Important Winter Weather Notice

Posted on February 1, 2015 by

February 2, 2015 – 3 p.m. ET
TO: Holy Cross Students, Faculty and Staff

The College will have an early release at 3 p.m. today, Monday, for all non-essential employees. If you are not sure about your status as an essential employee (grounds, designated trades personnel, designated Auxiliary Services, Dining Services, and the Public Safety Department) or non-essential employee, please check with your supervisor.

Faculty and Students: Since the College will have an early release for non-essential employees today at 3 p.m., individual faculty members will decide whether to hold class today between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Facilities will be open as follows:

  • Kimball Dining Hall: will remain open.
  • Hogan Campus Center: will remain open with limited staff.
  • Hart Center and Fieldhouse: will remain open and the men’s basketball game will take place as scheduled tonight at 7:30 p.m.
  • Holy Cross Libraries: ​ Dinand will be open until at least 1 a.m. Music and Science libraries will be open normal hours.

Employees who were unable to get to work today because of severe weather conditions please refer to the College’s inclement weather policy. Vacation time, floating holidays or personal time may be used as appropriate. Sick time may not be used for this purpose. A separate memo from Human Resources will be provided later this week to describe how to record your time for this early release.

Many thanks to members of the College Community who worked today to prepare the campus, keep it safe, and provide services to students.

 

 

February 1, 2015 – 4 p.m. ET
TO: Holy Cross Students, Faculty and Staff

As you are probably already aware, we are under a winter storm warning from 9 p.m. on Feb. 1 to until 1 a.m. on Feb. 2. We are expected to get anywhere between 8 and 14 inches of snow beginning at midnight tonight and through most of the day tomorrow. As of now, reports call for the heavier snow to occur on Monday from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Our grounds crew will be on campus early tomorrow morning to start clearing the snow. All of the equipment and personnel are ready to go and they plan to work to keep the campus open and operational.

At this time, we do not anticipate any campus delay or closing.

Students: Plan on a normal class schedule, but you may want to check with your professors to confirm any changes.

Faculty and Staff: Please refer to our Inclement Weather Policy, and notify your department chair or supervisor if you plan on being late or taking the day off.

Information on parking: Because of the challenge of snow removal, some reserved and/or individual parking spots are blocked by snow. Please do not park in areas where there are cones or large piles of snow.

Most stairways will be clear, but some pathways are closed and so indicated. Don’t walk on un-plowed, un-shoveled paths, and wherever you walk, wear weather-appropriate shoes!

We will continue to monitor this storm and keep you informed. Again, at this time we do not anticipate any delay or closing.

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Holy Cross Names Lindsay Jackson Head Field Hockey Coach

Posted on January 30, 2015 by College of the Holy Cross
Lindsay-Jackson

Lindsay-Jackson

Lindsay Jackson has been named the new head coach of the field hockey program at the College of the Holy Cross, director of athletics Nathan Pine announced. Jackson, who is the fifth head coach in program history, comes to Holy Cross from Limestone College where she served as the head coach since 2008.

“I am pleased to welcome Lindsay Jackson to the Holy Cross family,” said Pine. “She has a great background of collegiate coaching success having built a program at Limestone from a start-up to into a perennial powerhouse. Lindsay also has extensive experience working with USA field hockey and I anticipate many good things to come for Holy Cross field hockey under her leadership.”

Jackson was responsible for building a very successful Limestone field hockey program in a short period of time. After a winless inaugural season, Jackson’s Limestone squad improved its win-loss record every year since. She guided Limestone to its first winning season in 2011 with an 11-6 overall record and increased the team’s win total to 13-5 in 2012.

Read the full article on GoHolyCross.com

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‘Worcester storm cleanup is a slog’

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Holy Cross in the News

snowthrower-croppedWith the snowfall finally coming to a halt, a recent Telegram & Gazette article spotlights maintenance workers as they worked diligently across Worcester to clear one of the largest snowstorms in state history.

The article highlights Ted W. Heywood, grounds supervisor for the College of the Holy Cross, who says he and his staff worked very hard the last few days to clear the snow and keep the campus safe.

“Up on the top of the hill, 10 minutes later, what you plowed is all blown black,” Heywood says of the defeating wind factor.

It took a monumental effort of 15 of the College’s employees and more than 50 hired hands to get the campus ready for business Wednesday. The College is responsible for plowing 5.4 miles of roads, 4.5 miles of sidewalks, 20 acres of parking lots and nearly 200 staircases.

“The entire campus is basically five terraces on the side of the hill, so steps are a part of every journey you take,” says Heywood.

Click here to read the full article.

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Jacqueline Smith ’15.

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Holy Cross Events Build Jewish-Christian Connections

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Danielle Kane

David KertzerUpcoming programs at the College of the Holy Cross will trace the history of encounters between Jews and the Jesuit order of Catholics, divulge the secret relationship between Mussolini and Pope Pius XI, reprise a critically-acclaimed performance of contemporary Israeli theatre, and tell the captivating story of a French priest who rescued thousands during the Holocaust. The programs, supported by the Kraft-Hiatt Fund for Jewish-Christian Understanding, are free and open to the public.

Monday, Feb. 9 at 4:30 p.m. in the Rehm Library, Smith Hall
Jesuit Kaddish: Encounters between Jesuits and Jews and Why These Might Matter to Us — Rev. James Bernauer, S.J., is professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College, and co-editor of “The Tragic Couple: Encounters Between Jews and Jesuits” (Brill, 2013). His talk will offer an overview of how Jesuits became a leader in dialogue with Jews and will focus on encounters in the 20th century, with special attention on the historical context of the Holocaust.

Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m., Rehm Library, Smith Hall
The Pope and Mussolini — Renowned author and scholar David Kertzer will talk about his recent book, “The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe” (Random House, 2014). He is the Paul Dupee University Professor of Social Science at Brown University, where he is also professor of anthropology and Italian studies. This is event is part of the Worcester JCC Author Series.

Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m., The Pit, O’Kane Hall
Oh God — The Israeli Stage, a Boston-based theatre troupe dedicated to producing the works of Israeli playwrights for college audiences, will reprise their American premiere of Amat Gov’s play about a psychotherapist and single mother to an autistic child who gets a visit from a new, desperate patient: God. A Q&A session will follow the performance.

Wednesday, April 15 at 4:30 p.m., Rehm Library, Smith Hall
Père Marie-Benoît and Jewish Rescue  — Historian and author Susan Zuccotti will discuss her recent biography of the French Capuchin priest, “Père Marie-Benoît and Jewish Rescue: How a French Priest Together with Jewish Friends Saved Thousands during the Holocaust” (Indiana University Press, 2013). Zuccotti, also author of “The Italians and the Holocaust: Persecution, Rescue, and Survival,” has taught Holocaust history at Barnard College and Trinity College.

The Kraft-Hiatt fund, established approximately 20 years ago, supports campus and community-wide educational initiatives that foster understanding of Judaism and Jewish culture, and dialogue between Jews and Christians. The fund is administered by the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, with the assistance of a Kraft-Hiatt faculty Advisory Committee.

To learn more about these events and find lectures online, visit the McFarland Center.

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Galician Bagpiper Cristina Pato Headlines Arts Transcending Borders’ Spring Program

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Kelly Ethier

Cristina Pato plays bagpipeThe Arts Transcending Borders (ATB) program at the College of the Holy Cross will offer a bountiful arrangement of programs and performances this spring. From unique art installations— to cultural music and dance— there is something for everybody to enjoy this semester.

The ATB spring program begins with the return of Holy Cross 2014 artist-in-residence Cristina Pato, Galician bagpiper and pianist on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in Mary Chapel to present a new work-in-progress titled “The Camino Experience: Making the Way.” The project was inspired by the Camino de Santiago and Pato’s own Galician roots. The event will reflect on stories of local pilgrims, moments of hardship, resolve, and camaraderie to combine a timeless narrative that will take the audience on a spiritual journey along the Camino.

Since the Middle Ages, pilgrims across Europe have undertaken an arduous journey along several routes, which, like the grooves on the scallop shells carried by the pilgrims, culminate in the town of Santiago de Compostela, the site of St. James’ tomb.  Today, El Camino, or The Way of St. James, invites people from all walks of life, who often embark on the journey to mark moments of transition.

“I cannot think of a better home than Holy Cross to nurture the beginning of this new work inspired by the power of sharing and making life decisions to start your own personal journey using the way to Santiago de Compostela as a leitmotif (a dominant reoccurring theme),” says Pato.

The multi-faceted program brings together the College Choir, under the direction of David Harris, theatre department faculty and students, and the Cantor Art Gallery in an exploration of the Camino in words, images and music, from medieval chant to the tender aria “Lúa Descolorida” by renowned composer, Osvaldo Golijov, Holy Cross Loyola professor of music.

Boston-based artist Georgie Friedman will premiere her site-specific installation designed for Holy Cross with an artist’s reception on Monday, Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the Spillane Pavilion in the Integrated Science Complex. The video installation will re-contextualize natural elements in relationship to the architecture of the science complex. It will be on display the entire month of February.

Friedman is an interdisciplinary artist whose projects include large-scale video installations, single and multi-channel videos and several photographic series. She examines a wide range of phenomena including mild to severe atmospheric and oceanic conditions, along with deconstructing perceived geographic boundaries. She uses photography, video, sound, installation, engineering and the physics of light, all in order to produce a new experiences for viewers.

Friedman has been named a “Rising star” by the Boston Globe and “One of the most exciting new-media artists in the region,” by the Boston Phoenix.  Most recently, Friedman’s work was commissioned for “Art on the Marquee” a presentation from Boston Cyberarts and the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA).

Arts Transcending Borders is a new initiative at the College designed to infuse the fine and performing arts into students’ academic lives and create new opportunities throughout the curriculum and the community by transcending cultural, geographic and disciplinary boundaries.  The initiative is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Arts Transcending Borders events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted:

Feb. 10, 5 p.m.
Rehm Library
Latinidad from Page to Stage: A conversation with award-winning playwright Melinda Lopez, playwright-in-residence at the Huntington Theatre, Boston, discusses her unique process of creating historical dramas that feature the inter-relationship between Cuba and the United States, as well as writing about science for the stage.

Feb. 22, 3 p.m.
Brooks Concert Hall
Tari Aceh! Music and Dance from Northern Sumatra, Performance & Panel Discussion will feature Saman dance. Traditionally performed by men, this dance is comprised of beautifully synchronized body percussion and is one of the best illustrations of the unique blending of Islamic and Indonesian culture.

March 12, 7:30 p.m.
Brooks Concert Hall
Crème 21 Music Department’s Artist-in-Residence Concert featuring cellist, Jan Müller-Szeraws, artist-in-residence at Holy Cross, performing Bach and Britten. The concert will also feature the U.S. premier of the soundtrack for “Crème 21” created by Chris Arrell, assistant professor of music. Award winning Austrian filmmaker Eve Heller will discuss and introduce “Crème 21.”

April 13, 8 p.m.
Brooks Concert Hall
Boston Music Viva with guests Sandeep Das (tabla), Wu Tong (sheng), Gitanjali Mathur (soprano)  will perform an around-the-world tour of music from different cultures and lands. The concert will premiere a new commissioned work by Shirish Korde, professor of music at the College; the work fuses Chinese, Indian and other cultures and instruments with three international soloists.

April 22, 5 p.m.
Brooks Concert Hall
Gonzalo Grau & the Plural Combo to perform as the 2015 Academic Conference opening event. Grau has established himself as a multi-instrumentalist and his varied credits include performances with many Venezuelan music projects. As music director, he leads two projects of his own, “Plural” (Latin jazz-Flamenco-Venezuelan fusion) and “La Clave Secreta” (salsa fusion) which was nominated for a 2008 Grammy in the Best Tropical Album Category.

May 1, 1 p.m.
Brooks Concert Hall
Brentano String Quartet to hold open rehearsal. Program includes Béla Bartók, “String Quartet No. 3,” James MacMillan, “String Quartet No. 2,” and Franz Schubert, “Death and the Maiden.”

Related Information
· Galician Bagpiper Cristina Pato Named Visiting Artist-in-Residence at Holy Cross
· Arts Transcending Borders

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Weather Notification for the Holy Cross Community

Posted on January 26, 2015 by

Wednesday, January 28, 2015 – 8:30 a.m.

To: Holy Cross Students, Faculty and Staff

The College will re-open and resume all operations at 12 noon today.

Afternoon classes will be held as scheduled (unless students hear otherwise from their professor).

Employees who are unable to come to work on Wednesday because of weather conditions should notify their supervisors. Vacation time, floating holidays or personal time may be used as appropriate. Sick time may not be used for this purpose.

Information on parking

Parking lots and main campus roadways are clear, as are most pathways. However, because of the challenge of snow removal, some reserved and/or individual parking spots are blocked by snow. Please do not park in areas where there are cones or large piles of snow.

Stairways are clear, but some pathways are closed and so indicated. Don’t walk on un-plowed, un-shoveled paths, and wherever you walk, wear weather-appropriate shoes!

Information on facilities

Kimball will open for brunch at 10 a.m.

Information on transportation

Transportation today will only cover Union Station with one professional driver from noon until the 7:45 p.m. inbound train.

No other vans will be released until the full schedule resumes Thursday, January 29.

 

Many thanks to members of the College Community — including staff in Dining, Public Safety, Grounds, Health Services, and Residence Life, among many other offices and departments — who worked Monday, Tuesday, and well into the early morning hours of Wednesday. Their work preparing the campus, keeping it safe, and providing services to students ensured that the College would be up and running today.

 

 

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 – 7:35 p.m.

To: Faculty and Staff

At this time, the College still anticipates re-opening and resuming all operations at 12 noon on Wednesday, January 28; and afternoon classes are likewise expected to be held as scheduled.

A final decision (based on weather and campus conditions) will be made and communicated by 9 a.m.

 

 

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 – 3:45 p.m.

To: Students

The campus shelter-in-place order will be temporarily lifted from 4 p.m. to midnight today. Plowing on campus will be suspended during this time.

Kimball will be open for dinner 5-8 p.m., and will reopen for brunch at 10 a.m.

Please be careful as you move about the campus during these hours. Wear bright colors and stay on plowed roadways and paths.

Plowing on campus will resume after midnight.

 

 

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 – 9:45 a.m.

To: Students

As you know from monitoring weather reports, the Worcester area is still experiencing blizzard conditions — with snow, gusty winds, and very cold temperatures. We expect this weather will continue until well into Tuesday evening.

Because of the dangerous conditions, the campus shelter-in-place order remains in effect until further notice.

Plowing and other campus maintenance work will continue throughout the day. We hope to resume campus services as soon as possible. You will be notified about any updates to this status via email, the College website, and social media.

In the event of any emergency, please call the Public Safety emergency line at Ext. 2222. For non-emergencies, call Ext. 2224 (508-793-2224).

Thank you again for your attention and cooperation.

 

 

Monday, January 26, 2015 – 1:30 p.m.

To: Faculty, staff and students
From: William J. Conley Jr, Director of Administrative Services

As you know, the Northeast is bracing for a severe snowstorm with blizzard conditions. In our efforts to help keep the Holy Cross campus community safe during this time, the College’s Emergency Response Team met this morning to review weather forecasts and campus preparations for the storm. Weather reports have indicated a light snow will begin falling Monday evening, becoming heavy throughout the evening, with the heaviest occurring all day Tuesday through Tuesday night. The Worcester area is expecting 20 to 30 inches of snowfall, with accompanying high winds and dangerously low visibility.

Information for students:

Tuesday classes and Wednesday morning classes, along with class-related events during these times, are cancelled.   Classes are expected to resume at noon on Wednesday.  Students should assume that their classes on Wednesday noon, afternoon and evening will be held as scheduled unless you hear otherwise from your professor.

Because the College will close early for non-essential employees today at 4 p.m. [see below], individual faculty members will decide whether to hold class today between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

We anticipate issuing a “shelter in place” order on Monday at 9 p.m. to protect those on campus and to mitigate risks during snow removal operations.  At that time, you will be instructed to stay in your residence halls.  We anticipate the order will be lifted on Wednesday, January 28 at 10 am.  Students will receive the “shelter in place” message via the Connect ED emergency notification system.  All information will also be posted on the College website.

During dinner on Monday in Kimball (from 4:30-7 p.m.) students will be given to-go food for Tuesday through Wednesday morning.

Facilities will be open as follows:

Kimball Dining Hall: will serve food until  7 p.m. on Monday, and reopen for brunch Wednesday at 10 am.

Hogan Campus Center: limited service will be available Monday until 6 p.m.  Hogan will  reopen on Wednesday at 12 noon.

Dinand Library: Dinand and all libraries will close at 7 p.m on Monday. We anticipate that libraries will reopen Wednesday at 12 noon.

Hart Center and Fieldhouse: will close at 5:30 p.m on Monday.  Messages will be posted on the website regarding reopening time.

Because of the severity of this storm and the danger it presents, we ask you to help us keep the campus safe by abiding by rules and directions — especially when the “shelter in place” order is issued. In case of an emergency, please phone the Public Safety emergency line at Ext. 2222. For non-emergencies, call Ext. 2224 (508-793-2224).

Students interested in helping shovel snow on Wednesday (after the “shelter in place” order is lifted) should contact the grounds department at 508-793-3477.

Scheduled campus events and activities on Monday and Tuesday will be canceled and rescheduled at a later date, as appropriate.  Please check your email and the College website for updates and more information.

Information for faculty and staff:

The College will have an early release at 4 pm today, Monday, for all non-essential employees.  If you are not sure about your status as an essential employee (grounds, designated trades personnel, designated Auxiliary Services, and the Public Safety Department) or non-essential employee, please check with your supervisor.

The College will be closed on Tuesday.  All essential personnel will report to work in order to address student services. A separate memo will be coming out from Human Resources regarding time reporting.

We anticipate a late re-opening on Wednesday, and expect to resume College operations at 12 noon that day.  Employees who are unable to come to work on Wednesday because of severe weather conditions should notify their supervisors.  Vacation time, floating holidays or personal time may be used as appropriate.  Sick time may not be used for this purpose.

All essential employees should check with their supervisors for specific instructions.

Parking/driving information:

After 6 p.m. on Monday, there will be no parking along campus roadways or in the Hogan Campus Center and Loyola lots. Essential employees who must report to work should park behind Carlin or in the employee lot by Hogan Campus Center.

The upper deck of the parking garage needs to be kept clear.  Parking should only be under the covered part of the garage.

Van service will shut down at 4 pm on Monday and tentatively will start at noon on Wednesday.

Emergency notification:

Health Services in Loyola Hall will be open for emergency visits only. Please contact Public Safety if you need services.

In the event of emergency or critical campus situations, the community will be alerted via Connect ED, telephone and/or email messages.

Please check the College’s website for updates on our local weather, campus operations, and cancelled events. You will also find updates posted on the Holy Cross Facebook page and Twitter account.

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‘At MLK event, Holy Cross student leaders are urged to listen, build bridges’

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Holy Cross in the News

Ed AugustusIn a recent post, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette highlights the College of the Holy Cross eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon for Emerging Leaders. The event, held on Monday, Jan. 19, was co-sponsored by the Holy Cross Office of Multicultural Education and the campus-wide Hate: Not Here! Committee. The luncheon was part of the college’s Aptissimi leadership conference, a day-long forum which encourages the development of leadership and activism modeled by Rev. King, who began his social activism as a college student.

Once director of government and community relations at Holy Cross, city manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. returned to the College as the luncheon’s keynote speaker. Augustus urged student leaders to be part of the local and national conversation about social injustices, inequality and making communities better for all.

“We want our community to be a safe place, where we are all free to live our lives and share our gifts,” says Augustus. “Worcester is not Ferguson, Missouri, or Cleveland, Ohio, or New York City, but as Dr. King said: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We may not always agree on how to address those injustices — certainly not everyone agreed with Dr. King — but if we come together in an honest effort we can make change happen.

The MLK luncheon stands at the forefront of the College’s new campaign “HC in Solidarity,” a semester-long program which will consist of a series of events — including panel discussions, common readings, and academic and cocurricular programs — exploring the reality of what it means to live in solidarity.

Read full article here.

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Jacqueline Smith ’15.

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Postponed: Holy Cross to Host Panel on Urban Education and Accountability

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Cristal Steuer

Education panel
Due to inclement weather, the Urban Education Panel tonight at 6 p.m. on campus will be postponed.  We will be in touch with a new date and time once it is available.  

The College of the Holy Cross will hold a panel discussion titled “Urban Education in the Era of Accountability,” on Monday, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. in Rehm Library, located in Smith Hall, on campus. Panelists include Melinda Boone, superintendent of Worcester Public Schools; David Roach, vice chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and a member of the faculty at Holy Cross; and Ericka Fisher, associate professor of education at Holy Cross and author of “Educating the Urban Race: The Evolution of an American High School” (Lexington Books, Dec. 2014).  The panel, which is free and open to the public, will be moderated by Jack Schneider, assistant professor of education at Holy Cross.  Fisher’s book will be for sale at the event.

Sparked by the release of Fisher’s new academic book, the panel discussion will center around the state of urban education in the era of accountability and focus on student-teacher relationships, shifting demographics—including diversity and mobility—and the consequence of testing.

“Educating the Urban Race” is based on 10 years of research at urban schools. The book utilizes historical and quantitative data, interviews and observations, to provide a comprehensive view of the many factors at play that merge to create an urban high school. While the central case study focuses on Burncoat Senior High School in Worcester, Mass., the book takes a serious look at policy issues and urban education at a national level, and includes a broad survey of American public education dating back to the 17th century.

Melinda Boone has served as superintendent for the Worcester Public Schools since July 2009, a district with over 24,000 students and 44 schools. Prior to Worcester Boone was the chief academic officer for the Norfolk Public Schools, Virginia. Boone redesigned the organizational structure of the school district to align district departments and systems with school improvement. She was a 2012 Erskine Award Recipient sponsored by the YWCA, 2014 Recipient of the Order of Odd Fellows and the Rebekah Assembly of Massachusetts “Community Leadership Award”, and the Greater Worcester Chapter Hadassah “Woman of Distinction” Award. Dr. Boone received the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS) President’s Award in May 2014 and the Life Leadership Service Award by the Institute for Global Leadership.

David Roach has been involved in education for the last 40 years, as an English teacher, assistant principal, principal, and spent 17 years a superintendent. Roach is currently vice chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and  chairs the budget subcommittee and the Board’s working group on strengthening civic learning. He also teaches the capstone seminar at Holy Cross and courses in school leadership at Worcester State. He serves on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA), which oversees service opportunities in the Commonwealth including both AmeriCorps and the Commonwealth Corps.

A scholar in racial and economic equity in American education, Ericka Fisher’s work focuses on multicultural education, educational psychology, and academic achievement. Her published works examine the experiences of vulnerable populations in American secondary schools. Fisher earned her B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross and her Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Jack Schneider is a leading scholar in education reform and the author of two books, “Excellence for All: How a New Breed of Reformers Is Transforming America’s Public Schools” (2011) and “From the Ivory Tower to the Schoolhouse: How Scholarship Becomes Common Knowledge in Education” (2014).  He is currently at work on a new project, examining how school quality is assessed and communicated to the public.

The panel is sponsored by the Worcester Education Collaborative, the education department at Holy Cross and College Marketing and Communications at Holy Cross.

The Worcester Education Collaborative (WEC) is an independent advocacy organization working to ensure that students in the Worcester Public Schools are given the opportunity to succeed at the highest possible level and to acquire the skills and knowledge to master the challenges of the 21st century. The Collaborative is committed to supporting, facilitating, and developing a wide variety of partnerships among families, schools, organizations, and businesses that will both enhance the quality of public education in Worcester and the quality of our common life. As a non-profit education fund, the Collaborative’s independent voice speaks for the children and for the community to create a system of effective schools in which every child is prepared for success in college, career, and life.

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Black Student Union at Holy Cross to Mark Black History Month With Series of Events

Posted on January 26, 2015 by

Dawn_Porter

In observation of Black History Month, the College of the Holy Cross community will celebrate events sponsored by the Black Student Union throughout the month of February.

“American history is incomplete without Black history,” says Vicmarys Brito ’15, co-chair of the Black Student Union. “In order to understand the state that our nation is in today we all need to understand Black history, American history.” Brito, a history major with a concentration in Latin American and Latino Studies from Lynn, Mass., reflected on justice during the Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast held at Holy Cross on Jan. 20.

“Black History Month presents a unique opportunity for us an organization to educate the Holy Cross community on Black history and its impact on our society,” adds Oluwaseun Oke ’15, a chemistry major from Newark, N.J., and co-chair of the BSU. “When many students think of Black history, they typically think of prominent Black figures but we hope the events we have planned for the month will uncover some new aspects of Black history that are usually overlooked.”

Dawn Porter, an attorney, civil justice crusader and award-winning documentary filmmaker, will deliver a speech exploring the current American justice system on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Hogan Ballroom. The talk is free and open to the public.

Her work examines and questions a system in which 12 million people are arrested each year and millions of those cases proceed through the criminal justice system. It is not uncommon for lawyers to handle hundreds of cases at a time.  Porter directed and produced the award-winning “Gideon’s Army” documentary, which follows three young, idealistic public defenders in the deep South struggle against long hours, low pay and staggering caseloads to ensure justice is served for America’s forgotten poor.

A dinner will precede the event at 5:30 p.m. in Hogan Suite A, and a meet and greet with Porter will follow at 8 p.m. in the Dunn Reception Area.

Founded in 1968, following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the BSU is committed to educating the Holy Cross community about the importance of heritage, the affirmation of identity and the legacy of achievement. Emphasizing the academic, cultural, social, and political development of its members, BSU aims to provide a support system for African American students and all members of the Holy Cross community by creating an environment that promotes leadership, embraces identity and encourages diversity.

The events complement the College’s HC in Solidarity initiative, which invites students, faculty and alumni to explore together — through events, conversations, panel discussions, common readings and other academic and cocurricular programs — the reality of what it means to live as a community in solidarity today. Learn more on the Holy Cross in Solidarity website.

The following events are open only to the Holy Cross community.

BSU Motown 10-Spot
Feb. 3
10 p.m.
Hogan Crossroads

The Black Student Union and Campus Activities Board present the Motown 10 Spot to kick off the Black History Month celebration. Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American-owned record label, which achieved significant crossover success in the 1960s. Motown music is a style of soul music with pop influences. This 10 Spot will feature student performances of Motown music.

BSU Fashion Show: Fashion Meets Music
Feb. 6
Hors d’oeuvres: 7 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m.
Mechanics Hall, 321 Main Street, Worcester

The Black Student Union presents its 17th Annual Black and Gold Fashion Show. This year’s theme is music awards which will feature different music genres. The music genres include blues, jazz, doo-wop, soul, rock ’n’ roll, R&B, pop, and hip-hop. The clothing, hair, make-up, accessories, and music will express a different genre. Be ready to enjoy great fashion, music, delicious appetizers from Struck Catering, and student performances. Ticket info: $12 for appetizers and show, $10 for show only. Tickets can be purchased at the Hogan lobby tables during the last week of January and the first week of February, or by emailing Oluwaseun Oke ’15 at oaoke15@g.holycross.edu or Vicmarys Brito ’15 at vbrito15@g.holycross.edu.

Demonstration
Feb. 9-Feb. 13
Hogan 1 Copy Center

Demonstration Follow-up Discussion
Feb. 12
5:30 p.m.
Hogan 304

The Black Student Union will display visual representations of the mass incarceration of black and brown men in the United States. The images and art pieces, which will be displayed throughout the entire week, will be an attempt to show the lived experiences of black and brown men in this country. The event will also provide understanding and a space for Holy Cross to stand in solidarity. A discussion will follow.

BSU’s Black Love Event
Feb. 19
6-7 p.m.
Hogan 406-407

Yvesh’a Bellevue ’16 and Elena Ferguson ’17 will moderate the panel and audience discussion. This year’s questions will be centered on recent events and whether black lived experiences have an impact on black love. The panelists will vary between students, faculty and staff.

Black Staff Appreciation
Feb. 20
5-7 p.m.
Hogan Suite B/C

The Black Student Union presents its second annual Black Staff Appreciation event. Students, faculty and staff will be invited to celebrate all the hard work and support of black faculty and staff on campus. Faculty and staff who have been at Holy Cross for 15 years will be honored. All faculty and staff in attendance will leave with a giveaway.

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Matheson Weighs Pros and Cons of Boston as 2024 Olympic Bid

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Jacqueline Smith ’15

Victor MathesonMassachusetts is buzzing with excitement over the announcement made last week by the U.S. Olympic Committee that made Boston its city of choice for the 2024 Summer Games. However, the bid doesn’t come without trepidation. Victor Matheson, professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross who specializes in ‘mega-sporting events’ and is a Boston native himself, has shed light on the pros and cons of bringing the 17-day event to Boston.

The Boston Herald quotes Matheson weighing the options: “Bostonians will get to experience sports such as ‘the shotput, marathon and rhythmic gymnastics’ in their own backyard, but will have to make sacrifices.”

“It will be a traffic and transportation nightmare for three weeks,” Matheson says. “Imagine three weeks of Yankees/Red Sox Friday night during the pennant race. We have that to look forward to.”

In terms of the economics, after repeated high-budget games that led to massive public spending elsewhere, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has indicated it is interested in lower bids.

“It’s very unlikely a Boston bid will be one of the most expensive bids,” Matheson says. “We’re definitely going to be on the lower side. It’s going to be hard to garner widespread support for a 10- to 15- to 20- billion-dollar bid. There are other countries that you could see that coming in.”

My Fox Boston reports the total cost is an estimated $4.6 billion.

“It’s like a wedding. It won’t make you rich, but it may make you happy,” says Matheson to the New York Times.

Boston beat out the favorite Los Angeles, as well as San Francisco and Washington for the U.S. nominee for the 2024 Olympics. Boston will compete with such cities as Rome, Melbourne and Doha.

Media Coverage

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Alternate College Theatre Presents Musical Comedy ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Jacqueline Smith ’15

spelling-bee-croppedThe Alternate College Theatre (ACT) at the College of the Holy Cross will present “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” directed by Julia McCarthy ’15, in Fenwick Theatre, located on the second floor of O’Kane Hall. The performances will be held Jan. 29, 30, 31 at 8 p.m. and Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for members of the Holy Cross community and $15 for the general public and can be reserved by calling the box office at 508-793-3536.

The musical comedy, conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music from William Finn, is based on a book by Rachel Sheinkin that follows the lives of middle-schoolers as they face the challenge of tricky words and their own personal demons in the annual spelling bee.

“This show is hilarious and full of lots of wild jokes, but also allows for some great improv and input from the actors,” says McCarthy. “There are sections of audition participation where we pull people up on stage to spell a word, which allows for some great humor.”

The cast performed a short scene from the musical during the announcement made last Thursday, Jan. 15 that Diller Scofidio + Renfro, an internationally acclaimed design firm known for its vibrant, interdisciplinary approach, will be designing the new performing arts center on campus.

“When I watched my actors perform at the press event, I was beaming like a parent with such pride and joy. We have all come a long way together, and my actors have worked so hard and have been such great sports. They couldn’t have made my job any easier, or enjoyable, than they did,” adds McCarthy of their performance.

ACT is a student-run organization at Holy Cross. For each show, students manage every aspect of choreography, directing, lighting and set design, stage-managing, and vocal directing.

The play’s cast features Lauren Connolly ’15, Catherine Cote ’18, Angelo DeNofrio ’16, Patrick O’Konis ’16, Maureen O’Meara ’15, Brian Ott ’16, Ivan Perez ’16, Erik Schneider ’16, Tess Staley ’15, Emily Vecchiarelli ’16, with the ensemble including Emma Callahan ’18, Natalie Correa ’17, Ashley Dhaim ’15, Rebekah Dowdell ’16, Kaitlin Kelleher ’18, Chris Little ’17, Phillip Losquadro ’18, and Carly O’Brien ’17.

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‘Local band releases first EP’

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Holy Cross in the News

mike-dunbarA recent article published by Seacoastonline.com highlights the release “Mason Jar of Home,” an album released by the musical group Black Agnes and produced by front man, Michael Dunbar ’15, student at the College of the Holy Cross. The album, recorded at Rocking Horse Studio in Pittsfield, has sold roughly 250 copies and been gaining traffic on the music streaming service Spotify.

Seacoastonline.com reports the new EP is heavily rooted in folk and Americana but colored with alternative production and arrangement. The second track, “Lylo (All Will Be Well),” features soft synths a la The Police. “Acid Reflux Blues,” a rootsy rocker, starts off with a clean electric guitar sound reminiscent of ’90s alternative rock. It fits, as Dunbar said last spring, that he intended to give his own musical roots a modern take.

Dunbar was awarded a Mellon Summer Research grant from Holy Cross to record the album. The foundation offers grants to students working towards a variety of careers who apply each year, from writers to researchers.

“Usually songwriting is the thing I do when I should be doing homework,” Dunbar said. “To actually have it be my job was like, ‘Wow, stressful,’ but it was also really exhilarating.”

Related Information

This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Jacqueline Smith ’15.

 

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Holy Cross Kicks Off Semester Devoted to Solidarity

Posted on January 22, 2015 by College of the Holy Cross

solidarityAt the same time difficult conversations were taking place across our nation in light of recent events — including the lack of indictments in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, and the Black Lives Matter movement — they were also happening right here on our campus. From a learn-in in Rehm Library to a campus-wide invitation to dress in black as a sign of solidarity, the members of the College community began a dialogue on race, social justice and equality last semester.

As a community, we aim to keep the conversation going.

This semester, Holy Cross is launching a series of events, called HCinSolidarity, with the goal of opening up discussions across the community — from students, to faculty and staff, to alumni — on diversity, inclusion and solidarity.

HCinSolidarity kicked off at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast and Multifaith Community Prayer on Jan. 20. The continuing series will offer venues for discussion, reflection and discernment on social justice issues that concern all members of the College community; and our role as men and women, with and for others, on campus and beyond. The events invite all members of the College — from varying backgrounds, beliefs and experiences — to reflect on what it means to stand in solidarity with one another. The programming will include panel discussions, common readings, and other academic and cocurricular events.

The many faces of our community inspired one component of HCinSolidarity—a photo and video project begun last semester during Unity Week, called “Faces of the Hill.” Students, faculty, and staff were asked, “How do you define yourself?” The seemingly simple question resulted in a series of compelling images of community members holding up statements showcasing the diversity found throughout our campus.

“Faces of the Hill” resulted in the video included below, and an exhibition showcasing a selection of the photos from the project, on display in Hogan 1 beginning on Jan. 21. “Faces of the Hill” aims to continue conversations of diversity and solidarity on campus by inviting community members to take part in the discussion — “how do you define yourself?”— through social media. Take a photo, tag it with #HCinSolidarity, and check out the HCinSolidarity website to see it become a part of the larger conversation happening across our campus.

The HCinSolidarity website features a Flickr gallery of all the “Faces of the Hill” images taken last semester and the associated video, as well as the personal voices of students, faculty and staff. All upcoming information on HCinSolidarity events and programming will be listed on the site, and will be updated throughout the semester.

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Video by Tom Rettig

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Blog: Holland ’16 Hopes to Improve Her Spanish During Study Abroad Experience in Argentina

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Jessica McCaughey

Tiffany-Holland-blog-set-up

NAME Tiffany Holland ’16

HOMETOWN Austin, Texas

AREAS OF STUDY Premed psychology major

WHERE SHE’S STUDYING Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina

WHY SHE CHOSE ARGENTINA “I chose to study in Argentina to improve my Spanish and learn more about Latin American culture. I wanted to be in a big city and Universidad del Salvador is located right in the heart of Buenos Aires.”

WHAT SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Seeing the natural beauty of Argentina. I hope to explore sites like Iguazu Falls and Salta.”

WHY SHE’S BLOGGING “I’m blogging to show others all that South America has to offer. I also want to encourage other premedical students to study abroad and let them know that it is possible for them to manage the premed course load and make time for a semester away.”

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT Holland received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which offers grants to U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented internships abroad. Such international exchange is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.

Read the blog »

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Lecture to Explore Role of Black Church in Activism, from Civil War to Ferguson

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Danielle Kane

Karsonya Wise WhiteheadKarsonya Wise Whitehead, author of “Notes from a Colored Girl: The Civil War Pocket Diaries of Emilie Frances Davis” (USC Press, 2014), will give a lecture at the College of the Holy Cross titled, “From the Civil War to Ferguson: The Role of the Black Church as a Training Ground for Activism,” Monday, Jan. 26, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. in the Rehm Library. The lecture, presented by the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, is free and open to the public.

The black church has historically been the training ground for black activism. Pastors have routinely used the pulpit to call for acts of civil disobedience, from joining the Union Army to help free their enslaved brothers to sisters to participating in a march in New York or Ferguson or Boston against police brutality. In her lecture, Whitehead will explore the role of the black church in the context of American history, the recent events in Ferguson and New York, and the African American experience.

Whitehead is a historian who works in the black documentary tradition, specifically focusing on studying the different ways that people use to document their stories (through diaries, letters, editorials, and oral interviews). Her research and publications address the complex relationships between enslaved and freeborn 19th century black women, and investigates the ways in which race, class, and gender coalesce in American classrooms, political environments, and social arenas. She is an assistant professor of communication and African and African American studies at Loyola University Maryland; the founding executive director of The Emilie Frances Davis Center for Education, Research, and Culture; a K-12 master teacher in African American history; and, a three-time New York Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker.

Learn more and watch lectures online at www.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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Cantor Art Gallery to Exhibit Artwork by Faculty in the Visual Arts Department at Holy Cross

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Kelly Ethier

Painting titled "Adam's Farm" by Amy WynneThe Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross will exhibit artwork created by full and part time faculty members of the visual arts department from Jan.21 – April 10, 2015. An opening reception for “Pulse: New Work by Faculty Artists” will be held Wednesday, Jan. 28, 5 – 7 p.m.

Work by Amy Archambault, studio supervisor and lecturer; Michael Beatty, associate professor and division studio head; Rachelle Beaudoin, lecturer; Matthew Gamber, assistant professor; Randy Garber, visiting professor; Cristi Rinklin, associate professor and chair of visual arts; Susan Schmidt, professor; Leslie Schomp, lecturer; Marguerite White, lecturer and Amy Wynne, lecturer will be included in the exhibition, which will feature drawing, installations, photography, painting, printmaking, sculpture and video.

As working professional artists who balance their own art making with teaching at Holy Cross, the faculty exhibitions, mounted every three years at the Cantor Gallery, allow students, the campus community and the public the opportunity to experience the diversity of approaches each artist employs.

Roger Hankins, director of the Cantor Art Gallery, says that the visual arts faculty is a strong and diverse group, exploring a range of traditional and contemporary mediums and themes.

“Pulse” represents what these artists are currently working, their dedication to creating artwork that is visually compelling as well as intellectually challenging. They bring a lot to the table in terms of their professional engagement in the Boston area and beyond.

As an example, he sites Cristi Rinklin, associate professor and chair of the visual arts department, who currently has a solo exhibition on view at the Steven Zevitas Gallery in Boston through January and is scheduled to take part in an upcoming three-person show at the Fitchburg Art Museum in March. Rinklin is a painter whose work explores landscape through constructed realities.

“I have always been fascinated with the role that illusion has played in the historical practice of painting”, says Rinklin, “and today we encounter a constant flux of images from a myriad of sources that generate worlds which reflect our desires and deepest fears.”

Other accomplishments by the College’s visual arts faculty include: Michael Beatty, studio division head, is represented by the Barbara Krakow Gallery on Newbury Street in Boston; Rachelle Beaudoin received a Fulbright Scholarship in 2014 as an Artist-in-Residence, at the quartier21, Vienna Austria; Matthew Gamber, a founding editor of the online arts journal Big Red Shiny, is a member of Piece of Cake Project, a network for contemporary images, and represented by Gallery Kayafas in Boston; Randy Garber received a Travelling Fellowship Grant from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for research in Switzerland and is a partner in the Mixit Print Studio, Somerville, Mass.; Susan Schmidt’s work was included in the exhibition “reThink INK 25 Years at the Mixit Print Studio” at the Boston Public Library; Leslie Schomp and Amy Archambault show work at GRIN in Providence, and Archambault is also a member of the Boston Sculptors Gallery; Marguerite White’s work was recently included in the exhibition “Perfectly Strange” at the Worcester Art Museum; and Amy Wynne received the 2014-2015 Teacher of Excellence award from the Rhode Island School of Design.

EVENTS

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 10 a.m. Exhibit Opens: “Pulse: New Work by Faculty Artists”

Wednesday, Jan. 28, 5 – 7 p.m. Opening Reception, Cantor Art Gallery

Gallery Talks at Noon, Cantor Art Gallery:

Tuesday, Feb. 3
Michael Beatty, Matthew Gamber

Wednesday, Feb. 11
Amy Archambault, Rachelle Beaudoin, Marguerite White

Thursday, Feb. 19
Randy Garber, Susan Schmidt

Monday, March 16
Roger Hankins, Cristi Rinklin

Thursday, March 26
Leslie Schomp, Amy Wynne

Gallery Information
Founded in 1983 through the generosity of Iris & B. Gerald Cantor, the Cantor Art Gallery serves both as a venue for a changing series of historical and contemporary public exhibitions, as well as a vital resource for Holy Cross faculty and students, linking exhibitions to the broader liberal arts curriculum.

The hours for the Cantor Art Gallery are Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturdays 2 – 5 p.m. Located in O’Kane Hall, 1st Floor, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, Mass., 01610. Visitors needing assistance with handicap accessibility should contact Public Safety at 508-793-2011. Admission to the gallery is free.

For additional information please call 508-793-3356 or visit the Gallery’s website at: holycross.edu/cantorartgallery.

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Holy Cross Presents the Seelos Film Series for Spring 2015

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Jacqueline Smith ’15

SeelosThe following films will be shown in the Seelos Theater at the College of the Holy Cross. All films are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Boyhood”
Wed., Jan. 21: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated R. Starring Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, and Ethan Hawke. Filmed over the course of 12 years with the same cast, “Boyhood” is a coming-of-age story seen through the eyes of a child named Mason.

“A Walk Among the Tombstones”
Fri., Jan. 23 and Sat., Jan. 24: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated R. Starring Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, and David Harbour. A private investigator is hired by a drug kingpin to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.

“Calvary”
Wed., Jan. 28: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated R. Starring Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, and Kelly Reilly. After he is threatened during a confession, a good-natured priest must battle the dark forces closing in around him.

“November Man”
Fri., Jan. 30 and Sat., Jan. 31: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated R. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Luke Bracey, and Olga Kurylenko. An ex-CIA operative is brought back in on a very personal mission and finds himself pitted against his former pupil.

“Gone Girl”
Wed., Feb. 4: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated R. Starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, and Neil Patrick Harris. With his wife’s disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it’s suspected that he may not be innocent.

“Lucy”
Fri., Feb. 6 and Sat., Feb. 7: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated R. Starring Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman. A woman turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.

“A Most Wanted Man”
Wed., Feb. 11: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated R. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, and Daniel Brühl. A Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg where he gets caught in the international war on terror.

“The LEGO Movie”
Fri., Feb. 13 and Sat., Feb. 14: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated PG. Starring Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, and Alison Brie. An ordinary Lego construction worker is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant.

“Dear White People”
Wed., Feb. 18: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated R. Starring Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson, and Kyle Gallner. The film chronicles the lives of four black students at an Ivy League college.

“Get on Up”
Fri., Feb. 20 and Sat., Feb. 21: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated PG-13. Starring Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, and Dan Aykroyd. A chronicle of James Brown’s rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.

“Pride”
Wed., Feb. 25: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated R. Starring Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, and Dominic West. Gay activists work to help miners during their lengthy strike in the summer of 1984.

“Force Majeure”
Wed., March 11: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated R. Starring Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, and Clara Wettergren. A family on a ski holiday in the French Alps find themselves staring down an avalanche during lunch.

“John Wick”
Fri., March 13 and Sat., March 14: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated R. Starring Keanu Reeves. An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down gangsters.

“Fury”
Wed., March 18: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated R. Starring Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, and Logan Lerman. A battle-hardened army sergeant leads a Sherman tank and a five-man crew and undertakes a deadly mission behind enemy lines.

“The Two Faces of January”
Fri., March 20 and Sat., March 21: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated PG-13. Starring Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar Isaac. A thriller centered on a con artist, his wife, and a stranger who flee Athens.

“The Theory of Everything”
Wed., March 25: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated PG-13. Starring Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, and Tom Prior. A look at the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife.

“The Judge”
Fri., March 27 and Sat., March 28: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated R. Starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. Big city lawyer Hank Palmer returns to his childhood home where his father is suspected of murder.

“Tracks”
Wed., April 8: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated PG-13. Starring Mia Wasikowska and Adam Driver. A young woman goes on a 1,700-mile trek across the deserts of West Australia with four camels and her faithful dog.

“Interstellar”
Fri., April 10 and Sat., April 11: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated PG-13. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain. A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in an attempt to ensure humanity’s survival.

“Birdman”
Wed., April 15: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated R. Starring Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, and Edward Norton. A washed-up actor must overcome his ego and family trouble as he mounts a Broadway play in a bid to reclaim his past glory.

“Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb”
Fri., April 17 and Sat., April 18: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated PG. Starring Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, and Owen Wilson. Larry unites favorite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever.

“Selma”
Wed., April 22: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated PG-13. Starring David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, and Tim Roth. A chronicle of Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.

“St. Vincent”
Fri., April 24 and Sat., April 25: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated PG-13. Starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts. A young boy whose parents have just divorced finds an unlikely friend.

“The Imitation Game”
Wed., April 29: Showings at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rated PG-13. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, and Matthew Goode. Alan Turing tries to crack the enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians.

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 1”
Fri., May 1 and Sat., May 2: Showing at 7 p.m. Rated PG-13. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth. Katniss Everdeen is in District 13 after she shatters the games forever.

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Photo Gallery: Kimball Dining Hall Servery Receives Major Revamp

Posted on January 15, 2015 by

Kimball_09 copyJudging by the increased traffic, the first major renovation to Kimball Dining Hall in more than 20 years has been met with great enthusiasm.

The all-you-care-to-eat Kimball Dining Hall servery, which was renovated this summer, resulted in a 30 percent increase in traffic during the fall semester over the previous semester.

It’s not hard to see why it’s satisfying hungry students. The venerable Kimball Dining Hall now offers more dining options than ever before.

The new menus feature world cuisine, brick oven pizza, a super-food-inspired station, handcrafted deli sandwiches and made-to-order-style cooking. Food stations in the open-floor space include classic/entrée, breakfast, grill, stir-fry, pasta, soup, bread, pizza, deli, salad, and dessert (made daily in the campus bakery, the Kimball Sweet Shoppe). Other options include a fruit and yogurt bar with granola and fruit-infused filtered water.

The most popular dishes are stir-fry, turkey burgers, signature steak and cheese sandwiches, and rotisserie chicken, according to Lynn Cody, marketing coordinator for Dining.

In keeping with Dining’s strong commitment to sustainability, the new colorful fiesta ware was purchased from the only manufacturer that still produces in America, The Home Laughlin China Co.

Holy Cross Dining, which has received more than a dozen national awards in the last decade, strives to serve students no matter their dietary restrictions. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are available, and special food allergy services — including the allergy-free kitchen introduced years ago — are still available.

Dining also introduced an unlimited meal plan option last semester. The new plan provides unlimited meals in Kimball, allowing students to come and go as often as they’d like throughout the day during operating hours.

The changes were informed by intensive, on-campus student surveys. Physical Plant and Dining Services staff worked together with architectural, design and construction firms to plan and execute the renovation.

Generous alumni from the class of 1964 helped make the renovation a reality. In honor of their 50th reunion, the class of 1964 dedicated their Holy Cross Fund gift to the Kimball project, raising $1,091,614 for the Fund. Their record-breaking gift was heralded by the class of 1964 reunion committee, led by class chair Ron Maheu and reunion chair Paul La Camera.

Kimball Hall has served as a place for students to take sustenance, meet friends, hang out and study for more than 80 years. Alumni who recall the beautiful seating area need not worry — the wooden tables, high ceilings, and chandeliers weren’t touched. Kimball seats 823.

Lauren Haley ’16, an accounting major from Weymouth, Mass., appreciates the changes.

“I love the new Kimball Dining Hall,” she says. “The layout looks great, and the food tastes much better because it is made-to-order. I know students are happy with it!”

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Diller Scofidio + Renfro Selected to Design New Performing Arts Center at Holy Cross

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Ellen Ryder

PACThe College of the Holy Cross announced today that its new performing arts center, funded in part by a record-setting gift from alumnus Cornelius B. Prior, will be designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, an internationally acclaimed design firm known for its vibrant, interdisciplinary approach.

The announcement was made by Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president of the College, at an event in the lobby of the newest academic building on campus, the Linda and Park B. Smith Laboratories, which opened in 2009.

The performing arts center is the first project for DS+R at Holy Cross—but not the firm’s first in New England or for a college or university.  The New York-based firm is responsible for the design of the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston (2006), Brown University’s Creative Arts Center (2011), the University of California at Berkeley Art Museum, and the new Stanford University’s Art and Art History Building (both now under construction).  Among the firm’s other completed and in construction projects in New York City are the renovation and expansion of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts including Alice Tully Hall, the High Line Park and CultureSHED, a new cultural institution in New York’s Hudson Yards.

DS+R was selected by Holy Cross following a design competition that attracted proposals from eight of the world’s leading firms. While all the design proposals were impressive, the selection committee found DS+R’s approach distinctive in its vision for a new home on campus for hosting diverse performances and exhibits, and for nurturing creative work across disciplines.

In early 2013, the College accepted a gift of $25 million from alumnus Prior, a member of the Class of 1956, for the new building.  His donation is the largest single gift in College history.

“We are pleased to call on the extraordinary talents of DS+R to design this important new facility on our campus,” said Fr. Boroughs.  “The performing arts center has been launched because of the remarkable generosity of Neil Prior. With his transformative gift and the anticipated support of others, we are poised to realize the shared vision of Holy Cross and DS+R for a building of lasting architectural significance which will substantially enhance our academic programs.”

Construction of the $60 million project is expected to begin in 2017. Groundbreaking and construction timelines will be finalized as fundraising proceeds.  The facility is one of the major initiatives in the College’s comprehensive campaign, “Become More: Campaign for the Future of Holy Cross.”

Margaret Freije, vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College and a member of the selection committee said: “DS+R brings a visually stunning approach to all their work, and we anticipate a new building that will help redefine the arts at Holy Cross.  The principals of the firm are not only architects, but are artists who understand the needs of creative performers, composers, faculty and students.”

Ricardo Scofidio, partner at DS+R, said the firm is thrilled to be selected for the project. “We feel incredibly privileged to be working with Holy Cross to imagine hybrid spaces that engender new forms of teaching, learning, and artistic creation. The building will be a cultural hub for the campus and a meaningful contribution to the performing arts typology.”

The new facility will likely be located in what are now parking lots behind Healy Hall, a student residence.  The surrounding building site will be designed to accommodate various entrance points for academic purposes, performances, and campus visitors.

The performing arts center is slated to include an acoustically superior 400-seat concert hall and theatre, serving as the College’s principal venue for symphonic music, chamber music, jazz, Gamelan, as well as opera, music theatre, and dance.  The building will also include a 200-seat flexible performance space for theatre and a high-technology “beehive” space that will support creative collaboration among students from all academic disciplines. The beehive will be programmed as a shared multimedia space for sound recording, sound editing, video editing, film, and lighting and set design, and will include collaborative work spaces, multipurpose rehearsal spaces, and gathering spaces with movable furniture.  The building will also include a lobby space and café, and support space including a scene shop, costume shop, and multiuse spaces to encourage collaboration among the arts.

Additional programming studies—including discussions with Holy Cross students, faculty, and staff involved in the performing arts—will begin immediately on campus with the DS+R designers.

An exclusively undergraduate liberal arts college with 2,900 students, Holy Cross has a distinguished faculty in the performing arts. Their creative works have been presented worldwide acclaim and have been celebrated with recognition such as a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur Genius Award, three Grammy awards, along with numerous international prizes for composition and performance, as well as multiple grants from federal and regional organizations.

ABOUT DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO www.dsrny.com
Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) is an interdisciplinary design studio that integrates architecture, the visual arts, and the performing arts. Based in New York City, the 115-person studio is led by Elizabeth Diller, Ricardo Scofidio, Charles Renfro, and Benjamin Gilmartin, who work collaboratively on the design of each project. DS+R projects include: redevelopment of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, expansion of the Museum of Modern Art, the High Line Park, and CultureSHED, all in New York; the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; The Broad Museum, Los Angeles; and the Museum of Image and Sound, Rio de Janeiro.

ABOUT COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS www.holycross.edu
The College of the Holy Cross (holycross.edu), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is among the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions. A highly selective, four-year, exclusively undergraduate college of 2,900 students, Holy Cross is renowned for offering a rigorous, personalized education in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition.  Since its founding in 1843, Holy Cross has made a positive impact in society by graduating students who distinguish themselves as thoughtful leaders in business, professional and civic life.

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Holy Cross to Honor and Reflect on the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Kelly Ethier

MLK Breakfast The College of the Holy Cross will host its third annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 8 a.m. in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom. The breakfast, which is sponsored by the Diversity Leadership Team, will feature guest speakers including Milan Brown, men’s head basketball coach; Bob Credle ’65, director of community programs at Urban Edge; and Holy Cross student Vicmarys Brito ’15. They will each offer personal reflections about solidarity. The breakfast is free and open to the public.

“Given recent national events, the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is particularly relevant for those of us committed to social justice and solidarity” says Greta Kenney, coordinator of diversity leadership and education. “The breakfast is open to the entire community, and provides us an opportunity to honor Dr. King as we stand in solidarity with each other.”

In addition to the speakers there will be a musical performance by André Isaacs’05, assistant professor of chemistry. He will be singing “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke.

On Monday, Jan. 19 the College will host the eighth annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon, co-sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Education and the campus wide Hate: Not Here! Committee, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. The event encourages the development of leadership and activism modeled by Dr. King who began his social activism as a college student. The luncheon will feature a keynote address by Edward Augustus, city manager of Worcester.

“Ed Augustus, city manager and former director of government and community relations at Holy Cross, is another example of an individual who has committed his life to service, social justice and action,” says Mable Milner,  associate dean of students for diversity and inclusion and director of multicultural education at the College. “His leadership embraces diversity, inclusion, and engagement. He is a perfect and timely choice as speaker.”

The luncheon is being held as part of the Aptissimi: The leadership Conference. This event invites student leaders to explore, develop, and articulate their personal leadership styles. Aptissimi comes from a Jesuit philosophy of developing “as many as possible of the very best.”

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