Holy Cross Dining Expands Wellness Initiatives With Sally the Food Robot

Posted on October 18, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Image of student using Sally the Food Robot. Photo courtesy of Holy Cross Dining

Photo courtesy of Holy Cross Dining

There’s a new chef on the Hill and her name is Sally. This chef has just one specialty: salad.

Holy Cross debuted “the world’s first fresh food robot” to students, faculty and campus visitors at the beginning of the 2019-20 academic year, in partnership with Silicon Valley food robotics company, Chowbotics.

Featured on Bon Appétit’s list of “7 Healthiest College Dining Halls in the Country” in 2017, the Holy Cross Dining Services team takes great pride in offering students a large number of healthy and delicious dining options. Making those options accessible late at night has always been a challenge, but Marty Dudek, associate director of operations for dining services, found the perfect solution in Sally.

Located in Hogan Campus Center’s Cool Beans coffee shop, Sally is accessible from 7:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. weekdays during the academic year, and accepts Crusader Cash or credit cards as forms of payment. Salads cost an average of $6.75 each, depending on the ingredients selected.

About the size of an ATM, Sally the Robot gives users the option of choosing a suggested salad recipe or customize their own on the touchscreen. Inside, 22 canisters are chilled to exactly 34 degrees Fahrenheit and filled with fresh vegetables, different lettuce types, protein options (including grilled chicken) and dressings.

For now, Sally will only serve salads, with additional options, such as breakfast and grain bowls, to be added at a later date.

“At Holy Cross, we strive to provide convenient, healthy, tasty and varied food options for our students,” says Linda Nardella, director of dining services. “This year, we’re excited to introduce Sally the Robot, a new and innovative way to order a fresh meal on campus.”

The benefits of Sally are many, according to Nardella. For one thing, the robot can make salad in under a minute. Also, it will tell you precisely how many calories your salad is delivering, let you fine-tune the calorie total by adding or subtracting ingredients and view full nutritional details for each selection. The robot’s proprietary technology also greatly reduces the risk of foodborne illness, as ingredients are kept sanitary and in separate canisters.

The decision to bring Sally the Robot to campus aligns with the College’s participation in the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative, a working group of scholars and campus dining leaders looking to provide healthier and sustainable food options for students and staff.

So while college dining isn’t always synonymous with healthy eating, Holy Cross is changing the game, one salad at a time.

Media Coverage:

Posted in In The News, News | Comments Off on Holy Cross Dining Expands Wellness Initiatives With Sally the Food Robot

Holy Cross Welcomes Seven Tenure-Track Faculty Members for the 2019-20 Academic Year

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Jane Carlton

Shreyashi Chakdar, Liat Spiro, Conor Carney, Elizabeth Spragins, Sarah Klotz, Nina Barzachka and Amy Finstein stand in Memorial PlazaSeven faculty members at College of the Holy Cross have been welcomed into tenure-track positions for the 2019-20 academic year. They will each join a different department: economics, English, history, physics, political science, Spanish and visual arts. The new faculty members bring with them a depth and breadth of expertise in a variety of topics, from theoretical particle physics to mid-century architecture.

We asked these new faculty members to share what engages them both intellectually and personally.

Posted in Economics and Accounting, English, Featured, History, News, Physics, Political Science, Spanish, Visual Arts | Comments Off on Holy Cross Welcomes Seven Tenure-Track Faculty Members for the 2019-20 Academic Year

Holy Cross Religious Studies Professor Brings Artistry of Nepal, Greater Understanding of Buddhism to Campus

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Holy Cross Magazine

Todd Lewis stands in the ;Dharma and Punya: Buddhist Ritual Art of Nepal' exhibitWhen Todd Lewis decided to study Buddhism in graduate school, he wanted to explore the least- examined Buddhist place in the world: Nepal. Post-graduation, Lewis set out on what was supposed to be a yearlong Fulbright trip to the Himalayan country. One year very quickly turned into three and a half, leading him into an academic career researching Buddhism and its place in Nepal, and fortunately for the Holy Cross community, culminating in a new art exhibit on campus.

“It’s one of the most complicated places in Asia,” says Lewis, distinguished professor of arts and humanities in the religious studies department. “There’s Hinduism and Buddhism, and a panoply of other ethnic groups in the Kathmandu Valley. One of my early professors at Columbia was the famous Margaret Mead, and she taught us how to really take field work seriously. There was a long reputation that the indigenous people in the Kathmandu Valley, the Newars, were very hard to work with — they were secretive, they were devious. But those were all stereotypes; I was welcomed the first day.”

Once Lewis was back in the United States, he held various teaching positions before arriving at Holy Cross in 1990. In his time at the College, he developed courses not only on Buddhism, but also on other subjects where his expertise is relevant — such as ecology and religion. “I also have a passion and interest in teaching religions through the gardens people have made, because gardens are utopias,” Lewis says. “There are a lot of interesting, fun ways to explore Islam, Zen Buddhism and Confucianism with gardens, and students have really liked the class.”

Posted in Fall 2019, Holy Cross Magazine, Religious Studies | Comments Off on Holy Cross Religious Studies Professor Brings Artistry of Nepal, Greater Understanding of Buddhism to Campus

The Christmas King: Holy Cross Alumnus Masters Hallmark Holiday Strategy

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Holy Cross Magazine

Bill Abbott '84 plays chess with Santa Claus

It’s unlikely you know his name, but you definitely know his work. And that’s alright with Bill Abbott ’84.

As president and CEO of Crown Media Family Networks, Abbott answers his own email, eschews retaining a personal PR team and leads the Hallmark Channel, which over his nearly 20-year tenure has grown to include two sister networks, an online streaming app, skyrocketing ratings and revenue and a cultural foothold in the biggest family time of the year.

The foundation of the company’s past decade of success and entry into the holiday zeitgeist is Abbott’s yearend juggernaut known as Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas, a seasonal programming block in which the cable network airs a mix of movies and themed specials and programming, October through December. Countdown to Christmas, in turn, launched the phenomenon known colloquially as “the Hallmark Christmas movie,” family-friendly, romantic or inspirational (or a combination of all three) stories that end on a happy, hopeful note.

“It’s just relentlessly positive,” says Abbott, who reads every script, reviews daily footage of movies in production and visits sets when he’s not traveling between New York, Los Angeles and Hallmark headquarters in Kansas City. “We take great pains to make sure that every story and character respect that quality. Making content that people like takes a great amount of time, energy and talent. We don’t like to disappoint our fans, so we take our work very seriously.

When you’re making that many movies, you don’t want them all to be exactly the same, yet you want them to be easily recognizable as a Hallmark film.”

This consistency and focus are no accident. Today’s audiences are routinely exposed to content that can be shocking or salacious, and stories with a wholesome message are a welcome respite for tens of millions. “We don’t want to surprise people — predictability is a compliment, not a criticism,” Abbott says. “It doesn’t make you boring, just reliable.”

Posted in English, Fall 2019, Holy Cross Magazine, News | Comments Off on The Christmas King: Holy Cross Alumnus Masters Hallmark Holiday Strategy

Professor’s New Work Examines the Universal Exile of Grief

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Holy Cross Magazine

Osvaldo Golijov stands in front of Fenwick HallThere are words in the English language for those who lose a parent, a husband, a wife. But when it comes to articulating the loss of a child, “there is not a single word,” notes Osvaldo Golijov, Loyola Professor of Music. “It’s as if language doesn’t even want to go there.”

But music can. The depths of grief and arduous road toward something like recovery are the acute and universal themes explored in Golijov’s newest piece, “Falling Out of Time,” an adaptation of the 2014 book of the same name by Israeli author and Man Booker International Prize winner David Grossman. Following development at Holy Cross and Juilliard, the two-time Grammy Award winner’s work will have its world premiere at the College’s Brooks Concert Hall on Oct. 31.

Golijov read Grossman’s novel a few years ago and notes it “grabbed me. I started to read it and said, ‘I have to do this,’ even after just 15 or 20 pages. It goes to the place that makes me question everything in life.”

Despite the unimaginable circumstances the novel unfolds, Golijov feels a deep connection to the material. “I’ve lived in three countries and grief is a form of exile — you’re out of time and place,” he says. “And when I experienced the death of my parents, it was shocking how the sun comes out and people smile … you’re in exile even when in the same room as others.” As in Grossman’s book and Golijov’s music, what follows the shock of grief is “not catharsis, nor solution [but] simply a place to breathe,” the composer says.

Silkroad Ensemble, the Grammy-winning musical collective started by cellist YoYo Ma, will perform Golijov’s much-anticipated piece this fall; in many ways, “Falling Out of Time” was written for them. “I wanted to do this for the ensemble because they have the range of expression, the fearlessness — I don’t think I know of anyone else who can do that,” Golijov says.

As such, Silkroad’s musicians and their individual strengths helped inform the piece, which features an eclectic mix of instruments, including electronics, a string quintet, kemanche (an Iranian bowed string instrument), percussion, pipa (a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument), sheng (a Chinese mouth-blown free reed instrument), trumpet and three singers. “It’s about the specific people who play the instruments,” he notes. “If someone else was playing the pipa, I wouldn’t have chosen the pipa.”

Beginning Stages

Workshops for the piece began in 2017 with Silkroad, a company enjoying a three-year residency with Holy Cross that Golijov sees as vital to the artistic exposure and education for its students. “There’s a big effort to shift our institutional culture from one of excellence (which we want to retain) to one of creativity — to one of more risk taking,” he says.

As part of its development, Golijov and Silkroad spent four days working on “Falling Out of Time” at the College’s Thomas P. Joyce ’59 Contemplative Center, a 52-acre site overlooking the Wachusett Reservoir created for retreat programs, which proved to be an invaluable experience.

“It made the entire difference,” Golijov says. He has developed works at the world’s most prestigious institutions, but notes that having uninterrupted time to collaborate is a gift. “Working at Juilliard was great, but after rehearsals everyone wanted to go to their hotel or to dinner, but at the Contemplative Center, we were in a state for a few days of living only in the piece for the whole time. It was one of the most magical experiences — you understand why some rock bands rent a castle. Our workshop was unforgettable in how that experience affected the piece.”

While there, Golijov was treated to another luxury: “David [Grossman] came to one of our workshops in the Contemplative Center. His presence and his thoughts when talking to us made a great impact that the musicians and I both felt.”

Billed as a song cycle, the piece consists of multiple parts. “Five types of motion guide the piece: the heartbeat, the time clicking, the walk, the sensation of falling and the arrival to breathing,” Golijov explains. “It opens with heartbeat, it’s an overture, and then the heartbeat becomes a clock clicking. [The father] sings it’s impossible that the trees turn green, how August becomes September because in his heart he’s always stuck in August. When he leaves the home, the walk begins, but the walk and heartbeat are irregular — the limping of the soul.” He describes parts of the composition as “a continual melody — it’s organic, where you cannot tell when one thing morphs into other,” noting it’s almost like “a hallucination.”

And now, after multiple years and workshops, Golijov’s lyrical, pulsing and melancholic piece is set to debut at the College. “It’s very hard for me to call a place home, but Holy Cross feels like home,” he says. “I have pieces premiered all over, but to have this premiere at home is much more meaningful.”

Written by Billy McEntee for the Fall 2019 issue of Holy Cross Magazine.

About Holy Cross Magazine
Holy Cross Magazine (HCM) is the quarterly alumni publication of the College of the Holy Cross. The award-winning publication is mailed to alumni and friends of the College and includes intriguing profiles, make-you-think features, alumni news, exclusive photos and more. Visit magazine.holycross.edu/about to contact HCM, submit alumni class notes, milestones, or letters to the editor.

Related Information

Posted in Fall 2019, Holy Cross Magazine, Music, News | Comments Off on Professor’s New Work Examines the Universal Exile of Grief

Classics Course Examines How Ancient Times Relate to Conflict in the United States

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Holy Cross Magazine

Students sit in a circle of desks in a classroom

The music of Steely Dan, the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou” and the history of two world wars may seem an odd trio of discussion topics for a classics course. But the juxtaposition of the modern and the ancient is just the point of The Classics & Conflict in the United States, taught by Timothy Joseph ’98, associate professor of classics.

“We look at how the cultures of Greece and Rome have been put toward both positive and negative uses in the U.S.,” Joseph says. The course, which also serves as an elective for the peace and conflict studies concentration, looks at the role of ancient Greece and Rome in American life and includes debates on race, gender and class identity from the 18th century to modern times.

The discourse happens around a scattering of large tables in a light-filled classroom in Stein Hall. Joseph often has students rearrange the tables into a circle to elicit more engaged dialogue.

“Whatever the argument or issue, most Americans will charge headlong toward antiquity to find a matching millennia-old intellectual justification for their position,” says Matthew Anderson ’21, a history major. “This course really pushed me to be a deeper critical thinker by analyzing the ways in which Americans received the stories, histories and philosophies of the past and how they incorporated them into our history.”

As a former classics major at the College, Joseph designed the course from a unique point of view: “In the last several years I’ve spent more time interrogating the discipline and unpacking its history. A number of the students [in the most recent class] were senior classics majors, so they’ve had this experience of four years of a rigorous study of Latin and ancient Greek and of these cultures. And now they’re looking at it in entirely different ways and interrogating their own experience.”

Throughout the semester, students read a variety of texts, ranging from ancient (“The Odyssey” by Homer, in its entirety) to modern (“Not All Dead White Men: Classics and Misogyny in the Digital Age” by Donna Zuckerberg). With the latter, Joseph informed his students in advance that the material — which addresses the use of classical ideas such as stoicism as a weapon in misogynistic discourse — could be difficult to read.

As it turned out, students were up for the historical dichotomy — for that work and others.

“The course forced us into situations that were new to us,” Anderson says. “We had to write persuasive orations based on the classical rhetorical model, and each Friday, a student pair, rather than Professor Joseph, would do the day’s lecture. It wasn’t a course where the professor simply lectured. Instead, this felt more like a group of equals where everyone was growing in their knowledge of the classics and in their confidence in public speaking and debate.”

For some students, the biggest takeaway was the importance of ancient history in the here and now. “The classics are absolutely relevant,” says Riemke Bouvier ’21, a biology major with a peace and conflict studies concentration. “But the true meaning behind classic works can be manipulated and taken out of context. It is important to continue analyzing pieces from classical antiquity to not only avoid misusing them, but to be able to recognize when misuse is occurring.”

The course ended with a reception analysis paper — a rather bland term, Joseph says, for an assignment that stretched students to re–examine their preconceptions of history. “Students looked at one figure from ancient Greece or Rome, or one concept from ancient Greece or Rome, and analyzed two different moments of reception in the United States,” he says. “What you include, and what you leave out, can define that thing in the past. And if students come away understanding that historical significance is often determined at the point of reception, then I think the course will have been successful.”

Posted in Biology, Classics, Fall 2019, History, Holy Cross Magazine, News, Peace and Conflict Studies | Comments Off on Classics Course Examines How Ancient Times Relate to Conflict in the United States

Holy Cross Alumna Leads Nonstop Philanthropy From an Unexpected Source

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Holy Cross Magazine

Mary Ellen Curran '86, stands in front of wrestling postersMention billion-dollar international powerhouse World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and the thoughts of many automatically land on its colorful characters and eye-popping feats of athleticism. But Mary Ellen Curran ’86 says there’s another story to tell.

As the company’s senior vice president of community relations for the past seven years, Curran and her team have helped focus, evolve and execute WWE’s year-round philanthropy, honing its already longstanding charitable work into a framework of pillars that are most important to the company: inclusion (bullying prevention and diversity), empowerment (communities and youth), service (to country and community) and hope (critical illness and pediatric cancer). It’s an approach Curran says is designed not to give publicity to WWE, but to the charities and programs with which they partner, from Make-A-Wish and Susan G. Komen to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Special Olympics and more.

“No corporate partners get the kind of visibility that our community partners get,” she says, noting the publicly traded (NYSE: WWE) global media company has 1 billion social media followers and is broadcast in 28 languages across 180 countries, in addition to its two weekly highly rated cable TV shows, digital platforms, groundbreaking over-the-top streaming service and much more.

The translation of that reach is astonishing: In 2017, WWE generated 3.1 billion impressions, held 237 community events and donated more than $25 million in media value to its community partners. And its work has not gone unnoticed: Last year, the 39-yearold company received the League Humanitarian Leadership Award at the Sports Humanitarian Awards, presented by ESPN.

When WWE partners with a charity, such as Susan G. Komen in May and October, Curran says the Komen logo will be found in every aspect of the company’s presence: from its social media and digital platforms and specially branded merchandise to even the lapel pins worn by on-air talent and the ring skirts.

“We try to use every piece of our business to be able to tell the story and tell the story in a meaningful way, because at the heart of our business, we’re storytellers,” she says. “It’s about getting people to understand that, as an organization, we care and we want to make sure that we can make a difference.”

Posted in Fall 2019, Holy Cross Magazine, News, Political Science | Comments Off on Holy Cross Alumna Leads Nonstop Philanthropy From an Unexpected Source

New Book Gives Voice to History of Jesuits on Campus

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Holy Cross Magazine

Sarah Campbell stands in the Jesuit Cemetery on campusHundreds walk by daily, but most would recognize only a handful of the names on the nearly 300 white stone markers at the Jesuit Cemetery. A new book seeks to rectify that, detailing the lives of those interred and, in the process, providing another look at Holy Cross history.

Published this summer, “Beneath the Cross” was written by Sarah Campbell, assistant archivist at the College’s Archives and Special Collections, in celebration of Holy Cross’ 175th anniversary.

“We wanted to provide readers with more information about the men who were buried within the cemetery, as well as the history of the College, through their stories,” she says.

She didn’t know it, but Campbell had been working on the book years before it was envisioned. Over time, she had been compiling information on some of the men buried in the cemetery with thoughts of creating a walking guide of the location, nestled between St. Joseph Memorial Chapel, Brooks Music Hall and Campion House.

“We got asked about [those interred] a lot, so I thought it would be nice to have a finding aid to the cemetery with the little information I gleaned,” she says.

In 2018, Frank Vellaccio, senior vice president emeritus and special advisor to the offices of the president and advancement, asked the Archives staff if they had information about the Jesuits buried in the cemetery over the past 25 years; Campbell shared what she had compiled thus far. With the College’s 175th anniversary approaching, Vellaccio saw the potential for something much larger than a walking guide — a comprehensive book with biographies and photos.

“I can’t overemphasize what a great job Sarah did, the amount of work it took and the love and passion she brought to the task,” he says. “It is great to have a good idea, but the real gift is to have someone able and willing to make that idea a reality.”

Posted in Classics, Fall 2019, History, Holy Cross Magazine, News, World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures | Comments Off on New Book Gives Voice to History of Jesuits on Campus

Not Backing Down: Athletics Director Marcus Blossom Has Big Goals for Holy Cross

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Holy Cross Magazine

Marcus Blossom holds a football in front of the football teamWith a 4.43 GPA and stellar ACT scores, Marcus Blossom had his pick of colleges across the United States when he was a high school senior. The offers of an academic scholarship came from far and wide.

Blossom, however, wanted something else: He wanted to play basketball at the highest level, Division I. Unfortunately, Division I coaches across the country didn’t want him. Blossom did not surrender his dream that easily, though; he kept searching and he found a school that was going to give him a full academic scholarship and a legitimate opportunity to play basketball at the highest level.

That’s how Blossom found himself in Boston at Northeastern University, the first step on a path that led him to Holy Cross, where he was named director of intercollegiate athletics in May.

Searching for a Shot at DI

The youngest of eight children, Blossom grew up in Matteson, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, and was an outstanding basketball player at Rich South High School, averaging 20 points per game his senior year for a team that finished with a 25-5 record.

Yet it wasn’t enough to attract the attention of the so-called big-time coaches.

“I thought I was a good player, but I couldn’t get a lot of offers,” Blossom says. “My coach, he probably sent tapes — it was VHS tapes at the time — and letters to over 100 Division I programs.”

Blossom did have an offer from Wagner College on Staten Island, but New York wasn’t for him. He could have been a non-basketball scholarship player at Illinois or Northwestern, but playing time was not guaranteed and would be hard to earn.

“At Illinois, I got a full academic presidential scholarship and the only balance that I would owe: $8,” he says. “Eight dollars to go to the University of Illinois! It’s a great school, a Top 50 school. My mom said, ‘You can go to Illinois for $8!’ But she knew I wanted to play basketball.”

He finally connected with Northeastern, a school with an inconsistent basketball history and one that was not winning at that time. Blossom saw an opportunity, and the Northeastern coaches were willing to give him a chance.

Jay Young, now the head coach at Fairfield University but then a Northeastern assistant, was dispatched to Chicago to see him play.

“It was probably the easiest recruitment ever,” Young says. “I liked what he did. It was an easy decision because it didn’t cost a [basketball] scholarship. At minimum, you have a great kid on your team.”

When Blossom got to Boston, it quickly became apparent that he was going to be more than a great kid at the end of the bench.

“Before the season, you start working out with the guys and I was right there,” Blossom says. “I called my parents back at home and said, ‘I’m going to be playing this year.'”

Posted in Fall 2019, Holy Cross Magazine, News | Comments Off on Not Backing Down: Athletics Director Marcus Blossom Has Big Goals for Holy Cross

Curiosity Leads to Unique Find Hidden in Fenwick for Decades

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Holy Cross Magazine

A large metal boxYou’d think that everything hidden in Fenwick Hall would have been found by now.

But that’s the thing about 175-year-old buildings: There’s always something else to discover.

Such was the case in May when Avanell Brock, the College’s multimedia producer, was using Fenwick 421 as a quiet location for filming video interviews. Currently the Rev. William Fitzgerald, S.J., Library for the classics department, the room sports bookshelves, a desk, a table and easy chairs, and is used by students for reading and collaborative research.

As Brock surveyed the room, she spied what looked like a small door directly above the closet. Curious, she stood on a chair, opened the door and found, of all things, a heavy munitions box.

As it was too high and heavy to remove by herself, Brock popped the box’s lid and took photos with her phone to see what was in it. They revealed a stack of papers with an envelope on top addressed to: “RJ Healey, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Boston, Mass.” She closed the box and shut the door, then sent the photos to Stephen Albano, Holy Cross Magazine art director, knowing he is always on the lookout for College history.

Brock was the first person to lay eyes on the box in years.

Posted in Classics, Fall 2019, Holy Cross Magazine, News | Comments Off on Curiosity Leads to Unique Find Hidden in Fenwick for Decades

Will a Single Tweet Create a Costly Rift Between the N.B.A. and China? Holy Cross Sports Economist Shares Expert Insight

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News

The recent geopolitical firestorm set off inadvertently by Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey’s tweet in support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong this past weekend is pushing the N.B.A. into facing an existential problem.

Media across the country is turning to Victor Matheson, professor of economics at Holy Cross and one of the foremost sports economists in the country, to weigh in on the potential consequences and risks involved in this type of politically-charged speech.

?The league enjoys LeBron James being a spokesman back in Akron and Cleveland and speaking out on American politics […] but social justice and free speech does not sell well in China,” Matheson said in an interview with The New York Times. “This is the vulnerability for the N.B.A.”

Asked by The Athletic in a separate interview whether the recent Morey controversy has the potential to jeopardize the N.B.A.’s deep ties with China, as well as its July five-year, $1.5 billion contract extension of its digital broadcast rights deal with Chinese media, Matheson seemed confident that this too shall pass.

“My sense is that while this is making a bunch of NBA execs nervous right now, it is likely to blow over in the long run,” Matheson said. “People love their sports enough that they are generally willing to overlook the behavior of owners, managers and players pretty quickly. The next time China develops a world-class player like Yao, that player is going to wind up in the NBA and Chinese eyes will again be glued on the league.”

But in the end, who is bound to end up on the losing side in this controversy? As Matheson tells CNBC in a recent interview, from all the major league sports “the NBA has the most to gain from the globalization but also, as we’ve seen here, the most to lose. But bottom line, the NBA will survive without China, without a question.”

Related Coverage:

Posted in Economics and Accounting, In The News, News | Comments Off on Will a Single Tweet Create a Costly Rift Between the N.B.A. and China? Holy Cross Sports Economist Shares Expert Insight

Blog: Rodriguez ’23 Looking Forward to Stepping Out of Her Comfort Zone at Holy Cross

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Meghan Schatz

Dariana Rodriguez '23

Name: Dariana Rodriguez ’23

Hometown: Boynton Beach, Florida

Interested in studying: Anthropology, business, ethics, and society, and economics

Activities: Women’s Rowing Team, The Agency, Women in Business

Why did you choose Holy Cross? “I wanted to spend the next four years of my life in a competitive, yet nurturing environment that is focused on the growth and education of not only the mind, but also my personal and spiritual journey.”

What are you most looking forward to this year? “I am looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and taking risks as I attempt to reach my full my potential, while also fostering meaningful friendships that will last a lifetime.”

Read Dariana’s blog.

Related Information

  • Check out our admissions blog, along with many of our other online journals at me.holycross.edu
Posted in Business, Ethics, and Society, Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society, Economics and Accounting, News, Sociology and Anthropology | Comments Off on Blog: Rodriguez ’23 Looking Forward to Stepping Out of Her Comfort Zone at Holy Cross

Holy Cross Professor Writes About the Secrecy of Confession in the Catholic Church

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Mathew Schmalz, professor of religious studies. Photo by Avanell Brock

Mathew Schmalz, professor of religious studies. Photo by Avanell Brock

On Sept. 11, 2019, the Australian states of Victoria and Tasmania passed bills requiring priests to report any child abuse revealed in the confessional, a move criticized by religious liberty advocates and representatives of the Catholic Church worldwide for invading a sacred space by violating the “seal of confession.”

Writing for The Conversation, Mathew Schmalz, professor of religious studies at Holy Cross, explains the history of confession, as well as its deeper meaning.

“The debate over confession isn’t just an abstract issue for Catholics. It’s something very personal,” said Schmalz. “For me, as well as for many Catholics, confession is not simply a way of avoiding hell in the hereafter – it’s a way experiencing God’s merciful love in the here and now.”

A sought-after expert on the Catholic Church, Schmalz is an experienced voice in the media, providing expert commentary in the The Washington Post and Newsweek, along with appearing in documentaries on A&E and Vice.

To read the full article, go to TheConversation.com.

Posted in In The News, Mathew Schmalz, News, Religious Studies | Comments Off on Holy Cross Professor Writes About the Secrecy of Confession in the Catholic Church

Blog: Maclean ’23 Excited to Take Advantage of Everything Holy Cross Offers

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Meghan Schatz

Hadley Maclean '23

Name: Hadley Maclean ’23

Hometown: Lake Orion, Michigan

Interested in studying: Computer science, English and film studies

Activities: Ultimate Frisbee, Creative Writing club, Purple Key Society

Why did you choose Holy Cross? “I chose Holy Cross because of the awesome community. I’ve never seen a more involved and caring group of students and professors than here at Holy Cross, and I’ve visited most of the Ivy League universities. There isn’t a day where I’m not surrounded by amazing friends. Also, the academics are super great. Also, also, the cookie baking program. I came here for the cookies.”

What are you most looking forward to this year? “I am so excited to take advantage of everything Holy Cross offers. Maymesters, study abroad, alumni connections and internships, service opportunities, and immersion trips are just a few things that I want to do. Right now, I’m waiting for Christmas. Not only do I love spreading Christmas cheer for all to hear, but I am primed and ready to go sledding throughout the campus and all the way into Worcester.”

Read Hadley’s blog.

Related Information

  • Check out our admissions blog, along with many of our other online journals at me.holycross.edu
Posted in English, Mathematics and Computer Science, News | Comments Off on Blog: Maclean ’23 Excited to Take Advantage of Everything Holy Cross Offers

Blog: Gutt ’23 Excited to Get Involved on Campus During First Year at Holy Cross

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Meghan Schatz

Hunter Gutt '23

Name: Hunter Gutt ’23

Hometown: Petoskey, Michigan

Interested in studying: Architectural studies, biology and environmental studies

Activities: The Spire

Why did you choose Holy Cross? “I chose Holy Cross for its small student-to-teacher ratio, incredibly supportive alumni network and approach to a well-rounded education.”

What are you most looking forward to this year? “I am looking forward to getting more involved on campus and exploring a variety of studies in order to academically diversify myself. Learning about the study abroad program and other various opportunities are also of great interest to me.”

Read Hunter’s blog.

Related Information

  • Check out our admissions blog, along with many of our other online journals at me.holycross.edu
Posted in Biology, Environmental Studies, News | Comments Off on Blog: Gutt ’23 Excited to Get Involved on Campus During First Year at Holy Cross

Blog: Gomez ’23 Looking Forward to Study Abroad Opportunities at Holy Cross

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Meghan Schatz

Jasmine Gomez '23

Name: Jasmine Gomez ’23

Hometown: The Bronx, New York

Interested in studying: Education, psychology and visual arts

Activities: PRIDE, College Choir, Latin American Student Organization (LASO), Kxplosion Kpop Dance Team

Why did you choose Holy Cross? “I wasn’t sold on Holy Cross until I went to visit. The school is everything I hoped for in my dream college. The people and community are wonderfully hospitable and inclusive, the campus is absolutely beautiful, especially in the spring, and my financial aid package from this school was my favorite offer.”

What are you most looking forward to this year? “I am most looking forward to two things: the Spring Concert that brings in outside artists, and the Maymester and study abroad programs.”

Read Jasmine’s blog.

Related Information

  • Check out our admissions blog, along with many of our other online journals at me.holycross.edu
Posted in Education, News, Psychology, Visual Arts | Comments Off on Blog: Gomez ’23 Looking Forward to Study Abroad Opportunities at Holy Cross

Blog: Britocastro ’23 Eager to Explore Worcester During First Year on The Hill

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Meghan Schatz

Angel Britocastro '23

Name: Angel Britocastro ’23

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Interested in studying: Mathematics and computer science

Activities: Residence Hall House Council in Clark Hall

Why did you choose Holy Cross? “I chose Holy Cross over other schools because of its welcoming culture. Once you visit, something about the school makes you feel like you’re at home. The college itself is very beautiful and the financial aid help was also the best out of all.”

What are you most looking forward to this year? “I am most looking forward to building a great group of friends while also doing very well in my studies. Going out and exploring the city of Worcester and Boston is also an option, due to the various resources on campus like daily shuttles. I also want to be part of various internships while attending college. Another area of interest is the Maymester program, a month long study abroad program in the middle of May, instead of a whole semester.”

Read Angel’s blog.

Related Information

  • Check out our admissions blog, along with many of our other online journals at me.holycross.edu
Posted in Mathematics and Computer Science, News | Comments Off on Blog: Britocastro ’23 Eager to Explore Worcester During First Year on The Hill

Chemistry Professor Awarded Prestigious NIH Grant for Protein Research

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Jane Carlton

Kenneth Mills stands with students in his labKenneth Mills, professor of chemistry at College of the Holy Cross, was recently awarded a three-year $361,417 grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue his research on the protein splicing of organisms — called extremophiles — that live in harsh conditions on Earth.

Mills is no stranger to receiving significant grant money. From 2013-2017, he was awarded a series of uninterrupted grants from the National Science Foundation totaling more than $1.5 million to support his research.

We spoke with Mills about the applications of his research and how the infusion of grant money will benefit student-researchers.

Posted in Chemistry, Featured, News | Comments Off on Chemistry Professor Awarded Prestigious NIH Grant for Protein Research

Professor and Russia Expert Calls Talk of Trump Impeachment ‘the Gift That Keeps on Giving’ for Russian Media

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Cynthia Hooper, associate professor of history and director of Russian and Eastern European Studies. Photo by Tom Rettig

Cynthia Hooper, associate professor of history and director of Russian and Eastern European Studies. Photo by Tom Rettig

What is Russian media’s narrative on the impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump? Apparently, the commentary in many ways “echoes the language of U.S. coverage,” according to Cynthia Hooper, associate professor of history and director of Russian and Eastern European Studies at Holy Cross.

In a recent piece for The Conversation, Hooper goes on to detail how Russian comedy TV, political operatives and even cartoonists are having a field day with what they are calling “Ukrainegate,” referencing a recent controversial phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“This latest scandal […] is a gift for those wishing to advertise U.S. dysfunction without seeming to engage in heavy-handed censorship or promote obviously deceptive propaganda,” said Hooper.

She writes that over the past five years, beginning with the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, “Russian political and media establishment [have grown] increasingly skilled at spinning stories to highlight U.S. political weaknesses.”

To read the full article, go to TheConversation.com.

Additional Coverage:

Posted in Cynthia Hooper, History, In The News, News, Russian and Eastern European Studies | Comments Off on Professor and Russia Expert Calls Talk of Trump Impeachment ‘the Gift That Keeps on Giving’ for Russian Media

Holy Cross Hosts Prestigious Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers Conference

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Jane Carlton

People sit on a panel on a stage in front of a crowd

The 24th Annual Conference of the Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers (ALSCW) was held at the College of the Holy Cross from October 3-6, 2019. Hosted by Lee Oser, professor of English, the three-day event featured 17 seminars; four plenary panels; poetry readings by famed poets A.E. Stallings, Major Jackson, David Ferry and Rachel Hadas; and a dinner featuring a string quartet composed by Matthew Pinder ’20, this year’s Fenwick Scholar. This year is the first time Holy Cross has been chosen to hold the noteworthy conference.

A number of Holy Cross faculty members were among the high-profile moderators and readers at the conference, including Sarah Stanbury, Distinguished Professor of Arts and Humanities in the English department; David Lewis Schaefer, professor of political science; Jorge Santos, assistant professor of English; Aaron Seider, associate professor of classics; Thomas Martin, professor of classics; Maurice Géracht, Stephen J. Prior Professor of Humanities in the English department; Susan Elizabeth Sweeney, Monsignor Murray Professor in Arts and Humanities in the English department; Oliver de la Paz, associate professor of English; and Leila Philip, professor of English.

Holy Cross alumni returned to campus to sit on panels, as well, including Traugott Lawler ’58, professor emeritus of English at Yale University; Dennis Taylor ’60, professor emeritus of English at Boston College; Will Hendel ’11; Chase Padusniak ’15; and Alex Pisano ’16. Eighty current Holy Cross students were also in attendance.

Posted in Classics, English, Leila Philip, News, Political Science | Comments Off on Holy Cross Hosts Prestigious Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers Conference