We want to assure you that there is no direct threat to our campus in Worcester.  All on-campus programs and events are proceeding as scheduled throughout the weekend.

The College is continuing to monitor unfolding events, and will update this message as news and information warrants.

While our campus remains open, we are also aware that the events are having an impact on everyone here at Holy Cross.  If you desire to be with others in prayer, see the liturgy schedule; resources are also available through the Chaplains at Campion House, RAs in the residence halls, the Counseling Center, and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

May God’s peace and blessings be with us all.

As the academic year concludes, the College of the Holy Cross will host its annual Academic Conference from April 24 through April 27. The four-day conference provides students with an opportunity to present the results of their independent work and for the entire community to celebrate the relationship between Holy Cross’ liberal arts curriculum and the learning taking place in varied environments — from Study Abroad to the Worcester community; from research labs and art studios to libraries and field sites.

The programs, projects, poster sessions, and performances presented by students at the conference were developed with the guidance of faculty members. The conference showcases the independence, creativity, and intellectual discipline of students, as well as the role professors have played as mentors and model teacher-scholars.

Approximately 300 Holy Cross students from all classes are involved in the conference this year. Academic Conference 2013 is free and open to the public.

The conference includes works from the arts, social sciences, humanities and natural sciences. Students will present an array of topics including:

• “Making Liberalism Work: Rawls, MacIntyre, and Ratzinger on Justice, Moral Disagreement, and the Good,” Travis LaCouter ’13

• “Answering God’s Call: A Catholic’s Response to Violence and War,” Frances Klimczak ’13

• “The Road to Each of Us: Character, Place, and the Writing of Contemporary Fiction,” David Cotrone ’13

• “The Missing Voice in the Epidemic: Experiences of Living with HIV/AIDS in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,” Kathryn Chobanian ’13

• “Post-Genocide Rwanda’s Economic Growth and Its Democratic Issues,” John Rubayiza ’13

• “Long Has Become Too Long: A Close Look at Unemployment Transition Rates in the 2007-2009 Recession,” Elizabeth Sundheim ’13

• “Housing and the Econ Crisis,” Daniel Lautenschlager ’13

• “Perceptions of Body and Health Within the Homeless Community,” Jonathan Kassira ’14

• “K-Pop Phenomenon,” Sharice Styles ’14

• “Cerebral Aneurysm Neck Reoccurrence After Endovascular Coiling Following Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,” Bailey Proft ’13

• “Is it Safe to Play Outside? Exploring Limitations on Children’s Free Play in Low-Income Neighborhoods,” Megan Lynch ’13

• “The Masks of T.S. Eliot and Bob Dylan,” Rebecca Castellani ’13

• “Analysis of the Structure and Activity of Hedgehog Domains and Inteins,” Sarah Cahn ’14

• “Social Security and Insurance,” Mariah Napolitano ’13

• “It’s Only Human: A Defense of Theatre’s Necessity,” Christine Freije ’13

The conference will open with a lecture by this year’s Fenwick Scholar, Gregory Peters ’13, a psychology major with concentrations in premed and biological psychology. The Fenwick Scholar Award is one of the College’s oldest and most prestigious academic distinctions. Departmental nominees design, with several advisors, a program of study leading to a significant research or creative project that will be an entire senior-year curriculum.

His lecture, “Schizophrenia in Research and Practice: The Case for Conceptual and Methodological Pluralism” will be presented at 4 p.m. in the Rehm Library on April 24.

Peters, who is from the Bronx, spent the academic year working with numerous professors, including Alo Basu, assistant professor of psychology; Gregory DiGirolamo, associate professor of psychology; Daniel Bitran, professor of psychology; Andrew  Futterman, professor of psychology; Suzanne Kirschner, associate professor of psychology; Rev. William Stempsey, S.J., professor of philosophy; and Renée Beard, assistant professor of sociology.

A reception, open to the entire Holy Cross community, will follow the lecture at 5 p.m. in Moran Lounge, on the fourth floor of Smith Hall.

Other highlights of the conference include:

• On April 25, 11 studio art majors will participate in “The Fruits of Chance & Necessity,” the annual exhibition of artwork by graduating seniors who have participated in the Senior Concentration Seminar, at the Cantor Art Gallery. The opening exhibition and reception for the artists will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Preceding the opening will be presentations by the students from 12 to 1 p.m. The exhibition will be open to the public through May 24.

• Three music events will take place in Brooks Concert Hall. On April 24 at 8 p.m., there will be a Chamber Orchestra concert. On April 25 at 8 p.m., there will be a Chamber Music Festival. Finally, on April 25 at 6 p.m., Patrick Chiarolanzio ’13 will perform his senior recital.

The conference is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Dean of the College.

Academic Conference Program 2013 [PDF].

Relay for Life

On Friday, April 26, the College of the Holy Cross community will participate in Relay For Life, a fundraising and awareness event sponsored by the American Cancer Society with the intention of fighting against cancer. The event will begin at 6 p.m. in Kimball Dining Hall and will continue in the Field House at 7 p.m. until 2 a.m., where more than 200 participants will participate in solidarity with those impacted by the disease.

The relay is separated into three ceremonies: celebrate, remember, and fight back. The first includes a survivor’s walk and the second involves a luminaria ceremony, in which luminaria bags are lit in memory of those who have lost their lives to cancer. The event will also include Shave the Brave, which will take place at 8 p.m. in the Field House. During this fundraising event, student leaders from across campus will raise money and seek pledges before shaving their heads, to stand in solidarity with those fighting the disease. While student teams walk the Field House track, there will also be activities including a photo booth and airbrush art, hypnotists, a cappella performances, refreshments, and raffles.

“My biggest hope for the event is that a large majority of the campus comes to support this cause,” says Jacqueline Smith ’15, student organizer. “It’s hard to express in words the impact the Relay can have on a person until you’re at the event. I hope that students, faculty, and friends come and rejuvenate their hope for something better.”

Last year, the College’s Relay for Life efforts raised more than $10,000, and this year, they hope to double that total, with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. “Cancer is a tough subject to talk about, but the Relay brings about an atmosphere where you don’t need to be afraid to speak of your experiences,” explains Smith.

For more information visit www.relayforlife.org/holycrossma.

As noted by The Princeton Review, Holy Cross is on track to realize its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2040. In recent years, the Integrated Science Complex and Figge Hall—the College’s newest residence hall—have both achieved LEED Gold certification, and renewable energy initiatives like a partnership with TransCanada, a renewable energy supplier, has already reduced the school’s carbon footprint by 28 percent.

The guide continues: “Internships and projects working with environmental organizations and not-for-profit groups throughout the Worcester area are plentiful and many students participate through Holy Cross’ Environmental Studies program, and student run environmental groups like Eco-Action.”

The Princeton Review created its “Guide to 322 Green Colleges” in partnership with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, with support from United Technologies Corp., founding sponsor of the Center for Green Schools.

With a 98.1 percent first-year student retention rate, the College ranked seventh in Moneywatch’s list of private U.S. colleges and universities with the highest percentage of freshmen who return as sophomores.

Other institutions in the top 10 include: (1) Princeton University – 99.2 percent; (2) Harvey Mudd College – 99 percent (3) Yale University – 99 percent; (4) University of Pennsylvania – 98.3 percent; (5) University of Chicago – 98.1 percent; (6) Harvard University – 98.1 percent; (8) Stanford University – 98.1 percent; (9) Carleton College – 98.15 percent; and (10) University of Notre Dame – 98 percent.

• Read the Moneywatch report
  Read more about what makes Holy Cross unique on our “Points of Distinction” page

50 million people in the U.S.—one in four children—don’t know where their next meal is coming from, despite our having the means to provide nutritious, affordable food for all Americans. In “A Place at the Table,” directors Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush examine this issue through the lens of three people who are struggling with food insecurity: Barbie, a single Philadelphia mother who grew up in poverty and is trying to provide a better life for her two kids; Rosie, a Colorado fifth-grader who often has to depend on friends and neighbors to feed her and has trouble concentrating in school; and Tremonica, a Mississippi second-grader whose asthma and health issues are exacerbated by the largely empty calories her hardworking mother can afford.

Their stories are interwoven with insights from experts including sociologist Janet Poppendieck, author Raj Patel and nutrition policy leader Marion Nestle; ordinary citizens like Pastor Bob Wilson and teachers Leslie Nichols and Odessa Cherry; and activists including Witness to Hunger’s Mariana Chilton, “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio and Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges, as well as Congressman McGovern.

“I believe that solving hunger is a matter of politics,” explains Congressman McGovern, who recently began a series of speeches focused on the importance of ending hunger. “We have the means in America to end hunger now. We have the food, and we have the knowledge. We just haven’t mustered the political will. This film does a remarkable job demonstrating how we as a nation can and must develop a plan to end hunger now.”

According to the L.A. Times, “The Sundance Film Festival is chock full of documentaries this year about the troubles besetting America… but ‘A Place at the Table’ may rank among the most moving in that it tackles a seemingly straightforward, solvable problem: hunger in the United States. Variety writes “’A Place at the Table’ is an engaging and enraging movie that will enlist supporters for its cause.”

Related Information:

• Learn more about Congressman McGovern’s #EndHungerNow campaign
• Lean more about “A Place at the Table”

“The Boston Marathon is a symbol of so many of the values which we at Holy Cross hold dear — dedication, perseverance, charity, community, and excellence,” says Marybeth Kearns-Barrett, director of the Office of the College Chaplains. “By gathering together as a community to reflect and pray at this painful time, we reaffirm our commitment to these values and to our collective vocation to be peacemakers.”

Telegram & Gazette

Every Thursday students from Worcester’s North and South high schools skip class and make a bee line to the parking lot. While it may sound suspicious, their teachers – and even their principals – encourage it.

Waiting for them in a retrofitted school bus equipped with its own generator, 4G LTE connectivity, and individual workstations with Samsung Tabs are onboard tutors from the College of the Holy Cross.  For 90 minutes the students work in pairs on an SAT prep curriculum and college readiness skills.

Designed and run by Verizon Wireless to bring technology to students in underserved communities, Worcester is one of just three pilot cities in Massachusetts to host the program.

The Telegram & Gazette and NECN/Channel 3 recently took a ride on the school bus turned Mobile Learning Lab which resulted in two feature stories.

In the Telegram & Gazette article Vanessa Kranwinkel ‘15, explained on her method of tutoring. “I prefer to tutor in English because that’s my strength. We ask students what their strength is, and then we concentrate on helping them with the opposite,” said Kranwinkel, who is joined by scores of her peers in the Lab.

In a feature video on NECN.com, Verizon Wireless company spokesperson Mike Murphy stated that he is thrilled to see college mentors spend one-on-one time with high school students seeking academic assistance. Of the Lab, he said, “[it creates] a 360 degree comprehensive environment.” Echoing such sentiment, Antonio Willis-Berry ’13, another Holy Cross tutor who travels to South High once a week, said, “I can think of many other things to be doing on Thursday morning, but all I can think about is coming back.”

Read more about the Mobile Learning Lab:

• NECN.com, April 11: Learning on four wheels in Worcester, Mass.
• Telegram & Gazette, April 16: Mobile learning lab pairs high schoolers with college tutors

This ‘Holy Cross in the News’ item by David Cotrone ’13.

Detour

Two Holy Cross alumni — director William Dickerson ’01 and actor Neil Hopkins ’99 — will screen their independent film, “Detour,” on April 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fenwick Theatre at the College of the Holy Cross. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a question and answer session moderated by Steven Vineberg, professor of theatre.

Written and directed by Dickerson, a former English major at the College, “Detour” involves a man named Jackson Alder (Hopkins) who becomes trapped in his car during a brutal mudslide. Amidst these dangerous elements and with no hope of rescue, he must attempt to dig himself out. “Detour” is a story of disaster, desire and survival instincts.

Hailed as “the best U.S. film I’ve seen in 2013” by Tom Charity of CNN, “Detour” has been called an “emotional and psychological roller-coaster ride” by The Examiner, and nothing short of “authentic” by The New York Times.

According to Dickerson, he wanted to create a film that was “a thriller [but in] the context of everyday life.” With this in mind, the film’s protagonist, Jackson “is a true everyman,” revealing how “any of us could have an unexpected disaster in our lives.” Then, explaining the greater meaning of the film, Dickerson states that such disaster “may not take the shape of an enormous mudslide, but it’s not the obstacle that matters, it’s how we confront it and how we find a way to overcome it.”

Dickerson earned his M.F.A. from The American Film Institute and his work has been recognized by film festivals around the country. “Detour” is his debut feature film, and he is currently completing his second, which is titled “The Mirror.” At Holy Cross he completed the film studies program.

Hopkins, the film’s lead, is best known for his recurring role in the hit television show “Lost,” in which he played Liam, Charlie’s heroin-addicted rock star brother. He has also appeared in the Emmy-Award nominated “Big Love” and in “My Name is Earl,” “Grimm,” “CSI: NY,” “Criminal Minds” and “NCIS.”

At Holy Cross, Hopkins was involved in Alternate College Theatre performances including “My Fair Lady” and “Guys and Dolls,” and theatre department productions including Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure,” and Chekhov’s “The Three Sisters.” He earned his M.F.A. from San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater.

“Detour,” which debuted on March 29, 2013, is now available both on demand and in select theaters.

Faces Series

The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery will host the annual exhibition of artwork by graduating seniors who have participated in the Senior Concentration Seminar from April 25 – May 24, 2013. A discussion by the artists of their work will take place from noon – 1 p.m. the day the show opens, Thursday, April 25, with a reception from 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Student artists participating in the exhibition “The Fruits of Chance & Necessity,” include Jack Butler, Dioni Cruz, Vivian Daly, Janelle DiMartino, Danielle Dimond, Chelesea Jenkins, Julia Keough, Annie Le, Kerry Simon, Alexander Vera, and Katherine Wallace. Visual arts faculty members Susan Schmidt, professor, and David Gyscek, assistant professor, guided students throughout the academic year in developing their art practice and creating a concise body of artwork reflecting the individual’s viewpoint and distinct aesthetic voice.

The Senior Concentration Seminar provides students with the opportunity to explore issues of artistic professionalism with the encouragement to take risks in developing their ideas. Participants are challenged to experience both the revelations and failures of the creative process. Critiques, required readings, writing and sketchbook assignments provide a rigorous foundation for self-reflection and development.

With a diverse array of media serving their artistic ideas, students this year have made use of both traditional means including drawing, photography and sculpture, as well as experimental crossovers between digital, fine art and crafts to express themselves.

There will be several stop-motion videos created by Chelesea Jenkins in which she combines video images of a woman’s mouth singing a lullaby with the recording of another person actually performing the audio the listener hears. Jenkins explores ideas of the self and how memory effects emotion with her photographically based works. Julia Keough has created an enclosed ephemeral installation comprised of layers of transparent gauze fabric on which a changing series of words about personal relationships are projected.

Janelle Di Martino has utilized the floor to ceiling glass wall that runs the length of one side of the gallery to create a temporary artwork applied to the glass out of hundreds of feet of transparent adhesive tape. Di Martino’s layering of successive short pieces of clear and mat tape build up flat biomorphic shapes that float across the windows like clouds or traces of the meanderings of streams of water.

Vivian Daly’s work is comprised of hundreds of small drawings of the face on vellum and glassine affixed to one of the gallery walls. Daly’s drawings are arranged on one wall to look like a crowded bulletin board, but selective drawings are engineered to gradually fall off the wall, creating a cluster of images on the floor surrounding the piece.  Kerry Simon looks to ordinary discarded products such as cigarette packages for inspiration, painting or embroidering miniature portraits of people she knows on them. Simon presents her reclaimed and altered objects both as formal art in frames and casually placed objects located throughout the gallery.

Alexander Vera has created an installation made from clay, paint, string, Styrofoam packaging and plastic sheeting to explore the temporal nature of human life.  Dioni Cruz uses digital media to create a multi-layered film installation from several stop- motion videos projected in a corner of the gallery. Cruz invites the audience to enter the space between the projector and the wall in order to cast their own shadow into his films, thereby bringing the viewer into a surreal world.

In Katherine Wallace’s 2- and 3-dimensional constructions she uses yarn and thread to ‘draw’ form much like an artist would draw images with charcoal. Wallace challenges conventions of picture making by employing non-traditional materials to construct recognizable imagery with new vitality. Jack Butler’s body of gelatin silver photographs, painstakingly crafted in the dark room with multiple enlarger exposures on a single sheet of photographic paper blend images of the human body with architectural elements to create hybrid identities.

Danielle Dimond’s full spectrum, maximum overload of images assembled in a multisensory walk-through installation combines everyday objects with her own paintings and drawings. Worcester native Annie Le created several wearable art objects based on 1960s and 70s dress patterns that are constructed from digitally printed fabric with images of women laborers in factories around the world. Fellow students will wear Le’s ‘dresses’ in a performance during the opening reception of the exhibition.

The exhibition will remain on view through commencement on May 24.

EVENTS

Thursday, April 25, 10 a.m. Exhibit opens: “The Fruits of Chance & Necessity”

Thursday, April 25, 12 – 1 p.m. A roundtable discussion with the artists

Thursday, April 25, 5 – 6:30 p.m. Opening reception

The Gallery will be closed May 18

Gallery Information

Celebrating 30 years of art at the Cantor Art Gallery, 1983 – 2013

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 and Sundays 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.