Video: Holy Cross Students Find Success After Graduation

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Jane Carlton

What doors does a degree from Holy Cross open? If you’re a recent grad, you just might be changing the world by teaching music to refugee children in Palestine, finishing your second year of law school or managing clients for an award-winning marketing firm. According to Holy Cross’ First Destinations Report, a snapshot of the outcomes for the Class of 2018 with 84.7 percent of graduates responding, a whopping 97 percent of respondents are employed in a job or internship, engaged in service work or pursuing a graduate degree.

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Holy Cross Creates Database of Diverse Sources for Media

Posted on March 11, 2019 by College of the Holy Cross

Headshots of diverse faculty members available for comment on media stories.

 

When they need an expert economist, scientist, policy analyst or academic to explain a complex issue to the general public, NPR journalists overwhelmingly turn to white men, according to a recent internal NPR study examining the diversity of its outside sources.

This is an industry-wide issue, and journalists from outlets like The New York Times and The Atlantic, among others, have acknowledged it in their own work. Some pioneering outlets like NPR, Bloomberg and the Columbia Journalism Review are taking steps to fix the imbalance, from creating source banks to providing media training for underrepresented sources. These new sourcing initiatives are meant to give reporters a baseline understanding of diversity of their sources, and ultimately help them write better stories.

“Journalism is all about the people we are trying to serve,” Kathleen Culver, assistant professor and director for journalism ethics at the University of Wisconsin, recently told The Poynter Institute. “Our reporting ought to be representative of those people… The journalism is better because more voices are heard.”

But finding new sources can be challenging, particularly for increasingly time-starved reporters when it’s so easy to fall back on the usual sources on deadline.

The College of the Holy Cross supports the promotion of diverse voices in the media. To aid in that process, we are launching a database of our faculty members who are women and people of color, representing a wide variety of subject matters, and who are available  for interviews by journalists. The list includes names, titles and areas of expertise, as well as headshot and a link to their faculty profile for more information.

The “Diverse Sources for Media” database follows the introduction of the overall “Faculty Experts for the Media” database launched earlier this year. Contact the Holy Cross Media Relations team if you need assistance getting in touch with any of our faculty members to request a comment or set up an interview.

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Pulitzer-Winning Author Edward P. Jones ’72 Inducted Into the American Academy of Arts and Letters

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Edward P. Jones ’72 is seen here outside Rehm Library on campus, where Jones returned in 2004 to give a reading and meet with students. Photo by Dan Vaillancourt

Edward P. Jones ’72 is seen here outside Rehm Library on campus, where Jones returned in 2004 to give a reading and meet with students. Photo by Dan Vaillancourt

Acclaimed author and Holy Cross alumnus Edward P. Jones ’72 has been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the highest recognition of artistic merit in the United States. Jones ’72 is one of 11 individuals from the arts, literature and music fields who will be inducted as members of the 250-person academy at its annual award ceremony in mid-May.

With his induction, Jones ’72 becomes the second Holy Cross alumnus to be a member of the academy, following former U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins ‘63, who was elected in 2016.

Edward P. Jones ’72, the author of the critically acclaimed short story collection “Lost in the City,” won a Pulitzer for his novel “The Known World” in 2004. Based on historical facts, “The Known World” tells the story of a former slave in antebellum Virginia who, upon gaining his freedom, purchases slaves to work for him. Jones’ first novel, the book also earned a National Book Critics Circle fiction prize and was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Founded in 1898, the Academy of Arts and Letters was created as an honor society of the country’s leading writers, artists, composers and architects. Its members are elected for life, with new members elected as vacancies occur. Among the writers elected to membership since its founding were Henry James, Edith Wharton, Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Pearl S. Buck, John Updike and Willa Cather.

An English major while at Holy Cross, Jones teaches fiction writing at George Washington University and lives in Washington, D.C.

Read more about the announcement on the Associated Press website.

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Photos: Holy Cross Makes Way for Joanne Chouinard-Luth Recreation and Wellness Center

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Jane Carlton

A rendering of the new Joanne Chouinard-Luth Recreation and Wellness Center, with mock students playing sports on the grassCollege of the Holy Cross’ upper campus — where the Field House currently sits — will soon be home to the new Joanne Chouinard-Luth Recreation and Wellness Center, a state-of-the-art facility for campus recreation and intramural sports. To make way for the new building, demolition of the Field House has begun.

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How Does Holy Cross Build Its Incoming Class?

Posted on March 4, 2019 by College of the Holy Cross

Admissions signAfter applications are submitted, time seems to endlessly stretch on before acceptance letters hit mailboxes. And many questions begin to swirl: Who is reading my application? What are they looking for? How do they decide who gets in and who doesn’t from thousands of applications?

From the outside, the college admission process feels like a mystery. Hear directly from Holy Cross’ Ann McDermott, director of admission, and Margaret Freije, provost and dean of the College, for a look behind the curtain.

What are your goals for an incoming class? What attributes do you seek for the class as a whole?

Freije: At Holy Cross we are a community that asks big questions and values diverse perspectives in our search for answers. We collaborate, challenge and support one another with respect and humility. In order to best support our mission, we seek to bring in a diverse class in which students represent a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, nationalities and geographies, among other attributes. We want students who bring different talents and perspectives to our community.

What are you looking for in a Holy Cross student?

McDermott: I think we all know Holy Cross is tough academically, so we look for students who challenge themselves. We want to see students taking the most rigorous curriculum offered — whatever that’s defined as in their particular high school — and doing really well. But then we also want to see students who have identified for themselves their passions and interests, and whether its band or student government, we want to see students who have invested and committed themselves. Writing also matters to us a lot. Holy Cross is really writing heavy so we spend a lot of time looking at students’ essays.

Overall, I think the hallmark of Holy Cross students is that they tend to be bright and accomplished and have a bit of a fire in the belly academically. They are intellectually curious, not just seeking accomplishment but to grow and be stretched. They push themselves beyond their comfort zones, and think creatively. They also tend to be pretty service oriented — that’s one of the most common things students are involved with.

How do students learn about Holy Cross?

McDermott: In addition to learning about us through family and friends, their guidance counselors and the many college guides that exist in print and online, students interact with our admission staff when we visit their high schools or at admission fairs. Our staff visits 800 high schools across the country each year, ranging from public high schools to independent and private schools to Catholic and Jesuit high schools. We also partner with many community-based agencies to reach students who might not otherwise find us.

Freije: Holy Cross was one of the founding members of the Coalition for College Access, a diverse group of distinguished colleges and universities that is committed to making college a reality for all high school students through its set of free, online college planning tools that helps them learn about, prepare for, and apply to College. We also recently became a member of the American Talent Initiative, an alliance of top colleges and universities that are working with the philanthropy and research communities to expand access and opportunity for talented low- and moderate-income students. We work hard to reach lower-income and first-generation students, break down the barriers that may prevent them from applying for admission and financial aid, and then meet their full demonstrated financial need to ensure that finances will not stand in the way of any student admitted to Holy Cross.

How does the admission process work?

McDermott: It involves some math, some science, and a bit of art. At Holy Cross, every application is initially read by two individuals before it comes to full committee, made up of 13 members of the admission staff who look at all 7,200 applications in a darkened room for about five weeks. As a group we discuss every single application, noting academics, personal strengths, recommendations, essays, and interviews (if they had them), and make a decision based on a student’s potential for academic success at Holy Cross as well as their personal accomplishments and what we think they’ll bring to the college. It’s holistic and thorough, and we will look at some students numerous times.

We also look at the kind of engagement we have with students — we want to see them involved in the process; stopping by at a high school visit or engaging in a chat is something we factor in. It’s the idea that these students have done their research, and put themselves out there and said, “This is where I want to be.” So students do have a lot of control in the process.

How do you build a class?

McDermott: Students invest a lot of time in the application process and we try to respect that by doing the same. I think we get to know our students as well as we possibly can though an application. We look at the obvious extremes — the most highly rated students and the lowest — and make those decisions first.  Then we look at applicants who would bring different perspectives or special talents to our community. We also consider students from Jesuit high schools, children of alumni and students from Worcester separately. After we make decisions on each of those applicants, we are typically left with a big group of applicants from the northeast that is qualified and strong. That’s the painstaking work that happens toward the end of our process.

It’s all about finding students that are a good fit and there’s a human element to that process. A typical Holy Cross student manages many commitments. They want to excel academically and they are also committed to an athletic team, a theater production, a student organization or a community-service opportunity — and that’s what we’re trying to find in our applicants. We know the students we’re admitting are going to be successful here.

What role do finances play in the decision making?

Freije: Holy Cross is committed to building a diverse community and to remaining financially accessible to all qualified students. Therefore, we remain one of a small number of schools that meet 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students. Historically, we have been able to meet this commitment with a completely need-blind admission process. This has become increasingly difficult to accomplish. In order to build the diverse community that we seek, and ensure that we are able to fully meet their full demonstrated need, it is possible that a small number of our admission decisions may need to be made with an awareness of financial need going forward.

McDermott: Our process remains the same highly personalized and holistic one. We have read and evaluated our entire pool of applications with no awareness of need. Toward the very end of our process this year, we will be calculating the cost of the class, which we have not had to do in the past. So there is a possibility that we will need to admit some small percentage of the class with an awareness of need.

Learn more about Holy Cross’ admission process on the Admission & Aid website.

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The New York Times Features Holy Cross Women’s Hockey Program During First Season of Elite Hockey East

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
The Holy Cross women’s ice hockey team shown here during a home game. Photo by Mark Seliger Photography

Photo by Mark Seliger Photography

The Holy Cross women’s ice hockey team didn’t know what to expect as it took to the ice for the first time this year, back in September. This season was unlike any others, with the Crusaders being new members of the Women’s Hockey East Association, the toughest league in the sport.

The transition to Division I was a hallmark moment, that came with its share of challenges. “Not only were returning Holy Cross players accustomed to winning, so were many of the incoming freshmen,” The New York Times wrote in a recent profile.

But players like forward Carlie Magier ’22 were excited and ready to take on the challenge. “I was looking forward to it. We expected to have bumps in the road.”

And though there have been many challenges for the team this season, there have also been plenty of memorable moments. The undisputed favorite moment for the Crusaders was their 5-3 home victory over Northeastern, who, at the time, was ranked fifth in the nation and finished the season as the Hockey East regular-season champions.

Senior tri-captain Julie Matthias ’19 called it “the most fun hockey game I’ve ever played in… We finally got what we’d been working for.”

Longtime coach Peter Van Buskirk continues to be immensely proud of the way the players have handled themselves this season, telling The New York Times, “They’ve been very good about focusing on the process, not the outcomes.” Van Buskirk, who has coached the program for 19 of its 20 years, announced on January 15 that he would retire after the season.

Replacing him will be associate head coach Katie Lachapelle, a July 2017 hire from Boston University, who has also held numerous coaching positions throughout the U.S. Women’s National Team organization.

“She’s brought a lot of Division I experience, and her exposure to U.S.A. Hockey and anything new coming up has been a big advantage for us,” Van Buskirk said.

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

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Could Spiking Income Inequality Cause the Next Recession? Holy Cross Economics Professor Explains

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Robert Baumann, professor of economics. Photo by Austin Bosworth

Robert Baumann, professor of economics. Photo by Austin Bosworth

Theories are abounding when it comes to predicting the timing and possible triggers for a future recession, but according to Robert Baumann, professor of economics at Holy Cross, one thing’s for sure — if we believe it, it will happen.

Baumann told Forbes in a recent interview that, “If enough people believe a recession is coming, then it will come. All it takes is for people to adjust spending in preparation for difficult times. This is [not] the only cause of a recession, but [a recession] can be willed into existence.”

One theory Baumann finds hard to prove is that rising wealth inequality could drive excessive borrowing, which in turn could lead to a recession.

“Looking back at the most recent recession it is hard to understand why so many found themselves with a risky loan,” said Baumann. “One explanation is that lenders were incentivized to make larger loans and did not disclose the risk to the borrower.”

You can read the full article at Forbes.com.

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Social Psychologist Jonathan Haidt to Deliver 53rd Hanify-Howland Memorial Lecture

Posted on February 27, 2019 by College of the Holy Cross

Jonathan Haidt

The 53rd Hanify-Howland Memorial Lecture will be given by the renowned social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, one of the world’s leading experts on the psychology of morality, at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2nd in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom at the College of the Holy Cross. The Hanify-Howland lecture series recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in the realm of public service in honor of Edward Hanify, a member of the graduating class of 1904, and Weston Howland.

Haidt’s talk, titled “Politics and Polarization,” is free and open to the public.

Haidt’s early research radically transformed the field of social psychology, pulling it away from its earlier focus on moral reasoning. Haidt showed that moral intuitions and emotions come first — flashes of gut feelings that people then strive to justify, after the fact. This explains why it is so difficult to win a moral argument with good reasoning. Haidt’s research has helped people to understand those who differ from them morally — not just across nations but across the political divide within each nation. In his latest work, he is applying his research on moral psychology to the study of business ethics. He is developing tools and techniques that leaders can use to improve the ethical functioning, trust and ultimately profitability of their companies.

Haidt earned his B.A. from Yale University in 1985 and his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992. He then did postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago and in Orissa, India. He was a professor in the psychology department at the University of Virginia from 1995 until 2011, when he joined the NYU Stern School of Business. Haidt has excelled as a teacher and public speaker. He won three teaching awards from the University of Virginia, and one from the governor of Virginia. His three TED talks have been viewed more than 3 million times. He has presented his work at the World Economic Forum, the Aspen Ideas Festival, the British Academy, and the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts. He was named a “Top 100 Global Thinker” by Foreign Policy magazine in 2012, and one of the 65 “World Thinkers of 2013” by Prospect magazine.

Haidt is the author of more than 90 academic articles and two books. In addition to “The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion”, Haidt is the author of “The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom,” about which The Guardian (UK) wrote: “A marvelous book… I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that laid out the contemporary understanding of the human condition with such simple clarity and sense.”

Since 1965, the Hanify-Howland lecture series has brought a host of distinguished speakers to Holy Cross who have exemplified in their work the spirit of public service that the series was established to encourage. Past speakers include astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson; retired Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft, U.S. Air Force; Clarence Thomas ’71, associate justice of the United States; Ruth Wedgwood, director of the Program in International Law and Organizations at Johns Hopkins University; investigative journalist Bob Woodward; Steven D. Levitt, co-author of the bestselling books “Freakonomics” (Harper, 2009) and “Superfreakonomics” (Harper, 2011); award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien; Governor Jon Huntsman; Pulitzer Prize-winning couple Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn; and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.

In keeping with the traditional practice of the Hanify-Howland lecture series, Haidt will conduct a seminar on campus, which will allow students to interact with the speaker in an intimate and intellectually stimulating environment. He will also be signing copies of his book, “The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure,” after the lecture.

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Holy Cross Is Once Again a Top Producer of Fulbright Students in the U.S.

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Photo by Hui Li '21

Photo by Hui Li ’21

The College of the Holy Cross is once again among the colleges producing the highest number of Fulbright students, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, which published its annual “Top Producers of Fulbright U.S. Scholars and Students” for the 2018-19 academic year on Feb. 10.

This year’s recipients are headed to Latvia, Spain, Malaysia and Russia.

The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is widely recognized as the most prestigious international exchange program in the world. The highly competitive grants are awarded on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential.

Each year approximately 1,900 grants are awarded through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, which offers opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching in more than 140 countries worldwide.

Since the program’s inception in 1946, more than 360,000 participants, throughout more than 160 countries worldwide, have had the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

At Holy Cross, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program application process is supported by the Office of Distinguished Fellowships and Graduate Studies. Since 2005, the College has produced a total of 98 Fulbright scholars, and has consistently been among the nation’s top producers of Fulbright students at the undergraduate level according to data submitted by the Institute of International Education.

“I am very proud that Holy Cross put forward a school record 69 applicants for the Fulbright last year, exceeding the number submitted by many research universities,” says Anthony B. Cashman, director of Distinguished Fellowships and Graduate Studies at the College. “The Fulbright is an unforgettable journey for the recipients, but even the students who do not receive the grant gain valuable skills and experiences such as application writing, interview practice, and one-on-one faculty mentoring.”

Holy Cross Fulbright recipients this year:

Patricia Corey ’18, Major: Russian (Latvia)

Joshua DeYoung ’18, Major: Political Science (Spain)

Isabel Fitzpatrick ’18, Major: Psychology (Spain)

Martina Umunna ’18, Major: History (Malaysia)

Jacob Wronski ’18, Major: Political Science (Russia)

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Ten Faculty Members Receive Tenure in 2019

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Jane Carlton

Elizabeth Landis, Matthew Gamber, Selina Gallo-Cruz, Alvaro Jarrin, Geoffrey Findlay, Daniel DiCenso, Shannon Stock, Ji Hao, and Denis Kennedy stand together in front of a fountainFrom researching fruit flies to reimagining the first commercially successful color film, College of the Holy Cross faculty members are making massive contributions to their fields — and to their classrooms. Hear a bit more from the 10 newly tenured professors below.

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What Does It Mean to Be Defrocked in the Catholic Church? Holy Cross Professor Explains

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies. Photo by John Buckingham

Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies. Photo by John Buckingham

In a historic move, Pope Francis “defrocked” Theodore E. McCarrick, a former cardinal and archbishop of Washington, after the church found him guilty of sexual abuse. McCarrick, who was once one of the most powerful Catholic officials in the U.S., became the highest-ranking church official to be punished in this way in modern times.

In an article for The Conversation, Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies at Holy Cross, explains the meaning and history behind the concept of defrocking, otherwise known as “laicization.”

Schmalz writes that, contrary to popular belief, “McCarrick will still be a ‘priest,’ although without his clerical office and its associated privileges,” because in the eyes of the church, the priestly ordination cannot be removed.

“What this means for McCarrick is that he can never be a layperson in the way that rank-and-file Catholics are. Ironically, he will always retain the spiritual mark given to him when he first became a priest,” says Schmalz.

To read the full article, go to The Conversation.

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Holy Cross History Professor Talks to NBC News About the Gilded Age and Today’s Populism

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Edward O'Donnell, associate professor of history

Edward O’Donnell, associate professor of history

The debate over increasing taxes on the wealthy has dominated the early days of the 2020 presidential race, with some Democrats proposing tax hikes as high as 77 percent. This populist movement, thought to be in response to the rise of powerful billionaires, has many drawing parallels between the present and the Gilded Age of the late 1800s.

So is today’s Democratic rhetoric in alignment with the Gilded Age era? Are we living in a second Gilded Age? NBC News recently called upon Ed O’Donnell, associate professor of history at Holy Cross, to bring some clarity to this issue.

“The big question was whether you can have a functioning democracy when you have a small number of people with staggering loads of wealth,” said O’Donnell.  In the interview, O’Donnell went on to say that “the fear of a rising aristocracy within a democracy was quite real” in the late 1800s, as is today.

O’Donnell, who is teaching a course on Gilded Age America, has been a sought-after expert for the media, most recently having contributed to the PBS documentary, “The Gilded Age.”

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

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Holy Cross Professor’s Cultural Anthropology Research Highlighted in Australian Science Magazine

Posted on February 8, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Alvaro Jarrin, assistant professor of anthropology. Photo by Austin Bosworth

Alvaro Jarrin, assistant professor of anthropology. Photo by Austin Bosworth

Recent studies analyzing the role played by race in influencing response to cosmetic surgery have yielded controversial results, notably that the race, of both patients and observers, appears to impact the perceived attractiveness of rhinoplasty patients.

Alvaro Jarrin, assistant professor of anthropology at the College of the Holy Cross, was recently asked to weigh in on this phenomenon by the Australian science magazine, Cosmos.

One study suggests that observers perceive patients that have undertaken a rhinoplasty procedure as “appearing more attractive, healthier, and more successful.” But could it be that the influential factor in observed attractiveness may be the “other-race effect”: the psychological tendency for individuals to more easily recognize and display preferential attention to faces of their own race?

Jarrin disagrees with this premise, pointing to the undeniable intersection between race and class. “Rhinoplasty is closely associated with upward mobility precisely because it whitens those who receive it. People imagine it will consolidate their financial gains or that it will provide more job opportunities and help in the marriage market as well,” said Jarrin.

Jarrin, whose extensive research on the impact of Brazilian medical practices on black women culminated in the publication of the book “The Biopolitics of Beauty: Cosmetic Citizenship and Affective Capital in Brazil,” concluded that “Beauty is about social power in Latin America, and cannot be divorced from the history of racism in the region.”

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

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Holy Cross Professor Examines the Controversy Surrounding the ‘Great Commission’

Posted on February 8, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies. Photo by John Buckingham

Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies. Photo by John Buckingham

A recent survey has shown that the majority of churchgoing Christians in the U.S. are not familiar with the term the “Great Commission,” though the concept underpins Christian missionary work across the world.

In an article for The Conversation, Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies at Holy Cross, traces the historical roots of the Great Commission and examines the growing divisiveness around the term.

“Converting others to Christianity raises a fundamental question about whether religious diversity is a reality to be celebrated or an obstacle to be overcome,” said Schmalz. According to him, “the meaning of the Great Commission will continue to be a subject of debate as Christianity confronts a rapidly changing world.”

To read the full article, go to The Conversation. The piece has also been republished by the Houston Chronicle and San Francisco Chronicle.

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Photos: Rodin Exhibition Highlights Work of Renowned Artist, Importance of Art at Holy Cross

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Evangelia Stefanakos

Described during his lifetime as the greatest sculptor since Michelangelo, Auguste Rodin is celebrated world-wide for bending, challenging and deconstructing artistic norms historically applied to sculpture. His characteristically expressive, masterfully textured bronze sculptures are well-known to Holy Cross, which is home to 10 works by the French artist and currently hosting an exhibition of 30-plus Rodins through April 7.

The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery exhibition, called “Rodin: Truth, Form, Life,” includes 22 works originally sculpted by Rodin between 1860 and 1910 on loan from the Cantor Foundation collection, as well as those from Holy Cross’ permanent collection which were gifts from the Cantors in the early 1980s. All pieces are later casts approved by the Musée Rodin in Paris.

“It is hard to totally grasp the exhibit’s grandeur when the room is filled with people,” said Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, president of Holy Cross, during the Jan. 24 gallery opening.

Amid the rough-hewn sculptures and before a packed gallery, Judith Sobol, the Cantor Foundation’s curator of collections and exhibitions, and the organizer of the exhibition at Holy Cross, explained how Rodin’s rejection of convention revealed new potentialities within art: “What Rodin wanted to show was people living the lives that they lived truthfully, using material to convey the structure of the body beneath the clothing. From this truth to what he saw around him, he was able to create a sense of life, not only of the people in Paris but also the life that sculpture could convey.”

“Rodin created his own form of artistic expression,” shares Sobol, “which today we acknowledge as having led sculpture into the modern era and that his studio practices led artists there, too.”

This exhibition is fittingly timed 35 years after the opening of Holy Cross’ gallery, which came into being thanks to the transformative vision of then-president Rev. John Brooks, S.J. and the donations of famed philanthropists and art collectors Bernie and Iris Cantor, who had a particular passion for collecting Rodin sculptures. In 1983, Holy Cross became the first of many Cantor-supported arts spaces in the United States, alongside major art institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

“I’m just delighted to be at Holy Cross because the Cantor Foundation has such a long history with this astonishing college,” said Sobol at the recent gallery opening, explaining that it all began with a strong connection between Bernie Cantor and Fr. Brooks 30 years ago. “That resulted in a closeness, not only of these two distinguished men but also in a pact between them to make this College a mecca for extraordinary sculpture here in New England. And that’s what they accomplished.”

Holy Cross’ Cantor Art Gallery, which now holds nearly 2,000 pieces in its permanent collection, has hosted countless historical and contemporary public exhibitions since its genesis, becoming a vital resource for Holy Cross faculty and students, linking exhibitions to the broader liberal arts curriculum.

“The presence of the gallery on campus affords the entire Holy Cross community an opportunity to experience that artistic beauty which so readily helps us attain the openness and tolerance necessary if we are to understand who we are and how we relate to one another,” shared Fr. Brooks at the inaugural opening of the gallery, which kicked off — appropriately — with a Rodin exhibition.

The “Rodin: Truth, Form, Life” exhibition, which marks both the 35th anniversary of the Cantor Art Gallery as well as the College’s 175th anniversary, will run through April 7. The hours for the Cantor Art Gallery are Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays noon – 5 p.m.

For more information on the current exhibition and related events, please visit the Cantor Art Gallery website.

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Holy Cross Celebrates Difference Makers, Breaks Records in Fundraising Challenge

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Jane Carlton

A Holy Cross community member snaps a picture of the larger-than-life hashtag mosaic.

The largest number of donors ever: check. The most generous donations: check. The enormous photo collage of all Holy Cross Difference Makers: check. With 6,342 donors gifting a total of $2,683,777.77, this year’s 175th anniversary giving challenge honoring the impact of generations of Holy Cross graduates, was a record breaker. Each donor and gift helps Holy Cross to prepare today’s students for lives of impact.

The challenge — set for 1.75 days— kicked off at 6 a.m. on Jan. 25th, taking to social media in a big way. Hundreds of volunteers rolled up their sleeves and began their outreach to friends and former teammates. Throughout the weekend, students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff read stories about alumni who have made an impact — a difference — on the world, from CEOs to humanitarians to veterans.

To encourage donations and a little healthy competition, the incentives were big and bold. For each 1,000 donors, a group of challengers donated $250,000 — and with upwards of 6,300 donors, that equaled a fitting $1.75 million.

As part of the on-campus celebration during Winter Homecoming, members of the community from near and far were invited to participate in the creation of an 8’4″ x 5’10” mosaic. The completed mosaic is an image of Fenwick Hall, the first building on campus, made up of 2,816 individual photos of Holy Cross community members. Students, faculty, staff, and visiting alumni and parents took photos and submitted them on campus as part of the festivities, while those not able to be at Holy Cross just had to snap a photo on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #HolyCross175 to be added. The wall-sized mural will be installed and displayed on campus for the remainder of the 175th anniversary year.

“Once again, we are overwhelmed and humbled by the generosity and participation of the Holy Cross community,” said Tracy Barlok, vice president for advancement. “This community continues to support the mission of this special College in remarkable ways. We are grateful beyond words for their love, loyalty, generosity and enthusiasm. For 175 years, Holy Cross has been changing lives. With the help of our impassioned benefactors and advocates, we are poised to write the next chapter in our history.”

Watch a recap of the weekend:

Related Information

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Tony Award-Winning Director Bartlett Sher ’81 Named ‘Hottest Director on Broadway Right Now’ by CBS News

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News

Bartlett Sher ’81 has come a long way since his college days on Mount Saint James. And Sher ’81, an English major who wrote and produced his first full-length play at Holy Cross, credits the liberal arts education he received at the College with propelling him to a successful career in the arts.

“When you work in the arts it’s very similar to the work you might do as a Jesuit, you ask a lot of questions. It’s a way of applying what you’re learning into active, real things,” Sher ’81 said at a Fitton, Fenwick, Cornerstone Dinner in New York City recently, an alumni event celebrating members of the lifetime giving societies at Holy Cross.

And quite the career that is. He has been nominated for eight Tony awards, winning in 2008 for his direction on the Broadway revival of “South Pacific.”

But it’s his latest production, the new stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer-winning 1960 novel “To Kill A Mockingbird,” that has everyone buzzing. Written by Aaron Sorkin, directed by Sher ’81 and starring Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch, the play, dubbed “a certifiable smash” by Variety and “exquisite” by Broadway World, has become one of the greatest stage successes on Broadway, grossing a massive $1.702 million in its second week of performances.

And much of that success is credited to Sher’ 81, the “hottest director on Broadway right now,” according to CBS News. In a feature interview for 60 Minutes he talks about the challenges that come with the much-anticipated production of a famous novel.

“The challenge is expectations,” said Sher ’81. “The challenge is swimming into the national memory between people who have a deep memory of the book, people who love the film, and people who are going to come into a theater and see it now, how to connect all of those different perspectives.”

Here’s what critics have to say about “To Kill A Mockingbird” and Sher ’81:

 

“The man responsible for lifting Sorkin’s words off the page and onto the stage is Bart Sher, maybe the hottest director on Broadway right now. Sher creates the machine that operates the play and is the company’s conductor, choreographer and coach.” – CBS News 60 Minutes

 

“Mockingbird was perhaps always destined to be a hit. In addition to Sorkin, it’s got a glut of top-tier talent behind it, namely director Bartlett Sher, star Jeff Daniels, and producer Scott Rudin.” –  Forbes

 

“‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is a certifiable smash and has become one of the greatest stage successes of this or any Broadway season.” – Variety

 

“Mr. Sher has made sure that every movement, every perfectly cast face, every stage picture and costume tells the story so precisely that it would do so even without words.” – The New York Times

 

“Against all odds, writer Aaron Sorkin and director Bartlett Sher have succeeded in crafting a stage-worthy adaptation of Harper Lee’s classic American novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ The large and very fine cast perform their parts with all their hearts, under Sher’s impeccably fine-tuned direction.” – Variety

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Money Magazine Ranks Holy Cross No. 3 Best Liberal Arts College for Your Money

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
Photo by Dan Vaillancourt

Photo by Dan Vaillancourt

The College of the Holy Cross ranks No. 3 on Money Magazine’s list of “10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Your Money” for 2019.

According to Money Magazine, a subsidiary of TIME Inc., the list was compiled to help prospective students interested in the humanities find a college from which they can have a strong chance of graduating into a good job. The schools were ranked based on Money’s annual Best Colleges rankings, which measures colleges by their affordability, quality and career outcomes.

Money Magazine highlighted Holy Cross’ emphasis on helping students refine their “essential foundational skills,” like critical thinking and analysis, in its assessment.

Most recently, the College was also ranked No. 42 overall on the publication’s list of “Best Colleges for Your Money,” in 2018 and No. 3 on its list of “10 Top Colleges That Don’t Care About Your SAT Scores.”

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Holy Cross Lauded for Its Employee Wellness Initiatives

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Holy Cross in the News
From left to right: Melissa Cutroni and Jenn Coode

From left to right: Melissa Cutroni and Jenn Coode

Holy Cross was featured in a Worcester Magazine article as part of its Health & Wellness issue for the College’s focus on promoting a healthy workplace.

The magazine highlighted both the College’s wellness program, in collaboration with Fallon Health, and its commitment to having a full-time dedicated resource on site, a role that is filled by Jenn Coode, the Fallon Health worksite wellness manager.

“I think it’s critical to have wellness as part of the workplace because that culture has totally shifted,” said Coode. “We don’t just go to work and go home. We’re so connected to work because of the technology.”

The wellness program started when college administrative officials wanted to offer “something more robust” to faculty and staff for health and well-being, according to Melissa Cutroni, office coordinator for human resources and certified worksite wellness professional.

Additionally, for the second year in a row, Holy Cross was named a 2019 WorkWell Massachusetts Award Silver Level Winner for exemplary worksite health promotion. The award recognizes the College’s achievements developing, implementing and participating in corporate health improvement and wellness programs.

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

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Diversity of Faiths Represented, Celebrated at Multifaith Community Prayer

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Jane Carlton

Students stand with lit candles during the Multifaith Community Prayer

As hundreds of students, faculty and staff entered Mary Chapel for the College of the Holy Cross’ eighth annual Multifaith Community Prayer, each was handed a candle. The reason why was soon revealed as 12 students representing a variety of religions — from Unitarian Universalism to Jainism to Orthodox Christianity — lit a candle in the center of the chapel before sharing their flame with those sitting around them. As light fanned down each aisle, the chapel was soon illuminated with hundreds of lit candles, a powerful, visual representation of unity and tranquility.

Following welcoming remarks from Marybeth Kearns-Barrett ’84, director of the Office of College Chaplains, invited religious leaders from the Worcester community offered readings from their faiths, sharing texts and songs from Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Judaism.

Here, a handful of students reflect on the meaning and power of hearing their faiths included and celebrated on campus.

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