entire campus community. Unity Week is a terrific reminder of that responsibility.”

Sunday, Nov. 9

4:30 p.m. | Mary Chapel
Inter-Denominational Service dedicated to Unity Week
All members of the campus community are invited to come together in worship as we kickoff Unity Week.

6 p.m. | Hogan 402/03
SGA Dinner Series: ReSSpect Training – Rethinking the Sexuality Spectrum
Sponsored by the SGA and PRIDE

7 p.m. | Mary Chapel
Mass dedicated to Unity Week
All members of the campus community are invited to come together in worship as we kick off Unity Week.

Monday, Nov. 10

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Hogan 1 Lobby
Faces of the Hill: Photography Project
Join us in helping to build a visual library of our community. Have your portrait taken — individually or in small groups. All community members are invited to answer the question, “How do you define yourself?” which will be incorporated into your portrait.
Sponsored by the Office of College Marketing and Communications, Diversity Leadership Team, and Office of Multicultural Education

12:30 p.m. | Hogan 406
“Campus Conversation” with the Diversity Leadership Team (brown bag lunch)
The campus community is invited to a “meet and greet” with this year’s Diversity Leadership Team, chat about diversity and inclusion and ask questions. Drinks and dessert will be provided.
Sponsored by the Diversity Leadership Team

4 p.m. | Rehm Library
Adjudicating Sexual Assault on Campus
This fishbowl-style discussion will focus on the national debate over the pros and cons of whether college campuses, as opposed to law enforcement authorities, are the best venue for adjudicating sexual assault cases.
Sponsored by the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture and Women’s and Gender Studies

5 p.m. | Hogan 402
Intercultural Relationship Panel Discussion
This discussion will educate the Holy Cross community about the complexities, difficulties and beauty of intercultural relationships.
Sponsored by Caribbean African Student Assemblage and PRIDE

6 p.m. | Seelos Theatre
“The Story of Junius Wilson: Exploring the Intersections of Race, Gender, Class and Deafness”
Talk by Susan Burch, Ph.D., associate professor of American Studies at Middlebury College
Junius Wilson spent decades at a state mental hospital in North Carolina, including time in the criminal ward. He had never been declared insane by a medical professional or found guilty of any criminal charge. He was deaf and black, however, in the Jim Crow South. Learn about his story.
Sponsored by American Sign Language and Deaf Studies

7 p.m. | Healy Hall Kitchen
Cooking con Sabor
Join us for conversation and some tasty Latin dishes.
Sponsored by Latin American Student Organization (LASO) and the SGA

Tuesday, Nov. 11

3:30 p.m. | Levis Browsing Room (Dinand Library)
Outfront SafeZone Ally Training
Want to learn how to be a GLBTQ ally? Been through a training before, but want to brush up? Want to get a sticker to post on your office or room door? Come support your GLBTQ-identified community members!
Sponsored by Outfront: A Holy Cross GLBTQ Faculty and Staff Alliance

7 p.m. | Hogan Ballroom
“The Importance of Unity & Community Understanding When It Comes to Diversity”
Talk by Hill Harper, actor and best-selling author
Come listen to firsthand advice on how our generation can be change makers for the good of society.
Sponsored by the Student Government Association

7 p.m. | Stein 118C
“1912: Breaking the Silence” Film Screening
Learn about the history of Cuba’s Partido Independiente de Color. Founded in 1908 by Afro-Cuban veterans of Cuba’s war for independence, the PIC was the second black-led party in the Americas.
Sponsored by Latin American and Latino Studies
NOTE: Cuban film director Gloria Rolando will be on campus Thursday, Nov. 20 to talk about her film “1912: Breaking the Silence.” Her presentation will be held that afternoon at 4 p.m. in Seelos Theatre.

9 p.m. – 12 a.m. | Crossroads Pub
Pub Night: “Unity at the Pub”
Come celebrate Unity Week at the Pub. Students will have a chance to win $50 gift cards to the Holy Cross Bookstore, InHouse Coffee, and Chipotle.
Sponsored by the SGA, Autism Awareness and the Office of Student Involvement

Wednesday, Nov. 12

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Hogan 1 Lobby
Faces of the Hill: Photography Project
Join us in helping to build a visual library of our community. Have your portrait taken — individually or in small groups. All community members are invited to answer the question, “How do you define yourself?,” which will be incorporated into your portrait.
Sponsored by the Office of College Marketing and Communications, Diversity Leadership Team, and Office of Multicultural Education

12 p.m. | Loyola Ballroom
“Lunch and Learn” Workshop on Gender Inequality
Take a lunch break during the day to connect with fellow campus members and learn about an important topic. Students, faculty and staff are welcome!
Sponsored by the Office of Advancement, the Office of Multicultural Education, and the Diversity Leadership Team

3 p.m. | Seelos Theater
“Black Nativity” Film Screening
All are invited to watch this 2013 American musical drama based on Langston Hughes’ play of the same name.
Sponsored by the Seelos Film Series

7 p.m. | Hogan 402/03
“Building Solidarity on Campus” Dialogue Discussion
All members of the campus community are invited to participate in this important discussion.
Sponsored by the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Multicultural Peer Educators

8 p.m. | Seelos Theatre
“Black Nativity” Film Screening
All are invited to watch this 2013 American musical drama based on Langston Hughes’ play of the same name.
Sponsored by the Seelos Film Series

Thursday, Nov. 13

3 – 5 p.m. | Campion House
Food Sampling from Various Faith Traditions
Members of the campus community are cordially invited to a sampling of foods from various faith traditions. All are welcome!
Sponsored by the Office of the College Chaplains and the Inter-Faith Council

3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Hogan 402/03
An Exercise: “Unconscious Bias in the Workplace”
End your workday with a meaningful exercise on this very important topic. Join us for wine and cheese — first come, first served! Limited to 25 participants.
Sponsored by the Office of Human Resources

4 – 5 p.m. | Campion House
Torah Study with Rabbi Norman Cohen ’72
All are welcome to this special gathering.
Sponsored by the Office of the College Chaplains

5 – 6 p.m. | Hogan 304-305
The Evolution of Korean Pop (K-Pop)
Sponsored by Advocating Students’ Interest in Asia (ASIA)

6:30 p.m. | Hogan 409
Reflection Session: “Where Can We Go From Here? Living a Life of Service & Justice”
College students today feel an immense pressure to choose a major and, ultimately, a career path. Vocational discernment can be particularly challenging for students who feel called to a counter-cultural career path of community engagement. This session will help you to explore questions such as: Is it necessary to choose between work that is meaningful and work that pays well? How can I best use my unique talents and gifts to serve the common good of society?
Sponsored by the Donelan Office of Community-Based Learning

7 p.m. | Stein 118C
“1912: Breaking the Silence” Film Screening
Learn about the history of Cuba’s Partido Independiente de Color (PIC). Founded in 1908 by Afro-Cuban veterans of Cuba’s war for independence, the PIC was the second black-led party in the Americas.
Sponsored by Latin American and Latino Studies

8 p.m. | Fenwick Theatre
“Cloud Nine” Theater Production
In this wildly inventive postmodern comedy, playwright Caryl Churchill tackles the topics of gender, sexuality and colonialism.
Sponsored by Fenwick Theatre

10 p.m. – 12 a.m. | Easy Street
Cupcakes for a Cause
Celebrate the kickoff of the Holy Cross Dance Marathon fundraising effort.
Sponsored by the Holy Cross Dance Marathon and the Student Government Association

Friday, Nov. 14

7 p.m. | Seelos Theatre
“Cesar Chavez” Film Screening
All are invited to watch this 2014 drama/biography film directed by Diego Luna about the life of American labor leader César Chávez, who cofounded the United Farm Workers.
Sponsored by the Seelos Film Series

8 p.m. | Fenwick Theatre
“Cloud Nine” Theater Production
In this wildly inventive postmodern comedy, playwright Caryl Churchill tackles the topics of gender, sexuality and colonialism.
Sponsored by Fenwick Theatre

10 p.m. | Hogan Ballroom
Comedian John Early
All are invited to this hilarious show featuring comedian, actor and filmmaker, John Early.
Sponsored by the Campus Activities Board (CAB)

Saturday, Nov. 15

7 p.m. | Seelos Theatre
“Cesar Chavez” Film Screening
All are invited to watch this 2014 drama/biography film directed by Diego Luna about the life of American labor leader César Chávez, who cofounded the United Farm Workers.
Sponsored by the Seelos Film Series

7 p.m. | Loyola Ballroom
Diwali
All members of the campus community are invited to participate in this Indian celebration that commemorates the New Year. Join us for music, food and dancing!
Sponsored by Developing and Educating South-Asian Ideologies (DESI)

8 p.m. | Fenwick Theatre
“Cloud Nine” Theater Production
In this wildly inventive postmodern comedy, playwright Caryl Churchill tackles the topics of gender, sexuality and colonialism.
Sponsored by Fenwick Theatre

Sunday, Nov. 16

6 p.m. | Loyola Ballroom
Head-To-Toe Expo
Student models will walk the runway showcasing body art, clothing, and costumes that are representative of the African and Caribbean cultures. The body art will be painted by the Student Art Society. This event will bring cultural awareness to the variety of hair textures and styles that are represented throughout the world. It will also add insight into the symbolism of the body in other countries.
Sponsored by Caribbean African Student Assemblage (CASA)

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Holy Cross Athletic Teams Lead Nation In Graduation Success Rate

Holy Cross’ athletic teams are tied for first in the nation with an overall graduation rate of 99 percent, according to the Graduation Success Rate Report, which has been released by the NCAA. Holy Cross’ overall Graduation Success Rate of 99 percent for all student-athletes was matched by only two other schools in all of Division I: Dartmouth and Notre Dame.

The data used to calculate the Graduation Success Rate is from the four-class aggregate of entering classes from 2004 through 2007, for which the NCAA has compiled sport-by-sport figures.

Read the entire story on GoHolyCross.com RS66588_MBB

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Professional New York Laptop Ensemble Sideband to Perform at Holy Cross

members of the group sidebend The Sideband Laptop Ensemble will perform at the College of the Holy Cross on Sunday, Nov. 2 at 3 p.m. in Brooks Concert Hall. Sideband is a professional laptop ensemble based in New York created by former members of PLOrk, the Princeton Laptop Ensemble, which was the first group of its kind in the United States. Using specially designed, custom made hemispherical speakers and a fleet of laptops, Sideband turns each member of its ensemble into an island of sound, returning a sense of acoustics and space to the normally flat world of electronic music. Ranging from solos and duos to sextets and beyond, Sideband is an evolving project that inspires composers, performers and audience members to reevaluate the role of computers in music. This event is co-sponsored by Arts Transcending Borders and the music department.

This new medium of music is also thriving within the Holy Cross campus. Opening for Sideband will be Holy Cross’ own H-CLEf (Holy Cross Laptop Ensemble). H-CLEf which is comprised of 10 students is the brain child of Chris Arrell, assistant professor of music at the College. H-CLEf is the creative application of a new course he designed at the College titled Composing with Computers. “The class is interested in solving the problem of how laptops can be used in unconventional ways to create a collaborative chamber music ensemble,” explains Arrell. “Through the use of algorithmic programming languages, sound synthesis, game controllers, and real-time coding, students from a variety of majors combine their interest in music with other fields (computer science, mathematics, acoustics, film) to explore through innovative means the possibilities for music making and live performance that personal computers have only recently made possible.”

The students that take Arrell’s class and are members of H-CLEf have a variety of musical and academic backgrounds but all share similar enthusiasm for this class and the opportunity be a part of H-CLEf.  Michele Doherty ’15, a mathematics major with a physics minor at Holy Cross shares, “I am very interested in applying my background in math and physics to music, something I love. It’s really interesting to be able to work with MAX/MSP to build algorithms that tell our computers how to process and create sound, especially when we program and incorporate our Gametrak controllers to work with the software as well. These controllers manipulate the output sounds by registering our movements which change the input data, rather than us directly changing the input data in the software.”

Anthony Belmonte ’15, a music major and in the premedical program, who has been playing drums since he was young, was asked how the transition from using traditional instruments to this new medium involving technology was unique, Belmonte says, “As a music major I found the transition to this style to be surprisingly fluid. At the end of the day, music is a complex language similar to the one we speak, and the one we use in the course is just another means of expressing creativity and ideas with others. It is all related one way or another and it has been a great experience to delve into this growing world of laptop music.”

Arrell not only teaches this technology but utilized MAX software to compose his own piece titled “Of Three Minds” and was recently awarded the distinguished Ettelson Composer Award for this contribution. Arrell was one of two winners chosen from more than 200 applicants. “Of Three Minds” is a trio scored for vocalist, pianist, and laptop operator who, during a live performance, alters and augments the timbres, rhythms, and notes of the musicians with the aid of an interactive computer application. Arrell has also received a special invitation to perform in November at Alte Schmiede in Vienna, Austria.

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Holy Cross Theatre Department to Perform Postmodern Comedy ‘Cloud 9’

Cloud9Poster-croppedThe department of theatre at the College of the Holy Cross will present their fall production “Cloud 9,” written by Charyl Churchill and directed by Scott Malia, assistant professor of theatre. The performances will be held in Fenwick Theatre, located on the second floor of O’Kane Hall, on Nov. 6-8 and 13-15 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $7 for members of the Holy Cross community and $10 for the general public and can be reserved by calling the box office at 508-793-2496.

“Cloud 9” is a postmodern comedy about identity and imperialism. It follows a family from the Victorian period in British-occupied Africa to the wild and liberated London of the 1970s. Along the way, the play bends rules of time, gender and race as the characters struggle to figure out who they are.

“We have such an amazing and talented cast. This show is pretty out there, but I promise that we’ll all have you laughing the whole time!” says senior Maureen (Mo) O’Meara ’15.

Fellow cast mate Rose Weiss ’18 adds, “As a freshman, I could not imagine a better welcome to Holy Cross than being cast in “Cloud 9.” The theatre department’s support and creativity is unbound, and I am so happy to get to work with such a talented and hysterically funny cast. I can’t wait to share “Cloud 9” with the Holy Cross community.”

The music for “Cloud 9” is by Eric Culver, director of chamber orchestra and concert manager, costume design by Kurt Hultgren, and set and lighting design by B.J. Powell, visiting assistant professor.

The cast features Brian Ott ’16, Rose Weiss ’18, Pat O’Konis ’16, Nicole Williams ’15, Nick Jorgensen ’16, Maureen O’Meara ’15, Sean Mitchell ’17, Chris Little ’17. The ensemble includes Mary Baker ’18, Ali Christovich ’18, Keon Fernandes ’15, Nick Guarracino ’18, Leo Hernandez ’16, Aubrie Kimble ’15, and Emma O’Leary ’18.

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‘Holy Cross students create Working for Worcester’

students paint benchRecent College of the Holy Cross alumnus Jeffery Reppucci ’14,  Colette Houssan ’15 and members of the Working for Worcester team were featured on WCVB-TV for their recent project at the Worcester East Middle School. Reppucci and his team of volunteers were able to revitalize a once unused locker room in disrepair and transform it into a dance studio and recreation area for students.  Reppucci looked to local professionals for their expertise on a project of this scope and then empowered dozens of volunteers to get the job done.  The students at the middle school are thrilled to have a space that they can now practice yoga, dance, and play games.

Working for Worcester also set its sights on an outdoor park to transform in close proximity to the school.  They were able to provide much needed landscaping to the park as well as supply and install recreational play equipment. “Give people 60 rakes, amazing things happen” Reppucci stated.  Colette Houssan ’15 remarked “I’m from Worcester. It made me re-fall in love with my city, and it’s something I’ll never forget.” Since its inception two years ago, Working for Worcester has raised more than $200,00 and deployed 1600 volunteers to complete 37 projects across the City which include: installation of basketball courts, baseball fields, community gardens, and playground spaces throughout the city of Worcester.

Related Information:

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Kelly Ethier.

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‘Holy Cross Professors Take Students on In-Depth Study of Holocaust Sites in Central Europe’

students photographed at Auschwitz
In the October issue of Connections, an online publication of the Associations of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, two College of the Holy Cross professors were  featured for taking students on in-depth study of Holocaust sites in Central Europe.

The six week trip led by Daniel Bitran, professor of psychology, and Thomas Doughton, senior lecturer in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, took eight students to Prague, Czech Republic; Krakow, Lodz and Warsaw, Poland; and Vilnius, Lithuania. Students met daily as a class for a two-hour discussion, which was then followed by or preceded by a visit to a location or a number of locations.

The on-site course exposed students to aspects of Jewish culture before the Holocaust that they knew little or nothing about. Students  learned  of the vital Jewish communities that existed before the war, and of their members’ struggles to survive. “Our intention was to de-emphasize the perpetrators in favor of highlighting the experience s of those who were persecuted. We did not discuss the Nazi regime to any extent, and instead focused on the people who were oppressed,” said Bitran.

The experience for the students was powerful and emotional.  Piotr Broda ’17, an economics and psychology major from Glendale, N.Y, stated “If someone were to ask me to describe the Holocaust in one sentence, I would say that is impossible to do so. The Holocaust differed so much from place to place. Each city and community has its own unique story to add to the complicated puzzle of the Holocaust. Even with Poland, the experience with the Jews differed in Warsaw, Krakow, and Lodz. Now I realize that this course has unearthed more questions than it has answered. We only scratched the tip of the iceberg.”

Read the article in Connections

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Kelly Ethier.

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‘US public schools are better than they’ve ever been’

jack sIn a recent interview published by Vox.com, Jack Schneider, assistant professor of education at the College of the Holy Cross, reputes the idea that the United States public school education is on the decline.  Instead, Schneider says there has never been a better time to be a student in the American school system.

Schneider reasons why people believe in the downfall of education, “The first reason that people think schools are in decline is because they hear it all the time. If you hear something often enough, it becomes received wisdom, even if you can’t identify the source. That rhetoric is coming from a policy machine where savvy policy leaders have figured out that the way that you get momentum is to scare the hell out of people.”

He includes that parents “are more anxious about schools than they have been at any time in American history.”

Now that schools serve far more students, including kids living in poverty, English language learners, and special needs students, they are better than they’ve ever been.  Test scores have also significantly increased over those of forty years ago, says Schneider.

In order to improve the school system Schneider adds, “Let’s just figure out how to build capacity in individual schools. I would really love to hear some reformer say, my really big issue is for every school to figure out what it needs to improve and I want to create a system so that school can get the things it needs in order to improve.”

Click here to read the full interview

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Jacqueline Smith ’15.

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Holy Cross Marks 25th Anniversary of El Salvador Murders With Series of Events

Holy Cross will mark the 25th anniversary of the murder of six Jesuits and their companions in El Salvador with a series of events. In addition, Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president of Holy Cross, will attend the commemorations and ceremonies in El Salvador in mid-November. His trip is in coordination with U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, who helped lead the investigation into the murders 25 years ago.

On Nov. 16, 1989 armed men rushed into the Jesuit residence at the University of Central America in San Salvador and shot six Jesuit priests, the community’s cook and her daughter. The Jesuits were murdered in response to their firm defense of the poor and the oppressed. Their murders were part of a decade-long civil war that provoked outrage around the world.

More than 70,000 died during El Salvador’s civil war in the 1980s and early 1990s, the vast majority of whom were civilians killed by the Salvadoran government’s armed forces and paramilitary death squads.

The assassination of the six Jesuits, and the two women, who were unwavering in their defense of the poor and oppressed, brought international outrage and condemnation upon the Salvadoran government, ultimately pressuring its leaders to end their country’s civil war.

Those killed in the attack were:

  • Rev. Ignacio Ellacuria, S.J., 59, Spanish-born Salvadoran citizen, rector of the Central American University and widely respected leftist intellectual.
  • Rev. Ignacio Martin-Baro, S.J., 50, also a Spanish-born Salvadoran citizen, best known as an analyst of national and regional affairs and as the founder and director of the Public Opinion Institute, a highly regarded polling organization.
  • Rev. Segundo Montes, S.J., 56, a Spanish-born sociology professor who did extensive work with Salvadoran refugees in the United States.
  • Rev. Amando Lopez, S.J., 53, a Spanish-born philosophy professor and Jesuit priest.
  • Rev. Joaquin Lopez y Lopez, S.J., 71, director of a center for humanitarian assistance affiliated with the university, also born in El Salvador.
  • Rev. Juan Ramon Moreno, S.J., 56, director of two university-related programs, born in Spain.
  • Julia Elba Ramos, 42, a cook.
  • Cecilia Ramos, 15, Julia’s daughter.

“The murder of six Jesuits and two lay companions marked a turning point in the brutal civil war that ravaged El Salvador from 1979 until 1992,” said Rev. Paul F. Harman, S.J., vice president for mission at Holy Cross. “Jesuits from around the world immediately volunteered to take the places of the six priests who were assassinated. Over the past 25 years, many students and faculty members from Holy Cross have gone to El Salvador and visited the site where the Jesuits and the two women were murdered. Fr. Boroughs, president of Holy Cross, and presidents from other Jesuit schools in the United States will be part of an official delegation that will go to El Salvador for the anniversary. My hope is that students and faculty on campus will be able to attend one or more of the various commemorative events that have been planned.”

All events are free and open to the public. This information will be updated as events draw closer. The events are sponsored by the Chaplains’ Office, Pax Christi, and the Student Government Association and presented as part of the College Commemoration of the Bicentennial of the Jesuit Restoration, 1814-2014.

Oct. 21
4:30 p.m., Rehm Library
A tireless advocate for peace and justice, Rev. Joe Mulligan, S.J., of Detroit, will give a talk titled “Martyrdom of the Jesuits.” He currently works in Nicaragua with Christian base communities. He is the author of “The Jesuit Martyrs of El Salvador: Celebrating the Anniversaries” (1994) which chronicles the tragic massacre. Fr. Mulligan will discuss the martyrs and their relevance today.

Nov. 12-17
Pax Christi, a chapter of Pax Christi USA, the Catholic peace organization, will be sponsoring a commemorative display of crosses on the Hogan Courtyard.

Nov. 14-18
Holy Cross Pax Christi students and one College chaplain will travel to the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington, D.C. The annual gathering provides an opportunity for members of the Ignatian family (Jesuit institutions and larger church) to come together in the context of social justice and solidarity to learn, reflect, pray, network, and advocate together. The gathering takes place each year in the spirit of the Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador, using their lives and ministry as inspiration for discovering the injustices of today and how we might engage in them.

Students attending are Sloane Burns, of Tucson, Ariz.; James Cannon, of Fairfield, Conn.; Mary Cunningham, of Westford, Mass.; Michael Hanlon, of Paradise Valley, Ariz.; Erin Hillis, of Derby, Conn.; Mackenzie Horl, of Garden City, N.Y.; Risako Iida, of Tokyo; Cindy Nguyen, of Worcester, Mass.; Alessandro Rotella, of Rego Park, N.Y.; Laura Sheedy, of Milford, Conn.; Adam Sykura, of Wethersfield, Conn.; Mary Kate Vanecko, of Chicago; Anthony Yakely, of Hillsborough, N.J.

Nov. 16
7 p.m., St. Joseph Chapel
Rev. James Hayes, S.J., associate chaplain for mission at Holy Cross, and Marty Kelly, associate chaplain and advisor to Student Programs for Urban Development at Holy Cross, will co-preach at the 7 p.m. Mass. Both have traveled to El Salvador. Following Mass, there will be a procession and ritual at the memorial in the Chapel Plaza followed by fellowship with the Latin American Student Organization. The Spanish Choir will sing.

Nov. 17
7 p.m., Rehm Library
Jesuits, faculty members and students will take part in a panel discussion titled “The Jesuit Martyrs and Those Who Paid the Price: Returns on a Jesuit Education.”

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Holy Cross Dining Receives Awards for Catering

Apple Pie TowerCollege of the Holy Cross Dining has received both a bronze award and honorable mention for catering in the NACUFS (National Association of College University Food Services) Loyal E. Horton Awards for the President’s Council dinner and the Slow Food Gala. This is the third year in a row that Holy Cross Dining has been awarded for their work, having previously received a Gold prize for the inauguration dinner in honor of the Colleges’ 32nd president, Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., in 2013 and the Gold and Grand Prize for the construction of the Science Café in 2012. Dining also received a Bronze award for the “Kimball Takeover Program” which won in the Most Innovative Wellness and Nutrition Program category.

For the past seven years the Regional Environmental Council (REC) has partnered with Holy Cross Dining to host their annual Slow Food Gala, a fundraiser benefiting UGROW (Urban Garden Resources of Worcester) and YouthGROW (Youth Growing Organics in Worcester). Founded in 1971, REC is a grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to building strong, healthy communities and improving the quality of life in Worcester. UGROW is a network of more than 60 community and school gardens throughout the city, and, similarly, YouthGROW, is a program that employs 32 low-income urban teenagers and teaches them how to plant, grow and sell organic vegetables.

The Slow Food Gala is both a challenge and an opportunity for Holy Cross Dining to expand their commitment to sustainability and the Worcester community by using locally grown foods. Executive chef Ed Rome and associate director of Dining Services Marty Dudek, worked closely with REC to design a menu that featured only seasonal, locally-grown or organic ingredients. From artisanal cheeses handcrafted in Westport, Massachusetts to greens grown in REC’s UGROW and YouthGROW gardens each ingredient was carefully chosen from sources within 100 miles of Worcester including wine from Hardwick, Massachusetts. The menu encompassed all lifestyle diets including vegan and vegetarian and was prepared family-style to emphasize the social experience and community environment.

Each year, Holy Cross recognizes their most generous and loyal donors by welcoming them back to campus for a black-tie event known as President’s Council Dinner. Since 1967 President’s Council members have contributed more than half of the total dollars given to the College in any year with an astonishing $16.8 million in 2013 alone. The evening is an opportunity to thank alumni, parents and friends for their support and to celebrate all that their generosity makes possible.

With more than 300 supporters of the College returning to campus for the dinner, Holy Cross Dining began planning for the event almost a year in advance. The event featured decorative white and purple lanterns illuminating the trees leading into campus and a seasonal menu highlighting the quintessential fall flavors of New England.

Named for a NACUFS founder, past president and highly regarded innovator, the Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards celebrate exemplary menus, presentations, special event planning, and new dining concepts, and provide an avenue for sharing ideas and creative presentations in campus dining services.

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Grammy-Winning Holy Cross Professor to Give Talk on ‘The Birth of Stereophonic Recording’

Toby Mountain, lecturer and director of studios in the music department, will give a talk titled “The Birth of Stereophonic Recording: How Nazi Germany Perfected and Lost a Revolutionary Audio Recording Technology” on Oct. 30 at 4 p.m. in Rehm Library at the College of the Holy Cross. The event is free and open to the public.

By 1941 the Germans had perfected a recording technology that not only gave them enhanced capabilities for communications and propaganda, but also fundamentally changed the way that music is recorded and produced. That technology was magnetic tape. Strangely enough, their advances were either missed or totally ignored by the Allies until after the war.

Thanks to some mysterious backdoor Cold War diplomacy, we now have hundreds of breathtaking recordings from the World War II period, interpretations of both classical and romantic repertoire from artists of great stature: the conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler, the pianist Walther Gieseking, and great orchestras such as the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Radio and the State Opera. Some of these recordings are the very first experiments in stereo, which give us a window into the future of audio.

This lecture will detail the unique cooperation by three competing German companies from 1935 to 1945 to perfect magnetic recording. Their success not only meant the replacement of the phonograph, but also ushered in a new age of stereophonic recording, editing and postproduction. Original excerpts from the German Broadcasting Archive will be played, examined, and compared. Finally, Mountain will draw some strong conclusions about the effects on the postwar music industry, particularly in America.

Mountain has music degrees from Princeton University (Bachelor of Arts, 1972) and the University of California at Berkeley (Master of Arts, 1978, Ph.D., 1981). He spent several years working at the Stanford University Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) and the MIT Experimental Music Studio. He taught music courses, including Theory and Composition, as an associate professor of music at the University of Connecticut from 1983-85.

In 1985, Mountain founded Northeastern Digital, the first digital mastering facility in New England. His mastering credits include such artists as The Beach Boys, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Richard Thompson, Morphine, Joan Jett, J. Geils, Arlo Guthrie, and Alison Krauss. He has mastered several gold and platinum selling albums and dozens of albums that have been nominated for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’ annual Grammy awards. He is also a member of the Audio Engineering Society, and has published many articles in professional audio journals including Mix and Electronic Musician.

The event is cosponsored by the W. Arthur Garrity Sr. Professorship, the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture; the Center for Interdisciplinary studies; and the economics and accounting department.

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‘The Bottom Line: helping Worcester students obtain collegiate and professional success’

Speed Star 1.1453370  00In a recent article for MassLive, Fredery Munoz ‘15, a senior at the College of the Holy Cross studying accounting and economics with a minor in philosophy, discusses his experience with the organization Bottom Line. Founded in Boston in 1997, the organization focuses on supporting low-income students through the process of applying to college, as well as through their collegiate experience and job searching after completing their degrees. “It was a challenge to start from scratch. It was really an abstract idea, me going to college,” says Munoz in the article.

Working at Bottom Line helped Munoz achieve his goals thus far, and he continues to work with the organization as he searches for a job in the field of accounting after graduation.

This is a “Holy Cross in the News” item by Evangelia Stefanakos.

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Lecture to Address Racial Bias in Context of Catholic Social Teaching

Rev. Bryan MassingaleWORCESTER, Mass. — Rev. Bryan Massingale, author of “Racial Justice and the Catholic Church” (Orbis, 2010), will give a lecture titled “Unconscious Racial Bias and the Challenge of Solidarity: Catholic Social Teaching Post Trayvon Martin (and Michael Brown and…)” at the College of the Holy Cross on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. in the Rehm Library.

Fr. Massingale will be speaking on Catholic social thought in light of the recent shootings of unarmed black men, notably the 2012 shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Fla., and the police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., earlier this year.

Both scholar and activist, Fr. Massingale is a noted authority on issues of social and racial justice. He is a professor of theological ethics at Marquette University. Lauded as a compelling speaker, both critical and uplifting, he has addressed numerous national Catholic conferences and lectured at colleges and universities across the nation. He has served as a consultant to the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops. And he has authored more than 70 articles, book chapters, and book reviews, appearing in scholarly and pastoral journals.

The lecture, presented by the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, is free and open to the public. To learn more about this event and to find lectures online, visit www.holycross.edu/mcfarlandcenter.

About the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J.Center for Religion,
Ethics and Culture:

Established in 2001 and housed in Smith Hall, the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture provides resources for faculty and course development, sponsors conferences and college-wide teaching events, hosts visiting fellows, and coordinates a number of campus lecture series. Rooted in the College’s commitment to invite conversation about basic human questions, the McFarland Center welcomes persons of all faiths and seeks to foster dialogue that acknowledges and respects differences, providing a forum for intellectual exchange that is interreligious, interdisciplinary, intercultural, and international in scope. The McFarland Center also brings members of the Holy Cross community into conversation with the Greater Worcester community, the academic community, and the wider world to examine the role of faith and inquiry in higher education and in the larger culture.

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‘Holy Cross’ Sean Gustin never rests’

Sean-Gustin---Worcester-T&G-croppedThe Worcester Telegram & Gazette profiled College of the Holy Cross student Sean Gustin ’16  as a stand out scholar- athlete who is a member of both the Crusader  hockey team and baseball team. He is the only student –athlete in the country who plays Division 1 hockey and baseball. Gustin , an economics major, makes his studies at Holy Cross a priority by earning academic honors from both the AHA (Atlantic Hockey Association)  and Patriot League.

Last winter, Gustin played 33 games for the hockey team and made 20 relief appearances for the baseball team. His schedule was hectic as baseball started three weeks prior to the end of the hockey season.  “What I’m doing is not easy, but I think I have the right attitude, and I just keep going forward trying to get better each day” said Gustin.

This past summer Gustin continued to thrive in athletics at Fitton Field helping the Worcester Bravehearts win the Futures Collegiate Baseball League championship. His summer with the Bravehearts was a memorable achievement for Gustin as he stated “baseball-wise, the best experience I ever had. ”

Gustin and his fellow Crusaders return to the ice on Friday, Oct. 10, at 7:05 p.m. at the Hart Center and will face Merrimack College. The Crusaders start the season with first-year coach David Berard, who was hired in June to replace Paul Pearl who resigned after 19 seasons. Berard was a former Providence College assistant and the interim head coach at UConn.

Read the entire story on the Telegram & Gazette website

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Kelly Ethier.

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‘Gothic-style clock tower will preserve spirit of original’

Faculty PortraitsIn a recent article, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette spoke with Christopher Dustin, professor of philosophy at the College of the Holy Cross, about the almost completed reconstruction of the Worcester State Hospital Clock Tower that once stood as a part of the Worcester Lunatic Asylum. The clock tower, which was originally built in 1877 and recently torn down, is being rebuilt to stand on its own using the original facing stones. The article discusses how the new structure should be defined—as a restoration, a reproduction, a monument? “A monument is something that marks the spot or takes the place of the something that was there before,” says Dustin. “This isn’t really like that. It was there before, but in a different form.”

Dustin offers, “You take that idea of a clock tower that stood at the center of the building, and you put it back but with nothing around it. It’s taken out of its practical context, which can seem odd, but it also calls attention to that original idea in a new way.”

This is a “Holy Cross in the News” item by Evangelia Stefanakos.

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Renowned Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to Give Annual Hanify-Howland Lecture at Holy Cross

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson

The 49th annual Hanify-Howland Memorial Lecture will be given by American astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium Neil deGrasse Tyson on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. in the ***Hart Recreation Center*** at the College of the Holy Cross. The lecture, which recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in the realm of public service in honor of Edward Hanify, a member of the graduating class of 1904, and Weston Howland, will address challenges facing America today. The talk, titled “Science as a Way of Knowing,” is free and open to the public. Admittance to the event will be on a first-come, first-served basis.  Doors open at 7 p.m.

Tyson is the head of the world-renowned Hayden Planetarium in New York City and the first occupant of its Frederick P. Rose Directorship. In 2001, Tyson was appointed by President Bush to serve on a 12-member commission that studied the Future of the US Aerospace Industry. The final report was published in 2002 and contained recommendations (for Congress and for the major agencies of the government) that would promote a thriving future of transportation, space exploration, and national security.

In 2004, Tyson was once again appointed by President Bush to serve on a 9-member commission on the Implementation of the United States Space Exploration Policy, dubbed the Moon, Mars, and Beyond commission. This group navigated a path by which the new space vision can become a successful part of the American agenda. And in 2006, the head of NASA appointed Tyson to serve on its Advisory Council.

Among Tyson’s 10 books is his memoir “The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist” and “Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution,” co-written with Donald Goldsmith. “Origins” is the companion book to the PBS-NOVA 4-part mini-series “Origins,” in which Tyson served as on-camera host.

Two of Tyson’s recent books are “Death By Black Hole and Other Cosmic Quandaries,” which was a New York Times bestseller, and “The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet, chronicling his experience at the center of the controversy over Pluto’s planetary status. The PBS/NOVA documentary “The Pluto Files,” based on the book, premiered in March 2010.

For five seasons, beginning in the fall of 2006, Tyson appeared as the on-camera host of PBS-NOVA’s spinoff program “NOVA ScienceNOW,” which is an accessible look at the frontier of all the science that shapes the understanding of our place in the universe.

Recently Tyson served as executive editor and on camera host and narrator for “Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey,” the 21st century reboot of Carl Sagan’s landmark television series. The show began in March 2014 and ran 13 episodes in Primetime on the FOX network, and appeared in 181 countries in 45 languages around the world on the National Geographic Channels. “Cosmos,” which is also available in DVD and BluRay , has been nominated for 13 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Documentary.

Tyson earned his B.A. in physics from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in astrophysics from Columbia University.

Since 1965, the Hanify-Howland lecture series has brought to the Holy Cross campus a series of distinguished speakers who have exemplified in their own work the spirit of public service that the series was established to encourage. Past speakers include Retired Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft, USAF; Hon. Clarence Thomas ’71, Supreme Court justice; Ruth Wedgwood, director of the Program in International Law and Organizations at Johns Hopkins University; investigative journalist Bob Woodward; Steven D. Levitt, co-author of the bestselling books “Freakonomics”(Harper, 2009) and “Superfreakonomics” (Harper, 2011); award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien; and most recently Governor Jon Huntsman.

In keeping with the traditional practice of the Hanify-Howland Series, Tyson will conduct a seminar on campus, which will allow students to interact with the speaker in an intimate and intellectually exciting environment.

News coverage

Associated Press, Oct. 6: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to deliver annual Holy Cross lecture
Telegram & Gazette, Oct. 7: Star speaker Neil deGrasse Tyson headed to Holy Cross

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‘Any way the wind blows’

"Goodtime" Marching BandThe Worcester Telegram & Gazette recently featured a photo gallery of the first annual New England Collegiate Marching Band Festival, hosted by the College of the Holy Cross on Sunday, Oct. 5. The festival is a new performance opportunity for collegiate marching bands to come together and perform their fall field productions without the added stressors that accompany a football game or high school competition: its purpose—“ Music for Life’s Sake.” The festival was the third largest gathering of marching bands in the country and featured 2100 performers as well as 1900 spectators.

A local parade band kicked off the festival with the National Anthem, followed by 20 minute performances by each of the participating schools.

The 10 college bands that performed included the Boston College “Screaming Eagles” Marching Band, Boston University Marching Band, Bowie State Symphony of Soul Marching Band, Central Connecticut State University Blue Devil Marching Band, College of the Holy Cross “Goodtime” Marching Band, Marist College Red Fox Marching Band, Sacred Heart University Pioneer Marching Band, University of Connecticut Marching Band, University of Massachusetts Lowell River Hawks Marching Band, University of New Hampshire Wildcat Marching Band, and University of New Haven Chargers Marching Band.

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Jacqueline Smith ’15.

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Blog: Tortorelli ’16 Excited to Study Literature at Oxford University

paigeNAME Paige Tortorelli ’16

HOMETOWN New Fairfield, Conn.  

AREAS OF STUDY English major

WHERE SHE’S STUDYING Mansfield College, University of Oxford in Oxford, England

WHY SHE CHOSE ENGLAND “My decision to study in England stems from a strong desire to immerse myself in a culture that helped shape the works of Shakespeare and Austen. And, after all, who could resist the chance to sip hot tea while tackling Richard III’s monologues in the very country where Shakespeare’s notorious depiction of him was inspired? Aside from literary pursuits, I hope to taste authentic fish and chips, revel in the folly of trying to sound like an Englishman, and of course, like Richard III, ensure my ascension to the English throne.”

WHAT SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Perhaps I am most excited as I reflect on the possibility of scribing my musings under the same tree that Lewis Carroll created Alice in Wonderland’s white rabbit or, could it perhaps be thoughts of spending Friday nights at Mansfield’s discos, affectionately termed ‘bops?’ Then again, it might be the weekly formals at Mansfield which will finally give me the opportunity to resurrect old prom dresses from some dimly lit corner of my closet. What excites me the most about Oxford, however, is the opportunity to immerse myself in the one-on-one tutorials on subjects targeted specifically to my academic interests. Under Oxford’s tutorial system I hope to be presented with new methods of learning that will add a new dimension and a fresh perspective to my future academic path. Consequently, I am willing to risk the premature blindness that may come as a result of the copious amount of reading Oxford’s program entails.”

WHY SHE’S BLOGGING “I’m excited about this unique experience and the blog affords me the ability to chronicle my adventures abroad. I can only hope that students giving consideration to whether or not they want to partake in the study abroad program derive some benefit from it. The words and experiences of bloggers who came before me reaffirmed my desire to study abroad, and it is my fervent hope that I too will in some small measure instill students with that same conviction to travel and study abroad. I also hope that my blog will relieve my parents’ anxieties when I forget to Skype with them or send them pictures and personal notes.”

Read the blog » 

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  • Check out our admissions and photo blogs, along with many of our other online journals at me.holycross.edu
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Instagram: Sweeney ’18 Captures a Jesuit Education in Pictures

RS73706_Maeve_Sweeney_2NAME Maeve Sweeney  ’18

HOMETOWN Scranton, Penn.

STUDIES SHE’S CONSIDERING Accounting major

WHY SHE CHOSE HOLY CROSS  “I’ve always been interested going to school in New England, and I was immediately attracted to the College’s beautiful campus and rigorous academics.”

ACTIVITIES Student Programs for Urban Development (SPUD), floor representative

WHAT SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “I am most looking forward to making friendships that will last a lifetime, getting involved in various activities, and continuing my Jesuit education.”

WHY SHE’S INSTAGRAMMING “I am fascinated with the beauty of New England, specifically Holy Cross’ campus. I hope to capture the memories of my freshman year and make prospective students excited about coming here!”

View Maeve’s Instagram account »

Related Information

  • Check out our admissions and photo blogs, along with many of our other online journals at me.holycross.edu
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