Come Home to Holy Cross This Fall

homecoming_14_bandFall Homecoming 2015 is Sept. 25-27, and the weekend promises a full schedule of events for alumni, friends, and family. Headlining the event this year will be the home opener for the football team, as they take on Patriot League rival Colgate. Kickoff will be at noon.

Homecoming will also be the first halftime performance of the Goodtime Marching Band under new director Steven Riley.

“I am excited to lead and build a band program that will support our Holy Cross community, contribute to the future success of our athletic program, and provide fulfilling musical experience for our students,” says Riley, who holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Band Conducting from The University of Iowa. “Our Queen halftime show will feature some of this group’s time-tested pieces including ‘We Will Rock You,’ ‘Another One Bites the Dust,’ ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love,’ and their epic hit ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ which turns 40 this year. The marching band is preparing to put on a phenomenal show!”

In addition to their halftime performance, the marching band will also perform at the Sader Nation Pep Rally Friday night and at the Hoval Marketplace on Saturday at 10:40 a.m. Other events being held during the weekend include:

  • Holy Cross Alumni Association dinner: Honor our In Hoc Signo award recipients, distinguished alumni who are deeply committed to serving alma mater.
  • Sader Nation Pep Rally: Be a part of the Purple Posse as the campus gathers for an old fashioned pep rally to celebrate Crusader Athletics!
  • Health Care Industry Alumni Panel: A moderated panel of alumni professionals will answer questions and share insight into the world of healthcare.
  • Hoval Marketplace: On your way to Fitton Field, stop by and celebrate fall at this popular outdoor campus gathering space.
  • Back To The Hill: Tailgate & Game Viewing: Hosted by the Office of Multicultural Education and the Bishop Healy Committee of the Holy Cross Alumni Association.
  • Multicultural Student Organization (MSO) Quad Takeover: Join in a celebration with the Holy Cross community.
  • Post-football game reception: Celebrate a victorious day for Crusader football.
  • Homecoming Mass: Mass will be celebrated by Rev. William Campbell, S.J. ’87, vice president for mission.

A complete schedule of events, as well as ticket and tailgate information, can be found on the homecoming page.

Homecoming 2015 is sponsored by the Holy Cross Alumni Association. Questions? Need more information? Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 508-793-2418 or email alumni@holycross.edu.

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Yale Psychologist Paul Bloom to Lecture ‘Against Empathy’

Paul BloomYale psychologist Paul Bloom will give a lecture “Against Empathy” at the College of the Holy Cross, Thursday, Sept. 24 at 4:30 p.m. in the Rehm Library. One of the Deitchman Family Lectures on Religion and Modernity, the talk is free and open to the public.

Bloom is Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology and chair of the Cognitive Science Program at Yale University. His research explores how children and adults understand the physical and social world, with special focus on morality, religion, fiction, and art. In this talk, Bloom will draw upon his research into psychopathy, criminal behavior, charitable giving, infant cognition, cognitive neuroscience and Buddhist meditation practices to argue against empathy as a moral guide.

“Many psychologists, philosophers, and laypeople believe that empathy is necessary for moral judgment and moral action — the only problem with empathy is that we sometimes don’t have enough of it,” Bloom says. “I’ll argue that this is mistaken. Empathy is a poor moral guide. It is biased, shortsighted, and innumerate. We are better off without it.”

Bloom has won numerous awards for his research and teaching. He is past-president of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology, and co-editor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, one of the major journals in the field. He has written for scientific journals such as Nature and Science, and for popular outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic Monthly. He is the author or editor of six books, including “Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil” (Crown Publishing, 2013).

Bloom’s lecture is presented by the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture at Holy Cross. Learn more about McFarland Center events and watch lectures online at holycross.edu/mcfarlandcenter.

About the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture:

Established in 2001 and housed in Smith Hall, the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture provides resources for faculty and course development, sponsors conferences and college-wide teaching events, hosts visiting fellows, and coordinates a number of campus lecture series. Rooted in the College’s commitment to invite conversation about basic human questions, the Center welcomes persons of all faiths and seeks to foster dialogue that acknowledges and respects differences, providing a forum for intellectual exchange that is interreligious, interdisciplinary, intercultural, and international in scope.  The Center also brings members of the Holy Cross community into conversation with the Greater Worcester community, the academic community, and the wider world to examine the role of faith and inquiry in higher education and in the larger culture.

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‘Massachusetts Composer Writes Hymn for Papal Visit’

Normand GouinNormand Gouin, assistant chaplain and director of liturgy and music at the College of the Holy Cross, has composed the hymn that will be played during three Masses celebrated by Pope Francis when he visits the U.S. next week.

NECN came to campus to interview the man behind the music. “That was my intention, that somehow the melody would give people a sense of renewed hope,” Gouin told reporter Jeff Saperstone.  “I feel so humbled and shocked that my little hymn will be sung and performed by the Philadelphia orchestra.
Gouin will also be part of the papal choir in Philadelphia.

Gouin spent months crafting “Sound the Bell of Holy Freedom.” He was one of 20 sacred music composers from across the U.S. that were contacted by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to craft a hymn and his was ultimately the one that was selected.

Watch the piece on NECN.com

Gouin also spoke with Worcester News Tonight/Charter TV 3 about the honor and Karla Alvarado, assistant chaplain; Lillian Daley ’16; and Francois Venne ’19 discussed their upcoming trip to Philadelphia to see Pope Francis celebrate Mass.  Watch the Worcester News Tonight/Charter TV 3

Related information

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Cristal Steuer.

 

 

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Holy Cross Professor and Students Study “Sugar, Sex and Aging”

Michelle MondouxMichelle Mondoux, assistant professor of biology at the College of the Holy Cross, is featured on The Academic Minute (broadcast on WAMC Northeast Public Radio), for her research on the effects of a high-glucose diet in C. elegans.

According to Mondoux, “Americans consume a lot of sugar – every day, the average person eats about twice as much as the American Heart Association recommends.” Along with Holy Cross undergraduate Mike Mastroianni ’16 and recent alumni Marjorie Liggett ’13 and Mike Hoy ’14, Mondoux examines the effects of a high-glucose diet in male Caenorhabditis elegans, small nematode worms that use an insulin-signaling system similar to humans. While the effects of excessive sugar in the diet are known, manifesting as obesity and type 2 diabetes in humans, exactly how sugar affects cells on a molecular level still remains in question.

“Several labs have demonstrated that feeding worms a high-glucose diet causes them to die sooner and be less healthy in their old age,” Mondoux explains. “However, none of these experiments have included males.” Mondoux and her students found that a dichotomy exists in C. elegens: “glucose regulates lifespan and aging in a sex-specific manner, with beneficial effects on males compared to toxic effects on hermaphrodites.”

“Our data shows that even within the same species, the effects of a high-glucose diet are not ‘universal’. More research is needed to understand how a high-glucose diet produces these benefits for male worms as they age, and how this might be relevant to humans. Eventually, understanding why glucose has benefits for male worms as they age could help us to combat the effects of a high-sugar diet for humans,” Mondoux says.

The Academic Minute is a syndicated segment and also appears on Insider Higher Ed.

This “Holy Cross in the News item” is by Emma Collins ‘16.

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Holy Cross Music Department Announces the Fall 2015 Concert Series

musicThe music department at the College of the Holy Cross is excited to announce the concert schedule for the fall semester. One of the many highlights of the series is a concert of French music of the 19th and 20th centuries performed by the Holy Cross Chamber Players, featuring Linda Bento-Rei, flute; Carol Lieberman, violin/viola; and Vytas Baksys, piano. The program will open with “Fantasy for Flute and Piano, Op.79” by composer Gabrielle Fauré, which begins with a luxurious slow flute melody introduction with a simple alternating bass note and after-beat accompaniment. Other composers featured in this performance include Francis Poulenc, Erik Satie, Jaques Ibert and César Franck.
The concert series will include the following musical performances on campus throughout the fall semester. All events are free and open to the public. For additional information, please contact the music department events line at 508-793-3503.

Sunday, Sept. 20, 3 p.m.
Holy Cross Chapel Artist Series
Philippe Lefebvre, Organ, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris
St. Joseph Memorial Chapel

Tuesday, Sept. 29, 8 p.m.
Holy Cross Chamber Players
Linda Bento-Rei, flute, Carol Lieberman, violin/viola, Vytas Baksys, piano
Brooks Concert Hall

Tuesday, Oct. 6, 12:30 p.m.
First Tuesday Lunch Concert
Jan Müller-Szeraws, cello
Brooks Concert Hall

Thursday, Oct. 8, 8 p.m.
Mike Monaghan & Friends
Brooks Concert Hall

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 8 p.m.
Artists-in-Residence Concert
Saul Bitrán, violin
Jan Müller-Szeraws, cello
Adam Golka, piano
Featuring the music department Brooks Scholars
Brooks Concert Hall

Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m.
PA$$ION
Holy Cross College Choir & Chamber Singers
Family Weekend Concert
St. Joseph Memorial Chapel

Friday, Oct. 23, 9:30 p.m.
Holy Cross Jazz Ensemble
Family Weekend Concert
Crossroads

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2 p.m.
Holy Cross Chamber Orchestra
Family Weekend Concert
Brooks Concert Hall

Sunday, Nov. 1, 3 p.m.
Holy Cross Chapel Artist Series
Silvius von Kessel, Organ Cathedral of Erfurt, Germany
St. Joseph Memorial Chapel

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 8 p.m.
Suzanna E. Waldbauer Memorial Concert
Holy Cross Chamber Players
Carol Lieberman, violin Mark Kroll, harpsichord
Brooks Concert Hall

Thursday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m.
Holy Cross Jazz Ensemble
Winter Concert
Brooks Concert Hall

Friday, Nov. 20, 8 p.m.
Love and the Fyer
Holy Cross Chamber Singers

Brooks Concert Hall

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 12:30 p.m.
First Tuesday Lunch Concert
Saul Bitrán, violin
Brooks Concert Hall

Thursday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m.
Artists-in-Residence Concert
Adam Golka, piano Jan Müller-Szeraws, cello with guest Itamar Zorman, violin
Brooks Concert Hall

Tuesday, Dec. 8, 8 p.m.
Student/Faculty Recital
Brooks Concert Hall

Thursday, Dec. 10, 8 p.m.
Advent Festival of Lessons & Carols
Holy Cross College Choir & Chamber Orchestra
St. Joseph Memorial Chapel

Saturday, Dec. 12, 8 p.m.
Gamelan Gita Sari
Brooks Concert Hall

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Holy Cross to Hold Lecture and Panel for Constitution Day

flagThe College of the Holy Cross will celebrate Constitution Day with a series of events in September.  On Sept. 17, Aaron Herold, visiting assistant professor of political science, will give a talk titled “Religion in Constitutional Law and the Public Square.” It will be held at 4 p.m. in the Smith Laboratories, Room 154.  The event is free and open to the public.

After the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, many Americans have debated the proper role of religious standards for morality in a constitutional system that guarantees freedom of religion.  Herold’s talk will dissect and navigate the complexities of this question.

Herold received his Ph.D. in political theory and international relations from the University of Texas at Austin.  His main areas of teaching interest are in the foundations of American Constitutionalism, religion and politics, and Constitutional law among others.  His research includes religion and liberal democracy, the problem of statesmanship in modern political life, and early modern liberal political thought and its critics.  He is the recipient of the Earhart Graduate Fellowship and is a Thomas Jefferson Fellow and has contributed to the Political Research Quarterly as well as The Review of Politics.

In addition, Holy Cross and Assumption College will present two “Madison Scholars for Constitution Day” panel discussions.  Holy Cross and Assumption College have joined together to present three of the nation’s most preeminent Madison Scholars: Colleen Sheehan, professor of political science and director of The Matthew J. Ryan Center at Villanova University; Greg Weiner, assistant professor of political science at Assumption College; and Jeremy Bailey, associate professor of political science at the University of Houston.

Colleen Sheehan received her Ph.D. in political philosophy and American government from Claremont University in 1986.  She is the author of “James Madison and the Spirit of Republican Self-Government” (Cambridge University Press, 2009).  Greg Weiner received his Ph.D. in political theory from Georgetown University in 2010.  He is the author of “Madison’s Metronome: The Constitution, Majority Rule and the Tempo of American Politics” (University Press of Kansas, 2012).  Jeremy Bailey received his Ph.D. in political science from Boston College in 2003.  He is the author of the forthcoming book “James Madison and Constitutional Imperfection,” expected in Sept. 2015.

The first event will be held on Sept. 25 at 4 p.m. in the Levis Browsing Room, Dinand Library, at Holy Cross. The conversation with the panelists is titled “What Does Public Opinion Have to do with the Constitution?  Thoughts on Madison.”  After, there will be responses by Holy Cross political science faculty: professor David Schafer, professor Donald Brand, and Charles Carroll Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow Carly Herold.

The second event, on Sept. 25 at 4 p.m., at Assumption College in Kennedy, Room 112, the three panelists will take part in “Saving Majority Rule from Itself?  A Roundtable on James Madison’s Views on the Bill of Rights and Judicial Review.”

Both events are free and open to the public and sponsored by the Jack Miller Center, Assumption College’s president’s office and political science department,  and the Charles Carroll Program at Holy Cross.

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Patriot League To Implement “Heel The Sole” Initiative

ConleyGrecoAthleticsStudents

The Patriot League held a conference this summer in Philadelphia for Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representatives to meet and discuss varying topics about the league. One of the goals for the meetings was to select an initiative for the Patriot League to implement during the 2015-2016 athletic season.

Two men’s cross country student-athletes, Chris Conley ’16 and G. Matthew Greco ‘17, attended the meeting and proposed their idea for the Patriot League initiative called the Heel the Sole Footwear Drive.

Conley and Greco worked to have the initiative implemented at Holy Cross this past spring, which was a fundraiser that encouraged all students to donate any spare shoes in decent shape that they would give to Veterans Inc. in Worcester. The footwear drive was selected by the Patriot League to be implemented as one of two initiatives to be put directly into effect by the conference.

Media Coverage

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Dean Esther Levine Reflects on 35 Years at Holy Cross

Esther_LevineEsther Levine, international scholar and student advisor and former class dean, has brought a unique voice, strong convictions and a deeply personal narrative to matters of diversity and inclusion throughout her 35 years at the College of the Holy Cross. In the many vital roles Levine has shouldered during her rich and challenging academic and administrative career at the College, her love for teaching, advocacy for her students and belief in the Jesuit mission have remained strong, vibrant and freely expressed.

“I loved Holy Cross from day one,” she says. “I think it was a natural fit. The Jesuit ideal is about respect for people and the education of the whole person, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.”

In the fall of 1980, Levine joined the Spanish department faculty and went on to teach for 70 more semesters. During her 30 plus years at the College, she served as advisor for the international scholar and student program, advising international faculty, scholars and students on immigration matters; and was named dean with special responsibilities for African-American, Latin American, Asian-American and Native American (ALANA) students. Last May, Levine stepped down after 16 years as class dean to the classes of 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 in anticipation of her retirement.

During Levine’s years as dean, the College made an institutional commitment to ethnic diversity. “She worked tirelessly to try to ensure that those students could succeed, be happy and be successful here. It came from her heart,” says Tina Chen, director of academic services and learning resources.

A significant part of Levine’s legacy at Holy Cross is the success of the Odyssey program which she created in 1997, beginning with the Class of 2001, and directed for nearly two decades. Odyssey is a one-week program for multicultural and international students, as well as American students living abroad, first-generation college students and for students for whom English is their second language, designed to immerse students in the academic and campus atmosphere unique to Holy Cross. Odyssey has grown from 20 participants to nearly 100 this year from the Class of 2019.

Melisa Jaquez ’06, assistant director of the Center for Career Development, experienced Levine’s support personally. “From the moment I arrived on campus for the Odyssey Program, Dean Levine took me under her wing,” says Jaquez. “Whether I was in her office sharing good news or bad news, she always supported me and helped me grow as a student in such an honest, caring and loving way.”

Levine knows well that ensuring a diverse community of faculty, staff and students increases the College’s capacity for excellence in teaching, learning and research—and prepares students for an increasingly connected and diverse global world. It also meshes with the College’s Jesuit foundation, which celebrates the relationship between diversity and the pursuit of social justice.

“Esther is Latina, she’s Cuban and she’s Jewish at a Jesuit school,” says Chen. “In many ways she has experienced herself as outside the majority culture in the United States. She knows what it is to be a stranger in a strange land. But it’s important to remember that her efforts to make students feel comfortable and thrive at Holy Cross extended beyond the ALANA and international students. She showed the same care and concern for the students in the four classes for which she was class dean.”

Ronald Jarret, associate dean of the College and professor of chemistry, often turned to Levine for advice when he was dean of the class of 2012. “Her interactions with her students were personal and often seemed like conversations in progress. I was a better class dean because of her influence and example,” says Jarret.

For this academic year, her last on the Hill, Levine will continue to serve as the international scholar and student advisor and to train people at the College about immigration matters as she transitions to retirement.

Retirement means that Levine can leave meetings and committees behind to spend more time with her husband and family, including her two married daughters and six grandchildren. “It will be a time of discovery,” she says. “I’ve been so busy working. What I’ll miss most is interacting with students.”

And so will they.

Contributions to this piece from Elizabeth Walker.

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Holy Cross Remembers Lost Alumni on Anniversary of Sept. 11

Sept11Plaque_RS17986_IMG_1660The Holy Cross community is marking the anniversary of Sept. 11 with prayers for our seven alumni and their families, and for all who died and suffered in the attacks on New York and Washington.

The alumni lost on 9/11 are:

• Edward A. Brennan III ’86
• Thomas D. Burke ’85
• Neilie A. Heffernan Casey ’90
• John G. Farrell ’91
• Todd A. Isaac ’94
• Beth A. Quigley ’97
• John J. Ryan ’78

In addition, these alumni will be remembered at College masses in the McCooey Chapel at 12:05 and 9 p.m.

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College Factual Ranks Holy Cross 19th Best College in the Nation

Fenwick Hall
College Factual ranked the College of the Holy Cross No. 19 among all 1,393 colleges and universities in the country. The College is up four spots from No. 23 last year, the inaugural year of the College Factual  rankings. Holy Cross also ranked No. 4 (out of 63) on the list of Best Massachusetts Colleges.

Just two years old, and a partnership with USA Today, College Factual uses 11 metrics obtained from the U.S. Department of Education and PayScale.com to establish its rankings. College Factual puts more emphasis on outputs such as retention and graduation rates, student loan default rates, and the starting and mid-career “salary boosts” provided by the school. The average salary boost measures the degree to which graduates of a particular school are performing relative to its peers. Holy Cross received a “best” score in this category.

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Cristal Steuer. 

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Six Faculty Members Promoted at Holy Cross

faculty Six members of the College of the Holy Cross faculty have been promoted to the rank of professor.

Josep Alba-Salas, of the Spanish department, earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in linguistics from Cornell University, his M.A. in comparative literature from the University of South Carolina, and his B.A. in translation from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.  Alba-Salas has taught at Holy Cross since 2002. His research interests include Romance philology, Romance linguistics, theoretical syntax, and second language acquisition, and his current work explores the historical evolution of certain structures (known as collocations) in Spanish.  Alba-Salas has lectured in several countries throughout North America and Europe.  His work has appeared in Romance Philology, Revista de Filología Española, and Diachronica: International Journal of Historical Linguistics, among other prestigious venues, and he is a member of the Linguistic Society of America and American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. In his time at Holy Cross, Alba-Salas has created over half a dozen new courses, served as coordinator of the Spanish program before it became a separate department, led assessment efforts in the Spanish department, overhauled the pedagogical training program for the Foreign Language Assistants, and helped to revise the Spanish major requirements and expand the Spanish Composition and Conversation curriculum. A member of the Latin American and Latino Studies concentration program, he has also served on the Committee on the Curriculum, the Committee on Tenure and Promotion, the Faculty Compensation Committee, and other College-wide and departmental committees. Alba-Salas is fluent in English, Italian, Spanish, and Catalan.

Constance S. Royden, of the mathematics and computer science department, earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of California, San Francisco and her B.S. in biology and engineering from the California Institute of Technology. A member of the faculty since 2000, Royden’s research focuses on developing computer models of the neural mechanisms for human motion perception.  She also runs psychophysical studies to test and inform the models.  She is the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships, including several National Science Foundation grants and the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship.  Royden has reviewed articles for numerous academic journals, including Science, Perception and the Journal of Neuroscience.  Royden has published 31 journal articles and 33 abstracts in academic publications such as Vision Research and Perception & Psychophysics.  At Holy Cross, Royden teaches a wide range of courses including data structures, computer science ethics, computer graphics and computational vision.  Royden has developed four new, upper-level courses for the computer science department.  In addition, she has advised numerous students on senior theses and summer research projects.

May Sim, who joined the philosophy department in 2004, earned her Ph.D. in philosophy from Vanderbilt University and her B.A. from the University of Iowa.  Her research focuses ancient Greek, classical Chinese and Neo-Confucian philosophies, East and West comparative philosophy, Confucian approaches to human rights, and the systematic relations between metaphysics, ethics and politics.  Sim has lectured across the U.S., Europe and Asia, has published over 40 articles in journals and anthologies and presented more than 100 papers at conferences around the world.  She is the author of “Remastering Morals with Aristotle and Confucius” (Cambridge University Press, 2007), and contributing editor of “The Crossroads of Norm and Nature: Essays on Aristotle’s Ethics and Metaphysics” (Rowman and Littlefield, 1995) and “From Puzzles to First Principles?: Essays on Aristotle’s Dialectic” (Lexington, 1999). At Holy Cross, Sim has taught courses in ancient Greek and Asian philosophy, as well as courses that engage comparisons between the two traditions.  She was the president of the Southwestern Philosophical Society (2005-06), president of the Metaphysical Society of America (2012-13), and is director of the Boston Area Colloquium in Ancient Philosophy (serving since 2007).

William V. Sobczak, of the biology department, received his Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Cornell University, his M.S. in zoology from Michigan State University, and his B.A. in biology and English from Bucknell University. A member of the Holy Cross faculty since 2002, Sobczak’s research specialties include urban river ecology, the effects of melting permafrost on aquatic ecosystems, and forest-atmosphere hydrology along with carbon flux research applied to new stream biogeochemistry. Sobczak has performed research at the Woods Hole Research Center, Harvard Forest, and in Siberia, publishing his work in more than 20 academic journals. He is an associate editor for the journal Ecology and works extensively with the National Science Foundation reviewing research proposals. Sobzcak has also consulted with the California Fish and Wildlife Service over their water diversion operations and served as a member of the Blackstone River Coalition’s Board of Directors. At Holy Cross, Sobzcak teaches freshwater ecology, ecosystem ecology, and environmental science among other classes. He was the director of the Holy Cross environmental studies program from 2011-15.

Susan Elizabeth Sweeney, of the English department, earned her Ph.D. in English, M.F.A. in creative writing, and M.A. in English from Brown University.  She received her B.A. in English from Mount Holyoke College.  A member of the Holy Cross faculty since 1986, Sweeney specializes in American literature, especially detective fiction, women’s writing, postmodernism, local literary history, and the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Vladimir Nabokov.  She has published more than 60 essays, edited two special issues, and co-edited three books on these topics; the latest volume, “Nabokov and the Question of Morality: Aesthetics, Metaphysics, and the Ethics of Fiction,” will appear from Palgrave Macmillan next spring.  Winning numerous grants for her research, she has appeared on “The Connection” and “On Point” (National Public Radio) and in a film for the British Broadcasting Corporation, and was elected president of the International Vladimir Nabokov Society and the Poe Studies Association.  Sweeney is also a poet.  She won the Frank O’Hara Prize, among other awards, and was a semifinalist in the annual New Women’s Voices Chapbook Competition for her first collection, “Hand Me Down” (Finishing Line Press, 2013).  At Holy Cross, Sweeney teaches American literature and creative writing.  She is the founding director of the English Honors Program, former director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, and currently coordinator of the Creative Writing Program.

Madeline Vargas, of the biology department, earned her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Connecticut and her B.S. in microbiology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  A member of the Holy Cross faculty since 1995, Vargas’s research specialty is microbiology and she has studied iron respiration in bacteria that grow in deep sea vents as well as molecular mechanisms of extracellular electron transfer in Geobacter sulfurreducens. Vargas authored a chapter for the book “Microbial Biotechnology: Energy and Environment” and is the author of numerous articles that have appeared in Nature, Nature Nanotechnology, mBio, and Lancet. Vargas served as the corporator for the Ecotarium Science Museum for 10 years, course coordinator of the microbial diversity course at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory for two years and has taught workshops on anaerobic bacteria and geomicrobiology in Puerto Rico and the U.S. In addition, Vargas has been a mentor for the research of more than 40 Holy Cross students, undergraduates from University of Massachusetts and University of Puerto Rico, a Ph.D. student from China, and a post-doctoral fellow from Belgium. She teaches microbiology classes at the College.

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‘Laboring Against Inequality’

Labor Day Parade In a recent op-ed for Newsweek, Edward T. O’Donnell, associate professor of history at the College of the Holy Cross, discusses the meaning and origin of Labor Day in light of contemporary issues.  By exploring the history behind the motivation for the first Labor Day parade in 1882, O’Donnell  discusses the origin of policies meant to limit “wealth and income inequality” and how, over time, the shift of economic equality in the U.S. has begun to return to pre-labor movement numbers.

“So acute has this problem grown in recent years that many social commentators have taken to referring to our era as a Second Gilded Age,” he writes.  “Labor Day reminds us that while we all are created equal, we also grow up to live in a society shaped by policies and laws that determine whether opportunities for success are focused on the great majority of citizens or merely the 1 percent.”

O’Donnell is also the author of the recently published book “Henry George and the Crisis of Inequality: Progress and Poverty in the Gilded Age” (Columbia University Press, 2015).

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Emma Collins ’16.

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Blog: Nord ’17 Plans to Complete Course Work and Internship During Yearlong Study in China

Holly-Nord

NAME Holly Nord ’17

HOMETOWN Killingworth, Connecticut

AREAS OF STUDY Political science and Chinese double major

WHERE SHE’S STUDYING Beijing (fall) Shanghai (spring)

WHY SHE CHOSE CHINA “To improve my Mandarin and become immersed in the Chinese culture. This unique study abroad program also allows me to apply what I learn in the Beijing classrooms in the fall directly to an internship in Shanghai in the spring.”

WHAT SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Embracing the culture, improving the language and visiting major landmarks in China, including the Summer Palace, Great Wall, and the Bund.”

WHY SHE’S BLOGGING “I want to share my experiences with friends, family, and students interested in studying Chinese at Holy Cross.”

Read the blog »

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McFarland Center to Host Talks on Climate Change, WMDs and Justice for Children

Rehm Library Lectures and discussions at the College of the Holy Cross this fall will take on trending topics such as the Pope’s encyclical on climate change, the abolition of weapons of mass destruction, and ways to teach justice and create equal opportunity for underprivileged children.

Presented by the College’s Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, the events are held in Rehm Library and are free and open to the public. Many events are recorded and accessible on the McFarland Center’s website. For information, visit holycross.edu/mcfarlandcenter.

The McFarland Center’s fall events include:

Sept. 21, 4:30 p.m.
Pope Francis on the Globalization of Environmental Responsibility: Perspectives from Holy Cross Faculty — Delve into passages of the Pope’s Encyclical on climate change, Laudato Si’, and consider their implications to a number of disciplines. Holy Cross political science professor Loren Cass moderates panelists Matthew Eggemeier, assistant professor of religious studies; Daina Harvey, assistant professor of sociology; Kathy Kiel, professor and chair of economics; Kelly Wolfe-Bellin, director of the biology laboratories; and Rev. Thomas Worcester, S.J., professor of history.

Sept. 24, 4:30 p.m.
Against Empathy — Paul Bloom, professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University, draws upon his research into psychopathy, criminal behavior, charitable giving, infant cognition, cognitive neuroscience and Buddhist meditation practices to argue that empathy is a poor moral guide and we are better off without it.

Sept. 28, 4:30 p.m.
Abolition of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Building a Secure and Sustainable World — Paul Walker ’68, the International Director of Environmental Security and Sustainability for Green Cross International, talks about the build-up of weapons of mass destruction — nuclear, chemical, and biological — and the decades of national and international efforts to abolish them. He also raises environmental and public health considerations and the need to establish global, enforceable norms for peaceful resolution of conflict.

Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m.
Fleshy Passages: How Feminist Biblical Studies Can Contribute to Rethinking Health and Illness — Denise Buell, professor of religion at Williams College, draws from recent studies in microbiology and early Christian texts to offer contemporary ways of thinking about health and environmental responsibility.

Oct. 5, 4:30 p.m.
Miraculous Images and Votive Offerings in Mexico — Frank Graziano, professor of Hispanic studies at Connecticut College, gives an illustrated talk on the religious statues known to perform miracles and the offerings left in gratitude, as featured in his forthcoming book, “Miraculous Images and Votive Offerings in Mexico” (Oxford University Press, November 2015).

Oct. 26, 4:30 p.m.
Jesuit Kaddish: Encounters between Jesuits and Jews and Why These Might Matter to Us— Rev. James Bernauer, S.J., professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College, highlights the relations between Jesuits and Jews in the 20th century, giving special attention to the historical context of the Holocaust.

Oct. 28, 4:30 p.m.
Comics as Documentary: Words, Images, and War — Hillary Chute, associate professor of English at the University of Chicago, discusses why drawing can be an ethical practice of creating images of witness to war, with a focus on the Japanese Hiroshima survivor cartoonist Keiji Nakazawa, and the American Jewish cartoonist Art Spiegelman, son of Holocaust survivors.

Nov. 10, 4 p.m.
Educational Justice — Meira Levinson, professor of education at Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of “No Citizen Left Behind” (Harvard University Press, 2012), combines philosophical analysis and school-based case studies to illuminate the complex dimensions of evaluating, achieving, and teaching justice in schools.

Nov. 12, 4:30 p.m.
Cultures of Capital Enhancement: Who is the Neoliberal Subject and What Does It Know of Democracy? — Wendy Brown, professor of political science at the University of California Berkeley, explores neoliberal reason and its influence on democratic practice and imagination.

Nov. 18, 4:30 p.m.
Bringing Equal Opportunity for Children to an Unequal Society — Mary Jo Bane, professor of public policy and management at Harvard Kennedy School and former assistant secretary for children and families with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, talks about what governments, the private sector, civil society and churches should do to make sure that all children can grow up to lead productive and fulfilling lives.

About the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture:

Established in 2001 and housed in Smith Hall, the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture provides resources for faculty and course development, sponsors conferences and college-wide teaching events, hosts visiting fellows, and coordinates a number of campus lecture series. Rooted in the College’s commitment to invite conversation about basic human questions, the Center welcomes persons of all faiths and seeks to foster dialogue that acknowledges and respects differences, providing a forum for intellectual exchange that is interreligious, interdisciplinary, intercultural, and international in scope.  The Center also brings members of the Holy Cross community into conversation with the Greater Worcester community, the academic community, and the wider world to examine the role of faith and inquiry in higher education and in the larger culture.

Posted in News, Press Release | Comments Off on McFarland Center to Host Talks on Climate Change, WMDs and Justice for Children

Photo Gallery: Fall Orientation Helps First-Year Students Settle In

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

Class of 2019 Picture

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into "Sader Nation," Holy Cross' community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

The Class of 2019 is formally inducted into “Sader Nation,” Holy Cross’ community of students. Upperclassmen introduced first-year students to various areas of student involvement and, more importantly, to the rich sense of tradition that exists at Holy Cross.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night's events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night’s events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf
board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night's events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night’s events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf
board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night's events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night’s events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf
board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night's events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night’s events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf
board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night's events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night’s events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf
board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night's events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night’s events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf
board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night's events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf board.

Students participate in a paradise inspired First Night! The night’s events included decorate your own sea shells, a photo booth, and a mechanical surf
board.

Assistant professor of English, Jorge Santos meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Assistant professor of English, Jorge Santos meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Stephen J. Prior Professor of the Humanities Director, Maurice Geracht meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Stephen J. Prior Professor of the Humanities Director, Maurice Geracht meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Assistant professor of visual arts Matthew Gamber meets with students in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Assistant professor of visual arts Matthew Gamber meets with students in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Professor Susan Elizabeth Sweeney meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Professor Susan Elizabeth Sweeney meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Director of Biology Laboratories/Lecturer, Dr. Jodi Rymer meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Director of Biology Laboratories/Lecturer, Dr. Jodi Rymer meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Assistant Professor, Andre' K. Isaacs meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Assistant Professor, Andre’ K. Isaacs meets with a student in the Class of 2019 during academic advising.

Students in the Contemporary Challenges, Montserrat Cluster meet in the Cantor Art Gallery to discuss their cluster's academic program, events, and overall expectations.

Students in the Contemporary Challenges, Montserrat Cluster meet in the Cantor Art Gallery to discuss their cluster’s academic program, events, and overall expectations.

Students in the Natural World, Montserrat Cluster meet in Brooks Hall to discuss their cluster's academic program, events, and overall expectations.

Students in the Natural World, Montserrat Cluster meet in Brooks Hall to discuss their cluster’s academic program, events, and overall expectations.

Students in the Natural World, Montserrat Cluster meet in Brooks Hall to discuss their cluster's academic program, events, and overall expectations.

Students in the Natural World, Montserrat Cluster meet in Brooks Hall to discuss their cluster’s academic program, events, and overall expectations.

Class of 2019 members wait to enter St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel prior to Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members wait to enter St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel prior to Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen participate in Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen participate in Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen participate in Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen participate in Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen participate in Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen participate in Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

President Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J addresses Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen at Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

President Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J addresses Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen at Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

President Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J addresses Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen at Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

President Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J addresses Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen at Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

Oswaldo Subillaga '16 addresses Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen at Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

Oswaldo Subillaga ’16 addresses Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen at Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen participate in Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen participate in Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

Class Dean 2019, Shawn Maurer addresses Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen at Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

Class Dean 2019, Shawn Maurer addresses Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen at Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

The Chamber Singers preform during the Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

The Chamber Singers preform during the Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Jackie Peterson speaks during the Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel.

Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Jackie Peterson speaks during the Fall Convocation held in St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph's Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members, faculty and upperclassmen exit St. Joseph’s Memorial Chapel following Fall Convocation.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members participate in the President’s Banquet held at Kimball Hall.

Class of 2019 members and others relax on the Hogan lawn.

Class of 2019 members and others relax on the Hogan lawn.

And they’re off!

First-year students were welcomed to campus with open arms when they arrived to campus on the morning of Aug. 29 for move-in day.

That spirit of enthusiasm and community building continued for the next few days as part of a series of welcoming events, known as Fall Gateways Orientation. The events are designed to ease transition to college life by introducing students to the wide variety of academic, spiritual, community-building, and social programs available at the College. Classes for first-year and all returning students began Sept. 2.

Highlights included:

  • Induction into Sader Nation in which the Class of 2019 was formally inducted into Holy Cross’ community of students.
  • First-Night Celebration on the Hogan Courtyard where first-year students participated in social activities and enjoyed fare from the DogFather food truck.
  • Welcome addresses from Jacqueline Peterson, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, and Margaret Freije, vice president of Academic Affairs and dean of the College, and Shawn Maurer, dean for the Class of 2019.

During Fall Convocation, a signature Holy Cross event held in St. Joseph Chapel, students reflected on what it will take for them to succeed at Holy Cross, like Saint Ignatius of Loyola whose transformation began with reflection on the top of Montserrat.

During the event, two presenters read some of the “gifts” that first-year students have brought to Holy Cross. These include:

  • Hailing from 36 states and 10 foreign countries, including Bosnia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Nigeria, Somalia, Spain, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
  • More than one in six come from a home where more than one language is spoken.
  • One student camped through the 48 contiguous United States.
  • Another is a brown-belt clarinetist who has lived in four countries.
  • Nearly a third plan to play a sport at Holy Cross.
  • More than 40 plan on participating in the ROTC program.
  • Many have gained insights from doing service work in Appalachia, Nicaragua, Haiti, New York City, Worcester, or their local community.
  • Members of the class include All-Americans and All-Stars, MVPs and team captains, state champions and national and international competitors.
  • They also include a harpist who has played with the MIT philharmonic, a singer who has performed at Lincoln Center and the Grand Ole Opry Theater, an Irish step-dancer who competed at national and world events, a soloist who will perform at Carnegie Hall and a student who had photographs published in Finishing Magazine.

Photography by Tom Rettig and Dan Vaillancourt

Posted in News, Photo Galleries | Comments Off on Photo Gallery: Fall Orientation Helps First-Year Students Settle In

Students to Showcase Work at Annual Summer Research Symposium and Internship Expo

SummerResearch_2015Before the semester is well underway, students will be showcasing the broad gamut of work they took part in throughout the summer at the 22nd annual Summer Research Symposium and the eighth annual Internship Expo. The accomplishments of students from across class years and disciplines will fill up the Hogan Ballroom on Sept. 11 from 1 to 4 pm.

Summer Research Symposium
With a total of 104 students participating in cutting-edge research this summer, the research symposium will feature 77 poster presentations representing research conducted in the sciences, humanities, social sciences, arts, and economics conducted by students and faculty at Holy Cross, as well as 27 posters highlighting student research conducted off campus.

The symposium is a college-wide event that brings together students and faculty from all disciplines to celebrate their accomplishments and those of their friends and colleagues. The event is an opportunity for students to see the scope of research possibilities both on and off campus, and to initiate dialogue between students and faculty members about research opportunities available during the upcoming academic year and summer.

The summer research program is organized by Daniel Bitran, professor of psychology and the science coordinator; Daniel Klinghard, associate professor of political science and director of the Summer Research in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Fine Arts; and Joshua Congdon-Hohman, assistant professor of economics and the director of the summer research program in economics.

List of symposium presenters, poster titles, and descriptions (.pdf)

Internship Expo
Alongside the summer researchers, more than 70 students will be sharing their internship experiences with the College community at the Internship Expo in a poster and discussion format.

Students will highlight various elements of their internship experiences, including skills they gained or sharpened, initiatives they spearheaded, and their reflections on how their internship impacted them. They will also be answering questions about their internship experiences in an informal and conversational atmosphere.

The expo will give students — those who have participated in internships and those interested — an opportunity to draw connections between classroom learning and practical work experience. Students, faculty, and staff across campus can learn more about the breadth of internship opportunities available during the summer and to talk personally with the students who have most recently participated in them.

The event is put on by the Center for Career Development, formerly known as Career Planning, located on the second floor of Hogan.

Related News:

Related Information:

Posted in Academics, Arthistory, Biology, Chemistry, Chinese Studies, Classics, Economics and Accounting, English, History, Mathematics and Computer Science, Music, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology and Anthropology, Studio Art, Theatre and Dance, Visual Arts, World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures | Comments Off on Students to Showcase Work at Annual Summer Research Symposium and Internship Expo

Creative Writing Faculty to Kick Off Working Writers Series

Morris Collins & Leila PhilipThe Working Writers Series will kick off the fall semester with readings from Morris Collins, visiting assistant professor of English, and Leila Philip, associate professor of English at Holy Cross. They will each read excerpts from their work on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rehm Library, Smith Hall. The event is sponsored by the English department’s Creative Writing Program and is free and open to the public. After the reading, there will be an opening reception to celebrate the program.

Collins, a novelist who received his M.F.A. from Pennsylvania State University, recently produced a debut novel titled “Horse Latitudes” (MP Publishing Ltd, 2013). He has also published a number of short stories and poems in Michigan Quarterly Review, Gulf Coast, Nimrod, The Los Angeles Review, and other journals. Collins is currently working on his second novel, “Sleepwalkers of the North Atlantic,” which he describes as “a dark comic picturesque Gothic.”

Philip is an award-winning author who holds an M.F.A. in fiction from Columbia University. Her books include “Why We’re Here” (Colgate University Press, 2010),“A Family Place” (Viking, 2001) and “The Road through Miyama” (Random House, 1989). A Guggenheim Fellow, Philip has received many other major awards for her writing including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Her newest book, “Water Rising,” forthcoming from New Rivers Press this fall is a unique collaboration of poetry and watercolors with artist Garth Evans. In the introduction, Matthias Waschek, director of the Worcester Art Museum says, “What emerges in this book is a stunning and original collaboration, and extends how we think about the relationship between painting and poetry.” Poet David St. John remarks, “The paintings and poems of ‘Water Rising’ celebrate our insistence that, in the face of much darkness, we will continue to live along the shores of light and great beauty.”

The Creative Writing Program will also be hosting the following speakers this fall as part of the Working Writer Series. Upcoming events:

Thursday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. – Reading by Sonya Huber, essayist, memoirist and author.

Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 3 and 7 p.m. – Screening of “The Grief of Others,” a feature film based on a novel by Leah Hager Cohen, the Barrett Chair of Creative Writing, and directed by Patrick Wang. Discussion with the novelist and the director will follow each showing.

Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. – Reading by Rafael Campo, poet, essayist, and full-time physician.

Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. – Panel discussion titled “Is Football Dead? Writings for and Against,” featuring Steve Almond, essayist, journalist and novelist, and Bill Curry, former NFL player, coach, and author.

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‘Research focuses on hidden stigmas’

stephenie-Chaudoir_1-for-webIn a recent article in New England Psychologist, Stephenie Chaudoir, assistant professor of psychology, explains her research on concealable stigmatized identities (CSIs).

CSIs are a class of experiences, identities, and characteristics that are often socially devalued but can be concealed. Mental illness, physical abuse, and drug addiction are all examples of CSIs. Chaudoir expresses that the main difference between living with a visible stigma versus a concealable stigma is disclosure. A concealable stigma can often put more burden on individuals with CSIs because ultimately they have control over with whom and when to share this information. This decision can lead to additional stress for the individual.

Chaudoir received a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to research disclosure and how chronic concerns about rejection and an individual’s community can impact health among those with CSIs. Her study includes more than 100 college students from Holy Cross, Clark and WPI, and uses a variety of measures and self-report surveys to note the experience of rejection and the worries associated with a stigma. The study is also measuring physical health and mental functioning.

“My working theory is that how stressful this experience is, is most likely a product of both the person and their culture,” Chaudoir says. “Assuming we have people who have similar concerns about rejection, the culture will matter.”

Related Information

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Kelly Ethier.

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Chapel Artist Series Returns with World-Famous Organists for 2015-16

chapel artistThe College of the Holy Cross’ Chapel Artist Series will return for the 2015-16 academic year featuring organists Philippe Lefebvre and Silvius von Kessel.  Both musicians have studied, performed, and taught across Europe and the U.S. and each will perform a concert this fall in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel.  Both concerts are free and open to the public.

Philippe Lefebvre will perform Sunday, Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. Lefebvre is one of three titulaire organists at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.  He is also the former titulaire organist at the Cathedral of Chartres.  In addition, Lefebvre is the former director of the National Conservatory of Music, Theater, and Dance in Lille, France.  Lefebvre is acclaimed as “one of the greatest improvisers of the organ in the world.” He taught improvisation at the Paris Conservatory from 2004-2014.  As part of the Chapel Artist Series, Lefebvre will perform pieces by William Byrd, Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann in addition to three improvisations.

Organist Silvius von Kessel, will perform at Holy Cross on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 3 p.m. Von Kessel has studied the organ in Germany and at the Paris Conservatory. He holds the prestigious title of organist and choirmaster at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Erfurt and is the founder of the Bach-Liszt International Organ Competition of Erfurt Weimar.  Von Kessel received the title of honorary professor of organ at the “Franz-Liszt” Hochschule für Musik in Weimar.  At his concert on campus, von Kessel will perform works by J.S. Bach, Johann Pachelbel, Bernardo Pasquini and Johann Buttstett.  Von Kessel will end his program with an improvisation.

For more information about the Chapel Artist Series please call the music department at 508-793-2296.

Posted in Music, News, Press Release | Comments Off on Chapel Artist Series Returns with World-Famous Organists for 2015-16

Holy Cross Grad and Visiting Professor Receive Prestigious American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship

aclsAlyssa L. Trometter, a member of the College of the Holy Cross class of 2008, and Nathaniel K. Powell, visiting lecturer at Holy Cross in spring 2015, both received the esteemed American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Public Fellowship. Each fellowship is a two-year appointment at a non-profit organization and government agency for recent Ph.D. graduates in the humanities. The Council selects only 15-20 Ph.D. graduates worldwide.

After Holy Cross, Trometter received her Ph.D. in historical studies from the University of Melbourne, Australia. Through her ACLS Fellowship, Trometter has been appointed the partnerships manager position at the Clinton Global Initiative University. The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) is committed to bringing together world leaders who can address global problems and invoke change. According to the ACLS website, Trometter’s job will be to “expand the opportunities for leading student social innovators.” In addition she will “develop, recruit, and launch seed funding opportunities and grant-making programs for CGI University participants.”

Powell was a visiting lecturer this past semester at Holy Cross in the history department.  He received his Ph.D. in history at The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Powell’s ACLS Fellowship placed him as the development manager at the World Monuments Fund (WMF). According the WMF website, it is an organization that seeks to preserve the “world’s most treasured places.” As the development manager, Powell will “lead efforts on a new initiative that will look beyond traditional arts and preservation funders to seek new donors.”

The ACLS Public Fellows is a four- year-old award that seeks to create a segue between humanities students and public service. Noel Cary, professor of history at the College, says a liberal arts education can help to further this connection between humanities students and public service. Cary says, “Being a liberal arts college, Holy Cross tries to inculcate an awareness of just such a potential for partnership.” Cary adds that “the award winners must demonstrate skills, insights, and versatility that can be matched creatively with the needs of specific public service projects. These adaptable skills are the basis of a liberal arts education.”

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