News

WORCESTER, Mass. – The College of the Holy Cross has named Milan Brown as its new head men’s basketball coach, athletic director Richard M. Regan, Jr., announced. Brown becomes the 16th head coach in the history of the program, joining the Crusaders after spending the last seven seasons as head coach at Mount St. Mary’s. Holy Cross has signed Brown to a five-year contract, with an option for a sixth season. He was formally introduced at a press conference on Tuesday, April 20.

“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to come to Holy Cross and to try to lead the program back to the top of the Patriot League,” said Brown. “My family and I are really pleased about the move, and I cannot wait to get started. I would also like to thank Mr. Regan, Fr. McFarland and the search committee, for entrusting me with leading these young men both on and off the court.”

During the last three years at Mount St. Mary’s, Brown led the Mountaineers to three straight winning seasons and a pair of postseason appearances. His teams posted a 54-44 record (.551) during those three years, including a 35-19 mark (.648) in Northeast Conference play. Defense was a staple of Brown’s squads, as the Mountaineers allowed just 64.7 points per game and 41.7 percent field goal shooting over the last three seasons, while holding their opposition to under 70 points in 72 out of 98 games. During the 2007-2008 campaign, Brown led Mount St. Mary’s to the first NCAA Division I Tournament victory in school history, with a 69-60 win over Coppin State in the opening round.

“We spent a lot of time on this search,” said Regan. “We were very focused on hiring someone with head coaching experience, and we were very impressed with Milan both as a coach and a person. We were particularly pleased with the outstanding recommendations we received from a most important source – several coaches who coached against him over the past few years. One thing that was clear, both from his records and what those coaches told us, is that his players defend very well and they play very hard for him. We think that is particularly appropriate for the players in this program right now.”

During the 2009-2010 season, Brown’s Mount St. Mary’s team posted an overall record of 16-15, and finished third in the Northeast Conference with a 12-6 mark in league games. The Mountaineers led the Northeast Conference and ranked 48th in the nation by allowing only 63.2 points per game. Mount St. Mary’s also posted an 11-game winning streak from Jan. 28-March 4, the second-longest streak in the school’s Division I history, and advanced to the semifinals of the Northeast Conference Tournament. In addition, the Mountaineers non-conference strength of schedule ranked as the 25th hardest in the nation.

In 2008-2009, Brown’s squad went 19-14 overall and 12-6 in the Northeast Conference, placing second in the league. The Mountaineers advanced to the Northeast Conference championship game, before suffering a tough 48-46 loss on the road to Robert Morris. Mount St. Mary’s was then selected to play in the College Insider Tournament, where it fell at James Madison 69-58 in the first round.

During the 2007-2008 campaign, Brown led the Mountaineers to their first winning record in 11 seasons, posting an overall mark of 19-15. Mount St. Mary’s finished the regular season in fourth place in the Northeast Conference with an 11-7 mark in league games, before running off three straight victories to claim the NEC Tournament title. Included during that tournament run were an 83-65 victory at Robert Morris in the semifinals, and a 68-55 win at Sacred Heart in the championship game. The Mountaineers then took down Coppin State (69-60) in the NCAA opening round, before falling to North Carolina (113-74) in their next game.

Brown took over as the head coach at Mount St. Mary’s in 2003-2004, and led his team to its first Northeast Conference Tournament appearance since 1998-1999 during his first season. By his third year in 2005-2006, the Mountaineers finished fourth in the Northeast Conference with an 11-7 record, good for their highest finish in the league since 1996-1997. Following the 2005-2006 campaign, Brown was selected as the Northeast Conference’s Coach of the Year by College Insider. He then directed Mount St. Mary’s to another fourth place finish in the NEC in 2006-2007, with a 9-9 mark in conference games.

Before serving as the head coach at Mount St. Mary’s, Brown had two stints as an assistant coach for the Mountaineers under Jim Phelan. He was the associate head coach at Mount St. Mary’s during the 2002-2003 campaign, after serving as an assistant coach from 1997-2000. During the 1998-1999 campaign, Brown helped lead the Mountaineers to the Northeast Conference Tournament crown and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

From 2000-2002, Brown was an assistant coach at William & Mary under Rick Boyages. He previously served as an assistant under Jeff Capel at Old Dominion from 1995-1997, helping lead the Monarchs to a combined record of 40-24 over two seasons. In 1996-1997, the Monarchs won both the Colonial Athletic Association regular season and tournament titles, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Brown began his coaching career in 1994-1995 as an assistant at Kecoughtan High School in Hampton, Va., where he helped lead the team to a 23-7 record and the state championship.

A 1993 graduate of Howard University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Brown earned All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference honors his senior year after averaging 13.1 points and 4.4 assists per game. He currently ranks second on the Bison’s all-time career list for assists with 445, and scored 1,102 career points. Brown led Howard to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles during the 1991-1992 season, earning All-MEAC Tournament honors. He was then named the CBS Player of the Game for the Bison’s contest with Kansas in the 1992 NCAA Tournament. Brown had his number at Howard retired in December of 2005.

The son of Charles and Pamela Brown, he is the oldest of three children. His brother, Morocco, played football at North Carolina State, and is the director of pro personnel for the Washington Redskins. His other brother, Marseille, played basketball at both Richmond and Hampton, advancing to the NCAA Tournament at each school.

Brown, who turned 39 in January, and his wife Tina have two daughters (Nyla and Sanaa).

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross presents 13: Works from the 2010 Senior Concentration Seminar, artwork produced by graduating seniors in the visual arts department, from Thursday, April 22 through Friday, May 28.

Each spring semester the Cantor Art Gallery mounts an exhibition of work by graduating seniors enrolled in the “Senior Concentration Seminar” offered by the visual arts department and studio art faculty.  The two-semester course is designed to provide students with the unique opportunity to work for extended periods of time, and produce artwork that reflects their own vision and technical abilities.  Instructors for this year’s seminar are Robert ParkeHarrison and Michael Beatty, both associate professors in the visual arts department.

13 senior student artists include Laura Anthony, Brian Bergeron, Aaron Brosnan, Alex Carson, Nora Simone Happny, Sarah Knowlton, Colleen MacLean, Thanh Nguyen, George Shephard, Kendra Smith, Kledia Spiro, Melissa Waine, and Kathryn Wilkie. Work on display will include large-scale wall installation pieces and mixed media works along with painting, photography, prints, sculpture and video. The exhibit will represent the exploration and expression of a wide range of interests such as social justice and spirituality, as well as personal obsessions and childhood memories.

The “Senior Concentration Seminar” provides each student with a private studio space, opportunities to travel to exhibitions in the New England region, to meet with professional curators and artists and to have their work regularly reviewed by Holy Cross faculty and guest artists.  The seminar culminates with the planning and execution of a group exhibition mounted in the Cantor Art Gallery under the guidance of the gallery staff and the visual arts faculty.

In conjunction with the exhibition, the gallery will host special events. All events will be held in the Cantor Art Gallery unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, April 22, 10 a.m. Exhibit opens: 13: Works from the 2010 Senior Concentration Seminar

Thursday, April 22, 12 – 1 p.m. A roundtable discussion with the artists

Thursday, April 22, 5 – 6:30 p.m. Opening reception

The Gallery will be closed May 8 and 15.

Gallery Information

Founded in 1983 through the generosity of Iris & B. Gerald Cantor, the Cantor Art Gallery serves both as a venue for a changing series of historical and contemporary public exhibitions, as well as a vital resource for Holy Cross faculty and students, linking exhibitions to the broader liberal arts curriculum.

The hours for the Cantor Art Gallery are Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturdays 2 – 5 p.m. Located in O’Kane Hall, 1st Floor, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, MA, 01610.  Admission to the gallery is free.

For additional information please call 508-793-3356 or visit the Gallery’s Web site.

WORCESTER, Mass. – Philippe Lefebvre, internationally acclaimed organist from the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France, will perform Sunday, April 25 at 3 p.m. in the St. Joseph Memorial Chapel at the College of the Holy Cross. The concert, which is handicap-accessible and free and open to the public, is the final performance of the 2009 – 2010 Holy Cross Chapel Artist Series.

As part of the Holy Cross Chapel Artist Series, Lefebvre’s performance will feature three improvisations and the works of J.S. Bach and Mendelssohn.  He was the “organiste titulaire” at Chartres Cathedral from 1976 until his appointment at Notre Dame in 1985.    He holds “Premier Prix” in counterpoint, fugue, improvisation and organ from the Paris Conservatory.  He was awarded first prizes for improvisation in the international Lyon competition (1972) and the prestigious “Grand Prix du Chartres” (1973).  Currently Lefebvre serves as the director of sacred music at Notre Dame and is in charge of all musical activities at the Cathedral.

Not only will he be concluding the 25th anniversary of the Holy Cross Chapel Artist Series, he will also be celebrating his 25th anniversary at Notre Dame.

The 2009-10 season of the Chapel Artist Series marks the 25th anniversary of the installation and dedication of the Taylor & Boody organ in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel and James David Christie’s 25th year as Distinguished Artist in Residence at the College.

For more information about this performance or about the Chapel Artist Series, please call the music department at (508) 793-2296, or visit the department’s Web site

WORCESTER, Mass. – The College of the Holy Cross presents “Eyes Wide Open,” an exhibit of the boots of approximately 250 New England soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The exhibit, which is meant to spur discussion about the realities of contemporary warfare, will be on display from Tuesday, April 13 – Friday, April 16, in front of the St. Joseph Memorial Chapel.

“In bringing the Eyes Wide Open exhibit to Holy Cross, we hope to raise consciousness about the human cost of war,” explains Rev. Greg Lynch, S.J., assistant chaplain and coordinator of the event.

In conjunction with the exhibit, there will be a faculty ‘fishbowl’ discussion about the display and the costs of war, on Wednesday, April 14 at 4:30 p.m. the Rehm Library.  Faculty members include Karen Turner (history), Stephanie Yuhl (history), Pedrag Cicovacki (philosophy), David Gyscek (visual arts), Ward Thomas (political science), and Thomas Landy (Center for Religion Ethics and Culture).

There will also be a memorial prayer service on Thursday, April 15 from 12:40 – 1 p.m. on the Chapel Plaza.

The exhibit and all events are free and open to the public.

Since 2004, this traveling exhibit, put on by the American Friends Service Committee has made its way across the country. It features a pair of boots honoring each U.S. military casualty, a field of shoes and a Wall of Remembrance to memorialize the Iraqis killed in the conflict, and a multimedia display exploring the history, cost and consequences of the war.

The event is sponsored by the chaplains’ office, the Center for Religion, Ethics, and Culture, and the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery.

For more information on the exhibit visit: http://www.afsc.org/eyes/.

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded the College of the Holy Cross grants totaling $217,630 to support two exciting initiatives to support teaching and research at the undergraduate liberal arts institution.

In announcing the funding, Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president of the College, said:  “Holy Cross is committed to excellence in teaching and to providing the means for our students to engage in independent scholarly research across the disciplines.  This generous support from the Mellon Foundation will enhance opportunities on campus for professors and students alike.”

With a Mellon grant of $150,000, the College will launch a new Center for Teaching and Learning.  The center, under the direction of the Dean’s Office, will offer a range of resources, technical assistance, and support.   Among the programs likely to be sponsored by the center are workshops led by both Holy Cross professors and outside experts; a faculty lunch series addressing best practices; extended summer orientation sessions for new faculty members; and opportunities for faculty members themselves to propose individual projects, conferences, and materials.  The Mellon funding will enable Holy Cross to underwrite the center’s work beginning this summer and continuing at a steadily increasing level through 2013.

Timothy R. Austin, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College, said the new center will ensure that Holy Cross faculty are aware of the very latest strategies and resources for promoting truly effective learning.   “Today’s college classrooms, laboratories and art studios are constantly evolving,” he said.  “Developments in the wider world account for many of the changes—from the explosive growth of electronic communication to the social effects of the recent economic crisis. Others result from increasing demands on faculty members to teach in a student-centered way, to advise students on a wide range of concerns, and to conduct their own scholarly research.”

Additionally, a Mellon grant of $67,630 will fund 10 student-faculty research projects in the humanities and social sciences.  Faculty working in disciplines ranging from anthropology to classics to political science will mentor students working on research over the nine-week summer program.

Since 1990, Holy Cross has offered a highly successful summer research program for students in the natural sciences, mathematics, psychology and economics.  The new initiative extends the same research opportunities—and explores new research models beyond laboratory work—to student-faculty teams in other disciplines.

Mary Ebbott, associate professor of classics, will serve as coordinator of this summer’s research program, which will be considered a pilot program for future expansion.  “The faculty-student teams will undertake projects that are at the forefront of new thinking about undergraduate research,” she said.  “Students will be actively involved in and contributors to the research, whether it is translating archival texts, studying the creative process, conducting anthropological fieldwork, or digitizing an ancient manuscript.”

WORCESTER, Mass. – Rick Miranda ‘74, professor of mathematics, provost and executive vice president at Colorado State University, will give the 17th annual Leonard C. Sulski Memorial Lecture in Mathematics on Monday, April 12 at 5 p.m. in Room 154 of the Smith Labs at the College of the Holy Cross. The lecture titled “Musical, Physical, and Mathematical Intervals: How Fretting a Guitar is More Complicated (and More Simple) Than One Might Think” is free and open to the public.

In addition, the department of mathematics and computer science will dedicate the Vincent O. McBrien student common room at 4 p.m. in Swords 307.

Miranda is a distinguished mathematician and was a student of professors McBrien and Sulski.  He earned his B.A. from Holy Cross and his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Recently he was appointed as provost, the top academic position, at Colorado State University.  Prior to his position as provost, Miranda served as dean of the College of Natural Sciences and chair of the department of mathematics.  He is the author of numerous books and journal articles relating to mathematical theorems.  In his talk he will review how the history of mathematics relates to music theory.

“In 1743 Daniel Strahle (a craftsman with no apparent mathematical training) designed a simple geometric construction for placing the frets on a guitar that approximated the proper ratio,” explains Miranda. “It was wrongly dismissed at the time as being inaccurate (by mathematicians no less!), but over 200 years later, in the second half of the 20th century, it was shown to be related to two simple and important approximation techniques (for functions and for irrational numbers), and to be extremely accurate.”

In the summer of 2008, Holy Cross’ department of mathematics and computer science began a drive to establish an endowment fund in memory of Professor Vincent O. McBrien, who taught at the College from 1944-78.  During his time at the College, McBrien was a leading force in building the department into a premier institution. The fund will be used to rename the current student common room in Swords 307 as the Vincent O. McBrien student common room.  Other proceeds from the fund will benefit student research projects such as summer research, travel to professional meetings for presentations, and the purchase of research materials.

The annual lecture series is a tribute to Professor Sulski, who taught in the mathematics department at Holy Cross from 1965 until his untimely death from leukemia in 1991.

For more information contact Tom Cecil, professor of mathematics at Holy Cross and organizer of the event, at 508-793-2719.

WORCESTER, Mass. – Jacob Street, a member of the College of the Holy Cross class of 2010, will perform Sunday, April 11 at 3 p.m. in the St. Joseph Memorial Chapel as part of the 2009–2010 Chapel Artist Series.  The performance, which is handicap-accessible, is free and open to the public.

As part of the Holy Cross Chapel Artist Series, Street’s performance will feature a variety of notable pieces including the works of Bach, Buxtehude, Eben, Guilmant, and Litaize.

Street is the 2010 Organ Scholar at the College, where he studies organ with James David Christie, Distinguished Artist in Residence at Holy Cross. In 2009, Street performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston College University Chorale on their annual European tour.  He has performed in Germany, France, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Estonia. In October of 2009, Jacob Street was one of the three finalists in the André Marchal International Organ Competition held in Biarritz, France, where he was awarded the prize for the Best Interpretation of French Music.  He was also the 2009 winner of the Region I Young Organists Competition held in Boston.  In 2010, Street will perform a “Rising Stars” solo as part of the 2010 American Guild of Organists National Convention in Washington D.C.

The 2009-10 season of the Chapel Artists’ Series marks the 25th anniversary of the installation and dedication of the Taylor & Boody organ in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel and James David Christie’s 25th year as Distinguished Artist in Residence at the college.

For more information about this performance or about the Chapel Artists’ Series, please call the music department at (508) 793-2296, or visit the department’s Web site.