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Senior Meghan Tighe cannot pinpoint exactly what piqued her interest in the environment. The best she can do is to cite a combination of influences from her experience growing up in Park Ridge, Ill., her home town.

“My parents were both involved in local politics, and I picked up many of the Jesuit ideals such as working for justice while attending Loyola Academy,” Tighe says. “Meanwhile, climate change was receiving increasing attention in the public sphere — and upon learning about it, my interest simply snowballed.”

Whatever the source, Tighe decided to make environmental studies an integral component of her education, and declared it a concentration during the first semester of her freshman year. It was during this time, too, that she decided to get involved in Eco-Action, the student-driven environmental group at Holy Cross.

“I got to Holy Cross and saw room for improvement,” says Tighe. “I knew that moving our economy beyond its dependence on fossil fuels was one of the greatest challenges facing our generation. So one of my goals was to ensure that these issues were front and center on Eco-Action’s agenda.”

Tighe spent much of her sophomore year raising awareness through Eco-Action, spearheading a number of events and initiatives such as Holy Cross’ participation in the Step it Up! Day of Climate Action and a compact fluorescent light bulb giveaway. During her junior year, Tighe studied abroad in León, Spain, and though she did take two ecology classes there, environmental studies was not her primary reason for going.

“I knew I could spend a year away from the Hill without losing interest in ‘Eco,’ ” she says. “While my program did not center on environmental studies, it was, nevertheless, a wonderful opportunity to learn a second language and live in a foreign culture.”

After returning to Holy Cross, Tighe resumed her role on campus as an advocate for sustainability. She became co-chair of Eco-Action and began work on her environmental studies capstone, Tax and Trade: The Future of American Climate Policy, which examines the characteristics of potential federal cap and trade legislation and evaluates their ability to actually reduce greenhouse emissions cost-effectively. Tighe and fellow Eco-Action co-chair Sarah Bolthrunis ’09, both economics majors, approached associate professor Katherine A. Kiel about the project in fall 2008. Kiel supervises the project and holds a weekly seminar.

“We think the issue is extremely pertinent, considering the fact President Obama has included the policy as a part of his budget and a number of bills were considered in Congress during the last term,” Tighe says.

Tighe and Bolthrunis will present their research at Holy Cross’ Student Academic Conference on April 23.

As for post-graduation plans, Tighe is confident that her career will heavily involve her strong interest in renewable energy and sustainable development, but for now she is open to expanding her horizons.

“Unfortunately, these problems aren’t going to solve themselves in the next few years, and so I am in it for the long run. Nevertheless, I’m not opposed to doing something different,” she says.

Next year, Tighe will be working for a lobby group on Iraq and immigration issues in Washington, D. C.

One thing is certain, though: Eco-Action has become stronger over the past four years, and much of the credit goes to Tighe and the other enthusiastic students who invest their time and energy in Eco-Action.

“We just hope we’ve left a good legacy,” Tighe says.

By Anthony Curotto ’09

Related Information:

• Campus-based efforts from Eco-Action student group have global reach
• Semester studying in South Africa helps environmental advocate Bolthrunis ’09 pinpoint her passion

As part of his last semester at the College, Bill Roorbach, of the English department, will give a farewell talk and reading titled, “What I Learned at Holy Cross.” The reading is sponsored by Creative Writing and will be held on Wednesday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rehm Library, located in Smith Hall.

Roorbach, a visiting professor of English and the William H. P. Jenks Chair in Contemporary American Letters since 2004, emphasized that the talk will be both comical and poignant, as moving on always generates mixed feelings. He’ll be talking about his writing at Holy Cross and what he’s taken away from teaching here, as well as reading some short selections.

He’s also invited seniors Andrew Wing and Julianne Frega to read their own work alongside him, “since students are part of what happened to me,” he said.

“I just want my students to realize that creative writing is a lifetime affair, something they can take with them into any life, any job, any city,” Roorbach stressed. “One of my favorite things is getting books in the mail from former students, years and even decades down the line.”

Roorbach is the author of several books, including Temple Stream: A Rural Odyssey (2006), The Smallest Color (2002), and Big Bend: Stories (2001), which won the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. Additionally, he has written some instructional writing books as well as essays. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Atlantic Monthly and Harper’s Magazine, and he has also done many reviews for Newsday.

He holds an M.F.A in writing from Columbia University, where he won a School of the Arts Fellowship and a Fellowship of Distinction. He previously taught at Columbia University; the University of Maine, Farmington; and Ohio State University. He served as the fiction editor of Columbia: A Magazine of Poetry and Prose and editor of the Sandstone Prize in Short Fiction (OSU).

As for life after Holy Cross, “if there’s life after HC,” he joked, he plans to write full time for as long as possible. He’s finishing a new novel and wants to focus his efforts on many new projects. He also plans to travel with his wife, Juliet, and daughter, Elysia.

Roorbach will also be appearing on an upcoming Food Network All-Star Cake Challenge as a judge. “They asked me to judge because the theme of the first challenge in this Survivor-like show was life stories,” says Roorbach. “The contestants had to create a cake that told their life story and the cake had to be three feet high and serve at least 150 people!”

Check out the challenge on Sunday, April 5 at 8 p.m.

By Alicia Lincoln ’09

At Holy Cross, there’s a campus eatery that serves UNO’s thin-crust pizza, lets students use both meal swipes and dining dollars, and offers organic food. It’s not Crossroads or Kimball—it’s Lower Kimball, a hidden gem that many people overlook when deciding where to eat. Ranked the highest in customer satisfaction at Holy Cross, Lower Kimball offers great deals and a personal touch.

The newest product on the floor is UNO’s express pizza. For about 10 years, Lower Kimball served a deep-dish pizza. Martin Dudek, assistant director of dining, emphasized the need for a change. “Deep-dish pizza is so 80s. Everyone wants the healthier thin-crust,” he said. They also wanted to provide a pizza to rival the great Crossroads pizza for a little healthy competition. “We’re hoping this pizza will help draw a bigger crowd.”

Pizza isn’t the only thing Lower Kimball—which is set up like a food court—offers. Additionally, there’s a sandwich station, a grill, ready-to-go sandwiches, salads, snacks, and Habaneros, a Mexican station. There is a daily rotation of Panini and calzone specials, soups of the day, and a different Asian selection every day. The separation of stations lets Lower Kimball boast shorter lines and a shorter waiting period than Kimball and Crossroads. By spreading out the stations, the staff is able to quickly custom create meals.

“All entrees are made to order,” said Manager Melissa Moore. “The floor is really proud of its personal touch…all employees try their hardest to interact with students on a more personal level.”

Not only does this eatery provide a variety with food choice, but it also accommodates dining dollars and meal swipes, combining the best of both worlds. Meal deal options are offered at both the grill section and Habaneros, as well as at a boxed lunch station. Snacks like those offered at the Lobby Shop can be found there as well, which gives students an opportunity to use dining dollars instead of money they put on their Crusader Express accounts.

Every Thursday, Lower Kimball hosts a farmer’s market that offers a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. There’s also Barbara’s snack market for bulk packages and individual servings and an organic food corner.

The eating atmosphere is casual and welcoming, with both tables and couch corners, Wi-Fi and mounted TVs.

Next time you’re hungry, stop by Lower Kimball for its wide variety, relaxed feel, and personal attention from the staff.

By Alicia Lincoln ’09

Isabel Alvarez-Borland might not be teaching any classes at Holy Cross this semester, but no one could confuse her sabbatical with a vacation.

Alvarez-Borland, a professor in the Spanish section of the department of Modern Languages and Literatures at the College, directed the Latin American Studies concentration through 2008. Last November, she was awarded the Monsignor Edward G. Murray Professorship in the Humanities at Holy Cross, a position which she will assume in July.

Until then, Alvarez-Borland says she’s making the most of her time away from the College. She is helping appraise the modern language program at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and is a reviewer for the American Council of Learned Societies.

Alvarez-Borland is also writing a book on images of migration in Cuban exilic art, her first since Cuban-American Literature of Exile: From Person to Persona (University of Virginia Press, 1998).

This forthcoming book is the latest in a string of publications for Alvarez-Borland. Most notably are two recent book anthologies, Identity, Memory, and Diaspora (2008) and Negotiating Identities in Cuban-American Art and Literature (2009). The first is a collection of interviews with writers and artists, the second volume is an anthology of scholarly articles. Both were co-edited by Alvarez-Borland.

The two projects germinated in a similar manner. In 2006, Alvarez-Borland served as a co-director for a National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminar at the University of Buffalo. The NEH seminar, which focused on Cuban-American literature, art, and philosophy, was attended by 15 college professors working in connected fields, and it was here that Alvarez-Borland and her co-directors decided to organize and publish these volumes together.

“At the seminar, we decided that we really wanted to use this experience, and we wanted to create two books which would capture the essence of what we were trying to teach at the seminar,” she says.

That experience has translated well into both of Alvarez-Borland’s new volumes, which aim to show, she says, “the amazing dialogue between art and literature,” which was the cross-disciplinary thrust of her NEH seminar.

For the most current book, Negotiating Identities in Cuban-American Art and Literature — published as a part of the State University of New York series in Latin American and Iberian Thought and Culture — Alvarez-Borland and her co-director Lynette Bosch, professor of art history at SUNY Geneseo, each drew on noteworthy writers in their specialized field.

Alvarez-Borland brought in works on literature and Cuban-American theory, and Bosch added pieces focusing on art and imagery within the community. The works of several Cuban-American artists were acquired from artists and collectors and exhibited at the University of Buffalo. Professor Alvarez-Borland enabled these works to also be exhibited at Holy Cross’ Cantor Art Gallery in winter of 2007.

The essay volume has contributions from 11 well-known academics who are engaged in diverse scholarship — from “studying art and culture in Miami, to teaching Cuban literature in some of the best schools in the country,” says Alvarez-Borland. Through the lens of each particular author, the text seeks to investigate the issues of identity and biculturalism which are important not only to Cuban-Americans, but to any and all immigrant groups.

Talking about the frenetic pace of turning out two academic collections in two years, Alvarez-Borland laughs, “we’ve been working hard. But I think that these books were important to do, for the angle that they take in exploring the issues of the diaspora experience.”

Ultimately, Alvarez-Borland hopes to continue to use the research that has gone into her publications when she returns to teach in the Montserrat program at Holy Cross next year.

“When I do my seminars next year, I really want to bring the books into class,” she says. “The students are great readers, and I think we’ll be able to discuss the essays and the visuals, and really be able to figure some important things out.”

By Ross Weisman ’09

Holy Cross was recognized with an award from Outside the Classroom, the nation’s leading alcohol prevention organization, for its work on campus to combat high-risk drinking among college students. Outside the Classroom also presented the College with a check for $10,000 to further strengthen alcohol prevention programs on campus.

Holy Cross was the only college or university in the country to receive highest honors in the 2008-09 Prevention Excellence Awards.

The ceremony, held in the Hogan Ballroom Lounge, was attended by Timothy Austin, vice president of Academic Affairs and dean of the College; Student Affairs officers; and local leaders, including commissioner of public health Leonard Morse and city councilors Barbara G. Haller and Kate Toomey.

“At Holy Cross, we take very seriously our responsibility to educate students about the risk associated with alcohol and provide them with tools to allow them to make healthy decisions about alcohol use,” said Jacqueline Peterson, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students at Holy Cross. “We have a comprehensive plan in place that is helping to create a healthier living-learning environment.”

Asserting that college drinking is one of the largest public health issues facing society today, Brandon Busteed, founder and CEO of Outside the Classroom, lauded Holy Cross for its strategic approach to combating alcohol use.

Fran Taylor, director of Wellness Programming at Holy Cross, credited the College community for its hard work in bolstering alcohol prevention efforts on campus, including support received from Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president; resident assistants who enforce the College’s alcohol policies; and the Students for Responsible Choices peer education group which supports activities that minimize high risk drinking.

She also described the key programs the College has enacted that have helped curtail drinking, including the online education course (AlcoholEdu) that students are required to complete before they arrive at Holy Cross and two alcohol screening days sponsored each year.

Last year, Outside the Classroom presented Holy Cross with three awards. The AlcoholEdu Team, headed by Taylor, received a Prevention Excellence Award, and Rory Ogden ’08 won the Excellence in Student Leadership Award in recognition for her achievements serving on Students for Responsible Choices. Taylor also won as a finalist in the Outstanding Alcohol and Other Drug Professional Award.

Pictured: Fran Taylor, director of Wellness Programming, stands next to a $10,000 check that Holy Cross was awarded for its alcohol prevention efforts.

Related Information:

• Institutions and Organizations Receive Accolades for Alcohol Prevention Excellence

Two alumni working in the business field recently said the Jesuit, liberal arts education that they received at Holy Cross prepared them exceptionally well for their careers.

The alumni were on campus as part of the Executive Leadership Workshop, in which students get real-life business experience through business simulations, case studies, team projects and presentations. The program, conducted entirely by Holy Cross alumni executives from various field, is sponsored by the Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies.

Watch the video (total time: 02:09) »

Pictured: Tom Flynn ’87

Quentin Liggins ’10 has business in his blood. His grandfather and great uncle owned, respectively, an auto body shop and a printing company, and Liggins recalls being “just fascinated with both of those shops. I always knew I wanted to be in an industry where I could be creative, and have an opportunity to lead in some way.”

Liggins, a history major and member of the varsity football team, has been living up to his heritage.

Following a sophomore year internship at Northwestern Mutual in Boston, Liggins applied to several prominent internships for this summer, including General Electric and Goldman Sachs, two renowned companies whose internship positions are highly regarded among business employers nationwide.

After interviewing at both companies within the span of two days, both GE and Goldman Sachs extended offers.

After some debate, Liggins, a member of the prebusiness program, chose the Goldman Sachs internship. “I had already worked in the insurance side of the business world, and I really wanted to expand my own experience into the world of finance,” he says.

Additionally, the recent troubles in the financial sector actually encouraged his decision.

“Goldman Sachs, like all companies in that industry, is going through a rapid period of change. For me, the opportunity to be there and be involved in something creative, just to see what I can learn from that type of innovation, is important,” Liggins says.

How is it that a history major was able to land such impressive finance positions? For Liggins, it all boils down to focusing on the details. After joining the Summer Internship Program at the College, Liggins worked hard to make sure that he maximized all opportunities.

“I worked over my resume intensely in the Career Planning Center, tailoring it to each job opportunity within SIP,” he says. “I was in there so much that the ladies in the office joke about putting a permanent plaque on one of the chairs for me.”

Liggins also explains that the simple but powerful processes of interacting with other people, the “soft skills” of the business world, were equally important to his success.

“What I’ve gleaned from my experience is that building a bond, making people comfortable, and making them feel like they can relate to you, is really a key skill, whether it’s in life or in business.”

That highly developed interpersonal skill was a valuable asset during his rigorous interviewing process at the various positions. At Goldman Sachs, for instance, Liggins describes being led through a series of rapid-fire interviews with six groups of people, an experience which he described as “challenging but exhilarating.”

While Liggins’ natural charisma has certainly played a role in his success, he also credits Holy Cross for broadening his scope and range of knowledge.

“My history major, specifically, allows me to study people and interactions across various cultures, and in turn, it just becomes one more way to build connections, to understand people,” Liggins says. “Plus, any challenging class that you take really pushes the boundaries of what you can accomplish as an individual.”

Also, important was his time in the prebusiness program, and his recent experiences at the Holy Cross Executive Leadership Workshop. While there, Liggins learned the essentials of business development, which he says “helped me get my feet wet in a few other sectors of the business world — it really expanded my focus and horizons.”

Liggins appreciated meeting the business alumni at the workshop, too. “For me, just being able to sit back and just watch how leaders walk and talk, helps me understand the intangibles, the more personal side of the business world.”

As for his future, Liggins says, he likes to take one step at a time.

“I really want to take as much from this internship experience as I can, to learn and improve myself as much as possible. Wherever I end up working, I’m really just looking to continually expand my knowledge. For me, that’s the ultimate goal.”

By Ross Weisman ’09

Spring break is traditionally known as a time of relaxation, a week without worries before the final stretch of the academic year. For 33 students at Holy Cross, however, kicking back was not on the agenda last week. Instead, they were learning the nuts and bolts of business during the 5th annual Holy Cross Executive Leadership Workshop.

According to David Chu, director of the Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies and prebusiness advisor, the workshop aims to accomplish three broad goals.

“First, we aim to demystify business — to understand what it takes to sustain a company,” he says. “Secondly, we introduce the students to real businesspeople — not just the Donald Trump image you see in the media. And lastly, we try to introduce the students to a network of Holy Cross alumni in business, who might serve as contacts or even mentors down the road.”

Inherent in the idea of “demystifying” business is the process of debunking the stereotypes that have become pervasive about the business world.

“People don’t often know what business really entails. They think of empty suits, or corporate hotshots who are unethical and greedy,” says Chu. In reality, “business is about serving the customer, giving them value in return for their money.”

The workshop’s focus on elucidating corporate essentials has quickly made it popular among students from all majors considering a future in business. While the first iteration of the program brought in 19 students, it now regularly draws more than 30.

The Executive Leadership Workshop is not a series of dry lectures. Each day is focused on a different business topic — from creating and maintaining a start-up company, to communicating properly between departments in major corporations. The academic sessions are further broken up by a series of hands-on activities throughout the week.

On the third day, for instance, attendees work in teams to manufacture and sell fashion handbags. Halfway through, the students are informed that there’s been an “earthquake” in China, and their fictional factories have gone off-line. They’re then forced to quickly revamp their strategies if they want to succeed.

This is precisely the sort of adaptability that real business requires.

“When the tsunami hit Indonesia, it caused many companies to completely change their production and supply lines,” explains Chu. “So the game they play is, in fact, a relevant simulation of the rapidly changing realities of the business world.”

The capstone moment of the workshop, on the final day, is the presentation of the weeklong group projects. Student groups of four or five students spend their evenings during the week designing a start-up “company” around a fictitious product, which they then present to a group of five business-savvy alumni, who are meant to represent a group of venture capitalists.

The presentations, incorporating products which range from eco-friendly webcams to movement capture technology, are extremely thorough — complete with market research, financial planning, branding and marketing considerations, and a complete business growth model.

Though they’re conceived in a week, the presentations essentially mimic, on a small scale, the birth of any company requiring capital investment. Here too, there is a reward – the alumni panel votes on the group with the best business plan, and the members of the winning team each receive a $100 prize.

In the future, Chu hopes to make the experience even more realistic, by having the teams come up with proposals “that serve the College campus or the larger community in some real way.” The winner of this competition, ideally, would receive a small sum of money to implement their vision into a real, functioning presence at the College.

“In this way,” Chu says, “not only are the students benefiting from their experience, but we’re showing that business can and should serve the common good.”

By Ross Weisman ’09

Pictured: Brian Mauthe ’11 delivers a presentation during the Executive Leadership Workshop.