FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
Connections Holy Cross College Alumni & Friends
CITIZEN COURAGEOUS, COMPASSIONATE, & DEVOTED
Dear Friends, Since the last issue of Connections, we were able to enroll a strong first year class even in the face of a debilitating pandemic. With a commitment from our students, faculty, and staff to follow specific guidelines and safety protocols established this fall, we had a successful fall semester school of in-person instruction and overcame this difficult moment in time with true grit and dedication to the Holy Cross tradition. Our spring semester started with in-person classes and we plan to remain on campus throughout the semester. Perfect timing that the focus of this issue is Citizen and highlights the courageous, compassionate and devoted members of the Holy Cross community. Outside of their rigorous studies, our students involve themselves in the world and our alumni demonstrate how they have become global citizens with the competence to see and the courage to act. Their faith makes them generous, spirited, and responsive to the needs of their communities.
FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
Connections, Holy Cross College’s official magazine, is published twice yearly. E D I TO R Lisa Kochanowski GRAPHIC DESIGNER Debra Handel, Handel Design P H OTO G R A P H E R S / P H OTO CO U R T E S I E S
CO N T R I B U T I N G WRITERS
Timothy Cleaver Slade Gorski ‘19 Marijka Lynch-Pastoor ‘21 Peter Ringenberg
Dillon Begley ‘21 Tyler Braidic Pat Derksen ‘14 Slade Gorski ‘19 Val Hajec ‘12
Lisa Kochanowski Justin McDevitt Jordan Schank Stephanie White
POSTMASTER: PLEASE SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: COLLEGE RELATIONS Holy Cross College P.O. Box 308 | Notre Dame, IN | 46556 Copyright 2020 Holy Cross College, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission. The opinions expressed are those of the authors or their subjects and are not necessarily shared by the College or editor. SEND YOUR UPDATES TO: COLLEGE RELATIONS Holy Cross College | PO Box 308 | Notre Dame, IN 46556 Email: collegerelations@hcc-nd.edu Webform: Collegerelations.hcc-nd.edu/class-notes
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HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021
In this issue, you will read about a student and alumna both battling the pandemic by helping those in need along with ways our faculty rose to the challenge of virtual learning to create unique growth opportunities for students. Discover one alumna’s journey of a kidney donation to a stranger, and how another alumna is using her education to work with female inmates to be a part of improving their treatment in jails and prisons. Relive the excitement of the men’s basketball teams’ journey to the championship with a speech from the championship ring ceremony by class of 2014 alum Pat Derksen. Readers will learn how our Moreau Center Initiative (MCI) students were part of an interdisciplinary course that examined how society has confronted pandemics in the past with the course “The World in Pandemic.” Although the pandemic altered our Welcome Weekend festivities and commencement for the class of 2020, we were able to participate in the long-standing tradition of the Thanksgiving Food Basket drive. New this year was the Presidential Challenge that invited the Holy Cross College community to donate $2 to sponsor a Thanksgiving meal at the Center for the Homeless. Each dollar donated was matched and in the end my challenge far exceeded my goal of providing 250 meals – we were able to provide 1500 meals! I hope you enjoy this edition of Connections! Thank you for your support. We need it to continue on our bold, determined future. Be assured of my prayers for all of our alumni, parents, and benefactors who support our distinctive and transformative mission. Know that you are all in my daily thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. May the Incarnate God grant you peace, health, and blessings. Crux Ave, Spes Unica! With gratitude,
(Rev.) David T. Tyson, C.S.C.
FEATURES 30 Men’s basketball
FALL 2020/WINTER 2021
makes history Holy Cross College presented players from the 2019-2020 men’s basketball team with championship rings on September 4. Pat Derksen, a 2014 Holy Cross alumnus and former men’s basketball player, served as the emcee for the ring ceremony and shares his take on the season, along with a trip down memory lane.
4 Commencement exercises for class of 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic did not derail Father Tyson’s goal of having an in-person 53rd commencement exercise for the class of 2020. Instead of the virtual graduation option other colleges chose, Holy Cross College opted for a fall Commencement that gave alumni and their families a chance to be together one more time to celebrate the achievements of this amazing group of scholars.
Holy Cross College has the vision to form global citizens with the competence to see and the courage to act, and COVID-19 gave student Quinn Arial ‘23 and 2019 alum Daniel Mahoney to act courageously by helping those in need.
3 Table of Contents 6-7 Class of 2024 8-9 Higher education more valuable than ever
11 Saints & Heroes 12-13
Faculty updates
16 Class offers new ways of looking at world 17 Saints community outreach
program perspectives
citizens during a pandemic
2 Letter from Rev. David T. Tyson, C.S.C
10 Q&A with Marisa (Villano) Simon, new Director of Admissions
26 Global experience 14 Being good
TABLE OF CONTENTS
As our world becomes more interconnected, our ability to understand and empathize with people from different cultural contexts is crucial to our success in our relationships, in our careers, in our careers, and in our effort to building a better and more peaceful global society. The Global Experience at Holy Cross College is designed to broaden cultural horizons and prepare students to be a reflective and open-minded citizen of the world. Read about the travels of two participants.
36 Alumna Val Hajec donates kidney to stranger When I tell people this story, it really seems fake. I replay how it happened in my head and get chills. How could two absolute strangers from different states, different backgrounds be biologically linked so closely together? By just following my gut and saying “yes” led to the chance at a longer life for another. I read his story and immediately felt connected. There were so many little things that drew me to him and his family, but ultimately it came down to knowing I could
18-19
Distance learning ignites creative projects
20-21
Back on campus
22-24
Around campus
25 Athletics update 28-29 Teaching in a pandemic 34-35
Coach Omar Gallo recognized
38-39
Almuna profile
40-41
Holy Cross updates
42-43
Class notes
44-45
New board members
46-47
Development updates
help and feeling – I am his match. Learn more about Valerie Hajec’s ’14 journey.
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53rd Commencement celebrated in-person
After much planning and excitement, Holy Cross College held its 53rd commencement exercises honoring the class of 2020 with an in-person ceremony! Instead of a virtual graduation option that many other colleges chose, we opted for a fall Commencement that would give alumni and their families a chance to be together, one more time, to celebrate the achievements of this amazing group of scholars.
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We had a wonderful day celebrating the accomplishments of the class of 2020, in the College’s first ever outdoor commencement. Caleb Mishler, of Elkhart, Indiana, represented his class as valedictorian. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in business and minors in information technology and marketing. During his undergraduate years, he participated in a variety of activities including serving as Vice President of the Student Government Association and as a resident and hall assistant. During the ceremony, the College honored three people who embody the ideal of a servant leader, and whose actions support and foster the intellectual tradition of faith and reason in Catholic education. Sister M. Elise Kriss, O.S.F. was recognized for leadership and contributions to the common good of Northern Indiana, and for her selfless service to the Church and Catholic higher education as a servant leader who sets an example for all, with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa. George E. Martin, Ph.D., was recognized for his transformational leadership, dedication to the common good of higher education, and committed service to a university founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross, with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa. John Affleck-Graves, served as commencement speaker and was also honored with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa. He was recognized for his leadership and scholarship, and for his outstanding commitment to both excellence in teaching and the expectation of the highest academic and professional standards. He was also noted for his for service to both the local community and Catholic higher education through his work at the University of Notre, which has benefitted the entire tri-campus of Notre Dame, Indiana.
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Welcome Class of 2024 Welcome Weekend for the class of 2024 looked a little different this year with the addition of physical distancing and face mask wearing. Just as drive-by events or virtual sing-alongs have emerged nationwide, we tried to bring creativity and ingenuity to the ways we connected with one another and make campus life vibrant, including eating in tents and an outdoor movie on the quad. It is our new norm this year, and although the level of activities and interaction was different, the fun and excitement of Welcome Weekend remained the same.
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HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
ADMISSIONS
CLASS OF 2024
BY THE NUMBERS 22%
200
First Generation College Students
Live on Campus
TOTAL STUDENTS
74%
REPRESENTED
31 6 States
90% Identify as Catholic
Countries
34% Are Students of Color
SCORES 1110-1430 MID-50 SAT
53% 47% Male
Female
$28,000
Average Financial Aid Package Not Including Loans
per student
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE hcc-nd.edu
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EDUCATION
HIGHER HIGH EDUCATION More Valuable Than Ever “Hoosiers must seek out the opportunities to reskill or
According to a new College Value Report by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, the value of higher education is worth the cost to both the individual student, and the state as a whole. The report outlines the measurable value of higher
prepare themselves in order to
education in Indiana and the personal impact of student decisions on outcomes for
advance in their careers. This
wages and workplace engagement, among other considerations.
new report shows the value “Education is more valuable than ever. In a strong but changing economy, Hoosiers
of higher education goes beyond
must seek out the opportunities to reskill or prepare themselves in order to advance
financial aspects and gets to the
in their careers,” said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers in a
heart of meaningful and
release. “This new report shows the value of higher education goes beyond financial aspects and gets to the heart of meaningful and relevant work for Hoosiers.”
relevant work for Hoosiers.” – Teresa Lubbers, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education
Holy Cross College offers a three-year, accelerated bachelor’s degrees in business, psychology, theology, English, and liberal studies. Students still get a valuable college experience, with significant savings of both cost and time; three-year students are ready to enter a career or graduate studies earlier. This three-year option also helps decrease potential student debt accruement by eliminating the fourth year in undergrad study and students are less likely to take out additional loans.
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EDUCATION
“My favorite part of the program is the support system it provides; all of the staff involved in the program are very helpful and always willing to offer support along one’s journey through the accelerated degree program.” – Mikayleigh Clark ‘23
“I was able to set a path here at Holy Cross College where I can complete my BA here and my masters at Notre Dame in four years. This path provides a challenging and excellent academic environment for my four years in the tri-campus community.” – Steve Viz ‘21
To learn more, visit www.hcc-nd.edu/enrollment-programs/ “I am studying Theology at Holy Cross College. I chose the accelerated degree program at Holy Cross because I plan to attend graduate school after receiving my bachelor’s degree and wanted to lessen the time I would have to spend in school before being able to work in my field,” noted student Mikayleigh Clark ‘23.
at Notre Dame in four years. This path provides a challenging and excellent academic environment for my four years in the tri-campus community,” said Viz.
Student Steve Viz ‘21 is currently working to complete a degree in liberal studies with a business minor. He chose the accelerated program after he decided he wanted to participate in the Masters of Science and Management (MSM) Program at the University of Notre Dame through the Mendoza College of Business.
The three-year curriculum is rigorous and ideal for a student who enters Holy Cross prepared to declare an accelerated major and take upperlevel courses right away. Similar to a traditional four-year degree, an accelerated baccalaureate program requires the completion of 120 credits. Students must be highly motivated and prepared for challenging semester workloads, timely completion of Holy Cross core classes, and some summer coursework.
“With the help of my advisors Dr. David Lutz, Dr. Mike Griffin, and Father Tyson, I was able to set a path here at Holy Cross College where I can complete my BA here and my masters
“My favorite part of the program is the support system it provides; all of the staff involved in the program are very helpful and always willing to offer support along one’s journey through
the accelerated degree program. The program can prove to be a bit challenging due to the extra classes one has to take every semester to finish faster, but because each major is planned out ahead of time there is little stress when it comes to assuring one fits in all their required classes,” said Clark. “In the future, I plan to teach theology at a college level; my dream is to one day teach theology at Notre Dame.” “The accelerated track demands that students take additional credits during the school year, as well as during the summer, to complete this track on time. Courses during the summer proved challenging as I tried to balance internships as well my caddying job at a local country club,” noted Viz who interned at Boeing in Chicago this past summer with the global treasury group.
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ADMISSIONS
Q&A Marisa (Villano) Simon Director of Admissions What is your job title and what will you be doing at Holy Cross? As Director of Admissions, I will be leading the admissions team, as well as collaborating with campus partners, in recruiting students to Holy Cross College.
What is your eduction level? Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, with a concentration in Life Sciences, and Korean minor from the University of Notre Dame.
What made you choose this career path? My parents (who now both work at Notre Dame) raised me to value education, and I am passionate about providing access to higher education for all who seek it. I have enjoyed the work of assisting students through the admissions process and helping students find their fit, particularly at a catholic institution with a mission to educate the whole person. I also love to travel, so that’s been a nice bonus.
What brought you to Holy Cross College? Tell me a little bit about your background and work in your field. For the last three years, I worked in admissions at Notre Dame Law School, after five years in undergraduate admissions, also at Notre Dame. My career has had a particular focus in serving underrepresented minorities and international students. I first started out in the ACE program, teaching high school math in east Los Angeles.
Over the last decade, I have come to call South Bend home, and I’m excited to work more closely with the local community. More specifically, the people I’ve met here and their affinity for Holy Cross College have inspired and excited me to serve the College and its mission.
What are some things you would like to accomplish at Holy Cross College? I’m looking forward to shaping the future classes of scholars, citizens, leaders, and disciples. With my background in mathematics, I hope to use technology and data models to inform our decisions, while maintaining the personal approach to recruiting the best-fit students.
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EDUCATION
“Saints and Heroes: Augustine on the Love of Glory” by Michael Giles, Ph.D., Instructor at Holy Cross College
Holy Cross College aims to form each student as a “Scholar, Citizen, Leader, and Disciple.” Several of these core objectives of Holy Cross College relate to my research, but let’s think about leadership for a moment. When my students and I talk about leadership, we want to discover what a good leader is, so that we can become that kind of person. Now, one underrated but critically important key to transformational leadership is ambition. Ambition, or the love of glory, is like jet fuel for great leadership. All the great leaders have it - it is part of their “secret sauce.” This holds true for leaders in every field of human endeavor. Greatness in politics, business, even academic and athletic competitions, all require some level of striving for glory. We encourage ambition in our spouses, children, and students, because we want to see them make the most of their opportunities. Yet, we’re all vaguely aware that ambition is (or can be) dangerous too. We often find ourselves to be afraid of, or intimidated by, ambitious people. We regard them with suspicion, and for good reason. Why? Well, we suspect that they would take advantage of us, if they could. So, we should ask: is ambition, or the love of
glory, a righteous desire? Can one be ambitious and a good leader? My work seeks to understand ambition in the light of political philosophy and theology, in this case through the life and work of St. Augustine of Hippo. I demonstrate that Augustine shows a quite unexpected appreciation for the love of glory, despite his awareness of the many dangers that frequently attend it. Augustine draws a distinction between the love of glory and the desire to dominate, the latter of which he spurns. Furthermore, Augustine’s view of ambition depends on another aspect of the “core four,” citizenship. One thing you quickly learn from Augustine is that a radical but unseen division exists in this world, a division which he describes in terms of citizenship. Every human person can be a citizen in one of two, and only two, cities. These are the “earthly” and “heavenly” cities. The heavenly city hangs on God’s promise; the earthly city hangs on a human standard of excellence. The idea of the “two cities” clarifies what is at stake for a citizen, because it concerns our ultimate loyalty: what principle or ideal must not, at all costs, be betrayed? For the earthly city, that principle is love of self: independent, arrogant, assertive of its own primacy.
For the heavenly city, it is the love of God - and of mankind as loved by God and as dependent on him. The surprising thing is that both the earthly and the heavenly realm seek glory and to live in a way that provokes praise. Glory is, in a way, an expression of the rivalry between these two cities. Each one claims to have or merit true glory. Therefore, a right kind of glory-seeking is possible because the saints attain it, even though they did not seek glory for its own sake. Augustine suffers from zero doubt as to which city wins more glory. In the very first lines of the City of God, he writes, “Most glorious is the City of God: whether in this passing age, where she dwells by faith as a pilgrim among the ungodly, or in the security of that eternal home which she now patiently awaits until ‘righteousness shall return to judgment.’” Augustine says that the heavenly city can be glorious in this world and not merely in the next. For those who live as pilgrims now, that is a tremendously encouraging thought. In the end, the effort to attain glory reveals the depth of our longing for immortality. If this longing really is part of man’s present nature, then nature bears the marks of a better nature or better life. Augustine’s respect for glory-seeking behavior provides a crucial indication of the role that the longing
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FA C U LT Y U P D AT E S
“Saints and Heroes: Augustine on the Love of Glory”
Holy Cross College welcomes new members to the faculty and staff Holy Cross College welcomed three full-time faculty members this academic year along, along with a new Director of Admissions.
(continued from previous page.) for immortality plays in his account of what a good leader is. The most ambitious people are, in a sense, the ones who most desire immortality and are accordingly most frightened by the certainty of death. That is why ambition can be dangerous for all of us. Instead of admitting to ourselves that we cannot have the real thing, the only thing worth striving for, by our own efforts alone, then we will settle for imitation. a passé imitation. As human beings, therefore, we are “substitutionary” creatures, powerfully endowed with a longing for immortality but forever placing our hope for it in things that cannot deliver. We want real cane sugar but, somehow, put up with Splenda. The point is not to stop desiring immortality - indeed, we are constitutionally incapable of doing so but to realize that even the pinnacle of ambition cannot satisfy this deepest thirst. Nor can any accomplishment do away with human dependence on God. The virtue of humility in a leader allows him or her to see, truths. and live by, these truths.
John Biddle joins the College as an assistant professor of physics. He will be teaching two physics sequences, one for people planning to study engineering and the physical sciences, and another for people planning to study life sciences, including those in preparation for careers in health-related fields. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in education from the University of Notre Dame. “During my work at Maryland, I studied phase transitions and critical phenomena, focusing on supercooled water in particular,” said Biddle about his background. “During that time, I was also a teaching assistant for Maryland’s physics education research group. In graduate school, I became particularly interested in non-equilibrium statistical and thermal physics, and biological phenomena presented, as they do now, some of the most interesting problems in that field. So, after I graduated from Maryland, I worked in the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School,” said Biddle about his background. He is excited to be in the Midwest and teaching at Holy Cross College. “I hope that by teaching students physics I can give them new ways of looking at the world and at certain problems; help them see science in the broader context of human knowledge and wisdom; prepare them for gainful employment; and do all of this as part of an education that sustains and nurtures their faith in Christ. I’d also like to work out some of the implications of my earlier projects at Harvard and keep contributing to the ongoing research into non-equilibrium statistical physics and in particular the physics of biological systems.” Emily Ransom is the new assistant professor of English. She earned her Ph.D. in English at the University of Notre Dame and also holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and from North Carolina State University, along with taking courses with University College Cork, the Folger Institute in Washington, D.C., National University of Ireland
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HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
FA C U LT Y U P D AT E S Galway, the Paideia Institute in Rome, and the University of Virginia’s Rare Book School. “Coming to Holy Cross allows me to deepen my experience of Catholic education that I had at Notre Dame, with a wider range of students, more similar to those I taught at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. I am excited about the sense of community, the large number of first-generation college students, the small class sizes, and the mission to form students holistically. As a Christian scholar in a secular discipline, I’m thankful to be in a community where faith and scholarship are seen as mutually enriching,” said Ransom. She is excited about finding ways to develop the College’s integrative, experiential opportunities for students. “I’d love to create more interactive events like poetry readings, outdoor theatre, service learning in the South Bend community, hands-on editorial experience, and study abroad.” Rana Van Voorhis is a visiting instruction of biology in the Physical and Life Sciences department. She is teaching biology honors, microbiology, Great Ideas in Science with the possibility of adding genetics in the spring 2021 semester. She has an M.S. in Medical Science from the University of South Florida and B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Notre Dame. “I am originally from Ocala, Florida. I grew up with four older brothers on a peanut and cattle farm. My parents were public
school teachers in central Florida for over 30 years. In Florida, I started teaching in secondary education in 2010 and started in post-secondary education in 2013,” notes Van Voorhis. “I moved back to the area for my husband to matriculate in medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine - South Bend. We have three young children. I love the area and I love being back in my old stomping grounds from my undergrad years. It has been a pleasure to teach the students from Holy Cross.” Marisa (Villano) Simon is leading the admissions team as the Director of Admissions, as well as collaborating with campus partners in recruiting students to Holy Cross College. She has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, with a concentration in Life Sciences, and Korean minor from the University of Notre Dame. “Over the last decade, I have come to call South Bend home, and I’m excited to work more closely with the local community. More specifically, the people I’ve met here and their affinity for Holy Cross College have inspired and excited me to serve the College and its mission,” said Simon. “I’m looking forward to shaping the future classes of scholars, citizens, leaders, and disciples. With my background in mathematics, I hope to use technology and data models to inform our decisions while maintaining the personal approach to recruiting the best-fit students.”
“The Perils of Editing the Catholic Underground: St. Robert Southwell, SJ” Assistant professor of English Emily Ransom, Ph.D., delivered a combined research talk about saint’s life. Early in the lecture she discussed the “lies” we are almost doomed to repeat to students, the over-simplifications and silences, in order to introduce the recent work to uncover the strategic erasure of Catholic authors from the early modern narrative in English literature. She introduced three perils inherent in her current research to edit the “Complete Works of St. Robert Southwell, SJ” for Oxford University Press: the peril of scholarly devaluing editions, the peril of the recusant Catholic community of the sixteenth century that makes the documents hard to identify centuries later, and the peril of making editorial choices that will shape how future students and scholars perceive the text. For the bulk of her lecture, Ransom narrated the riveting life of Southwell, an Elizabethan fugitive, poet, priest, and martyr who became one of the most widely read poets among Shakespeare’s contemporaries, who was nearly erased from the historical narrative for being Catholic until recent decades. She argued for the importance of the Catholic underground and the mission to bring minority voices into the stories teachers tell in classrooms, in our scholarship, our editions, and our silences.
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H O LY C R O S S D I S TA N C E L E A R N I N G
Being good citizens during a pandemic by Lisa Kochanowski, Assistant Director of Communications
Pope John XXIII’s encyclical Materet Magistra (On Christianity and Social Progress) defined the common good as “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.” Holy Cross College has the vision of forming global citizens with the competence to see and the courage to act, and COVID-19 gave student Quinn Arial ‘23 and 2019 alum Daniel Mahoney the opportunity to be act courageously, helping those in need.
Working on the front lines while distance learning College students worldwide were introduced to distance learning as a result of the pandemic. Student Quinn Arial returned home from Holy Cross College in March 2020 to continue his freshman year virtually and join others in the healthcare field on the front lines to care for the most vulnerable. He worked in the food service department at Bruyere Continuing Care - Saint-Louis Residence, a long-term care hospital in Ottawa, Canada. The facility provides nursing and supportive care to their residents, along with providing specialized services for patients with dementia. He was on call during the COVID-19 crisis, performing a variety of tasks involved with serving patients. The hardest part was being ready to work at any time needed, possibly being called in at 6:00 a.m. His volunteering at the hospital started while he was in high school. During his junior year, he began working as a meal helper, mainly in the dementia unit, feeding patients and helping them enjoy dinner before, during, and after eating hours. “It is very rewarding knowing that I can make a difference to my patients during these difficult times. Of course, the hospital is in lockdown and the patients are not allowed to see family, friends, etc. Knowing I can enlighten their long days is particularly rewarding, day in and day out, if I can make them laugh or smile,” noted the biology major. “This experience has only reinforced my passion to work with those that are too often forgotten or neglected. I definitely see a career and lifetime commitment to working and providing for societies most vulnerable.”
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H O LY C R O S S D I S TA N C E L E A R N I N G
Volunteering inspires career choice “I want people to understand how big volunteering is for one’s community, as it leads to many great opportunities in their career. It did for me and now I am in a position that I absolutely love and enjoy being at work every day – not many can say that at twenty-three years of age,” notes class of 2019 alum Daniel Mahoney about his journey as a Full Cart Coordinator for the Full Cart Program of the nonprofit Feeding Children Everywhere. While the nation tries to stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic, he is spending his days getting food in the hands of those in need. The Full Cart virtual food bank partners with donors to cover the cost of food and ships groceries directly to a person’s door. His responsibilities include managing inventory, fulfilling orders, packing meals, leading interns, creating and updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), driving a forklift, communicating with FedEx about shipments, and much more. “I got involved in the organization when I was searching for an internship for Holy Cross College after my junior year. The reason why I was looking in Central Florida was because my parents had just bought their future retirement home and I decided to put my resume out there and see what happens, as I didn’t think they would take a chance on a kid from Indiana. But low and behold they did. It changed my life, and once I saw the opportunity for a staff position here, I knew I had it in the bag,” said Mahoney.
The pandemic has had an effect on the position, and he is thankful to be considered an essential worker and was able to stay open during this difficult time. “Our warehouse was split into three teams for two months where we could only be in contact with that specific team. It had its challenges, but we made the best of the situation and were able to get tens of thousands of boxes out during that time-span,” notes Mahoney.
“Something simple as having access to clean food and water was something I took for granted before this internship.” – Daniel Mahoney ‘19
Holy Cross College helped prepare him in various ways for this opportunity and the changes the pandemic brought to the work environment. “Mrs. (Kathryn) Cressy (Internship Coordinator) allowing me to take this internship opportunity allowed me to realize how fortunate that some of us are and that we sometimes take things for granted. Something simple as having access to clean food and water was something I took for granted before this internship,” said Mahoney. “ The business program definitely gave me a big advantage when it comes to the financial side of Full Cart, and being a men’s basketball manager all four years for Coach (Mike) McBride (Senior Associate Director for Athletics/Men’s Basketball Head Coach) taught me discipline in being responsible and taking ownership of it, along with being hands on whenever needed.”
To learn more about the organization visit their website at FullCart.Org.
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H O LY C R O S S FAC U LT Y P R O F I L E
Class offers new ways of looking at world Preparing students for gainful employment and an education that sustains and nurtures their faith in Christ by Lisa Kochanowski, Assistant Director of Communications John Biddle joins the Holy Cross College community this year as an assistant professor of physics teaching two physics sequences – one for people planning to study engineering and the physical sciences, and another for people planning to study life sciences, including those in preparation for careers in health-related fields. His education background is extensive, including a master’s degree in education from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland. “During my Ph. D. work at Maryland, I studied phase transitions and critical phenomena, focusing on supercooled water in particular,” said Biddle about his background. “During that time, I was also a teaching assistant for Maryland’s physics education research group. In graduate school, I became particularly interested in non-equilibrium statistical and thermal physics, and biological phenomena presented, as they do now, some of the most interesting problems in that field. So, after I graduated from Maryland, I worked in
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the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School.” When deciding to get involved in teaching, he wanted to be part of a place that offered a well-rounded educational experience for students. “I wanted to teach at a college or university that valued teaching, and I wanted to be part of a college or university that helped its students to become better people. I was especially hoping for an opportunity to teach at a Catholic university that took the Christian formation and education of its students seriously. Also, I grew up in Michigan and had been looking for an opportunity to come back to the Midwest, and my wife and I both knew people in South Bend and had a very good impression of the town as a place we’d like to live. So, I was really fortunate that Holy Cross was hiring when my research fellowship ended: it struck both of us as a perfect fit,” notes Biddle. His career path choice came from a love of physics in his teens. “In high school I liked physics and I had a great physics teacher, so I studied physics in college. In college I liked it even more, and I also liked teaching, so I taught high school physics for a while. I
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
felt like there was more to learn though, so I went to graduate school. That led to an opportunity to do research at Harvard, which was a blast; research is learning, but on a whole new level, and I got to work with some really top-notch scientists, but I missed teaching. So, for a long time now, I have found both learning and teaching physics to be enjoyable and rewarding, and have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to pursue these activities as a career,” said Biddle. He hopes to bring a new way of looking at the world through his teaching at the College. “I hope that by teaching students physics, I can give them new ways of looking at the world and at certain problems; help them see science in the broader context of human knowledge and wisdom; prepare them for gainful employment; and do all of this as part of an education that sustains and nurtures their faith in Christ. I’d also like to work out some of the implications of my earlier projects at Harvard and keep contributing to the ongoing research into non-equilibrium statistical physics, and in particular, the physics of biological systems,” commented Biddle.
Pandemic doesn’t stop Saints community outreach by Lisa Kochanowski, Assistant Director of Communications As the community of Scholars, Citizens, Leaders, and Disciples, we possess a bond that provided each of us the strength to navigate the perils of COVID-19 that concluded with a full all semester of in-person instruction. We are proud to say that our commitment to strict safety protocols allowed us to keep the annual Thanksgiving Food Basket deliveries event this year and help our neighbors in the South Bend area. Holy Cross College partnered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Martin’s Super Markets to pack and provide over 60 food baskets to families in South Bend this holiday season. We also added a new opportunity with a final 2020 Presidential Challenge posed by the College President Rev. David T. Tyson, C.S.C., to provide 250 meals to those located at the Center for the Homeless in downtown South Bend. He asked the Holy Cross College community to make a gift of $2 to provide a hot Thanksgiving meal, including turkey and all the trimmings, to one homeless person. For every dollar raised, he agreed to match it dollar to dollar, with a goal of providing 250 meals. We are proud to announce that the generosity of the College community raised $1,500. Including the match, a check for $3,000 was presented to the Center for the Homeless providing 1,500 meals!
“What a great way for the Holy Cross College community to end a challenging semester – providing 1500 Thanksgiving dinners at the Center for the Homeless. Thanks for being an instrument of hope to the most-needy.” — Rev. David T. Tyson, C.S.C., President, Holy Cross College
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H O LY C R O S S D I S TA N C E L E A R N I N G
Unique projects and opportunities enhanced distance learning experience for students by Lisa Kochanowski, Assistant Director of Communications
Holy Cross College students were introduced to distance learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. This required professors to get creative with planned projects, assignments, and class trips. The cancellation of a trip to Detroit for the Christian Muslim Encounter class introduced students to a unique learning experience. The Arts 110: Intro to Photography class had the opportunity to get creative with life in quarantine through a special shelter in place project.
Distance learning creates a momentous experience Distance learning turned a cancelled trip to Detroit for the Christian Muslim Encounter class into a unique education experience. Professor Justin McDevitt organized an opportunity for the class to watch a recently released documentary called “Hamtramck, USA” about a neighborhood in Detroit known for its vibrant immigrant background. Along with watching the film, students had the chance to speak with filmmakers Razi Jafri and Justin Feltman via video conference. Students also had the chance to meet with the American Muslim Society in Dearborn, Michigan before speaking with the filmmakers.
“One of the goals of courses in global perspectives is to help students understand the need for global solidarity and the importance of understanding our own particular context in the world in relation to others. Only then can we truly treat all people with human dignity, like God calls us.” – Professor Justin McDevitt
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HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
H O LY C R O S S D I S TA N C E L E A R N I N G Tyler Marsman ‘20
Creativity continued for art students
Lekabel Abul ‘20
Brendan Pattan ‘23 Eryn Forrest ‘21 Catherine Oliva ‘21
Excellent work by the students!
Billy Skoch ‘21
Chandler Seaman ‘22
Distance learning didn’t alter the creativity of students in Professor Melonie Mulkey’s Arts 110: Intro to Photography class. Students were given a portrait project and asked to create a series of six photographs that were a combination of self-portraits, portraits of someone they knew well, and a partner in class. With the arrival of COVID-19, the project presented some challenges requiring revisions. Students had to find a way to still create a series during their time of quarantine, photographing themselves or whomever was willing to have their portrait taken.
Rylee Horn ‘21
by Lisa Kochanowski, Assistant Director of Communications
Micha Finley ‘20
Thomas Cunningham ‘23
“In this selection of images, the students were given a new set of parameters working under the conditions of ‘shelter in place’ orders from all over the United States. Art is a combination of thinking and making, reflecting and problem-solving. From poetic to documentary, they used photography to share an intimate part of themselves during a time of isolation.” – Professor Melonie Mulkey
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE hcc-nd.edu
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We are back in person and
HoCroStrong by Lisa Kochanowski, Assistant Director of Communications March 2020 was a crazy time at Holy
enabled us to mitigate the spread of
always looking for ways to grow
Cross College with the threat of the
COVID-19 on campus. In fact, the rate
academically and personally.
pandemic landing on our doorstep.
of contagion had been going down
The College had to make the tough
due to students’ efforts.
decision to continue learning, but in a
opportunity to encourage campus
virtual setting instead of the in-person
“With a commitment from our
friendship and fellowship in small and
classes students were accustomed to
students, faculty and staff to follow
safe gatherings that often take place
sharing. As we learned more about
specific guidelines and protocols this
outdoors. By advancing the family
COVID-19, we put plans of action in
fall, I believe we will have a successful
atmosphere that is a hallmark of
place to keep our community safe,
2020-2021 school year and overcome
Holy Cross College, students have
secure, and together once again. In
this difficult moment in time with true
found enjoyment sitting around our
July, administration made the decision
grit and dedication to the Holy Cross
fire pits in the evenings, participating
to forge ahead with the plan to return
tradition,” said Rev. David T. Tyson,
to campus this fall. Participation in
C.S.C. in a letter to students this fall.
in game nights in our campus tents, competing in sand volleyball intramurals, and taking time to pray
daily health checks, along with being
20
“Student Life has seen this year as an
mindful of physical distancing, wearing
Students at Holy Cross College never
and reflect during group walks to the
masks, and practicing good hygiene,
back away from a challenge and are
Grotto. Our students know that being
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
here at Holy Cross is essential to their learning and we are all working together to help our community thrive despite the challenging times and circumstances,” said Andrew Polaniecki, Dean of Students. Staying “corona cautious” has required some changes to programming with the goal of continuing to build community among our new and returning students. “Student Government is working hard to creatively provide quality opportunities for our students. Having transitioned to a mindfulness about physical distancing, mask wearing, and strong sanitation, many of our events have moved outdoors and are utilizing the tent pavilions erected before the start of the year. Cornhole tournaments, outdoor movies, and bingo nights are some of the hugely successful events so far. We have also invested in establishing Saints’ Square, a new outdoor gathering space for recreation, studying, and safe congregating. It will be on the quad between Vincent and Driscoll is being a equipped with bonfires, pergolas, lights, chairs, and more. The Social Concerns Committee and Entertainment Committee are both planning extra far in advance to make sure their Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive and Fall Fest events respectively can be executed safely and successfully,” notes Richard Storey, Director of Student Activities. Students have appreciated the chance to be back on campus this fall. “I am very pleased to be back on campus this fall in-person. I think in-person classes are much more beneficial than virtual learning, and our campus and the administration have done a great job of handling college life during a pandemic. I feel very safe here and have had a great semester this fall before I graduate in the spring,” said Dillon Begley ’21. We are a community of scholars, citizens, leaders, and disciples, a bond that provides strength. It is this strength that will keep us strong in the upcoming months and keep our goal of in-person instruction a reality.
“I am very pleased to be back on campus this fall in-person. I think in-person classes are much more beneficial than virtual learning, and our campus and the administration have done a great job of handling college life during a pandemic. I feel very safe here and have had a great semester this fall before I graduate in the spring,” — Dillon Begley ’21
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H O LY C R O S S A R O U N D C A M P U S
Happening at Holy Cross by Lisa Kochanowski, Assistant Director of Communications
22
The Saints & Scholars Summer
“I am very pleased with how our Saints
attended Saints & Scholars 2020 strive
Theology Institute is a one-week,
& Scholars 2020 experience went in
in earnest to be authentic and inten-
pre-college program that provides an
light of the COVID-19 pandemic. While
tional disciples of Jesus Christ so that
exciting opportunity for high school
all necessary health and safety
they might be His hands and feet in
students to live on a college campus,
measures were heavily enforced,
bringing healing to the world.”
have seminar discussions guided by
nothing appeared to be so
great faculty, and share
burdensome on the faculty, mentors,
a scholar who knows the wisdom of
community-building experiences
and high school students as to put a
Christian tradition and a saint who has
with other students from around the
“damper” on the experience. On the
the courage to put that wisdom into
country. The goal is to support the
contrary, the high school students were
action should join us next year.
spiritual and intellectual growth of
thrilled to be out of the house and engaging with one another (for many it
Constitution Day 2020
the next generation of leaders.
Anyone interested in becoming
was their first time having any sort
Richard Garnett delivered a lecture on
This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions,
of experience all summer!),” said
“Religious Freedom & the
students from only St. Joseph County
Andrew Ouellette, Director of the
Constitution Today” in September in
were invited to participate. Sessions
Office of Campus Ministry and Saints
commemoration of Constitution Day.
were held during the day only, and no
& Scholars Institute. “My sincerest hope
He is the Paul J. Schierl / Fort Howard
overnight experience was available.
and prayer is that the students who
Corporation Professor of Law, Director
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
H O LY C R O S S A R O U N D C A M P U S
of Notre Dame Program on Church,
invited to share analysis and commen-
He has been with the University of
State & Society, and Concurrent
tary in national print and broadcast
Notre Dame since 1999, and served on
Professor of Political Science at the Uni-
media, and he contributes to several
the Notre Dame Task Force on Catholic
versity of Notre Dame Law school.
law-related blogs, including Mirror of
Education, is a Fellow of the Universi-
Justice and PrawfsBlawg.
ty’s Institute for Educational Initiatives,
Due to COVID-19 protocol restrictions,
and is a regular consultant with the
we were unable to offer this
Garnett clerked for the late Chief
opportunity to the general public.
Justice of the United States, William
Instead, the event was live-streamed
H. Rehnquist, during the Court’s 1996
Garnett is a founding director of the
on the College Facebook page
term and also for the late Chief Judge
University of Notre Dame Law School’s
@HolyCrossCollegeSaints
of the United States Court of Appeals
Alliance for Catholic Education.
Program on Church, State, and Society. This interdisciplinary project focuses
He is a leading authority on questions
for the Eighth Circuit, Richard S. Arnold.
and debates regarding the role of
He earned his J.D. from Yale Law School
religious believers and beliefs in
in 1995 and his B.A., summa cum laude,
politics and society. He has published
from Duke University in 1990. Before
widely on these matters and is the
joining the Notre Dame, he practiced
“I invited Professor Garnett because
author of dozens of law-review articles
law in Washington, D.C., with Miller,
he is an expert in Constitutional Law
and book chapters. Garnett is regularly
Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin.
and Modern Constitutional Theory.
on the role of religious institutions, communities, and authorities in social order.
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H O LY C R O S S A R O U N D C A M P U S (continued from previous page.)
Happening at Holy Cross I hope that experts like Professor Garnett will provide a compelling and balanced analysis of the Constitution and its relationship to religious
Delta Epsilon Sigma National Scholastic Honor Society induction celebrated
freedom, an analysis that is more thoughtful and subtle than what is
Holy Cross College inducted
available in popular sources like talk
15 new members (14 students
radio, television, or the blogosphere,”
and one faculty member) to the
a Ph.D. in pure mathematics from
said associate professor of history
Delta Epsilon Sigma (DES) National
Utah State University, and completed
and department chair Angel
Scholastic Honor Society in October.
graduate work at the University of
Cortes, Ph.D.
DES is an honor society for students,
at Stanford University in computer
Bishop Rhoades lectured in September
faculty, and alumni of colleges and
science education. She is currently
universities with a Catholic tradition.
associate professor and acting
Colorado and post-graduate studies
The organization was started at the
director of the mathematics
Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades,
suggestion of Reverend E. A.
program. She is working to develop
Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-
Fitzgerald, Dean of Studies at Loras
the mathematics program at Holy
South Bend, presented “Faithful
College, Dubuque, Iowa, who in
Cross College to include a math minor
Citizenship in a Divided Nation and
October of 1938 surveyed Catholic
and a computer science minor.
the Political Responsibility of
colleges and universities concerning
Catholics” in McKenna Arena, at the
their interest in initiating such a society.
Congratulation to 2020 student inductees Eleanor Boothman ‘21,
Pfeil Center. A limited number of faculty, students, and staff were
Inductees of Holy Cross College’s
Lauren Cernak ‘22, Lauren
invited to the event in accord with
Epsilon Delta Chapter are required
Compton ‘22, Miles Folsom ‘21,
COVID-19 rules and protocols. Due
to have completed at least one half
Dominic Gibson ‘22, Dane
to COVID-19 protocol restrictions,
of the credit requirements for their
Litchfield ‘23, Jacqueline Lopez ‘21,
we were unable to offer this
bachelor’s degree and rank in the top
Shaima Musleh ‘21, Bradley
opportunity to the public and
twenty percent of their class in
Musselman ‘22, Catherine Oliva ‘21,
offered it live-streamed on the
scholarship. Each year a faculty
Mireya Robles ‘22, Dylan
College Facebook page
member speaks at the event, and is
Schwaegel ‘21, Sidney Taylor ‘22,
@HolyCrossCollegeSaints.
then also inducted into the society.
and Matteus Webb ‘21.
This year Deborah Arangno, Ph.D., “As we are witnesses to ongoing
presented “Sapere Aude.”
restrictions, we offered a livestream
strife, division, and disunity, this
24
Due to COVID-19 protocol
talk from Bishop Rhoades will be a
Dr. Deborah Arangno joined the
clarion call for Catholics to lead the
mathematics faculty at Holy Cross
way in promoting the Gospel
College in August 2019. She earned a
messages of peace, justice, and the
Bachelor of Science from Mercer
reign of Christ the King in our hearts
University with a triple major in
and in our nation,” said Andrew
mathematics, physics, and Latin, a
Ouellette, Director of the Office of
Master of Science in pure
Campus Ministry.
mathematics from Emory University,
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
of the event to the community.
AT H L E T I C S U P D AT E S
Athletics updates
by Tyler Braidic, Sports Information Director/ Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach
Men’s Basketball The Holy Cross College 2019-2020 men’s
Individually, the men’s basketball members
basketball program had a year of many firsts.
were honored for their accomplishments on
The team finished their season with a school
the court. Larenzo Moore ‘21 was named
best 27-6 overall record. With a 20-2 Chicago-
NAIA Div. 2 Third Team All-American, as well as
land Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC)
being selected to the CCAC All-Conference First
record, the Saints were crowned 2019-2020
Team. Recent graduate Robby Jimenez ‘20
CCAC Regular Season Co-Champions.
leaves the program as the all-time scoring leader with 1,498 career points, while also
Holy Cross College received their first-ever
being awarded to the CCAC All-Conference
automatic bid to the 2020 NAIA National
Second Team. Parker Sims ‘20 garnered CCAC
Tournament. The Saints defeated Indiana Tech
All-Academic recognition and was named to
60-56 in the opening round, before the
the National Association of Basketball
tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Coaches (NABC) Honors Court. The 2020
On the year, men’s basketball ranked first in the
graduate also earned the NAIA Champions
nation in scoring defense allowed (63.7 points
of Character Individual Student Award. Head
per game), fifth in total rebounds per game
coach Mike McBride was awarded CCAC
(30.7), and ninth in defensive FG percentage
easo Coach of the Year, and despite their season
(40.8%). Men’s basketball ended the season
BC NAIA being cut short, was also tabbed NABC
ranked No.10 in the final NAIA national poll.
National Coach of the Year.
Women’s Basketball The Holy Cross College women’s basketball team finished their 2019-2020 season with a 9-21 overall record under first year head
Kaelyn Barlow averaged 8.8 points per game e year. and a team-best 9.9 rebounds on the nference She was awarded to the CCAC All-Conference
coach Tom Robbins. The Saints had an 8-14 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) mark and were one conference win away from earning a bid to the post-season conference tournament.
Honorable Mention team. Returning junior ast season Arielle Thatcher ‘22 lead the team last with an 11.8 points per game average, e, while returning sophomore Jayda Miller ‘23 23 came in at 11.3 points per game. The Saints had five players earn CCAC All-Academic mic team, including Sidney Taylor ‘22, Brooke rooke Sterkowitz, Cameron Schultheis, Taylor Nittler, and Kaelyn Barlow. Taylor, Schultheis, Nittler, and Barlow were e also honored with being named 2020 Daktronics ktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
Women’s basketball began their CCAC play with a thrilling 62-58 overtime win at Calumet College of St. Joseph on November 6. Holy Cross ended their season with a win on senior night. The Saints defeated conference-foe Cardinal Stritch University 67-59 on February 22 in McKenna Arena. Before the game, Kaelyn Barlow ‘20, Taylor Nittler ‘20, Brooke Sterkowitz ‘20, and Cameron Schultheis ‘20 were honored for their achievements on the court.
In his first recruiting class, Tom Robbins ns brings in five freshmen and one junior or college
son. The transfer to begin the 2020-2021 season. Saints also return six players who all gained valuable experience last year.
Stay updated on winter sports activities by visiting: http://www.hcsaints.com
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H O LY C R O S S G LO B A L E X P E R I E N C E
About my experience on a global immersion trip by Slade Gorski ‘19 I have never been on board a plane before. I had never been out of the United States before, let alone 3,000 miles away. My global immersion trip to Peru had me leap out of my comfort zone into the unknown. I traveled with a group of friends and other students, developing a deeper connection and appreciation for each whom I travelled with. Peru was, and is life changing. Not only was I in a country where English was not common, but I was surrounded by a people that lived far differently than I did. During the first of two weeks of the trip, we stayed at the Peyton Center in Lima, Peru. The Center is in one of the poor districts in Lima where the impoverished are physically separated by a mountain from the wealthy. Here we assisted children at a Holy Cross school, helped build a house up on a hill, and shared many authentic Peruvian meals together. The cuisine was flavorful and filling; the cooks never let us go without having our fill. We also visited several historic locales in Lima, like the Cathedral of Lima.
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The second week was a week of travel and wonder. We boarded a plane set for Cusco, Peru that sits at an elevation about 11,000 feet. To say that I got altitude sickness is an understatement, but that was only remedied by time and coca leaf tea. When we arrived in Cusco, we were picked up by our amazing tour guide who made us feel right at home. He showed us through many parts of Cusco and was our guide when we ascended Huayna Picchu. The climb was stunning but terrifying at the same time as any mistake would mean a short cut on the way back down. Honestly, the trip to Cusco and Macchu Picchu was the highlight to this adventure. We observed many Incan ruins, tried a variety of cuisine and pineapple beverages, and gained a profound understanding of Peruvian culture and their livelihoods. The immersion experience had its positives and negatives, but overall it is an experience that will shape the rest of my life.
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
The parts of this trip that most deeply affected me were the gatherings we had, not only with our Holy Cross group, but our associations with the group from our sister school in Texas. Hearing thoughts from our own community as well as ones from a different location helped me improve my understanding of different ways of life. One memorable quote from a Priest on the trip was “You scratch a Peruvian, you will find an artist” and this was evident when we went out into the community to a variety of shops, markets, and other businesses. In the United States there is always a hurry/rush but in Peru, they take their time and have patience even with the most mundane of tasks. It is a way life I have grown to appreciate that encourages me to slow down in life and appreciate the simple.
H O LY C R O S S G LO B A L E X P E R I E N C E
Finding a deeper connection with my faith by Stephanie White, Director of Academic Advising
Through the Holy Cross College Global Immersion opportunities, I feel blessed to have led the India Global Immersion to India. Not only was the experience formative for students, it strengthened my world-view as well. I learned something about myself, my faith, and humanity. I developed a deeper understanding of the culture. During the fall semester 2019, I was the instructor for the Global Immersion course on India prior to leading the group of students over the winter break. Engaging the students in the course and the anticipation of experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells alongside the students was enriching. As they learned for the first time, I learned more deeply. The resilience of the human spirit abounds from every place you look in India, from the extreme poverty to those who just have enough to get by. In Whitefield, Bangalore, we stayed with the Brothers of Holy Cross and were able to spend time getting to know the boys of Abhayadhama. The boys are orphaned or have family that cannot care for them very well so they come to stay at Abhayadhama.
The boys are housed, do chores, go to school, and participate in religious activities with the Brothers. These 16 boys do not have much and range in age from 8-15. The boys do not ask for much. Their laughs still are as clear as day in my mind. They laugh. They dance. They sing, and boy do they play sports! I was not able to participate in sports with the boys, but this provided an opportunity to observe and soak in not only how the students and the boys were interacting with high fives, laughter, and friendly sportsmanship banter, but the simplicity of it. Yesterday, the boys didn’t know us and today we’re playing as friends. We had brought Matchbox cars as a gift for the boys along with toothbrushes and paste. In previous years the gift was small necessities and something fun. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how the boys would react to this year’s gift as was a bit nervous to present them with it. A Matchbox car? What would the older boys think? A small tube of toothpaste and toothbrush? I realized I was presuming a reaction, when in all actuality the boy’s reaction was nothing but excitement, smiles, and thank you’s like it was Christmas
morning. They played for hours with the Matchbox cars- the older boys racing the younger boys and so on. Conversations went from how they want to be a car mechanic to asking if I drive a car and what kind of car I drive. I reflected each day in the chapel on what I was experiencing and my life. I developed a deeper connection with my faith by having a quiet moment each day to pray for the boys, the Brothers, and the people we were becoming close friends with every day. I learned I need to slow down and look around me, spend time in the quiet laughing and learning with the human spirit however small. As I was leaving and giving hugs, the boys cried. The house staff cried. There might have been a tear in a couple of the Brother’s eyes too. Sharing meals, playing, laughing, and learning from each other in the purest form is the happy life journey we are on, rooted in our faith. I am reminded by a sign I saw at the train station which read, “Happy Journey.” Was the journey happy? Yes, yes it was.
I DEVELOPED A DEEPER CONNECTION WITH MY FAITH BY HAVING A QUIET MOMENT EACH DAY TO PRAY FOR THE BOYS, THE BROTHERS, AND THE PEOPLE WE WERE BECOMING CLOSE FRIENDS WITH EVERY DAY. I LEARNED I NEED TO SLOW DOWN AND LOOK AROUND ME, SPEND TIME IN THE QUIET LAUGHING AND LEARNING WITH THE HUMAN SPIRIT HOWEVER SMALL.
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE hcc-nd.edu
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H O LY C R O S S M O R E AU CO L L E G E I N I T I AT I V E Like so many other educational institutions, when Holy Cross College made the decision to move online in March due to the
Teaching “The World in Pandemic” by Justin McDevitt, J.D., M.A. Asst. Director for Alumni Relations and Career Development Moreau College Initiative at Westville Correctional Facility and Instructor with Global Perspectives
growing threat of COVID-19, most faculty had to accept that we would have to change the way we teach. Instead of standing at the head of their classes, we had to settle for the prospect of seeing our students’ faces on a screen for the next few months. I still remember the faces of my students the last time I saw them in person: worried, skeptical, resigned. Unlike most professors, however, I have not had the chance to see those faces since then. At all. It’s not because my class was canceled. It’s because my students are still in prison. If you read the previous issue of Connections, you might remember that I’m part of an effort at Holy Cross called the Moreau College Initiative (MCI), a program that holds its classes at Westville Correctional Facility, about an hour west of South Bend. Our students at MCI are fully Holy Cross students and would hold their own in any classroom on the main campus. They are exceptionally bright and work incredibly hard, yet they naturally lose out on so much that makes the college experience memorable and impactful. Few have ever seen with their own eyes the main campus of the very college that will grant them their degree. Instead, faculty at Holy Cross College and the University of Notre Dame work to bring that education to them. Until we couldn’t. Sadly, along with nursing homes and meat packing plants, the nation’s prisons and jails were among the most vulnerable places when the pandemic began to set in. And, since we aren’t able to offer the same level of technology that students have on main campus, our students in MCI have had to continue their college education without all the bells and whistles. Instead, they’ve been watching the lectures we record, leading discussions among themselves, completing the assignments they’ve been given, and corresponding with us through an approved account in the prison email system. All without leaving their unit. They’re doing their best under the circumstances, but I know we’d all like to return to “normal.” Under normal circumstances, I always start my class by asking the same question: “What’s happened in the world since the last time we met?” They’d often talk about politics, the NFL season, some scientific breakthrough or tech advancement, or even the latest celebrity scandal. The news they watch on TV in the dorm is one of their only windows into the world outside the walls. In early March, though, there was only one thing on their mind. And, when
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HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
H O LY C R O S S M O R E AU CO L L E G E I N I T I AT I V E I last saw my students, I think they
I also wanted to avoid simply teaching
politics, the economy, culture, religion,
sensed what was coming with COVID-19
about historical pandemics and sifting
and medicine. And, finally, when all is
much better than I did. On my last day
through each one to see what they had
said and done, we try to understand
inside, one of my students looked out
to offer us. We would obviously look to
what we’ve learned – or whether we’ve
the window and quietly said, “If this
the past, but I needed the class to feel
thing gets in here...” His voice trailed off.
like it was constantly moving forward and looking to the future. So, instead, I
So, when things inevitably shut down –
organized the course itself to follow the
at the prison and at Holy Cross – I tried
path of any given pandemic. The hope is
to think of how I could help them in
that our students could use this version
any way I could. This is my fourth year
of a chronological approach to both
teaching classes with MCI, and this work
understand their experience this far and
– and these students – have become
to understand what comes next, both
increasingly special to me. In the end, I
for them and the world.
realized that, beyond praying for them, the only thing I can do is to offer them the best education I can in whatever form I’m able. And that gave me an idea.
learned – from pandemics, and whether it will be enough to avoid another one in the future. My hope has always been that our students would go from being passive bystanders at the mercy of the virus to becoming virtual experts who take control of their situation intellectually, if even for two hours at a time. So far,
To that end, we started with the basics of pandemic and infectious disease, including our own current knowledge of COVID-19. Then, we shifted to look
it seems to be working. The students seem to find the material fascinating and engaging. How couldn’t they! They’ve had front row seats to both a
In May, I was continually haunted by my
for the root causes of infectious diseases
memories of the students’ faces when
and the pathways through which they
new kind of class and the pandemic that
we had talked about the coronavirus,
can spread to pandemic level. In this
inspired it. They’ve written papers about
and I wondered if the best thing I could
part, we focused particular attention on
their early experience with the pandem-
give them wasn’t the knowledge to
the ways human behavior has actually
ic and about Albert Camus’s assertion
contributed to the spread of disease,
in “The Plague” that pestilence itself is
even as we’ve fought to conquer it. We
a sort of prison. And, most importantly,
understand it – and to face it. And, so, as the semester drew to a close, I pitched my idea to our director. I would teach an interdisciplinary course that examined how society has confronted pandemics in the past and what we’ve learned – or haven’t learned – from them. She agreed, and “The World in Pandemic”
then moved to studying responses to pandemics, both past and present, and spent time critically evaluating our own federal, state, and local responses to the current crisis. The students even held a debate over what could have been done better.
was born. My academic background is in law and
they’ve each kept a journal for answering prompts given them in the lessons and recording their own thoughts and observations throughout. It should be no surprise that teaching in a prison is hard work. And teaching
After the halfway point in the course,
during a pandemic is a challenge at
the students began to tackle a series
political science, and those topics alone
the best of times. But despite the effort
of deeper questions, ones that often
could fill a course like this. But I also
and the challenges, I remain committed
arise when we’ve done all we can do to
wanted us to look at history, religion,
to my initial goal: to give our students
respond to a pandemic and are simply
economics, literature, science, and a
waiting for it to pass: Where is God in
whole host of related topics. The reality
this? What do we owe our neighbor?
is that pandemics throughout human
What’s a life worth? As the crisis recedes,
history have affected – and been
we begin to take stock and look back
they’ll now at least have become the
affected by – all these areas, so I wanted
on the ways our world is different now
heroes of their own story. Or at least of
the class to be as broad as possible to
and after previous pandemics, so our
this strange chapter – of the world in
reflect that.
fifth unit asks how pandemics change
pandemic.
the very best education I can. My hope is that, through the work they’ve put in and the knowledge they’ve gained,
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H O LY C R O S S AT H L E T I C S
Men’s basketball makes history Holy Cross College presented players from the 2019-2020 men’s basketball team with championship rings on September 4, in the Pfeil tent on campus. Due to COVID-19 protocol restrictions, we were unable to offer this opportunity to the general public. Instead, the event was live-streamed on the College Facebook page @HolyCrossCollegeSaints. Pat Derksen, a 2014 Holy Cross graduate and former men’s basketball player, served as the emcee for the event. Below is the speech he shared with the team.
by Pat Derksen ‘14 It was almost 10 years ago to the day that a young 18-year-old kid walked through the front doors of the Pfeil Center just before 6:00 a.m. The night before he had been challenged by a peer to join him for the tryouts for the men’s basketball team. That 18-yearold kid was me. I went through the tryout that morning and I played HARD. I mean I was dribbling, shooting, posting – was doing it all. I thought I was the best player in the gym that morning, however I left that tryout with the news that I would not be one of the two players invited to join the men’s basketball team for the upcoming season. Now, the team had just finished their third or fourth season ever and was coming off a
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record number of wins in a season. So, I understood that a team that had just gone 2-28 probably didn’t have room for a 6’8 post player … but I digress. Fast forward to Thanksgiving later that fall and the team was 0-9. Desperate for anything, the head coach at the time, Bob Schermerhorn, asked if I had any interest in joining the team. I did not know it then, but that moment changed my life forever. Fast forward again and we were putting the finishing touches on a 4-28 season. Of course, we set a number of records that year – including number of wins in a season with four and consecutive wins with two. The next season we improved to 14-16. You would’ve thought we were on the fast track to a national championship.
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
The Pfeil Center was packed for a number of games – and I’ll never forget our home opener against Bethel University that season. We walked around campus that year like we were the best show in town. Although I joke and our record did not show it, we had established an attitude and resolve that year. We fought and we fought hard in games. My junior season there was a palpable buzz around campus as basketball season approached. Expectations were so high that they installed permanent bleachers inside McKenna Arena to ensure that the droves of people that would come out for our games had a place to sit. We opened that season with great excitement – on the road at crosstown rival Bethel. That excitement
H O LY C R O S S AT H L E T I C S
quickly evaporated as we left Bethel after getting beat by a remarkable 60 points. It was a terribly average season as we went 14-16 and I feared Holy Cross basketball was maybe doomed to a lifetime of mediocrity. There’s a saying that goes “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he could be and he will become what he should be.” In the spring of my junior year, Coach Schermerhorn Sche Sc herm rmer erho horn rn retired ret etir ired ed and and Coach Coa oach ch Mi Mike ke McBride became the new head coach of the basketball program. That spring was an eye-opening experience ffor or a lot of guys – myself included. We had a lot of work to do and we had a new coach was going demand our coac co ach h that that w as g oing oi ng g tto o de dema mand nd o ur each every best be st e ach ac h an and d ev ever eryy time time we we stopped stop st oppe ped d foot on the court. We also knew we
had a coach that had our best interest in mind on and off the court and was going to be in the trenches with us every step of the way. Fast forward to February of my senior year and we ended our season 20-11. In the final moments spent with my teammates there were many tears, but I struggled to find those tears. I was not sad. I most likely was not sad because I realized I was never going to have to run a 22 or 33 or do turbulence training ever again. pride. proud The Th e feeling feel fe elin ing g I felt felt was was p ride ri de. I was was pr p oud ou d of myself and my roommate and best friend, Dane Okuda ‘14 who was from Lakewood, California Lak kewood, d Cal liffornia and and d endured endur d ed d four four LONG South Bend winters. We were the only two players left from the 4-28 season. proud myy te teammates seas se ason on. I was was pr p oud ou d of m team amma mate tess coming forr co fo comi ming ng ttogether oget og ethe herr to aaccomplish ccom cc ompl plis ish h so many things bigger than ourselves.
I was proud to leave Holy Cross College basketball better than I found it and in the trusted hands of Coach McBride. Basketball is so often about numbers – wins, looses, points per game, or number of turnovers. Player’s give so much to the game to achieve the best statistics they can. What they don’t talk about is what the game gives back to them. As I have progressed into adulthood, I have leaned on the many experiences expe ex p ri pe rien ence cess I gained g in ga ined ed as as a member memb me mber er of of the men’s basketball team. The ability to work as a cohesive unit in an office with wi th h co-workers co-workers k from from many diff diff fferent backgrounds and with willingness to listen and understand different points might of views vie iews ws that tha hatt mi migh g t he gh help lp p yyou ou rreach each ea ch a goal. goal go al. Basketball Bask Ba sket etba ballll also als lso o teachers teac te ache hers rs you you how how to deal with losing (I got really good at (continued on next page.)
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H O LY C R O S S AT H L E T I C S
Men’s basketball makes history (continued from previous page.) that for a few years) and winning – to never get too high or never too low. It teaches you how to prepare – there is no one more prepared than Coach McBride and I cannot thank him enough for instilling this in us. I truly believe there is not one competitor in my field of work that will ever outprepare me. And finally, basketball teaches you how to handle adversity and overcome any obstacle that intrudes your path. When I think about these intangible skills it’s easy to understand why we are sitting here tonight. Coach McBride lays the foundation on this program on four core values – unity, intensity, execution, and be every. I had the joy and privilege of watching the 2019-2020 Holy Cross men’s basketball team a number of times last year and those four pillars could not have been more evident. This team exemplified what it means to be a member of this program. When you think about unity, sure you think about coming together as a whole team to achieve the goals you have laid out. But what does that really mean? It means five guys on the floor coming together to rotate and get a key stop late in the game. It means Robby Jimenez ‘20 gathering the team to reright the ship as an opponent makes a run. It means five guys going to rebound so Larenzo Moore ‘21 doesn’t have to do all the work … oh wait, nevermind. It also means supporting your teammate who is struggling in a class. Or bonding over Christmas break when you only have three or four days off and all the other students have a month off. Or sitting together at the
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dining hall and taking turns poking fun at one another. It’s these moments of unity that hold a team together when times get tough. And the moments of unity are also the memories I’m sure the men sitting in front of me look back on with great joy when they think about their four years in college – time shared with friends whether it was on or off the court. If there is one core value I think coach McBride leans on the most – its intensity. I am sure every player here has a story or two that could perfectly explain Coach McBride’s intensity. But in turn, his player’s lean on intensity as well. This team was one of the toughest collective groups you’ll ever encounter. Basketball teams are judged by the way they perform November through March. However, the best and most intense teams win those games in the months outside of that window. It’s the turbulence training in September or the lifts in the spring that require a certain commitment to excellence and need to be approached with an unmatched intensity and willingness to improve. It’s those moments in the offseason that allow you to dig deep in a must-win conference game in late January. This level of intensity is the one that allows you to grow a lead against number four Olivet Nazarene from four to ten to seventeen and enjoy each and every second of the biggest win in program history while understanding there is far more work to be done. It’s this level of intensity that allowed this team to achieve everything they did. I do not think many people realize how difficult it is to finish a season 26-7 like
H O LY C R O S S AT H L E T I C S this team did. It requires a plan – a really good plan, but a plan does not do you any good if you cannot execute it. I had the opportunity to sit through a few walk-thrus with this team and I truly believe you would be hardpressed to find a team with a better game plan than the Holy Cross Saints. A great deal of credit is deserved to Coach Tyler Braidic and Coach Mike Bush alongside Coach McBride for the long hours they put in preparing for each and every opponent. It doesn’t matter if it is a non-conference game in early November or a conference tournament game – this team was prepared and ready to execute each and every time they stepped food on the court. As a player who loved being on the scout team, I know it is hard to find a greater feeling than having an opposing team come down, call an offensive play and then have the Holy Cross bench call out each and every ensuing action. Down screen, pin-down, hand-off, cross section … next thing you know there’s eight seconds left in the shot clock and the opposition is scrambling. Equally important as the plan, is the ability to make adjustments when things don’t go as planned. It’s doing your homework on the bus to keep up with
a heavy course load. It’s developing and executing a plan to increase your grade after a bad test score. It’s executing your plan to land a job after graduation. This group’s ability to put together a plan, execute it, alter it when necessary and reach an end goal is exactly why we are sitting here today. The final core vale is “be every.” This one is quite simple but very important. It’s a willingness to show up every practice, class, game or film session and give your best effort every time. Not just for yourself but for your teammates. It’s a willingness to be present in each moment. To be attentive in class, to be engaging with your peers, to be laser-focused at practice and to show up to each game and do whatever the team needs you to do in order to win. It is a culmination of doing this every day, giving your best effort and going 1-0 every day that allows you to achieve something great. Finally before I close, I would be remiss if I did not specifically congratulate Coach McBride on being named the 2020 NABC NAIA coach of the year. There is not a more deserving coach in America. His dedication to his craft and this program is unmatched.
And I know I am not alone in saying I cannot thank him enough for the tremendous impact he made on my life. We could talk for hours on end about hypotheticals and the what-ifs and terribly sad I felt when I heard the news that the season was going to be cut short. But tonight is not about that. Tonight is a celebration. Tonight we are here to celebrate a team of men that came together as a unified group to give everything they had for each other every time they stepped on the court and, with unmatched intensity, executed a plan they put in place. To the seniors on that team – Robby Jimenez, Larenzo Moore, and Parker Sims ‘20 – I hope you feel the same sense of pride I felt when my time as a Saint came to a close. To the returning players and newcomers, the challenge is just beginning. The standard of excellence has been set, but know you have the full support of your coaches, peers, and professors. I know I speak for every single alumni of this program when I say we could not be more proud of you all. You earned every single thing you achieved. Thank you for representing this program so well and taking it to a level many of us thought was never imaginable. Congratulations and GO SAINTS!
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H O LY C R O S S AT H L E T I C S
Indiana Soccer Honored soccer coach Omar Gallo in 2020 Omar Gallo, Holy Cross College Director of Soccer Operations and head coach for the men’s and women’s soccer teams, is the Indiana Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) Coach of the Year and was recently honored at the 2020 Indiana Soccer Awards Gala. Annually, Indiana Soccer honors individuals involved in youth and adult soccer programs throughout Indiana with an award in a variety of categories. TOPSoccer is a community-based training and team placement program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by youth soccer association volunteers. The program brings the opportunity to learn and play soccer to any boy or girl who has a mental or physical disability. “Being recognized as the TOPSoccer Coach of the Year is a tremendous honor, an honor I share with both my college soccer players and my youth club players,” said Gallo who noted that having his college players
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H O LY C R O S S AT H L E T I C S volunteering means a lot to him and the children with special needs. “Being recognized as the TOPSoccer Coach of the Year is a very humbling feeling. It’s nice to achieve this award but seeing the smiles on the kids’ and parents’ faces on Fridays is my award. It’s definitely a special feeling for myself, as giving back to the community is something I value and being recognized for that is a nice gesture.” Gallo got involved with TOPSoccer about five years ago through his role at Michiana Echo. “We started with roughly 12 kids. which has now grown to over 50 kids ages 4 to 18. Each Friday for six weeks in the fall and six weeks in the spring, our Michiana Echo kids along with both our Holy Cross men’s and women’s soccer teams give back to the community by keeping kids with mental and physical disabilities active, introducing fun soccer activities,” said Gallo. Being a coach is a rewarding job for Gallo, but not something that was part of his game plan in his early years. “My plan was to either play professional soccer or become a police officer, which is what my degree is in. Unfortunately, I developed a serious injury to my arm in 2009 which eliminated both options for me. After a lot of soul-searching and support from my family, I felt my calling was to give back to the game which gave me a lot. Soccer provided me with a lot of values and allowed me to develop into the person I am today. I felt one way I could give back was using soccer as an opportunity to help develop these young players to become better people. I was coaching youth soccer up to the age of 27 but it wasn’t until my injury where I started taking coaching very serious and eventually got into the college game,” noted Gallo.
The most fulfilling part of the job is seeing who his student-athletes become after graduating. “As a coach, you always want to win, but we need to ask ourselves what is winning? Winning is not always about championships. In my opinion, winning is who your players become after graduation. Coaches are teachers, and in our role, we have to teach these young kids about life,” said Gallo. “Having the opportunity to be their role model and shape them for four years is something I enjoy doing. Seeing these players become college coaches, teachers, managers, or owners of their own businesses is rewarding for me as a coach.” One way of being a role model and helping his players grow is through their work with TOPSoccer.
“Yes, we are giving back to the community and helping these kids and families out, but this is also helping our players build character. By being their coach, I hope that I can help them develop character traits that will allow them to become better sons and daughters and eventually become the husband/father, wife/mother they can become. One thing I always stress to my players is to always stay humble and to always remember where you come from. It’s important to me that these young kids recognize the hard work they’ve put in to become who they are today and never take that for granted. If I can create that mentality for them then I am confident they will be able to serve the community in a positive way.” – Omar Gallo
This is the first time anyone is our area has won the TOPSoccer coach of the year award. The Indiana TOPSoccer Coach of the Year award will also place Gallo in the nomination group for Regional Coach of the Year.
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H O LY C R O S S A LU M N A Class of 2012 alumna Valerie Hajec donated her kidney to two-year-old Elias Redd, a child she didn’t know until she read his story on social media about how this brave little boy needed a kidney transplant, but was unable to find a donor. She is courageously helping Elias with his fight, and below is her journey through the process, in her own words. Pictured from L to R: Valerie Hajec, Elias Redd, Stacy Redd, Avia Redd, and Dallin Redd
I am his
match By Valerie Hajec ‘12
When I tell people this story, it really seems fake. I replay how it happened in my head and get chills. How could two absolute strangers from different states, different backgrounds be biologically linked so closely together? By just following my gut and saying “yes” led to the chance at a longer life for another. I read his story and immediately felt connected. There were so many little things that drew me to him and his family, but ultimately it came down to knowing I could help and feeling – I am his match. I first came across his story on Facebook. I live in Dearborn, Michigan, but Livonia, Michigan, is a neighboring city in which many of my friends live. So, someone from the Livonia area shared his story. I believe I read the story early February and on the same day I reached out to the friend from the Livonia area who shared the story to see if she knew the family. She didn’t know them, but she was the first person I shared my desire to donate. Some key things really drew me to them. On my birthday, September 30, 2019, Elias was diagnosed with stage 4 Chronic Kidney Disease due to issues developing during gestation. His kidneys never fully developed, and they developed cysts (Multi-Cystic Dysplastic). At this time, Elias was only
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Valerie Hajec with husband Bradley and daughter Olivia
18 months old. He is only 2 months older than my daughter, which made me feel for them even more. We would do anything for our kids, and no one in their family was a match for little Elias. His blood type was O+, which makes him a great donor, but not a great recipient, because you can only receive from other O (+,-) blood types. We not only had to have the same blood type but we also had to have similar tissue type and it had to be crossmatched to assure he had not built up antibodies to anything in my blood. Basically, the odds of finding matches for him were rare, not even considering live donors are hard to find at all. I can’t tell you how many
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
people on his donation team (hospital nephrology team) told us how crazy this situation was and how lucky we were that it worked so well. I get teared up just thinking about the odds of this situation and how blessed we both have been during this process. Without talking to anyone, I called the Transplant Center at the University of Michigan to see what steps needed to be taken. When a member of the team answered, they told me that they had multiple people calling in for Elias and to not expect a call back. I was disappointed of course, but honestly glad he had options and so many people trying to help. Within the week I had discussed the story with my husband and told him “I feel like I am his match.” My husband knows I get ideas in my head and move very quickly to accomplish them, so he listened but was quietly concerned and ultimately
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my breath and praying for months for this to work out and the doctor negated all my concerns and fears in 15 minutes. It truly was an amazing experience.
very supportive. I actually received a call back within the week and they were doing general intake one person at a time. Based on age, location to donor, and medical background I got bumped to the front of the list (none of which they tell you, you just kind of figure things out along the way). The process was long and extremely detailed. Lots of scans (heart to lungs to kidneys), medical history, psychology exam, kidney function, blood draws etc. This went on from February to May. By the middle of May I reached out to Elias’ mom, Stacy, to let her know where I was in the process (they keep everything completely separate due to HIPPA and in case something doesn’t work out). All throughout the process I had to assure medical staff I wasn’t going to back out unless they told me I couldn’t donate due to a medical reason. Things were progressing smoothly until COVID-19 happened. Everything was put on hold and we had to wait until hospitals started scheduling again. More than half of my visits were scheduled virtually, which is a joke honestly. Nothing really gets done and lots of times I never actually met with anyone at all. I think hospitals were so overwhelmed and chaotic that they couldn’t perform at the standard they normally did. After months of waiting and virtual doctor visits, we finally got scheduled for surgery for June 23rd. I went and met the whole Redd family two weeks before the surgery. I think it was a mutual curiosity for us to meet each other. I had been talking with Stacy through messenger for a while now, just trying to keep each other positive while we had to wait and also up to date with what was happening.
Class of 2012 alum Valerie Hajec who recently donated her kidney to two-year-old Elias Redd.
Surgery happened and both of our surgeries went great. So well, that Elias’s surgeon came to my room to inform me just how awesome it went. He said it was one of the healthiest kidneys he had worked with and there was very little wait time for Elias’s body to accept the new organ. (A little part of me was hoping they don’t tell all donors this after surgery). They tell you there is always a chance that the body still rejects the kidney, which was my biggest fear. He stayed and talked to me for a while in recovery about the odds of this scenario, not knowing the family or being related. He said he was in awe and he did this for a living. I think the realization of it all finally hit me, or the drugs, I just started balling and was in such relief. It was like I had been holding
It has been weeks since the surgery and I feel great. I have had so much love and support throughout this whole process that I never had any hesitation about going through with it. From the moment I read Elias’ story on Facebook I felt like I was meant to be his match all along. It may be cheesy and unrealistic, but it really felt that simple to me. While some generous people prefer to donate money to charities, I have always preferred to donate myself, whether that be my time, blood, or, in this case, an organ. The overwhelming sense of joy and pride for helping a little boy have an additional 15-20 years versus 5 years of life is enough to last a lifetime. I feel honored to have done this for someone and that I was lucky and healthy enough to make this decision and be a good match. The family has very few local family members. They are focusing all efforts to pay for in-home medical care for their son. Due to COVID-19, most hospital support is virtual. They have to not only be the parent, but nurse and doctor too. As you can imagine, a two-yearold is already a handful. Now add all of the additional medical care - daily checks, wound care, multiple meds, documentation of progress, etc. It is a lot to ask a family with no medical background.
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H O LY C R O S S A LU M N A Francesca McCarthy, M.S., PsyM, pictured in the middle of the children, traveled to Nairobi for a poster presentation at the International Conference on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children in 2017. She also visited schools to donate books she and her colleagues collected.
Holy Cross helps alumna discover gifts and map a future that makes a difference 38
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
by Lisa Kochanowski, Assistant Director of Communications A love of sports took class of 2014 alumna Francesca McCarthy on a journey of pursuing a master’s degree in sports psychology in clinical mental health counseling at Indiana State University, but an impactful internship at a maximum-security men’s prison changed her path to pursue correctional psychology. After earning her Master of Science and discovering a passion for correctional psychology, she decided to continue her academic career, joining Wright State University’s School of Professional Psychology to earn a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). She is currently a fourth year student and is involved in many different projects, including co-developing the “Building Better Parents” parenting class for inmates in the Montgomery County Jail, working with mothers in the “Achieving Baby Care Success” nursery program at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, and completing her dissertation titled “Pregnant Inmates’ Knowledge of the Teratogenic Effects of Tobacco and Alcohol.”
H O LY C R O S S A LU M N I Francesca McCarthy, M.S., PsyM from 2013 during her time playing basketball at Holy Cross College.
Francesca McCarthy, M.S., PsyM with her poster presentation titled “Building better parents: An 8-week parenting class for women incarcerated in the Montgomery County Jail” at the Ohio Forensic Centers Continuing Education Conference in Dublin, Ohio in 2019.
Since her life changing internship, most of her work has been with female inmates. “I find working with female inmates, an often overlooked and underserved population, very fulfilling. I decided to be more involved with female inmates specifically, because I want to be a part of improving their treatment in jails and prisons,” notes McCarthy. Undergraduate studies at Holy Cross College helped her discover her gifts and map a future that would include personal fulfilment. “I think the most important thing I learned at Holy Cross was that I can make a difference. When I went to Peru for my global experience this concept was apparent in so many ways. I didn’t need fancy gifts or a perfect grasp on Spanish to connect with the people I met there,” remarks McCarthy. “That concept has carried over into the work I do with inmates.
A specific example of this is the Moral Reasoning Group I co-developed for women in prison. I used my hobby of table-top role-playing games to help them practice engaging in ethical decision making. I turned on the silly, pretending to laugh like a goblin, and they loved it! Holy Cross taught me that by simply being me I can make a difference in the lives of others. I’ll never forget what one of the women said at the conclusion of the group: ‘I think in the six years I have been here, I have never felt as good about waking up as I have on the days we had our group.’ ”
present, I found my groove and really nailed it. That process and presentation gave me a newfound confidence in my presentation abilities that I still carry with me today. I’ve done professional presentations in places from New Orleans to Nairobi, and I am now teaching college courses. None of that would be happening without my capstone experience,” said McCarthy. Up next is the start of her internship and completing her final year at Wright State. “After graduation, I hope to continue
One of her most memorable moments on her academic journey was the capstone presentation at Holy Cross College.
my work in corrections in either a
“As all Holy Cross students know, the capstone presentation is a big deal. I prepared for weeks and practiced over and over. When it came time to finally
college level. Most importantly, I want
prison or jail setting. I have also discovered a love of teaching and hope to continue to teach at the to relax and read books with my nephew Raymond (age 5) and niece June (age 2),” shares McCarthy.
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H O LY C R O S S U P D AT E S
Holy Cross ranked among Midwest’s Best Regional Colleges by U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report released its newest Best College rankings list in September, and Holy Cross College is excited to announce we ranked number 2 for student excellence, number 2 for alumni giving, number 27 for Best Value Schools among Regional Colleges–Midwest, number 34 (tie) among Best Regional Colleges–Midwest, and #57 for Top Performers on Social Mobility. The rankings used by the U.S. News & World Report are based on such widely accepted indicators of excellence as first-year student retention, graduation rates, and faculty resources.
“Holy Cross College is a truly distinctive place with a remarkable community, offering a meaningful, contemporary liberal arts education in the Catholic tradition and I am pleased that we have been ranked as such. It is a true reflection of the work of our devoted faculty, trustees, and administration. This recognition highlights the difference they make, enhancing the development and success of endlessly curious scholars, bold, informed citizens; globally minded leaders; and modern-day disciples.” — Rev. David T. Tyson, C.S.C., President, Holy Cross College
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H O LY C R O S S U P D AT E S
Seeking to achieve a synergy such that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts The faculty at Holy Cross College are actively engaged in serious scholarship, whether presenting at conferences or publishing in academic and professional journals or serving as reviewers of publications in their field. To acknowledge this achievement and celebrate the success of these scholars, the Faculty Research Seminar program was born. The Faculty Development Committee felt it was important to bring together in a spirit of collegiality, the diverse scholarship present at Holy Cross across all disciplines, and to publicize these efforts to make this unique community of scholarship available to other faculty, graduate students, the community at large, and students. The project also highlights the unique relationship shared by Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College, and the University of Notre Dame, three universities with a common faith-based academic mission. The seminars are a scholarly activity in a venue that raise the awareness of research being conducted, in the interest of collaboration among the disciplines. The program also provides faculty with recognition, spotlighting their individual efforts to advance the corpus of knowledge in their field.
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H O LY C R O S S A LU M N I & C L A S S N OT E S
MARRIAGES Colleen Derksen ’11 married John Kent ’11 in 2020. Brendon Doni Gendel ’14 married Emily in 2020! Evelyn Gonzalez Treto ’16 felt blessed to marry Marcos Campos in the company of close friends and family on October 17, 2020. Sierra Covington Wilkinson ’17 married Terry Wilkinson, Jr., at 6,300 feet above sea level in the Wasatch Mountains in June of 2020.
Niko Jeličić ’14 and wife Gabi were overjoyed to welcome daughter Lorena to the world on March 2, 2020. Victoria Lord ’14 and her husband added to their growing family with the birth of Nicholas Edward Lord on January 28, 2020. Vincent Lynch ‘14 and wife Megan welcomed Thomas Joseph Lynch to the family on June 5, 2020. Joe Rolf ’15 and wife Katie are delighted to announce the birth of daughter Dorothy Jo on August 11, 2019.
Sofia Lopez Vejarano ’18 married Joey Palkowitch on August 22, 2020.
GOOD NEWS ENGAGEMENTS Ana Lilia Davison ’15 and Steven Smith ’16 got engaged in July of 2020. Sydney Bright ’19 is engaged to Ian Schramm ’19.
BIRTHS Daniel Perry ’03 and his wife Catherine welcomed their third child, Emerson Rose Perry, on June 24, 2019. John Kelly ’10 and his wife Jennifer are excited to announce the birth of their third child, Jude Henry, born on January 31, 2020. Katie Fetters Emery ’10 and her husband Noah welcomed Barbara Nancy Emery on January 1, 2020. Big brother Gregory cannot get enough of his little sister. Colleen Derksen Kent ’11 and John Kent ’11 introduced Bernadette (Bernie/B) Marie Kent to the world on August 7, 2020. Kristin McCardle ’13 and her husband are delighted to announce the birth of their second baby boy, Murphy Jay McCardle, on March 13, 2020.
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Paul Lawrence Daniel ’73 retired from IBM after 30 years of service. He and wife Karen have been married since 1975 and have two sons, Brad whose 43 and Bryan who passed in 1998. The couple are proud grandparents of granddaughters Nevah age 12 and Mackenzie age 8. Harold Leyes ‘73 has retired from his career in software development, technical writing, and training. He, and his wife Joyce, continue to reside in Fort Myers, Florida, and they continue to be active in the music ministry of their local church. Tom Chomyn ’80 celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary on August 25th with his wife Jeannine, a 1983 USC grad. Daniel Perry ’03 relocated from Nashville, Tennessee to Hebron, Kentucky and has accepted a job at Aronoff, Rosen & Hunt, LPA in Cincinnati, Ohio. He practices in the areas of Trusts & Estate, Corporate Law, and Tax Law. Andrew Weiss ’12 was named #8 in the Knights of Columbus Insurance, Stackowicz Agency, out of 1000 agents. He has the highest level of professionalism and takes care of his clients and members to the nth degree according to his manager.
H O LY C R O S S U P D AT E S
Lauryn Luckey ’18 is excited to announce she has taken a new position as an INPAA Program Manager with Indiana 811. Jackie Navarro Leon ’19 started a new job at the Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County. Bryce Crosen ’19 started a new job as a fourth-grade teacher at Mount Auburn Prepatory Academy. Andrew Bolt ’19 is excited to start a new job as a Key Bank Lobby Leader. Dave Napierkowski ’20 is working hard at the Augustine Institute in Denver, sinking his teeth into some heavy graduate level theology, and loving every second! He is thriving in Denver, having met a large and growing community of young, fervent, orthodox joyful young people, on fire with the Catholic Faith. Jhade Avilla ’20 has accepted a position as a lead teacher with Schooner Learning Academy in Chicago. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and aims to bring open mindedness, creativity and positivity to her classroom. She wants to assist each child in developing their own potential and learning styles. She has experience in engaging children in several sports like soccer, basketball and swimming. Dominic Kucela ’20 was hired by the University of Notre Dame as a science/STEM specialist in one of their outreach offices. He is an online instructor to low-income kids in a program to boost their math/ science skills. Lukman Abiodun Aimannosi Ahmed-Shaibu ’16 has joined the Monaro Panthers FC NPL Capital Football team.
PASSING Justin Robert Cronin ’01, age 40, of Gettysburg, South Dakota, passed away on November 11, 2020, at his home. He was a graduate of Gettysburg High School and earned his associate degree from Holy Cross College, before graduating from the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minnesota), with a bachelor’s in business. He was active in politics and at his church and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. His life will be cherished by his wife, children, and extended family. Jacob Johnson ’16, age 33, of Lafayette, Indiana, passed into the arms of his loving Father on Sunday, May 3, 2020, at his residence. He was a graduate of McCutcheon High School, earned his associate degree from Holy Cross College, and had been working as a Forklift Operator for Vanguard. _____________________________________________ It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Professor Edward Gareau in April of 2020. A recipient of the Holy Cross Excellence in Teaching Award in 2014, he was also instrumental in the vision, curricular design, and implementation of the College’s first four-year program, the BA in Liberal Studies. In 2010, he and Brother Lawrence Unfried, CSC, developed a cross-listed course in Theology and science, Creation and Evolution. He was also one of the first Holy Cross College professors to teach in the Moreau College Initiative at the Westville Correctional Facility. After his retirement, he continued his contribution to the College as a Theology adjunct.
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H O LY C R O S S B O A R D M E M B E R S In 2020, Holy Cross College accepted four new members to the Board of Trustees. Welcome to: Dr. Pia de Soleni, Thomas Lange, Thomas Lyons,III, and Irene McPhail
Holy Cross college welcomes four new board members Pia de Solenni Dr. Pia de Solenni is an internationally recognized Catholic theologian and speaker from California, presenting at Holy Cross College in 2019 about “Women in the Body of Christ.” She earned a Ph. D. in sacred theology summa cum laude from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome. In addition to the doctorate, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts-Great Books from Thomas Aquinas College, California; a Sacred Theology Baccalaureate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome; and a Sacred Theology Licentiate from Holy Cross, Rome. Previously, she worked as the chancellor of the Diocese of Orange serving as the theological consultant to the Office of the Bishop of Orange County located at Christ Cathedral. Dr. de Solenni has served on the Family Research Council and is also a consultant member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas. She is an expert in issues relating to women’s health, life issues, the new feminism, Catholicism, and culture. Her work has appeared in various publications including “The Wall Street Journal Europe,”“The Washington Post,”“National Catholic Reporter,”“Our Sunday Visitor,” and “National Review Online.” She has participated in many radio and television talk shows on various topics including appearances on MSNBC, “Hardball with Chris Matthews”, “The O’Reilly Factor”,
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CNN, and ABCNews. Dr. de Solenni has been quoted in newspapers nationwide, including The New York Times, The Washington Times, and The Associated Press.
Thomas Lange Tom Lange’s career in financial advisory services, investment banking, law and public accounting spanned almost forty years. From 1996 through 2020, he was a founding member of Baird’s Distribution team within its Global Industrial Investment Banking Group. Prior to joining Baird, he practiced law for ten years and was a partner in the securities, mergers, and acquisitions practice of the law firm of Foley & Lardner. He began his career in the Chicago office of Ernst & Whinney. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School and received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame. From 1999 to 2019, Tom was a member of the Notre Dame Law School Advisory Council. He also served as Chair of the School Advisory Board for his parish school in Tampa, and earlier as Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors of the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee. He is a member (inactive) of the State Bar of Florida. He and his wife Tami Tavis Lange, a Notre Dame graduate, have three adult children, also Notre Dame graduates, and currently four grandchildren.
H O LY C R O S S B O A R D M E M B E R S
Thomas Lyons,III Thomas Lyons, III, is a Corporate Associate Attorney with a concentration in US Securities Law and Financial Regulation, representing high profile cases and advising clients with Barnes & Thornburg. He graduated from Holy Cross College in 2014, with a bachelor’s degree in business. Upon graduation from Holy Cross College, he completed his Juris Doctor in the field of banking, corporate, finance, and securities law at Valparaiso University School of Law and a Legum Magister in the field of banking, corporate, finance, and securities law from Georgetown University Law Center. He is active in the community involved with various organizations and serves on the Board of Directors for Options Charter Schools in Carmel, Indiana. Currently, he is on The Indiana Leadership Forum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization dedicated to preparing Indiana’s most talented free enterprise, limited governmentminded community and business leaders for greater civic involvement, public service and leadership roles throughout the state of Indiana. In fall of 2019, he joined the Indy Chamber Ambassadors, a group of volunteer leaders that engage with Indy Chamber members through volunteering at events and attending ribbon cuttings and grand openings. For over two years, he has served as a member of The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, most frequently called the Federalist Society, an organization of conservatives and libertarians that advocates for a textualist and originalist interpretation of the United States Constitution. He is also a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and Indianapolis Bar Association.
Irene McPhail Irene McPhail is a founder and senior principal at Leadership Alliance International, Inc. (LAI), a group that partners with organizations to achieve tangible improvements in business results through their Executive and Leadership Development and Organizational Effectiveness Consulting. She brings to her consulting practice a unique blend of line and executive management experience, as well as significant executive coaching and management consultation expertise. She served for nearly twenty-five years as an operations and corporate executive in the media and telecommunications industries. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications Arts from the New York Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Colorado in Denver.
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H O LY C R O S S CO L L E G E R A N K I N G
This moment made possible by alumni and friends of Holy Cross College. Faithful annual gifts from donors like you help students foster lifelong friendships and prepare to be the scholars, citizens, leaders, and disciples of tomorrow. It is not too late to help today’s Holy Cross students create lasting memories of their own. Please consider making your Annual Fund gift today at www.hcc-nd.edu/give or (574) 239-8344.
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DAY OF GIVING 2020
MOST SUCCESSFUL DAY EVER! In the midst of a pandemic, the Holy Cross Community rose up once again to support the College’s 4th annual Day of Giving by breaking all records and raising the most money ever.
899 393 311 DONORS
FIRST TIME DONORS
GRAND TOTAL $106,359
DONORS BY NOON TO UNLOCK THE LOU AND SKIP HOLTZ CHALLENGE
125
304 899 DONORS
$
$61,434 raised $44,925 unlocked
800+ 70+
FIRST TIME 147 DONORS
375
social media posts
393 123
599
Total $ Raised $55,061
$58,612
$92,118
$106,359
2017
2018
2019
2020
Ambassadors
JUST THE FACTS A LOOK AT THE HOLY CROSS FUND: JULY 2019 JUNE 30, 2020
Thanks and Gratitude
$
PARTICIPATION RATE
$1,357,709 357, 357,7 RAISED FOR T THE HC FUND
DRISCOLL SOCIETY
$539,814
Raised in leadership gifts ($1,000 or more) to the HC Fund
1,089
DONORS
Average individual gift to the HC Fund
19%
$796
4%
HC BA ALUMNI HC AA ALUMNI
[
[
alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends – to the HC Fund
$325,124 Raised for financial aid and scholarships from the HC Fund
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54515 S.R. 933 N. P.O. BOX 308 NOTRE DAME, IN 46556
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The Holy Cross College website gets a new look The Holy Cross College website received a new look in 2020 with a redesigned website that is aesthetically pleasing, using-friendly, and offering more opportunity to showcase the amazing work of Holy Cross College faculty, staff, students, and alumni.
Check out the new look today at C
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HOLY CROSS COLLEGE Connections | FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021
