Important Updates Related to Weather Conditions

Posted on October 28, 2012 by College of the Holy Cross

Tuesday, October 30, 3:15 p.m.

FR:  Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., President

Dear Members of the Holy Cross Community:

As the nation assesses the widespread effects of this week’s hurricane, I wanted you to know that our thoughts and prayers are with the people in the extended Holy Cross Community who are suffering hardship. The images and stories we are seeing and hearing from the hardest-hit areas are devastating. We know the families of many of our students and alumni throughout the Northeast and beyond have been directly affected by extreme weather, flooding, and other challenges.

Parents should know that students requiring assistance during this time have many resources available to them on campus.

We are all very grateful that our campus did not sustain any significant damage. On Wednesday, students will return to classes and full operations will resume. In the meantime, major offices and departments (including Student Affairs, Alumni Relations, Admissions, and others) are open for business. Our website and various social media channels (Facebook, Twitter) are reporting campus updates and information on rescheduled events.

Before and throughout the storm, our campus worked together in a manner that made me very proud to be a member of this extraordinary community. From providing “to go” meals in Kimball to ensuring that students were safe on campus and in residence halls, our staff in Dining, Student Life, Public Safety, and Physical Plant exhibited dedication, professionalism, and commitment.

For those of you who are still bearing the effects of this unprecedented weather, please know that you are in our prayers.

With all best wishes from Mount St. James for your health and safety,

Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J.
President

_____________________________________________________________

Tuesday, October 30, 9:45 a.m.

TO:  Faculty, staff and students
FR:  William J. Conley, Director of Administrative Services
RE:  Update on campus operations

The College’s Emergency Response Team met this morning to review the next steps in restoring full services to the campus.  The “shelter-in-place” order was lifted at 8 a.m., and buildings are being opened throughout the day, although classes are canceled today.  The campus sustained minor tree damage, and clean-up is in progress.

Students:  Kimball will reopen at 10 a.m. for brunch.  Hart Recreation Center and the Fieldhouse are now open, as is Hogan Campus Center.  Dinand Library and all academic buildings will open at 10 a.m.

Employees:  The College expects to return to full business operations by Wednesday, and will be operational on a department-by-department basis throughout the day today.  As we restore full campus services, we are aware that some employees might still be without power and dealing with other issues in the wake of the storm.  The College has a liberal leave policy, so please check with your supervisor if circumstances do not permit you to return to campus when you are scheduled.  Campus services (such as dining in Kimball and showers) are available to employees and their families who require them.  Nonessential employees should check with their supervisors about their expected return to campus.

Campus community:  Please continue to monitor the College website and your email for updates from faculty, advisors, and supervisors.

I am grateful for everyone’s cooperation and attentiveness during this time, and would like to extend special appreciation to employees in Dining, Public Safety, Physical Plant Trades and Grounds, Residence Life, Library Services, and Health Services.  The men and women in these areas worked before, after and during the storm to keep the campus and our community members safe.  I am also grateful to the members of the Emergency Response Team, who helped with all matters related to planning and communication the last few days.

Thank you.

_____________________________________________________________

Tuesday, October 30, 8:16 a.m.

The shelter-in-place order is now lifted. Kimball Hall will reopen at 10 a.m. for brunch. An email will be sent out to the community soon with more information.

All employees are asked to monitor the Holy Cross website and their emails for their scheduled return as we begin to resume normal campus operations.

Please be vigilant walking around campus as we did sustain some minor tree damage.

_____________________________________________________________

Monday, October 29, 2 p.m.

As previously announced, a “shelter-in-place” order is now in effect on campus. High winds are expected. Do not leave your campus building until the order is lifted. Based on weather reports, we anticipate the order will be lifted Tuesday morning. We will update you as information becomes available.

_________________________________________________________

Monday, October 29, 12:03 p.m.

The College’s Emergency Response Team has met this morning to review weather forecasts, preparations on campus, and what we expect on campus over the next 24 to 36 hours.

Students:  During lunch at Kimball today, you may pick up “to go” meals — dinner for this evening and breakfast for tomorrow morning — to take back to your residence hall.  At 2 p.m., as the storm is expected to worsen, a “shelter in place” order will be issued.  At that time, you must stay in your residence hall until that order is lifted, as expected, on Tuesday morning.

With sustained rain and expected increasing winds, this is still a very dangerous storm.  It is important that you take weather reports very seriously, and be attentive to instructions and direction.  Do not move around campus while the “shelter in place” order is in effect.

Reminder:  Classes are canceled on Tuesday, October 30.

Employees:  All non-residence halls on campus will close at 2 p.m. today.  Based on the storm’s tracking, we expect that campus buildings and operations will begin to return to normal on Tuesday, October 30.  Essential personnel must report to work on Tuesday, but with some buildings expected to open during the day (see anticipated schedule below), non-essential personnel who work in the opening buildings, should check with their supervisor for specific instruction.  Please continue to monitor the College website and your email for updates.  Please take weather reports very seriously and limit your travel.  Scattered power outages have already been reported in the region, and these may be prolonged. Check with your supervisor if you and your family are without power and need to utilize available campus services, including Kimball Dining (after it reopens).

All members of the campus community:  Based on the storm’s tracking, we expect to begin re-opening the campus Tuesday morning, although classes will not be held.  The Emergency Response Team will meet at 8 a.m. Tuesday, and will confirm and communicate the reopening schedule at 9 a.m.  At this point, based on weather forecasts, we anticipate the following:

8 a.m.  Hart Recreation Center and the Fieldhouse will open.

10 a.m. Dinand Library will open.

10 a.m.  Hogan Campus Center (including Cool Beans and Lobby Shop) and Kimball Hall will open.  Kimball will be open beginning with brunch.

4 p.m.  Science Complex (including Science Library) will open.

Many of Tuesday’s campus events and meetings have been and will remain canceled.  If Hogan reopens, as expected, student clubs and organizations may opt to hold their meetings.  Please monitor your email for specific instructions from faculty, advisors, and supervisors.

Thank you for your attention — and for being attentive to those around you.  In times like these, it’s especially important we check in with and support others on campus and in our neighborhoods.

In the event of emergency or critical campus situations, the community will also be alerted via Connect Ed telephone and email messages.  You will also find updates posted on the Holy Cross Facebook page and Twitter
_________________________________________________________

Sunday, October 28, 7:45 p.m.

The Emergency Response Team, which includes leaders from various areas within the College’s administration, is actively monitoring the weather forecast related to Hurricane Sandy, and has been making preparations since last week.

Important message for students: Due to the anticipated impact of Hurricane Sandy on the region — including rain, wind gusts and possible power outages — and a request from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, all classes have been canceled on Monday and Tuesday. In addition, the regular business of the College (including routine meetings, all scheduled campus events and lectures, athletic contest, club and organizational business) has been canceled on Monday and Tuesday.

Important message for staff: Unless otherwise notified by your supervisor, only essential personnel in Auxiliary Services, Public Safety, Dinand Library and Physical Plant should report to work on campus on Monday. Faculty, administrators, and hourly clerical staff should not report to work unless notified. (NOTE: Some facilities will be open for shortened hours. If you are not sure whether to report, please check with your supervisor.) Based on weather reports and updates, the Emergency Response Team expects to alert the community to any changes in these plans, and plans for reopening the campus to staff on Tuesday morning.

The Emergency Response Team strongly encourages students and staff on campus to limit their movements. With the severest weather expected to hit late tomorrow, Dinand Library, the Hogan Campus Center, Kimball Hall, Health Services, Hart Recreation Center and the Fieldhouse will close Monday at 2 p.m., at which time a “shelter in place” order is expected to be issued. All other academic buildings will be closed, beginning tonight.

Members of the College community are strongly advised to stay informed about the weather forecasts and take all precautions for safety — especially with the risk of power outages, high winds and flooding.

Please continue to monitor this site for further updates. Please also pay attention to your Holy Cross email for important updates during this time. In the event of emergency or critical campus situations, Holy Cross students, faculty and staff will be alerted via Connect Ed telephone and email messages.

Updates will also be posted to the Holy Cross Facebook page and Twitter.

—

Sunday, October 28: The following message was sent to students by Dean Peterson.

TO: Holy Cross students
FR: Jacqueline Peterson, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students
RE: Important information about Monday and Tuesday

As you know from the previous message from the College, because of the anticipated impact of Hurricane Sandy on the region — including rain, wind gusts, possible power outages, and the threat of flooding in coastal areas beginning tomorrow — all classes and routine campus activity have been canceled on Monday, October 29 and Tuesday, October 30.

Dinand Library, Hogan Campus Center, Kimball Hall, Health Services, Hart Recreation Center and the Fieldhouse will close Monday at 2 p.m., at which time we anticipate issuing a “shelter in place” order. At that time, you will be instructed to stay in your residence halls. All other academic buildings will be closed, beginning tonight.

The Dean’s Office reports that the advising period for spring 2013 course enrollment will be extended until Thursday. Students should submit their backpack to their advisor for approval no later than noon on Thursday.

During the day on Monday, you will be able to pick up “to go” food in Kimball to take back to your residence hall. Hogan Crossroads and Cool Beans will be open until 2 p.m. for food service. Most of the College’s administrative offices will not be open, so beyond the staff in dining areas, Public Safety, and other essential service areas, there will be limited personnel on campus. An RA will be on duty in all residence halls.

I know that many of your families live in the Northeast and in coastal areas, and that you will have concerns about their safety. They, in turn, will be concerned about you. Remember that your safety is our highest priority. It is not expected that Central Massachusetts will be as hard hit as other low-lying areas in New England. Nevertheless, here’s what you can do to remain safe:

  • Charge your cell phone
  • In the unlikely event of a power outage in your residence hall, do not light candles. Use flashlights.
  • In the unlikely event that a window in your room is broken by a falling limb, move into the hallway immediately. That will be the safest location until help arrives.
  • Check in with your families. Let them know how you will get in touch with them. The Red Cross Safe and Well site is a good option if cell towers are unavailable.

You might also encourage your families to check the Holy Cross home page for regular updates over the coming days.

It would be very unwise for you to travel away from your campus location at this time; in fact, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has requested that people stay home and off the roads. Please also limit your movements on campus — especially as the storm intensifies, as expected, tonight and tomorrow. Be in touch with your residence hall staff, and monitor weather reports.

In the event of emergency or critical campus situations, the community will also be alerted via Connect Ed telephone and email messages. You will also find updates posted on the Holy Cross Facebook page and Twitter.

The campus Emergency Preparedness Team has been meeting since last week to take precautions and make plans. Public Safety is adding more officers and key College residential staff will be on hand to assist during the hurricane. We ask you to help us keep you safe by abiding by rules and directions — especially when the “shelter in place” order is made at 2 p.m. on Monday.

In case of an emergency, please phone the Public Safety emergency line at Ext. 2222. For non-emergencies, call Ext. 2224.

Thank you for your attention. Stay safe and well!

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‘Top Producers of U.S. Fulbright Scholars by Type of Institution, 2012-13’

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

The College of the Holy Cross is among bachelor’s institutions with the highest number of Fulbrights awarded to its faculty, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, which published its annual “Top Producers of U.S. Fulbright Scholars by Type of Institution” list on Oct. 28.

In the past year, two Holy Cross professors have earned these prestigious fellowships: Pedrag Cicovacki, professor of philosophy and director of Peace and Conflict Studies, and Jennie Germann Molz, assistant professor of sociology. While Cicovacki is currently conducing a research project titled “Educating for Peace, Nonkilling, and Humanity” at Banaras University in Varanasi, India, Molz is performing a cultural study of tourism and sustainable hospitality at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi, Finland.

Founded in 1967, the Fulbright Scholar Program is America’s international flagship academic exchange program and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural affairs. The program operates in more than 150 countries worldwide.

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

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Harvard Political Scientist to Share Survey Findings on Role of Religion in Public Life

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Danielle Kane

Putnam

Robert D. Putnam, Harvard professor and co-author of “American Grace: How Religion Divides Us and Unites Us” (Simon and Schuster, 2010), will give a free, public talk on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Rehm Library, Smith Hall at the College of the Holy Cross.

“American Grace,” co-authored with David Campbell, is based on two of the most comprehensive surveys ever conducted on religion and public life in America. It describes a polarization that has emerged as young Americans, turned off by the linkage between faith and conservative politics, have abandoned religion entirely. It also identifies trends such as interfaith marriage, religious conversion, a growing acceptance of gay marriage, a belief that people of other faiths can get to heaven, and the view that Jews are the most widely popular religious group in America today.

Putnam is the Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a fellow of the British Academy, and past president of the American Political Science Association. In 2006, Putnam received the Skytte Prize, one of the world’s highest accolades for a political scientist. He has written 14 books, including the best-selling “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community” (Simon and Schuster, 2000); “Better Together: Restoring the American Community,” co-authored with Lewis M. Feldstein (Simon and Schuster, 2003); and “Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy” with Robert Leonardi and Raffaella Y. Nanetti, (Princeton University Press, 1994).

Putnam’s talk, presented by the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, is one of the Deitchman Family Lectures on Religion and Modernity. To learn more about McFarland Center events and to find lectures online, visit www.holycross.edu/mcfarlandcenter.

Please note this lecture will not be recorded.

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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Kiplinger’s Places Holy Cross Among Top 25 “Best Value” Liberal Arts Colleges

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Kristine Maloney

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine has ranked the College of the Holy Cross No. 25 among all liberal arts colleges in the country in its annual list of “best value” schools. The full list, which appears in Kiplinger’s December 2012 issue—on newsstands Nov. 6—features institutions that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable cost, particularly during these tough economic times.

According to Kiplinger’s, Holy Cross was ranked highly because “it exemplifies the attributes parents and students look for in higher education, including small class sizes, a good freshman retention rate and a high four-year graduation rate.”

To come up with their best values for 2012-13, Kiplinger’s took into account cost and financial aid, which were weighted most heavily; student indebtedness; competitiveness; graduation rates; and academic support. Holy Cross was viewed particularly favorably because of its commitment to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of accepted students. 

Visit the Financial Aid website to read more about Holy Cross’ financial aid policies.

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Washington Semester Prize Winner to Give Talk on Relationship Between Politics and Religion

Posted on October 23, 2012 by David Cotrone ’13

Travis

The College of the Holy Cross’ Center for Interdisciplinary and Special Studies has selected Travis LaCouter ’13, a political science and Catholic studies major from Concord, N.H., as the 2012 Maurizio Vannicelli Washington Semester Away program award recipient. LaCouter will present a talk titled “Inside the Mind of ‘The Most Important Man In Washington:’ Anthony Kennedy on Religion” on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. in Rehm Library.

During his time in the nation’s capital, LaCouter 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. As an employee at a major think-tank that considers important public policy issues, LaCouter helped to facilitate significant legal research and opinion, co-publishing several articles in several national news sources.

“I really appreciated the chance to work on issues that were timely and important,” LaCouter says. Reflecting on his experience in Washington D.C. and his receipt of the Vannicelli Prize, he says, “Winning the prize was a huge honor. It was definitely humbling to be chosen.”

In his talk, LaCouter will explore the religious liberty jurisprudence of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, and he will discuss the implications of Kennedy’s rulings on cases involving religion such as prayer in schools and public nativity displays. “We often talk about the separation of church and state,” says LaCouter, “but of course the bifurcation is not as clean or stark as we often think it to be.”

On campus, LaCouter is the chair of the Political Science Student Advisory Committee, serves as both a senior interviewer and student representative on the Curriculum Committee, and edits The Fenwick Review, the College’s “independent journal of opinion.” He is currently conducting a thesis on issues similar to the ones he studied in D.C., and he appreciates the help of his advisor, Matthew Dinan, the Jack-Millar Veritas postdoctoral teaching fellow at the College, as well as Rev. William E. Reiser, S.J., professor of religion and his reader for the D.C. thesis. 

The Vannicelli Prize is awarded each semester in honor of the late Holy Cross political science professor and Washington Semester director, Maurizio Vannicelli, for best research paper produced in the Washington Semester Away program. The recipient of the prize is awarded the opportunity to give a public lecture at the College on his or her thesis. In addition, the recipient receives a bound copy of the thesis and is presented the book award during commencement exercises.

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Panoply of Programs on Tap for Family Weekend Oct. 26-28

Posted on October 22, 2012 by

The hundreds of families who are expected to take part in Family Weekend will have no shortage of educational, cultural and recreational opportunities to choose from during their Oct. 26-28 visit to Holy Cross.

A full schedule and registration form is available on the Family Weekend website.

Below are some highlights.

Oct. 26

  • The College Choir will perform songs of Holy Cross, including “Alma Mater,” “Hoiah Holy Cross,” “Chu! Chu! Ra! Ra!,” “Mamie Reilly,” among others, with the audience joining in the singing, during the College Choir Family Weekend Concert in St. Joseph Chapel at 8 p.m.
  • Families can take part in blackjack, craps, roulette, a money wheel or a Texas Hold’em poker tournament in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom during Casino Night starting at 9 p.m.

Oct. 27

  • Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president, will give a State of the College Address at 9 a.m. in Jenks Suites B & C on the fourth floor of the Hogan Campus Center. The event will feature a panel discussion with his top administrators including Timothy Austin, vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the College; Tracy Barlok, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations; Rev. Paul F. Harman, S.J., vice president for mission; Dorothy Hauver, director of finance and assistant treasurer; Jacqueline Peterson, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students; and Frank Vellaccio, senior vice president. The floor will be opened for a Q-and-A session.
  • Hear Holy Cross’ own a cappella groups — Delilahs, Fools on the Hill, Off the Record, Sound of St. James and Sons of Pitches — in Seelos Theater. The Evening of A Cappella Music is so popular it’s being offered twice, at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Get a taste of the vocal groups before you see them live.

Oct. 28

  • From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Eco-Action, Holy Cross’ student environmental awareness organization, will hold their second annual Family Weekend Farmer’s Market, featuring fruits and vegetables, and crafts made by Worcester locals and Holy Cross students.
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‘Traditional debate format could favor Romney’

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

In a story on NECN, Donald Brand, professor of political science at the College of the Holy Cross, commented on the nature of the third and final presidential debate.

Explaining that the town hall format of the second debate favored President Obama, Brand contended that Monday’s debate would be a big opportunity for Romney. “[Romney doesn’t] have a lot of foreign policy experience,” said Brand. “[This] is Romney’s opportunity to prove to the American people that the U.S. would be safe in his hands.”

Brand predicted that the debate on foreign policy would have no clear winner.  “Barring a major gaffe, I think that it’s probably going to end up more a draw than it is a decisive victory on the part of one candidate,” he said.

“I think the chances of this debate being as decisive as the first debate was are limited,” he continued.

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

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‘How Teach For America became powerful’

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

In the Washington Post’s Answer Sheet blog, Jack Schneider, assistant professor of education at the College of the Holy Cross, shared an excerpt from his recent book, “Excellence For All: How a New Breed of Reformers Is Transforming America’s Public Schools” (Vanderbilt University Press, 2011).

In his book, Schneider, who specializes in educational policy and the history of education, explains how Teach For America has become such an esteemed program. “Getting the right teachers in the classroom has been a major part of the school reform agenda for as long as policy makers have sought systematic change in education,” he writes.

“Teach For America was neither alone nor even the first in answering the call to recruit teachers in the excellence for all era. With time, however, it would become the most visible, as well as the only truly national response.”

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

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‘The Courage To Say “I Don’t Know”‘

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

In a segment on WBUR’s Radio Boston, Leah Hager Cohen, W.H. Jenks Chair in Contemporary American Letters at the College of the Holy Cross, discussed a piece she had written for the radio station’s Cognoscenti blog about the value of admitting what we do not know.

Reflecting on her experience as a professor, Cohen admitted that it is sometimes easier to fake knowledge of a subject in order to avoid seeming ignorant. “It’s so habitual,” she said. “Unfortunately, I think in our culture it’s just become ingrained to save face.”

Reacting to recent news, such as the Harvard cheating incident, Cohen explained that in order to uphold academic integrity in her classroom, she hopes “to create a collaborative environment [where] we’re all asking questions together.”

“With my own students, I see what’s a fear of messing up,” Cohen continued, talking about why people have a hard time asking for help. “They are afraid of exposing themselves as not in the know and therefore not belonging in the environment that they’re in.”

To combat such tension, Cohen recommended that we readily admit we do not know everything so that we may allow our fears to dissipate.

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

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‘How Massachusetts’ Colleges Stack Up When Rated on ROI & Not Just Reputation’

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Holy Cross in the News

In an article for BostInno, Monica McGurk, CEO of The Alumni Factor, wrote that the College of the Holy Cross provides the best overall value in the state of Massachusetts.

Throughout the last three years, McGurk’s organization, The Alumni Factor, polled tens of thousands of college alumni across the nation in order see how students’ college experiences impacted their lives after graduation. Holy Cross, which was ranked fifth in the nation, second among liberal arts colleges and first among schools in Massachusetts, scored particularly well in areas of spiritual development, friendship development, preparation for career success and intellectual development.

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

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28 Holy Cross Students to be Inducted into Jesuit Honor Society

Posted on October 18, 2012 by David Cotrone ’13

Alpha Sigma Nu

Twenty-eighty students from the class of 2013 at the College of the Holy Cross will be inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honor society, on October 28. Alpha Sigma Nu seeks out students at Jesuit institutions of higher learning who embody and live out the values of scholarship, loyalty and service. Candidates in the top 15 percent of their class are invited to apply, and from this group, membership is awarded to only four percent.

Inductees include: 

• Samantha M. Adams (Concord, Mass.) major: economics, concentration: peace and conflict studies
• Mary G. Bidgood (Melrose, Mass.) major: political science, minor: history, concentration: prelaw
• Andrew J. Biedlingmaier (Severna Park, Md.) major: biology, concentration: premedical
• Alexander J. Bradford (Bedford, Mass.) major: economics and mathematics
• Kelly E. Casey (Wethersfield, Conn.) major: English, concentration: peace and conflict studies
• James M. Cavanagh (Warwick, R.I.) major: history
• Kathryn A. Chobanian (Etna, N.H.) major: self-designed, healthcare studies and sociology
• George R. Ciociolo, Jr. (Jefferson, Mass.) major: psychology
• Suzanne E. Crifo (Glen Rock, N.J.) major: mathematics and music
• Brooke E. Cunningham (West Hartford, Conn.) major: Spanish, minor: chemistry, concentration: premedical
• Katherine A. Grant (Bronxville, N.Y.) major: self-designed, modernism
• Christopher M. Kalpin (Swampscott, Mass.) major: economics
• Frances D. Klimczak (Collinsville, Conn.) major: mathematics, concentration: peace and conflict studies
• Travis J. LaCouter (Concord, N.H.) major: political science and Catholic studies
• Kevin C. Molloy (Yonkers, N.Y.) major: religious studies
• Kimberly E. Monaco (Stratham, N.H.) major: economics and religious studies
• Brandon T. Nunn (Fairport, N.Y.) major: economics, minor: visual arts/history
• Joshua T. Olson (Woodbury, Minn.) major: chemistry, concentration: premedical
• Patrick J. O’Neil (Bradford, Mass.) major: biology, concentration: premedical
• Allegra M. P Parrillo (Cranston, R.I.) major: biology, concentration: premedical and biochemistry
• Christine M. Renaud (Lisbon Falls, Maine) major: psychology and sociology
• Adriana M. Sarni (Wellesley, Mass.) major: philosophy
• Katherine C. Shapleigh (St Louis, Mo.) major: studies in world literature, concentration: peace and conflict studies
• Christopher R. Shugrue (Rocky Hill, Conn.) major: chemistry
• James R. Simmons, Jr. (Wantagh, N.Y.) major: history and political science
• Elizabeth A. Sundheim (Clarks Summit, Pa.) major: economics
• Katherine A. Wallace (Fairfield, Conn.) major: visual arts/studio, minor: visual arts/history
• Elizabeth A. Watters (San Francisco, Calif.) major: religious studies

Patrick J. O’Neil ’13, was elected president of the society and will represent Holy Cross at the national meeting of Alpha Sigma Nu, which was held in Philadelphia earlier this month.

In addition to student inductees, there will be four honorary members of the College community inducted: Charles Anderton, professor of economics; James Kee, professor of English; Bianca Sculimbrene, assistant professor of chemistry; and Paul Melley, assistant chaplain and director of liturgical music.

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Holy Cross Biology Major Studies Climate Change on the Hudson River

Posted on October 17, 2012 by David Cotrone ’13

Craig Connolly

Craig Connolly, a member of the class of 2013 at the College of the Holy Cross, is no stranger to scientific research, but after working with the Hudson River Foundation in New York this past summer, he gained a new perspective of the environment. A biology major, with an environmental studies concentration, Connolly recently received a Tibor T. Polgar Fellowship, an award that allowed him to both travel to and study the iconic Hudson River this summer. Connolly investigated the change in sea level rise in the river in order to better understand the impacts of global warming, salinity, and climate change.

Last year, Connolly worked through the College’s study abroad office, to team up with the Center for Marine and Resource Management Studies in tropical Turks and Caicos. While conducting a project about sea grass community dynamics, he kept in touch with William Sobczak, associate professor of biology and the director of environmental studies at Holy Cross, who recommended that Connolly look into the Polgar Fellowship opportunity. “Fellowships allow students to apply what they’ve learned at the college to problems in the world,” says Sobczak. Expressing confidence in Connolly’s work in the field, Sobczak continues, saying, “He has done a remarkable job by contributing to the community as a scientist and as serving as a diplomat for the College.”

Founded in 1985, the Polgar Fellowship has provided $1 million in funding to undergraduate and graduate students with an interest in studying the environment. Since the fellowship allowed Connolly to reside at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, a national leader in environmental research, he quickly became immersed in the world of ecology. “I was able to work with a lot of people,” says Connolly. “It was great to meet so many scientists and experts in the field.”

While examining the nature of the Hudson River wetlands, Connolly realized that his work as a young scientist was crucial, as well as rewarding. “There’s a certain thrill to researching a question,” he explains, “like how does climate change affect the ecosystem?”

“And then there’s the thrill of discovery,” he continues. “It’s important to create new knowledge for the restoration of wetlands, or for the importance of climate change.”

When he is not conducting research, Connolly is active in cocurricular activities on campus. He is a teaching assistant for Sobczak’s “Freshwater Ecology” class, plays on an ultimate frisbee team, and until this year, has played violin in the College’s chamber orchestra. It is science, however, that inspires him most, as he plans to obtain a Ph.D., so that he can eventually become a teacher and continue to research climate change and marine biology.

Reflecting on his experience on the Hudson River, Connolly considers himself lucky. “It was an extremely rewarding summer,” he says. “It was a privilege to have worked hard in classes and then been able to connect what I’ve learned to my research.” 

Stuart Findlay, the leading scientist at the Cary Institute, will be giving a talk on campus titled “Hudson River Tidal Freshwater Wetlands: the Functions and the Future” on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 12:30 p.m. in O’Neil 112.

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Holy Cross History Professor Receives Distinguished Teaching Award

Posted on October 17, 2012 by David Cotrone ’13

Theresa M. McBride, professor of history, and a member of the College of the Holy Cross faculty since 1973, received the 2012 Distinguished Teaching Award at the College’s annual President’s Convocation and Awards Ceremony.

The Holy Cross Distinguished Teaching Award recognizes and honors the teaching excellence of the College’s faculty. After careful review of nominations a committee of students, faculty, and administrators selects the honoree. Recipients demonstrate the College’s commitment to teaching and personalized instruction by making ideas come alive for students both in and out of the classroom. The Distinguished Teaching Award recipient is invited to give the principal address during the President’s Convocation and is awarded an honorarium.

McBride received her M.A. and Ph.D. from Rutgers University and her B.A. from Seattle University. A celebrated scholar, her academic interests include modern France, modern Italy, environmental history and comparative history of women and gender. She has published many articles and book reviews, as well as a book titled “The Domestic Revolution: the Modernization of Household Service in England and France: 1820-1920 (Croon Helm, 1976). At Holy Cross, she has served as department chair of the history department, and as director of the College Honors Program and Environmental Studies. She also served as coordinator of Women’s Studies (now Women’s and Gender Studies) for two years. The recipient of many awards and fellowships, she received the College’s Arthur J. O’Leary Faculty Recognition Award in 2002, and in 2005 she was awarded a Lilly Vocational Discernment Grant for Teaching. Active in the local community, she recently helped to organize a major fundraising campaign celebrating the 125th anniversary of the YWCA of Central Massachusetts.

During the ceremony, Timothy Austin, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College, called McBride “one of the best of the best.” Sharing testimonials from her colleagues, he explained: “She offers a safe, open forum for discussing political, economic, religious, and social structures and their impact on the most vulnerable.” In another testimonial: “She is a teacher who not only recognizes the importance of scholastic achievement, but also understands the power of genuine human relationships.”

Also awarded at the President’s Convocation was the Raymond J. Swords, S.J., Faculty Medal, which honors those members of the faculty who have served the College for 25 years or more. This year’s recipients were: Patricia E. Kramer, associate professor of psychology, Claudia N. Ross, professor of Chinese and chair of modern languages and literatures, and Susan P. Schmidt, associate professor of visual arts.

Posted in Chinese Studies, History, News, Press Release | Comments Off on Holy Cross History Professor Receives Distinguished Teaching Award

Blog: Tilmont ’16 Delights in Active Living and Learning Environment at Holy Cross

Posted on October 17, 2012 by

NAME Lauren Tilmont ’16

HOMETOWN Wilmette, Ill.

STUDIES History major, peace and conflict studies concentration

WHY SHE CHOSE HOLY CROSS “My parents and my college counselor really encouraged me to make a campus visit while I was seeing other colleges in the area. Once I visited campus, I fell in love with the friendly atmosphere and community. It was a school where I could see both aspects, living and learning, of the college experience.”

ACTIVITIES Ballroom Dance Team, French Club, Mulledy House Council, liturgical ministries and music ministries

WHAT SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Meeting new people, exploring the surrounding New England area, and making Holy Cross my new home!”

WHY SHE’S BLOGGING “During my entire admissions process, I found the student blogs to be extremely helpful in giving a sneak peek into what it would be like to be a Holy Cross student. In the end, these blogs factored heavily into my decision; I hope I can help someone else with their decision.”

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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Blog: Spadoni ’16 Eager to Show You How Amazing Holy Cross Is

Posted on October 17, 2012 by

NAME Joey Spadoni ’16

HOMETOWN Walpole, Mass.

STUDIES HE’S CONSIDERING Psychology major and deaf studies minor

WHY HE CHOSE HOLY CROSS “I fell in love with Holy Cross the first time I stepped on campus — when I was 8 years old!”

ACTIVITIES Greeter in the Admissions Office; Eucharistic minister; Grandkids at St. Mary’s through SPUD (Student Programs for Urban Development); photographer at the Crusader student newspaper; Campus Activities Board; American Sign Language Club; work study in Lower Kimball; and Cruskaters HCLC (Holy Cross Longboard Club), a new club that I am starting.

WHAT HE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Meeting new people, making a difference at Holy Cross, and in Worcester, and taking courses that interest me.”

WHY HE’S BLOGGING “I want to help high school seniors see what it is like to be a first-year student at Holy Cross. I want to help them see how amazing this college really is.”

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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Blog: O’Brien ’16 Looks Forward to Everything Holy Cross Has to Offer

Posted on October 17, 2012 by

NAME Connor O’Brien ’16

HOMETOWN Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.

STUDIES HE’S CONSIDERING Psychology with a premed concentration

WHY HE CHOSE HOLY CROSS “I attended a Jesuit high school in New Jersey and had a great four years there. My guidance counselor, a Holy Cross alum, recommended the school to me and I absolutely loved it after my first visit to campus.”

ACTIVITIES SPUD (Student Programs for Urban Development) and intramurals

WHAT HE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Challenging myself at this school while being able to really immerse myself in all that it has to offer, both in and out of the classroom.”

WHY HE’S BLOGGING “When I was looking at colleges, the student blogs on the Holy Cross website really helped me realize what this place was all about. I want to be able to help prospective students see Holy Cross through the eyes of a student.”

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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Blog: Welcoming, Lively Campus Makes Holy Cross Easy Sell for Butterfield ’16

Posted on October 17, 2012 by

NAME LiAnn Butterfield ’16

HOMETOWN Northport, N.Y.

STUDIES SHE’S CONSIDERING English with a concentration in creative writing

WHY SHE CHOSE HOLY CROSS “My guidance counselor was an alumna and she absolutely loved it here, so I took the trip up for a multicultural weekend event, and then for a prospective students weekend. Each time I felt welcome and the campus was alive and thriving.”

ACTIVITIES Crusader student newspaper, equestrian team, cheerleading squad, student mentors

WHAT SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Taking classes I wouldn’t otherwise have had the opportunity to look into, meeting new people, competing with the equestrian team, football games with the cheer squad, and exploring the area with friends.”

WHY SHE’S BLOGGING “I love being able to look back, so it’s personally rewarding to log the time I’ve spent. College is such an important time in life, and I want to remember all it offered. At the same time, I remember being a junior in high school having no idea what college would be like, so I’m hoping this helps prospective students out there.”

Read the blog »

Related Information:

  • Check out our admissions and photo blogs, along with many of our other online journals at me.holycross.edu
Posted in News | Tagged | Comments Off on Blog: Welcoming, Lively Campus Makes Holy Cross Easy Sell for Butterfield ’16

Blog: Asante ’16 Finds Out What Inspires So Much Alumni Loyalty at Holy Cross

Posted on October 17, 2012 by

NAME Inez Asante ’16

HOMETOWN Plainsboro, N.J.

STUDIES Political science with educational studies minor and Africana studies concentration

WHY SHE CHOSE HOLY CROSS “During an alumni interview, my interviewer talked about how 25 of his Holy Cross classmates had attended his wedding and that struck me as fantastic. When I visited, the community feel was unbelievable and Holy Cross alumni really do bleed purple.”

ACTIVITIES Cheerleading, Admissions Outreach Program and Student Programs for Urban Development

WHAT SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Immersing myself into the Holy Cross culture. I want to be really involved while challenging myself academically and meeting different people.”

WHY SHE’S BLOGGING “I want prospective students to understand everyday life at the College. During my college process I really wanted a taste of what was to come in the next year, and by blogging I can help those who are going through the same thing I was going through just last year. I hope they can get a better sense of what Holy Cross is like through the blog!”

Read the blog »

Related Information:

  • Check out our admissions and photo blogs, along with many of our other online journals at me.holycross.edu
Posted in Africana Studies, Education, News | Tagged | Comments Off on Blog: Asante ’16 Finds Out What Inspires So Much Alumni Loyalty at Holy Cross

Holy Cross Alumnus and Author Mark Shriver ’86 to Deliver Talk About His Father, Sargent Shriver

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Cristal Steuer

Mark Shriver

Holy Cross alumnus Mark Shriver ’86, senior vice president for U.S. programs for Save the Children, will give a talk about his father, the subject of his recent memoir “A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver” (Henry Holt & Co., 2012), on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom at the College of the Holy Cross. Following his talk, which is free and open to the public, Shriver will be available to sign copies of his book.

R. Sargent Shriver, who served in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, founded the Peace Corps, Jobs Corps and Head Start; and was the architect of Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. He was married to Eunice Kennedy Shriver (founder of the Special Olympics) and passed away in 2011 after a 10-year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. Eunice Shriver was a former Holy Cross trustee and honorary degree recipient in 1979 and Sargent Shriver received an honorary degree from the College in 1986. 

Since its publication in June, “A Good Man,” has received strong reviews. Recalling his father, Shriver writes:

“The great man is recognized for his civic achievements. The good man can be great in that arena, too, but even greater at home, on the sidewalk, at the diner, with his grandkids, at the supermarket, at church—wherever human interaction requires integrity and compassion. Dad was good because he was great in the smaller, unseen corners of life. He insisted on greatness in every facet of the daily grind. Nowhere was this clearer than in his role as our father.”

Shriver leads the U.S. programs for Save the Children, an independent organization that works in rural communities in Appalachia, the Southeast, the Mississippi River Delta, the Gulf Coast, the Southwest and California’s Central Valley, providing early childhood development, literacy, physical activity, and nutrition programming as well as emergency relief.

Shriver’s career pays tribute to his family’s legacy of social justice. “My father and mother exposed us kids to people who were much less fortunate than we were,” he says. “And that showed us it was important to help.” 

A history major at Holy Cross, Shriver has devoted his career to social and public service.  Soon after graduation, he became a member of the Maryland Juvenile Justice Advisory Council, and also served on the Board of Directors of the Public Justice Center, the Maryland Governor’s Task Force on Alternative Sanctions to Incarceration, and the Maryland Governor’s Commission on Service.  In 1994, he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, the lower house of the Maryland state legislature, representing Montgomery County, Maryland, District 15, and was reelected in 1998.  In addition to serving as a delegate, he worked on the Task Force on the Maryland Prepaid-Tuition Savings Program in 1996, and on the Task Force to Study the Governance, Coordination, and Funding of the University System of Maryland.

He also founded The Choice Program in 1988, which helps at-risk and delinquent youth make choices that strengthen their families and communities.

Shriver is married to Jeanne Ripp Shriver ’87. He delivered the Commencement address and received an honorary degree from Holy Cross in 2010. 

At the event, which is sponsored by the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, Rev. Anthony Kuzniewski, S.J., professor of history at Holy Cross, will offer a historical account of Sargent Shriver’s legacy, as part of the formal introduction to his former student.

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

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French Organists to Perform as Part of Holy Cross Chapel Artists Series

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Cristal Steuer

Marie-Louise Langlais

French organists Sylvie Mallet and Marie-Louise Langlais will perform as part of the 2012-13 Holy Cross Chapel Artists Series.  The concert will take place Sunday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel.  The performance is free, open to the public, and handicap accessible.

Their program will include music compositions by Racquet, Grigny, Frescobaldi, J. S. Bach, Tournemire, and Langlais.

Mallet is a professor of organ at the Paris (CRR) Conservatory.  From 1993-2004, she was the organist of the choir organ at the Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde in Paris. She has performed and recorded as both a pianist and organist and has made several recordings of the music of the acclaimed blind French organist-composer Jean Langlais.  She is making her United States concert debut in October and November of this year.

Langlais, Jean’s widow, is professor emerita of organ at the Paris (CRR) Conservatory; and is currently the visiting professor of organ at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. She is regarded as one of France’s most distinguished teachers, musicologists and performers.  She holds a doctorate in musicology from the Sorbonne, Paris.  She has recorded extensively and has performed around the world.  

For more information about any of the performances in the Chapel Artists Series, please call the music department at (508) 793-2296, or visit the department’s website.

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