News

At this time of holiday giving, members of the Holy Cross community have given of themselves to those in the greater Worcester community who are in need.

Some of the charitable events are as follows:

Band Outreach Program
Each year around the holidays, members of the Crusader “Goodtime” Marching Band play their instruments for community audiences. This year, 25 band members visited St. Mary’s Health Care Center, Clark Manor and Mt. Carmel to play a mixture of holiday carols and classic tunes. The students interacted socially with their audiences and invited their participation by providing tambourines and sleigh bells.

Chaplains’ Gift Collection
A van full of holiday toys and gifts for children and adults were collected by the Chaplains’ Office during masses the weekend of Dec. 9. They were distributed to St. Paul’s and St. John’s Churches in Worcester, as well as AIDS Project Worcester.

The Giving Tree
Members of the Holy Cross community were invited to pick an ornament off a tree in the Hogan Campus Center and buy a gift for a person in need. Approximately 75 items, including toys, mittens and clothing, were donated to the Friendly House and Frances Perkins Home volunteer sites through Student Programs for Urban Development (SPUD). The College community’s response was so overwhelming, that the surplus items collected were donated to the Salvation Army. This drive is sponsored annually by the Purple Key Society.

Human Resources Christmas Tree
Sponsored by the Human Resources department, participants selected candy canes from a Christmas tree and bought a gift for a patient at St. Mary’s Health Center Alzheimer’s Unit or for a needy child in the Sacred Heart Parish, Canterbury St. School and Head Start. Approximately 150 gifts were collected.

Toys for Tots Collection
Donated at the College’s 11th annual faculty and staff Christmas luncheon on Dec. 6, the Public Safety department collected approximately 100 toys. They were taken to the state police barracks in Charlton, and were portioned out to services in the Worcester area.

Wheeler Residence Hall Toy Drive
Richard Mucci ’02 organized a toy drive in his residence hall, Wheeler Hall, collecting money and toys for AIDS Project Worcester. The students collected $300 and two large bags fills with toys from the student residents.

Winter Clothes Drive
Held annually at Holy Cross, students, faculty, administrators and staff were invited to donate new or used winter clothing for adults and children in the Worcester community. Sponsored by Building Services, over 50 winter coats and more than 60 bags of clothing were donated to the Henry Lee Willis Community Center and the PIP Shelter, both of Worcester.

Not many people get a chance in their lifetime to glimpse the Olympic torch, let alone run with it. Stephanie Collingwood ’02, however, gets to do both. On Dec. 26, she will have the experience of a lifetime, acting as an Olympic Torch “Support Runner” and guiding the flame on its journey to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.

As one of 4,200 individuals who will accompany the Olympic torchbearers, Stephanie’s role is to “support, encourage and assist the runner in finishing their segment safely.” She must be prepared to assist the torchbearer both emotionally and physically, by pushing a wheelchair, guiding a visually impaired torchbearer – and even assist with holding the torch.

And assisting others is just what Stephanie does best. A survivor of depression, she devotes her time to helping other sufferers overcome this illness. “I help people going through depression to get the help and support they need. I know how it feels … and I want people to know that they don’t have to suffer. It can get better”

So Stephanie decided to become an Olympic Torch Support Runner to symbolize her triumph. “I saw running with the Olympic torch as a way of showing that I overcame my depression.” In the spring she wrote an essay to the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and was selected because of her inspirational spirit.

“It is just such an honor to run in the company of the Olympic torch, that it doesn’t even matter if I physically hold it. Just as long as I’m there, that’s all that’s important to me.”

The day after Christmas, Stephanie plans to drive up with her family from their home in Chantilly, Va., to Providence, R.I., where she will run with the flame. Representing the city of Worcester, Stephanie will run approximately two miles down Smith Street in Providence alongside the Olympic torch. She is scheduled to begin her run at 5:30 p.m.

“I’m really excited about running – what a Christmas present!”

Unlike the Olympic torchbearers, Stephanie will run a longer distance, equivalent to that of three torchbearers. She’s been training for this run all semester, running on the track behind the Hart Center.

A former competitive swimmer, Stephanie has always enjoyed watching the Olympics on television. For this winter’s games, she is most looking forward to the skiing competition. She plans to spend some of her winter break skiing with her family in New Hampshire.

Stephanie has one more semester left at Holy Cross, and will graduate an English major in May 2002. After taking a year off, she plans to follow in her father’s footsteps and attend law school and eventually become an FBI agent.

The torch will travel approximately 13,500 miles across the U.S. in 65 days, carried by 11,500 torchbearers as it travels through 46 states. The relay ends on Feb. 8, 2002, in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Also running with the Olympic torch are Holy Cross alumni Karen Ahern ’80, Michael Casey ’90, Schone Malliet ’74 and Robert Warchol ’94. Casey is the husband of the late Neilie Heffernan Casey ’90, who was killed in the terrorist attacks on September 11.

Holy Cross and an alumna of the College are creating “The Holy Cross September 11th Scholarship Fund” to provide a Holy Cross education to financially needy surviving children of alumni/ae, firefighters, police and rescue workers killed or permanently disabled due to terrorist attacks or during the rescue activities relating to those attacks.

The fund is being established by Heidi Brake Smith, Class of 1982, and her husband, Scott, in response to the events of September 11, 2001. The Smiths’ substantial gift of $100,000 is being matched by Holy Cross, and additional gifts may be made to the College and designated to the fund. Smith is a member of the College’s Board of Trustees.

“I did not know personally any of the seven Holy Cross alumni/ae who were killed on September 11, but several of them left young children and I believe it’s our role to ensure they will receive an excellent education,” says Heidi Brake Smith. “In addition, I am pleased we’ll be able to extend the opportunity of a Holy Cross education to eligible children of firefighters, police and rescue workers killed in terrorist attacks.”

Eligible participants will be:

1) surviving children of alumni/ae killed as a result of terrorism; 2) surviving children of firefighters, police and rescue workers who died as a result of terrorist attacks; and, 3) (in the event that funds are available after funding all eligible participants in the first two categories) surviving children of alumni/ae or their spouses who died due to violence, accident or illness, leaving their family in need of assistance. Participants must meet Holy Cross admissions standards and show satisfactory academic progress.

“Many alumni/ae and other members of the Holy Cross family have expressed a special concern for the children left behind by the terrible tragedy on September 11, and a desire to help them,” says Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president of Holy Cross. “This gives them a means of doing so, in partnership with the College. We want to make sure that any of those children who want to attend Holy Cross will have the financial means to come here.”

All contributions and the interest accrued (100% of the principal and interest) will go directly to eligible students. The fund is not an endowment, but instead will be spent down for the intended purposes. The fund will be managed so as to be viable until at least 2025.

Take part in Holy Cross’ 13-year tradition, where administrators serve breakfast to students during study week. Join the following members of the College community from 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. in Crossroads:

Sunday, Dec. 9
Father McFarland, Stephen Ainlay, Frank Vellaccio

Monday, Dec. 10
Margaret Freije, Esther Levine, Earl Peace, Vicki Swigert

Tuesday, Dec. 11
Father Brooks, Gary Carskaddan, Trish Haylon

Wednesday, Dec. 12
Kristine Cyr Goodwin, Jacqueline Dansler Peterson

Thursday, Dec. 13
Student Life staff

The menu consists of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage links, assorted bagels, Belgian waffles and topping bar, assorted juices and nightly specials. Full breakfast is available for under $4. Items can also be purchased a la carte. Coffee is free all night.

Many departments are pitching in to help students de-stress this week. Student Affairs is sponsoring a Stress Free Zone in the Hogan second-floor student lounge, with free snacks, games and surprise activities. They are also providing vans to McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts. And the College’s three libraries will open for extended hours during study and exam weeks.

Message from the Counseling Center: Study week and finals week can be a stressful time. The Counseling Center is available for assistance Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., as well as in the evening through the on-call system. Feel free to contact Public Safety at 508.793.2224 or your Resident Assistant if you would like to speak with a counselor after hours.

This week-long series of events is sponsored by the Campus Center, Dining Services, Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, Chaplains’ Office, College Choir, Counseling Center, Residence Life and Student Programs.

The Board of Trustees at the College of the Holy Cross unanimously confirmed the selection of a new chairman at their Dec. 1 meeting. Michael F. Collins, M.D., ’77 will be the first medical doctor to serve in that capacity. He will begin a six-year term on July 1, 2002, when current chairman, H.E. “Jack” Lentz ’67, completes his tenure.

Collins is president and chief executive officer of Caritas Christi, the health care system sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston. Caritas Christi is an integrated health care system with six hospitals, two nursing homes, a hospice, a home for women and children, and Laboure College, where nurses and allied health professionals are educated. Caritas Christi has just under $1 billion in annual revenues, over 12,000 employees and has the second largest inpatient market share in the eastern Massachusetts health care marketplace.

“Michael Collins has an outstanding record of leadership. His experience as the successful CEO of a major nonprofit organization and his extensive involvement in fundraising, for both Holy Cross and the Catholic health care system, will be most helpful to me and to the trustees,” says Holy Cross President Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. “His long and devoted service to the College shows his great loyalty to and love of Holy Cross.”

A member of the Class of 1977 at Holy Cross, Collins graduated cum laude with a degree in chemistry and attended Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. He trained at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center of Boston and is board certified in internal medicine. He spent two years at Texas Tech University in Lubbock as a member of the faculty in internal medicine and as a member of the dean’s office at the Health Sciences Center.

Returning to Boston in 1986 to become a member of the faculty at Tufts, he is currently a clinical professor of medicine there and is a member of the medical staff at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center of Boston.

Collins is actively involved in numerous professional and civic organizations. Currently, he serves as chair of the board of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, an organization that represents over 1,200 Catholic health care institutions in the U.S. In addition he serves on the boards of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable and Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart.

At Holy Cross, Collins served as a class chair from 1983-1994, national chair of the Holy Cross Fund from 1994-2001, joining the Board of Trustees in 1996. As a trustee he serves as chair of the academic affairs committee (since 1998), is a member of the development and college relations committee, the executive committee of the board and the campaign steering committee.

Collins lives in Westwood, Mass., with his wife, Maryellen, and their two children.

The College of the Holy Cross is one of 28 colleges and universities in the country to receive a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., to create or enhance programs enabling young people to draw upon the resources of religious wisdom as they consider their vocational choices.

Holy Cross will receive a $2 million grant – its largest-ever foundation grant – to support a project to advance its Jesuit mission to educate students for lives of commitment and service.

The multi-layered initiative will:

1) teach the habits of spiritual and vocational reflection to all students through first-year orientation, retreats, convocations and other events; 2) revise current courses and develop new ones to incorporate vocational themes; 3) train faculty in the practices of vocational discernments; and 4) provide opportunities for students to explore church ministry through internships, mentoring programs and spiritual retreats.

“As a Jesuit institution, Holy Cross seeks to educate ‘men and women for others,'” says Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president. “This most generous grant will allow us to infuse this vital ideal into every aspect of life at Holy Cross-classroom, chapel, office, studio, laboratory, residence hall-and better prepare members of the Holy Cross community for meaningful lives that serve the common good.”

The Holy Cross proposal arose from consultation with a cross-section of faculty, staff and students. Focus groups of graduates of the College active in business, the professions, social service, public service and ministry also offered advice. Many argued that creative plans to deepen vocational formation reflected well the College’s historic commitment to the integration of faith and learning and its continuing experience of Jesuit spirituality.

Craig Dykstra, vice president for religion at the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment, says, “It is clear that these schools thought through their missions and strengths and that they were very intentional in devising these proposals.”

“The caliber of proposals was outstanding, and it is obvious that all these schools thought seriously and productively about how to encourage young people to consider questions of faith and commitment as they choose their careers,” says Dykstra.

Founded in 1937, Lilly Endowment is a private family foundation that follows its founders’ wishes by supporting the causes of religion, community development and education.

Howie Day will give a concert at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, in Crossroads, located in the basement of the Hogan Campus Center. The concert is free and open to the Holy Cross community and Worcester Consortium students only.

Based out of Belmont, Mass., 20-year old Day has been performing his blend of acoustic pop to audiences all over the country. He has performed over 200 shows in the last year and has shared the stage with acts like Jewel, Guster, Eve 6, Sister Hazel, Vertical Horizon and Hootie & The Blowfish.

Day’s performances have drawn comparisons to artists such as Dave Matthews and Duncan Sheik. His constant touring has started to develop a growing following throughout the Northeast. In November 2000, Day released his first full-length CD, Australia.

Related Links:
Howie Day’s Web site.

Sponsored by the Campus Activities Board.

In the early hours of Nov. 16, 1989, members of the Salvadoran military invaded the residence of six Jesuits at the University of Central America. The invasion resulted in the brutal murder of the six Jesuits, their housekeeper and her young daughter Fr. Ignacio Ellacuria, Fr. Ignacio Martin-Baro, Fr. Amando Lopez, Fr. Segundo Montes, Fr. Juan Ramon Moreno and Fr. Joaquin Lopez y Lopez were martyred for standing in solidarity with the poor and persecuted of El Salvador. Julia Elba, the housekeeper, and her 15-year-old daughter, Celina, were murdered for witnessing the crime. In 1991 a Salvadoran jury sentenced two military men to jail for a maximum of 30 years for their role in the murders. Just two years later both men were amnestied.

On Friday, Nov. 16, the daily 12:05 p.m. liturgy in Mary Chapel will be in held in memory of the six Jesuits, their housekeeper and her daughter murdered in El Salvador. Rev. Dennis Yesalonia, S.J., general council for the College, will perform the liturgy. Following the liturgy a prayer will be offered over the plaque of remembrance in Saint Joseph Chapel plaza (weather permitting). All are welcome to attend.

A Holy Cross Mock Trial team placed sixth out of 55 teams from over 30 colleges and universities that competed in the Ivy League Mock Trial Invitational Tournament, held Nov. 9 – 10 at Yale University.

Participating were the universities from the Ivy League, as well as Amherst, U.C. Berkeley, Boston College, George Washington, Georgetown, Hobart, Holy Cross and Johns Hopkins.

Holy Cross sent three teams to the tournament, and one finished in 6th place overall with a 3-1 record. The team was comprised of Monica Del Rio ’02, Chris Hirl ’03, Joel Smith ’03, Eric Tosi ’03, Cecilia Kelly ’04, John “Southie” O’Donnell ’04, Matt Pieraldi ’04 and Noah McPike ’05. O’Donnell, team captain, was the fourth-rated attorney out of over 200 participants.

The second team finished with a 2-1-1 record, just out of the top ten. The team was comprised of Liz Crowley ’02, Meghan McNamara ’02, Erin Hickey ’03, Erin Tierneyand ’03, John “Riff” Steffy ’04, Victoria AuFerro ’05 and Adam Zybluweski ’05.

The third team, new to competition this year, was comprised of Shauna Crehan ’04, Heather Stanga ’04, John Cantwell ’05, Ruth Demeter ’05, Amanda DeVuono ’05, Jared Hasten ’05, Keara Martin ’05 and Rian Romeo ’05.

Started in the fall of 1997 at Holy Cross, Mock Trial is an opportunity for undergraduate students to learn about trial techniques used by lawyers in the courtroom. Teams consist of six to eight students who take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a simulated court case. Participants gain experience and knowledge in areas such as the stages of a trial, how to argue objections, and how to direct and cross-examine a witness.

The Holy Cross Mock Trial team finished sixth out of 393 teams at the National Intercollegiate Mock Trial Tournament last spring, and was honored with “The Spirit of Mock Trial,” a major award to the team that “embodies civility and fair play and the ideals of the practice of law.”