Holy Cross Classics Students Receive National Attention for Project on Homer

Posted on December 5, 2012 by David Cotrone ’13

Homer

College of the Holy Cross students Matt Angiolillo ’13, Tom Arralde ’13, Stephanie Lindeborg ’13, Nick Churik ’15, and recent alumna, Melissa Browne ’12, have received national attention for their work on the Homer Multitext project, a project in which these students attempt to understand the Homeric epics such as the “Iliad” by researching some of the earliest written remains of such poetry in both manuscript and papyrus sources.

The students worked with the classics department’s Neel Smith, associate professor, and Mary Ebbott, associate professor and chair, to explore, study, and compile the nuances of Homer’s work.  The project was part of the Andrew W. Mellon Summer Research Program at the College, which funds student-faculty research projects in the humanities and social sciences.

“As the work of this group of students shows,” says Smith, “the direct and indirect effects of the summer research program are opening new doors to our students.”

The Homer Multitext project is the first of its kind in Homeric studies, as it embraces technology by digitally presenting both the text and historical framework of the “Iliad” and “Odyssey,” offering a free library of texts, images, and tools that allow readers to uniquely engage with Homer’s seminal works.

“In exploring these works, the project adds to humanity’s understanding of its cultural origins,” Angiolillo, a classics major from Drexel Hill, Penn. “We are able to glimpse the period of time when there were many texts of Homer, not just the one we have today.”

Lindeborg, a classics major from Shrewsbury, Mass., says working on this project is validation that there are still important things to be done in classics. “It’s amazing knowing that I and a handful of my peers probably know these manuscripts better than anyone else on the planet.”

On Nov. 30 – Dec. 1, the Homer Multitext student cohort traveled to Washington, D.C., to present their findings at the Sunoikisis Undergraduate Research Symposium at Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies, a nationally renowned hub of classics research.

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Holy Cross Student Government Association Contributes to Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts

Posted on December 5, 2012 by David Cotrone ’13

SGA Sandy

The Student Government Association (SGA) has organized several events on campus to support relief efforts in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

On Monday, Dec. 3, the SGA co-sponsored a 3 vs. 3 student/faculty basketball tournament. With a buy-in of $3 per person, all proceeds directly funded vital relief efforts.  There was also a collection of canned goods and donations taken at the event. 

In addition, in the Hogan Lobby this week, the SGA will allow students to write cards to families that will be living in shelters due to the storm during the holiday season. They will also co-sponsor a benefit concert on Friday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. The headliner of the concert will be Sam James, a Worcester native and contestant on the hit TV show “The Voice.” Students are asked to bring a monetary donation or canned goods for entry.

“We wanted to get involved with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts because we saw an area of our country in need and knew that we had the resources to help,” explains Paul Misci ’13, co-chair of SGA. “Many of our students are from the tri-state area and have been, or know people who were, deeply affected by this disaster.”

While donations are welcome, Misci explains that SGA would also like to increase campus awareness of the damage that the storm has caused. “In addition to raising funds and supplies we would also like to raise awareness that students in our classes, maybe even a close friend, may have been affected by the storm,” he says.

 The Holy Cross Student Government is an on-campus organization elected by and representative of the student body. As an institution, SGA is committed to the maintenance and improvement of student facilities, programming initiatives, events, services, and community at the College.

For more information contact sga@g.holycross.edu.

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Holy Cross Professor Receives Prestigious Book Award for Study of Religion, Motherhood, and Poverty

Posted on December 4, 2012 by David Cotrone ’13

Susan Crawford Sullivan

Susan Crawford Sullivan, assistant professor of sociology and an Edward Bennett Williams Fellow at the College of the Holy Cross, recently received the 2012 Distinguished Book Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR) for her book, “Living Faith: Everyday Religion and Mothers in Poverty” (University of Chicago Press, 2011). The SSSR stimulates, promotes, and communicates social scientific research about religious institutions and experiences; it encompasses a variety of disciplines including sociology, religious studies, psychology, political science, economics, gender studies, and others.  Its prestigious book award recognizes the most outstanding book published in the last two years.

“To have my book recognized across such an array of disciplines means a lot to me,” says Sullivan, reflecting on her receipt of one of the highest national recognitions of scholarship in her field. “It’s quite humbling.”

“Living Faith,” which looks at the role of religion in the lives of urban mothers in poverty, was also awarded the Distinguished Book Award from the American Sociological Association’s section on Sociology of Religion this past summer. “I was interested in two main questions,” says Sullivan, explaining the motivations behind her work, “understanding how the women I studied drew on religious interpretations in contending with the challenges in their lives around work and welfare, parenting, and making meaning of difficult circumstances, as well as understanding their distance from organized religion despite often-high levels of personal religious faith.” Sullivan was able to investigate this material by conducting interviews with women in various social service programs, such as shelters and job training programs, as well as with urban pastors.

The book explores broader questions of interaction between churches and the urban poor. “Doing this research made me think about the importance of people seeing the very poor as common members of one human family,” she says. “I hope that this book will help religious leaders and organizations, policymakers, community members, and others to walk with mothers in poverty in working towards a fuller human community and a more just society.” Sullivan is donating part of the proceeds of her book to organizations which assist women in poverty.

Interested in religion, poverty and public policy, and the family, Sullivan received her M.P.A. in public affairs from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 1996 and her Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University in 2005. From 2009-10, she was a visiting assistant professor and research associate at Harvard Divinity School. At Holy Cross, she teaches courses including “Sociology of Religion,” “Catholic Thought and Social Action,” “Women, Religion, and Poverty,” “Families and Societies,” and “The Sociological Perspective.”

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Worcester Attorney Named General Counsel at Holy Cross

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Cristal Steuer

Vin O'Rourke

Worcester attorney Vincent F. O’Rourke, Jr., who has represented the College of the Holy Cross in various capacities since 1981 when he joined the local firm of Bowditch & Dewey, has been named the College’s new general counsel, effective January 2, 2013. 

In addition to his work through Bowditch & Dewey, O’Rourke, a member of the Holy Cross class of 1969, has served as the College’s acting general counsel for the past five months, and was secretary of the Holy Cross Board of Trustees from 1998-2000. 

O’Rourke, a native of South Orange, N.J., majored in political science at Holy Cross, and received his law degree in 1972 from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif.  Following law school, he served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Irving L. Goldberg of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and then as a judge advocate in the United States Navy from 1973-1977, serving as a trial counsel with the First Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif., and as an instructor in military justice at the Naval Justice School in Newport, R.I.  From 1977-1981, he was a member of the Appellate Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, before moving to Worcester and joining Bowditch.  He was named a firm partner in 1983, was chair of its litigation practice group from 1989-2010, and has been its general counsel since 2011. 

O’Rourke is a member of the bars of the United States Supreme Court, the states of Massachusetts and Illinois, and of the National Association of College and University Attorneys.  He and his firm were appointed as the first Select Counsel by United Educators Insurance Company, an insurer of higher education institutions, in 1994.  He has participated in a number of landmark higher education cases over the years including Bakke v. Regents of the University of California, and Southeastern Community College v. Davis.

O’Rourke has been an active participant in the Worcester community and has served as a director of many boards and organizations, including Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Worcester, United Way of Central Massachusetts, Worcester Area Community Health Center, Greater Worcester Community Foundation, and the Holden Youth Soccer League.

He is married to Bonny Kaye O’Rourke, an English teacher and an academic support coordinator at Bancroft School in Worcester.  The O’Rourkes are parents of Lindsay A. Doherty ’02, a development officer for the Diocese of Scranton, Penn., who is married to James A. Doherty, III ’01; and Robert F. O’Rourke, a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Divinity School, who is an assistant director of admissions at Georgetown.

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Art Installation, Dancing Calligraphy, Comes to Life

Posted on December 3, 2012 by David Cotrone ’13

Calligraphy

When students returned from fall break, the Hogan Lawn was alive with visual art and music, as Yin Peet, visiting lecturer in the Center for Interdisciplinary and Special Studies at the College of the Holy Cross, along with several student performers and faculty at the College, conducted an artistic demonstration called Dancing Calligraphy, which featured a 36-foot wide canvas laid out on the ground. While a temple drummer played music at various rhythms? and speeds, performers wrote calligraphy in a spontaneous act of self-expression.

“In the contemporary arts we have commonly recognized that sound is one of the effective elements that could enhance one’s visual experience,” explains Peet, who is also the director of Contemporary Arts International, a nonprofit organization with the mission of promoting the creation and understanding of multi-disciplinary arts in a global context. “It is important for artists to balance all elements involved in a piece of art,” she continues.

Currently teaching an East Asian Art Studio course at the College, Peet has introduced her students to calligraphy (an artistic form) and Zen (a Japanese ideology and practice), both of which were fundamental to the production of Dancing Calligraphy, as the goal of the work was to demonstrate that action is the essence of performance and that the axiom “Be yourself” lends itself to the creation of significant expressive art.

“It was necessary to collaborate with others in the community due to the project’s scale and its fundamental spirit,” says Peet, explaining why the demonstration required many performers. 

“It was great working with fellow students,” says Nicole Tan ’15, a student in Peet’s East Asian Art Studio class. “We function better as a group, as we can support each other,” she continues.

Gary DeAngelis, associate director of the Center for Interdisciplinary and Special Studies at the College, also remarks on his participation in the event, saying, “It encompassed the very essence of Zen, a total immersion of your mind, body and spirit in the immediate moment.”

Reflecting on the creative process behind Dancing Calligraphy, Peet says, “It’s simply living the life.”

Other performers included Susan Schmidt, professor of visual arts; Cristi Rinklin, associate professor and chair of the visual arts department; De-Ping Yang, professor of physics; Katelyn Candee ’14, Kimmi Cheung ’13, Madeleine Coticchia ’13, Mary Gallagher ’13, Kelsey Killeen ’13, Kharisha Laroco ’15, William Shrader ’13, and Brooks Wait ’13.

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‘Ordinary believers, scholars react to new book’

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

In a recent article in the Metrowest Daily News, Rev. Thomas W. Worcester, S.J., professor of history at the College of the Holy Cross, commented on the significance of Pope Benedict XVI’s new book, “Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives.”

In the book, the pope disproves the popular notion that angels trumpeted Christ’s birth, or that animals were present in the manger in Bethlehem, which sparked controversy among clergy, religious scholars, and believers.

“[T]radtionally Catholicism has been a visual religion with a lively visual tradition,” explained Fr. Worcester. “I think the pope is trying to distinguish what we know of the historical Jesus.”

The third book released by Pope Benedict, “Jesus of Nazareth” approaches the life of Jesus with a scholarly lens, and attempts to distinguish differences between Catholic traditions, beliefs, and realities.

“I think it’s fair to say his focus in these books is more on the human side,” said Fr. Worcester, reflecting on the pope’s intentions. “The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem continues to capture his imagination, to intrigue him,” he continued.

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


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‘Holy Cross exhibit displays work of artists with disabilities’

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

In a recent article in the Telegram and Gazette, Roger Hankins, director of the Cantor Art Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross, discussed “Create,” the gallery’s most recent exhibit. After the first half of the exhibit ran from Aug. 29 to Oct. 6, the second half opened on Oct. 22 and will run until Dec. 14. Featuring artists that are diverse in their presentation of various themes, techniques, and mediums, the exhibit is comprised of artwork produced over the last 20 years at the leading centers for artists with disabilities in the U.S., such as Creativity Explored of San Francisco, CA.

“To see the work firsthand is the greatest of experiences,” said Hankins. “It’s different to be immersed in the exhibit. With a lot of that stuff, every artist has their own voices, together there’s almost a choir happening.”

Hankins also shed light on Creativity Explored, a studio and gallery that provides a space for artists with developmental disabilities to develop, share, and sell their work. “[It’s] an interactive art center that promotes work for collectors and those interested in purchasing—it’s not just seen in confines of their spaces,” he said.

With ties to Worcester, MA, the exhibit also features weavings by the Saori Weaving Project, which is coordinated by the local Seven Hills Foundation. Since opening at Holy Cross, hundreds of Worcester residents have not only toured the Create exhibit, but have also participated in workshops on artistic methods used in the show.

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

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Holy Cross Moot Court Teams Headed to National Tournament

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Kristine Maloney

With strong finishes in regional tournaments this fall, four two-person moot court teams from the College of the Holy Cross have qualified to compete in the American Collegiate Moot Court Association’s National Competition from Jan. 18 – 19, 2013 at Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach. The Holy Cross teams are among only 80 nationwide, from a field of more than 300, to advance to the national tournament.

Coached by John M. O’Donnell ’04, the Moot Court teams’ four bids to the national competition this year ties the school record. The first two bids were secured by captain Alexis Beyerlein ’13 and Andrea Thompson ’15, and Michael Bender ’15 and Emily Sawicki ’15 at a regional qualifying tournament at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. In addition, Sam Marth ’16 finished as the tenth highest ranked attorney of the entire competition.

The second two bids were secured by Lauren Kuehn ’13 and Payton Shubrick ’13, and Bethany Fogerty ’16 and Andrea Kelble ’16 at a regional qualifying tournament at Fitchburg State University.

Holy Cross joined the American Moot Court Association in 2003 and has enjoyed much success. Erin Robert ’06 and Elizabeth Letak ‘06 finished as national runners-up in 2003 and 2004. In 2009, Katie Manzi ’08 and Tania Mistretta ’08 finished as the overall first and second place orators at the National Tournament in Iowa, the first time any school had claimed the top two positions. In 2009, Katherine Andrew was ranked the top orator at the Nationals, giving Holy Cross the top spot two years in a row.

Moot Court is a form of legal debate that pits two students from a school against another team of two. The competitors debate issues of law in front of a panel of judges, usually real life attorneys and judges, who score the competitors based on their knowledge of case law, ability to think on their feet and forensic skills. This year’s case involves affirmative action and first amendment rights on college campuses.

Additional information:

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Students to Hold Weightlifting Competition to Fight Cancer

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Cristal Steuer

Benching for Breast Cancer

The Fifth Annual Benching for Breast Cancer Fundraiser will take place Friday, Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. in the Hart Center’s Varsity Weight Room at the College of the Holy Cross.

Working in teams of four, students (who pay a $10 participation fee) solicit donation pledges based on how much weight they think they can lift.  While wearing a costume, they compete against other teams lifting weights for prizes in three categories:  best team costume, most enthusiastic team, and most money raised.

“Last year we had 270 participants and raised more than $2,000,” says Elizabeth Watters, one of the student organizers. “I wanted to get involved because cancer has directly affected my family. My mother is a breast cancer survivor.”
All proceeds from the event will benefit Pink Revolution, a Worcester-based breast cancer alliance of dedicated individuals with a unified commitment to those touched by breast cancer.

Watters, a religious studies major from San Francisco, Calif., hopes to have more than 300 participants at this year’s event.  “We hope Holy Cross community members will come out and bench [press] and then attend the men’s hockey game,” she adds.

The men’s hockey team will play Penn State at 7 p.m. in the Hart Center.  During every home game the hockey team raises money through Power Play Points for PINK, where local businesses, community members, parents, and alumni pledge money for any goal that is scored during a power play.

Benching for Breast Cancer is sponsored by The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC ) and HC for a Cure.  SAAC is a group of student leaders made up of representatives from each varsity team on campus. They work with the NCAA and provide an athlete’s prospective on the recruitment process, eligibility, and other regulations that affect athletes.

Register for Benching for Breast Cancer.

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Ann Dowd ’78 Earns Rave Reviews for Her Performance in ‘Compliance’

Posted on November 30, 2012 by

“Marvelous.” “Extraordinary.” “Riveting.” “Terrific.”

These are some of the adjectives critics are using to describe the latest performance by actress Ann Dowd ’78. In “Compliance,” which is based on true events, a prank caller convinces a fast-food restaurant manager, played by Dowd, to interrogate an innocent young employee. The film is currently playing in select theaters, and will be available on DVD and Blu-ray on Jan. 8.

Learn more about the movie and Dowd in the fall issue of Holy Cross Magazine.

Check out some more reviews of Dowd’s performance.

“This is a well-made film, with plausible performances by all the leads, especially Ann Dowd.” —Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com

” Ann Dowd is pitch-perfect as Sandra, a low-level manager whose minor insecurities become major failings.” — Rafer Guzmán, Newsday

“One of the screen’s great character actresses.” — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post

“In a riveting performance, Dowd creates a figure as recognizable as her actions are appalling.” — Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times

“A fine performance by Ann Dowd.” —  Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal

“The performances, too — in particular by Ann Dowd as Sandra and Dreama Walker as Becky — are subdued and persuasive, shorn of excess heat or theatricality.” — Christopher Orr, The Atlantic

“There’s an eerie calm combined with a disturbing impish glee in Healy’s turn as the caller, and Dowd plays Sandra with just the right mixture of uncertainty and commitment to duty; that mix creates the baseline of sympathy for her that’s necessary for her to come off as both a victim and a perpetrator here.” —  Ian Buckwalter, NPR

“First among equals in the cast is Dowd, who ensures that Sandra’s misguided reactions to Daniels’ increasingly perverse requests never ring less than true.” — Justin Chang, Variety

“The other principal performances are equally unsettling, particularly Dowd as the unquestioning manager more focused on her career than the wellbeing of her employees.” — Justin Lowe, The Hollywood Reporter

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19 Holy Cross Graduates Serve As Jesuit Volunteers

Posted on November 29, 2012 by John Morton ’15

Nineteen alumni have answered the call to serve. They are currently working in locations around the world as Jesuit volunteers. With 14 former students participating in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Holy Cross is the third most-represented college nationwide for the second year in a row. An additional five 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, 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 322 Jesuit volunteers living in 38 cities in the United States and six other countries around the world. There are 138 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:

  • Linsey Barker ’12 – Civicorps Corps Member Academy; Oakland, Calif.
  • Rebecca Camargo ’12 – East Bay Community Law Center; Oakland, Calif.
  • Kelsey Cappetta ’12 – Catholic Charities Vincent House; Syracuse, N.Y.
  • Kathleen Corrigan ’12 – Marian Middle School; St. Louis
  • Andrew DeVivo ’12 – Fe y Alegria; Santiago, Chile
  • Caitlin DiMaina ’12 – Common Ground Communities, Community Solutions; Los Angeles
  • Carly Dominick-Sobol ’12 – St. Patrick Center; St. Louis
  • Michael Fask ’11 – Catholic Charities Maine; Portland, Maine
  • Marissa Geraghty ’12 – NJ LEEP; Newark, N.J.
  • Nora Marino ’12 – Catholic Charities Community Services; Phoenix
  • Michael Rogers ’12 – University of Detroit Mercy; Detroit
  • Elizabeth Schroeder ’12 – Catholic Charities Atlanta; Atlanta
  • Eva Vega-Gamez ’10 – Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston; Houston
  • Joe Whittaker ’12 – Ethel R. Lawrence Homes; Camden, N.J.

The following graduates serve as Jesuit volunteers in the Northwest:

  • Caroline Cataldo ’12 — St. Charles School, Billings, Mont.
  • Kevin Crowley ’12 – SAIL: ORCA, Juneau, Alaska
  • Kathryn Giardino ’12 — YWCA of Missoula, Missoula, Mont.
  • Sara MacKenzie ’12 — Sojourner Place, Seattle
  • Benjamin Nardozzi ’12 — Poverello Center, Missoula, Mont.
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Holy Cross Professor of Economics Discusses Powerball Lottery

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

With the Nov. 28 Powerball jackpot climbing to a record $550 million, millions of Americans from 43 states bought lottery tickets in hopes of winning the huge payout. As associate professor of economics Victor Matheson noted in several national news outlets, Powerball is one of the biggest games of complete chance that exists today.

“Teeing up and getting a hole in one, that’s pretty unlikely, right?” asked Matheson, in an on-camera interview with NECN.com. “Now your first shot goes in, a hole in one, and then you go up and take a second shot and that’s a hole in one as well. That’s the same odds of you winning the Powerball,” he continued.

Matheson also discussed both the personal and wider economic impact of the lottery, and in the Christian Science Monitor, he called it ‘a highly regressive tax [that preys] on people who are down on their luck and don’t see any other options to make their life better.”

Speaking to budget issues that state and local governments face every day, Matheson contended that the lottery is essential to bolstering state budgets, but that they would be further boosted if individuals purchased local goods and services.

Read Matheson’s analysis of Powerball:

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

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‘Does Powerball really boost the economy?’

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

In a recent article in CNN Money, Victor Matheson, associate professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross, commented on the economic impact of the Powerball lottery, which millions of Americans continue to participate in.

In the last fiscal year, Americans have spent $65.5 billion on lottery tickets, which is a 10% increase from the year before. With 25% of that money going to state governments, allowing states to fund school and construction programs, Matheson contended that such funds are essential to state budgets, and are essential if states are to avoid raising taxes. “It’s difficult to see how you would eliminate that much of state budgets and be able to come up with money elsewhere,” he said.

However, Matheson also noted that state economies would be further bolstered if consumers purchased goods and services instead of lottery tickets. “People spend disposable income on lottery tickets rather than buying a coffee at Starbucks or some gizmo at Best Buy,” he remarked.

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

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In Memoriam: Joseph E. Murray ’40, Nobel Prize Winner Who Performed First Organ Transplant

Posted on November 27, 2012 by

Dr. Joseph E. Murray ’40 P80, who ushered in a new era of medicine with the first successful organ transplant, died on Nov. 26 in Boston. He was 93.

On Dec. 23, 1954, Murray performed the world’s first organ transplant when he removed a kidney from a healthy 23-year-old man and implanted it into his twin brother who was suffering from kidney disease. Murray’s subsequent research advanced doctors’ ability to prevent transplant rejection, and in 1990 he was honored for his pioneering medical work with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

A loyal and dedicated alumnus, Murray had many ties to Holy Cross. During his visit for the official opening of the $64 million science complex in 2010, Murray commented on the value of his liberal arts degree.

“Holy Cross gave me a very liberal education — a broad view of living — and that’s why I majored in a bachelor of arts, rather than a bachelor of science,” he said. “The courses I took in English, history, philosophy, Latin and Greek have stayed with me for the past 60 odd years. And I still remember my English professor, my physics professor, and we learned, I think, the value of living.”

In 1965, he received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the College. In 1991, the College held a symposium on medicine in his honor where he received a crystal statue of a shooting star, symbolic of how Murray kept his eye on a distant star for years as he developed the methodology for organ transplants.

The distinguished lectureship in medicine at the College is named in honor of Murray. Designed to highlight Holy Cross’ history of producing world-renowned leaders in health care, the Murray Lectureship celebrates the lifetime achievement of a Holy Cross graduate who is at the pinnacle of a career as physician or medical research scientist. Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., ’62, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health, delivered the inaugural lecture in 2010.

Earlier this year, the editors of Holy Cross Magazine named Murray’s Nobel Prize win among the top 25 moments in the College’s history.

Media Coverage

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Holy Cross Among Country’s “Most Connected Colleges”

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Kristine Maloney

The College of the Holy Cross is ranked No. 37 in a new list of the country’s “Most Connected Colleges,” released by U.S. News & World Report. The ranking is a measure of schools’ effectiveness in providing high speed Internet for both academic and personal use. Factors considered include the percentage of housing units with free Wi-Fi, the highest Internet bandwidth available to undergraduates on campus, and the ability for students to perform many online tasks related to courses and enrollment through a centralized system.

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College to Celebrate Advent Season

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Cristal Steuer

Advent

The College of the Holy Cross will celebrate Advent with the following events:

The annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony, sponsored by the Purple Key Society, will take place on Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m. on O’Kane Porch, and will include musical performances by several student groups and the boys choir from Nativity School of Worcester. Rev. Charles Dunn, S.J., vice president emeritus and assistant director of planned giving at the College, will light the tree. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served. Santa will be available for photos and mingling with the crowd.

The 35th annual Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols will take place on Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel. Presented by the chaplains’ office and the College Choir, the celebration will include seasonal music by the choir and holiday scripture readings by members of the College community. Marybeth Kearns-Barrett, director of the chaplains’ office, will preside. The religious service is based on one celebrated every year at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, England.

The festive holiday service will be streamed live over the web from St. Joseph Memorial Chapel.  More than 700 people watched via the web last year. Bookmark the online location and be sure to tune in at 8 p.m. EST on Dec. 6.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception will take place on Dec. 8. Celebrate this Advent holy day of obligation at Mass at 12:05 p.m. (Rev. John Gavin, S.J., McCooey Chapel).

The Advent/Holiday Community Mass will take place on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel. On the last Sunday evening of the fall semester, a single community Mass is celebrated in place of the two regular Sunday evening Masses. Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president, will preside and preach.  Join in celebrating the season at this Mass which will be followed by a reception in the Lower Chapel Gathering/Baptismal Space.

An Advent Reconciliation Service will be held on Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. in the Lower Chapel Gathering/Baptismal Space. Prepare for Christmas by celebrating God’s forgiveness and reconciliation with Rev. John Gavin, S.J., Rev. James Hayes, S.J., Rev. Robert Keane, S.J., Rev. Anthony Kuzniewski, S.J., Rev Gregory Lynch, S.J., Rev. John Savard, S.J., and Rev. Edward Vodoklys, S.J.  Chaplain Meg Fox-Kelly will preside and preach.

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“Working for Worcester” Fundraiser to Take Place at Holy Cross

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Kristine Maloney

“Working for Worcester” will hold a fundraiser on Wednesday, Nov. 28 from 6:30 – 9 p.m. in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom at the College of the Holy Cross. The event—which will include performances by students from the city’s colleges, high schools and middle schools—is open to the public. A $10 donation is suggested at the door.

In addition to singing and dance performances, there will be a raffle with prizes including an iPod, Kindle, Worcester Sharks tickets, gift cards and more. Refreshments will be served.

Created and organized by Holy Cross student Jeff Reppucci ’14, “Working for Worcester” is a citywide project, that will “mobilize the city’s large student population to construct new and renovate outdated family spaces” in the spring of 2013. For additional information, including a detailed list of planned projects, visit workingforworcester.com or contact Tom Kelly at tkelly@shcab.org or Jack Carter at jcarter@shcab.org.

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Cannonball Foundation Director Mike Schell ’05 Featured in New FOX Sports Ad

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Kristine Maloney

Mike Schell ’05, executive director of the Cannonball Foundation, comments on his Holy Cross education in a new ad for his foundation which helps young players hone their skills and further their education through athletic scholarships. Versions of the ad will air on FOX during nationally televised NCAA football and basketball games this year.

“The education I received [at the College of the Holy Cross]—both on the field—but importantly off it, has shaped my life to the point where it is today. This notion of being a man for others has left an indelible mark on me. So much of what I do is figure out how to improve the lives of others in some way,” he says.

A shortstop for Crusader baseball, Schell and Mike Ginns founded The Cannonball Foundation in honor of their baseball hero, a 1920s-era submarine pitcher named Will “Cannonball” Jackman, denied the acclaim he would enjoy today because he was African American.

“It’s a game that teaches you some of the most crucial life lessons: how to handle adversity, how to deal with success, how to deal with failure, how to work with others while being focused on your own performance,” says Schell. 

It was Cannonball’s ability to overcome the adversity of segregation that inspired Schell to create an organization that would empower young athletes from underprivileged circumstances to realize their potential.

“Families from underserved areas are being priced out of baseball, and are receiving fewer opportunities because of it…Our mission for the Cannonball Foundation is to use baseball and softball to do the most good for the most people. We are a character, education, and leadership training organization.”

Read more about Schell and his foundation in Holy Cross Magazine:

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‘Holy Cross, South High pair up to create virtual tour for Worcester Art Museum’

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

In a Worcester Mag feature story, Amanda Luyster, a lecturer in visual arts at the College of the Holy Cross, discussed her Introduction to the Visual Arts course, through which her students collaborated with Worcester’s South High School to produce a virtual tour of selected pieces at the Worcester Art Museum for smartphones, tablets and computers.

“I wanted to make my art history classes feel more grounded in the ‘real world,’” said Luyster. “I liked the idea that college students could learn from the people and resources around them, and I thought that community-based learning would be a good way to approach and examine the relevancy of art in the world today.”

In the tour, titled ARTful Bodies, the students write about, make artwork about, and talk about art objects depicting the body and how those artworks seem connected to (or distant from) their own lives. “We can all relate to the images of the human body in which we inhabit,” explained Luyster.

The course, offered through the College’s Donelan Office of Community-Based Learning, gave Holy Cross students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the community, exposed high school students to college life, and helped all involved to appreciate art more deeply.

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

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‘Great Expectations: Holding Student Leaders Accountable’

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

In a story in Campus Activities Programming magazine, a publication of the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA), Jenn DeLuca, assistant director for student programs at the College of the Holy Cross, explained how to increase student group effectiveness by emphasizing accountability.

DeLuca, who co-wrote the article Matt Miller, the assistant director of student involvement and leadership at Bridgewater State University, stressed the importance of reflection. “Every so often, we all need to think about our impact on the groups we advise,” she wrote. “We professionals must remember that, as we develop and grow, we are still working with new students each year who are excited to bring new ideas to the group.”

DeLuca also advised that the best way to produce strong group results is to compose a list of expectations and to make everyone accountable for realizing them. “Take time to lay out expectations from an advisor’s standpoint and have students contribute their expectations,” recommended DeLuca.

“Have the organization as a whole compare and reconcile a list,” she continued. “Everyone should agree.”

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

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