Photos, Video: Time Capsule Discovered in Hart Center From Building’s 1975 Completion

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Holy Cross Magazine

A construction worker hammers into the wall of the Hart Center to extract the time capsule, a piece of history, sealed into the wall in 1975.

On a seemingly normal day atop Mount St. James, HCM’s own art director and designer, Stephen Albano, made a historic discovery. While searching through the Holy Cross Archives, Albano found two photos that alluded to something in the walls of the Hart Center. Filled with intrigue, Albano dug deeper and began examining photos for minute details, hunting for clues that might have before been overlooked.

One of the two photos showed a box being put into a brick wall and the other showed an inscribed metal plaque that marked the location of the box. Albano came to the conclusion that these two pictures were evidence of the existence of a time capsule in the walls of the Hart Center! At the time, Holy Cross was doing demolition on the Hart Center as part of construction of the Luth Athletic Complex, and on April 6, 2016, the hidden artifact was unearthed.

In 1975, Holy Cross built its first athletic facility, the Hart Recreation Center, named in honor of Rev. Francis J. Hart, S.J., who was the guiding force behind intramurals at the College for more than 40 years. Since then, the Hart Center has been the home to years of excitement and pride surrounding the Holy Cross athletic teams. Just as the Hart Recreation Center represented an inspirational vision for Holy Cross Athletics, the Luth Athletic Complex will be the cornerstone of Holy Cross’ athletics success for years to come.

Posted in Holy Cross Magazine, News, Photo Galleries, Videos, Winter 2018 | Comments Off on Photos, Video: Time Capsule Discovered in Hart Center From Building’s 1975 Completion

Major League Businessman: ESPN Executive Burke Magnus ’88 Hits Home Runs for Sports Fans Everywhere

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Holy Cross Magazine

Magnus during the 2016 SEC men's basketball Tournament at the Bridgestone ArenaIt’s not just athletes who start at the bottom and, after years of developing their skills in the minor leagues, break into the big time and sign major contracts. Sports businesspeople work just as hard as they rise through their industry and develop their negotiation skills until they can make multimillion-dollar deals for their corporation.

Case in point: Burke Magnus ’88, executive vice president of programming and scheduling for ESPN, who began his career as an intern and, today, travels around the world and negotiates contracts to secure broadcasting rights with European soccer leagues; international major golf and tennis tournaments; NFL, NBA and MLB games; and college football and basketball games — including many bowl games and the College Football Playoff.

But that’s half the job for Magnus, whose department also oversees ESPN’s content strategy and scheduling — in other words, deciding when to feature events so they will generate the most viewers while keeping sports fans happy.

Don’t blame him if ESPN doesn’t broadcast every basketball game involving must-see teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics or the NBA Champions Golden State Warriors. Squads dwelling at the bottom of the standings like the Philadelphia 76ers need time on the tube, too.

“Our agreement rights contract with the NBA specifies the maximum and minimum number of times we can put teams on. At the same time, we look at trying to build a schedule that will engage the largest possible audience,” says Magnus, who admits it can be a bit of a juggling act. But the bottom line is each league he negotiates with is just as interested in face time as it is in generating revenue.

“The business side of sports is more of a relationship business, and relationships work best when both sides are invested in building something,” he says. “The priorities of our TV partners are in growing their sports. It’s not just all about the money, but creating a true partnership and growing viewership for their league.”

When Magnus joined ESPN as a program associate in 1995, the cable network was available in about 65 million homes, according to Nielson. Today, ESPN produces more than 64,000 hours of live entertainment and studio programming and averages up to 115 million viewers a month.

“Sports programming is no longer just TV,” he says. “We produce content for mobile, online, social media, digital and radio. Our mission is to serve sports fans anywhere, anytime. But TV is still our primary vehicle.”

The Big Score

Magnus played sports with friends for fun while growing up and he joined the club rugby team while attending Holy Cross. “I realized as I matured that my DNA was getting in the way of a particularly spectacular career,” he jokes. “I played rugby for four years to not much acclaim. But it was fun to socialize and keep active.”

Magnus was a history major, and it was his history professors that set him on his sports career path. Professor William A. Green, his adviser, helped him during his junior year away in Washington, D.C., where he secured a position writing for the “National Catholic Reporter” newspaper.

“And Professor (David J.) O’Brien cemented me in the direction of loving the media business. I got the bug for journalism, and he encouraged me to write. I focused on sports writing and wrote for the sports section of ‘The Crusader’ — hard-hitting stories about intramural sports,” he says with a laugh.

Looking back at his time at Holy Cross, Magnus says, “My Jesuit, liberal arts education taught me how to think, how to question, how to communicate and how to write. It’s amazing what you can do and where you can go when the foundation of your education is solid.”

After graduation, he held a number of non-writing, non-sports-related positions, including several in the legal system. At one point, he contemplated law school, but he wasn’t ready to give up on a career in sports.

“Sports was a passion, the only thing I cared about morning, noon and night,” he remembers. “It nagged at me that I should make a career of it someday. I just loved it so much. But it was difficult to figure out how to get started. I knew nobody in the business. My parents had no connections. Then I learned about the sports management program at the University of Massachusetts.”

He earned a master’s degree in sports management in 1995. During his studies, he secured an internship in the programming department at CBS Sports, worked hard at his job, networked and made contacts at NBC, ABC, FOX Sports and ESPN, and sent out a pile of resumes. An executive at ESPN called for an interview, and he joined the network a few months after leaving UMass.

He was quickly promoted from program associate to program planner, and rapidly rose through the ranks and gained more responsibilities. In 2000, as director of programming and acquisitions, he was responsible for ESPN’s men’s college basketball programming and scheduling. By 2008, he was senior vice president of college sports programming and winning accolades; in 2006, he was named to “Sports Business Journal’s” Forty Under 40, honoring the most promising young executives in sports business; he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from UMass’ McCormack Department of Sports Management in 2011; and in 2013, he earned the National Football Foundation Legacy Award, for his support and leadership in promoting college football, while si.com — “Sports Illustrated’s” website — named him the fifth “Most Powerful Person in College Sports.”

Reflecting on his career and his hard work to rise to a top position in sports programming, he says, “The question people most often ask me — because I was a history major at Holy Cross — is ‘How did you end up where you are?’” He pauses a moment. “The whole world was telling me I had to be either a teacher or a writer. But I just kept asking myself: Isn’t there something else I want to do?”

Q&A with Burke Magnus ’88

If you could get a signed baseball, basketball or football, whose autograph would you want? I’m a big New York sports fan, so I’d want a baseball signed by Derek Jeter. And a basketball signed by LeBron James, because I have a connection with him: We did a deal to televise his high school games. I think he’s the greatest NBA player of all time.

What is your favorite sports movie? “Eight Men Out” (1988). I love the story of the Chicago Black Sox scandal. And I’m a big history buff.

What sports event in history do you wish you had seen? Tiger Woods winning his first Masters Tournament (1997). He gave an unbelievably dominant performance, and I like the way he handled being the first African American to win the Masters.

What is the strangest sport ESPN has ever televised? Trampoline dodgeball – it’s played just as it sounds, and it’s quite bizarre. And on every July Fourth, we televise Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. It’s a tradition.

Is chess a sport? Yes! My definition of sports is more broad than others’. Sports are competitions; they don’t have to be just an athletic endeavor.

Should Roger Clemens go into the Baseball Hall of Fame? (Pause.) Pass. I’ll just say I’m a Yankees fan.


Written by Benjamin Gleisser for the Winter 2018 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.

Posted in History, Holy Cross Magazine, J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World, News, Winter 2018 | Comments Off on Major League Businessman: ESPN Executive Burke Magnus ’88 Hits Home Runs for Sports Fans Everywhere

The Hurricane Hunter: When Others Flee From Dangerous Storms, Commander Scott Price ’99 Flies Into Them

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Holy Cross Magazine

Commander Price stands in front of the aircraft he flies, a Lockheed WP-3D OrionAs Hurricane Irma surged toward Florida and the southeastern United States in early September, the country braced for the impact of the Category 4 storm, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in recent memory. People fortified their homes, stocked up on food or evacuated inland, away from the path of the storm.

But not Commander Scott Price ’99, a pilot in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commissioned Officer Corps.

He traveled closer to the storm, to the island of Barbados in the Caribbean. Price is a hurricane hunter, an elite group of NOAA pilots that flies into hurricanes to collect data for weather forecasts and scientific research.

From Barbados, he flew east, directly into the developing storm. In total, he made six flights into Irma while it was a Category 5 storm, providing essential data for weather forecasters, emergency personnel and NOAA scientists before the storm hit the U.S. mainland. This information determined how cities and states prepared for Irma, whether evacuations were necessary and, ultimately, helped save lives and protect physical structures during the storm.

Price says he vividly remembers his first flight into a hurricane. It was Hurricane Kyle, in 2008, and the storm was still a tropical storm when Price made his approach.

“It was about 3 o’clock in the morning, so we got to the storm during the hours of darkness. We could see the storm on the radar, but not out the window, until a flash of lightening lit up the sky,” he recalls. “I could see the outlines of the massive clouds we were about to fly into. It is a little bit surreal, because every instinct you have as a pilot is to avoid bad weather.”

And though the NOAA pilots are highly skilled and trained, it is difficult to simulate flying in a hurricane. “The first time you fly into a hurricane really is the first time,” Price says. “Once you get the first one under your belt, it establishes the expectations. I’m not sure the flights get any easier, but they are possible, and really critical, at the end of the day.”

Price’s flights are critical because the best data comes from inside a storm itself, rather than satellites roaming above the earth, he says.

He usually gets about 48 hours notice before deploying for a hurricane flight, which can last up to nine hours. Multiple pilots come on each flight, so they can rotate during what is an intense ride.

“It can be extremely turbulent, as you can imagine, which is certainly uncomfortable. Oftentimes we end up getting bounced around pretty good,” Price says. “It is very loud, with both the wind and the rain, which comes down hard on the airplane and can make a lot of noise. We are very focused on getting the airplane in and out safely, which requires flying at a very specific air speed so we don’t stall or overstress the airplane.”

Price concentrates on keeping the aircraft steady during the flight — despite wind speeds of more than 100 miles per hour pushing the plane up and down. They fly directly through the eye of a hurricane, where the storm stills, and there can even be glimpses of blue sky. But to get to those few miles of calm, the plane must make it through the eyewall, the site of the most severe weather in the storm.

It all takes a discipline and focus that he honed during his years at Holy Cross, balancing his mathematics major with the demands of Naval ROTC.

Price attended Holy Cross on a Naval ROTC scholarship and spent nine years as a pilot in the U.S. Navy after graduation. The plane he flew in the Navy, the Lockheed WP-3D Orion, is what NOAA uses for hurricane flights, because of its durability, size and fuel capacity. The plane can fly for eight hours without refueling, and there is ample space for the research team and their instruments, both inside and on the plane itself. When he transferred from the Navy in 2008, Price joined the NOAA Corps and continued flying the Lockheed WP-3D Orion.

Along with the hurricane hunter role, Price is also the chief of safety standardization and training for the nine aircraft and 110 personnel at NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida. Safety is a year-round focus for Price and his team, while hurricane season typically lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30. Outside of that season, he will fly on missions to collect data on other types of storms — like those that generate tornadoes — as well as track flooding and changes in the U.S. coastline.

Price says it requires a team effort to successfully complete a flight into — and out of — a hurricane. “If we go into a storm and we don’t collect the data we need to collect, there is no point being there. And if we don’t get out safely, that’s not the right answer either. We have very talented folks, so we can get in, get the data and get back out safely.”

When he considered joining the NOAA Corps, Price was initially hesitant about the hurricane flights, and still experiences some nerves about the unpredictable nature of flying into storms, as opposed to around them.

“I am by no means an adrenaline junkie — probably just the opposite,” he says. “But the uniqueness of the mission and the quality of the people at NOAA made the job attractive.”

His wife, who owns and operates a gymnastics studio, and two daughters always eagerly await news of his safe landing after a storm. The family lives in Tampa, Florida, close to Price’s base in Lakeland.

“Despite all the anxiety, at the end of the day, it is a critical mission,” he says, “and one that I’m very proud to have done for a number of years now.”

Five Questions with Commander Scott Price ’99

How many hurricanes have you flown in? I don’t know the exact number of storms, but I’ve logged 140 flights into and out of the eye of storms. Some missions require us to fly into the same storm multiple times.

How many people are on board your Lockheed WP-3D Orion aircraft when you fly into a hurricane? Our plane can carry up to 21 people, and we usually have about 16, between the pilots, flight engineers and scientists collecting the data.

What type of storms are the most difficult to fly through? Tropical storms, which are developing into hurricanes, can cause some of the roughest, most uncomfortable rides. There are a lot of updrafts and downdrafts as the storm develops, and they cause turbulence.

In your nine years of flying with NOAA, have hurricanes gotten worse or more frequent? We focus on the data collection and less on the why, but I can tell you that we were busier this season than last season. I logged 10 hurricane penetrations last year, and this year, I’m up to 50 so far. It varies greatly on the season — we’ve had very busy seasons and very quiet seasons.

Hurricane season typically lasts from June to November. What kind of missions do you fly during the off-season months? We collect data on coastal mapping, flooding and a number of other environmental things to help NOAA either provide forecast data or manage marine life. This January and February, we’ll collect data on north Atlantic storms, and then we’ll go to Alabama to investigate storms that generate tornadoes.


Written by Maura Sullivan Hill for the Winter 2018 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.

Posted in Holy Cross Magazine, Mathematics and Computer Science, Naval Science (NROTC), News, Winter 2018 | Comments Off on The Hurricane Hunter: When Others Flee From Dangerous Storms, Commander Scott Price ’99 Flies Into Them

‘Was Oprah Right? Is a New Day on the Horizon for Women?’ History Professor Offers Expertise

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Holy Cross in the News

Ann BlaschkeAfter Oprah Winfrey’s powerful speech at the Golden Globes, the overwhelming focus has been on speculating the plausibility of her running for president in 2020, giving little attention to the message she was conveying about the sexual abuse faced by women in America.

In the wake of allegations coming to light by the droves in Hollywood and across the country, Oprah said, “a new day is on the horizon.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called upon experts, including Anne Blaschke, visiting assistant professor of history at the College of the Holy Cross, to ask: Is Oprah right?

In the article, Blaschke takes a look at how Oprah’s sentiments stack up to those of past feminist movements.

“While previous feminist ‘waves’ have wielded powerful tools to demand equality — for example, the vote, the courts, boycotts, picketing, consciousness-raising — Oprah embodied two that our current ‘fourth wave’ uses in abundance: outrage and empathy,” Blaschke was quoted saying.

“But if previous feminist movements offer perspective,” she adds, “perhaps they remind us that the work will have to continue innovating, long beyond the entertainment industry’s glamorous awards season.”

Read the full article at MyAJC.com.

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Anthropology Professor Goes ‘Beyond #MeToo,’ Exploring Feminist Response to Racism and Sexism in Brazil

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Holy Cross in the News

While the #MeToo campaign continues to make headlines in the United States, other countries are no strangers to viral feminist movements.

In an article for The Conversation co-authored by Alvaro Jarrin, assistant professor of anthropology at the College of the Holy Cross, the spotlight is turned on Brazil, whose women launched the #MeuPrimeiroAssedio, or #MyFirstHarrassment,” campaign in 2015, which not only went viral but led to more social media activism around gender equality.

The article explores these recent feminist movements and how they overlap specifically with the needs of Afro-Brazilian women, explaining that black and indigenous Brazilians are poorer than white Brazilians and that women of color experience higher rates of sexual violence in Brazil.

“Since both of us have recently published books — ‘The Biopolitics of Beauty’ and ‘Health Equity in Brazil’ — examining the impact of Brazilian medical practices on black women, we are particularly interested to see if Brazilian feminists will tackle two issues that particularly affect black women: health care and plastic surgery,” writes Jarrin and co-author Kia Lilly Caldwell, associate professor of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Read the full article at The Conversation.

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Holy Cross Sociology Professors Explore Rise of New England Craft Beer Industry

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Holy Cross in the News

Daina Cheyenne Harvey, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, and Ellis Jones, assistant professor of sociology.While large-scale beer powerhouses like Miller, Budweiser and Coors have dominated the industry for decades, the exploding U.S. craft beer industry is bigger than ever. There are more craft breweries in the U.S. that any time in recorded history, but not a lot of research on the industry’s sociological impact.

In a piece for The Conversation, assistant professors of sociology Daina Cheyenne Harvey and Ellis Jones take a deep dive into New England’s budding craft beer industry to discover how the movement is taking root in the region.

Since “craft beer often reflects local styles or ingredients,” the sociologists find that “New England’s history of cottage industries and its pastoral heritage make it a perfect place for the emergence of a craft beer movement.”

Read the full piece at The Conversation.

Related Information:

Oct. 5, 2017: ‘Food, Beer, and the Environment’: Seminar Explores the Creation and Consumption of Food

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Holy Cross Makes its 12th Appearance on ‘Jeopardy!’

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Holy Cross in the News

Answer: The number of times the College of the Holy Cross has appeared on “Jeopardy!”

Question: What is twelve?

On Thursday, Jan. 11, the College of the Holy Cross was mentioned for the 12th time in the game show’s history, listed under the category “College Hoops.” The $200 clue, “In 1988, Glenn Tropf of Holy Cross set a single-season record by making 63.4% of these long shots” referred to the men’s basketball record for three-pointers.

Here is a complete list of Holy Cross references on the show, according to the J! Archive website.

Related Information:

July 7, 2016: Holy Cross Makes its 11th Appearance on ‘Jeopardy!’

July 17, 2016, Telegram & Gazette: College Town: Holy Cross popular ‘Jeopardy!’ question

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Four Decades of Works on Paper by Robert Beauchamp on View at Cantor Art Gallery

Posted on January 11, 2018 by College of the Holy Cross

Robert Beauchamp painting

The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross will present a representative selection of four decades of works on paper by the American artist and figurative expressionist Robert Beauchamp (1923 – 1995) from Jan. 25 – Mar. 28. An opening reception will take place on Tues., Jan., 30th, 5 – 7 p.m. in the gallery.

The exhibition is curated by Maurice Géracht, the Stephen J. Prior Professor of Humanities in the English Department at Holy Cross, visual arts faculty member Leslie Schomp, who teaches drawing at the College, and Roger Hankins, director of the Cantor Art Gallery.

Beauchamp created a vast number of works on paper as well as paintings from the 1950s to mid 1990s. He became a student of Hans Hoffman after seeing an exhibition of his students’ work in 1950. He left Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan after receiving a B.F.A. in 1949, travelling first to Provincetown, Mass. to work with Hoffman, then continuing his studies with him in New York.  Beauchamp soon began to show his work in both one-person and group exhibitions. Beauchamp’s style, although rooted in abstraction under the influence of Hoffman, soon veered toward figurative expressionism, which sustained his art practice for the next four decades.

Through the generosity of Beauchamp’s widow, Nadine Valenti Beauchamp, the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery received a substantial gift in 2016 of works on paper by Robert Beauchamp. The exhibition traces his long career from the early days in New York to his death in 1995, highlighting a vast array of inventive drawing techniques, a never ending deep engagement with the figure, along with imaginative combinations of personal symbols and narration.

Géracht, a friend of Nadine Beauchamp and champion of Beauchamp’s work, first approached Hankins several years ago about the possibility of placing Beauchamp’s extensive archive at Holy Cross. There were connections between Nadine Beauchamp and Holy Cross as the Cantor Art Gallery had organized a one-person exhibition of his paintings in 1999, and a large-scale self-portrait in the permanent collection by Beauchamp entitled “Artist in His Studio”, from 1983, is on display in the foyer of Stein Hall.

Although unable to accept the entire scope of the archive, Hankins worked closely with Nadine Beauchamp to determine a manageable number of works the College was able to assume stewardship for due to space and resource concerns. While recounting his many trips to New York to meet with her, Hankins praised her generosity, “It is with great appreciation that the College acknowledges Nadine Beauchamp’s extraordinary gift to Holy Cross, which will help ensure the legacy of Robert Beauchamp’s remarkable career by allowing us to create a resource for teaching and scholarship that will broaden the understanding and appreciation of drawing as a medium.”

Leslie Schomp, an artist and faculty member who has taught at Holy Cross since 2000 in the Department of Visual Arts, enthusiastically accepted Hankins’ invitation to assist him with curating the exhibition along with Prof. Géracht, said “Beauchamp’s innovative range of approaches to both the materials and processes of drawing really impressed me. The works have incredible educational value.”

A number of lectures and special events that will take place during the run of the show are in the planning stages – information will be posted to the Cantor Art Gallery’s website and through social media as details are confirmed.

Events

• “Robert Beauchamp: Four Decades of Works on Paper” A Gift from the Collection of Nadine Valenti BeauchampThurs., Jan. 25 – Wed., Mar. 28, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Opening Reception for the exhibition, Cantor Art GalleryTues., Jan. 30, 5 – 7 p.m.

 

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Holy Cross Ranked No. 13 ‘Best Value’ Liberal Arts College by Kiplinger

Posted on January 10, 2018 by Holy Cross in the News

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine has ranked the College of the Holy Cross No. 13 on its list of the top 100 best values in liberal arts colleges and No. 25 on its list of the top 300 best values in all colleges in the country for 2017. Introduced in 1998, the rankings highlight public schools, private universities and private liberal arts colleges that combine outstanding academics with affordable cost.

Kiplinger ranks more than 1,200 four-year public and private schools. The outlet assesses quality according to measurable standards, including the admission rate, the student-faculty ratio and four-year graduation rate. Cost criteria include sticker price, financial aid and average debt at graduation.

Last year, Holy Cross had a four-year graduation rate of 89 percent; good for fifth in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. The average starting salary for 2016 graduates was $50,534.

Posted in Featured, In The News, News | 1 Comment

College Football’s Bowl Games Don’t Have Impact They Once Did, Holy Cross Economics Professor Says

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Holy Cross in the News

If you spent New Year’s Day watching college football, you were taking part in a tradition that began with the first Rose Bowl, held more than a century ago. It was held to boost tourism to Pasadena, Calif., and soon other cities copied the idea.

Today, college football is a multi-billion dollar business and fans can watch as many as 40 bowl games without leaving home. The public radio program Marketplace recently looked into the business of college bowl games, and asked Robert Baumann, professor of economics, if the games have the same local impact they once did.

“This does not support the local economy,” Baumann told Marketplace. “And that picture is somewhat getting worse as the attention gets focused to national TV audiences as opposed to attendance in the seats.”

Read or listen to the rest of the piece at Marketplace.org.

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Important Winter Weather Notification

Posted on January 3, 2018 by College of the Holy Cross

Updated: Friday, January 5, 2018 – 7:30 p.m.

The College of the Holy Cross will resume normal operations and services at 7 a.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2018.

Updated: Thursday, January 4, 2018 – 8 p.m.

Due to continued safety concerns created by existing snow, low temperatures, and decreased visibility, the College closure will continue through Friday, January 5, 2018. Emergency personnel are required to report for work as directed. Non-emergency personnel are not required to come in. Due to the timing of the storm during an academic break, all campus facilities and services – with the exception of Dining Services – will be closed to the campus community, including the library and athletic facilities. Kimball will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Direction regarding reopening will be communicated on Friday evening, January 5, 2018, after 7:00 p.m.

The safety of our students, faculty, staff and guests is our top priority. In case of an emergency, please phone the Public Safety emergency line at Ext. 2222 / (508) 793-2222. For non-emergencies, please call Ext. 2224 / (508) 793-2224.

 

Wednesday, January 3, 2018 – 8 p.m.

Due to inclement weather, the College will be closed beginning at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, January 3, 2018. Emergency Personnel are required to report for work as directed. Non-emergency personnel are not required to come in.

Due to the timing of the storm during an academic break, all campus facilities and services – with the exception of Dining Services – will be closed to the campus community, including the library and athletic facilities. Kimball will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m..

The campus will re-open on January 5, 2018, unless otherwise directed.

The safety of our students, faculty, staff and guests is our top priority. In case of an emergency, please phone the Public Safety emergency line at Ext. 2222 / (508) 793-2222.

For non-emergencies, please call Ext. 2224 / (508) 793-2224.

 

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Holy Cross Hosts 2,000 Worcester School Kids for ‘Get Fit With The Crusaders Day’

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Holy Cross in the News

In center, Mia Portuondo, a third grader at Lakeview School in Worcester, reacts to catching a tossed tee shirt during a break in the action. Photo by Christine Peterson/Telegram & Gazette

The College of the Holy Cross and the Hart Center at the Luth Athletic Complex played proud host to about 2,000 excited Worcester-area students recently as part of the annual Get Fit with the Crusaders Day.

The students watched a thrilling overtime women’s basketball game, held in the middle of the day to accommodate the children. The Crusaders ultimately fell to Dartmouth, 76-74, but the outcome did little to dampen anyone’s spirits.

Leandra Carey, a teacher at Canterbury Street School in Worcester, told the Telegram & Gazette that the event was an important window for her students into the world of higher education.

“They get the college experience, they get to come to the campus, they get to experience the game and, for many of my students, this is their first time for them to ever be at any kind of sports game,” she told the newspaper, adding that some of the students know Holy Cross students through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program that links the college and the school.

Read the entire story at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

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Blog: Chinese Native Xu ’19 Looking Forward to Senior Year on The Hill

Posted on January 2, 2018 by

Zhiran Xu ’19NAME Zhiran (Karen) Xu ’19

HOMETOWN Shenzhen, China

AREAS OF STUDY Computer science and music double major

WHAT SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Although I had a stellar semester abroad in Ireland, I really looked forward to coming back to Holy Cross as I gained more insights about what made Holy Cross so special. I really missed my peers and the faculty at Holy Cross during my semester abroad – sometimes Skype just doesn’t justify the experience. To be honest, I still cannot believe that I am a senior; there is no changing that – what I can do is seize the day and live up the HC experience for one more year.”

WHY SHE’S BLOGGING “Blogging was something that I found cathartic during my semester abroad. I enjoyed having words to look back on in terms of my study abroad experiences as I came back from Ireland. Senior year should be an ultra special year between academics, graduate school applications, job hunting and just figuring out things, so I would also like to jot down the happy days and the struggles as the days fly by. If, along the way, people find that they enjoy the HC experience through my lens, that would also be amazing.”

Read the blog »

Related Information

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What Era Of History May Best Predict 2018? A Holy Cross Professor Explains

Posted on January 2, 2018 by Holy Cross in the News

Historians are known to look backward. But what can the lessons of the past tell us about our immediate future? HISTORY asked an expert panel, including Associate Professor of History and host of the In The Past Lane podcast Edward T. O’Donnell, to give their history-informed predictions for 2018.

O’Donnell says that we may be heading for a second Gilded Age – an unhappy return to the era between 1870 and 1900 marked by rising wealth inequality.

“Even a casual observer will see many similarities between the two eras. In addition to surging inequality, both are marked by weak presidents, intense political partisanship, fear of corporate power (especially its influence in politics), vehement anti-immigrant sentiment and efforts to restrict voting rights,” O’Donnell says.

But a further look at U.S. history may reveal reasons for optimism, O’Donnell says, as the Gilded Age was followed by an era of “unprecedented reform of society, politics and the economy.”

To see O’Donnell’s predictions for the presidency and the press, visit HISTORY.

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2017 at Holy Cross: A Year in Review

Posted on December 28, 2017 by Evangelia Stefanakos

The silhouettes of three dancers performing on the side of a building in front of a bright blue, clouded skyAt Holy Cross, each year is marked by new accomplishments and milestones, and this year was no different.

Here are some of the most notable from 2017.

January

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Video: 12 Days of a Holy Cross Christmas

Posted on December 19, 2017 by College of the Holy Cross

Christmas 2017 at Kimball Hall.

“On the first day of Christmas my professor gave to me…”

Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with the College of the Holy Cross through this Holy Cross spin on a Christmas classic. Featuring all things Mount St. James — from Campion cookies to jingling Jesuits — “12 Days of a Holy Cross Christmas” reminds us of the joy that fills our community during the Christmas season and throughout the year.

Merry Christmas from the College of the Holy Cross!

 

Posted in Featured, News, Videos | 2 Comments

What Does The Bible Say About Taxing The Rich? Holy Cross Professor Examines The Text

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Holy Cross in the News

As the U.S. Congress debates a tax reform bill, Matthew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies at Holy Cross, digs into the Christian and Hebrew bibles to find guidance on tax policy from Jesus and others.

Writing for The Conversation, Schmalz says there are no easy answers to be found, but there are some clues. The Book of Leviticus says the needy have a right to the leftovers of the harvest.  In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” And in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus taught: “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full.”

“At the very least,” Schmalz writes, “this means that people should never be afraid to offer up what they have in order to help those in need.”

Read the piece at The Conversation.

Additional Coverage:

Raw Story, Dec. 11

Posted in In The News, Mathew Schmalz, News, Religious Studies | 1 Comment

Photos: Holy Cross Campus Alive with Christmas Spirit as Holidays Near

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Evangelia Stefanakos
Laura Lopez '18, Emma Kuper '18 and Catherine Hershey '18 get back to studying after decorating their residence hall for Christmas.

From left, Laura Lopez ’18, Emma Kuper ’18 and Catherine Hershey ’18 study in their room near a Christmas tree.

Walking around campus, now nestled under a blanket of snow and adorned with lights, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the College of the Holy Cross.

From warm cups of peppermint mocha at Cool Beans to residence hall decorating competitions to holiday dinners in Kimball Hall, students find festive ways to take a break from studying and celebrate the season together on Mount St. James.

Enjoy a selection of our favorite images of campus at Christmastime.

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Holy Cross Names Bob Chesney Head Football Coach

Posted on December 14, 2017 by College of the Holy Cross

Chesney with headset and sunglasses onThe College of the Holy Cross has named Bob Chesney its new head football coach, as announced by Director of Athletics Nathan Pine. Chesney, who becomes the 28th head coach in the history of the program, has posted a winning record in each of his eight seasons as a collegiate head coach. He will begin his responsibilities at Holy Cross immediately.

Chesney will be introduced publicly at a press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at the Luth Athletic Complex on the Holy Cross campus. The press conference will be shown live online through the Patriot League Network and GoHolyCross.com.

“I am thrilled to introduce Bob Chesney as our next head football coach and to welcome him to the Holy Cross family,” said Pine. “Bob is a rising star in the coaching profession, and his track record of head coaching success at multiple programs speaks for itself. He is a familiar face within the Worcester community already, and we know he will be a great fit for our culture and vision at Holy Cross.”

A two-time Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, Chesney’s career record stands at 67-25 (.728 winning percentage), including five seasons at Assumption College (44-16, 2013-2017) and three years at Salve Regina University (23-9, 2010-2012). He took over an Assumption program that had posted only two winning seasons in the 17 years prior to his arrival and led the Greyhounds to five-straight winning records and three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Chesney previously rebuilt a Salve Regina program which had a streak of eight-consecutive losing seasons before his tenure, posting three winning campaigns in a row. During his eight seasons at the helm of the two programs, Chesney coached 94 all-conference selections and 12 All-Americans.

“I would like to thank everyone at Assumption College for their belief and support in our program over the past five years. The players, coaches, administrators, families and local community have helped to build an extremely successful program that will endure for years to come,” said Chesney. “When presented with this opportunity at Holy Cross, I quickly realized how passionate those connected to the College truly are. The commitment to athletics and the vision for future success is evident, and I am proud to be part of it.

“My family and I are excited to begin this new chapter, and I would like to thank Nathan Pine, Brendan Sullivan and the search committee at Holy Cross for their support,” he continued. “With the commitment from our passionate alumni and the great Worcester community, we look forward to bringing Holy Cross football back to a position of prominence on the national stage.”

During the 2017 campaign, Chesney earned Northeast-10 Coach of the Year honors after leading Assumption to an overall record of 11-2, the Northeast-10 Conference title and a trip to the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals. The Greyhounds saw a school-record 17 players named to the All-Northeast-10 Conference teams, including four major conference award winners and three All-Americans. Assumption led the nation in turnover margin, punt returns, interceptions and turnovers forced, while standing fifth in sacks and sixth in scoring offense.

Chesney earned his bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., in 2000. He was a four-year varsity letterwinner as a defensive back at Dickinson, earning Second Team All-Centennial Conference honors in both 1998 and 1999. He was also the 1997 recipient of the team’s Vincent Correal MVP Award and served as a team captain during his senior year.

Chesney currently resides in Worcester with his wife, Andrea, their two daughters, Lyla and Hudson, and their son, Robert.

To read the full release, visit GoHolyCross.com.

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Holy Cross Professor Says Russia’s Olympic Ban Won’t Dampen Interest

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Holy Cross in the News

Assistant Professor Victor Matheson of the Economics Department.After the discovery of a systemic doping scheme carried out during the previous Olympic Winter Games in 2014, the Russian winter Olympic team has been banned from this year’s competition. Some worry this may reduce viewership, but assistant professor of economics Victor Matheson has a different perspective on the implications of Russia’s ban.

“[It’s] hard to know, but my opinion is that this won’t hurt ratings in any way,” says Matheson, using the 1984 Winter Olympics as evidence. A boycott led by the USSR kept at least 14 countries out of the games, and yet ratings remained strong. However, Matheson also urges the International Olympic Committee to remain firm on its policies and ensure that “this new approach to fighting this global issue of doping is just not symbolic.”

Read the full piece on Newsweek.

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