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Caroline Galiatsos ’12, an English major from West Springfield, Mass., has received a Fulbright grant to travel to Luxembourg in September. She will research how civic education among schools in the country impacts students’ perceptions of their multicultural and multilingual identities, which in turn influences their concepts of citizenship.

Luxembourg is a blend of French and German cultures and is rich in linguistic diversity, explains Galiatsos. Primary school is typically taught in Luxembourgish, but French and German become the core languages in the higher grades with English as a required language. Through the Fulbright, she hopes to gain a deeper understanding of how culture and language influence one’s perception of citizenship.

For Galiatsos, the Fulbright grant bridges three defining experiences the College Honors Program student had at Holy Cross. She traveled to Luxembourg through a May term in 2010, took French courses every year at Holy Cross, and wrote her honors thesis on civic education.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned over the past four years to the work I’ll be doing next year in Luxembourg as well as to gain further understanding of Luxembourg’s culture and education system,” she says.

In addition to conducting research, Galiatsos will take graduate courses in educational studies at the University of Luxembourg and plans to tutor English. She also hopes to strengthen her French language skills, study Luxembourgish, and learn more about the Luxembourg community.

Upon returning to the U.S., she plans to attend law school and pursue a career in educational policy or public policy.

At Holy Cross, Galiatsos was in the Phi Beta Kappa national academic honor society and Sigma Tau Delta international English honor society. She participated in the Washington Semester Program and Student Programs for Urban Development, in which she volunteered at Vernon Hill Elementary School in Worcester. In addition, she was a co-chair of the English Student Advisory Committee, tutor in the Writer’s Workshop and a Dana Scholar, an honor given to students of outstanding academic ability, strong character and leadership.

Each year approximately 1,000 college students are awarded grants through the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship program in international educational exchange. Fulbright grants are made to U.S. citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of educational activities, primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. Since the program’s inception in 1946, more than 300,000 participants — chosen for their leadership potential — have had the opportunity to observe each other’s political, economic and cultural institutions.

Read about this year’s other Holy Cross Fulbright grant recipients: Joseph Cavanaugh ’12, Mattea Cumoletti ’12, Daniel Geiger ’11, Eliza Gettel ’12, Heidi Grek ’12, Maria Jaroszewicz ’12, Jaeyeon Lee ’12, Courtney Lesoon ’12, George Matthews ’12 and Peter Renehan ’12.

A new multi-campus partnership involving some of Worcester’s leading colleges will boost efforts to save energy and reduce carbon emissions through innovative technical, financial, and human solutions. Clark University, the College of the Holy Cross, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute have partnered with National Grid and GreenerU in establishing “SynergE Worcester,” an initiative that will facilitate significant energy efficiency and other sustainability advances within the regional higher education community.

SynergE Worcester involves a multi-pronged approach designed to reduce energy use and enhance existing sustainability programs on the three, highly respected campuses through collaboration with each other, National Grid and its energy efficiency incentives, and GreenerU’s energy and sustainability expertise. The program will target energy efficiency installations that reduce fuel and utility costs for the schools; engage students, faculty, and staff in energy and sustainability initiatives; and utilize innovative financing to bring about reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

“National Grid has a long history of working with the city of Worcester and its colleges and universities from our work with implementing our award-winning energy efficiency programs to our proposed Smart Grid program, which includes our 2011 Green2Growth community summit,” said Marcy Reed, president of National Grid in Massachusetts. “We’re delighted to support this SynergE initiative, which is a natural extension of our mission to deliver innovative energy solutions that empower our customers to maximize potential energy savings, while protecting the environment.”

“We are pleased to collaborate with Holy Cross, WPI, National Grid and GreenerU on this innovative sustainability initiative,” stated Clark University President David Angel. “Clark and its students are not only enthusiastic about laying out a sustainability vision for the University, but in bringing about real improvements on our campus that will significantly reduce our energy use and carbon emissions.”

College of the Holy Cross President Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., commented that, “In addition to the energy and carbon savings, we are interested in utilizing SynergE Worcester to demonstrate sustainability practices that will engage students, staff, faculty and administration and other stakeholders in ways that lead to both new learning and sustainability advances.”

WPI President Dennis Berkey said, “We believe this initiative will benefit our Institute and our technologically oriented student body through operational, infrastructure, and educational benefits. The specialized incentives and multi-year nature of the program will allow for the flexibility and growth necessary to achieve ambitious goals and demonstrate a model for other institutions.”

The three participating schools have all made significant strides in demonstrating sustainability leadership and implementing innovative solutions on their campuses. Clark University was ranked in the Top 20 “Coolest Schools” by Sierra Magazine and has committed to reach net carbon neutrality by 2030. Holy Cross was a charter signer of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007 and has exceeded its goal to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2015. Worcester Polytechnic Institute earned an A-minus on the 2011 College Sustainability Report Card and features Worcester’s first “living green” roof atop its LEED-certified East Hall.

SynergE Worcester will enable the schools to achieve even more. GreenerU and National Grid will work with the colleges to assist them in maximizing energy savings over the four years of the project. The initiative will focus on buildings that are most likely to yield significant energy savings, and through the use of submetering, existing building commissioning, and innovative financing approaches for larger energy efficiency installations, the colleges hope to attain significant cost savings and a reduction in their carbon emissions.

As a centerpiece of the initiative, the campus community engagement component will seek to involve campus stakeholders in the program to implement solutions and offer learning opportunities for students. A Tri-Campus Sustainability Leadership Council has been established to guide and lead the multi-campus engagement and behavior change component of SynergE Worcester. The Council will bring together sustainability leaders from the three colleges to guide the collaboration, build capacity with an ever-growing network of Worcester sustainability implementers, and share resources and best practices to improve each campus’ sustainability program.

“GreenerU is very pleased to be working with Clark, Holy Cross and WPI on this important energy and sustainability project,” said Rob Pratt, GreenerU’s CEO. “The colleges are committed to making their campuses more energy efficient and sustainable, and National Grid has shown great leadership in supporting the development of the SynergE Worcester initiative. We are also looking forward to working with NSTAR, the utility that provides natural gas to the three schools, in implementing energy saving programs.”

Media Coverage:

• Telegram & Gazette, June 17: College Town

Related Information:

• Sustainability at Holy Cross

Figge Hall, the newest residence hall at the College of the Holy Cross, has earned LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a national organization that certifies buildings that are green and sustainable, and protect the environment. It is the second LEED Gold certified project on campus. The Integrated Science Complex received the same designation in 2010.

Completed in 2011, the $19.2 million Figge Hall is a four-story, 60,000-square foot building, accommodating 156 seniors. The 39 apartments consist of a living room, dining area, full kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms.

“As the second building on campus to receive LEED Gold certification, Figge Hall adheres to high standards of energy efficiency, and is an important example of the College’s continuing commitment to sustainability,” says Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president of the College. “In addition to exceeding our goal to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2015 ahead of schedule, the Holy Cross community is heavily vested in reducing its carbon footprint and reaching carbon neutrality.”

“We are thrilled Figge Hall is the first residence hall on campus to receive such high marks from the U.S. Green Building Council,” says Scott Merrill, director of physical plant. “The residence hall is distinctive in its use of quality, environmentally-friendly elements. It utilizes 50 percent less water than other buildings its size; incorporates recycled materials throughout the building process; and was intentionally built with a constant focus on energy efficiency.”

The residence hall is named in honor of John K. Figge ’59 (1938-2009), a former member of the Board of Trustees.

CBT Architects and RDK Engineers incorporated high energy efficiency standards in all phases of design and construction. Sustainable highlights include:

• Low-flow fixtures make major contributions to water savings with an estimated 50 percent water use reduction compared to conventional fixtures.
• Occupancy sensors are installed in corridors, common rooms and bedrooms. Sensors turn off the lights automatically when people leave the areas to help reduce energy consumption when building activity is minimal. Large windows allow for ample natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting loads.
• The heating and cooling system includes condensing boilers with efficiency greater than 90 percent.  Each unit has an enthalpy wheel that allows you to preheat or pre cool the outdoor air used for ventilation with building exhaust air.
• Low-emitting carpets, paints, adhesives, and furnishings contribute to protecting the indoor air quality. Additionally, a green housekeeping program has been established that reduces waste, improves indoor air quality, and protects the environment from harmful cleaning chemicals.
• Regionally sourced and recycled content materials include many of the structural components of the building. Structural steel contains almost all recycled content at 99 percent, the curtain wall has more than 65 percent recycled content, the windows have more than 5 percent recycled content and the concrete is harvested locally in Massachusetts.
• The residence hall contains a secure interior bike storage room to encourage students to use an alternate means of transportation.

As part of the College’s participation in the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), all new construction going forward on campus will be energy efficient and meet or exceed LEED silver standards.

Related Information:

• Video: Beautiful New On-Campus Apartments Augment Residence Life

• Sustainability at Holy Cross

In his address at the College’s 166th Commencement Exercises held on May 25, Paul Farmer, founding director of Partners In Health, reminded members of the Holy Cross Class of 2012 that they are graduating from an institution that challenges them to be “men and women for others,” and the world, “riven by inequality,” is in need of their talent and spirit.

A total of 691 men and women were awarded bachelor of arts degrees before an estimated 6,000 people — family and friends of the graduates, Holy Cross faculty, administrators, staff, and honored guests.

Under cloudy skies on Fitton Field, Farmer made three specific points to graduates, drawn from his own experience during a 1982 trip to Haiti. He had reluctantly gone to visit a gravely ill man, traveling a great distance, without the proper medical equipment, and in pain from his own leg injury. He discovered the patient was close to death from acute asthma. With the inhaler Farmer was carrying to treat his own asthma condition, he was able to save his life.

He reminded graduates that “we inhabit a bizarrely unequal planet,” and despite the fact that 30 years have elapsed from that long ago visit to Haiti, a situation where a poor man dying of something as easily treatable as asthma is still as likely today as it was then.

“Such imbalances are even less tolerable now, in what we are calling modern times,” he said. “What does it mean to die unattended of a severe asthmatic attack in the age of Facebook or LinkedIn?”

Second, Farmer said he came to understand that there was something miraculous in that experience: “the miracle of human solidarity.”

Third, he said that privilege comes with obligation to others, especially to the poor.

“Realize your good fortune and share it with others, by putting your gifts and training in the service of others who may not have had the same opportunities, but are certainly appreciative of your powers to do good. Your school, a Jesuit institution, was founded on Catholic social teaching that reminds us of that obligation — unshakeable and imperious and beautiful.”

He closed his speech by quoting from a talk that Jon Niconchuk ’09, now a Harvard Medical School student, delivered to the Class of 2012 during their first week on campus.

“Jon told you, ‘I did not find myself by looking in a mirror; I began to find myself by looking out a window. Holy Cross gives you that window.’” Farmer reminded the graduates. “You stand at the window. Outside, a world of peril and promise. Throw open that window.”

The valedictory address by graduating senior Mark Weyland, from Silver Spring, Md., served as a precursor to Farmer’s speech.

“The mission of Holy Cross, forming us into men and women for — and with — others, has impelled us to find the worth and dignity in each person we meet — whether they be students we tutored in Worcester, neighbors whose homes we helped build in New Orleans, or families we lived with in El Salvador. And in these encounters, we learned to find our own selves,” Weyland said.

In addition to delivering the commencement address, Farmer received an honorary degree. Honorary degrees were also conferred on Lisa Sowle Cahill, the J. Donald Monan Professor of Theology at Boston College; Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., 31st president of the College of the Holy Cross; and Sherry Turkle, Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT.

For more coverage, including photos and audio, visit the Commencement website.

Related Information:

• Catholic Free Press, June 1: “Doctor’s story a lesson for Holy Cross graduates”
• Telegram & Gazette, May 26: “Famed humanitarian urges Holy Cross grads to share gifts”
• Telegram & Gazette, May 26: Photo gallery

The posters lining windowed walls of the O’Callahan Science Library posed two questions to all who entered: What are the questions that science asks? and What are the questions that literature asks?

After weeks of exploration and experimentation with narrative, students in the science writing workshop Quarks to Quasars presented their work at a pioneering event, “Opposites Attract: Exploring the Bond Between Science and Literature.” On the evening of April 18, the normally hushed atmosphere of the library was transformed into a dimmed venue where the class, led by Leila Philip, associate professor of English, shared the results of its semester-long dedication to Holy Cross’ first science-based creative writing class.

Philip opened the event by quoting the famous writer Vladimir Nabokov: “A writer must have the passion of a scientist and the precision of an artist.” She described the influence that the scientific method had on the structure of the course she architected: “Much like the process of good science, creative writing also has us ask questions, complete background research, conduct a hypothesis and test that hypothesis through word.” Calling her students “explorers,” Philip challenged them to find and tell stories by making use of and exploring the metaphoric resonances of scientific facts.

With the assistance of science librarian Barbara Merolli, the students found creative ways rooted in science to link many different academic interests to their narratives. Topics ranged from the chemical makeup of sea glass to the psychology of human interaction.

Amy Boerman ’12 wrote a narrative on her experiences in an Ecuadorean medical clinic.

“[This course] definitely made me think outside the box,” she says. “It required me to synthesize my two fields of study, English and premed, to create a final piece that was reflective of both my analytical and creative skills.”

Matthew Koss, associate professor of physics, was impressed by the work at the event, remarking, “Science is not science unless you can communicate it. The students will become better scientists if they can think through and articulate it.” He added: “Interdisciplinary classes like this one supplement the liberal arts education.”

Philip’s class was motivated by what she calls “eureka moments” when word and scientific fact suddenly connect. “Good scientists, by nature, must be profoundly creative people,” she says.

Related Information:

• English

• Celebrating Science

• O’Callahan Science Library