Congratulations Class of 2021

Holy Cross College’s 54th Commencement

Holy Cross College celebrated the 54th Commencement on Saturday, May 22, 2021, outdoors on the Holy Cross College campus. The College conferred honorary degrees to Dr. Mark D Fox, MD, Ph.D., MPH, Christopher J Murphy III, and Carmen (Carmi) Carmichael Murphy.

Dr. Mark D Fox, who delivered the commencement address, is the Associate Dean and Director of the Indiana University School of Medicine – South Bend, where he is also a Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics. He serves as the Deputy Health Officer for the St. Joseph County Department of Health. He also holds appointments as a Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI. For the past year, he successfully guided the community through the COVID-19 pandemic with his insight, research, and strategies.

Christopher J Murphy III, the Chairman and CEO at 1st Source Bank, holds an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School, a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia Law School, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame. He is a member and past chairman of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, served on the board of the University of Chicago Hospitals and Health System, and is a member and former chairman of the Medical Education Foundation which also serves as the Citizens’ Advisory Board for the Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend at Notre Dame. He is a member and past chairman of the Advisory Council of the College of Arts and Letters at the University of Notre Dame and has lectured at the University of Notre Dame Law School London Program and in the Notre Dame Business School.

Carmen (Carmi) Carmichael Murphy obtained a degree from Vanderbilt University. She is active in the community, serving on the boards of the Family and Children’s Center, Inc., Family and Children’s Center Foundation, and University of Notre Dame Snite Museum of Art Advisory Council. Previously, she served on boards for the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of St. Joseph County, Inc., the Firefly Festival, the Indiana Chapter for Prevention of Child Abuse, Logan Center, Memorial Hospital Foundation, Mental Health Association, Michiana Opera Guild, Mount Vernon Advisory Board, Northern Indiana Center for Hospice Care, Parkview Juvenile Detention Advisory Board, Reins of Life, Saint Mary’s College Board of Trustees, South Bend Civic Foundation, South Bend Entertainment District Board, Stanley Clark School, Studebaker National Museum, and United Way of St. Joseph County. She held leadership roles with the Child Abuse and Neglect Coordination, Family & Children’s Center, Friends of the Notre Dame Library, and the Junior League.

The Murphy’s have been married for over 50 years and have 6 adult children and 13 grandchildren. They have chaired multiple fund-raising campaigns and events supporting numerous community organizations across a wide range of interests from human social service, to health care, arts and culture, and economic development.

Dylan Maugel, of Wakarusa, Indiana, was the valedictorian. He is a double major in theology and business, with a minor in philosophy. During his undergraduate years, he was involved as a co-chair of the Social Concerns Committee, a mentor in the Peer Mentor Program, and a member of Holy Cross College’s Liturgical Choir. Dylan was also the 2020 recipient of the Saint Joseph Service Award which recognizes a student who possesses an outstanding sense of stewardship and service to others. Upon graduation, he plans to continue his education pursuing a Master of Divinity degree. See his complete speech on page 6.

Valedictory Address

by Dylan Maugel ‘21

President Fr. Tyson C.S.C., distinguished faculty, and staff, Board of Trustees, Brothers of Holy Cross, family, and friends, on behalf of the class of 2021, thank you for being here today. Over the past few weeks, I have realized that the class of 2021 taught me what it means to be a Holy Cross College Saint, not just on-campus, but also in what we are called to do as we are sent forth from this ceremony.

A Saint is engrossed in the beauty of God’s creation and responds with awe and wonder. Holy Cross College biology majors Tori Jones ’21, Shaima Musleh ’21, and Christian Smith ’21 led an earth day event on Saint’s Square, celebrating creation’s beauty, creating birdhouses, and planting seeds in flower pots so we might encounter God as co-creators of His Kingdom.

A Saint laughs often and smiles frequently for life is God’s gift. Theology major Kara Tarala ’21 taught me that laughter has the transcendent gift of permeating joy and moves others to foster gratitude in ordinary relationships. Kara’s laugh is so contagious that the room she is in bursts in laughter with her and I start to wheeze because I am laughing so hard.

A Saint is disturbed by the way things are and works toward a new creation. Beyoncé Shaw ’21 formed the Black Student Association this year and posted several flyers throughout the school to move the student body away from being apathetic toward racial injustice and toward pursuing a greater understanding of injustice, and that we must be a voice for the marginalized.

A Saint is a humble servant leader whose ordinary acts are made extraordinary by God’s grace. Jessie Traxler ’21, day in and day out, hands out mail to students with a positive attitude, boosting their self-esteem. She encourages others to seek out those needing friendship as she does not just deliver mail but converses with others about their day and truly seeks the good of everyone. A Saint possesses radical trust in God and trust in those who know what excellence is. Our women’s soccer team has transformed from individuals who lacked trust in each other during Freshman year, to a winning team that trusts in Coach Omar Gallo’s knowledge of what excellence requires. The women give it their all on the field, not for individual glory, but for the sake of their team.

A Saint finds greater joy in the intrinsic goods of activity than the pleasure that derives from the extrinsic. Our Men’s basketball team made Holy Cross College history by making the NAIA playoffs last year, winning their first-round game, but the pandemic cut the season short. However, this only lit a fire in the team’s hearts this season and earned another playoff spot in the tournament. Watching their practices you could see that they enjoyed the friendships, the game, the pride in being a Saint basketball player much more than any trophy or ring.

A Saint is patient, dedicated, and comes to appreciate the beauty in life’s

intricate details. When looking at the artworks by Eryn Forrest ’21, Cat Oliva ’21, and the other art majors of the class of 2021, one is in awe of the beauty of an entire piece of art, but most especially in the intricate detail of the textures, the shadows, and the techniques subtly displayed in the artwork that distinguishes a great artist from a mediocre one. The visual arts majors spend hours in the art studio patiently creating masterpieces with each stroke as they contemplate the beauty of the subject they are creating.

A Saint believes that the truth will set one free. Dylan Schwaegel ’21, Michael Bright ’21, and many others have brought a heightened awareness to the student body about society’s distortion of the order and beauty of God’s original creation. In many ways, you could say they might be rebels or protesters. Yet I call them my friends who disrupt the complacency of our vision of the world and call us to unite with them in peaceful protest and live life the way it is meant to be lived.

A Saint educates the heart and the mind of those they encounter. Erin Meyer ’21, Betza Madrigal ’21, and Jillian Walters ’21 pursued an education degree, which requires them not only to attend classes as a student but also to spend several hours in field experiences. In the stories of their field experiences, I have been moved by their focus not only to develop wellorganized lesson plans and hands-on activities that help student learning but more importantly their ability to accompany young kids so that they might see themselves in the fulness of their dignity as children of God: when they hold hands with kids who desire to be close with ones they love, their patience for kids who throw fits or fall asleep during class, and the joy they have as a kid who struggles with reading moves up to the next level.

A Saint leads by laying down their life for their friends. Our student body president and a resident assistant for Anselm Hall, Billy Skoch ’21, planned student activities and was the voice of the student body when communicating with the administration. Yet, his greatest leadership attribute is building fraternity amongst a diverse group of people. Walk into Anselm Hall and there is the cheering of excitement, the yelling of fierce competition, and even sometimes a little bit of singing. That sound resonates with the voice of fraternity that Billy has augmented. P. Ben Beekman ’21 has helped coach and mentor the men’s and women’s tennis teams by helping international students transition to the College’s culture, and is a friend to his teammates, sacrificing his time so that they may have success on and off the field. Zac Mundwiller ’21 serves the student body with enthusiasm, passion, and zeal that embodies holiness lived out in pursuit of excellence found in virtue. Zac helps men, as a resident assistant on the third floor of Basil Hall, become holier by sharing his stories of growth in virtue and overcoming adversity. He never does anything with partial effort and will be remembered for challenging us to respond with gratitude for the experiences Holy Cross has given. Most importantly, a Saint does not fear death but courageously lives in the hope of new life. During the pandemic, the faculty, staff, and students taught me that it is more important to be formed in heart and mind and to come to understand the truth than it is to live in fear of death. We cannot escape death; therefore, we must prepare for it by coming to understand and live in the truth so that we may live on earth as we will in heaven. We understood that we must take safety precautions to protect the common good, but we must not be afraid. What is life, if it is not to strive to become a Saint?

I remember after each day during elementary, middle, and high school, while my parents and I would sit around the dinner table or drive from one activity to the next, my parents would ask me how my day was and what I learned. Mom and dad, I can truly say that my four years here at Holy Cross College were transformative and I learned what it means to be a Saint. Thank you for inspiring me to come to Holy Cross College and sacrificing the daily hugs and talks we would have in these past four years so that I could grow in understanding of truth and be able to strive in virtue.

Class of 2021 I leave you here today with the challenge to keep this feeling of gratitude and to not be apathetic towards your Holy Cross experiences here as the days, months, and years roll by. Live life in gratitude for God’s grace, for our families, and Holy Cross by serving those you encounter with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might because that is what it means to be a Holy Cross College Saint.

Ave Crux Spes Unica!