For Classics Professor, ‘Memory in Vergil’s Aeneid,’ Not a Thing of the Ancient Past

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Andrew Cook '15

Aaron Seider, assistant professor of classics, recently published his first book, “Memory in Vergil’s Aeneid: Creating the Past” (Cambridge University Press). The achievement marks the culmination of an interest for Seider that began while he was still an undergraduate student.

Seider, a member of the classics department since 2010, confesses that he intended to be an English major at his alma mater of Brown University, but took a Latin class his freshman year and fell in love with both the language and Ancient Roman culture. He studied abroad in Rome during his junior year, and jokes that he’s enjoyed remaining in the classics field for the “opportunity it presents for traveling back [to Italy] as much as possible.”

Seider first encountered his book’s source material as a student in an upper-level class at Brown. Years later, it would serve as the topic of his dissertation while pursuing his doctorate at the University of Chicago. That dissertation now forms the skeleton of this new book. Composed during the height of Rome’s turbulent transition period from republic to empire, Vergil’s epic poem stands among the likes of Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey” in terms of its importance to Western literature.

The plot details the trials and tribulations of the Trojan hero Aeneas and his small band of followers as they escape from the destruction of Troy by the Greeks and attempt to establish a new way of life for themselves and their heritage. There are dark tones of loss and guilt in almost every one of the Aeneid’s 12 books; Aeneas and the refugees encounter loss and struggle at every stage of their years-long journey, with the prior destruction of Troy and the Trojan culture hanging over the group like shade for the entire duration.

Seider observes that Aeneas has an early kind of what modern readers would recognize as post-traumatic stress disorder after escaping the destruction of his homeland, and has, “the original survivor’s guilt.” As a warrior of the times, he would have been expected to die along with the rest of his country. Instead, he escaped death and went on to endure, his former life reduced to a pile of ashes behind him. As a focus in the book, Seider asks: How should Aeneas and the remaining Trojans remember the past? How do they move forward from their catastrophe?

“Memories are not Kodak moments,” but are instead, “created from and influenced by current surroundings and circumstances” Seider says. It’s a major victory, then, when the Trojans can turn their nostalgia into an ideal for the new settlement in Italy, founding a civilization that would eventually evolve over the centuries into the superpower that was the Roman Empire.

The timeline for Seider’s achievement was fortunately much shorter. He first contacted his publisher in the summer of 2011, and the book reached shelves in October 2013.

In addition to his students who keep him “actively engaged in the subject material on a day-to-day basis,” Seider says he is deeply grateful to classics department chair Mary Ebbott and Thomas Martin, Jeremiah W. O’Connor Professor of Classics, and his other department colleagues for their acceptance and encouragement in the project.

Related Information:

Posted in Classics, News | Comments Off on For Classics Professor, ‘Memory in Vergil’s Aeneid,’ Not a Thing of the Ancient Past

Following Typhoon, Harry K. Thomas Jr. ’78, Former Ambassador to Philippines, Hopeful About Future

Posted on November 21, 2013 by College of the Holy Cross

Harry K. Thomas Jr. ’78, who recently left his post as U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines to serve as the State Department’s diplomat-in-residence for the Southwest, shared his thoughts on the typhoon that swept across his home of three years in November.

—

Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines November 8. We knew it would arrive. We knew it would be devastating. That said, we were shocked and saddened at the devastation it wrought on the Filipinos and prayed for my fiancée Mithi, her family, and our friends and colleagues in our Embassy. It reminded us of the challenges we faced after Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina but I was heartened because I knew that the American people and the international community would act.

When the typhoon made landfall, President Aquino’s administration was responding to a Muslim-led insurgency in the south and an earthquake in the country’s center that had destroyed many historic churches, including a 400-year-old Jesuit church where we attended Easter Mass. The U.S. was assisting the democratically elected, honest-but-challenged national government respond to these crises and now massive U.S. assistance would be required for a country with inadequate infrastructure and overwhelmed local governments. We employ a “whole of government” approach to assist the Philippines that involves the entire 2,000 person U.S. Embassy, whose staff includes over 1,500 Filipinos and several hundred U.S. Special Forces and Special Operations Forces to provide assistance.

Here’s what happened in the first 24 hours:

  • Charge (Acting Ambassador) Brian Goldbeck called Foreign Secretary Albert Ferreros del Rosario to offer assistance;
  • Goldbeck then issued a disaster declaration to allow for an initial $100,000 donation (currently $37 million) to non-governmental organizations (normally Catholic Relief Services and World Vision);
  • An Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance team visited the typhoon affected areas to prioritize U.S. assistance;
  • The U.S. Pacific Command dispatched Marines stationed in Japan to assist;
  • The Embassy alerted American citizens and sought to verify their safety and security;
  • Peace Corps Volunteers were relocated to safe areas;
  • Social and traditional media were utilized to tell the Filipinos that the U.S. would provide much needed assistance.

We are now working in concert with the Aquino Administration and the international community to provide assistance.

Meanwhile, as the crisis unfolded we saw horrific photos of Tacloban, one of the most severely hit cities. It has a special place in American hearts. It is where MacArthur “returned” in 1945 and began the liberation of the Philippines from Japan, where kids still affectionately call Americans (GI) “Joe” in memory of WWII, and where our Embassy had an outreach program last March highlighting the historic partnership between our two countries. We now know that several thousand people were killed in Tacloban, that schools and hospitals were destroyed and that babies are being born in local Catholic Churches ill equipped to care for them and we recoil at the reports of looting. I, however, ask what would you do if your children were starving and scavenging or looting was the only way you could feed your baby?

It will take years to rebuild cities and I pray that the international community continues to assist the Philippines, one of our treaty allies, one of the few developing nations that is democratic and which now has a reform minded and Jesuit educated president whose uncle (Jose Cojuangco ’55) was the first Filipino to graduate from Holy Cross.

Holy Cross Magazine will be touching base with former Ambassador Thomas as the recovery efforts in the Philippines continue. See his update on the progress of international aid in the Spring 2014 issue. HarryThomas

Related News

Posted in News | 1 Comment

Holy Cross Moot Court Team Qualifies for Nationals

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Bridget Campolettano

moot court orlandoThe Holy Cross Moot Court team was represented by five teams of two at the South Atlantic Regional Tournament, a two-day national qualifier hosted by the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla. on Nov. 15-16. Twelve schools were participating in the tournament, sending over 100 competitors.

Moot Court is a simulation of appellate court, in which participants argue the constitutionality of lower rulings in front of a panel of judges who act as the Supreme Court.  One case is chosen each year by the Young Lawyers Committee of the New York City Bar Association and is used for all sanctioned competitions. In each case,  two distinct constitutional issues are at bar; each partner in a two-person team is allocated one issue and prepares arguments for both the petitioner and respondent. Teams must study past case law and use judicial precedent to combat questioning and convince the Supreme Court to rule in favor of their side. This year’s case addresses the constitutionality of warrantless location tracking and the indefinite detainment of a U.S. citizen suspected of affiliation with terrorist organizations.

After the preliminary rounds on Friday night, Holy Cross held the eighth, ninth, and 12th seeds, advancing three teams to the second day of the competition.  An eighth place ranking earned Andrea Kelble ’16 and Bethany Fogerty ’16 a bye for the first elimination round. This bye meant that they found themselves competing in the octofinal round against fellow Crusaders Megan Izzo ’17 and Andrew Emerson ’14. After a close round, it was the team of Izzo and Emerson who advanced to the quarterfinals and later entered the semifinals as the top-ranked seed, securing a spot in the national competition.

On Nov. 23, the Holy Cross teams who did not compete in Orlando will participate in the Eastern Regional Tournament at Fitchburg State University, another qualifier for nationals. Captains Michael Bender ’15 and Christine Fimognari ’15, along with two other teams, will compete for the chance to join Izzo and Emerson in representing Holy Cross at nationals, which will be held Jan. 17-18 at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law of Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz.

Posted in News, Press Release | Comments Off on Holy Cross Moot Court Team Qualifies for Nationals

Holy Cross Women Reflect on Innovation and Careers

Posted on November 20, 2013 by College of the Holy Cross

By Christie Cannone ’14, Lauren Esposito ’14, Patricia Feraud ’15, Brooke Levine ’15, Alexandra Schiffman ’15, MaryAnn LaShoto ’16, Sydney-Zeferina Pugliares ’16

More than 180 alumnae and students attended the eighth annual Women in Business Conference titled “Innovating Your Future: The Evolving Careers of Modern Women” held Nov. 2 on campus. Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to attend panels, network, explore ideas, and seek advice from fellow Holy Cross alumnae. As student assistants who helped organize the conference, we offer the following highlights.

SVP shares career advice in keynote
The day began with keynote speaker Molly Jolly ’88, senior vice president of finance and administration for the Los Angeles Angels. Jolly started the day with inspiring remarks and powerful messages. Jolly’s advice for women to keep in mind throughout their careers:

1. Develop a strong knowledge of subject matter in your respective field
2. Stay true to yourself and your values and
3. Success is not a straight line.

What does it really mean to “lean in”?
Women have had a significant role in the modernization of the business world, and consequently have witnessed a changing workplace culture. In today’s world, that change is evolving at an accelerated pace. In keeping with the conference theme, alumnae provided insight to the successes and challenges that come with dynamic innovation. In the afternoon book discussion, Holy Cross alumnae and students came together to talk about Sheryl Sandberg’s much-talked about book “Lean In.” Cristina Baldor ’07, business manager at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, led a conversation on the difficulties of balancing work and family in the 21st century.

Should I pursue an advanced degree — and when?
The question of whether or not to pursue an advanced degree is one that both students and alumnae consider, often with much uncertainty and hesitation. In a panel discussion, “Are Professional Degrees Really Worth It?,” Maura Herson ’90, director of the MBA and MSMS Programs Office at the MIT Sloan School of Management; Beth Fiore ’07, credit analyst at Standish Mellon Asset Management; Ramona McFall ’08, sales operations manager at Cheetah Medical; and Maura Murphy ’03, vice president and portfolio manager at Loomis, Sayles & Company, discussed some of the benefits and drawbacks of going back to school to obtain an advanced degree, specifically a Master of Business Administration. Each panelist briefly covered how and why they made the decision to seek an MBA, followed by a discussion on relevant influential factors such as cost, time management (enrolling full or part time), the “right” time to return to school, and benefits of earning a higher degree such as title and salary. The panelists unanimously agreed that when working in a business oriented industry, an MBA degree is imperative in order to advance. Fortuitously, they said, many employers cover the cost, whether in part or whole.

Holy Cross alumni network provides edge
The strong Holy Cross alumni network is beneficial not only to graduates, but also for current students. In a presentation titled “Networking … Leveraging Your Purple Pride,” Pamela Ahearn and Megan Chester in the Career Planning Center highlighted the various ways in which Holy Cross graduates and students can use the College’s connections and resources to their advantage in career exploration, networking, and pursuing a job or internship. The specific emphasis placed on the social networking site LinkedIn generated many comments from alumnae and students in the room — pros and cons and proper social media etiquette, among them. The role of social media is now commonplace among Holy Cross students and alumni, and the Career Planning presentation addressed the multiple facets of such technological influence — of which will only become more and more relevant in future years.

How to stand out in a crowded marketplace?
Presenters made it clear that the job market is very competitive and the need to stand out from the rest of the crowd through proper etiquette and preparation is essential. It is vital for students, especially as they build credibility and a strong reputation, to show up to every opportunity with their ‘A’ game. Mary Donahue Quinlan ’76, Eastern Advertising director at Cosmopolitan Magazine and president of Career Prep Consultants, provided insightful tips on resume writing, interviewing skills, networking techniques, and establishing a career direction in her panel “Launching Your Career.” Her eye-opening presentation emphasized the importance of communication with employers and the necessity of taking charge and following up. Students must have the “if you want it, you go get it” attitude to achieve distinction. Students must show employers how they can be profitable assets, easy to work with and team players. Quinlan’s invaluable suggestions have already inspired us to evaluate our personal goals and start preparing for future job opportunities.

Can women have it all?
In today’s age, there is no such thing as “really having it all” — the perfect job, the perfect family, and the perfect lifestyle — as Sheila Cavanaugh ’81, a former senior vice president at Fidelity Investments, and Megan Fox-Kelly ’99, associate chaplain and director of retreats at Holy Cross said. Success should not be seen as perfection but joy. The Entrepreneurship forum and the “Can Women Really Have it All?” panel both emphasized that the key to success for the modern woman is flexibility. Just like running a new business, in order to have a family and a career, you cannot do it on your own — you need a support unit. Participant Gail Radcliffe ’78, president of Radcliffe Consulting, Inc., said the support she received from her husband allowed her to pursue her dreams of starting up her own company. A major takeaway from the panel and the forum is that life is not a straight path and adaptability, flexibility and tenacity are necessary to achieve personal and professional goals.

Save the date! We hope to see you at next year’s Women in Business Conference scheduled for Nov. 1, 2014 in the Hogan Campus Center.

Related Information:

Posted in News | Comments Off on Holy Cross Women Reflect on Innovation and Careers

Video: Student Support Helps Men’s Hockey Score Wins

Posted on November 20, 2013 by

The Holy Cross men’s hockey team defeated Sacred Heart, 4-3, at the Hart Center during the Atlantic Hockey opener earlier this month, and the enthusiastic crowd played a part in their win, the captain and coach say.

Watch senior captain Ryan McGrath, of Pittsburgh, head coach Paul Pearl, and fans talk about the energy in the Hart Center.

Video by Kate Benjamin ’15

Related Information:

Posted in News, Videos | Comments Off on Video: Student Support Helps Men’s Hockey Score Wins

Holy Cross Ranks Second in Long-Term Study Abroad Participation

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Bridget Campolettano

2013 Study Abroad Photo ContestHoly Cross ranks second among baccalaureate institutions in the United States for long-term study abroad programs, according to a new report released by the Institute of International Education. This is the fifth straight year that the College has held one of the top two positions on the list.

Long-term study abroad programs are defined as taking place during a full calendar or academic year. Though Holy Cross offers single semester, month-long summer programs, and faculty-led study tours during school vacations, the majority of programs require students to learn overseas for the entire academic year.

“Studying abroad for the academic year allows students to become more fully integrated in their host culture,” said Brittan Smith, director of study abroad at the College.  “From the outset, year students set down more roots, establish relationships, and even seek employment or volunteer options.”

With 91 students studying abroad for the full academic year, Holy Cross is one of just two baccalaureate institutions in the country with more than 90 participants, according to the report.

The national results were published in Open Doors 2013, the annual report compiled by the Institute of International Education. The institution, which was founded in 1919, is an independent not-for-profit organization that receives funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The report relies on data from the 2011-12 academic year — rather than the 2012-13 academic year — to find the total number of U.S. students who study abroad because these numbers are reported only after students receive credit for their academic programs.

“Even those students who originally wanted to go abroad for a semester are, in the end, very glad they went for the year,” said Smith. “Don’t believe me? Ask them.”

Get a first-hand account of the Holy Cross Study Abroad experience from our student bloggers.

View the Open Doors 2013 report.

Related Information:

Posted in News, Press Release | Comments Off on Holy Cross Ranks Second in Long-Term Study Abroad Participation

Men’s Soccer Advances to Patriot League Championship

Posted on November 16, 2013 by College of the Holy Cross

sandersnews

Holy Cross senior captain Dane Kenny (Williston Park, N.Y.) tallied the game-winning penalty kick in the sixth round of shots to help the Crusaders defeat Army in the Patriot League men’s soccer semifinal game on Friday evening at Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. The No. 2 seed Black Knights and the No. 3 seed Crusaders played to a 1-1 draw over 110 minutes of action, before Holy Cross won in the shootout, 4-3. Holy Cross is now 9-8-2 overall, while Army concludes its season at 12-3-3.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to play for the Patriot League championship,” Holy Cross head coach Marco Koolman said. “This is a great experience for the team to have a chance to earn an NCAA bid. The players deserve this for all of the hard work and dedication they put in this year.”

The Crusaders will take on No. 1 seed Navy in the championship game of the Patriot League Tournament on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 1:00 p.m. in Annapolis, Md. The Mids defeated No. 4 seed Bucknell, 1-0 earlier in the evening. The Crusaders will be making their fourth appearance in the Patriot League championship game and their first since 2008. Holy Cross won the championship during the 2002 season, as it also made it to the final game in 2001. The Crusaders nine wins this season are their most since 2008, when they went 9-5-5.

Read the entire story on GoHolyCross.com

Related Information

Posted in News | Comments Off on Men’s Soccer Advances to Patriot League Championship

Pulitzer Prize Winner Junot Diaz to Give Reading as Part of the Working Writers Series

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Jacqueline Smith ’15

junot-diazJunot Diaz, an award-winning Dominican-American creative writer, will give a reading as part of the Working Writers Series on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Rehm Library at the College of the Holy Cross. The event, sponsored by the College’s Creative Writing Program and W.H. Jenks Chair of Contemporary American Letters, is free and open to the public.

Diaz was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey. He is the author of the critically acclaimed “Drown” (Riverhead Trade, 1997); “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” (Riverhead Trade, 2008), which won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award; and “This Is How You Lose Her” (Riverhead Trade, 2013), a New York Times bestseller and National Book Award finalist. He has been the recipient of the MacArthur Genius Fellowship, the PEN/Malamud Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the PEN/O. Henry Award.

Diaz currently teaches creative writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the Rudge and Nancy Allen Professor of Writing and is the fiction editor for Boston Review. Diaz remains an advocate for the Dominican youth and plays a critical role in immigration policy.

Posted in English, News, Press Release | Comments Off on Pulitzer Prize Winner Junot Diaz to Give Reading as Part of the Working Writers Series

‘Atlanta Stadium Deals a Warning to Others’

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

Turner Field In an interview with the Associated Press, Victor Matheson, a highly sought after sports economist and professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross, explained why it’s crazy for the Atlanta Braves to abandon a stadium that is less than 20 years old.

“Every owner in every major league sport has stadium envy,” Matheson said. “As soon as someone gets a better stadium, they want one, too.”

Matheson even compared the stadium to a popular young singer.  “I was just thinking,” he said, “Turner Field is not as old as Miley Cyrus.”

The Associated Press column ran in more than 180 media outlets across the country, including the New York Times, ABC News, the Miami Herald, and Yahoo! News.

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

 

Posted in Economics and Accounting, In The News, News | Comments Off on ‘Atlanta Stadium Deals a Warning to Others’

Holy Cross’ Alternate College Theatre Performs “How I Learned to Drive”

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Sara Bovat ’14

ACT_drive The College of the Holy Cross’ Alternate College Theatre (ACT) will present “How I Learned to Drive,” written by Paula Vogel and directed by Elizabeth Mason ’14, in Fenwick Theatre, located on the second floor of O’Kane Hall. The performances will be held on Nov. 21– 22 at 8 p.m., Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Nov. 24 at 2 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 508-793-3536.

“How I Learned to Drive” follows the strained, sexual relationship between Li’l Bit and her aunt’s husband, Uncle Peck, through a series of flashbacks from the protagonist’s adolescence through her teenage years into college and beyond. While Uncle Peck teaches her how to drive, he also educates her a great deal about life, love, sex and control. The drama reveals Li’l Bit’s challenging journey to become a confident “driver” on the road and in life. Vogel won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this play.

“When driving, we have control not only of the vehicle but of our own lives; for a child, with no control of anything in his or her life, the attraction is apparent.  In his driving lessons Uncle Peck teaches Li’l Bit not only control, but [also] confidence behind the wheel,” said Mason.

ACT is a student-run organization at Holy Cross. For each show, students manage every aspect of directing, acting, lighting and design. Mason is an English and theatre double major and has previously directed an original five-minute piece titled “All Hail the Heartbreaker;” an adaptation of Euripides’ “Hecuba;” and two one act plays, “Love Loss and What I Wore” by Nora and Delia Ephron and “Old Saybrook” by Woody Allen.

The play’s cast features Emma Linsenmeyer ‘16, Julia McCarthy ‘15, Patrick O’Konis ‘16, Brian Ott ‘16, Maureen O’Meara ‘15, and Alexandra Skamangas ’14.

Posted in English, News, Press Release, Theatre and Dance | Comments Off on Holy Cross’ Alternate College Theatre Performs “How I Learned to Drive”

‘Better ways to grade public schools’

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

Jack SchneiderIn a recent opinion piece for the Los Angeles Times, Jack Schneider, assistant professor of education at the College of the Holy Cross, adds insight to the seemingly unsolvable question of the best evaluation of public schools.  With recent pushes against the validity of standardized testings being the sole method of appraisal of a school’s success rate, Schneider and a colleague built an online tool for the Boston Globe, designed to evaluate all of the schools in Massachusetts in a more comprehensive way.  Drawing publicly available data, the two attempted to look at the schooling system more holistically, says Schneider.

“The tool we created is imperfect, and we were severely limited by the data available. Still, we were able to build a better mousetrap. And the project got us thinking: Now that waiver recipients can rethink how to evaluate schools, what would a truly robust measure look like?” questions Schneider.

Schneider also suggests that policy leaders should prioritize the collection of data that tell us “what it feels like to walk down a school’s hallway.” Noting Los Angeles Unified schools, for instance, have been conducting a “school experience survey” for the last several years. However, these problems of collecting data in a consistent and accurate way have limited the accountability of such studies.

While touching upon the importance of also measuring activities outside the academic classroom with examples such as art and music, he concludes, “In short, we should measure what we care about and not merely what is convenient.”

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

Posted in Education, In The News, News | Comments Off on ‘Better ways to grade public schools’

Holy Cross Professor Named 2013 Massachusetts Professor of the Year

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Bridget Campolettano

HC MAG FALL 2012Susan Rodgers, the W. Arthur Garrity Sr. Professor in Human Nature, Ethics, and Society and professor of anthropology at the College of the Holy Cross, has been named the 2013 Massachusetts Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).  The award, which will be presented to Rodgers today in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., is the only national program to recognize excellence in undergraduate education.

“This is a marvelous re-affirmation of the value of the sort of time-intensive teaching and intellectual mentorship that we do at small liberal arts colleges like Holy Cross,” said Rodgers.

This year, a state Professor of the Year was recognized in 36 states. CASE assembled two preliminary panels of judges to select finalists. The Carnegie Foundation then convened the third and final panel, which selected four national winners. CASE and Carnegie select state winners from top entries resulting from the judging process. Rodgers was selected from more than 350 top faculty members nominated by colleges and universities throughout the country.

“As a colleague of Professor Rodgers, I experienced her talents as a teacher when I traveled to Indonesia with her a few years ago,” said Amy Wolfson, Holy Cross associate dean for faculty development and professor of psychology. “During our three weeks in Bali, Sumatra, and Yogyakarta, her deep understanding of the local cultures and languages, and her contagious excitement, commitment, and perseverance transformed my teaching, my research, and my interest in global education and international partnerships—just as those same compelling personal qualities have transformed the lives of so many Holy Cross students.”

Rodgers joined the Holy Cross faculty in 1989, leaving a tenured position at Ohio University to help Holy Cross establish an anthropology program.  She was promoted to full professor in 1995. She holds a B.A. in anthropology and religious studies from Brown University, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Chicago.

Director of the Asian Studies program at the College from 2003-05 and chair of the department of sociology and anthropology from 1997-2000 and 2008-11, Rodgers has held a number of roles on campus. A three-time teacher in the first-year seminar program,Montserrat, she has been a member of the Asian Studies and the Women’s and Gender Studies programs for more than 20 years. Rodgers has also been key in brokering relationships with Sanata Dharma, the Jesuit university in Indonesia.

Rodgers teaches a broad range of anthropology and Asian Studies courses, including introductory classes as well as Art and Power in Asia, Anthropology of Religion, Anthropology of Food, Genders and Sexualities, Fieldwork Methods, and Imagined Body. In her research, Rodgers studies the oratory and print literature of the Angkola Batak people of Sumatra.  She looks at how this ethnic minority literature gives Batak authors and readers a voice and fair hearing in speaking back to state power in the colonial Indies and today. Another line of research is Indonesian arts, seen politically.

Rodgers’ research has been supported both internally and externally, including a Marfuggi Faculty Scholarship Award and an O’Leary Fellowship from Holy Cross; a Fulbright senior scholar research grant in 1992 to travel to Indonesia for collaboration on a translation project with Batak orators; a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship in 2000 to study epic chants in print in colonial and postcolonial Sumatra; a fellowship at the School of Social Sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N.J., in 2001-02 to write about Batak print culture; and Mellon summer fellowships with Holy Cross students in 2010, 2012, and 2013 for joint projects on Indonesian art.

Most recently, Rodgers curated “Transnational Ikat: An Asian Textile on the Move” with student docents Hana Carey ’13, Tricia Giglio ’14, and Martha Walters ’14 at the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery at the College, which displayed over 40 ikat cloths from Indonesia and Malaysia. The exhibition was the culmination of fieldwork in Bali, Indonesia and Kuching, Malaysia, with the docents, supported by Mellon summer fellowships. The research group co-authored a website for the exhibition, providing rich ethnographic background on ikat weaving. This was Rodgers’ fourth exhibition for Holy Cross.

“Working with Professor Rodgers has been a defining part of my experience here at Holy Cross,” said Walters, an anthropology and environmental studies double major. “What started in a Montserrat class freshman year has evolved into several invaluable opportunities doing research, broadening my horizons, and gaining a deeper perspective of the world we live in.  Her commitment to her research and her students is admirable and inspiring, and I will always be grateful for how she has helped me to develop my academic career and my own aspirations.”

Rodgers will also be giving the annual Richard Rodino Lecture on the Aims of the Liberal Arts at the College on Feb. 4, 2014. Her lecture will be titled “Art, Asia, Anthropology: On Inter-illuminations in the Holy Cross Liberal Arts.” The event will be free and open to the public.

CASE and the Carnegie Foundation have been partners in offering the U.S. Professors of the Year awards program since 1981. Additional support for the program is received from Phi Beta Kappa, which sponsors an evening congressional reception, the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education and other higher education associations.

About the Carnegie Foundation

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center that supports needed transformations in American education through tighter connections between teaching practice, evidence of student learning, the communication and use of this evidence, and structured opportunities to build knowledge.

About the Council for Advancement and Support of Education

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in London, Singapore and Mexico City, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education is a professional association serving educational institutions and the advancement professionals at all levels who work in alumni relations, communications, fundraising, marketing and other areas.

News Coverage

 

Posted in News, Press Release, Sociology and Anthropology | 1 Comment

‘The Apocalypse Industry: End-Time Fantasies of a Crumbling Empire’

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

jerry lembcke2In response to New York Times columnist Paul Krugman’s Oct. 25 op-ed “Addicted to the Apocalypse,” Jerry Lembcke, associate professor of sociology at the College of the Holy Cross, addressed the use of the fear-inducing rhetoric of apocalypse imagery to describe a society of uncertainty. The cultural phenomenon has boomed to such an extensive degree, Lembcke noted, that the New York Times has used the word “apocalypse” in its news stories more than 1,100 times in the last five years.

“Today’s apocalyticism is an end-of-empire phenomenon emanating from homes, workplaces, farms, and places of worship, cultivated by Hollywood since the 1970s, and nurtured by the neo-conservative witch-hunt for radicals and liberals responsible for the loss of the war-at-home during the 1980s and 1990s that has grown, now, to become the dominant American political narrative,” said Lembcke.

This “Holy Cross in the News” item is by Sara Bovat ’14.

Posted in In The News, Sociology and Anthropology | Comments Off on ‘The Apocalypse Industry: End-Time Fantasies of a Crumbling Empire’

Holy Cross Presents a Spiritual Vietnamese Musical Experience ‘Three Rivers, One Source’

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Sara Bovat ’14

Phong Nguyen_2“Three Rivers, One Source,” a performance of traditional Vietnamese music, will be held on Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. in Brooks Concert Hall at the College of the Holy Cross. Under the direction of Phong Nguyen, world-renowned performer and scholar of Vietnamese traditional music, the program presents a remarkable array of musical offerings: folk songs, court music, ethnic music, poetry chanting, instrumental music, and musical theater. The event is sponsored by the department of sociology and anthropology; the Asian studies program; Montserrat’s Global Society  cluster, part of the College’s universal first-year program; the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics, and Culture; and the music department. It is free and open to the public.

The selections range from lyrical to playful, providing an introduction to traditional Vietnamese music, which is the goal of the event according to organizer Diane Fox, visiting assistant professor of anthropology. Fox, who also teaches in the Montserrat’s Global Society Cluster, says that “Three Rivers, One Source” represents the echoes of reconciliation for a country that has been in war. “There have been divisions and fighting, but this music takes us back before the French colonial divisions and brings us forward beyond the fighting of the last century, bringing us together,” said Fox.

Nguyen was a 1997 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow and has received recognition from both the United States and Vietnam for his work in preserving the heritage of Vietnamese Music. He has taught at Kent State, UCLA, the University of Washington, and in Thailand. Nguyen received both Ohio Heritage Fellowship and Vietnam’s National Honors Award in 2004. Currently, he is the executive director of the Institute for Vietnamese Music in Kent, Ohio and visiting professor of ethnomusicology at the College of Music, Mahasarakham University, Thailand. He is the author of “From Rice Paddies and Temple Yards: Traditional Music of Viet Nam” (World Music Press, with Patricia Shehan Campbell, 1990), and “Searching for a Niche: Vietnamese Music at Home in America” (Nhac Viet, 1995).

Posted in Music, News, Press Release, Sociology and Anthropology | Comments Off on Holy Cross Presents a Spiritual Vietnamese Musical Experience ‘Three Rivers, One Source’

Men’s Soccer Advances To Patriot League Semifinal

Posted on November 13, 2013 by College of the Holy Cross

Cintas-CH1D5373

Senior Josh Cintas, of San Diego, Calif., recorded two goals and sophomore goal keeper Kevin Wright, of McKinney, Texas, recorded, a career high, nine saves as No. 3 seeded Holy Cross men’s soccer team defeated No. 6 seeded Colgate,  3-0, at the Linda Johnson Smith Soccer Stadium on Tuesday night in Patriot League quarterfinal action.

With the win, the Crusaders advance their record to 9-8-1 overall, while the Raiders finish their season at 4-14-2. The Crusaders advance to the Patriot League semifinals in Annapolis, Md. on Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. against No. 2 seeded Army. Holy Cross defeated Army 2-1 on Oct. 30 earlier this season. No. 1 seeded Navy will take on No. 4 seeded Bucknell in the other semifinal at 4 p.m.

This is the Crusaders’ first semifinal appearance since 2008 and they look to win their first Patriot League title since 2002. Their nine wins on the year also marks their most since the 2008 season.

Read the entire story on GoHolyCross.com

Posted in News | Comments Off on Men’s Soccer Advances To Patriot League Semifinal

14 Holy Cross Graduates Serve As Jesuit Volunteers

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Jacqueline Smith ’15

jvcFourteen College of the Holy Cross alumni have answered the call to serve. They are currently working in locations around the world as Jesuit volunteers. With 11 former students participating in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Holy Cross is the fourth most-represented college nationwide along with Fordham and Marquette. An additional three graduates are serving in Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, which operates independently.

Rooted in the core values of social and ecological justice, simple living, community, and spirituality, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and the Jesuit Volunteers Corps Northwest programs give young men and women the chance to work full time for justice and peace. Participants serve for one or two years, during which time they live among the poor and marginalized and strive to examine and combat social justice.

Jesuit volunteers work at schools, health clinics, legal clinics, parishes, domestic violence shelters and non-profit organizations in the United States and abroad. Those working in the Northwest also teach in schools on Native American reservations.

The Holy Cross graduates are among 325 Jesuit volunteers living in 39 cities in the United States and six other countries around the world. There are 148 Jesuit volunteers serving in 21 locales throughout the five states of the Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington).

The following graduates are currently serving as Jesuit volunteers:

  • Andrew Biedlingmaier, Loaves & Fishes in Sacramento, Calif.
  • Stephanie Bray, AIRS: The Don Miller House Program in Baltimore, Md.
  • Katie Camp, Upward Bound House in Los Angeles, Calif.
  • Suzanne Crifo, Service Center of Catholic Social Services in Mobile, Ala.
  • Andrew DeVivo, Fe y Alegria in Santiago, Chile
  • Giovanni Estrada, Notre Dame Middle School/Primary School in Milwaukee, Wis.
  • Samantha Fregenti, Mental Health Advocacy Project, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley in San Jose, Calif.
  • Elizabeth Mahoney, Neighborhood Service Organization in Detroit, Mich.
  • Kevin Molloy, Holy Cross Children’s Services in Detroit, Mich.
  • Nicholas Powers, Room in the Inn’s Campus for Human Development in Nashville, Tenn.
  • Kevin Turner, Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston, Texas.

The following graduates serve as Jesuit volunteers in the Northwest:

  • Katie Giardino, Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis (AWAIC) in Anchorage, Alaska.
  • Alexandra Gingerella, Community House in Seattle, Wash.
  • Ally Schultz, Paschal Sherman Indian School in Omak, Wash.
Posted in News, Press Release | Comments Off on 14 Holy Cross Graduates Serve As Jesuit Volunteers

‘Central MA College Standout: Holy Cross’ Emily Sullivan’

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

Emily Sullivan GoLocalWorcester.com shines a spotlight on Emily Sullivan ’14, an environmental studies and Chinese double major, as a “standout” in academics, athletics, and environmental issues at the College of the Holy Cross. The article recognizes her college career’s leadership work of serving as captain of women’s ice hockey team, director of environmental concerns for the student government association, program coordinator for Eco-action, and contributor to the Holy Cross Leadership Academy (Holy Cross’s student-athlete leadership development organization).

As a student with an active extracurricular life, Sullivan described the wide range of responsibilities she holds. “I lead student initiatives on campus, such as the installation of 17 new hydration stations at Holy Cross and the development of a sustainability guide for Holy Cross,” she said.

As far as life after Holy Cross, “I envision myself working in the international urban development field. I am interested in the sustainable development of Asia, and would like to work internationally there. Eventually, I would also like to become a professor of international urban planning,” she said.

This “Holy Cross in the News” item is by Sara Bovat ’14.

Posted in Chinese Studies, In The News, News | Comments Off on ‘Central MA College Standout: Holy Cross’ Emily Sullivan’

Weekend Win Earns Men’s Soccer Home Turf in Patriot League Quarterfinals

Posted on November 11, 2013 by College of the Holy Cross

Melody_Luke-CH1D4132The men’s soccer victory over Lehigh on Nov. 9, its sixth this season against Patriot League opponents, not only tied the school record for most Patriot League victories in a single season,  it also catapulted the team to another coveted position: a home tournament game.

The Crusaders will be the No. 3 seed in the six-team Patriot League Tournament and will host No. 6 seed Colgate (4-13-2 overall, 3-5-1 PL) in the quarterfinals on Nov. 12 at the Linda Johnson Smith Soccer Stadium at 7 p.m.

The victory over Lehigh came down to a single goal. With the game tied at 1-1 in the second half, sophomore Luke Melody, of Mansfield, Conn., scored the game-winner at 64:30, and goalkeeper  Kevin Wright ‘16, of McKinney, Texas, had three saves to hold the final 2-1 score. With the win, the Crusaders conclude the regular season with an 8-8-1 overall record (6-3-0 PL), while the Mountain Hawks fall to 2-14-1 overall (1-8-0 PL).

“This was a very important win,” said Holy Cross head coach Marco Koolman. “We wanted to enter the Patriot League Tournament on a victory and we wanted to clinch the No. 3 seed. This was our best offensive game of the season as we created a variety of scoring opportunities especially in the second half. This was a great win as we prepare for the quarterfinal game on Tuesday.”

The winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal game will move on to the semifinals on Nov. 15 in Annapolis, Md. Holy Cross defeated the Colgate Raiders, 3-2 in overtime in Hamilton, N.Y., earlier this season on Oct. 19. The Crusaders’ eight overall wins are their most since going 9-5-5 in 2008.

Read the entire story on GoHolyCross.com

Related News

Posted in News | Comments Off on Weekend Win Earns Men’s Soccer Home Turf in Patriot League Quarterfinals

Photo Gallery: Student Captures Fall on Campus in All Its Glory

Posted on November 8, 2013 by

Beaven-Hall Chapel Fenwick-Best Hogan-1 Hoval IMG_6585 IMG_6627 IMG_6750 IMG_6755 IMG_6764 IMG_6768 IMG_6784 IMG_6795 IMG_6807 IMG_6817 IMG_6852 IMG_6854 IMG_6857 Millard-Art-Studio Mulledy-View-from-Figgie Okane-Entrance-Alumni-viewThe Holy Cross campus is beautiful in every season, but fall is special, says Darien Henry ’14.

A photography intern in the Office of Public Affairs, Henry, of New York City, captured images of campus during peak foliage season. He is a sociology major and visual arts minor with a concentration in women’s and gender studies.

“I really wanted to show the campus in its natural state at different times of the day,” he says. “This school has amazing landscape designs which are well taken care of. I wanted to capture the magical essence of the fall as it crept up on the Hill. Some days there were beautiful sunsets while other days there were clouds. I carried my camera around with me and would stop and take photos as I walked. Sometimes you only get one chance at a nice shot!”

Photography by Darien Henry ’14

Posted in News, Photo Galleries, Sociology and Anthropology, Visual Arts | 1 Comment

‘In disfigured man, Pope Francis saw Jesus’

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

pope_embraceIn a piece for the Washington Post’s blog ‘On Faith,’ Mathew N. Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies, believes that the Pope saw a man in suffering, but also a man of beauty when he embraced the disfigured man in St. Peter’s Square. Through this embrace, explains Schmalz, Pope Francis displayed not pity, but compassion.

Schmalz writes, “That day with the disfigured man, the pope doubtless saw pain and suffering. But he also looked beyond that reality to see something more, something beautiful and precious.”

Read the full story in ‘On Faith’

This “Holy Cross in the News” item is by Sara Bovat ’14.

Posted in In The News, News, Religious Studies | Comments Off on ‘In disfigured man, Pope Francis saw Jesus’