Alumnus Donates $25 Million to Holy Cross to Enhance the Arts

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Kristine Maloney

Cornelius B. Prior, Jr., a 1956 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and chair of the board of the telecommunications services company Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc., headquartered in Beverly, Mass., is donating $25 million to the College. The gift, the largest single donation in the history of Holy Cross, was announced today by the College’s president, Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., at an event on campus that featured student and faculty performances and a celebration of the arts.

Prior—who has long been a champion of the arts in communities ranging from Maine to the Caribbean—has designated his gift to enhance the arts at Holy Cross with a new performance facility on campus. The gift comes as the College launches the leadership phase of a comprehensive fundraising campaign to support a number of strategic initiatives.

Commenting on the gift, Fr. Boroughs said: “Neil’s gift is a reflection of his unwavering belief in the importance of a Holy Cross education—and how the study and experience of the arts are essential to that education. His generosity will have a transformative effect on our work and is a tremendous statement of support in our mission and leadership.”

In his remarks at the announcement, held before a packed house of students, faculty, and staff in Rehm Library, Prior said he and the College are in conversations about how the funds will be specifically used to enhance the experience of the fine and performing arts for all students.

He said: “My father graduated from Holy Cross in 1923 and from Yale Law School in 1926. He was an inspiration for my own experience studying music, theatre and the fine arts at Holy Cross in the 1950s. Holy Cross and its professors offer students an extraordinary education—I believe there is none finer in the United States. My hope is that this gift creates a visible and integrated way for my grandson Benjamin Ritter, a freshman at Holy Cross today, and for all Holy Cross students, to experience the arts during their four years here.”

Integral to a liberal arts education, Holy Cross students are active participants in the fine and performing arts—both in the classroom, and as part of their co-curricular experiences. Current exhibition and performance spaces on campus include the John E. Brooks, S.J. Concert Hall, the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery, and Fenwick Theatre.

In addition to Fr. Boroughs and Prior, speakers at the announcement included the College’s chairman of the Board of Trustees, P. Kevin Condron ’67; and Tracy Barlok, vice president for development and alumni relations.

In 1998, Prior made a $5 million gift that established three professorships in the Humanities: the Rev. Gerard Mears, S.J., Professorship in Fine Arts, the Rev. Maurice F. Reidy, S.J., Professorship in History, and the Stephen J. Prior Professorship in Humanities. At that time, the gift was the College’s largest single commitment and helped launch the College’s record-setting “Lift High the Cross” campaign. In June 2006, at the end of the campaign and in celebration of the Class of 1956 50th reunion, he made a second $5 million gift that further expanded these professorship endowments. He has provided lead gifts in support of exhibitions at the Cantor Art Gallery, major sponsorship of the Terri Priest painting, titled “Paths to Divine Light Through Vermeer’s Lens” (a commissioned work depicting five major religious traditions that hangs in the College’s McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture in Smith Hall), and lead sponsorship of the “Hope and Healing” exhibition at the Worcester Art Museum that was co-sponsored by the College in 2005. A long-time Holy Cross volunteer, Prior was a member of the Board of Trustees from 1997-2005 and now serves on the College’s Advisory Board.

Prior started his career as an attorney with Sullivan & Cromwell in New York after graduation from Harvard Law School. A former U.S. Navy officer and Fulbright Scholar, he resides in St. Thomas, where he is chairman of the Forum, a not-for-profit arts organization, and honorary trustee of the Antilles School. He is also a director of the Kneisel Music School in Blue Hill, Maine. He has served as the Chairman of CANTO (the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organizations) and currently is the chairman of CCAA (Caribbean and Central American Action).

Related Information

Selected News Coverage

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/02/13/holy-cross-graduate-gives-25-million-to-school/Holy Cross Graduate Gives $25 Million To SchoolHoly Cross Graduate Gives $25 Million To School
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5 Things to Know About Joe Plantamura ’13

Posted on February 12, 2013 by John Morton ’15

How does it feel to attend a Death Cab for Cutie concert that you helped promote — in China? For Joe Plantamura ’13, a Chinese and music double major who returned to Holy Cross after studying abroad in China for a year, the answer is: incredible.

Here are five interesting facts about Plantamura, who lived in both Beijing and Shangai last academic year.

1. Deciding to major in music was easy, but it was a trip to China that led Plantamura to double major in Chinese. Plantamura was drawn to music ever since he took piano lessons as a kid and, although he has stopped playing piano, he took up bass in high school and joined a band at Holy Cross. However, the decision to major in Chinese was unexpected. During the summer after high school, Plantamura was among 10 students at his high school who traveled to China. He did not speak a word of Chinese, but that didn’t stop him from enjoying his treks through Beijing and the Great Wall. What began as a vacation blossomed into a new passion. After three semesters of taking Chinese courses at Holy Cross, Plantamura declared it a major.

2. Plantamura loved studying abroad and encourages all students considering it to participate. He notes that his mother, Mary Lawless Plantamura ’82, went to Holy Cross and encouraged him to study abroad because it is the “best thing a student can do.” She was a classics major and studied abroad for a year in Greece. “For a language major, Study Abroad serves a greater purpose,” he says. “You can study it all you want, but interacting with Chinese people is the only — and best — way to learn a language.” Spending a year away from Holy Cross was not as hard as he thought it would be. “You will not really miss it as much as you think,” he says. “I have met all new friends and have kept the old ones. I have grown a lot in the last year and I highly recommend it.”

3. He interned at Split Works, the Chinese equivalent of Live Nation, America’s biggest show promoter. Before going abroad, Plantamura had interned for Live Nation at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C. out of a love for music and the concert scene. In China, he landed an internship with Split Works. Plantamura was responsible for English web marketing via Twitter and Facebook and website design. He also provided security for shows. Plantamura was grateful that he had a language intensive program in Beijing before working with Split Works in Shanghai because it gave him the ability to communicate to coworkers and understand his responsibilities. Plantamura helped put on the JUE Festival, which took place over a 17 day period in Shanghai and Beijing. The featured artist during one of the concerts was Death Cab for Cutie.

4. His best memory did not involve sightseeing or other romantic ideas of traveling — it was the ability to connect with others and make friends. Plantamura was able to visit many popular sites in China including Qingdao and Xi’an, where he saw the famous terra cotta soldiers. But his best experience occurred during one of the first nights at Donghua University in Shanghai. Following a Chinese tradition, his Chinese roommate invited him out to eat. To his surprise, Plantamura showed up to find that his roommate had reserved a room for 20 of his closest friends. His roommate’s friends talked to him in basic English but once Plantamura began talking to them in Chinese the tension eased and they began to ask him questions about life in America from sports and college life to his favorite pastimes. Plantamura realized then that language was a tool for making connections to people one would otherwise never talk to. “The benefits of my studies came to fruition,” he says. “People, no matter where they live, are interested in meeting others as long as they speak a common language. I have learned to appreciate people no matter who they are or where they live.”

5. His preliminary plans after graduation include going back to China. He is still unsure about post-Holy Cross career but he is looking into a Johns Hopkins program in Nanjing where he would have the opportunity to take business courses in Chinese. He sees himself working in marketing or business in mainland China.

Related Information:

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21 Artworks by Holy Cross Students on Display in Consortium Exhibition

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

Two Holy Cross students received honorable mentions for their artwork at the ninth annual Colleges of Worcester Consortium Student Art Exhibition. Katie Candee ’14, a physics major from Madison, Conn., was recognized for her sculpture “Structure in Shambles,” and Alexander M. Vera Morales ’13, a computer science and visual arts double major from Baldwin Park, Calif., was acknowledged for his self-portrait painting.

The show runs from Feb. 13 through March 21 at ArtsWorcester, 660 Main St., Worcester. A reception will be held on Feb. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition and the reception are free and open to the public.

Students from eight area colleges submitted artworks in a variety of mediums. Carol Keller, professor of art at Amherst College, served as the juror.

A total of 21 works by 15 Holy Cross students are on exhibit. In addition to Candee and Vera Morales, the other Holy Cross students who have their artwork on display are:

  • Ashleigh Alex ’14, self portrait series – painting
  • Jack Butler ’13, “Self/Worcester #6,” photography
  • Elad Covaliu ’16, “Golden Dog,” sculpture
  • Dioni Cruz ’13, “Coma Suicide,” video installation
  • Vivian Daly ’13, self portrait- oil bar and acrylic
  • Danielle Dimond ’13, “What Are We Watching,” video installation
  • Danielle Dimond ’13, “The Wrong Side,” sculpture
  • Chelesea Jenkins ’13, “Tangled #5,” photography
  • Elisa Jimenez ’14, “Lost,” woodcut print
  • Alexander M. Vera Morales ’13, “Vera (Truth),” photography
  • John Noonan ’13, “Pain, What Is It?,” sculpture
  • Erin Quinlevan ’15, “Front Loading,” painting
  • Lorena Sferlazza ’15, “Arm Raised,” sculpture
  • Lorena Sferlazza ’15, untitled, charcoal
  • Kerry Simon ’13 (3 works accepted as a set) “Audrey,” “Colleen” and “Mine” – painting on cigarette packs and lighter
  • Danielle Wasserman ’13, “Bubble Thought,” mixed media on paper
  • Danielle Wasserman ’13, “You Don’t Gnome Me,” print

Related Information:

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Music Department Kicks off Spring Concert Series With Highly-Acclaimed Trio Tremonti

Posted on February 12, 2013 by David Cotrone ’13

Trio Tremonti

Highly-acclaimed Trio Tremonti will kick off the College of the Holy Cross’ spring 2013 concert series. The trio will perform on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. in Brooks Concert Hall. The concert will include violinist Saul Bitrán, cellist Jan Müller-Szeraws, and pianist Sally Pinkas. The performance is free and open to the public. 

On the heels of their debut at the Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth College, Trio Tremonti is one of the most sought after ensembles in New England, and they have appeared in venues such as Marlboro, Jordan Hall,  Concertgebouw, Teatro all Scala, and more. Recently, their live broadcast at WGBH-Boston was met by rave reviews.

Bitrán, the group’s violinist, was born in Mexico City. After graduating from the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University, he joined the Grammy-nominated Cuarteto Latinoamericano as first violinist. Müller-Szeraws, the cellist, is a member of the contemporary music ensemble Boston Musica Viva, and is a faculty member at Holy Cross and at Philips Academy Andover. Pinkas, the group’s pianist, has toured extensively in Russia, China, and Nigeria, and has appeared as a soloist with the Boston Pops, the Jupiter Symphony, and the Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra. On faculty at Dartmouth College, BBC Music Magazine has lauded her work, saying, “Pinkas gives superbly committed performances.”

The music department at the College will present the following musical performances on campus during spring 2013. All events are free and open to the public. For additional information, please contact the music department events line at 508-793-3528.

Sun., Feb. 24; 3 p.m.
Judith Hancock, organ
Organ and Sacred Music
St. Joseph Memorial Chapel

Sat., Mar. 16; 3 p.m.
Suzanne Crifo ’13, soprano
Brooks Concert Hall

Sun., March 24; 3 p.m.
Holy Cross Chamber Orchestra
Worcester Consortium Concert
Mechanics Hall, Worcester

Tues., Apr. 2; 8 p.m.
Tony Arnold, soprano
Jacob Greenberg, piano
Brooks Concert Hall

Fri., Apr. 5; 5 p.m.
Lucia Westin ’13, soprano
Brooks Concert Hall

Sun., Apr. 7; 3 p.m.
Natali Krykova ’14, Brooks Scholar, piano
Brooks Concert Hall

Thurs., Apr. 11; 8 p.m.
Centennial Sacre
Piano Duo Jaskot Culver
Brooks Concert Hall

Sat., Apr. 13; 2 p.m.
Paul Fontelo ’13, trumpet
Brooks Concert Hall

Sun., Apr. 14; 2p.m.
Alison Christopher ’13, soprano
Brooks Concert Hall

Sun., Apr. 14; 3 p.m.
Pavel Kohout, organ, international concert and recording artist
Prague, Czech Republic
St. Joseph Memorial Chapel

Thurs., Apr. 18; 8 p.m.
Holy Cross Jazz Ensemble
Spring Concert
Brooks Concert Hall

Fri., Apr.19; 8 p.m.
Holy Cross College Choir
St. Joseph Memorial Chapel

Sat., Apr. 20; 2 p.m.
Michelle Hazen ’13, piano
Brooks Concert Hall

Wed., Apr. 24; 8 p.m.
Holy Cross Chamber Orchestra
Brooks Concert Hall

Thurs., Apr. 25; 8 p.m.
Chamber Music Festival
Brooks Concert Hall

Fri., Apr. 26; 6 p.m.
Patrick Chiarolanzio ’13, baritone
Brooks Concert Hall

Sun., Apr. 28; 5 p.m.
Holy Cross Chambers Singers
Brooks Concert Hall

Tues., Apr. 30; 4 p.m.
Student/Faculty Recital
Brooks Concert Hall

Thurs., May 2; 8 p.m.
Dacapo Chamber Players
Brooks Concert Hall

Fri., May 3; 8 p.m.
Gamelan Concert
Brooks Concert Hall

Sun., May 5; 3 p.m.
Jennifer McPherson ’13, organ
St. Joseph Memorial Chapel

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Media Worldwide Turn to Holy Cross Faculty for Comment on the Pope’s Resignation

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

On Monday, Feb. 11, Pope Benedict XVI made headlines by announcing his resignation due to health concerns, and he will step down from his position at the end of the month. The first pope to take such action in nearly 600 years, many national — and international — media outlets called upon papacy experts from the Holy Cross community for perspective.

On NPR’s All Things Considered, Rev. Thomas W. Worcester S.J., professor of history at the College of the Holy Cross, cited a nefarious papal resignation of the past. Occurring in 1415, the resignation was more of a referendum, as Pope Gregory XII was essentially voted out of his position.“Benedict is quite courageous to do this because he didn’t have a good precedent for it,” Fr. Worcester said. “[H]e now establishes a precedent that I think could be healthy for the church,” he continued.

In a post for the Washington Post’s religion blog On Faith, Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies at Holy Cross, also commented on the pope’s landmark announcement. Reflecting on Benedict XVI’s legacy, Schmalz said that his “papacy has been marked by personal humility and a continuing reassertion of papal authority worldwide.”

In USA Today, Schmalz further reflected on Benedict XVI’s legacy, saying, “I think everyone recognizes, whether they agreed with him or disagreed with him in terms of doctrinal positions, that he was who he was. That he wasn’t trying to be a different person as pope than he was as a cardinal, as a bishop, and as a priest.” According to Schmalz, “[L]etting go of papal power has never been framed in such a powerful way…There is indeed power in letting go.”

In the Telegram & Gazette, Thomas Landy, director of the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture at the College, said that he expects the College of Cardinals will quickly elect a new pope. Alluding to complex travel itineraries, he said, “It’s just really about getting the jet tickets in hand.”

Selected news coverage:

Internationally, Holy Cross faculty members were quoted in Pravda, Slovakia’s largest newspaper, and De Volkskrant in the Netherlands.

This ‘Holy Cross in the News’ item by David Cotrone ’13.

http://www.myfoxboston.com/video?clipId=8490547&topVideoCatNo=238258&autoStart=true
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Holy Cross Dance Marathon Raises More Than $28,000 for Pediatric AIDS

Posted on February 12, 2013 by David Cotrone ’13

Dance marathon

On Jan. 26, more than 200 students, staff and alumni at the College of the Holy Cross danced the night away and raised approximately $28,355 for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The College held a dance marathon, where participants danced from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., and conducted various games, activities, educational videos, and talks.

With the theme “Dance Dance Evolution,” participants danced to songs from throughout the ages. According to one of the student organizers Alexandra Hoffman ’15 the most significant part of the night was the silent vigil held at 3 a.m. for those who live with HIV. “The vigil created a connection between the dancers and what the event actually stood for,” she shares.

This year’s dance marathon raised approximately $4,000 more than last year. “The amount we raised shows how much power this event can have on people,” says Hoffman. “For 200 people to stay standing for a total of 12 hours to fight and spread awareness about this disease makes me very proud to call myself a Holy Cross student.” 

Founded in 1988, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation seeks to prevent pediatric HIV infections and to eliminate pediatric AIDS through research, advocacy and prevention and treatment programs throughout the world.

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‘Down for the count: Olympics drops wrestling’

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

In a story for American Public Media’s “Marketplace,” Victor Matheson, an associate professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross, commented on the International Olympic Committee’s move to drop wrestling as an Olympic sport.

Expressing concern about the impact of the decision on the future of the sport, he said “Every kid who’s ever been an athlete always imagines himself playing in the big game.  If you don’t see the great wrestlers standing on the podium, getting that gold medal draped over their necks, it’s hard to imagine yourself being the great star and the great athlete.”

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

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‘Threads of tradition and change at Holy Cross’ Cantor Gallery’

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

Ikat

The MetroWest Daily News has nothing but praise for the latest exhibit in the Cantor art Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross, “Transnational Ikat: An Asian Textile on the Move.”

The exhibit, which is on display through March 1, is curated by Susan Rodgers, professor of anthropology, with research assistance from student docents Hana Carey ’13, Tricia Giglio ’14, and Martha Walters ’14.

“Indonesian artisans have woven a distinctive textile called ikat, dying its threads to create images of plants, animals and spirit totems that can decorate everyday wear, high fashion and ceremonial dress,” writes reporter Chris Bergeron. “The Gallery presents the versatile cotton fabric as an art form and cultural artifact, traditional craft and object of commerce that’s comfortable to wear and lovely to look at.”

Roger Hankins, director of the Cantor Art Gallery, said, “Making ikat is a still-thriving tradition. We wanted to look at ikat as it’s woven in the villages and how it’s crossed borders and has been made into high fashion,” Rodgers described. “We want to look at the commercialization of ikat in the positive sense.”

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

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‘Black student unions evolve’

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

In a recent article in the Telegram & Gazette, Mable Millner, associate dean of students for diversity and inclusion and director of multicultural education at the College of the Holy Cross, commented on the state of the College’s Black Student Union (BSU) compared to the past.

Reflecting on the legacy of former College president Rev. John E. Brooks, S.J.’s commitment to create diversity on campus, and also on a contentious student walkout led by a now-defunct black student corridor, Millner said that there is still progress to be made. “Those things that students saw 40 years ago are things that still need to be constantly on the agenda of any institution,” she said.

In 1968, Holy Cross alumnus Arthur Martin became the founding chairman of the College’s BSU. “Academically and athletically, [the school] fit what I wanted for an education, but it was lonely,” he said, in response to the College’s scarce diversity at the time. “Holy Cross, like everything else, is a microcosm of the country,” Martin continued. “When we started the black student union, we needed it for a lot of different reasons…It was a rallying point, and it helped us focus on who we were.”

This year, Jonathan Casseus ’14 is the president of the College’s BSU. Considering the organization’s past, he stated, “They had a common cause they were fighting against…whereas now, we’re just a group that wants to be more inclusive. We want to take in all different types of cultures and have a conversation.”

Now, black student unions have broadened, and have extended their call for a more diverse curriculum and faculty in the hopes of ensuring that students of all cultures “feel comfortable being themselves,” said Millner. “I still believe that some of what they provide is only provided through those organizations, so I hope that 45 years from now that there will be a black student union.”

This ‘Holy Cross in the News’ item by David Cotrone ’13.

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‘Colleges use new tools to reel in new students’

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

In an article in the Telegram & Gazette, Lauren Tilmont, a freshman at the College of the Holy Cross, discussed what attracted her to the school. “The little things of the Holy Cross blog,” she said, alluding to the College’s efforts to reach perspective students via a wide variety of ways. “The mundane little things that maybe other people wouldn’t think mattered, ultimately mattered to me,” she continued.

While applicant pools continue to become smaller, perspective students continue to become more technologically advanced, meaning colleges and universities must adapt. For instance, social media and college admissions now go hand-in-hand, which explains Holy Cross’ recent marketing efforts. With distinct multimedia materials—such as an unscripted video that was launched three years ago, in which students briefly stated what they loved about life on the hill—the College continues to engage incoming and current students alike. “This authentic personal voice from our students is the best salesperson that we could have,’ said Ellen Ryder, director of public affairs at Holy Cross.

In 2011, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education honored the College with an international Circle of Excellence Award (bronze) in the category of student recruitment publication packages. In a similar regional competition, Holy Cross’ publications and website was awarded a silver prize, and its viewbook, “Being Holy Cross,” won gold. Proving that the College lives up to its glittering acclaim, Inez Asante, a freshman student blogger on the hill, said that her college experience has surpassed her expectations. “It’s better,” she said.

This ‘Holy Cross in the News’ item by David Cotrone ’13.

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Important Information Related to Inclement Weather Conditions

Posted on February 7, 2013 by

Saturday, February 9 – 11:35 a.m.

Campus buildings:

  • Kimball: opened at 10 a.m. for brunch
  • Hogan, Dinand, Science Library, Hart Center, and the Fieldhouse: will open at noon
  • Music library: will open at 1:00 p.m.

Events:

  • Alternate College Theatre Presents Rock Musical ‘Spring Awakening’: 2:00 and 8:00 p.m. performances will go on as scheduled.  Ticket prices are reduced to $5 with a Holy Cross ID. An additional performance is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m.

Athletics events:

  • The Holy Cross vs. Lehigh men’s basketball game will be played tonight, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. The travel ban for Massachusetts will be lifted at 4 p.m. this afternoon, and the roads and parking lots around campus should all be cleared in time for the game. Ticket windows will open prior to the game at 6:30 p.m.
  • The two men’s ice hockey games against Sacred Heart on Feb. 8 and 9 have both been postponed. The two teams will now play at the Hart Center on Sunday, Feb. 10, at 3:00 p.m., and in Milford, Conn., on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 7:00 p.m.
  • The women’s ice hockey game at Nichols on Friday, Feb. 8, has been postponed until Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 8:10 p.m.
  • The Valentine Invitational at Boston University for the men’s and women’s track and field teams has been cancelled. The meet will not be made up.
  • The men’s tennis match at Southern New Hampshire on Saturday, Feb. 9, has been postponed until Sunday, Feb. 17, at 6:00 p.m.

More info on goholycross.com >>

____________________________________________________________________

Saturday, February 9 – 10:00 a.m.

The Shelter-in-Place order is now lifted. However, the blizzard warning is still in effect until 1 p.m., so caution is advised. If you must go out, try to walk in groups for safety.

Do not drive vehicles on campus until further notice. Any vehicles hindering snow removal will be towed.

Kimball is opening at 10 for brunch and Hogan, Dinand, Science Library, Hart Center, and the Fieldhouse will open at noon.

Updates will be provided via email as information becomes available.

____________________________________________________________________

Friday, February 8 – 7:00 p.m.

As previously announced, a Shelter-in-Place order is now in effect on campus. Snowfall rates of 2-3 inches per hour as well as damaging winds are expected overnight. Do not leave your campus building until the order is lifted. Based on weather reports, we believe this order may be lifted late Saturday morning. We will update you as information becomes available.

____________________________________________________________________

Friday, February 8 – 10:16 a.m.

To:  Faculty, staff and students
From:  William J. Conley Jr, Director of Administrative Services
Subject: Weather Notification for the Holy Cross Community

In light of the Governor’s recommendation to have everyone off the road by 12:00 p.m., the President has authorized the early release to be moved up to 11:00 a.m. All non-essential personnel may leave the campus at 11:00 this morning. Faculty members who choose to cancel class should notify their students via email if they have not already done so.

As per my previous email the following facilities will remain open:

  • Kimball Dining Hall: will serve food until 6:30 p.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Friday, and reopen for brunch at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
  • Hogan Campus Center: limited service will be available on Friday from noon to 6:30 p.m.  and close at 7 p.m.  and reopen on Saturday at 12:00 noon
  • Dinand Library: will close at 7 p.m.  on Friday, both Dinand and Science Library will reopen Saturday 12:00 noon.
  • Hart Center and Fieldhouse: will close at 7 p.m. and reopen at 12:00 noon.

Due to the heavy snow and high winds the state is predicting that there may be some power outages.  I want to make sure that Faculty and Staff know that if they experience a power outage, their families are welcome to use the Kimball dinning facilities for a hot meal or a shower at the Hart Center.

Finally, I want to thank all those employees that are staying on the campus to provide services to our students. Your efforts are truly appreciated.

Sincerely
Bill Conley

____________________________________________________________________

Thursday, February 7 – 5:00 p.m.

TO: Faculty, staff and students
FR: William J. Conley, Director of Administrative Services
RE: Weather Notification for the Holy Cross Community

As you know, the Northeast is bracing for a severe snow storm. In our efforts to help keep the Holy Cross campus community safe during this time, the College’s Emergency Response Team met this morning to review weather forecasts and campus preparations for the storm. Weather reports have indicated a light snow will begin falling Friday morning, becoming heavy in the late afternoon with the heaviest occurring Friday night into Saturday morning. The Worcester area is expecting 12 to 24 inches of snowfall, with accompanying high winds and dangerously low visibility.

Information for students

Faculty members will decide if they want to cancel class or not. You should assume that classes on Friday afternoon will be held as scheduled unless you hear otherwise from your professor.

We anticipate issuing a ‘shelter in place’ order on Friday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. to protect those on campus and to mitigate the risk of interference with snow removal operations. At that time, you will be instructed to stay in your residence halls. We anticipate the order will be lifted on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. You will receive all “shelter in place” orders via Connect ED message. All information will also be posted on the College website.

Facilities will be open as follows:

  • Kimball Dining Hall: will serve food until 6:30 p.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Friday, and reopen for brunch at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
  • Hogan Campus Center: limited service will be available on Friday from noon to 6:30 p.m. and close at 7 p.m. and reopen on Saturday at 12:00 noon
  • Dinand Library: will close at 7 p.m. on Friday, both Dinand and Science Library will reopen Saturday 12:00 noon.
  • Hart Center and Fieldhouse: will close at 7 p.m. and reopen at 12:00 noon.

We ask you to help us keep the campus safe by abiding by rules and directions — especially when the ‘shelter in place’ order is issued. In case of an emergency, please phone the Public Safety emergency line at Ext. 2222. For non-emergencies, call Ext. 2224.

Students interested in helping shovel snow on Saturday (after the ‘shelter in place’ order is lifted) should contact the grounds department at Ext. 3477.

Scheduled campus events and activities on Friday and Saturday will most likely be canceled. Please check your email and the College website for updates and more information.

Information for faculty and staff

The College will have an early release at noon on Friday, Feb. 8. Employees who are unable to come to work because of severe weather conditions should notify their supervisors. Vacation time, floating holidays or personal time may be used as appropriate. Sick time may not be used for this purpose.

All essential employees should check with their supervisors for specific instructions.

Parking/driving information

After 3 p.m. on Friday, there will be no parking along campus roadways or in the Hogan Campus Center and Loyola lots. Essential employees who must report to work should direct parking question to their supervisors.

Students traveling to or from campus should arrive or depart by noon on Friday.

Van service will shut down at 1 p.m. on Friday.

Emergency notification

In the event of emergency or critical campus situations, the community will be alerted via Connect ED, telephone and/or email messages.

Please check the College’s website for updates on our local weather, campus operations, and cancelled events. You will also find updates posted on the Holy Cross Facebook page and Twitter.

Campus events information

Events canceled:

  • Seelos Film Series: ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ at 7 p.m. in Seelos Theater is canceled
  • Alternate College Theatre Presents Controversial Rock Musical ‘Spring Awakening’ Friday night at 8 p.m. An additional performance is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m.

Athletics events canceled:

  • Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Sacred Heart University at 7 p.m. in Hart Center. It is rescheduled for Sunday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m.
  • The women’s ice hockey game at Nichols on Friday, Feb. 8, has been postponed until Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 8:10 p.m.
  • The Valentine Invitational at Boston University for the men’s and women’s track and field teams has been cancelled. The meet will not be made up.
  • The men’s tennis match at Southern New Hampshire on Saturday, Feb. 9, has been postponed until Sunday, Feb. 17, at 6:00 p.m.

More info on goholycross.com >>

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Muslim Researcher to Address What Arab Spring Means for Women

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Danielle Kane

Mogahed

Recognized as one of the world’s most influential Muslim women, Dalia Mogahed will give a lecture on “Women After the Arab Spring Revolution: Rights and Religion,” Thursday, Feb. 21 at 4:30 p.m. in Rehm Library, Smith Hall at the College of the Holy Cross.

Mogahed is executive director and senior analyst at the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and co-author of “Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think” (Gallup Press, 2008). The book draws on empirical evidence from a six-year study conducting tens of thousands interviews with Muslims living in more than 35 predominately Muslim countries.

In this talk, Mogahed will share her recent work studying Muslim attitudes on the meaning and impact of the Arab revolutions. She will examine the Arab Spring from a woman’s perspective and outline the most important factors necessary to build gender-just societies.

In her research, Mogahed found no link between religious views and progress for women. Instead, she suggested, support for women’s rights was tied to men’s employment and education levels.

“Human development, not secularization, is what’s key to women’s empowerment in the transforming Middle East,” she said in a 2012 TED talk.

In 2010, Arabian Business magazine recognized Mogahed as one of the most influential Arab women in the world, and The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre included Mogahed in its 2009 and 2010 lists of the 500 most influential Muslims. Her analysis has appeared in publications including The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy magazine, the Harvard International Review, and many other academic and popular journals. An American scholar of Egyptian origin, Mogahed holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin and an M.B.A. from Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining Gallup, she was the founder and director of a cross-cultural consulting practice in the U.S. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed her to his Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Advisory Council.

Mogahed’s talk at Holy Cross, presented by the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture at Holy Cross, is free and open to the public. To learn more about McFarland Center events 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 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 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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Blog: DeLeo ’14 to Explore Environmental Issues in Australia

Posted on February 7, 2013 by

NAME Francis DeLeo ’14

HOMETOWN Fairfield, Conn.

AREAS OF STUDY Psychology major with environmental studies concentration, College Honors Program

WHERE HE’S STUDYING School for Field Studies in Yungaburra, Australia

WHY HE CHOSE AUSTRALIA “In my opinion, deforestation is one of the most devastating environmental issues in the world today. The SFS Australia program specifically focuses on conservation and rainforest management to protect and prevent the destruction of pristine rainforest ecosystems within Queensland.”

WHAT HE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “In addition to the scenery and exploring a different country, I am most looking forward to living in the rainforest, taking classes on socioeconomics and environmental policy, and conducting directed research on a topic of my choice.”

WHY HE’S BLOGGING “I decided to blog because I wanted other people to share in my experience: friends, family, Holy Cross faculty, and prospective students. Not many people know that SFS exists, so I want to show everyone what the program is all about.”

Read the blog »

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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‘Holy Cross hockey player nominated for national humanitarian award’

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

In a Telegram & Gazette article, Jeffrey Reppucci ’14, a defenseman for the College of the Holy Cross’ varsity hockey team, discussed the service projects that helped him earn a nomination for the BNY Mellon Wealth Management Hockey Humanitarian Award. Founder and president of the 501(c)3 non-profit organization Students Helping Children Across Borders, Reppucci also founded Playing For Peace, which was a $25,000 community building project in rural Russia.

Currently he is organizing Working For Worcester 2012-2013, a day of service that will result in more than $50,000 of improvements to the community.

“The dream is to build Working for Worcester into a program that becomes a staple of going to college in Worcester,” Reppucci told the Telegram & Gazette.

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

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Holy Cross Chapel Artist Concert Dedicated to Memory of Highly Acclaimed Organist

Posted on February 6, 2013 by David Cotrone ’13

J Hancock

Nationally renowned organist Judith Hancock will perform as part of the College of the Holy Cross’ Chapel Artist Series on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel. The concert will be dedicated to Hancock’s late husband, Gerre Hancock, and will consist of works by Duruflé, Guilain, Mendelssohn, Respighi, Dupré and Gerre Hancock. The performance is free, open to the public and handicap accessible.

Hancock is a senior lecturer in organ and sacred music at the University of Texas, Austin, and she has performed numerous recitals throughout the U.S., including appearances at the conventions of The American Guild of Organists. Formerly the associate organist of St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in New York and director of music at St. James’ Church on Madison Avenue, N.Y., Hancock is a graduate of Syracuse University and the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. In 2004, St. Dunstan’s College of Sacred Music of Providence, R.I, awarded her an honorary degree of doctor of sacred music. 

Gerre Hancock, who was one of America’s most acclaimed concert organists and choral directors, passed away last year. Judith’s husband of 50 years, he taught alongside her at the University of Texas, Austin, where together they built a program of studies in organ and the practice of sacred music.

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Noted Author and Essayist Anne Fadiman to Deliver Commencement Address at Holy Cross

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Ellen Ryder

Anne Fadiman, acclaimed author, essayist, and teacher, will receive an honorary degree from the College of the Holy Cross and address this year’s graduates during the College’s Commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 24 at 10:30 a.m. on the campus.

Fadiman is the Francis Writer in Residence at Yale University, a position she has held since 2005. Her first book, “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures” (1997), was lauded by critics and received the National Book Critics Circle Award, among numerous other nonfiction honors. The book tells the story of an extended refugee family with a child with epilepsy, and their cultural, linguistic, and medical struggles in America. “Spirit” has been widely referenced by medical practitioners working to offer more effective care to patients from other cultures. Fadiman is also the author of two books of essays, “Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader” (1998) and “At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays” (2007), and edited “Rereadings: Seventeen Writers Revisit Books They Love” (2005). She was a founding editor of the Library of Congress magazine, Civilization, and for seven years was the editor of the Phi Beta Kappa quarterly, The American Scholar. Her essays and articles have appeared in Harper’s Magazine, The New Yorker, The New York Times and many other publications. She has won National Magazine Awards for both reporting and essays. At Yale, she teaches nonfiction writing seminars and works with students and editors of undergraduate publications. In 2012, she was awarded Yale’s Richard H. Brodhead Prize for Teaching Excellence. She is a graduate of Harvard University, and lives with her family in western Massachusetts.

Travis LaCouter ’13 has been selected to deliver the valedictory address at the College’s Commencement ceremonies.  LaCouter, from Concord, N.H., is a member of the College Honors Program and has a double major in political science and Catholic studies.

He participated in the Washington Semester program during which time he interned with the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at the Heritage Foundation. There, he worked with an attorney on issues of civil justice and election law.  He was subsequently awarded the 2012 Maurizio Vannicelli Washington Semester Away program award, and presented his thesis in a talk titled “Inside the Mind of ‘The Most Important Man In Washington’: Anthony Kennedy on Religion.”

On campus, LaCouter is the chair of the Political Science Student Advisory Committee, serves as an Admissions Office senior interviewer and student representative on the Curriculum Committee.  He also edits The Fenwick Review.

The College will also bestow two other honorary degrees on the following individuals at Commencement:

Janet Eisner, SND
President, Emmanuel College, Boston

The nation’s longest-serving woman college president now sitting, President Eisner, a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, has led Emmanuel College since 1979. Under her leadership, Emmanuel has experienced a time of exceptional innovation, achievement and growth. She provided the founding vision for the Colleges of the Fenway collaboration; she forged a partnership that brought Merck Research Laboratories to campus; and in 2000 she led Emmanuel’s transition from an all-women’s college to a thriving coeducational college. Over the past 10 years, applications to Emmanuel have increased elevenfold, enrollment has tripled, and the campus has been transformed by the building of the Maureen Murphy Wilkens Science Center and the Jean Yawkey Student Center. Currently and throughout her career she has served on various local, state, and national educational commissions and boards, including the Executive Committee of the Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization (MASCO), Colleges of the Fenway, Catholic University of America, American Council on Education (ACE), the Archdiocese of Boston Catholic schools initiatives, Association of Governing Boards, and National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. She has had a long relationship with Holy Cross as a current member of the Advisory Board and former member of the Board of Trustees. She participated as a guest panelist in the Holy Cross Inauguration Faculty Symposium (“Imagining Teaching and Learning at a Jesuit, Liberal Arts College in the 21st Century”). She holds an A.B. degree from Emmanuel, an M.A. from Boston College, and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. Before her appointment as president, she served at Emmanuel as a faculty member, chair of the English Department, and director of Admissions.

Jack D. Rehm ’54, P81, 85, 88
Philanthropist and influential media executive

A member of the Holy Cross Cornerstone Society, a Lifetime President’s Council member, former Trustee, current member of the Advisory Board, and co-chair of his class’s reunion gift committee for the 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, and 45th reunions, Jack Rehm has taken a remarkable leadership position in the advancement of Holy Cross. In 2001, then-president Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., named Mr. Rehm to lead Holy Cross into its next capital campaign. He was responsible for shepherding the record-breaking $215 million campaign, and he gave $2 million to name Smith Hall’s Rehm Library — now a place for gathering, study, and reflection and venue for some of the most important lectures on campus. Mr. Rehm joined the Meredith Corporation in 1962 as a member of the Better Homes and Gardens advertising staff, moving up the ranks within Meredith’s publishing group through the 1970s, culminating with moving to Des Moines in 1980 to assume its presidency. He became president and COO in 1988, CEO in 1989, and chairman in 1992. He was named publisher of the year in 1988 by the Magazine Publishers Association and received its highest honor, The Henry Johnson Fisher Award, in 1989. He retired as chairman in 1998 but continued to serve on the Meredith board. He was instrumental in the renewal of downtown Des Moines, the company’s home since 1902. While he was company chairman, Meredith broke ground on its $25 million office expansion that anchored the western edge of the Gateway. Also in Des Moines, he led the city’s Major Projects Task Force; served as chairman of the Drake University Board of Governors; and was inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame in 1999.

Related Information:

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‘Who Has the Best Interest Rates in MA?’

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Holy Cross in the News

In a GoLocalWorcester.com article, Victor Matheson, associate professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross, commented on a study showing credit unions offer the best interest rates on savings accounts and CDs in Massachussetts.

“Credit Unions are organized as non-profit entities and are not subject to corporate income taxes,” contributed Matheson. “Without having to pay a return to investors and a cut to Uncle Sam, they can pass on their savings in the from of higher rates for savers and lower rates for borrowers.”

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

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Video: Community Prayer Celebrates the Many Faith Traditions at Holy Cross

Posted on February 5, 2013 by

Hundreds filled Mary Chapel for the second annual Community Day of Prayer.

The event, held on the first day that spring semester classes start, celebrates the rich faith traditions at the College.

The prayer was led by Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president. Members of the Holy Cross community, representing their respective faiths, read and sang prayers from their traditions.

Watch clips from this year’s event, and hear from Marybeth Kearns-Barrett, director of the Chaplains’ Office, and Virginia Coakley, assistant chaplain and director of Protestant and ALANA (African-American, Latin American, Asian-American, and Native American heritage) ministries; along with participants Ahmad Nabi Hassanzoy ’13, Annie Le ’13, Neal Lipsitz, associate dean for student development; and attendees Christina Chen, director of Academic Services and Learning Resources, and Caner Dagli, assistant professor of religious studies.

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Cotrone ’13 Earns Competitive Beinecke Scholarship

Posted on February 5, 2013 by

David Cotrone ’13, from Plymouth, Mass., is one of only 20 college students nationwide selected to receive a 2012 Beinecke scholarship. Each scholar receives $4,000 immediately prior to entering graduate school and an additional $30,000 while attending graduate school.

“I wouldn’t be able to afford graduate school without the award, so it really has opened a door for me,” he says.

Cotrone is an English major with a minor in anthropology and a concentration in creative writing. He is currently applying to a number of Master of Fine Arts programs in creative writing, and plans to concentrate in fiction writing. “I would love to end up in a place that’s both a literary hotspot and a hub of culture and activity,” he says.

His career plans are grounded in reality. “I would love for fiction writing to be a serious part of my life, but I realize that it’s not necessarily a viable career option, so I’m open to any avenue where words, communication and a little creativity play an important part,” he says.

Cotrone’s fiction has appeared in magazines such as Fifty-Two Stories (Harper Perennial), PANK, Paper Darts, Bluestem (formerly Karamu), Waccamaw, Necessary Fiction, and Vol. 1 Brooklyn. His essays and non-fiction have appeared in The Rumpus (then excerpted in The Atlantic’s “Daily Dish”), Thought Catalog, New Plains Review, elimae and The Lit Pub. He founded the literary website Used Furniture Review, which houses the work of contemporary writers. At Holy Cross, Cotrone is involved in Alternate College Theatre, a student-run theater group.

“I so appreciate the generosity, patience, and support of English professors Stephanie Reents, Leah Hager Cohen and Leila Philip, who have served as mentors, coaches, inspirations and most importantly, teachers,” he says.

Established in 1971, the Beinecke Scholarship Program provides scholarships for the graduate education of young men and women of exceptional promise.

Related Information:

Read some of Cotrone’s work:

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Holy Cross Again Named a Princeton Review ‘Best Value’ College for 2013

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Kristine Maloney

The Princeton Review named the College of the Holy Cross one of 75 “Best Value” private colleges for 2013. Based on institutional data and student opinion surveys from 650 colleges and universities, schools were selected according to several criteria including academics, cost, and financial aid.

Highlighting Holy Cross’ “generous” financial aid package, the Princeton Review notes, “No student or family should be dissuaded from applying to HolyCross because of the price tag…Holy Cross meets 100 percent of a student’s demonstrated financial need with a combination of scholarship grants, loans, and work-study.”

Robert Franek, senior vice president, publisher and lead author at the Princeton Review says the colleges on the list should be commended for “their stellar academics and their exceptional affordability as evidenced by their generous financial aid awards or their comparatively low sticker prices—or both.”

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Kristine Maloney.

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