Holy Cross Magazine - Summer 2021 by College of the Holy Cross

SUMMER T WO THOUSAND T WENT Y- ONE

VOLUME FIFTY-FIVE / NUMBER THREE

C L AS S O F 202 1 Co m m e n c e m e n t Pag e 8

Sa n c ta e C r u c i s AWA R DS Pag e 3 6

H ow d o yo u t e l l t h e s to ry o f yo u r l i f e ? Pag e 4 4

AND

THE M U LT I H Y P H E N AT E LIFE OF YO L A N DA RA B U N ’ 9 0 Pag e 50

by m a rybe th re i l lymcgre e n ’ 89

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Looking Back in Gratitude and Forward With Hope Dear members of the Holy Cross community: We are all filled with excitement as we welcome Vince Rougeau as the 33rd president of the College of the Holy Cross. A thoughtful, gracious and insightful leader, Vince is the perfect person to guide Holy Cross forward in these exciting and challenging days. With his arrival on July 1, the College’s future is full of promise and possibility,

H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

and I am confident that you will support him just as you have supported me over the past 9.5 years. As I reflect on my tenure as president, I am filled with gratitude for all that we have accomplished together. With momentum coming out of the leadership of President Rev. Michael McFarland, S.J., the campus was energized to continue its upward trajectory when I arrived. Possibilities increased as leadership of the College and our various constituencies progressively became more diverse. Our loyal and generous alumni ensured that resources for faculty scholarship and student financial aid were enhanced. As a consequence of our highly successful Become More Campaign, we were able to build the long awaited Thomas P. Joyce

’59 Contemplative Center, double the size of the Hart Center with the construction of the Luth Athletic Complex and replace the ancient Field House with the Joanne Chouinard-Luth Recreation and Wellness Center. In the months ahead, we joyfully anticipate the opening of the new Prior Center for Performing Arts, a fitting home for our extraordinary arts programs. In addition to these striking facilities, the campus entrance on College Street and parking lot that unites upper campus are being redesigned and landscaped. This reimagined upper campus will make a powerful impression on campus tours participants and serve incoming students with state-of-the-art facilities. Over the past several years, our campus and our country have faced a series of significant challenges. What

AVANELL CHANG

(opposite) Fr. Boroughs celebrates Baccalaureate Mass for the class of 2021 in May; displaying the gift from the class of 2021 presented by the Noah Sisk ’21 and Victoria Tara ’21, Student Government Association co-presidents.

does it mean to be a Catholic and Jesuit institution of higher learning in today’s complex world, what role can the arts play in a Jesuit liberal arts college and what does it mean to be a Division I student-athlete? Given ongoing but increasingly visible national and international incidents of racism, how do we become a more inclusive, welcoming and sustaining campus community for various diverse constituencies? What does freedom of speech mean and how can it be challenging without being dehumanizing? Over the course of my years at Holy Cross, we have held two national elections and experienced enormous political conflict and even violence. We wonder if and how our democracy will survive. With increasing environmental degradation, we now wonder if life as we know it can

MICAHEL QUIET

survive. And, tragically, we know how devastating it can be when a student dies and a horrible accident causes our community great suffering. Over the past 16 months, a global pandemic continued to threaten life in vast areas of our world and has disrupted patterns of living for all of the human family. As people of faith and commitment, we have approached each of these challenges with hope, discipline and creativity. We have used our minds and hearts to formulate responses that serve and sustain the human family and our common home. More than ever, we have seen in our alumni extraordinary leadership, generosity and service; we have witnessed the creativity and selfless commitment of our faculty; and we have been impressed by the resiliency and ingenuity of our students

and staff. As an academic community, we have truly embodied our mission to be “women and men, for and with our world.” While my time serving the Holy Cross community as president has come to an end, I want you to know that I will always be proud of my years as part of this extraordinary community and daily I will pray that the College continues to be the shining light on the hilltop that it has been for the past 178 years. ■

With deep gratitude,

Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J.

President

L O O K I N G B A C K I N G R A T I T U D E A N D F O R W A R D W I TF R H OHMO TP H E E/ PF RR EOSMI DTEHNET P/ ROE PS EI DN EI N G T / 1

HOLY CROSS MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2021 / VOLUME 55 / NUMBER 3

Isabelle Uong ’22 gets some hands-on experience in Harpswell, Maine, collecting seastars and other marine organisms, along with Justin McAlister, associate professor of biology. McAlister received a grant from the National Science Foundation to fund the project, which found him, Uong and fellow summer research students Allison McGrath ’22 and Kerry Bresnahan ’22 working with a group of undergraduates from the College of William & Mary, investigating the larval development of seastars and other organisms in the Gulf of Maine.

30 50

36 12

66 2 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

PHOTOS BY AVANELL CHANG ( TOP LEFT / 44 / 58 / 76 ) AND MICHAEL QUIET (10)

HCM TEA M

MELISSA SHAW Editor

STEPHEN ALBANO Art Director / Designer

AVANELL CHANG Multimedia Producer

H O LY C R O SS M AGA Z I N E (USPS 0138-860) is published quarterly by College Marketing and Communications at the College of the Holy Cross. Address all correspondence to the editor at: One College Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610-2395. Periodicals postage paid at Worcester and additional mailing points.

TA B LE OF CON TE NTS

1 From the President 2 Table of Contents 4 Dear HCM, 5 How To Reach Us 6 Editor’s Note 7 Who We Are / Contributors

36 Features 36 Inside the 2021 Sanctae Crucis Awards Meet seven Crusaders who made a difference during the pandemic.

8 Campus Notebook 8 Snapshot 10 Spotlight 12 On The Hill

44 How Do You Tell the Story of Your Life? Narrative psychology experts and authors Mark Freeman and Jack Bauer ’89 share how

22 Faculty & Staff 22 Creative Spaces 24 Headliners 34 Syllabus

humans make sense of their lives through the stories they tell themselves and others. 50 Yolanda Rabun ’90 is Not Done Yet She blazed her way across Mount St. James, and the plans she had for herself are still unfolding over 30 years later.

CON N ECT WITH H O LY C RO SS O N S O C I AL M E DIA

@collegeoftheholycross

@holy_cross

COVER P HOTO

58 Sports 58 Go Cross Go 60 Crusader Life 66 Alumni News 66 Mystery Photo 68 HCAA News 74 Creative Notes 75 Solved Photo 76 For and With Others 78 Class Notes 84 In Memoriam 96 Examine

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CONTACT US First Lady Nancy Reagan insisted President Ronald Reagan see her perform. Oscar and Grammy Award winner Isaac Hayes said she could be a star. But Yolanda W. Rabun ’90, who blazed her way across Mount St. James, had bigger plans for herself — and 30-plus years later, they’re still unfolding.

POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO College of the Holy Cross One College Street Worcester, MA 01610-2395

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TA B L E O F CO N T EN TS / 3

DEAR HCM, and the numerous honors

It gives my ego an occasional

he has earned for his many

boost when I recall the incident.

accomplishments (“I Mean, Is This Really Happening?” Winter

I loaned the magazine to a

2021, Page 34), I knew that the

friend of mine who had first

person I have seen and heard on

called my attention to Dr.

television is a truly remarkable

Fauci when COVID became a

individual.

major topic. Jesuit-educated at Fordham Prep and Fordham

I must add that his adventure

University (class of 1960), it

with the hot test tube

was he who motivated me

notwithstanding, Dr. Fauci had

to break out my copy of The

a little more luck than I as a

Purple Patcher, 1959 edition,

chemistry major. During my

where I found Anthony Fauci

four years at The Cross, all of

in one of the group pictures of

my labs were in the two oldest

the freshman class. I knew my

buildings on campus, O’Kane

friend would enjoy the article on

and Alumni, with the organic lab

Dr. Fauci and I suggested that, as

in the bowels of O’Kane, where

a contemporary and sports fan,

the ventilation left something to

he might also enjoy the article

be desired.

on Tommy Heinsohn. When he returned the magazine, he told

I also enjoyed the article

me he had enjoyed both of those

about Tommy Heinsohn

articles very much, and then

(“Remembering Tom Heinsohn

surprised me by saying that he

‘56, Winter 2021, Page 62). Here

also enjoyed a third one, about

the roles were reversed: I was

the mailboxes. Take this as a

the freshman and he was the

sincere compliment on a very

senior. I saw him play in his

well-written article.

Fr. Boroughs Transformed Holy Cross

Kudos on the Winter Issue I want you to know how much I

I enjoyed a fabulous stretch of

Thomas C. Doyle ’59

As a widow of a Holy Cross

enjoyed the fruits of your labor.

Celtics success after he joined

Fort Mill, South Carolina

graduate of 1953, I have

I have been a fan of Dr. Fauci

them. I regarded him as a hard-

always enjoyed your excellent

since the first time I heard him

nosed competitor as a player,

magazine. My husband, Louis

speak on the subject of COVID

but found him to be quite the

A New Level

G. Pecek, loved his time and

last spring. After learning of

opposite off the court.

Just a note to say that each issue

experience there; however, I

the Jesuit connection, I went

can’t help but think he was born

to my senior class yearbook

I feel like I hit the jackpot with

too soon.

and ascertained that he had

this issue. The article on the

senior year and as a Bostonian,

of Holy Cross Magazine brings excellence to a new level.

attended Holy Cross three

old mailboxes evoked a happy

Joseph Trent ’77

Under Fr. Boroughs’

years behind me, but knew

memory (“Ode on a P.O. Box,”

Worcester

administration, Holy Cross

little else. Through the months

Winter 2021, Page 48). One

has been transformed (“An

since, my admiration for him

day in my junior or senior

Uncommon Balance,” Spring

has swelled, as has my pride

year, while I was manipulating

A Job Well Done

2021, Page 26)! I’m sure he

in being a Crusader. As I have

the combination knob on

Thank you for your integrity,

will be missed by students and

watched and listened to him

my mailbox, I was singing to

professionalism and interesting

faculty alike. He truly has been

on television, I have been

myself in hopeful anticipation

articles.

the pastor as president. You

increasingly impressed by his

of a letter from Mary Parsons,

have all been blessed by the

clarity, honesty and steadiness

my steady date at the time

My son and his wife are both

experience of Fr. Boroughs’

in explaining matters of

and now my wife of 59 years.

alums. They came in the first

presence in your lives. May he

enormous importance and

From a voice behind me came

year Fr. Boroughs took over.

enjoy a restful and nourishing

complexity. After reading your

a very complimentary remark

Oldest son Boston College,

sabbatical!

article and learning more

about my vocal effort. I turned

daughter Saint Louis University.

about his background and

around and there was Professor

A Jesuit household — but one

ideals, how he has conducted

“Doc” Mirliani, director of the

that really appreciates the Holy

himself throughout his life

Glee Club and Marching Band.

Cross Magazine. So glad our

Mary Ann Pecek

Cleveland, Ohio

4 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

HOW TO REACH US youngest, Matt, made the choice for

Foley scored 56 points that night; the

the college on The Hill.

article said he did that as a senior, but I believe you had the dates of his high

Your magazine offers wonderful depth and substance that is lacking in

scores reversed. (Editor’s note: Foley

scored 56 points against Connecticut on

journalism today. Your dedication is

Feb. 17, 1962.) Had there been a three-

shown in every issue and cherished.

point shot then, the total would have been much higher. The corridors did

Thank you for a job well done, over

not quiet down until long after we

and over again.

returned to campus. I wanted more

PHONE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

office (she was also the college

Poughkeepsie, New York

placement person) and told her I had changed my mind and now wanted to attend Holy Cross. My recollection, which may contain a

“Remembering Jack ‘The Shot’ Foley

bit of imagination, was that I was

’62” was so good (Spring 2021, Page

admitted before the week was out.

58)! It brought to mind the role that

(Admission was a simpler process in

he played in my choice of Holy Cross.

those days.)

In January of my senior year at St.

This may sound very shallow. Why

Thomas Aquinas in New Britain,

would anyone pick a school on the

Connecticut, I was signed and

basis of a basketball player? I guess

sealed to attend Georgetown, to be

it was, on the surface. I’ve always

delivered in the fall. Then, two high

thought there was someone who

school friends, Mike Heneghan ’62

helped mold the circumstances that

and Mike Dropick ’63, invited me to

brought me there. Shallow reason or

spend a weekend at Holy Cross. It

not, it was one of the best decisions I

sounded like fun, so I persuaded my

ever made.

mother to let me take the family car Bill Richards ’64

to Worcester.

Yarmouth, Maine It was a fun time — walking around then), seeing life on corridor, a meal

Erratum

or two in Kimball and a burger in the

A photo caption in the story “How

caf, Mass in the chapel. The highlight

Agnes Williams’ Passion for Holy

of the weekend was the Saturday

Cross Will Change the Lives of

night basketball game. Holy Cross

Generations” (Spring 2021, Page

played at the Worcester Auditorium

47) contained an error. The photo

in those days; I think we walked there,

was taken on the SS United States.

along with a stream of other men.

A caption on Page 48 misidentified John Roberts’ title; he is chief justice

The opponent was UConn, a very

of the United States. Holy Cross

good team. I was soon in awe of the

Magazine regrets these errors. ■

spirit that filled the Aud. It was rockin’ in a way I had never experienced —

hcmag@holycross.edu

When I returned to school on

Patrick J. Watson P16

the campus (my knees were healthy

(508) 793-2419

Monday, I went to the principal’s

The Impact of “The Shot”

Holy Cross Magazine One College Street Worcester, MA 01610

of that! My best wishes to you, your staff and the Holy Cross community.

MAIL

and the game hadn’t even started!

We Want Your Letters!

When it did, I got my first glimpse of

Whether it is a response to

the shot John Connors ’61 described:

something you read, Mystery Photo

arms extended, two hands flipped

identification, Milestones submission

the ball, very little apparent arc.

or a story idea, drop us a line!

should not exceed 250 words and must pertain to items in the two most recent issues. All letters are subject to editorial approval, and some may appear online.

CLASS NOTES

will only appear in the print version of the magazine, but may be submitted online at holycross.edu/classnotes.

MILESTONES SUBMISSIONS

will only appear in the print version of the magazine, and must meet all of the following requirements: erson submitting the photo must be a 1) P graduate of Holy Cross, and include his or her name, email and phone number for confirmation purposes. (For wedding photos, the person submitting must be part of the wedded couple.) 2) Only group photos of alumni and/or faculty will be accepted. 3) I n wedding photos, please identify the couple with first, last and maiden names, as well as class year. The date and location of the ceremony must accompany the photo. 4) Digital images must be hi-res (at least 1 MB in size, with a resolution of 300 dpi or larger). Regular prints can be submitted, but will not be returned. lease include any required photographer 5) P credit. Note: Acquiring permission from professional photographers to print images is the sole responsibility of the submitter. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for content, accuracy and length, and cannot guarantee that items received will appear in the magazine. Publication of an item does not constitute endorsement by Holy Cross.

DEAR HCM / HOW TO REACH US / 5

EDITOR’S NOTE

The Sights and Sounds of Hope

t was a beautiful early June day on campus when I parked above Easy Street and took a detour to Smith Hall to run an errand before heading to my office in Hogan. I walked down between Clark and Hanselman, and had just spied the Jesuit Cemetery when I realized: It had been a long time since I’d walked anywhere on campus, other than from my car to Hogan and vice versa. As I headed west, I noticed things that, perhaps, I may not have thought twice about prior to March 2020. When I passed above the Jesuit Cemetery, I saw a bright red, white and blue wreath standing at the grave of Rev. Joseph T. O’Callahan, S.J., the first Navy chaplain to win the Medal of Honor. With Memorial Day having just passed, I surmised it was new, as that wreath tends to fade dramatically in the sun, and this one was fresh and vibrant. Getting closer to Smith, I saw small groups walking and stopping, then walking and stopping again. I remembered that campus tours had just restarted, prospective Crusaders and their families getting their first inperson look at the place that might be home someday.

WHO WE ARE

announced that, for the summer, those vaccinated were not required to wear masks outside. I could see a person’s entire face as they smiled – not just their eyes. Circling the Hoval were flower beds bursting with color, and the two-yearold St. Peter Faber statue had been joined by St. Ignatius and St. Francis Xavier, the bronze trio finally united and complete after an installation delay of more than a year. Now, instead of a solo St. Peter Faber walking alone, you’ll see the trio in conversation, frozen in time yet on the move. Once inside Hogan, I heard voices and the sounds of a kitchen at work echoing out from Crossroads. These were the sights and sounds of hope, and the upcoming debut not of campus life as we knew it but, rather, a new beginning. By fall, students, faculty and staff will return, full in-person classes and activities will resume, and campus life will start anew. And, poetically timed, the College welcomes its new president, Vincent Rougeau, who will lead Holy Cross into its 18th decade.

Editor

is an award-winning writer and editor who has led newspapers and magazines in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

STEPHEN ALBANO

Art Director / Designer has been a part of the HCM team for 10 years this August; this is his 40th issue! Stephen earned his degree in studio art at Clark University. He would like to congratulate his husband, David (above at Fenway Park), for graduating from Northeastern University with his master’s degree in bioinformatics. He looks forward to starting tennis and travel this summer.

This is the time to move forward with hope, never forgetting and always respecting the challenges, heartbreak and losses of the past year and a half. ■

AVANELL CHANG

Multimedia Producer

Melissa Shaw Exiting Smith I saw employees walking, happily maskless, as the College had

MELISSA SHAW

Editor hcmag@holycross.edu

6 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

and her husband, Daniel, are having a funpacked summer. She celebrated a very-belated bachelorette on Cape Cod with her bridesmaids, visited family in Florida and is looking forward to camping in Maine in August.

CONTRIBUTORS

WRITERS 1 MAURA SULLIVAN HILL is a freelance writer and editor who has written for the Notre Dame Alumni Association, Loyola Magazine and Impact, the research magazine of Brown University. 2 MARYBETH REILLY-MCGREEN ’89 is an award-winning content strategist and writer for the University of Rhode Island. The author of three books on the history and folklore of Rhode Island, she is working on her fourth. 3 MEREDITH FIDROCKI is a freelance writer who graduated from Bates College with a degree in English and French. 4 LORI FERGUSON is a freelance writer with a soft spot for education and art. 5 SANDRA GITTLEN is a freelance journalist in the greater Boston area. She writes on higher education, technology and health issues. 6 BILL DOYLE is a freelance writer who covered sports for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette for 40 years. 7 ERICA MCCRYSTAL ’08 is an assistant professor in the education and mathematics department at Centenary University. In her podcast, Villains 101, she analyzes iconic literary and film villains from various critical perspectives. 8 REBECCA (TESSITORE) SMITH ’99 and 9 KIMBERLY (OSBORNE) STALEY ’99 are former Holy Cross roommates who have been writing for HCM and other College publications for more than 15 years. They work together at their freelance writing firm, SmithWriting. PHOTOGRAPHERS 10 JOHN BUCKINGHAM is a member of the College’s Audio-Visual Services Department and has worked as a videographer, video editor, graphic designer and photographer for many projects, groups and campus activities. 11 ZOE COHEN is a video production specialist and editor who graduated from Clark University. 12 LIZ MILLER is the social media manager for College Marketing and Communications. 13 MICHAEL QUIET is a Boston-based sports and fitness photographer whose recent clients include Adidas, UFC, Reebok, Muscle and Fitness Magazine, the New England Revolution and more. 14 ADAM ROSS has enjoyed a fascination with photography from a young age. They are thrilled and honored to help document alumni who have made such lasting, positive impacts in the city over the course of the pandemic. 15 MATTHEW WRIGHT is a Worcester-based photographer and videographer. CAMPUS CONTRIBUTORS 16 THE HOLY CROSS ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS TEAM is comprised of Abby Stambach, head of archives and special collections; Sarah Campbell, assistant archivist; and Corinne Gabriele, archival assistant. Archives collects, preserves, arranges and describes records of permanent value from the College’s founding in 1843 to the present. We couldn’t put together an issue without their historical research and context, as well as the access to archival images and objects.

SHARE YOUR NEWS

Have you published a book? Went back to school? Found your calling? Saw the world? Started a business? Got married? Had a baby? Started your first job? Finished your last job? Whatever you’ve been up to, we’d like to know about it.

Share Your News USE THIS FORM TO SUBMIT YOUR NEWS email hcmag@holycrosss.edu or mail Holy Cross Magazine • 1 College Street • Worcester, MA 01610

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EDITOR’S NOTE /

WHO WE ARE / CONTRIBUTORS / 7

CAMPUS NOTEBOOK

FIELD CELEBRATION The class of 2021’s (left to right) Mandusu Sidibay, Jonathan Rivera, Steve Magana, Gaytrix Solo, Christelle Paul

8 Snapshot • 10 Spotlight • 12 On The Hill

michael quiet

and Sienna Ablorh pose after the College’s 175th Commencement, held on Fitton Field.

SNAPSHOT / C AMPUS NOTEBOOK / 9

SPOTLIGHT

Holy Cross Celebrates 175th Commencement

oly Cross announced 748 Bachelor of Arts degree candidates at its 175th commencement

on May 21 held on Fitton Field. Linda ThomasGreenfield, United States ambassador to the United Nations, delivered this year’s

10 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

address virtually to the class of 2021 and received an honorary degree. A distinguished career diplomat with 35 years in the Foreign Service, Thomas-Greenfield reminded graduates that their education has equipped them to make a positive difference

in the world. “Class of 2021: I have hope – I have light in my eyes – because of you,” she told the graduates. “When I think of your promise, your potential, I swell with pride. With your Holy Cross mentors and role models by your side, I believe you will become men and

P H OTO S B Y M I C H A E L Q U I E T / M AT T H E W W R I G H T / J O H N B U C K I N G H A M / L I Z M I L L E R

women for others. I trust you will go where you are needed. And graduates, I know you will keep hope alive.” Emma Davison ’21, a political science and Middle Eastern studies double major with a concentration in peace and conflict studies from West Caldwell, New Jersey,

delivered the valedictory address. She encouraged fellow graduates to be open to new experiences and let their future actions become a “living prayer” of what they have learned on The Hill. “When a transformative change occurs, like graduating, the question of

‘Where do we go from here?’ often arises,” she said. “Such a question need not be elusive, but inviting: an invitation to engage with the world around us, to experience with devotion, with intention and with joy. If we commit to accepting this invitation, the translation of our resultant experiences will swell and joy

will endure.” In addition to Thomas-Greenfield, Holy Cross also awarded an honorary degree to Michael Collins, M.D., ’77, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and senior vice president for the health sciences for the University of Massachusetts. ■

SPOTLIGHT / C AMPUS NOTEBOOK / 11

ON THE HILL

raduates of the class of 2020 gathered virtually from across the country and around the world on May 22 to celebrate their academic convocation and recognize their class’ honorary degree recipients. The event, which marked one year since their early pandemic graduation, provided an opportunity for connection and reflection. “Today’s event is not only an important institutional moment for Holy Cross, but this is one more experience, even if virtual, for our class to share together,” said Sara Dilbarian ’20, senior commencement chair. “This is a unique moment for us to reminisce, to acknowledge all that we’ve been through together, to consider all that we’ve accomplished in this past year since departing The Hill and to look forward to where we’re currently headed.” College President Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., introduced the two honorary degree recipients: Rev. David Beckmann and Sister Donna Markham, O.P. Rev. Beckmann is president emeritus of Bread for the World, a nonpartisan, Christian organization that advocates for policy changes to end hunger. Sr. Markham is president of Catholic Charities USA — the first female president in the organization’s 110-year history. Both received Doctor of Public Service degrees.

Class of 2020 Celebrated in Virtual Convocation 1 2 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

Rev. Beckmann’s address discussed the progress he has seen in the decreasing rate of hunger worldwide, and he urged graduates to make a difference in the world at a local and governmental level.

“As we get older, it becomes more and more difficult to strike out in bold directions, and we need you to strike out in bold directions,” he said. “We really need you to carve out part of your life, part of your energy, to be an active citizen, and we need you to think boldly, think big, on behalf of the world.” Sr. Markham, whose father attended Holy Cross, spoke about creating a more peaceful world and the importance of respectful dialogue to communicate with those different from ourselves. “The fundamental entry point for establishing a more hospitable world is the capacity to engage in dialogue,” she said. “This is the vaccine against violence of all kinds; it’s the foundation for community building and the means through which we approach common good. It’s the core of relationship building. We connect with others through dialogue, and through dialogue, we extend hospitality and inclusion.” Kerry Shortell ’20, a psychology and sociology major from Pearl River, New York, delivered her valedictory address, acknowledging the resiliency of the class as they graduated into an uncertain world: “We have been marked as part of Holy Cross’ legacy of enduring hope. This experience has made us stronger, braver, more prepared to do the courageous work of going forth and setting the world on fire.” In addition to this year’s convocation, an on-campus commencement celebration is being planned for 2022. ■

College Plans Full Student Return for Fall

ollowing a successful spring semester maintaining health and safety protocols in order to limit the spread of coronavirus, the College has announced its plan to return to full inperson classes and activities for the 2021-2022 academic year. Approximately two-thirds of the student body returned to live on campus in February for the 2021 spring semester. Returning students — and faculty and essential staff working regularly on campus — enrolled in the College’s testing protocol and followed a universal mask policy and other procedures throughout the semester.

Rougeau Begins Holy Cross Presidency

n July 1, Vincent D. Rougeau joined the College as its 33rd president, the first layperson to lead Holy Cross in its 178-year history. He succeeds Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., who completed his nine-year tenure at the end of June and has begun a one-year sabbatical. “I can’t be more proud or more honored to be the president of such a wonderful community rooted in an incredible Jesuit tradition of education,” he said. “Thank you for the warm welcome you’ve offered me

AVANELL CHANG

over the past several months. It is really great to be here on the grounds.” While the new president started work on July 1, his inauguration will be held on Oct. 22. A national expert in Catholic social thought, Rougeau concluded a decade of service as dean of Boston College Law School prior to joining Holy Cross, and previously served as a tenured professor at Notre Dame Law School. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations from Brown University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He and his wife, Robin Kornegay-Rougeau, M.D., have three sons. Look for a full profile of the new president in the fall issue of HCM, which will be published in October. ■

In April, the College announced that all students returning for the Fall 2021 semester will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, except those granted a medical or religious exemption. Faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. “Earlier this year, I told you all we planned to be back to a more normal campus experience in the fall. One way we will accomplish this goal is to have as many members of our community vaccinated as possible,” Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., announced in the spring. “This is a vital step for our community in order to have the kind of fall semester we all want; with in-person classes and activities, a full slate of athletics competitions and minimal social distancing requirements.” Starting June 1, prospective students and their families were welcomed to visit campus and take in-person tours, which had been suspended for more than a year. Summer Gateways orientation sessions for members of the incoming class of 2025 were held online in June and July. Summer Passport and Odyssey students, as well as student-athletes, will return to campus in August to participate in their academic and athletics programs. Move-In Day will be held Aug. 28, with classes beginning Sept. 1. ■

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ON THE HILL

College Establishes Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., Scholarship

I “ The Power of Purple” Drives Record Day of Giving

ore than 4,700 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends donated a record $1,448,529 on April 16, the College’s sixth annual day of giving. With matching dollars from anonymous donors, more than $2.5 million was raised in 24 hours.

Emergency Relief Fund, which helps meet students’ unanticipated travel, technology and emergency financial aid needs; and Faith and Service, which nurtures the College’s commitment to forming the whole person – the intellectual, social and spiritual self.

Under the theme “The Power of Purple,” the one-day challenge was dedicated to showcasing the hope and strength of the Holy Cross community, prioritizing gifts that directly impact student experience and access to a Holy Cross education. More than $1.1 million was donated to the Holy Cross Fund — a new record — with $221,065 raised for financial aid. The Crusader Athletics Fund received $145,704 in support, and $168,175 was raised for immediate use, to support top strategic priorities and pressing needs.

Donors also supported a variety of other areas that directly support students: the Bishop Healy Emergency Fund, the Black Student Union Student Opportunity Fund, the LGBTQIA+ Leadership Fund and the O’Callahan Society.

Additional giving options included the Fund for Academic Excellence, which supports students’ academic achievement; the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund, which broadly supports ongoing and enhanced DEI initiatives at the College; the

“At heart, our annual giving day is about celebrating the Holy Cross community and the hope we all share in celebrating each person’s talent and each student’s experience,” said Tracy Barlok, vice president for advancement. “What is truly inspiring is that over two-thirds of gifts – 68% – were $100 or less, accounting for $161,693. This is significant and is a reminder that every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference. When we come together as a community, we can create incredible opportunities for our students.” ■

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n June, the board of trustees announced the establishment of the Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., Scholarship, which will provide financial aid support to Holy Cross students who exhibit significant financial need and are graduates of Jesuit and Catholic high schools. “Fr. Boroughs has been a magnificent leader over the past nine years,” said Richard Patterson ’80, board chair. “The trustees want to honor his service and his legacy, and the endowed scholarship seemed like the perfect tribute to this humble man, emphasizing Phil’s deep concerns regarding student opportunity and accessibility.” The scholarship was established with gifts exceeding $4.34 million by more than 65 donors. The total amount of the endowed scholarship fund will equal over $8.69 million, thanks to a match from the Hope + Access Campaign for Financial Aid. The scholarship will support at least one Boroughs Scholar per enrolled class, in perpetuity; awardees will also receive support to pursue experiential learning opportunities. “This gift is in appreciation of Fr. Boroughs’ devotion to Catholic and Jesuit education, and his ardent desire to make the Holy Cross experience available to deserving students, no matter their financial situation,” Patterson said. “The scholarship will ensure that generations of students will benefit from Phil’s love of the College and our love of Phil.” ■

Despite Pandemic, Class of 2020 Reports Strong Post Grad Path

espite an international pandemic and recent recession due to coronavirus, a recent survey of the members of the Holy Cross class of 2020 shows strong outcomes for graduates in securing job offers, internships and graduate program acceptances across the country. In a snapshot for the class of 2020 with 83% responding, 94% of respondents are employed full time in a job or

internship, engaged in service work or pursuing a graduate degree. The most popular outcome for graduates was full-time employment, with salaries ranging from $30,000 to $100,000 per year, with the average salary over $56,000. The top industries in which Holy Cross graduates found employment include health care (15%); financial services (14%); technology (11%); government, politics and law (10%); and education (9%). Top employers included Massachusetts General Hospital, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Dell EMC. Most students moving on to graduate school entered master’s degree programs (53%), while others enrolled in medical school or health professions programs (19%), entered law school (14%) or pursued doctoral degrees (8%). Those pursuing their passions through volunteering were

accepted by organizations such as the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and AmeriCorps. The majority of responding students (82%) participated in at least one internship or research program while enrolled at Holy Cross to gain realworld experience, with the College distributing more than $385,000 to members of the class of 2020 to offset the cost of completing 90 unpaid summer internships. Many students took advantage of Holy Cross’ alumni network when pursuing internships and employment after graduation. The First Destinations Report was compiled by the Center for Career Development, which collaborates with the network of Holy Cross alumni, employers and campus partners to share expertise and engage students throughout their undergraduate career to translate the liberal arts experience into meaningful vocation and a lifetime of professional achievement. ■

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ON THE HILL

Inaugural FYP Members, Faculty Reunite for 25th Anniversary

n June 5, class of 1996 alumni who were members of the inaugural class of the First Year Program (FYP) came together during their 25th Reunion Weekend to discuss the program’s impact on their lives. Joining alumni on the Zoom call were founding professors Robert Garvey, associate professor, emeritus, physics; Carolyn Howe, associate professor, emerita, sociology; Margaret Freije, provost and dean of the College; Gary Phillips, former associate professor, religious studies; and Mark Freeman, Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Society and professor of psychology. Precursor of today’s Monserrat program for first-year students, FYP revolved around the central question: “How then shall we live in a world with so many claims to what is true and good?” Students who enrolled in the program could select from several disciplinary areas focused on addressing the question in seminars and through extracurricular activities. The idea for the FYP reunion originated with Evan Chekas ’96, after his superintendent asked him to write a racial autobiography. The assignment made Chekas, a special education teacher in the Manchester (Connecticut)

Public School District, reflect on pivotal events that shaped his work in his field and his experiences in FYP. Chekas reached out to classmates Lisa Taylor, David Emond, Eoin Bastable, Amy Brogna and John Hay to ask about their lives since graduating Holy Cross. He quickly discovered they had also been influenced to pursue careers in education, social work, nonprofit management and law, in part from their experiences in FYP. “There were two mottos that I learned from Holy Cross that ruined my life,” Debbie Farrell ’96 said with a smile. “The first was ‘men and women for others’ and the second, ‘How then shall we live...?’ As you learn more deeply about the problems and/or injustices in the world — and as you realize your faith calls you to action — you know you have chosen a much harder path in life.” On the call, more than 20 alumni shared reflections on the value of the lifelong relationships they formed and the unique opportunities they had to learn and live together in Hanselman. They also shared life stories about how they chose career paths that led them to further examine ethical and moral questions they started to explore in the program. ■

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Poet Billy Collins ’63, Hon. ’02 Endows $500,000 Classics Scholarship

oly Cross has announced the creation of the Billy Collins ’63 Scholarship for Studies in Classics, the result of a $250,000 gift in honor of the former United States Poet Laureate and graduate of the class of 1963. Starting this fall, two scholarships will be awarded annually to students who have demonstrated a commitment to major in classics and show financial need. The scholarship includes the initial gift of $250,000, as well

there,” Collins said.

as a match through the College’s Hope + Access Campaign for Financial Aid, bringing the endowment to $500,000. “I am pleased to create this endowment at Holy Cross because its classics program is the most spirited and highly regarded of any such program at a liberal arts college in the United States,” Collins said. “My years of studying classics there provided me with a solid underpinning to my career as a teacher and as a poet.” While at Holy Cross, Collins studied Greek and Latin, and noted that one of his favorite assignments entailed translating Horace’s odes. “It was a thrill to transform an ancient poem into contemporary speech, even as a Latin amateur,” he noted. “English borrows words from many other languages, but the main two faucets available are Latin and Anglo-Saxon roots. And one thing that makes good poetry is the impression that the poet is aware that he or she has these two linguistic sources and knows how to deploy them at the right time.” Then there’s the classics’ underpinning of archaeology, architecture, art, philosophy and rhetoric. “So it’s all sort of inescapable and intertwined, and when you’re studying Alexander Pope or John Dryden, all the references are

bill hayes

The references are in evidence in Collins’ work, as well. Fans of his poetry know of his fondness for Latin titles — the poems “Vade Mecum,” “Solvitur Ambulando,” “Ave Atque Vale” and “Memento Mori” being examples. In other instances of Collins’ work, classical influences are invoked in title and emulated in structure, such as in “Aristotle,” a poem neatly diced into beginning, middle and end parts, a nod to the influence of “Aristotle’s Poetics” and his concept of the dramatic arc. But the ancients’ influence on Collins doesn’t end with reference to antiquity’s lingering patois or in paying homage to its marquee players. It’s in ample evidence for those who know their Latinate endings and Anglo-Saxon roots. “Typically, my poems are an intentional blend of Latinate and Anglo-Saxon dictions,” Collins said. “For instance, in the poem ‘My Heart,’ you find a felt tension between conceptual words like ‘reliquary,’ ‘zoomorphic’ and ‘interstices,’ alongside concrete words such as ‘gold,’ ‘handle’ and ‘ball,’” Collins said. “When I’m composing poems, the classical languages are among the candles that light up my page.” The endowed scholarship will provide funds in perpetuity, ensuring that generations of Holy Cross students will have the financial assistance to study classics. The College is home to one of the largest and most active undergraduate classics programs in the United States. “We are deeply thankful to Mr.

Collins for this unique contribution, which allows our students to pursue their passion for the ancient world, and which further supports our department’s ongoing efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the field of classics,” said Neel Smith, professor of classics and chair of the department. Internationally recognized for his work and dubbed “the most popular poet in America” by The New York Times, Collins has published 13 collections of poetry, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. His most recent collection is “Whale Day and Other Poems,” published by Random House. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a New York Public Library “Literary Lion” and a vice president of the Poetry Society of America. An English major at Holy Cross, Collins taught in the English department at Lehman College (City University of New York) for decades, and he has been a visiting writer at Sarah Lawrence, Columbia, Arizona State, Ohio State and Vanderbilt, among other institutions. Collins served as U.S. Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2003, and as the New York State Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. His other honors and awards include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2002, Collins served as the College’s commencement speaker and was awarded an honorary degree. He also has a doctorate degree from the University of California, Riverside. He currently lives in Florida with his wife, Suzannah, and is working on his 14th collection of poetry. “Without my classical education, without the knowledge of the Latin and Anglo-Saxon duet that is English, I don’t think I would’ve been as good a teacher or a writer,” Collins said. “This endowment is meant to be a statement for the classics’ vitality and necessity in a humanistic world.” ■

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ON THE HILL

Holy Cross Looks to Jesuit Aspirations for Institutional Inspiration

I Working for Worcester Ensures Playground Access for Elementary School Students

t took a pandemic to keep them away in 2020, but this spring, Holy Cross students were back in full force to drive the ninth year of Working for Worcester. More than 200 volunteers worked at 11 sites across the city to beautify playground, educational and community spaces. By building playgrounds at McGrath and Columbus Park elementary schools this year, the organization achieved one of its original goals: to ensure that every Worcester elementary school had a

n 2019, following months of discernment, the Society of Jesus announced four aspirations, known as the Universal Apostolic Preferences. These preferences, confirmed by Pope Francis, were offered as guides for the Jesuits’ ministry and for the work of their institutions, such as Holy Cross, over the next decade.

playground. Founded in 2012 by Holy Cross’ Jeffrey Reppucci ’14 and Derek Kump ’14, Working for Worcester is dedicated to mobilizing college students to improve recreation infrastructure and opportunities within neighborhoods across the city. Since its founding, the organization has expanded to include volunteers from other area colleges as well as members of the community, and has gained corporate sponsors while collaborating with the city to make an impact where it’s needed most. To date, the student leaders of Working for Worcester have raised and invested more than $1 million into the community, mobilized more than 4,000 volunteers and renovated over 100 community spaces and schools. “We’ve been working for the past nine months to make it safe and successful,” Ian Williamson ’21, one of the Working for Worcester co-executive directors, told Masslive. “There’s just nothing better than, after such a crazy year, being able to come together as a community and just make a difference. It’s really powerful.” ■

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Marybeth Kearns-Barrett ’84, director of the Office of the College Chaplains, says she finds these latest preferences remarkably “succinct” and welcoming: “I think these preferences are saying we are in a new moment.” Kearns-Barrett hopes they will spark conversation among leadership, faculty, staff and students, and also help orient the College’s future in concrete ways through its ongoing strategic planning and other formative processes: “The preferences remind us that it is central to our mission as a Jesuit college to engage with these challenges.” 1. To show the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment “The purpose of this preference, I believe, is ultimately an invitation to be receptive to the call of love in our lives, which can lead us to a place of greater interior freedom, openness and generosity,” Kearns-Barrett says. This preference could also inspire the College community to build in more time for deep reflection — fostering even further an Ignatian culture of “contemplatives in action.” “[It can help us] hear the existential challenges being posed to us in this moment — challenges such as embracing anti-racism, addressing climate change and the question of who has access to a Holy Cross education,” she says.

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2. To walk with the poor, the outcasts of the world, those whose dignity has been violated, in a mission of reconciliation and justice “Worth noting in this preference is the emphasis on ‘walking with,’ as well as the call to change economic, political and social structures that generate injustice,” Kearns-Barrett says. “This is something we’re hearing a lot on our campus — this cry for justice, as well as reconciliation.”

“To accompany them is to say, ‘Tell us more about why you want this. I think it’s a great idea, too. But since it’s coming from you, can we let you lead the way on this?’” she says.

She says “walking with” is an important orientation to bring to the College community’s engagement with area residents, as well as in immersion and study abroad experiences. At the same time, it calls people to attend to the experiences of those who have felt on the margins within the campus community: “All of us are being asked, How does the Holy Cross experience differ depending on our social location? How does the call ‘to walk with’ shape who I know, what I care about and how I spend my time?”

4. To collaborate in the care of our Common Home “This preference pointedly names our responsibility to look squarely at the climate catastrophe we face, and respond to it creatively and with a sense of urgency,” Kearns-Barrett says. “What are our energy sources? What does our carbon footprint look like?

Scholarship, campus programming and engaged learning opportunities all play key roles in furthering understanding of social justice and the community we seek to become, Kearns-Barrett says. 3. To accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future As an institution dedicated to serving young adults, Holy Cross has a vital role to play in graduating students with a sense of a hope-filled future, Kearns-Barrett adds; facing today’s challenges head-on is part of that. The language used here is important to note, she says: “As we ‘accompany’ young people, are we who are not so young willing to let them lead as we walk beside them?” For example, Kearns-Barrett says a group of students has expressed interest in pursuing an initiative called the Pause Project, which would create more time to “pause” on campus, an effort that resonates with the Ignatian call to be “contemplatives in action.”

Habits formed at Holy Cross will shape students for life, Kearns-Barrett notes: “If valuing time to pause is how you learn to be in these four years, it becomes something you can draw on and learn to prioritize in the future.”

“When I was a student at Holy Cross in the early 1980s, I was introduced to the concept of valuing simplicity instead of consumption,” KearnsBarrett reflects. “If we’re going to talk about care for the Earth, a spirituality of simplicity is important. We need to think about how we infuse our lifestyle at Holy Cross with this sense of simplicity, and that might mean doing some things differently.” Kearns-Barrett emphasizes that the four preferences are all interwoven. “You can’t care for the poor and the outcast without thinking about climate, because the poor are the most impacted,” she says. “Students living with the threat of climate collapse struggle to envision a hopefilled future. This is where the first preference for discernment comes in: We are living in a time that calls us all to conversion. The preferences call to us with urgency but also with hope; they can serve to guide our path as we move forward. “It is up to us to wrestle with [these preferences] and open ourselves up to see how they might shape us,” she says. ■

Holy Cross Recognizes Juneteenth Holiday

or the first time, Holy Cross recognized Juneteenth this year as an official College holiday, to be marked annually in June. “Observation of this holiday offers us a moment to reflect on the resilience, solidarity and culture of the African American community,” Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., noted to the College community in the September 2020 announcement. “It serves as a reminder of the enduring struggle for equality and respect by people of color as well as an opportunity to consider the work that we must continue to do together to make our community and our country a place where all people are respected and treated fairly.” Last October, Holy Cross began observing the federal holiday of Columbus Day as Indigenous People’s Day. “At Holy Cross, in particular, being built upon Pakachoag Hill, we have a responsibility to recognize and understand our own history and to honor those from the Nipmuc nation who are native to this land,” Fr. Boroughs said. ■

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ON THE HILL JOHN BUCKINGAHM

Cantor Art Gallery Hosts Senior Visual Arts Majors Exhibition ‘Metanoia’

The artwork was created during the yearlong Senior Studio Concentration Seminar by Isabel Dawson, Elizabeth Larkin, Kiera MacAneney, Yekaterina Martin, Grace Peluso, Fernando Torralba, José Tenorio Villagomez, Jasmine Williams and Simeon Lloyd Wingard. Visual arts majors who participated in the seminar were assigned studio space and mentored as they explored their creative interests – whether in traditional mediums such as drawing, painting,

tudents joined Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., on Kimball Quad at the start of Study Week

in May to celebrate his tenure, wish him well and thank him for his service as the College’s 32nd president. ■

JOHN BUCKINGHAM

he Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery presented the work of nine graduating visual arts majors this spring in the exhibition “Metanoia.” The title of this year’s exhibition is derived from Greek and was meant to evoke a transformative change of one’s mind.

photography, printmaking and sculpture, or though state-of the-art digital illustration and video production.

Students Say Farewell to Fr. Boroughs

Cristi Rinklin, professor and chair of the visual arts department, taught the seminar course during fall 2020, while Matthew Gamber, associate professor, led the spring 2021 semester. “Our goal is to provide these emerging artists with the experience of what it’s like to work with a professional gallery. We stress the collaboration between gallery and artist, and how to prepare and present their work to its greatest advantage,” said Meredith Fluke, director of the Cantor Art Gallery. “The process is new to many of them; we’re here to encourage them to think about their work from new perspectives and to provide them with skills they can bring along with them into their continuing practice.” ■

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New Statue Dedicated

n June 20, Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., blessed the newly installed statue of St. Francis Xavier, one of the co-founders of the Society of Jesus, in Hogan Courtyard. St. Francis joins his brother Jesuit, St. Peter Faber, who was

installed in 2019. The statue was donated by Ann Halleron Eagan ’87 and William A. Eagan III ’77 P22, P20, P16 and Becky and John J. Halleron III ’60 P03, P94, P88, P87, in memory of Sarah Calcio, daughter of Susan Halleron Calcio ’88 and John Calcio. ■

AVANELL CHANG

College Awarded First-Gen Forward Designation

oly Cross has been designated a First-gen Forward institution by the Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and The Suder Foundation. The designation recognizes higher education institutions that demonstrate a commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes of first-generation college students. “Joining First-gen Forward both honors the work we have been doing to support firstgeneration students at Holy Cross to achieve their greatest goals, and gives us access to additional tools and resources to improve our efforts,” said Michele Murray, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. As a First-gen Forward Institution, faculty and staff will have multiple opportunities to engage with peer institutions who are also creating environments that improve the experiences and outcomes of first-generation students. “I feel privileged to be a part of so many brilliant students’ journeys here at Holy Cross and, in particular, those who are blazing a new trail for their families in being the first to attend college,” said Amie Archambault, assistant director in the Office of Multicultural Education at Holy Cross and lead for the College’s First-gen Forward cohort. ■

Jo Tours The Jo

placed near full-length windows overlooking Mount St James, the crisp, modern feel and great color splashes throughout the space.”

oanne Chouinard-Luth, D.M.D., and her husband, John Luth ’74 (above), recently got their first in-person look at the College’s new Joanne Chouinard-Luth Recreation and Wellness Center, known as The Jo. Dr. Chouinard-Luth says she’s “delighted with the visual product of a decade-long dream: expansive views as you turn each corner on the track, the large number of bikes, rowers, etc.

With her continued interests in the studies of nutrition and fitness progression, focusing on lifestyle choices and prevention and/or mitigation of chronic disease, she says she hopes everyone in the College community will take advantage of the spaces and fitness tools the facility offers. “All those lifestyle choices become you!” she noted. “Your body, your mind, your mood, your spirit. Choose well here at The Jo.” ■

Holy Cross Libraries Create Campus Poetry Walk – On Campus and Online

oly Cross Libraries debuted a Campus Poetry Walk this spring, featuring a 1-mile walking route across Mount St. James and original student poetry. A digital map can be downloaded at holycross.edu/ hcm/poetrywalk. Those who can’t travel to campus to trek in person can enjoy a Virtual Poetry Walk at holycross.edu/hcm/

virtualpoetrywalk. An extension of the route features poems by Louise Imogene Guiney, whose papers are held in the College’s Archives and Special Collections. The Guiney poems can be found along a nature trail in an undeveloped part of campus, off McCarthy Lane (near Figge Hall and the Luth Athletic Complex). ■

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FACULT Y & STAFF

MATTHEW WRIGHT

ECON-MENCEMENT Economics majors and new graduates Kyle Irvine '21 (left) and Siobhan E. Kiernan '21 (third from right) celebrate post commencement

24 Headliners • 34 Syllabus

AVANELL BROCK

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with economics faculty (left to right) Justin Svec, Melissa Boyle ’00, Charles Anderton and Victor Matheson.

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AXELSON

Holy Cross Says Farewell to Six Retiring Professors The cohort leaves a long legacy, teaching on Mount St. James for a combined 203 years.

t the finish of the 2020-2021 academic year, Holy Cross saw six professors conclude their careers on Mount St. James, after decades of educating generations of Crusaders. JOHN AXELSON joined the psychology department in 1982. Specializing in neuroendocrinology, hormones and behavior, neuroanatomy, and health and medicine, his research has been supported by several grants from a variety of sources, including the National Science Foundation (NSF). Axelson served as department chair, as well as director of the biological psychology concentration. Among his many roles at the College, he served on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee for two decades, and for 20 years provided leadership as the faculty athletics representative and the College’s

HERRICK

representative to the Patriot League Policy Committee. What was your favorite class to teach? I enjoyed preparing students planning to major in psychology when teaching Introduction to Psychology. With enrollments ranging from 40 to well over 100, it was a challenge to hold their attention, but I did my best. One of my main goals when teaching Physiological Psychology was to capture the interest of those students who felt they wouldn’t enjoy studying the biological side of our discipline. I encouraged the students in my seminar Mind, Body Health and Medicine to consider the importance of taking an active role in their health and well-being. It has been gratifying to hear from students that are now working as health care professionals that the course helped shape their approach to caring for their patients. We’re not supposed to have a favorite child or course, but in the last decade, teaching Food, Nutrition and Health has been a highpoint. It has been very rewarding to hear from former students that the course had a positive impact on their personal health, as well as the health of family members. What was your proudest scholarly moment? When I arrived at Holy Cross, the psychology department lacked equipment necessary to conduct basic neuroscience research. I recall carrying jugs filled with distilled water across campus from the biology department

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PIERCE

and cleaning lab equipment with a hose outside the basement of O’Kane, in the area that is now Memorial Plaza. With the help and support of others, including Ken Prestwich in biology, I was happy to obtain grants from the National Science Foundation, the Whitehall Foundation and the Veterans Administration that provided the equipment and resources for our students to conduct first-rate science. The publications I am most proud of were the studies conducted with colleagues at the Netherlands Institute for Brain Research in the late 1980s and early 1990s that identified steroid receptors localized within various neuropeptide neurons in the hypothalamus. What will you miss about Holy Cross? The best part of my day was always in the classroom. I will miss feeling my heart beat faster and my hands feeling a bit sweaty as I walked to class to meet the students on the first day of each semester. I will miss my friends and colleagues, and the many wonderful people who support the faculty and make our jobs easier. RICHARD HERRICK joined the chemistry department in 1984 and held the position of Edward A. O’Rorke Professor in the Liberal Arts from 2011-2014. A specialist in organometallic chemistry, his research has been published in numerous leading scientific journals and has been

PRESTWICH

supported by grants from the NSF, the National Institutes of Health, Research Corporation, Pew Charitable Trust and other foundations. He was awarded the College’s Mary Louise Marfuggi Award for Outstanding Scholarship in 2008 and was named the 2012 Distinguished Chemist by the New England Institute of Chemists. In addition to teaching, Herrick supervised the research efforts of more than 100 Holy Cross students. He has also created or co-created a number of guided inquiry experiments and educational resources, such as webpages, podcasts and ToolBook modules. His extensive record includes service as department chair and science coordinator, as well as on many College-wide committees, including the Committee on Tenure and Promotion, the Curriculum Committee and the Academic Standing Committee. What was your favorite class to teach? Deciding on my favorite course is similar to deciding who is your favorite child; on balance, though, I would say that Atoms and Molecules (CHEM 181) is my favorite course. There are several reasons for this. This course is the entry point for our guided inquiry program that we call the Discovery Program. I was a codeveloper of the program, along with the other then-members of the department, and it gained much recognition at the time for the active learning aspects that we incorporated into it. Also, I had the privilege of being in charge of this course

ROSS

most of the years that it was offered, going back to its inception around 1990, giving me the opportunity to help the course evolve. Finally, and not least, I have always enjoyed interacting with students as they begin their college careers. They are so focused on learning the material that will eventually propel them to a career in science/medicine. It was a privilege to work with them at that stage and then to frequently interact with them a couple of years later in classes and in the research lab, and see how much they had matured and advanced. What was your proudest scholarly moment? My most memorable scholarly moment started late on a Sunday night 17 years ago. I sat down at the computer to check my email and had a request to review a manuscript for publication. I opened it up and was surprised to see my name in the abstract and throughout the article. A professor in Germany, whom I didn't know, had named a compound after me. It turned out that we (two other faculty members and five Holy Cross co-authors) had published a paper in 1996 on a new set of compounds we developed, which tested whether under certain geometric constraints amino acid movement was restricted by hydrogen bonding (it was). The geometry of that general class of iron compounds that modeled the hairpin turn of a protein Beta-sheet became much studied, which led to the name — the Herrick Conformation. That was a tremendous

YANG

surprise and honor, but it couldn't have happened without the co-workers and the Holy Cross students who made the compounds and characterized them. What will you miss about Holy Cross? What I will miss most is the collegiality of the chemistry department at Holy Cross. The eight chemistry faculty members and the staff members present when I joined in 1984 acted as a wonderful, cohesive group whom I remember fondly. While they are all long-retired or moved on, the many people who have replaced them have been similarly wonderful to work with. I will always remember my co-workers and the institution of Holy Cross. JOANNE PIERCE joined the Department of Religious Studies in 1992. A specialist in historical and sacramental/liturgical theology, she is the author of numerous articles and book chapters. She co-edited three volumes published by Liturgical Press, one of which, “A Commentary on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal,” received two awards from the Catholic Press Association in 2008. In 2003, she received an Arthur J. O’Leary Faculty Recognition Award and in 2010, the Holy Cross “Newsmaker” Award. Pierce directed the Divine Cluster for Montserrat and has served on the Academic Governance Council, the Committee on Tenure and Promotion, the Finance and Planning Council, the Curriculum Committee and the Center

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HEADLINERS

AXELSON

for Interdisciplinary and Special Studies Committee. She was long involved with interdisciplinary programs in Catholic studies, medieval and Renaissance studies, and women’s studies. She also served as presiding officer of the Catholic Academy of Liturgy and convener of its Issues in Medieval Liturgy Seminar. What was your favorite class to teach? My favorite class to teach was my seminar, Theology and Science Fiction. Many works of speculative fiction, whether set in the distant future or in an alternate history, explore fundamental questions of human existence in a “safe” setting. Topics included: What is sin? What is “God”? What is salvation? What does it mean to be “human”? What is death? What was your proudest scholarly moment? Probably my proudest scholarly moment was when a book that I co-edited with two others (Edward Foley and Nathan D. Mitchell), “A Commentary on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal” (Liturgical Press, 2007) won a 2008 Catholic Press Association Book Award (first place in the Liturgy category). All three of us had been contributors to the volume, as well as editors. What will you miss about Holy Cross? Years ago, before I started my doctoral studies, I spent a few years teaching junior high and high school. As a result,

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I have always had a particular interest in first-year students here at Holy Cross. As an advisor or instructor, I think I had a special appreciation of the difficulties new students faced in making the transition from high school standards to college-level expectations, and I hope I have helped to make the process a little less frustrating. Over the years, I participated several times in the former First-Year Program and the present Montserrat program, and have valued the opportunity to work with these smaller groups in a yearlong seminar sequence. Not only does this structure give first-year students the chance to explore the seminar topic in great detail, but it also offers them the time and opportunity to engage ideas in creative ways beyond the classroom. Even after more than two decades, I am still in touch with some of these students. After spending more than half of my adult life at Holy Cross, I know that I will miss the people. I have always enjoyed interacting with students in the classroom or during office hours; teaching has been my life. But even more, I will miss the people I have worked with day-by-day and month-by-month over the past 29 years, both faculty and staff. There are too many to list, but I would like to note especially my colleagues in religious studies, some who have been friends for decades, and others who have joined the department later, at different times, over the years.

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KENNETH N. PRESTWICH specialized in comparative physiology, animal behavior and conservation biology, and joined the biology department in 1984. His scholarly and teaching work was supported by grants from the NSF and the Howard Hughes Foundation. Much of this funding facilitated the introduction of computer technology into science labs and classrooms, and in developing alternative, interactive methods of instruction. He received the Holy Cross Distinguished Teaching Award and an Arthur J. O’Leary Faculty Recognition Award. He chaired the biology department for four years and facilitated a major curriculum revision and served on many College committees, including the Committee on Faculty Affairs, the Committee on Tenure and Promotion, and officially or as an adjunct to the Premedical Advising Committee for 15 years. The American Arachnological Society presented him with its Distinguished Service Award for creating the society's website and for making the society one of the first to make its journal widely available online. He also was honored for his work restoring and managing a demonstration ecosystem at the University of Florida. What was your favorite class to teach? I taught 18 different courses at all levels to diverse audiences and had no favorite. By the mid-1990s, I increasingly believed that the most important thing I could do was work to develop ways

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to teach biology that de-emphasized detail and instead centered on understanding common mechanisms and principles. Mastering these would, I hoped, illustrate the unity of science and give students tools they needed to rapidly learn the details of particular versions of biological processes. This required substantial reimagination of how I taught specific topics in all my courses. This led to the development of numerous handouts, exercises, problems and computer simulations that I also shared online and through professional societies. One major manifestation of this was an extensive website devoted to teaching applications of game theory toward understanding the evolution of animal behavior. I also enjoyed bringing a mathematical/biophysical perspective to biology students and in trying to personally model the usefulness of having a broad knowledge of biology. My students’ appraisals regarding how they were able to learn (or not) from these approaches and their reports of how the courses served them after graduation were invaluable for what became my overarching career project. What was your proudest scholarly moment? I am proud of the recognition I received as a founder and expert in measuring the costs that animals incur (especially in terms of energy) when they produce acoustic and other signals. This included the mechanisms insects use to produce loud sounds and

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how all of this relates to mate choice (sexual selection) in animals. I was very pleased at the quality of the work of my research students on these projects and would note that all of them are pursuing successful careers in health professions, along with a few in academia. My scholarship meant the most to me when it also provided intellectual growth to these fine young people. What will you miss about Holy Cross? The students and staff: the talks in my office, labs and in the field with present and returning students; the camaraderie with members of the office, physical plant and food services staffs; and the chance to engage regularly with faculty friends in different departments and, of course, with members of my department. Thanks to everyone who was so kind to me! CLAUDIA ROSS joined the Holy Cross faculty in 1987 and essentially launched — and then shepherded — the development of what is today a vibrant Chinese program. Widely recognized in her field for her expertise in linguistics and second language acquisition, Ross is the author of a prominent Chinese language textbook, “Modern Mandarin Chinese,” as well as several other monographs and many scholarly journal articles. She is an eight-time recipient of the federal STARTALK grant to support teachers of

YANG

critical foreign languages, through which she has hosted annual 10-day summer pedagogical development workshops for teachers of Chinese. She served as chair of the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, and has been an active contributor to interdisciplinary programs, such as the Asian studies program. She has also served on many College committees, including the Committee on Study Abroad and the Curriculum Committee, and serves on the board of the New England Chinese Language Teachers Association. In 2018, she was awarded the College’s Donal J. Burns ’49 Career Teaching Medal. What was your favorite class to teach? I don't have a favorite; I have mostly taught language classes, and I love working with students as they proceed on their journey to communicate in a language and culture other than their own. I think my favorite classes are the ones where students have field-tested my co-authored Chinese language textbooks. Students in these classes always provide feedback and suggestions, so the classes feel like a partnership. What was your proudest scholarly moment? The completion of my coauthored Chinese reference grammar, “Modern Mandarin Chinese,” which I wrote with one of my former Chinese teachers. I learned so much while writing the book, and I continue to get feedback

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(and suggestions) from strangers who are using the book to support their Chinese language learning. What will you miss about Holy Cross? That's easy: my wonderful colleagues and students, and the feeling of community that the College nurtures. DE-PING YANG joined the physics department in 1994. Specializing in experimental condensed matter physics using spectroscopic methods, he is co-author of the monograph, “Mössbauer Effect in Lattice Dynamics,” and has published many chapters and journal articles. His research has been supported by a Cottrell College Science Award from Research Corporation and by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Raytheon Corporation. He is an avid supervisor of student research, and in his lab many Holy Cross students have had the opportunity to work with a Mössbauer spectrometer, a rare opportunity for undergraduates. Yang was a regular participant in the Faculty Mentor Program and served as department chair, as well as on a variety of College committees, including the Committee on Tenure and Promotion, the Committee on Faculty Affairs and the Student Life Council. He has also been a member of the Executive Committee of the New England Section of the American Physical Society. What was your favorite class to teach? My favorite course to teach is the sixhour-a-week combination of Electronics Theory and Electronics Laboratory. It is designed for upper-level physics majors to understand how to orchestrate electrons to perform various tasks at one’s command, and how to build functional circuits to make that happen. This course has been quite popular because students are highly interested in knowing the inner workings of electronic devices, since everyone has been using these devices so extensively. The classes are taught in one of the labs in Haberlin, with state-of-the-art instruments (such as oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, semiconductor

sensors, microcontrollers, etc.), and students work in groups of two to build electronic circuits from scratch. Many of the circuits produce fun results with light, sound, vibrations and logic decisions, which you might say is the beginnings of A.I. — artificial intelligence. We allow students to make their own mistakes, with occasional awful smell/ smoke coming out of overheated circuits, and to find ways to fix the problems. And since the science of electronics changed and advanced so rapidly, I enjoyed updating the course materials every time I taught it, and students enjoyed doing cool experiments. At the end of the semester, all students design a final project of their own choosing and implement it with a functional sophisticated circuit, to my satisfaction as well as to their own delight. I think this course not only makes the students gain valuable hands-on and teamwork experience, but also promotes their critical and creative thinking. All in all, I like this course because it is theoretically rigorous, it is highly practical and it is naturally engaging. What was your proudest scholarly moment? That would be a book, “Mössbauer Effect in Lattice Dynamics,” published by Wiley, a well-known publisher of scientific research and educational materials. This book contains a comprehensive review of the theory and experimental techniques of using Mössbauer spectroscopy to study magnetic materials for electronic devices, scientific and medical instruments, etc. What will you miss about Holy Cross? I will miss seeing the students, especially those who come to my office hours for one-on-one lively discussions about solving physics problems, about challenges in pursuing a science major and about anything in college life. I will especially miss talking with students who had a less-than-adequate high school preparation in math and science, and encouraging them to make use of all available resources to help them catch up and excel in a STEM field. ■

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Fr. Tim O’Brien ’06 Returns to Holy Cross to Spread the Mission He Loves BY MEREDITH FIDROCKI

or Rev. Timothy (“Tim”) O’Brien, S.J., ’06, frequent zip code changes have become the norm as part of his Jesuit vocation and scholarly pursuits. But his most recent move — one that brings him back to Mount St. James to serve as the College’s director of mission initiatives — feels different. “It is like coming home, not just being back at the College but working to advance a mission that I love,” he says. “The mission of Holy Cross, as a Catholic, Jesuit, liberal arts college, changed my life — I say that as often as I can to whoever will listen. It really formed me as a person. Not only did it lead me to the Society of Jesus, but Holy Cross has shaped my intellectual and personal pursuits in the 15 years since I graduated.” When he first arrived at the College as a student in 2002, Fr. O’Brien aspired to become a lawyer. A political science major, he was a member of the Honors Program, active in the Student Government Association and wrote an award-winning thesis on the Supreme Court. He also had a profound experience on

out, ‘Well, now what do I do?’ It is thrilling for me to be at Holy Cross at a time when all of us are asking similar questions,” Fr. O’Brien says.

FIVE QUESTIONS with FR. O’BRIEN What excites you the most about your new role? Holy Cross is the premier Catholic, liberal arts college in the United States. We are living in a time when I think that mission is critical for the life of our country, the life of the world and for the Church and people of faith. The most exciting part about coming back is to be part of that mission and to help advance it and deepen it.

a Spiritual Exercises retreat through the Chaplains’ Office. “That was as significant as everything I did in the classroom,” he recalls. He graduated class valedictorian and moved to Washington, D.C., where he was employed by the U.S. Department of Justice. But it was his work with a local Jesuit parish, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, that he found the most fulfilling. A conversation with one of his Holy Cross mentors — Alice Laffey, associate professor emerita of religious studies — helped him discern his calling. “She said, ‘From the sound of it, I think you’re meant to be a Jesuit, not a lawyer,’” he shares. “I knew she was right.” In 2008, Fr. O’Brien entered the Society of Jesus. Over the past 13 years, he has earned master’s degrees in history, theology and philosophy. He also taught theology and worked in the office of mission integration at Loyola University Maryland. O’Brien studied the history of Ignatian spirituality in Paris while also volunteering with the Jesuit Refugee Service. He was ordained to

the priesthood in 2018 and went on to serve as assistant pastor of Holy Trinity, where he had been a parishioner. In his new role as director of mission initiatives, Fr. O’Brien will work closely with Holy Cross President Vincent D. Rougeau, as well as faculty, staff and alumni. “Part of my work relates to existing programs, like the well-known ‘Return to Me’ Lenten reflection series. I am also eager to help create new venues for members of the community to reflect on our mission as a Catholic, Jesuit, liberal arts college — and to find their place in it,” he says. “The College is welcoming a new president and imagining life after COVID. It’s a moment to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going together,” says Fr. O’Brien as he reflects on the poignancy of the moment. May 2021 also marked the beginning of an Ignatian Year, celebrating the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus. “Think about the story of St. Ignatius: He was wounded by a cannonball and then he had to figure

What are you reading at the moment? I’m re-reading “Thy Honored Name,” the history of the College by Rev. Anthony J. Kuzniewski, S.J., and “Fraternity” [about Rev. John E. Brooks, S.J., ’49, Holy Cross’ 25th president, and the 20 Black students he recruited in the late ’60s to better integrate Holy Cross.] What are you watching? I love to cook, not bake, but I'm completely mesmerized by “The Great British Baking Show.” It’s striking how even in an intense, competitive environment, people can collaborate and form community with each other. Do you have a favorite spot in Worcester? The new Blackstone Gateway Park trail that starts at the base of College Hill. That is my happy place off campus to jog. Favorite spot on campus? Right where Fenwick Hall and O’Kane Hall come together. It’s the heart of campus for me, because it’s where everything comes together. You can see academic and residential buildings, Dinand Library and St. Joseph Memorial Chapel. In every season, that confluence of space is my favorite. ■

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McDermott ’79 Has Brought More Than 20,000 Students to Holy Cross: Here’s What She’s Learned As she prepares to depart the College following more than 30 years leading admissions, Ann McDermott shares her perspective on how the art of finding the right students for Holy Cross has changed — and what has remained the same.

fter more than 30 years devoted to admissions at the College, Ann McDermott ’79 has announced her departure as director of admission, a position she’s held since 1994. During her tenure, McDermott has admitted more than 20,000 Crusaders and spearheaded pivotal developments in the Holy Cross admission process, including the College's decision in 2005 to become one of the first in the country to go test-optional, embracing a move to the Common Application and increasing student diversity at the College.

Here, she reflects on her formative undergraduate years as a psychology major and shares insights from her decades leading admissions at Holy Cross. How did your experience as a student at Holy Cross prepare you to succeed in this role? I worked in the admission office as a tour guide and was a student host for overnight guests, but it wasn’t until I graduated that I realized I could make admissions my career. Whether through classes or extracurriculars or being an RA [resident assistant] in the

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dorm, there was so much opportunity at Holy Cross to learn about yourself and how to effectively communicate and work with others. Being adaptable is at the heart of the liberal arts experience, and that’s certainly something that I got from Holy Cross and that carried me through. In what major ways have you seen the Holy Cross admission process change during your time here? So many things have evolved as we’ve become a more sophisticated profession, including the amount of technology that is now used. We are entirely paperless and have been so for a number of years. My love of admissions is that you can never say you’ve learned it all. There’s always something different and exciting to learn about the technology or how students behave or how they communicate — it’s an evolution and a reflection of our society. We’ve been able to attract really talented people who’ve brought so many skills to the profession and to our office. What’s something about admissions

that has remained the same since you started? The importance of relationships – that piece is something that will never go away, and I'm really delighted about that, because it is at the heart of how we work with students. I think that the lasting legacy of the relationships we’ve developed will sustain me, probably for the rest of my life. What aspect of admissions do you think is most misunderstood by prospective students and their families? That there's always going to be an answer for the question, ‘Why didn’t I get in?’ Because when you’re dealing with highly selective processes, you’re turning away numbers of students who are totally qualified and totally deserving of admission. It’s more about the students who did get in than the students who didn't — it doesn’t diminish either population. This past year, you led the admissions team in admitting a class in mid-pandemic circumstances. What did your team learn from this experience? I am so proud of everyone in our office because people stepped up to the plate and learned how to do things in a completely different way. All our events became virtual, and for us the challenge was to make things authentic and feel as close as they could to being on campus. We learned that interviewing virtually actually works really well and is something we will probably keep in our arsenal of go-to options because you can more easily interview people across the world. What are your favorite memories from your admissions work over the years? I love the committee process (where we review each application) because it’s how the class comes together. I think our process is special and does really uniquely reflect Holy Cross and, ultimately, the character of the College and the students who are admitted. That piece — the magic that happens in committee — is my

favorite part. And, we still manage to call our early decision admitted students to give them the decision over the phone. We actually keep a list of the reactions because they’re priceless. It’s one of the highlights of what we do — it’s as joyful for us as it is for them. What developments in admissions at Holy Cross are you most proud of when you reflect back? Participating in the diversity of Holy Cross has been a really gratifying experience — to see from when I got there to where we are today, not just in numbers but also in the climate and how the College’s persona has changed. And being one of the early adopters of test-optional admission — it was great that we were part of that. For us, it was an important and honest reflection of how we did our work. Testing doesn’t speak to fit, motivation or curiosity. So it’s been really wonderful to be freed from those constraints and feel like we can really continue to make a personalized, student-centered evaluation. What lies at the core of a successful Crusader? It’s an amazing group of students we see applying and coming in the door. Each group reflects the time — as it should. The students are hardworking, well-rounded and focused on the issues at hand. They’ve found passions that they’ve identified early on — not because a college counselor told them to, but out of natural interest and talent. And an awareness of the ‘other’ is something that is part of the Holy Cross experience. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you graduated two years ago or 25 years ago, you still find there’s something that connects you to those grads. That’s what makes the alumni network so special and so strong — it is because of this shared humanity that they bring to the process and to the College. ■

Biology’s Vargas Appointed Dean of the Faculty

adeline Vargas, professor in the Department of Biology, has been appointed dean of the faculty effective June 1,

2021.

She joins fellow Dean of the Faculty Ann Marie Leshkowich, professor of anthropology, and succeeds Mary Ebbott, professor of classics, who served in the role since 2017. Vargas joined Holy Cross in 1995, received tenure in 2001 and was promoted to the rank of professor in 2015. “This past year has been challenging for our Holy Cross community. In a short span of time, faculty had to extensively revise their teaching to remote learning, make difficult choices about their scholarship plans and increase service to the College to meet these unprecedented challenges,” she says. “I’m proud of the resilience exhibited by all facets of our community. I look forward to serving the College in my new role and assisting faculty in their endeavors to better

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HEADLINERS support our students.” Vargas’ research in microbiology focuses on the physiology and ecology of microorganisms, specifically the biochemical mechanisms that enable bacteria to respire with iron and produce electricity, as well as bacteria that thrive in extreme habitats. Her work has been published in high-impact journals Lancet, Nature and Nature Nanotechnoloogy. She received the Arthur J. O’Leary Faculty Recognition Award in 2016. Vargas teaches the microbiology curriculum within the biology department and has directed more than 50 students in summer research, independent research or Honors theses. She has collaborated with Holy Cross colleagues on inclusive and interdisciplinary teaching, and has presented the results of this shared work at such venues as the American Association of Colleges and Universities and the Center for Inclusive Teaching at the University of Puerto Rico, Humacao campus, and in the journal College Teaching. Over her Holy Cross career, Vargas has served as a member of the Strategic Planning Working Group on the Liberal Arts and a faculty representative to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of the board of trustees. She served on the Common Requirements Steering Committee from 2018–2020, and also chaired the Committee on Faculty Scholarship and the Committee on Nominations and Elections. Beyond Holy Cross, she serves, and is a member of, the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition. ■

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Mills, Perry, Yuhl Appointed to Endowed Professorships

enneth Mills, of the Department of Chemistry, Ellen Perry, of the Department of Classics and Stephanie Yuhl, of the Department of History, have been appointed to endowed positions at the College, which they will hold through June 2024.

KENNETH MILLS,

Anthony and Renee Marlon Professor in the Sciences Kenneth Mills succeeds Cristina Ballantine, of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, in the role of Anthony and Renee Marlon Professor in the Sciences. Mills joined Holy Cross in 2001, was tenured in 2007 and promoted to the rank of professor in 2014. A specialist in protein splicing, mechanistic enzymology, protein chemistry and guided-inquiry undergraduate lab development, his work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Henry Dreyfus

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Teacher-Scholar Award from the Dreyfus Foundation, the Undergraduate Outreach Award from the Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the College’s Mary Louise Marfuggi Award for Outstanding Scholarship. He was also named a Cottrell Scholar by Research Corporation in 2015. “I greatly appreciate the support that the Marlon family has provided for the sciences at Holy Cross,” Mills says. “I look forward to continuing my work with talented Holy Cross undergraduate scientists and hope that their time in the Mills lab family will play a part in preparing them for their future success.” He has authored work in more than 30 publications and awarded grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Research Corporation and the American Chemical Society, as well as over $2.5 million in grants from the National Science Foundation, including a CAREER grant. Mills is a dedicated research mentor who has supervised 70 students in his lab and included student co-authors on 14 of his publications. In addition to teaching in the chemistry department, he has taught in Montserrat and is co-director of the biochemistry concentration. He co-founded the First Year Research Advancement Program, which provides supervised research experiences, mentoring and other support to increase

persistence and success in STEM majors for underrepresented and firstgeneration students. He has served in numerous leadership roles at the College, including on the Finance and Planning Council, the Committee on Tenure and Promotion (CTP) and others, and served as chair of the chemistry department from 2010-2014 and as associate dean of the faculty 2016-2017. Currently, he is co-chairing the Collegewide strategic planning process.

ELLEN PERRY,

Monsignor Edward G. Murray Professor in the Arts and Humanities Ellen Perry succeeds Susan Elizabeth Sweeney, professor of English, as Monsignor Edward G. Murray Professor in the Arts and Humanities. Perry joined the College in 1997, was tenured in 2004 and promoted to the rank of professor in 2017. Her scholarly expertise is in classical archeology, Roman art and architecture, ancient religious spaces and archeological ethics. She is the author of “The Aesthetics of Emulation in the Visual Arts of Ancient Rome” and co-editor of “Roman Artists, Patrons and Public Consumption: Familiar Works Reconsidered.” She has also published numerous articles, chapters and reviews in scholarly journals and collections. “It’s an enormous privilege to be appointed the Monsignor Murray Professor,” Perry says. “I have great admiration for my predecessors in this role and feel fortunate to be at a College where the institutional support is strong both for the arts and for the humanities.” Perry has been a fellow of the American Academy in Rome as well as the American Schools of Classical Studies in Athens. She served as president of the Classical Association of New England and from 2014–2020 served as program chair for the annual meeting committee of the Archaeological

Institute of America. Within the classics department, she teaches courses in classical languages and literature and classical art and archaeology, including those on archeological ethics and the modern use of archaeology in the construction of national and ethnic narratives. She has taught in the Rome Maymester program, and taught and served as a cluster director in Montserrat. She is currently director of the College Scholar Programs, overseeing the College Honors Program and the Fenwick Scholar Program. In addition to these leadership roles, she has served on the Curriculum Committee, CTP and other faculty committees, and as interim chair of the classics department. She has participated in Academic Services and Learning Resources’ Mentor Program for many years, and was awarded the College’s Mary Louise Marfuggi Award for Academic Advisement in 2012.

STEPHANIE YUHL,

W. Arthur Garrity, Sr. Professor in Human Nature, Ethics and Society Stephanie Yuhl succeeds Edward Isser, associate dean for performing arts, as W. Arthur Garrity, Sr. Professor in Human Nature, Ethics and Society. Yuhl joined the College in 2000, was tenured in 2006 and promoted to the rank of professor in 2013. Since 2016, she has been associate faculty in the Critical Conservation Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Yuhl is the author of the award-winning book “A Golden Haze of Memory: The Making of Historic Charleston” and coauthor of the book “LGBTQ+ Worcester For The Record,” as well as numerous articles, chapters and reviews in scholarly journals and collections. “Given the incredibly high caliber and dedication of my faculty colleagues at Holy Cross, I am truly humbled and honored to be named the next W. Arthur Garrity, Sr. Professor,” she says. “In the next few years, I am excited to explore the ways this position will shape my

scholarship, community engagement and work with our terrific Holy Cross students. Thank you to the generous Garrity family for making this kind of opportunity possible for our faculty.” In the history department, Yuhl teaches in the area of 20th-century United States history, including courses on social movements, gender and sexuality, public history and memory, and digital humanities. She has taught in the Paris Maymester program, the Passport Program and in Montserrat, for which she also served as a cluster director and, from 2014-19, as program director. As a scholar, Yuhl has been deeply engaged in helping local communities tell their stories more fully. She is lead project scholar and author of “Revisiting Prop Master: A Digital Exhibition and Catalog at the College of Charleston.” Closer to home, she curated a 2017 exhibition, “Worcester in 50 Objects,” at the Worcester Historical Museum. She served as lead coordinator and co-curator for the museum’s “LBGTQ+ Worcester History Project,” a major community-based archive, oral history and exhibition building project (2018-present) funded by the Holy Cross Scholarship in Action grant with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. For her work on the LGBTQ+ Worcester History Project, Yuhl and her curation team received a mayoral citation and key to the city of Worcester, as well as the Safe Homes “People of Courage” Award. Yuhl was also co-curator and faculty adviser for a related exhibit, “I’m Not the Only One: LGBTQ+ Histories at Holy Cross,” in 2019. Her public history work extends to Holy Cross, where she has served on two committees related to the historical legacies of the College’s first president, Rev. Thomas F. Mulledy, S.J. and Patrick F. Healy, S.J., a Jesuit scholastic at Holy Cross, and racial justice at the College. Yuhl’s work with students has been recognized with the College’s Mary Louise Marfuggi Award for Academic Advisement in 2011 and the Donal J. Burns ’49 Career Teaching Medal in 2017. ■

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SYLLABUS experience, as it turns out, provides a unique perspective for digging into the day’s topic: “Sheltering in Place: Rethinking Family Life in a Pandemic.” The class, led over Zoom by Jennie Germann Molz, professor of sociology, has gathered articles about how the pandemic has impacted the mobility of families, and students are ready to discuss how those pieces relate to their lives. “Families have had to stay put, a new arrangement that people have had to get used to,” Germann Molz begins. One student says that the risk involved in the pandemic has resulted in an increase in helicopter parenting: “There is so much uncertainty and so much risk involved, and parents are cognizant of that and worried.” Parents are definitely “watching over children’s schoolwork,” notes another. The students go on to discuss issues such as the mental health aspects of the pandemic, including the dangers of confinement and being stuck in one place.

Family Life in Turbulent Times with Jennie Germann Molz, professor of sociology BY SANDRA GITTLEN

t’s nearing the end of April and students in the Sociology 399 course, Family Life in

Turbulent Times, have been in lockdown various times over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That

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While today’s session is focused on the pandemic, the course covers a range of theories, methods and case studies, including comparative studies of how U.S. families cope with economic insecurity. Assigned readings also include an ethnographic account of African American roots tourism in Brazil and a long-term study of the impact of migration on a Filipino family. For their final projects, students are

exploring topics such as parenting practices among transnational migrants and expatriate families, alternative family structures in communal living and how parents have handled remote learning with their school-age children. Germann Molz developed the idea for this new advanced seminar as she was researching her recently published book, “The World is Our Classroom: Extreme Parenting and the Rise of Worldschooling.” “I learned that families were using mobility as a strategy for coping with uncertainty and preparing their children for a changing world,” she says. “I wanted to design a seminar that would allow students to grapple with similar questions about how families navigate social and economic instability, how it feels to parent in a risky world and what a good family life looks like under the conditions of late modernity.” Germann Molz wants students to understand that although family lives are disrupted by events such as the pandemic or natural or economic disasters, people weather this turbulence in different ways depending on their social location. “What appear to be personal problems within our private family lives are actually entangled with broader histories, structures and social patterns,” she notes. Victoria Tara ’21, a political science and sociology major, took the course to

Course Catalog SOCL 399 Family Life in Turbulent Times PROFESSOR Jennie Germann Molz DEPARTMENTS Sociology DESCRIPTION This course is an advanced seminar that examines how families engage in various mobilities and adapt to new patterns of immobility as a way of performing a “good family life” in turbulent times. Keeping race, class, gender and nationality central to the class project, students explore how different families use mobility to deal with the risks and ambiguities of late modernity while preparing their children to thrive in an uncertain future. MEETING TIMES Tuesday, 2:15 PM - 4:45 PM CLASSROOM Zoom and Canvas REQUIRED READING / VIEWING • “Cut Adrift: Families in Insecure Times,” Marianne Cooper, 2014 • “The Tumbleweed Society: Working and Caring in an Age of Insecurity,” Allison Pugh, 2018 • “Mapping Diaspora: African American Roots Tourism in Brazil,” Patricia de Santana Pinho, 2018 • “A Good Provider is One Who Leaves,” Jason DeParle, 2020 • Web search findings such as articles and blogs • Scholarly articles • TED Talks and other relevant video material

ASSIGNMENTS • Readings • Reading response papers • Book clubs/book club memos • Web search findings discussions • Cumulative final project GRADES Weighted grading based on work completed across three units PREREQUISITES Department permission ABOUT THE PROFESSOR Jennie Germann Molz, professor of sociology, earned a B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin, an M.A in popular culture studies from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and a Ph.D. in sociology at Lancaster University in England. In 2013, she was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Lapland’s Multidimensional Tourism Institute in Rovaniemi, Finland. Her research interests include globalization, culture, citizenship, mobilities, technology and tourism. She is co-editor of the journal Hospitality & Society and author of the recently published “The World Is Our Classroom: Extreme Parenting and the Rise of Worldschooling” (NYU Press). She is also the author of “Travel Connections: Tourism, Technology and Togetherness in a Mobile World” and co-author of “Disruptive Tourism and its Untidy Guests: Alternative Ontologies for Future Hospitalities.” She has taught at Holy Cross since 2007.

expand her understanding of how the concept of family can be interpreted across history and society. She says she particularly enjoyed reading the book, “Cut Adrift: Families in Insecure Times,” and was intrigued to learn about the different styles of parenting and concepts relevant to parent-child relationships. “I find it fascinating that scholars have studied how different techniques of parenting have an impact on how children learn and grow in our society,” she says. Tara plans to apply the themes she’s learned about family life, turbulence, mobility, stability and insecurity to her career: “There is no one way to define ‘family,’ and I am grateful that this course has strengthened my critical thinking and analytical skills to understand a whole range of familial relationships in a new way.” The topic of insecurity has been a favorite for Zoe Petit ’22, a psychology and health studies double major with a gender studies and women’s studies concentration. She says she has especially enjoyed examining the role that financial insecurity can play in a family’s life: “I was surprised how different the concept of family is for different people and the different kinds of stress people experience based on caring for their family.” Germann Molz wants students to connect their studies to the Jesuit principle of being people who are “for and with others.” For instance, each required text examines how a sense of kinship can shape mutual obligations. Petit understands the link: “Studying this topic during the pandemic has made me realize how important family is and what we owe one another,” she says. “When I think of family, I think it’s someone I can rely on no matter what … However, I now realize that family can be more than just blood relations, it can be bigger than what you expect.” ■

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BOUCHER

BROWN

KRISCH

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MCALEER

7 CRUSADERS WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE DURING THE PANDEMIC Inside the 2021 Sanctae Crucis Awards

BY MAU R A S U L L I VA N HILL

“I was just going into work.” “I was doing my job.” “I’m humbled by it.” When asked about their 2021 Sanctae Crucis Award ahead of the virtual celebration on May 4, 2021, each honoree offered a variation of the above. In every interview, they expressed surprise and humility, citing the family, friends, colleagues and fellow alumni who helped them on their path to the highest non-degree honor that the College of the Holy Cross awards alumni. Each of this year’s honorees made life-saving and essential contributions

in their communities during the coronavirus pandemic. As they see it, it’s all in a day’s work. And it is work that they’re committed to continue long after the pandemic has subsided, to create a more just and equitable future.

At the Crean family home, behind a front door that is painted Holy Cross purple, there is a wooden sign bearing a phrase from the Bible’s Book of Esther: “Perhaps this is the moment for which you were created.”

for delivering compassionate care in the emergency department and icu

It’s a verse that comforted and motivated Chris and Theresa Crean during the pandemic, when they were working together at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerset, New Jersey. Chris was in the Emergency Department, where he is associate director, and Theresa worked upstairs as a registered nurse in the Critical Care Unit.

Christopher Crean, M.D., FACEP, ’97,

associate director and Emergency Department chairman, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Somerset campus Theresa A. Crean, RN, MA, CI/CT, ’97,

critical care registered nurse and nationally certified sign language interpreter, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Somerset campus

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“It was helpful to have a spouse who fully understood and was living the

The Creans pose for their son, Joshua, as they accept their Sanctae Crucis awards at home via a virtual ceremony on May 4, 2021; the couple at work at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerset, New Jersey.

same horror,” says Theresa, who became an ICU nurse in 2019 after a career as a nationally certified sign language interpreter. “I felt like my whole journey as a religious studies major, then sign language interpreter and then a nurse came together in this very important moment in time.” Theresa describes how she took care of her patients, medically and spiritually: “I would lip read them as they tried to talk around an endotracheal tube; I would note a glance at a body part, a flex of their back. I would say what I thought they were communicating out loud and wait for them to indicate yes or no. I insisted to my patients that I would not give up until whatever they were trying to communicate with me was understood. My patients and their family members were extremely grateful I had this specialized skill and experience of facilitating nonverbal communication, in addition to my critical care nursing skills and knowledge of their religious faith. I felt like the road God had me take toward nursing was winding, but it was all for a reason.” “I’m so proud of her,” Chris says. “There are always people dying around us in our jobs, but at this particular time, there was the isolation component, where we had to have so many end of life conversations over the iPad and telephone with people, because the families couldn’t be there. That is just an incredible skill that my wife has and what she did for these families facilitating communication was amazing.” The pride is evidently mutual. Theresa recounts multiple instances when the Emergency Department nurses told her how Chris’ leadership made them feel safe under extraordinarily dangerous and difficult circumstances.

“Chris was one of the first doctors in the hospital to make his team leave the patient’s room before he intubated a patient,” Theresa recalls, choking up at the memory. “When a COVID patient is intubated and put on a ventilator, there is a whoosh of air that flows out of the lungs filled with COVID virus. Chris already had enormous responsibility caring for suffocating, deathly ill COVID patients. Amidst that pressure and skill needed, he had great compassion for his ED teammates not wanting them to be exposed.” Chris’ training while completing his residency at a trauma center in North Carolina prepared him at the highest level for the complicated procedures that needed to be performed

in split seconds in an overflowing Emergency Department. “The amount of intubations, central lines, chest tubes that needed to be inserted, ventilators that needed to be managed, literally made the emergency room like a war zone,” Theresa says. “His tremendous skill and calm leadership in the face of danger made him the perfect Emergency Department leader in a pandemic.” When they went home to their children, Lilian and Joshua, the entire family wore masks at all times, ate meals outside and slept in separate rooms as a precaution. Now that Chris, Theresa and their children are fully vaccinated, “To be able to take a deep breath at home

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and hug our children without fear is quite a relief,” Chris says. “There is no way to describe the emotional stress and trauma our family has been through. There were very few families that had both parents in COVID-filled rooms for 14 hours at a time, five days a week. It will take us a while to process all this.” The couple met at Holy Cross, where they worked together as captains in Kimball Dining Hall. They went on one of their first dates to hear Anthony Fauci, M.D., ’62 speak in Hogan Campus Center. They were married in 2000 and were given special permission to have their wedding reception in Kimball, an honor they say they will always cherish: “The Kimball staff and administrators taught us as much as our professors about how to live and work as people for others. They nurtured us into the people we are.” In addition to their work in medicine, they are active leaders with their school district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Group. So while the pandemic was raging and they were exhausted from working long hospital shifts, they made time to host Zoom support groups

(above) Dr. Boucher with members of her infectious diseases team at Tufts Medical Center; speaking with the Boston media; and at Tufts Medical Center: “When COVID occurred, it became very clear in every circle — from my nuclear family to my work family — that a truthful, consistent, clear voice was very important. For the last 16 months, I’ve never been more grateful for the education that I received at Holy Cross, in terms of learning how to think through complex problems, deal with ambiguity and uncertainty almost every day, and to communicate effectively.”

for parents of kids with special needs from their kitchen. Both say they are indebted to Holy Cross for their educations, and immensely honored by the Sanctae Crucis Award: “Holy Cross graduates all know that their jobs and lives are bigger than themselves,” the couple say. for being a truthful, consistent and clear voice amid misinformation

Helen Boucher, M.D., FACP, FIDSA, ’86,

chief of the Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Tufts University School of Medicine and director of the Tufts Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance When Holy Cross made the decision to have students return to campus for the Spring 2021 semester, the administration needed expert perspective and advice to reopen safely, and Dr. Helen Boucher

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made that possible. An internationally renowned expert on infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance, Dr. Boucher has been on the forefront of research and data on COVID-19, and used that knowledge to inform and educate the public. She served on Holy Cross’ COVID-19 Core Team, and also advised other schools and businesses on reopening plans. In addition, Dr. Boucher made multiple media appearances sharing her expertise about infectious disease and COVID-19, including on Boston media outlets and C-SPAN, and in The New York Times. “When COVID occurred, it became very clear in every circle — from my nuclear family to my work family — that a truthful, consistent, clear voice was very important. To speak the truth about what we know, what we don’t know,

ZOE COHEN

deal with the changes.” Coming out of the worst of the pandemic and looking toward a new future, Dr. Boucher says that the “underbelly of health care has been exposed,” and she and her team at Tufts are committed to ensuring equitable health care and diversity in their research on antibiotic resistance. “We’ve known about these inequities and health care disparities for years. I grew up during the AIDS epidemic, and we saw very similar things with HIV in terms of disparities. So to see it with COVID was not entirely surprising; it just can’t happen again,” she says. for reaching patients where they are and providing the out-of-hospital care they need

John Brown, M.D., MPA ’78,

medical director at San Francisco Emergency Medical Services Agency and attending physician at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center One of Dr. John Brown’s most vivid college memories is setting then-College President Rev. John Brooks, S.J., ’49, on fire.

(above) Dr. Brown and EMS staff in the ambulance bay at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital; hiking with friend Nick Evans just after social distancing started in late March 2020; outside the Moscone Convention Center, home to the COVID Command Center, in September 2020. This photo was taken at noon during the height of wildfire season; Dr. Brown notes the sky was orange for 24 hours.

and how we’re going to keep ourselves and our families safe,” she says. “In so many ways, we weren’t prepared, but people with our particular [infectious disease] training, this is what we do. To say I was thrust into it would be an understatement, but we all were.” While Dr. Boucher’s training in infectious disease certainly helped her as she advised various institutions and educated the public through the media, she also relied on her Holy Cross education. “For the last 16 months, I’ve never

been more grateful for the education that I received at Holy Cross, in terms of learning how to think through complex problems, deal with ambiguity and uncertainty almost every day, and to communicate effectively,” she says. “Many times, we had to come to decisions — whether it was here at the medical center, whether it was at a school, whether it was at a business, whether it was at the College — the considerations were all a little bit different — and you have to get to a point where you can make the best recommendation with the data at hand and then move on and be prepared to

“It’s funny, because I had gone to the Spiritual Exercises and remember that quote, ‘Be who you are meant to be and you’ll set the world on fire.’ I guess I was taking it too literally,” Dr. Brown laughs. The incident happened over dessert, when Dr. Brown and some fellow members of the Campus Center Board of Directors (CCB of D) cooked a meal for Fr. Brooks and several Jesuits at their residence on campus. “I convinced my CCB of D team to produce this huge French meal — I’m a Francophile — and the dessert was, of course, flambé something or other,” Dr. Brown recalls. “I somehow got distracted while pouring the burning alcohol onto the dish, and some of it ended up in Fr. Brooks’ lap, to my complete horror. It was rapidly

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(above) Krisch with her parents, Susan and James Carroll, at Daybreak Health’s vaccination clinic at the YMCA in Flatbush, Brooklyn. (opposite) Krisch says teamwork is key in providing the best patient care, exemplified here with coworkers turning a patient in the prone position. This was especially true during the pandemic: “From every level, people were figuring it out, from the attending physicians, the surgeons, the environmental people learning how to clean properly; it was such a team effort,” she says.

extinguished with a handy napkin, there were no injuries and no one had to go to the burn center. Though he did manage to work that into the conversation when he congratulated me at my graduation.” After Holy Cross, Dr. Brown went to medical school and became an emergency medicine physician, specializing in EMS and disaster services. As the medical director for San Francisco EMS, he oversees prehospital dispatch, first response, ambulance transport and emergency medical care for the city and county of San Francisco. During the pandemic, that meant acting as a “medical logistician,” says Dr. Brown, who led a response that included administering COVID testing and, eventually, vaccines, and also providing care for lower acuity and urgent care patients, to free up hospital space for COVID patients. “My main job is the EMS providers’ interaction with hospitals and the health care system,” he says. “And we were trying to decide how best to distribute scarce resources, like the treatment Remdesivir. We had to distribute that

with equity. And then with vaccinations, we are working to be sure that the vaccine gets to communities that are disproportionately affected by the pandemic.” He particularly enjoys teaching and helped develop and instruct EMS providers, nurses and residents on different pandemic initiatives and programs. During the pandemic, Dr. Brown was able to continue teaching students and residents via remote and hybrid approaches at the University of California, San Francisco, and was recognized with a promotion to clinical professor of emergency medicine. Going forward, Dr. Brown plans to use his expertise to help with disaster planning and preparedness at home and abroad. As a medical officer for Disaster Medical Team CA-6, the Bay Area’s volunteer medical team for the National Disaster Medical System, he went to New Orleans to assist with relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina. He’s also worked with the World Health Organization to develop EMS standards for lower- and middle-income countries, and has traveled to Haiti annually since

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2004, providing direct clinical care in a remote region in the south of the country. “The big challenge now is going to be to maintain our readiness and our ability to respond [in the future]. Part of the problem with the pandemic, even in the wind down, is that people don’t realize that their behavior today is going to affect what is going to happen two weeks from now — it’s not a direct cause and effect in front of their eyes like crashing a car,” he says. “We want to take some of these programs and capabilities that we’ve built up, fold them up well and put them away in such a fashion that we can take them off the shelf and quickly use them when we need them, whether for pandemic, wildfire or earthquake — and to be careful that no one is left out, that it is not just well-resourced communities that can respond.” Dr. Brown also plans to continue mentoring fellow alumni through the Holy Cross LGBTQ Alumni Network. “I didn’t come out as an LGBTQ individual until well after my college

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and medical school years, and while a difficult experience, it was a positive and amazing growth experience to go from, if you will, the privileged to the subjugated, and to understand better what others in the community are having to deal with in their lives,” he says. “I hope I can maintain that ability to serve the school and young LGBTQ students who are working on their personal growth, and to foster in myself an ongoing sense of gratitude toward everything that the Holy Cross community has done for me.” for facilitating equal access to covid testing and vaccines in new york city while also caring for patients in intensive care

Christine (Carroll) Krisch, MSN, AGPCNP, CCRN, ’06,

chief nursing officer at Daybreak Health and cardiothoracic ICU nurse at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Every time Christine Krisch gives a COVID-19 vaccine shot, the same thought crosses her mind: “This is one less person we’re going to see in the ICU in the future.” Krisch is administering the shots as part of her work as chief nursing officer at Daybreak Health, a medical startup that

provides COVID-19 testing and vaccines in New York City. She also works in the cardiothoracic ICU at New YorkPresbyterian Hospital, which has cared for more than 17,000 COVID-positive patients since March 1, 2020. “Testing felt good for [me and other] ICU nurses [who work with Daybreak],” she says, “but giving a vaccine feels really good!” Daybreak was founded by fellow Holy Cross classmate Chris Morris, M.D., ’06, an internal medicine physician, and also provides testing services to Catholic schools in New York, as well as for TV production and restaurant workers, helping the city track infection rates while safely resuming business. Thanks to fundraising, donations and state subsidies, the organization offers discounted testing to schools and underserved neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The hope and relief of giving vaccines is a sharp contrast to Krisch’s days in the ICU in spring 2020. She recalls the daily evening cheers for health care workers, and though she was grateful, she also felt like they didn’t deserve it, because so many patients were dying. She vividly remembers the first day that

a COVID patient was transferred into her ICU. “I felt a little relief. I was just, like, alright, let’s see what it is like to gown up and go in there and just do it,” Krisch recalls. “I think a lot of us surprised ourselves because we really wanted to have these patients. But that’s why we’re here, we really want to be on the front line and try to make a difference and do the best we can. From every level, people were figuring it out, from the attending physicians, the surgeons, the environmental people learning how to clean properly; it was such a team effort.” Krisch has been an ICU nurse since 2009 and notes, “I’ve taken care of super sick people, but it was the volume all at once that made this so much.” She is heartened by the teamwork that she has witnessed — both with her colleagues in the ICU and at Daybreak, and shares her Sanctae Crucis Award with her fellow nurses: “I hope I can be a representation of all the nurses who have graduated from Holy Cross. Nursing is such a team job, and there’s no way I could do anything without the equal participation of my coworkers and peers.”

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for providing high-quality health care that helps lift people out of homelessness

Ron Lawson ’75,

chief operating officer at Care For the Homeless, New York City When Ron Lawson leaves his office on 33rd St. in midtown Manhattan, he’s immediately confronted with the very problem he is trying to solve. “I can go either left toward Madison Avenue or right toward Park Avenue, and I will pass several homeless folks,” he says. “It’s very easy to get into the mindset of thinking: ‘Why am I even doing this? I don’t see that I’m solving the problem.’ And then you have to fortify yourself and realize, well, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” At Care For the Homeless, one bite at a time means delivering essential medical, dental, mental and behavioral heath care to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in New York City, plus providing shelter to individuals and families, and advocating for policies that will eventually prevent and end homelessness. During the pandemic, all the

(above) Lawson at home in the Bronx; with colleague Christian Haynes ’20; wearing one of the first masks he received at the beginning of the pandemic, made by Adenike Davidson ’89; receiving the Moderna vaccine from a Care For the Homeless nurse practitioner at one of the organization’s newest health centers in Brownsville, Brooklyn, of which Lawson oversaw construction.

organization’s shelters have been empty, with city and state regulations mandating that residents relocate to hotels to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. So while those facilities are empty, Lawson has focused on using grant money toward building renovations and improvements, as well as the construction of new shelters. As the infection rates of the pandemic drop, Lawson says that his fear is that more people will slip into homelessness. “In New York, you have so many people operating on the margins. Everyone who is homeless is not a drug addict or mentally ill or an ex-convict,” says Lawson, who experienced homelessness when he was unexpectedly laid off during a recession in the early 1990s. “People like you and I, who go to work every day, can’t afford to put food on the table and pay rent. They have to make a decision one way or the other, and they wind up in a shelter. From the beginning of the pandemic until May 2020, statistics showed that around 5 million Americans fell into poverty.”

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So Lawson wants to be ready to assist as many of those New Yorkers as Care For the Homeless can. “For us, health care is housing. If you can get someone healthy, then you have the ability to better assist them to get into supportive housing or their own apartment,” he says. “I focus on the fact that every year we are able to move people from homelessness into housing. I feel comforted when I go home in the evening — somebody somewhere is a little better off.” for ensuring access to nutritious food and school lunches for all children, even when school was virtual

Erin C. McAleer ’02,

president of Project Bread, Boston “That first weekend in March 2020, when Gov. Baker shut the state down, we were setting up meal sites across Massachusetts, working all weekend and through the night,” recalls Erin McAleer, who leads the team at Project Bread, a nonprofit that connects people and communities across the state to reliable

toll-free number in 180 languages that people can call to find out which programs are available to them, and launched Health Care Partnerships, taking referrals from hospitals and health care centers that treated COVID-19 patients who also dealt with food insecurity. “We want to reimagine a system that is equitable, and that truly can and will solve hunger in our lifetimes,” McAleer says. (above) McAleer at Project Bread in Boston; at Waltham Public Schools, one of the organization’s pandemic meal sites; participating in the 2020 virtual Walk for Hunger with her husband, Adam Crowley, son, Culum and daughter, Maisie.

sources of food and advocates for policies that make food more accessible. Project Bread, working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, coordinated school buses to transport meals and helped set up drive-through meal pickup at school buildings, but McAleer knew their efforts were only going to be a temporary fix. The group immediately started advocating for federal legislation called Pandemic EBT, which puts the monetary value of school lunches onto an electronic card for families to purchase food. For McAleer, this was essential for children and families when schools shifted to remote learning. “That [law passing] has been huge: 550,000 kids in Massachusetts were able to purchase food through that program,” she says. Now, McAleer and Project Bread are focused on continuing and expanding Pandemic EBT, even as schools resume in-person learning. “We feel really strongly that coming

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out of the pandemic, we need to keep some of the barriers that were broken down, down. There is no pathway to ending childhood hunger in America that doesn’t start with universal, free school meals.” she says. “During this crisis, we made the decision that all kids should access these meals, and that’s taken away the stigma. We hear kids say all the time, ‘I don’t want it, because then everyone knows my family is poor and I don’t want that label.’ “And it’s interesting with school meals, because a lot of folks say, ‘Well, why should wealthy kids get school meals for free?’ But they don’t say that about the library books or the desks the kids are sitting in. We have to change the narrative and reimagine a new system. Research has shown that kids can’t learn when they are hungry, so why is food the one thing that we are charging for?” In addition to universal free school meals, Project Bread is advocating for families to receive the monetary value of the meals through the summer. Project Bread has also expanded its Food Source hotline, a confidential,

McAleer ended up at Holy Cross because of her beloved stepfather, Joe DiGiovanni ’73: “He spoke so highly of his experience there, that when I got in, it just made sense. This is the person who’s been most influential in my life, besides my mom, and look how he turned out. He is the most compassionate and supportive person I’ve ever known.” She says it changed her family’s life when her late mother, Bernadette, met DiGiovanni. Part of why McAleer became a social worker and is so passionate about food insecurity issues are the memories of watching her mother stress over bills and putting food on the table as a single mom of three. “Throughout this crisis — and this goes back to my Holy Cross roots — I’ve always put the person at the center. In anti-hunger work, it often does start with the food, getting the food to people,” McAleer says. “But I go back to my mom all the time and other moms. How do we make it as easy as possible for her? So that’s where we’ve focused, on both big-scale solutions and making it as easy as possible for individuals and families to access food, centering the solutions around them.” ■

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Cover images of Freeman’s and Bauer’s books are woven together, then separated, just like our memories and the stories we tell ourselves .

Narrative psychology experts and authors Mark Freeman and Jack Bauer ’89 share how humans make sense of their lives through the stories they tell themselves and others — and why aging can be welcomed. BY LO R I FERGUSON

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his is a story about the stories we tell — to ourselves and to others — to create meaning in our lives. Taken together, those stories reveal what we value, what we hope to achieve and who we have become. “That’s what’s so exciting and so important about the study of personal narratives: Through evaluation of our life stories, we might become better able to construct a life more deliberately and mindfully,” says Jack Bauer ’89, professor of psychology at the University of Dayton and an expert in the field of narrative psychology. His overarching hypothesis: “How people interpret and plan their lives predicts how their lives turn out.”

This spring, Bauer released his second book, “The Transformative Self: Personal Growth, Narrative Identity, and the Good Life,” which was included in the Oxford University Press series, “Explorations in Narrative Psychology.” The entire series was edited by Mark Freeman, Holy Cross Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Society and professor of psychology, who published a new book of his own this year, his sixth, “Do I Look at You with Love? Reimagining the Story of Dementia.” Despite their shared admiration, Holy Cross connection and research field, Freeman and Bauer took a bit of time to find one another professionally. Although Freeman was teaching at Holy Cross when Bauer, an economics major, was a student, Bauer didn’t begin studying Freeman’s work until a decade later in his

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The 2021 releases from Bauer and Freeman are their latest contributions to the field of narrative psychology, which explores the stories humans tell themselves and others, and how that impacts the way they live their lives.

postdoctoral fellowship in personality development at Northwestern University. “Both Mark and I are very interested in the development of personal identity and exploring the ways that people create meaning through the stories they tell,” Bauer says.

THE ROLE OF REFLECTION When mentally building these stories of ourselves and our relationship to others, Freeman and Bauer agree that the ability to reflect is key. “We’re all interested in

planning for a future that’s good; we set goals to make our lives better or to perpetuate things that we value,” Bauer says. What’s important is to understand that our thoughts are interpretations of things we have experienced, he adds. When we understand this, we can begin to look at what motivates our behavior. “If we notice the way we have been motivated by a particular value in the past — in our work, in a relationship — we can understand ourselves better and react accordingly in the future.” In this, reflection in the form of hindsight can be particularly valuable, Freeman notes. “An experience has a particular meaning in the moment, but over time, that meaning can change,” he explains. In the moral realm especially, people often act first and think later, and it is only after they gain some distance on the situation that they can

(clockwise, from top left) Bauer in the 1989 Purple Patcher; with classmates (left to right) Ken Zimmer, Pat Pfau, Chris Botta, Bauer, Frank Samarro, Brad Desmarais and Rob Dombrowski in 1989 and in 2019; as a member of The Crusadists, the College’s comedy troupe, in 1989; a screenshot of one of the University of Dayton’s “90-Second Lectures” series.

view it in a new light. Freeman refers to this phenomenon as “moral lateness.” For example, in the heat of the moment you can be convinced of the rightness of your point of view only to realize later that there’s another way of seeing things. “Looking back on what we couldn’t — or wouldn’t — see before can allow for growth. Through memory and our stories, we can take stock of things and perhaps correct the errors of our ways,” he says. Bauer’s research shows that the way humans construct their stories is also revelatory. When we tell stories of our lives to ourselves and others, we may choose to tell a particular tale, but the

way we tell it is far less conscious, he says: “When telling personal stories, we use narrative tones, underlying themes and scripts that we borrow from cultural master narratives, and we do all these things mostly unconsciously.” One such cultural master narrative is that of personal growth, Bauer explains in his book. “In literature we see this master narrative in the bildungsroman genre — the genre of character development,” which is recognizable to persons ages 8 to 80. Though separated by centuries and cultures, “The Odyssey” and the Harry Potter series satisfy for being familiar, even predictable, yet inspiring: The

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Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.: Freeman, Bauer and Cynthia Winston-Proctor, professor of psychology at Howard University, carousing near The Stone Pony in search of Bruce Springsteen, after a long day of hard intellectual labor.

12-year struggle with dementia, a journey he chronicles in his new book.

protagonist takes a journey of their own choosing, encounters teachers, develops new skills, endures trials and emerges as the hero. Stories like these become bestsellers for a reason, Bauer says. “We like them because they showcase our culture’s ideal of personal growth toward a good life, so we try to apply these stories to our own lives and the lives of those around us. We can make sense of others’ lives because we share certain narratives, even though we’re not always aware of it.” Like the protagonist in such a novel, people may consistently use certain themes — power, love or growth — across a range of personal stories, reflecting what those people value, what motivates them and how they see themselves in relation to others, Bauer continues. “These narrative features of meaning-making are how we define ourselves, often without even knowing that we’re doing it,” he says. For example, consciously or not, we all engage in analysis when listening to someone and trying to discern what they’re saying. “So, if you start to listen to yourself,” he says, “and become more aware of how you tell your stories — do

you often start on a low note and end on a high one, for example — you can begin to ask yourself, ‘Is that the one best or true way to interpret what happened, or could I tell the story in a different or more meaningful or constructive way?’” This is important, because there’s no denying that our stories can impact us profoundly, sometimes positively and sometimes negatively, Freeman says. “Narratives can be freeing and allow us to see ourselves more multidimensionally and truthfully, but they can also imprison us,” he notes. “We can get locked into narratives in ways that stunt our self-understanding and growth.” In such instances, mindfulness can be of value, as it can assist people in shedding constraining, destructive narratives and building new, healthier ones. Does this mean that the stories we choose to tell define ourselves and others? “That’s a complicated issue,” Freeman says. “As important as our stories are, I’m not sure they define us.” Individuals are composed of many things that go beyond their stories, he observes. Freeman experienced this firsthand while witnessing his mother’s

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“In my experience with my mother, I had to think beyond narrative because she had landed at a place where her life and self were beyond it,” he says. “Despite the fact that her memories were largely gone, my mother was still a vital human being who could sing and laugh and take pleasure in things. She also still had a memory of what it meant to be a loving mother, just not the particular one she happened to be.” Hence the question found in the title of Freeman’s book: “Do I Look at You with Love?” — which she once asked upon learning, yet again, that he was her son.

A DIFFERENT VIEW OF AGING Freeman’s experience with his mother’s dementia raises other questions: What happens to our stories as we age? And can we be ready for the effects of age on our concept of ourselves or those we love? “I don’t know that we can prepare ourselves,” he says. “I can tell you this, though. Before going through the situation with my mother, I would have thought about aging in a more negative way, as deterioration or decline. Some of that’s real; it’s hard to deny it. But through the experience with my mother I came to think about it differently and realized that, even in circumstances like dementia, where an element of decline is inevitable, it may be possible to encounter and experience it in a different, more ‘welcoming’ way.” As his mother’s illness progressed, Freeman learned to meet her in the moment rather than insist she be the mother of his memory. “It took us a while, but that’s what we were able to do, and as a result, we really had our

eyes opened to the kind of beauty that might be found in life’s very transience,” he says. “Sitting outside with my mother, just being with her, seeing her take in the day, her face lit up by the sun, came to be very moving in a way. It was as if I could see the preciousness of life right in front of me. So, difficult as these years sometimes were, I’m immensely grateful for the time we had together.” Assuming a person is of sound mind, does older equate with wiser? Based on Bauer’s research, the answer may be yes, at least on average. “It turns out we become more adaptive with age,” he explains. In other words, the older we get, the better we are at meaning-making. “Each time we understand something, we’re creating that understanding in that moment. From one week to the next, it seems like

(clockwise from top left) Freeman in 2018; with family and friends celebrating his mother, Marian, at her 90th birthday; with his daughter Justine, his wife, Debbie, his mother, his daughter Brenna Hanlon ’10 and her husband, Matt; during office hours with students in 2015.

we’re recalling incidents, but we’re also constructing them anew each time. If you look back at your life stories over time, you’ll often notice that they change to some degree because you’re seeing them through the broader lens of subsequently lived experience.” And experience has its benefits. Older adults, despite their mounting losses, for instance, tend to place a greater emphasis than younger adults on the kinds of concerns and motives that promote growth. “On average, as we move through adulthood, we focus more on experientially meaningful activities and relationships than on social status,

self-image and material gain — and it’s the former values and motives that facilitate both growth and wellbeing,” Bauer explains. “If the research translates into advice, it’s that rather than doing things for status and selfimage, we’re better off spending time doing things we love — and especially doing things with people we love.” Different though Bauer’s and Freeman’s respective projects are, they appear to be of a piece on this last idea, suggesting, in their own distinctive ways, that the path to a good life entails living beyond the ego and attending to what truly matters. In the end, this is what makes for stories worthy of being told. ■

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First Lady Nancy Reagan insisted President Ronald Reagan see her perform. Oscar and Grammy Award winner Isaac Hayes said she could be a star. But Yolanda W. Rabun ’90, who blazed her way across Mount St. James, had bigger plans for herself — and 30-plus years later, they’re still unfolding.

YOLANDA RABUN

NOT DONE YET BY M A RY B E T H R E I L LY - M C G R E E N ’ 8 9

“Sometimes you have to be quiet, but keep being you and the universe will choose what’s right,” Rabun says. “People will yield to give you what’s always going to be yours.”

t was the first football game of the 1986 season, Holy Cross versus Lehigh — a season that would culminate in a Patriot League championship for the Crusaders. The September day was warm and sunny as Yolanda Williams ’90 strode onto Fitton Field, alone, downfield and clearly apart from the Holy Cross cheerleading squad. And with all she had in her 5-foot frame, she began to cheer. The 17-year-old freshman had not made the team, but her tryout impressed the cheerleading coach’s husband, who talked his wife into making her an alternate, allowing Williams to practice with the team. But alternates didn’t cheer at games. “It was mind-blowing to me that I didn’t make the team,” recalls Rabun (née Williams). “I came in with a wealth of experience and technique; I was, like, a professional cheerleader. I felt like my tryout was amazing with all the somersaults I did. And the herkies. And the splits.” A few days before that first game, though, the cheerleading coach said Rabun could cheer — unofficially — away from the rest of the squad. “When I learned I hadn’t made the team, I called my mother and she said, ‘You go out there and be you.’ And that day, there I was — way off to the side and not one of them,” she recalls. “And I went out in that game and cheered like there was no tomorrow. And the crowd, students mostly, became my cheerleader, and it was great. “After that, the coach said, ‘I’m putting you on the squad,’” she continues. “And I know I made the squad because of the fans and the students — Black and white —

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who said I should be on the team. And I think the lesson is: People can let go of their perceptions of what the world is supposed to be like, the status quo and such, and let people be themselves. That was a life lesson for me: Sometimes you have to be quiet, but keep being you and the universe will choose what’s right. People will yield to give you what’s always going to be yours.” By her senior year, Rabun was the squad’s first Black co-captain in Holy Cross cheerleading history, and she’d developed a reputation for being a trailblazer in other areas, as well. Several decades later, it’s still her signature. Look up Yolanda Rabun on LinkedIn and you’ll see her name trailed by a list of titles almost as long as a royal’s: senior counsel, IBM manager and executive, speaker, wife and mom, actor, recording artist and producer. At the very end is the phrase: “Not done.” First, though: After graduating with honors and a degree in political science from Holy Cross, Rabun earned a J.D. at Boston College Law School, where she was a presidential scholar, a designation given to students awarded full scholarships. Rabun is now senior corporate counsel at IBM in North Carolina. And among other volunteer pursuits, serves enthusiastically as a volunteer teacher for the nonprofit organization Black Girls CODE,

which educates young girls of color on programming and emerging technologies. She is a coach and mentor to women at IBM and in Holy Cross’ Women In Business program. And a professional speaker. And a professional actor. She’s also an internationally known recording artist who has opened for the Isley Brothers, Sheila E. and Kem, as well as headlined at nationally known venues such as Washington, D.C.’s Blues Alley Jazz Club, Atlanta’s The Velvet Note and the Catalina Bar and Grill in Los Angeles. And the genesis of this multihyphenate life? In great part, it was her Holy Cross experience, Rabun says: “It was the place where I found myself. It was where I started to develop who Yolanda Rabun was to be in life, which is ultimately a good servant.” At graduation, Rabun was the recipient of the distinguished Presidential Service Award, which honors seniors who have, to an exceptional degree, used their time, talents and resources in service to the College, their fellow students and the community.

Rabun at Holy Cross in 1986 (left) and with her classmate and fellow cheerleader Jacqueline Abercrombie ’90 and the Holy Cross cheerleading squad in 2018.

that purple is Yolanda Rabun’s favorite color. So she was drawn to the school’s colors when she first encountered them at a college fair. Her college choice came down to Brown University or Holy Cross. “I don’t wear brown,” Rabun says with a laugh. Hailing from a long line of Christian ministers, Rabun felt Holy Cross was a good enough fit. “I remember thinking that I’d go to Holy Cross and become a preacher or a minister eventually,” she says. “I actually learned at Holy Cross, though, that my pulpit could be to basically use the gifts God gave me, to use them in every fashion and form, to bring people to the light — whatever that means for them.”

“I DON’T WEAR BROWN”

Rabun credits the late Ogretta V. McNeil, associate professor of psychology and assistant dean for academic services for students of color, and B. Eugene McCarthy, professor of English and one of the founders of the African American Studies Program, with some of her most important lessons. Both encouraged her to advocate for herself.

So, how did a Georgia-raised girl from a family of United Methodist preachers learn of Holy Cross? Well, first know

“Ogretta was like a second mother, a guardian, to me,” Rabun recalls. McNeil

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met with and addressed Rabun and her fellow new students of color the first weekend they arrived at Holy Cross. “And she made it very clear to me and to many of my friends that she was there to help us succeed and to not be deterred by little things that could happen,” Rabun says. What little things? “I remember I took a class and the professor gave me a ‘D’ on a paper — the first ‘D’ of my life,” Rabun recalls. “I went to Ogretta’s office and she read the paper and said, ‘Withdraw from this class. This is not a ‘D’ paper.’ And that was probably the best advice I could’ve gotten because, I think, honestly, I might’ve been scarred for life had I stayed in that class. I was telling this story on a call with Holy Cross students to say to them that if you get a bad grade freshman year, don’t freak out or get discouraged. Get advice. If I’d continued in that class, the professor’s actions could’ve ruined my outlook at Holy Cross.” Instead, Rabun heard the wisdom in McNeil’s advice and realized that to withdraw was a statement of strength, a refusal to be the victim of an injustice. “Again, sometimes the bravest thing you can do is to let go,” she says.

“HE JUST SAID, ‘BE YOU.’ AND THAT’S WHAT I DID” And there was so much other work to be done: Rabun was on the dean’s list. She was the College’s first Black head RA, vice president of the Black Student Union and a work-study student, first in Kimball and then in the AV Department. She deejayed on WCHC 88.1 and sang and danced in theatre department musicals. She was a senior admissions interviewer, on the College’s Debate Team and With her mother, Kappitola Williams, as a child and later post-performance at the Atlanta Jazz Festival, who once advised: “You go out there and be you.”

regularly performed in The Pub and Lower Kimball. But, perhaps, Rabun’s greatest performance was her senior thesis project. Though Rabun was a political science major, McCarthy, an English professor (now emeritus), became her adviser on her senior thesis, “American Fruit — African Roots: Black Women In The Nineteenth Century And The Politics of Race, Sex, And Class.” It was not only a traditional scholarly paper, but also a creative act: a theatrical performance. “Professor McCarthy was a blessing to me; the man who told me that the world was mine to create in and to exist in and to not be ashamed, afraid or inhibited by,” she remembers. “He just said, ‘Be you.’ And that’s what I did.” That advice became reality in the form of the play Rabun wrote to serve as the public presentation of her Honors thesis about 19thcentury Black female Revolutionary figures: Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells and Anna Julia Cooper, among others. The arc of the piece was how the women fought against oppression and for their race, womanhood and rights as citizens. Her 1990 thesis production had such an impact, she returned in 1993 at the request of the College’s Women’s Weekend Planning Committee to give a repeat performance, for which McCarthy still has the program. “In retirement, you get rid of the greatest number of things you can,” he notes, “but one of the things I’ve kept is her performance program. I have it here in front of me: March 27, 1993, Fenwick Chapel. It just struck me as something I needed to keep.” McCarthy, who taught Black literature at Holy Cross for many years, was an enthusiastic supporter of her work. “He might’ve been the key to my being able to present my thesis in the way I did,” Rabun says. “I learned at Holy Cross to be open to everything and attached to nothing, so I didn’t approach my thesis with this fixed,

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preconceived idea that it had to be only a thesis paper and presented in a certain way. Professor McCarthy encouraged me to explore the possibilities of writing the thesis and being creative about how I shared it publicly for completion of the Honors Program. He said it’s up to me to be the best that I could be; so I turned in a paper and a play.” “She created this choreo-poem. That’s what she called it,” McCarthy says. “She not only researched all of these women, but then created this program beginning with the African queens and moving through history into African American women’s activities in the 19th century, early movers in civil rights, women’s rights, anti-lynching laws — women who were writers and activists. I think I probably kept the program because what she did was so unusual, distinctive and thoroughly impressive. Normally a student has good ideas and presents something, but this took a lot of daring and an enormous amount of confidence. This was not just simply sitting in the library and working out an essay. This was also acting, music, staging and costuming.” The work was daring for another reason, too. Rabun told the audience

(left) The late Ogretta V. McNeil, associate professor of psychology and assistant dean for academic services for students of color, welcomed Crusaders to Move-In Day on Easy Street; (right) with her senior thesis adviser B. Eugene McCarthy, professor of English emeritus.

assembled that she would be presenting difficult history threaded with themes of enslavement, lynching, rape and racial exploitation. “That would’ve been, maybe, a bit hard for an audience who wasn’t ready to hear that,” McCarthy says. “I remember saying as I made the presentation of the choreo-poem based on my thesis paper that I was unapologetic about being so open and serious about a topic related to Black women,” Rabun recalls. “I said it was something we should all talk about and that I hoped the faculty understood that this is Black history and that Holy Cross can make a difference going forward.” Tanya Baskin ’91 played Harriet Tubman in the 1990 production. “It was amazing,” she says, smiling at the memory. “I’d never been in a play or a theater or anything, and she whipped us into shape like nobody’s business. And we were pulling for her. We were, first of all, excited to be there, and then here was this play that she had written. I don’t think we understood the enormity

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of it, understood the work that goes into something like that. For one person to do all of that was amazing. “And, of course, we weren’t going to let her down,” Baskin continues. “So we tried our best to deliver what her vision was. And I think we did. And she got Willie Bradford ’90, the most brilliant guy, an economics major and a football player at Holy Cross — a very serious guy — to show up and perform.” That would be Holy Cross football cocaptain Willie Bradford, who in 1990 led Holy Cross to its fourth championship in the first five years of the then newly formed Patriot League. “That’s the kind of effect Yolanda had on people,” Baskin says of Bradford’s casting. “She could flow in and out of all the groups and get people to participate in this and support her in that. I don’t know of any other honors student who staged a production rather than presented a paper to a panel. But people believed in her. We knew and felt and believed in her.”

(left) The 1990 program for Rabun’s groundbreaking honors thesis performance, which featured 19th-century Black female revolutionary figures fighting for their race, womanhood and rights as citizens; (above) with a statue of Nina Simone in Tryon, North Carolina.

And what Rabun received, she gave back, notes Andrea Jordan ’92. Rabun was Jordan’s first RA. “She’s such a playful child at heart, but at the same time so vastly intelligent, and she just embodies this spirit — of life, of energy — that won’t be ignored or denied,” Jordan says. “When she was my RA, she was clearly trying to help me find my place.” Rabun shared her cheerleading experience with Jordan, a high school basketball player, who says it inspired her to try out for the women’s basketball team. Jordan played for Holy Cross her sophomore, junior and senior years. “I remember Yolanda said to me, ‘You’re going to get in where you fit in. You’ll find your niche,’” Jordan recalls. “I think

that’s a testament to her having been my RA and kind of my inauguration into Holy Cross campus life. She had the ability to just plant those seeds of inspiration and hope that resonated with you because of being a witness to how she lived.”

recalls. “This tiny little thing singing like Billie Holiday, and I’m looking at the audience and laughing hysterically because they’re not ready for her. They have no idea. And then, all of a sudden, she has them and they’re like, ‘Yeah! Why don’t we know about her? Why is this her first time here?’”

“WE LIFT AS WE CLIMB”

It’s a common reaction, says Michaile Rainey ’91: “Yody was always performing, always singing. If she wasn’t performing in The Pub, she was singing in the hallway or in the car. When we’d perform together for our BSU activities, she could command the audience. She has that level of stage presence, that level of understanding how to feel a room and give them what they’re looking for.”

It might be surprising to learn that the big personality that is Yolanda Rabun is contained within a small package. “We went to see her perform at Blues Alley, and she starts her concert from the top of a staircase and the music starts going and the lights are on and she comes down like a Rockette, throwing her legs up in this silver sequined ensemble that had a split up to mid-thigh,” Jordan

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Rabun was an audience favorite at the 2020 edition of Holy Cross’ annual Women in Business conference. The pandemic forced the event online and attracted the largest audience to date: 300 alumnae, plus 100 students. Cassie Gevry, associate director of the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society, says Rabun exemplifies the path she would have students envision for themselves. “She’s a real role model, a woman who has taken her liberal arts education and found her own path — and that’s an excellent example for our students when we are suggesting that they can major in anything and succeed in business,” Gevry says. “And Yolanda’s a men-and-women-for-others person — turning around and offering her hand to fellow alumni and students, giving them opportunities, potentially, at IBM.”

“OK, I’M DOING BOTH”

Monica Polanco Fabian ’16 received a message from Rabun after attending the conference. Rabun noted that they lived relatively close to each other and knew she was interested in tech. She

In addition to all else, Rabun is excited to be back performing her onewoman show on the life and music of singer, songwriter and human rights activist Nina Simone. Rabun’s musical métier actually predates her

asked Polanco Fabian if she could be of help. “And I got so excited because here was another woman of color, living in North Carolina, working for a tech company, and we just clicked,” Polanco Fabian says. “I remember, she said to me, ‘We lift as we climb.’” Polanco Fabian now works for IBM as a software developer. “You know, when you think of a Holy Cross alum who really captures the true essence of what a Holy Cross Crusader is, I think of people like her,” she says. “And I think it says a lot about women, and women of color, that we are multifaceted and we can do everything. She’s an amazing example of that.”

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(left) Speaking to IBM employees about how she makes strategic decisions driven by the organization of her life. (right) In the role of Nina Simone in the play, “No Fear and Blues Long Gone: Nina Simone” by Howard L. Craft.

law career by more than a decade. She first began touring internationally as a vocalist at the age of 14, as a student at Northside High School of the Performing Arts in Atlanta. There she and her classmates performed for then-First Lady Nancy Reagan, who was so impressed she said to one of the school’s administrators, “Either this show is coming to the White House, or the president is coming to you,” according to one newspaper account. A second visit to the school was scheduled and Rabun, then a junior, sang a solo gospel version of “God Bless America,” composed by Oscar and Grammywinner Isaac Hayes specifically for the event. For her effort, Rabun received a standing ovation, a kiss from the president and something of a commandment from Hayes.

(clockwise from top left) Performing with classmates at Northside High School of the Performing Arts in Atlanta; meeting President Ronald Regan after a performance; outside her sold-out show in Wake Forest, North Carolina; performing as Medda Larkin in a regional theatre production of “Newsies”; performing at Blues Alley in 2013; with Jacqueline Abercrombie ’90 on The Hill.

“So I met Isaac Hayes and worked with him and he kept saying, ‘I know that you’re smart and you want to be a lawyer, but you’re going to sing.’ And I was, like, ‘Yeah, OK, I’m doing both.’ And he said, ‘Well, then, good: You’re going to be a singing lawyer.’”

haven’t.”

opportunity to really live,” she says.

Two of the greatest fears people cite in life are of speaking in public and of failure. Since those clearly don’t inhibit her, what, then, does Yolanda Rabun fear?

Asked what the future holds for her, Rabun says she has at least two books in her future. She also has interest in being a law school professor and a certified genealogist. Don’t hold her to just that, though.

Rabun laughs at the memory. “It was not a joke, I would become a singing lawyer because I was not going to give up what I was doing in the arts. And I

“What scares me is the idea that people won’t get it before they die. They won’t understand what it — living our life to its fullest — is about, which is the

“Every day, life reveals something new for me to learn,” Rabun says. “It’s affirmation, and I think: ‘I am not done.’” ■

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S PPOORRTTS S

POLAR PARK IS CRUSADER COUNTRY Holy Cross football will host Colgate on Oct. 23 — the first football game to be held in the new 9,500-seat

58 Go Cross Go • 60 Crusader Life

Present at the May announcement were (left to right): Dan Rea, Worcester Red Sox executive vice presidentgeneral manager/business and real estate; Bob Chesney, Holy Cross football head coach; Marcus Blossom, Holy Cross director of Athletics; Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., College president; Edward Augustus Jr., Worcester city manager; Larry Lucchino, Worcester Red Sox chairman and principal owner; Candy Mero-Carlson, Worcester city councilor; Matthew Wally, Worcester city councilor; and Charles Steinberg, D.D.S., Worcester Red Sox president.

avanell brock AVANELL CHANG

stadium, which is home to the Worcester Red Sox, Boston’s Triple-A team.

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S PU O SRATDSE R L I F E CR

Holy Cross Legends Remember Longtime Basketball, Football Broadcaster Bob Fouracre Member of the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame, Fouracre called Crusader sports for 48 years. BY BILL DOYLE

portscaster Bob Fouracre always took pride in calling himself the “voice and the spirit” of Holy Cross Athletics.

“Holy Cross meant everything to Bob Fouracre,” says Ron Perry ’54, a close friend of Fouracre’s who played basketball and baseball for the Crusaders before serving as Athletics director. “I met a lot of people over the 26 years I was AD, and no one that I could tell really cared about Holy Cross like Bob Fouracre.” Fouracre worked as a television and radio broadcaster for 57 years, 48 of them announcing Holy Cross football and basketball games before he retired in 2018. On April 17, 2021, he passed away at

age 83 after a period of declining health. As a child, Fouracre attended Holy Cross games with his father and he often replayed the Crusaders’ 1947 NCAA basketball championship victory in his living room. White pencils represented Holy Cross, blue pencils Kentucky. In the closing seconds, Bob Cousy ’50 would always get injured and be carried off the court by two pencils that Fouracre called “stretcher boys.” Fouracre would replace Cousy and hit the game-winning shot. He’d scream, “Yes!”, which later became one of his signature calls as a sportscaster. “The fact that he was introduced to Holy Cross as a child and then fulfilled his fantasy, maybe not as a player for Holy Cross, but being part of Holy Cross as an announcer, that was it for him,” says his daughter, Elizabeth Fouracre-Anderson.

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Fouracre grew up in nearby Northborough, Massachusetts, where he captained the football, basketball and baseball teams at Northborough High School, and served as class president for four years. He went on to graduate from Cushing Academy and the Cambridge School of Broadcasting. When he began his broadcasting career at WARE Radio in Ware, Massachusetts, in 1962, the station manager granted his request to do play-by-play for high school games as long as Fouracre sold advertising for them; he later sold ads to support his Holy Cross broadcasts. Fouracre started calling Holy Cross games on television in 1970 before switching to radio in 1986. He announced Crusader football and men’s basketball through 2015 and finished his career by calling three seasons of Holy Cross women’s basketball. He also produced and hosted coaches shows for football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball. In addition to Holy Cross, Fouracre announced regular-season games for the Boston Celtics, Bay State Bombardiers of the CBA and Worcester Counts of the WBL, and preseason games for the New England Patriots. In addition, he hosted

(opposite page) At work courtside; with Bob Cousy ’50 and Cousy’s late wife, Missie; (above) a teenage Fouracre with Togo Palazzi ’54 at Cousy’s New Hampshire basketball camp; with fellow 2007 Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame inductees (left to right): Park Smith ’54, Jim Nairus ’91, Ali (Roberts) Hawk ’99, Steve Raquet ’84 and Don Riedl ’63; a 19-year Fouracre at Cushing Academy, with his sister Patti.

candlepin bowling shows on television and was inducted into the International Candlepin Bowling Hall of Fame in 2008.

Palazzi would get back at Fouracre by jokingly telling him that Cousy rated him as the worst basketball player he ever had at his summer camp.

Fouracre took great pride in announcing games with Cousy and fellow Holy Cross Hall of Famer Togo Palazzi ’54, both of whom he grew up idolizing.

“We would razz each other that way, but there were no hard feelings,” Palazzi says. “I never got angry with him. I laughed. It was funny.”

“He thoroughly enjoyed what he did for a living and what you saw on screen was his nature,” Cousy says. “He used to like to needle and be needled, and we used to accommodate him whenever possible.”

Palazzi also spoke daily with Fouracre until shortly before he died. “We laughed, we joked, we cried and we prayed,” Palazzi said. “I miss not talking to him every day.”

Fouracre’s joking started early. When he attended Cousy’s New Hampshire basketball camp as a teenager, Palazzi was a camp counselor; Fouracre filled Palazzi’s sneakers with shaving cream. The two became lifelong friends and never stopped ribbing each other.

Palazzi believes Fouracre richly deserved to be voted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2007. “He’s one of our greats,” Palazzi said. “That’s the way I feel about him.”

Palazzi remembers Fouracre telling him that he couldn’t have played in the NBA today. “Because you’re too slow,” Palazzi recalls Fouracre saying, “and not only that, you’re too ugly.”

Fouracre did such a good job of poking fun at himself and others during his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, people urged him to try stand-up comedy. He eventually did, even though he was in his 70s. Working mostly fundraisers for charity in Worcester, he would say

anything to get a laugh. One night, his daughter brought a friend to watch his act. “My girlfriend said to me, ‘Gosh, is he funny, but I think if I was his daughter, I’d be a little embarrassed,’” she recalls with a laugh. Gordie Lockbaum ’88 analyzed Crusader football games alongside Fouracre on radio in the 1990s and early 2000s. “It was an awesome experience,” he says, “because he approached every game with a level of professionalism, preparation and a newness. For somebody that did it all those years, he was so excited to do the games every week.” Lockbaum is among the many who believe that while Fouracre may no longer be the voice of Holy Cross Athletics, he remains the spirit in more ways than ever upon his passing. “He had an excitement that he brought to every broadcast and that’s not just being professional, that’s something that comes from the heart,” Lockbaum says. “That’s what he was all about.” Fouracre is survived by his daughter; two sons; two grandchildren; three brothers; and one sister. ■

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S PU O SRATDSE R L I F E CR

Holy Cross Football Captures Back-to-Back Patriot League Titles Team ends season with a national ranking, first since 2017.

oly Cross beat Bucknell University, 33-10, on Saturday, April 17, in the first-ever Patriot League Championship Game to capture its secondconsecutive conference title and a national ranking. The championship capped a pandemicabbreviated spring season and is the program’s eighth Patriot League Championship. The Crusaders advanced to the first round of the NCAA football championship subdivision (FCS) playoffs, falling to top seed South Dakota State University the following week. This was the Crusaders’ second consecutive appearance in the FCS playoffs.

The team earned a No. 25 national ranking in the final American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Spring Top 25 Poll, its first national ranking since 2017. Fifteen members of the Holy Cross football team received All-Patriot League honors for the spring 2021 season. Freshman quarterback Matthew Sluka was named the Patriot League’s Rookie of the Year. Six were named to the All-Patriot League first team: senior offensive lineman Brian Foley, junior placekicker Derek Ng, senior defensive lineman Benton Whitley, sophomore linebacker Jacob Dobbs, junior defensive back John Smith and senior special teamer Macklin Kortebein.

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Additionally, eight Crusaders earned All-Patriot League second team honors: junior running back Peter Oliver, sophomore wide receiver Ayir Asante, junior offensive lineman Nick Olsofka, sophomore kick returner Tyler Purdy, senior defensive lineman Jordan Jackson, junior defensive lineman Dan Kuznetsov, senior defensive back Grant Holloman and sophomore punter Patrick Haughney. Foley earned All-Patriot League first team honors for the third straight season, while Whitley earned All-Patriot League first team honors for the second consecutive season. Dobbs was named to the All-Patriot League first team after earning a second team nod in 2019, and Asante earned second team honors for the second straight season. The Crusaders will open the fall 2021 season at the University of Connecticut on Sept. 4. The team returns to Fitton Field for the home opener on Sept. 11 against Merrimack College. ■

can’t wait to get started creating relationships with our studentathletes, members of our campus community and our alumni who love this program. This is truly a homecoming for me, and I’m eager to lead our great student-athletes in relentless pursuit of excellence on the ice, in the classroom and in the community.”

Riga Tapped to Lead Men’s Hockey Massachusetts native heads to Mount St. James after 13 years at Quinnipiac.

ill Riga has been named the new head coach of Holy Cross men’s ice hockey, following 13 years at Quinnipiac University, the last seven as the Bobcats’ associate head coach. “Bill Riga is the right person at the right time to lead our men’s ice hockey program,” said Marcus Blossom, Holy Cross director of Athletics. “He is a tireless recruiter, committed teacher and extremely competitive coach who has contributed to great successes as an assistant. He is ready for this moment. I am excited to welcome Bill and his family into our

community, and I look forward to partnering with him as we elevate Holy Cross men’s ice hockey.” A native of Westborough, Massachusetts, Riga helped lead the Bobcats to five ECAC regularseason championships, six NCAA Tournament appearances, two Frozen Fours and two NCAA National Championship games during his 13 years in Hamden, Connecticut. “It is an honor and a blessing to be the next head men’s ice hockey coach at Holy Cross,” Riga said. “My family and I are grateful and humbled by this amazing opportunity, and I

Riga, who served as the Bobcats’ recruiting coordinator, has helped develop 13 NHL draft picks and eight NHL players. Before joining the Bobcats, Riga served as an assistant coach at Union College from 2003-08. There, he worked as the team’s primary recruiter and recruited players who would go on to win ECAC Championships and compete in the Frozen Four. Other stops for Riga included the Boston Junior Bruins, where he was the associate head coach, and the Rivers School in Weston, Massachusetts, as head boys’ hockey coach and director of hockey. A 1996 graduate of UMass Lowell, Riga was a four-year letterwinner for the River Hawks, playing in two NCAA Tournaments and earning his bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology. He went on to earn his master’s in organizational leadership from Quinnipiac in 2015. ■

High-Def Video Board Installed at Fitton Field

high-definition 900+-square-foot video board has been installed in Fitton Field’s west end zone to share live video, instant replay, game information and more. Featuring a 48-foot-wide display boasting 550,000 LEDs, the board made its debut at the class of 2021 commencement in May. “This video board will significantly enhance our football game day environment and will provide the College with a variety of opportunities to support new or improved campus events at Fitton Field,” said Marcus Blossom, director of Athletics. “This will allow our fans to enjoy Crusader football games in a whole new way, and we are looking forward to adding the next level of entertainment to Saturdays this fall.” ■

CRUSADER LIFE / S P O R T S / 6 3

CRUSADER LIFE

Beer, Wine Sales Coming to Fitton Field, Hart Center This Fall

H HC to Host First Football Game in Red Sox’s New Worcester Ballpark Oct. 23 game versus Colgate will be shown nationally on ESPN+, live from Polar Park.

oly Cross will host Colgate on Oct. 23 for the first football game held at brand-new Polar Park, home of the Red Sox’s Triple-A team, the Worcester Red Sox. “Thanks to Edward Bennett Williams, Holy Cross has played a major role in my life, and it is wholly appropriate that this respected neighbor be the first to demonstrate our ballpark’s versatility as a civic asset,” said Larry Lucchino, Worcester Red Sox chairman and principal owner. The late

Williams ’41, a nationally known defense lawyer, was Lucchino’s mentor, as well as president and part-owner of Washington’s NFL club and the Baltimore Orioles. The 9,500-seat ballpark opened in the city’s Canal District in May and will host 60 Worcester Red Sox home games in 2021, the team’s inaugural season in the city after moving 40 miles north from Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The team and city leaders have plans to use the ballpark for a number of different events during the season and off-season.

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“All of us with the WooSox are pleased to host our neighbors up on the hill overlooking Polar Park,” said Dan Rea, Worcester Red Sox general manager and executive vice president/business & real estate. The game will kick off at 5 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPN+. Tickets are on sale now for Holy Cross football season ticket holders; those for the general public will go on sale in August. Visit woosox. com for more information. All Massachusetts COVID-19 guidelines regarding capacity and safety protocols at Polar Park will be followed. ■

oly Cross Athletics has announced it will introduce a pilot program for the sale of beer and wine at Fitton Field and inside the Hart Center at the Luth Athletic Complex for all home football, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s ice hockey games, beginning this September. Offerings will include a mix of domestic and craft beer, wine, hard cider and hard seltzer. Sales will be available at six locations within Fitton Field and the concession area inside the Hart Center. Non-alcoholic seating sections will be designated on both the home and visitor sides; the Athletics department will commit a percentage of the proceeds toward alcohol awareness programming on campus.

“The goal of this program is to enrich the game day experience for our entire community,” said Marcus Blossom, director of Athletics. “Beer and wine sales have been implemented safely and effectively at many collegiate athletics venues over the past few years, and we are certain that we can successfully execute this program at Holy Cross.” For home football games at Fitton Field, beginning with the home opener against Merrimack on Sept. 11, sales will start when gates open 90 minutes prior to kickoff and conclude with 8 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Alcohol sales during basketball games inside the Hart Center will conclude after the first media timeout of the second half, and sales at men’s hockey will end following the second intermission. Fans of legal drinking age with valid ID will be able to purchase one alcoholic beverage per person, per transaction in accordance with city of Worcester regulations, with a maximum of three alcoholic beverages per person, per game. A wristband system will be implemented to monitor drink limits, and alcohol will be sold exclusively by Training and Intervention Procedures for Servers of alcohol (TIPS)-certified bartenders. ■

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ALUMNI NEWS

Mystery Photo We know the students are Crusaders and we know this is not St. Joseph Memorial Chapel, but beyond that we need your help! Do you recognize any of these men or know where they are praying? Email us at hcmag@holycross.edu.

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66 Mystery Photo • 68 HCAA News • 74 Creative Notes • 75 Solved Photo • 76 For and With Others • 78 Class Notes • 84 In Memoriam

MYSTERY PHOTO / ALUMNI NEWS / 67

HCAA NEWS piece. As I pondered all I have come to learn about this position, the College and its alumni over the past two years, I took a closer look at what it means to appreciate. Appreciate: a) to grasp the nature, worth, quality or significance of; b) to value or admire highly; c) to judge with heightened perception or understanding and d) to recognize with gratitude, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary. I realized that was a great outline for my thoughts.

A Note From Mike

his, my final note as president of the Holy Cross Alumni Association, is commonly known as an “appreciation”

The past two years have given me a chance to grasp the nature, worth, quality and significance of Holy Cross, its alumni and our collective place in the world. We say it all the time, but Holy Cross is a special place, and we make a difference in the world. We have alumni in all walks of life. Some are connected to the College, many are not, but we are all connected to each other. If one of us is in need, others will step up to help; it is in our character.

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As the HCAA representative on the College’s board of trustees, I have come to highly value and admire the work of the team of more than 1,000 people who make Holy Cross function day in and day out. The staff, administrators and faculty of Holy Cross have a laser focus on the welfare and comfort of the students. Amidst the challenges of COVID-19 this past year, their commitment to optimizing the experience of the students never wavered. I have also come to appreciate what a gift we had in Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J. His steady hand and collaborative style helped the College weather many a storm over the past 10 years and positioned Holy Cross for great things in the years to come. He takes his responsibilities as CEO and pastoral leader very personally. I am thankful that I had the chance to work with him, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude. While the number of activities I was

able to attend in person was greatly reduced, our alumni volunteers and staff responded to the challenge COVID-19 presented and organized more than 200 virtual events in the past 15 months. This gave me heightened perception or understanding of just how varied the talents and passions of our alumni are, and the opportunity virtual technology platforms represent going forward. Zoom and its cousins will make our world more accessible as more alumni can be present and take part in our programming. It will be easier to be more welcoming and inclusive. I have come to recognize with gratitude the work of so many people whose passion for service to Holy Cross and its ideals knows no bounds. Within the HCAA and our regional clubs, I am thankful for the dozens of volunteers, always willing to host an event, give a presentation, share ideas and serve as ambassadors to

the wider Holy Cross community. And I cannot say enough about how helpful the staff in the Alumni Relations office has been in making all we do possible. They face every challenge with “Yes, we can” as a starting point; working with them has been a pleasure. I am pleased to say the alumni association will be in good hands with incoming President Laura Cutone Godwin ’96. She will bring a fresh perspective to all that we do and will do a great job engaging all of us with the College and each other.

Michael H. Shanahan ’78

pr e side n t Laura Cutone Godwin ’96

pr e side n t-e l ect Finally, thank you to all of you for the friendships I made and renewed. I enjoyed serving on your behalf and I appreciate the trust you placed in me. I hope to see you around campus soon. ■ Thank you, Michael H. Shanahan ’78, P10 mshanahan@egancapital.com

Schone L. Malliet ’74

vice pr e sident Jacqueline M. Rock ’02

vice pr e sident Daniel D’Agata ’04

t r e asur e r Kristyn M. Dyer ’94

e xe cut ive se cretary

S AV E T H E D AT E

FALL HOMECOMING October 1 – October 2, 2021 We can’t wait to welcome you back to The Hill!

questions, comments and suggestions: hcaa@holycross.edu ( 508) 793- 241 8

The Holy Cross Alumni Association (HCAA) supports alma mater in its Catholic, Jesuit mission by bringing together the diverse talents, experience and knowledge of Holy Cross alumni. We accomplish this by engaging alumni for life through our reunions, regional clubs, community outreach and intellectual and spiritual formation programs. By these means, we nurture our love for and dedication to Holy Cross, its students and its alumni as men and women for others. ■

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HCAA NEWS

Holy Cross Introduces Alumni Leadership Programs

I Latin American Student Organization (LASO) Celebrates 30th Anniversary April 8-10, 2022

n spring 2021, Alumni Career & Professional Development entered into the field of leadership development by piloting an Executive Leadership Master Class Series. This virtual program invited up to 30 participants to engage in a 12-week series comprised of master class sessions taught by alumni industry leaders, small group discussions and personal reflection exercises. Unlike a traditional program, this series offered leadership development with a distinctive Holy Cross influence — leadership through a Jesuit, valuesbased lens.

ave the date for the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) 30th Anniversary Weekend – Friday, April 8, 2022, to Sunday, April 10, 2022. For 30 years, LASO has served as a safe haven for students identifying as Latinx and also as a learning space for allies and others interested in Latinx culture. In addition to its historic functions, LASO has transformed itself into a groundbreaking organization at the forefront of fighting against racial and ethnic injustices through awareness, collaboration and

Over the course of the series, participants explored what it means to be leaders for and with others, with the Holy Cross Jesuit identity present throughout. By focusing first on leading themselves, then leading others and teams, they were able to explore how to lead change in a thoughtful, personal and effective way. The course concluded by turning the views of the participants outward, inviting them to explore how to leverage valuesbased leadership in order to lead in the marketplace and make a difference in their communities. Participants finished the program by crafting a leadership vision statement to inspire and inform how they will evolve and grow as leaders moving

education. The 30th anniversary weekend will highlight the contributions of LASO to the Holy Cross community and honor distinguished members of the organization and the administration who have aided in LASO’s development over the years. Join us as we celebrate the rich legacy of LASO and look toward the future of this dynamic organization! ■

More information will be shared this fall. Please reach out to Alex Bonano ’17, committee chair, at aabona17@g. holycross.edu with any questions.

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forward. Feedback on this pilot program has been excellent, proving there’s a desire among alumni to engage in dialogue around values-based leadership and work together to bring this leadership style to more teams and organizations. As one participant reflected: “The beauty of this program is that you can find tremendous value whether you are just starting out or have been in a field for 20+ years and looking at making a job or career change … leadership is an inexact science, it evolves. If you want to get reconnected with the Holy Cross community and spend time with people who care about making a difference, this is a great way to do that and keep learning.” Alumni Career & Professional Development is excited to make values-based leadership development an established program. An Emerging Leaders Program is being planned for fall 2021, geared toward serving young alumni. The Executive Leadership Master Class Series will return in spring 2022 to once again engage and support experienced leaders in their personal and professional development. In the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola: “He who goes about to reform the world must begin with himself, or he loses his labor.” ■

Learn more about Holy Cross Alumni Leadership Programs by visiting www.holycross.edu/ alumni/careers

Holy Cross Cares ’21

espite social distancing, the Holy Cross community is still making a difference! This spring, our regional clubs creatively developed more than 30 opportunities for alumni, parents and friends to volunteer in their local communities. Service projects ranged from gift card drives to benefit nonprofits to “drop-off” clothing and food collection efforts. ■

5 1 Dave Mahaney ’63 and Dave Doern ’62 (left to right) showcased the Holy Cross banner at a clothing and homegoods drop-off on April 10 in support of St. Matthew’s House in Naples, Florida. 2 Katie Basile Remer ’06 pictured with some of the donated diapers and accessories contributed by Holy

Cross Club of Florida Suncoast members to benefit Kennedy Cares in Greater Tampa. 3 Kim Turner ’80 helped with donated Holy Cross Club of Westchester (New York) food items at an April 10 event hosted by Our Lady of Mount Carmel Food Pantry. 4 Hannah Nguyen ’19, Ann Anesta ’82, Katie Kerachsky, Lily Kerachsky

and Erin Reedy ’92 (left to right) organized a drop-off of toiletry and kitchen items on April 17 at Kingstown Crossings in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. 5 Volunteers from the Holy Cross Club of Eastern New York held a nonperishable food drive on April 10 to benefit the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York.

resident Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., joined the May meeting of the Holy Cross Alumni Anti-Racism Alliance to share reflections on racism and impacting positive change on campus and in communities. “I’m trying to figure out: How do you lead people into experiences that change their hearts?” he said. “How do we create communities that take us beyond our typical associations and let us see life differently and celebrate it because we care about each other?”

Fr. Boroughs Joins Alumni Anti-Racism Alliance Meeting

The grassroots organization was formed by alumni last year as a way to engage in dialogue, education and action — at Holy Cross and beyond — rooted in their shared Jesuit education and tradition. The group is comprised of more than 150 members across all class years and meets monthly via Zoom. For more information on the group or to join the monthly meeting, email info@CHARA1843.com. ■

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HCAA NEWS

DIMARE

DIMASE

Alumni Recognized for Extraordinary Service

he Holy Cross Alumni Association (HCAA) has announced the 2021 recipients of its highest alumni honor, the In Hoc Signo Award, given in recognition of significant, longstanding and exceptional service to the College: Bryan J. DiMare ’06, Elaine Amodeo Dimase ’84, Schone L. Malliet ’74 and Danita Beck Wickwire ’94. The recipient of the HCAA’s Young Alumni Leadership Award is Alexander A. Bonano ’17. Bryan J. DiMare ’06 embodies Holy Cross’ Jesuit ideals through his devoted service and enthusiastic commitment to the HCAA. Current chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, DiMare has served the alumni association in a number of leadership capacities, including as president, vice president, executive committee at-large member and chair of the Young Alumni Committee. In 2012, he received the HCAA’s first Young Alumni Leadership Award, in part for his work in expanding Holy Cross Cares Day to the alumni community. Known for his insight, intelligence and integrity, DiMare has played an

MALLIET

instrumental role in a number of recent HCAA initiatives, including the development of a five-year strategic plan, the conducting of a bylaw review and the transition to a two-year presidency. According to his peers, “What he has accomplished in just 15 years is more than most alumni achieve in their lifetime.” Vice president at State Street Alpha, DiMare and his wife, Katy, reside in Westwood, Massachusetts, and have two children, Jack and Mary Kate. Elaine Amodeo Dimase ’84 has served the College as a loyal and dedicated alumna for more than two decades. Responding to every call to service with enthusiasm and professionalism, Dimase was president of the Holy Cross Club of Eastern New York from 20012008, helping to increase and engage its membership by planning and executing many service-oriented events for alumni in the greater Albany area. A class agent since 1991, she has also contributed to the HCAA as a three-term member of its board of directors, senator and member of the following committees: Strategic Planning, Executive, Spirituality and Board Engagement. As co-chair of the Regional Club and Legacy committees, she helped to spearhead initiatives that strengthened bonds between alumni and the College, including the creation of a regional club handbook and the Winter Homecoming Legacy Luncheon for current students and their alumni parents.

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WICKWIRE

BONANO

Dimase is the executive assistant to the mayor of the city of Albany. She and her husband, Frank, reside in Albany and have three children, Justin, John and David. A “true Crusader” who “leads with his heart,” Schone L. Malliet ’74 is committed to making a difference in the Holy Cross community and beyond. His service to the HCAA has been marked by substantial accomplishment and leadership expertise. Currently in his second term as vice president of the HCAA board, he has served as a member of the Executive Committee and co-chair of the Bylaws and 150th Celebration Working Group committees. As fundraising co-chair of the BSU’s 50th Anniversary Committee, he helped create the BSU Student Opportunity Fund, which provides financial support to members who pursue internships, research and other off-campus activities. He also led record-setting results as 35th Reunion Class Gift Committee co-chair. A mentor to students, Malliet is also a member of the O’Callahan Society and New York Leadership Council, as well as ad hoc adviser to the Bishop Healy Committee. He is CEO and president of Winter4Kids at the National Winter Activity Center. Malliet resides in Sparta, New Jersey, and has one son, Alex. For over 20 years, Danita Beck Wickwire ’94 has shared generously of her time and talents with the Holy Cross

community. A true “woman for and with others,” Wickwire is highly involved in BSU and ALANA (African-American, Latin American, Asian-American, Native American) alumni activities, helping to make the College inclusive and supportive for all. Some of the many initiatives she has helped organize include the firstever Washington, D.C., regional gathering of BSU alumni and students, a “Black Alumni Leadership Conversation” with HCAA members and trustees, and outreach videos for the class of 2020 ALANA and international student graduates and the incoming class of 2024. A member of the College’s Board of Advisors, Wickwire has served as class of 1994 co-chair since 2008 and was named the 2020 recipient of the Matthew P. Cavanaugh Award for exceptional dedication to her class and the College. Wickwire is currently vice president, principal giving at the National Audubon Society. She and her husband, Emerson, reside in Towson, Maryland, and have one son, Emerson. Alexander A. “Alex” Bonano ’17 is an inspiring young leader who works tirelessly to engage and support ALANA alumni and students. Through his extensive involvement with the HCAA’s Bishop Healy

Committee (BHC) — of which he is currently vice chair — Bonano has spearheaded many meaningful initiatives, including the creation of the Campus Climate Awareness form; the planning and coordination of ALANA alumni and student receptions in Boston, New York and Chicago; the development of the first-ever ALANA alumni and student retreat at the Joyce Contemplative Center; and the growth of the Bishop Healy Emergency Fund. Bonano will assume the role of chair of the BHC this summer. He is also serving as chair of the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) 30th Anniversary Planning Committee. In addition to his impactful work with BHC and LASO, Bonano also supports the College through his young alumni and student engagement and mentorship, serving regularly as a panelist for various Holy Cross events and offices — as well as an informal mentor to many. Bonano resides in Boston and is currently a graduate student at Tufts University School of Medicine. ■

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Friday, Oct. 1, 2021 Alumni, family and friends are invited to attend this annual gathering to honor the In Hoc Signo and Young Alumni Leadership Award recipients. For tickets or sponsorship information, visit alumni.holycross.edu/ alumni or call 508-793-2418.

O’Callahan Society’s Paquin Remembered

ester Paquin, a founding member of the O’Callahan Society, secretary of its Executive Committee and active supporter of veterans’ causes throughout Massachusetts, died on March 11, 2021, at age 63. A lifelong resident of Barre, Massachusetts, Paquin was also a founding member of the O’Callahan Committee, a precursor to the society, which was established in 2009 as an affinity group for all Holy Cross alumni who served in the armed forces, as well as nonalumni, friends and other supporters. Although not a veteran nor an alumnus of the College, Paquin was a dedicated supporter of the society’s efforts, especially its fall dinner, which he helped organize and host every year. “He was a terrific emcee,” remembers Jim Delehaunty ’67, society co-chair. “The dinners grew to over 200 people, and many alums would come up to me and say, ‘Who is that guy?’ He’s excellent!”

Very active in veterans causes in the region and statewide, Paquin worked to bring veterans memorials to Washington, D.C., and Worcester, including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall replica, which travels the United States. In 1992, Paquin convinced thenPresident Rev. John L. Brooks, S.J., ’49, to host the replica on Fitton Field for one week in summer 1993. In a remembrance of Fr. Brooks, Paquin later wrote: “He attended every concert and ceremony that week; often walking the length of the Moving Wall to talk with visitors – many of whom had no idea who he was. He also politely declined to offer prayers or remarks at the site – always deferring to Vietnam veterans for that honor, claiming he had not earned the right to do so.” An author, historian, playwright, lecturer and actor, Paquin also wrote several tributes to Holy Cross veterans, which can be found in the “History of the College of the Holy Cross Naval NROTC Unit” at holycross.edu/hcm/ nrotchistory. ■

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CREATIVE NOTES

From Our Creative Crusaders BY R E B E C C A S M I T H ' 9 9 A N D K I M B E R LY S TA L E Y ' 9 9

Staying with the Catholic Church

Trusting God’s Plan of Salvation By David G. Bonagura Jr. ’03 Scepter Various scandals have rocked the Church, and Catholics are facing a crisis of faith in the institution they believe Christ founded. “Staying with the Catholic Church” shows how the Church is a perfect body with imperfect members, and it reassures readers that Christ remains the head of His Church, even as sinners minister to sinners within her. According to Bishop John O. Barres, S.T.D., J.C.L., Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, this “timely and readable book will be a blessing for anyone who wishes to understand why many Catholics still love their Church and remain faithful to the Splendor of Truth that the Church teaches.” Bonagura teaches at St. Joseph’s Seminary, New York, and at Catholic Distance University (online). The author of “Steadfast in Faith: Catholicism and the Challenges of Secularism,” his essays have appeared in America, National Review Online and The Wall Street Journal.

10 Hidden Heroes By Mark K. Shriver ’86 Loyola Press

With his fun-filled and inspiring seek-and-find book, “10 Hidden Heroes,”

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Shriver helps children develop counting skills while highlighting the various ways they can be real-life heroes in their everyday lives — and proving that acts of kindness and generosity can be found all around them. “I have always loved the expression, ‘If you can see it, you can be it,’” says Kelly Corrigan, author of the New York Times bestseller, “Tell Me More.” “In that spirit, what could be more impactful than to teach a generation of children (and future heroes) to look for the everyday heroes in every circumstance?” Shriver is chief strategy officer of Save the Children Action Network in Washington, D.C. A New York Times bestselling author, he lives with his wife, Jeanne, and their three children in Maryland.

Familia

An American Story of Betrayal and Revenge By Joseph D. Kringdon ’80 iUniverse From the villages of Puerto Rico and Cuba to the concrete jungle of the South Bronx, “Familia” takes readers on a wild ride as a family strives to live the American Dream. Filled with betrayal, intrigue and revenge, this fast-paced suspense story investigates an “accidental” death, while delving into an immigrant family’s compelling past, including its relationship to a ruthless crime syndicate.

Highly rated on Amazon, readers “couldn’t put it down,” calling it a “gripping,” “must-read urban thriller,” “infused with intrigue and passion.” A self-described “survivor of the South Bronx,” Kringdon is the oldest child of Puerto Rican and Cuban parents. Driven to ascend the “barrio” via education, he was the first of his family to graduate college.

Never Enough

A Navy Seal Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning By Mike Hayes ’93 Celadon Books In “Never Enough,” Hayes, a decorated former U.S. Navy SEAL commander, helps readers apply elite SEAL-level skills to their everyday lives, highlighting key lessons in leadership, authority and service for their personal and professional lives. “‘Never Enough’ is a brilliant and wonderfully insightful compilation of stories and timeless lessons gained from a successful life and career…,” says Frank D’Souza, co-founder of Cognizant Technology Solutions. Hayes, currently chief digital transformation officer at VMware, lives in Westport, Connecticut, with his wife and daughter. He has pledged to donate all profits from the book to The 1162 Foundation, which helps to pay off Gold Star family mortgages. ■

S O LV E D P H O T O S

Which Res Hall Did These Men Live In?

f we spotted you the context — a yearbook photo of floor residents — would you be able to guess the hall that produced this unique staging? Wheeler, of course. Specifically, Wheeler III, according to members of the class of 1970 who were perched atop this bus in spring 1967 and kindly wrote in 50+ years later to identify themselves. The photo can be found on Page 142 of the 1967 Purple Patcher, which Kevin M. Connell ’67 notes was home to several nontraditional photos: “I

don’t know why the bus was there, but I know that many other hall photos for the yearbook that year were a lot more casual than would be considered customary. Come to think of it, that was the only time in four years at Holy Cross that I can recall a Worcester Transit bus on the campus. I think Wheeler III just decided to be a little different.” That year, many halls chose outdoor pictures for their entry in the Patcher, notes John Day ’70: “Each corridor was pictured in a different spot on campus. Why was the bus top chosen for the 1966-1967 residents of Wheeler III, which was a first-year residence? I don’t know.” “I can’t even remember how we climbed up on the roof of the bus. I guess we had a ladder,” Dave Smith ’70 says.

“We climbed up the door,” Bernie Monbouquette ’70 explains. “The 18 freshmen from Wheeler III that appear in the photo represent less than half of the residents there. Those not present showed good judgment by not trying to get up on top of the bus. No ladder or other device used; a very dangerous climb to the top of the bus.” “Seeing this pic was a walk down memory lane — or Linden Lane!” says Marty Gauthier ’70. The Wheeler III class of 1970 roof riders are, left to right: Anthony Lea, F. Patrick Ahearn, Tom Donnelly, Jim Coleman, Fred Cullen, Tony Sarno, Mark Olivo, Tom Walmsley, Jim Jalil, Dave Smith, Bill Mara, Ken Pervier, Mike Hoover, Bernie Monbouquette, Bill Reid, Lee Merkel, Vince Ferri and Marty Gauthier. ■

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FOR AND WITH OTHERS

“It’s Not Just About Connection Through History, It’s About Service And Trying to Help Others” How Paul Brueggemann ’84 used his genealogy skills to honor local veterans — and made a poignant discovery close to home. BY MEREDITH FIDROCKI

s a longtime genealogy enthusiast, Paul Brueggemann ’84 is always looking for his next research project. Last spring, long days at home amidst the pandemic inspired him to tackle something he’d been thinking about for years. He and his wife, Janine, hopped in their car and went on a winding hunt around Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, where he lives and grew up. The pair was on a mission: Locate and compile a list of every town veterans square, named in honor of veterans or volunteers with

Shrewsbury ties. “We found 21 of them on the first shot,” shares Brueggemann, who says distinctive bronze name plaques made the squares easy to spot. After some local outreach, he obtained a full list revealing 10 squares he’d missed on their ride. As a way to honor these 31 veterans, Brueggemann set out to research and document details of their lives — giving himself a deadline of Veterans Day 2020 to share his findings with the community. He says a similar project completed in neighboring Worcester inspired the idea. Brueggemann, who has worked in insurance for 37 years, first took a genealogy course in the late 1980s while

76 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

trying to help his family fill in gaps about his grandfather’s naval service in World War II. He has been indulging his love of history and solving “mysteries,” as he calls his projects, ever since. “Once I started, I was pretty hooked,” he says. “Even though I was a math major, I always gravitated to taking history classes at Holy Cross.” Collaborating with local historians and veterans groups, Brueggemann scoured census and military records, obituaries, cemeteries, old newspaper articles and high school yearbooks to piece together the 31 veterans’ stories. He discovered that they served across six conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to the war in Afghanistan. With each backstory, Brueggemann says the squares he’d passed by for decades took on deeper meaning. One name in particular — Cpl. Lloyd E. Hill, USMC — piqued his curiosity. Wondering if the corporal was related to his longtime next-door neighbor Marion (Hill) Kniskern, who passed away in 2014, Brueggemann emailed

(opposite page) Paul Brueggemann ’84 at the town square named in honor of Cpl. Lloyd E. Hill, USMC; Brueggemann’s grandfather, Chief Boatswain Mate Max F. Brueggemann, one of his primary inspirations for starting veterans research. (above) Cpl. Hill and his sister, Marion (Hill) Kniskern, who would become Brueggemann’s longtime neighbor; Hill sporting his Purple Heart, shortly before his death in the Battle of Bloody Ridge in 1951.

Kniskern’s daughter, also a neighbor. She confirmed his suspicions: Hill was, in fact, Kniskern’s brother. “I didn’t know the square existed, and I didn’t know that Marion had a brother who died in the Korean War,” he says. “I lived next door to them for 20 years. They were great neighbors. I went into this not knowing anything about that.” Brueggemann worked with Kniskern’s son, Jonathan, on a biographical summary to honor Hill’s memory. “It’s a heart-wrenching story and what got to me were the photos,” Brueggemann shares. He explains that a photograph of Hill with his Purple Heart medal (above right) — which the corporal noted “would make my uniform look quite spiffy!” in a 1951 letter home to family — was taken a month before he was killed at age 21 in the Battle of Bloody Ridge. “You can see how weary he was,” he says with emotion. “This is probably the story that got to me the most. It was mostly the personal connection to my neighbors,

but it was also what the kid went through. Most of these stories ... they were so young.

part of Worcester’s booming industrial heritage — fills him with a sense of pride and gratitude. “I was really the first one in the family to graduate from college,” he notes. “It’s like any family trying to improve their child’s education: There was a lot of sacrifice in my family to make that happen.”

“This is probably the square closest to our house,” he continues. “You would drive by it and never notice it.” Brueggemann says he now thinks about Hill, his family and the meaning of sacrifice, each time he passes. Brueggemann’s research went live on the Shrewsbury Historical Society website in time for Veterans Day — his original goal. “It’s been a great project and really well received,” he says. “The last year has been tough, and this project allowed me to reach out to various people in the community.” Brueggemann says learning more about his own roots through genealogy research — from the ancestors who immigrated to the U.S. to roll cigars in the Connecticut River Valley, to the three generations of machinists who were

After losing both parents to cancer, Brueggemann says the desire to help others — a value instilled by his family and through the Jesuit mission at Holy Cross — inspired him to raise $65,000 for cancer research as a 10-year rider with the Pan-Mass Challenge bike-a-thon. “That was probably one of my proudest achievements,” he says. Brueggemann hopes to eventually conduct further genealogy coursework so he can assist even more people in solving the mysteries important to them: “It’s not just about connection through history,” he reflects. “It’s about service and trying to help others.” ■

FOR AND WITH OTHERS / ALUMNI NEWS / 77

IN MEMORIAM Holy Cross Magazine publishes In Memoriam to inform the College community of the deaths of alumni, trustees, students, employees and friends. In Memoriam content, which is based on obituaries published in public forums or provided directly to HCM by the family, is a limited overview that includes service to alma mater and a survivors listing. Family members are welcome to submit an obituary or additional information, which will be included at the discretion of the editor; due to time and space constraints, the final obituaries will not be sent to family members for approval. Portrait photos from the Purple Patcher appear as space permits and at the discretion of the editor (photos provided by the deceased’s family are not accepted). Obituaries appear in the order in which they are received; due to the volume of submissions and magazine deadlines, it may be several issues before they appear in print. To notify the College of a death, please call the Alumni Office at (508) 793-3039 or email AlumniRecords@holycross.edu, attaching a copy of an obituary, if available.

1941

Frank D. Berry, M.D.

1945

John E. diPretoro

children and their families, including

White Mountain Freezer Company,

two grandchildren and one great-

Mr. Thurber had a 45-year career in

Frank D. Berry,

John E. “Jack” diPretoro, of Harrison,

grandchild. He was predeceased by his

banking, first as president of the Second

M.D., of Los Altos,

Maine, died on Feb. 24, 2021, at 96.

wife of 60 years, Sheila; his parents; two

National Bank, then as president, chief

California, died on

He attended Holy Cross as a naval

sisters; and one brother.

operating officer, chairman and CEO

Feb. 2, 2021, at 101.

cadet before enlisting in the U.S. Naval

After graduating,

Training Program. Commissioned as

John R. Kilsheimer

he enlisted in the U.S. Army and

an ensign, Mr. diPretoro received his

John R. Kilsheimer, of New Smyrna

years, Patricia “Pat”; three children;

attended Tufts University School of

naval aviator wings, and his service in

Beach, Florida, died on Feb. 17, 2021,

one son’s spouse; two stepchildren; one

Medicine. An ophthalmologist and

World War II included combat in the

at 97. At Holy Cross, Mr. Kilsheimer

stepdaughter’s spouse; two daughters-

eye surgeon, he practiced medicine in

Pacific Theater aboard aircraft carriers

studied chemistry and participated in

in-law; two former daughters-in-law;

Los Altos for more than 40 years. Dr.

USS Franklin and the USS Hornet,

Band and ROTC. He was a member

one nephew; 13 grandchildren; several

Berry supported Holy Cross Athletics

flying TBM Avenger torpedo bombers.

of the HOIAH Marching Band Alumni

great-grandchildren; and other nieces

and was a member of the President’s

Campaigns included the Philippines,

and O’Callahan Society, and was

and nephews. He was predeceased by

Council. He is survived by four

Leyte, Formosa, Bonin Island and the

affiliated with Naval ROTC. He served

his first wife, Shirley Amos; one son; one

children; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-

Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, for

in the U.S. Navy during World War II,

stepson; one sister; and one brother.

grandchildren; and his companion,

which he was awarded the Air Medal,

as an officer on a LST ship during the

Nora Buys. He was predeceased by

as well as Asiatic-Pacific Campaign

invasion of Leyte. He later earned his

his first wife, Jean; his second wife,

Medal with three stars, Presidential

master’s at Fordham University and his

Elizabeth; his mother; one brother;

Unit Citation, a China Service Medal

Ph.D. in organic chemistry at Syracuse

James N. “Jim” Bar-

and one sister. His father was the late

and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon.

University. His career in agricultural

rett Jr., of Houston,

Francis C. “Frank” Berry, class of 1913.

At the end of the war, he served as a

chemistry included positions at Union

formerly of Water-

naval aviator and test pilot until his

Carbide (West Virginia), Mobil Oil (New

town, Massachusetts,

retirement as a lieutenant commander.

Jersey) and Esso (New Jersey), and as

Mr. diPretoro is survived by two sons,

a senior vice president at the Scotts

at 94. Mr. Barrett attended Holy Cross

Robert E. Maher, M.D., of Shrewsbury,

two daughters and their families,

Company (Ohio). Upon retirement,

on a U.S. Navy scholarship and served

Massachusetts, died on Feb. 3, 2021,

including eight grandchildren and five

he and his wife worked together as

at sea during World War II. He later

at 98. Dr. Maher studied premed at

great-grandchildren; and two nieces

real estate agents, and he authored

received his law degree from Boston

Holy Cross and also graduated from

and their families. He was predeceased

four books. Mr. Kilsheimer is survived

University and his MBA from Harvard

Tufts University School of Medicine.

by his wife of 62 years, Marjorie; his

by six daughters; five sons-in-law; 11

University, and during his professional

He served in the U.S. Navy and

parents; and one son.

grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren;

career, he spent time in South America,

one brother; and 11 nieces and nephews.

Europe and across much of the U.S.

He was predeceased by his wife,

Mr. Barrett supported the College as a

Elizabeth “Betty”; and three siblings.

member of the 1843 Society, President’s

1944

Robert E. Maher, M.D.

practiced obstetrics and gynecology

of the Bank of New Hampshire. Mr. Thurber is survived by his wife of 50

1946

James N. Barrett Jr.

died on Jan. 8, 2021,

in Worcester for more than 35 years;

Donald E. Grahn

he was an attending physician on the

Donald E. Grahn, of Batavia, formerly

staffs of Worcester City, St. Vincent and

of Barrington, Illinois, died on Jan. 8,

Hahnemann hospitals. He was also

2021, at 95. At Holy Cross, Mr. Grahn

the first chief of OB-GYN at Fallon

studied naval science; he was affiliated

Davis P. Thurber,

is survived by his wife of 57 years, Eva;

Clinic after having worked in private

with NROTC Oct 1945 Class and

of Nashua, New

two sons, James N. “Jim” Barrett III ’90

practice. He was a member of the

Naval ROTC, and he was a member

Hampshire, died on

and David J. “Dave” Barrett ’95, and

former Alumni Sodality of Our Lady at

of the O’Callahan Society. He went

Feb. 14, 2021, at 95.

their families; and one brother. He was

Holy Cross. Dr. Maher is survived by

on to earn a bachelor’s degree from

At the College, Mr.

predeceased by one sister; and one

four daughters; three sons, including

Tufts University and an MBA from the

Thurber participated in ROTC; he was

Jeffrey D. Maher, D.D.S., ’74 and Robert

University of Chicago. He served in the

a member of the O’Callahan Society

E. Maher Jr. ’72; one daughter-in-law;

U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet as a lieutenant

and affiliated with NROTC Oct 1945

five sons-in-law, including David

before embarking on a successful

Class and Naval ROTC. He served as a

Rev. Stephen M.

J. Rose ’76 and Paul J. Shea ’75; 15

career in commercial insurance. He

lieutenant in the U.S. Navy at the end

Mulkern, of Portland,

grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren;

was deeply involved in sales and

of World War II. In addition to Holy

Maine, died on

and many nieces and nephews. He

service to Fortune 1000 business firms,

Cross, he also attended Bates College

Feb. 11, 2021, at 96.

was predeceased by his wife, Barbara;

including AON’s Casualty and Claims

and MIT Sloan. After working for five

one daughter; his parents; and three

departments, until his retirement.

years in sales at Amos Thompson

from Holy Cross, Fr. Mulkern studied

siblings.

Mr. Grahn is survived by two

Corporation and for a brief stint at the

at St. Mary’s Seminary & University

8 4 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

Davis P. Thurber

Council, Board of Advisors and Holy Cross Lawyers Association. Mr. Barrett

brother.

Rev. Stephen M. Mulkern

After graduating

in Baltimore, where he received a Licentiate in Sacred Theology. Ordained

1949

Joseph P. Coleman, D.D.S.

Cross, Mr. Halliday studied education

predeceased by his wife of 63 years,

and played football; he was a member

Patricia; his parents; one sister; four

in Portland, he held numerous roles

Joseph P. “Joe”

of the Varsity Club. He enlisted in the

brothers-in-law; and four sisters-in-

there, including director of radio and

Coleman, D.D.S.,

U.S. Navy and served during World War

law. His alumni relatives also include

television activities for the Diocese of

of Greenwich,

II. He went on to receive his master’s

his cousin, the late John J. Mitchell ’54.

Portland, chaplain at the Motherhouse

Connecticut, died

degree in education and had a career

on Jan. 27, 2021. Dr.

as an educator and coach in Winthrop

for the Sisters of Mercy and teacher

1951

James D. Goddard

of theology at St. Joseph’s College in

Coleman studied biology at Holy Cross

and Stoneham, Massachusetts, before

Standish. He went on to become pastor

and later supported the College as a

serving as a guidance counselor in

James D. “Jim”

at the following Maine churches: Sacred

class agent and member of President’s

Wakefield. Mr. Halliday is survived

Goddard, of

Heart Church in Lubec, St. Thomas’

Council. He also graduated from

by his wife of 70 years, Arda; seven

Methuen, formerly

Church in Dover-Foxcroft, St. Martha’s

Georgetown University and practiced

children and their spouses; 18

of Scituate

Church in Kennebunkport and St.

oral and maxillofacial surgery in Port

grandchildren and their spouses;

Patrick’s Church in Newcastle. Upon

Chester/Rye, New York, and Greenwich.

and 24 great-grandchildren. He was

Massachusetts, died on Feb. 10, 2021,

retirement, Fr. Mulkern assisted at

He served on the staff of United and

predeceased by one son; and one sister.

at 91. Mr. Goddard studied accounting

parishes when needed, most notably

Greenwich hospitals for many years

continuing to say a monthly traditional

and was instrumental in establishing

Latin Mass at St. Patrick’s Church, and

dental clinics at both facilities,

Robert D. “Ziggy”

Marine Corps. He was the owner of

occasionally at the Cathedral of the

providing care to children and the

Korytoski, of

Goddard’s 5 & 10 in Scituate Harbor

Immaculate Conception in Portland. He

underserved. He served as a captain

Columbus,

until his retirement. He is survived by

is survived by many cousins.

in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean

Georgia, formerly

seven children, including Susan Dooley

conflict and was a member of the New

of Northampton,

’81, and their families, including nine

1948

and Sandwich,

at Holy Cross and graduated cum

Robert D. Korytoski

laude before he served in the U.S.

York Air National Guard for many

Massachusetts, died on Jan. 15, 2021,

grandchildren; and four siblings and

years. Dr. Coleman is survived by his

at 92. Mr. Korytoski studied physics

their families, including many nieces,

John L. Fenton,

wife, Barbara; three children and their

at Holy Cross and played baseball. He

nephews and their spouses. He was

of Springfield and

families, including two grandchildren;

retired as a teacher and baseball coach

predeceased by his wife, Annette.

East Longmeadow,

two cousins; and other family members.

at Northampton High School, and as a

John L. Fenton

Massachusetts, died on Jan. 26, 2021, at

tax preparer. Mr. Korytoski is survived

George A. Finn

1952

James W. Hawkins

by one daughter, five sons and their

94. Mr. Fenton’s studies at Holy Cross

George A. Finn,

families, including 13 grandchildren

James W. “Jim”

were interrupted by his service in the

of Chadds Ford,

and eight great-grandchildren. He was

Hawkins, of Severna

U.S. Army during World War II; he later

Pennsylvania, died

predeceased by his wife, Dorothy; and

Park, Maryland, died

returned to the College and graduated

on Dec. 25, 2020,

one daughter.

on March 4, 2021, at

in 1948. He then re-enlisted and

at 93. Mr. Finn

90. After graduating

1950

received a commission as a lieutenant.

studied chemistry at Holy Cross and

After his discharge, he continued to

participated in cross-country and

work for the Army in the Federal Civil

track; he later supported the College

Thomas A. “Tom”

Navy; he served on the destroyer USS

Services and was posted to offices in

as an admissions advisor and member

Hamilton Jr.,

Laffey during the Korean Conflict.

Westfield, Massachusetts; Cameron

of the career advisor network and

of Millbury,

He later joined the Chesapeake and

Station, Virginia; and Washington,

Varsity Club. He completed his Ph.D. in

Massachusetts, died

Potomac telephone company, where

D.C., at the U.S. Naval Research

chemistry at Notre Dame and worked

on Dec. 26, 2020,

he worked until his retirement. Mr.

Laboratory and the Pentagon. After

as the technical director at Dupont

at 92. Mr. Hamilton studied English at

Hawkins is survived by two daughters,

working in the Social Security Office in

Corporation for 20 years. He then

Holy Cross and graduated cum laude;

one son and their spouses; and one

Pittsfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts,

continued his career as the general

he participated in intramural sports

grandson. He was predeceased by his

he was assigned as administrative

manager of McGee Industries in Aston,

and Sodality, and later supported the

wife of 63 years, Jean; his father and

officer, U.S. Public Health Services in

Pennsylvania, until retirement. Mr. Finn

College as a class agent. He earned

mother; and two brothers.

Boston. In retirement, he worked at

is survived by two daughters; one son;

his Master of Education at Worcester

Mountainview Elementary School in

two daughters-in-law; one son-in-

State University. He was a high school

East Longmeadow as a lunchroom and

law; 10 grandchildren; four great-

English, humanities and filmmaking

playground monitor. A member of the

grandchildren; and one brother. He was

teacher in Millbury and Framingham,

Col. Robert L. “Bob”

Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society

predeceased by his wife of 64 years,

Massachusetts, for over 40 years. He

McCloskey, USAR

at Holy Cross, he later supported the

Anne Marie; one son; and one sister.

also served in the U.S. Army during the

(Ret.), of Washington,

College as a class agent. Mr. Fenton is survived by one sister and her

Wilbur L. Halliday Jr.

from Holy Cross, Mr. Hawkins entered

Thomas A. Hamilton Jr.

Officer Candidate School of the U.S.

Korean War. Mr. Hamilton is survived

Col. Robert L. McCloskey, USAR (Ret.)

D.C., died on Nov. 28,

by three sons and their wives; three

2020, at 90. Mr. McCloskey graduated

family; five nieces, one nephew and

Wilbur L. “Whip”

daughters; two daughters’ husbands;

magna cum laude from Holy Cross,

their families; nine grandnieces and

Halliday Jr.,

seven grandchildren and their families,

and later supported the College as a

grandnephews and their families; two

of Bourne,

including four great-grandchildren; one

class agent, Alumni Board director and

great-grandnieces; and one cousin

Massachusetts, and

brother, Richard F. Hamilton ’54; one

president of the D.C. chapter of the Holy

and her family. He was predeceased

Naples, Florida,

sister and her husband; one brother-

Cross Alumni Association; he was also

by his parents; one brother; and one

formerly of Wakefield, Massachusetts,

in-law; two sisters-in-law; and many

a member of the Holy Cross Lawyers

grandnephew.

died on March 10, 2021, at 93. At Holy

cousins, nieces and nephews. He was

Association, President’s Council, Alumni

IN MEMORIAM / ALUMNI NEWS / 85

IN MEMORIAM Board Senate and Varsity Club. He

in the Naval Reserves for more than

Connecticut, and General Dynamics in

grandchildren; two great-grandchildren;

earned his J.D. and LL.M. degrees from

20 years before retiring as lieutenant

New Jersey, before returning to Pratt

four siblings and their spouses; and

Georgetown University Law School.

commander. Mr. Flanagan began his

& Whitney, where he worked until

many nieces and nephews. He was

He was a member of the U.S. Court of

legal career in Springfield and went

retirement. Mr. Ribadeneyra is survived

predeceased by one brother; one son-

Appeals for the District of Columbia

on to serve as the public defender for

by six children, including Timothy J.

in-law; and one sister-in-law.

and Fifth Circuit; U.S. District Court,

Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire and

Ribadeneyra ’82; nine grandchildren;

District of Columbia; and the U.S. Court

Franklin counties. He joined James

three great-grandchildren; five

of Military Appeals. He served active

Egan, practicing civil litigation, and the

nephews; three nieces; and many

Mathew A. “Mat”

duty in the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate

firm later expanded to Egan Flanagan

cousins, including his goddaughter. He

Crimmins, of

General Corps, and after resigning his

& Cohen. He also served as solicitor

was predeceased by his wife of 64 years,

Lexington,

commission, he joined the U.S. Army

for the city of Springfield, county

Carol.

Massachusetts, died

Reserve, directing a National Security

attorney for Hampden County and

Management Seminar at the National

as a member of the Springfield Police

Thomas V. Sullivan

Crimmins graduated from Holy Cross

Defense University, Fort McNair,

Commission. Mr. Flanagan is survived

Thomas V. Sullivan, of Stamford,

with a degree in physics and received

among other duties; he retired as a

by six daughters, including Carolyn M.

Connecticut, died on Feb. 22, 2021,

his master’s degree from Northeastern

colonel. Mr. McCloskey is survived by

Massenburg ’87, Maureen A. Sumner

at 92. At Holy Cross, Mr. Sullivan

University. After serving in the U.S.

his wife of 66 years, Virginia “Ginny”;

’88 and Brenda M. Farley ’90, and

studied chemistry; he later supported

Army, he spent his professional career

and seven children and their families,

their spouses; and 12 grandchildren,

the College as a member of the

at Polaroid Corporation, holding both

including several grandchildren. He was

including Katherine F. Farley ’24. He

President’s Council and Holy Cross

engineering and senior management

predeceased by one son-in-law.

was predeceased by his wife, Joan.

Lawyers Association. Also a graduate

positions. Mr. Crimmins is survived

of Providence College and Georgetown

by four children and their families,

University, he served in the U.S. Army as

including five grandchildren. He was

John J. Sullivan

George P. Montefalcone

Mathew A. Crimmins

on Jan. 28, 2021. Mr.

John J. Sullivan,

George P.

a postal clerk, technician fourth grade

predeceased by his wife, Joyce; one

of Laguna Hills,

Montefalcone, of

and was stationed on Shemya Island

brother; and one grandchild.

California, died on

Naples, Florida,

in the Aleutians. A patent attorney,

Jan. 18, 2021, at 91.

died on Feb. 3, 2021.

he initially worked for American

At Holy Cross, Mr.

Mr. Montefalcone

Cyanamid Co., then for General Foods

Capt. Frank E. Dully Jr., M.D., MC USN (Ret.)

Sullivan studied English and was on the

studied economics at Holy Cross and

Corp. Mr. Sullivan is survived by three

Capt. Frank E. Dully

football, track and cross-country teams;

participated in intramural sports; he

children, including Margaret R. Carter

Jr., M.D., MC USN

he was a member of the Varsity Club.

was the recipient of the Pedro Arrupe

’89, and their families, including 10

(Ret.), of Fernandina

Active on the Senior Ball Committee

Medal. A U.S. Army veteran, he had a

grandchildren. He was predeceased by

and in ROTC, he later supported the

career in business with executive roles

his wife of 36 years, Sheila Elizabeth

on March 12, 2021, at 89. Dr. Dully stud-

College as a member of the O’Callahan

at Honeywell, Transamerica Corp. and

Fay; and four siblings.

ied biology at Holy Cross before attend-

Society and was affiliated with Naval

Coldwell Banker Commercial Real

ROTC. After graduation, he served

Estate. He supported the College as

aboard the USS Henrico during the

an admissions advisor, class agent

Korean War. He was a manager for 40

and Alumni Board director. He also

Patrick J. “Pat”

General Hospital and his residency in

years for major insurance companies.

supported Holy Cross Athletics, and

Berrigan, of

family practice at Bridgeport Hospital

Mr. Sullivan is survived by his wife of 67

was a member of the 1843 Society,

Lewiston, New York,

in Bridgeport, Connecticut, before he

years, Molly Hogan Sullivan; three sons;

career advisor network, Alumni Board

died on March 6,

entered private practice in Shelton,

two daughters; 14 grandchildren; and

Senate and Reunion Gift Committee.

2021, at 87. At Holy

Connecticut. Soon after, he joined the

six great-grandchildren.

Mr. Montefalcone is survived by one

Cross, Mr. Berrigan studied English

U.S. Navy, commissioned as a lieutenant

sister; one niece; one nephew; and one

and philosophy, played hockey

in the Medical Corps U.S. Navy (MC

grandniece.

and participated in the Tomahawk;

USN), serving aboard the USS Power as

he graduated cum laude and later

the squadron medical officer for U.S.

supported the College as a member of

Navy Atlantic Fleet Destroyer Squadron

1953

William C. Flanagan William C. “Bill”

Thomas N. Ribadeneyra

Beach, Florida, died

ing the Georgetown University School

1954

of Medicine. He completed his medical

Patrick J. Berrigan

internship at the District of Columbia

Flanagan, of

Thomas N. “Tom” or

the career advisor network and Holy

14. He was promoted to lieutenant

Springfield and

“Ribby” Ribadeneyra,

Cross Lawyers Association. He served

commander, MC USN and became a

West Dennis,

of Marlborough,

in the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon. After

flight surgeon following his training at

Massachusetts, died

Massachusetts,

he earned his law degree from Notre

the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute

formerly of West

Dame Law School, Mr. Berrigan joined

(NAMI). Dr. Dully then served tours as

studied economics at Holy Cross and

Hartford, Connecticut, died on Jan.

Runals, Broderick, Shoemaker, Rickert,

the senior medical officer, USS Hornet

later supported the College as an

27, 2021, at 89. Mr. Ribadeneyra

Berrigan & Dougherty law firm in

and Naval Air Station Glynco. He was

admissions advisor and member of the

graduated from Holy Cross with

Niagara Falls; he later established his

then promoted to commander, complet-

1843 Society and Holy Cross Lawyers

a degree in economics, as well as

own practice, which eventually became

ing a master’s degree in public health at

Association. He attended Georgetown

studied engineering at the University

Berrigan, Perlman & Gabriele, and

the University of California (Berkeley)

Law, where he later became an adjunct

of Hartford and attended St. Thomas

served as general counsel to Innovative

School of Public Health; resident in

professor and member of its Board of

Seminary for one year. After serving

Municipal Products for over 20 years.

aerospace medicine at NAMI; and

Overseers. After graduating from law

in the U.S. Army, he worked for Pratt

Mr. Berrigan is survived by his wife

senior medical officer, USS Enterprise,

school, he served as an officer in the

& Whitney Aircraft. He then had brief

of 63 years, Shirley; eight children

U.S. Pacific Fleet. Promoted to captain

U.S. Navy, and he continued to serve

stints at Electric Boat in Groton,

and their spouses; one son-in-law; 20

MC USN, he served as the director of

on March 27, 2021, at 88. Mr. Flanagan

8 6 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

training, NAMI; wing surgeon, First Ma-

member of the 1843 Society, career

Cross, Mr. McGonagle participated in

Following his discharge, Mr. Danaher

rine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force,

advisor network, Varsity Club, Reunion

cross-country and track. Afterward, he

returned to the College and completed

U.S. Pacific Fleet, Okinawa, Japan; force

Gift Committee and William H. P.

enlisted and served in the U.S. Army

his degree in 1966. He then had a

medical officer, Naval Air Force, U.S.

Jenks Committee. He also supported

during the Korean Conflict. He later

32-year career in the airline industry,

Pacific Fleet, San Diego; commanding

numerous Crusader Athletics teams,

attended the University of Maine Law

working as a pilot for Northeast

officer, NAMI; command physician

including baseball, field hockey,

School, joined a law firm in Portland

Airlines and Delta Airlines. Mr. Danaher

and instructor in aviation safety, Naval

football, men’s basketball, men’s and

and served as assistant district attorney

is survived by his wife, Jeanne; one

Postgraduate School. Dr. Dully’s mili-

women’s ice hockey, men’s soccer,

in Portland before starting his own

brother and his spouse; and two

tary awards include the Legion of Merit,

men’s and women’s track and cross-

law practice in Gorham. He is survived

sons, one daughter and their families,

Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal

country, and softball. Mr. Dupuis went

by one brother-in-law; and several

including four grandchildren. His

for action in the Vietnam War (2), Navy

on to earn two master’s degrees, one

nieces and nephews and their families,

alumni relatives include his cousin, the

Commendation Medal (2), Vietnam

from Niagara University and one from

including great-nieces and great-

late William B. Lyons, M.D., ’42.

Honor Medal - First Class, Meritorious

Canisius College; he did additional

nephews. He was predeceased by his

Unit Citation, Navy Unit Citation and six

graduate studies at St. John’s University.

wife, Sheila; one sister; and one brother.

Theatre Ribbons. A Vietnam veteran, he

He began his career as a social studies

was a recipient of the Captain Robert E.

teacher, first at Depew High School,

Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award.

Depew, New York, and later at Belmont

Francis P. “Frank”

Jr., of Clinton,

Following retirement from the Navy, Dr.

Lake Jr. High School, Babylon, New

Mulderry, of

Massachusetts, died

Dully continued his career as a consul-

York; he also announced athletic events

Menands, New

tant to the aviation industry in human

for North Babylon High School. He then

York, died on

at 87. Mr. Friedrich graduated from

factors; lecturer in aeromedical aspects

served as an assistant superintendent

Dec. 26, 2020, at

Holy Cross with a degree in political

of aviation safety, field associate profes-

for the Board of Cooperative Education

88. Mr. Mulderry studied biology at

science. He enrolled at Boston College

sor of aviation safety, and consultant in

Services (BOCES III), Long Island, New

Holy Cross and also graduated from

Law School, but interrupted his studies

aviation medicine with the University of

York, until his retirement. Mr. Dupuis

Albany Law School; he practiced law

to join the U.S. Army, serving for two

Southern California’s Institute of Safety

is survived by his wife, Patrice; three

for many years. He later supported

years. He then began his career in the

& Systems Management; and consultant

daughters, one son and their families,

the College as a member of the 1843

family business, co-founding Kinnear

in aviation physiology and human fac-

including five grandchildren; one sister;

Society, President’s Council and Holy

Insurance Agency in Clinton with

tors in the cockpit, to Northwest Aero-

and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews,

Cross Lawyers Association. A longtime

his father; he owned and operated

space Training Corp. He also frequently

cousins and many friends. He was

member of the Holy Cross Club of

the agency for many years while

spoke to a range of military and civilian

predeceased by his first wife, Mary; one

Eastern New York, he also served

working as an insurance adjuster

audiences, and published numerous

brother; and one sister.

as an admissions advisor and Class

and real estate broker. Mr. Friedrich

Bequest chair. Mr. Mulderry is survived

is survived by his wife of 58 years,

by his wife of 65 years, Evelyn; eight

Maureen; eight children and their

articles on aeromedical aspects of aviation safety. Dr. Dully is survived by his

Thomas J. Kelley

Andrew J. Friedrich Jr. Andrew J.

Francis P. Mulderry

“Andy” Friedrich

on Dec. 30, 2020,

wife of 39 years, Rebecca; one brother,

Thomas J. Kelley, of

children, including Patricia J. Stewart

spouses; 10 grandchildren; one great-

Robert H. Dully ’58, and his spouse; five

Chapel Hill, North

’89 and James F. Mulderry ’81, and their

granddaughter; one niece; one nephew;

daughters; one son and his spouse; one

Carolina, formerly of

families, including 18 grandchildren

and many friends.

daughter’s spouse; seven grandchil-

Worcester, died on

and seven great-grandchildren; and

Dec. 23, 2020, at 88.

one sister.

dren; two grandchildren’s spouses;

Vincent P. Moreno Vincent P.

three great-grandchildren; nieces and

Mr. Kelley graduated from Holy Cross

nephews, including Elaine Dully Nelson

with a degree in economics. He was

’84, Robert M. Dully ’82 and Frank E.

then commissioned as a naval officer,

Dully II ’89; grandnieces, grandnephews

and retired after 21 years of federal

Paul D. Coss, of

and great-grandnieces; Akers family

service. He also earned his master’s and

Carmel, California,

members and their spouses; and Akers

doctorate degrees, and served five years

died on May 21, 2018.

Connecticut, died on Dec. 25, 2020,

family children, grandchildren and

as dean of the Master’s in Business

Mr. Coss graduated

at 88. Mr. Moreno studied sociology

great-grandchildren. He was prede-

Program at Anna Maria College; he later

from Holy Cross with

at Holy Cross, and after graduation,

ceased by three sisters. His father was

worked as a management consultant.

the late Frank E. Dully, class of 1925.

Mr. Kelley is survived by his partner of

1955

“Vinny” Moreno,

Paul D. Coss

of Farmington, formerly of

a degree in English.

Plainville,

spent months prospecting for uranium in the Hudson Bay area of Canada.

34 years, Myrna W. Merron; two sons

William J. Danaher

He then served in the U.S. Army as an

and their wives; six grandchildren;

William J. “Bill” Danaher, of

MP in Korea, and afterward was the

Paul F. Dupuis,

one sister; and one sister-in-law. He

Birmingham, Michigan, died on Jan.

proprietor of Tom’s Café in Plainville;

of Mifflinburg,

was predeceased by one daughter; one

20, 2021, at 86. Mr. Danaher studied

in later years, he worked for the state of

Pennsylvania,

brother; and one sister.

biology and premed at the College and

Connecticut’s Department of Children

participated in the Sailing Club. He

and Family Services. Mr. Moreno is

withdrew from Holy Cross after three

survived by four children and their

Paul F. Dupuis

died on March 20, 2021, at 88. At Holy

Frederick T. McGonagle

Cross, Mr. Dupuis studied history and

Frederick T. “Fred”

years to enlist in the U.S. Air Force,

families, including 13 grandchildren

participated in cross-country, track

McGonagle,

graduated from flight school and was

and three great-grandchildren; one

and The Purple. He later supported

of Dunnellen,

assigned to the Military Air Transport

brother and his wife; and several nieces

the College as an admissions advisor,

Florida, formerly

Service, serving as a maintenance

and nephews. He was predeceased by

Reunion Class chair, class agent and

of Gorham, Maine,

officer; he was later assigned to the

his wife of nearly 60 years, Joan; and

Strategic Air Command in Morocco.

one brother.

class correspondent, as well as a

died on Feb. 13, 2021, at 88. At Holy

IN MEMORIAM / ALUMNI NEWS / 87

IN MEMORIAM Joseph E. Mullaney Jr.

and was an instructor in the Depart-

89. Mr. Buonopane studied sociology

a merchandising representative in

Joseph E. “Joe”

ment of Economics for three years. He

at the College and played football;

Massachusetts, to assistant state

Mullaney Jr., of

then worked for 30 years at Nashua

he was a member of the Holy Cross

manager in Western New York, to

Vero Beach, Florida,

Corporation, serving in a variety of

Varsity Club and its Hall of Fame.

Connecticut state manager of the

formerly of Westport,

sales, marketing and general manage-

During college, he was drafted into

company’s Eastern Division. Mr.

Massachusetts, died

ment positions in both the domestic and

the U.S. Army and served during the

Taracevicz is survived by his wife of

on Jan. 22, 2021, at 87. Mr. Mullaney

international markets; he also taught

Korean Conflict; after his two years

62 years, Barbara; four children and

studied English at Holy Cross, was a

classes in economics, marketing and

of service, he returned to Holy Cross

their spouses; eight grandchildren; and

member of the College Honors Program

strategic management as an adjunct

and graduated in 1956. He worked

one sister. He was predeceased by one

and graduated magna cum laude; he

faculty member at the University of

for 35 years at Capital Distributors

brother; his mother and father; and

was valedictorian. A recipient of the

Hartford and Southern New Hampshire

of Andover, Massachusetts, retiring

two sisters.

Joseph J. O’Connor Purse (debating),

University. Mr. Powers is survived by his

as vice president; he later served

Patrick F. Crowley Purse (oratory) and

wife of 58 years, Christine; three sons,

seven years as a consultant for United

Book Prize, he participated in the Debat-

Brian J. Powers ’86, Gregory J. Powers

Liquors of Braintree, Massachusetts.

ing Society and Purple Key Society, and

’88 and Mark W. Powers ’85, and their

Mr. Buonopane is survived by his wife

William A. “Bill”

was a freshman class officer. He joined

families, including nine grandchildren

of 64 years, Nancy; one son and his

Elliott, of Deerfield

ROTC and served in the U.S. Air Force,

and two great-grandchildren; one sister;

wife; four daughters; two daughters’

Beach, Florida, died

and he graduated from Harvard Law

one brother-in-law and his wife; and

husbands; one daughter’s fiancé; nine

in January 2021. Mr.

School with high honors. He then joined

many nieces and nephews, including

grandchildren; one sister; and many

Jones Day, Reavis & Pogue in Cleveland

Philip F. Leddy ’75.

nieces, nephews and cousins.

Francis J. Shea

Robert J. Dean

and became partner. He later worked for the federal government, serving as

1957

William A. Elliott

Elliott graduated from Holy Cross with a degree in political science. He is survived by his former wife, Joanne Elliott; two

general counsel to the special trade

Francis J. “Frank”

Robert J. “Bob”

children and their families, including

representative and as general counsel

Shea, of Wilbraham,

Dean, of Yarmouth

a grandson and his family; and two

to the Cost-of-Living Council. Mr. Mul-

formerly of Chicopee,

Port, Massachusetts,

siblings and their families, including

laney then joined the Gillette Company,

Massachusetts,

died on Feb. 6,

several nieces and nephews. He was

where he worked for 25 years, serving

and Fort Myers,

2021, at 86. Mr.

predeceased by one son.

as associate general counsel, general

Florida, died on Jan. 21, 2021, at 87. Mr.

Dean studied business at Holy Cross;

counsel, corporate vice president, senior

Shea studied economics at Holy Cross

he later supported the College as a

vice president, and director and vice

and graduated cum laude; he also

class agent and member of the 1843

Victor S. Gutierrez,

chair; he also was a member, director

participated in ROTC. After graduation,

Society and the Cape Cod Crusaders,

M.D., of Guaynabo,

and chair of several Massachusetts as-

he was commissioned an ensign in the

the Holy Cross Alumni Club on Cape

Puerto Rico, died on

sociations, councils and task forces. He

U.S. Navy and served aboard the USS

Cod. He worked in the insurance

July 15, 2020. At Holy

recently co-wrote an autobiography, “A

Agawam and USS Hoist; he finished his

industry until retirement, including as

Man from Fall River,” with Maria Can-

tour of duty at the rank of lieutenant

an underwriter at Worcester Insurance

studied premed and graduated cum

field. He supported the College as a class

junior grade. He then earned his Doctor

Company (now Nationwide) and as an

laude; he later supported the College as

agent and Alumni Board director; he

of Laws degree at Boston College and

independent agent at Carlson Daniels

a class agent.

was also a member of the 1843 Society,

had a long career as an attorney in

Insurance in Westboro, Massachusetts.

President’s Council, Holy Cross Lawyers

Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts; he also

Mr. Dean is survived by his wife of 64

Association and Alumni Board Senate.

practiced in the United States District

years, Margaret “Peggy”; four children

George Keator,

Mr. Mullaney is survived by four sons,

Courts and served as Chicopee’s

and their spouses; one son-in-law;

of Lenox,

including Joseph E. Mullaney III ’80;

assistant city solicitor. In addition, Mr.

six grandchildren; and two great-

Massachusetts,

two sons’ wives; and eight grandchil-

Shea owned and operated the Laporte,

grandchildren. He was predeceased by

formerly of Walden,

dren. He was predeceased by his wife of

Shea and Borys Insurance Agency

two children; and his parents.

47 years, Rosemary; and one daughter.

in Chicopee Falls. He supported the

Walter J. Powers

College as a member of the 1843 Society,

Victor S. Gutierrez, M.D.

Cross, Dr. Gutierrez

George Keator

New York, died on Feb. 1, 2021, at 85. Mr. Keator graduated

Bernard J. Taracevicz

from Holy Cross with a degree in

O’Callahan Society and Holy Cross

Bernard J. “Bernie”

economics and served in the U.S.

Walter J. “Walt”

Lawyers Association; he was affiliated

Taracevicz,

Marine Corps, attaining the rank of

Powers, of Laconia,

with Naval ROTC. Mr. Shea is survived

of Milton,

captain. After working at Sikorsky &

New Hampshire,

by his wife of 30 years, Marcia; one son

Massachusetts, died

Itek, he started a small printing shop

died on Jan. 13, 2021,

and his wife; two grandchildren; and one

on March 13, 2021,

and newspaper in Lenox. He also

at 87. Mr. Powers

brother. He was predeceased by his first

at 86. At Holy Cross, Mr. Taracevicz

earned his master’s degree in theology

wife, Elizabeth.

studied sociology and played football;

from The Elms College and was

he was a member of the Varsity Club. A

accepted into the Diocese of Springfield

second lieutenant in the U.S. Marines,

Diaconate program; he served as a

he attended Officer Training School

deacon at St. Ann, St. Vincent DePaul

graduated with a degree in economics from Holy Cross; in addition to supporting College Athletics, he served as a class agent for over 40 years and

1956

James L. Buonopane

was a member of the Class Reunion

James L. “Jim”

in Quantico, Virginia, where he also

and St. Patrick’s parishes for almost 30

Committee. He also graduated from

Buonopane,

played football for the Quantico

years. Mr. Keator is survived by his wife,

the Graduate School of Business at

of Wakefield,

Marines. He was an executive in the

Sheila; his children and their families,

Boston College, and after serving in the

Massachusetts, died

spirits industry, rising up the ranks

including 17 grandchildren; and many

U.S. Army, he returned to Holy Cross

on Dec. 19, 2020, at

of the Seagram’s organization from

nieces and nephews.

8 8 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

Richard D. Kellick

General Hospital, Asir, Kingdom of Saudi

sachusetts, died on Jan. 31, 2021, at 84.

including Caroline A. McCabe ’15.

Richard D. “Dick”

Arabia. Dr. Capot is survived by his wife,

Kellick, of Niagara

Sana; one son, Christopher Capot ’89;

Falls, New York, died

one daughter-in-law, Susan Lennon

Peter J. “King”

baseball. A member of the Varsity Club

on Nov. 15, 2020,

Capot ’89; and two grandchildren.

Mercier, of Grosse

and recipient of a football scholarship

Pointe Farms,

to attend Holy Cross, he led the Crusad-

Michigan, formerly

ers in rushing during his first three

of Detroit, died on

seasons on the team and was captain

at 84. Mr. Kellick studied economics at Holy Cross. After

John B. Carven Jr.

Mr. Surrette studied social sciences at

Peter J. Mercier

the College and played football and

he completed his service in the U.S. Air

John B. “Jack” Car-

Force, he began working at the family

ven Jr., of Sagamore

Dec. 21, 2020, at 84. Mr. Mercier studied

during his senior year. After military

print shop, Kellick’s Printing, in Niagara

Beach, Massachu-

business administration at Holy Cross

service in the National Guard, he spent

Falls; he and his sister ran the shop

setts, died on Jan.

and participated in ROTC. He served in

23 years at Foster Grant Sunglasses in

until they retired. Mr. Kellick is survived

11, 2021, at 84. Mr.

the U.S. Navy and began a career in real

Chicago and Leominster, Massachusetts,

by his wife of 62 years, Donna; four

Carven graduated from Holy Cross

estate as a commercial broker; he later

where he was vice president of sales

children and their families, including

with a degree in economics and taught

purchased and managed apartment

and marketing. He later started Five

grandchildren; one sister; and many

mathematics in the Natick (Massachu-

buildings in Detroit. Mr. Mercier is

Star Products in Leominster, a plastics

nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.

setts) school system for many years. He

survived by his wife, Maureen; four

molding business that supplied packag-

He was predeceased by three brothers,

is survived by two sisters; two sons; one

daughters; one son; two sons-in-law;

ing to the produce industry, where he

including Hon. William L. Kellick Jr. ’45;

son’s wife; and two grandchildren. He

eight grandchildren; one brother; and

worked with his wife until retirement.

and two sisters.

was predeceased by his wife, Constance.

two sisters. He was predeceased by two

Mr. Surrette is survived by his wife of

sisters; and three brothers.

more than 62 years, Judy; four children,

Lt. Cmdr. John J. Schell, USN (Ret.)

James H. Daughan James H. “Jim”

including Patricia L. Quint ’88, and

Ralph P. Morone, M.D.

their spouses; eight grandchildren; four

Lt. Cmdr. John J.

Daughan, of Tal-

Ralph P. Morone,

great-grandchildren; and one sister. He

Schell, USN (Ret.), of

lahassee, Florida,

M.D., of Surprise,

was predeceased by his parents; and

Tecate, Mexico, died

died on Dec. 21, 2020,

Arizona, formerly of

one sister.

on Jan. 6, 2021, at

at 84. Mr. Daughan

Indianapolis, died on

studied political science and prelaw at

philosophy at Holy Cross and made the

Holy Cross, and he was a member of

Dr. Morone graduated cum laude with a

Martin F. Tully, of

dean’s list; he also participated in ROTC.

the swimming team and Fencing Club.

degree in biology from Holy Cross be-

High Falls, New

He served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years

After graduation, he served in the U.S.

fore attending Albany Medical College.

York, died on Dec.

and supported the College as a member

Air Force for three years and completed

He was a U.S. Air Force captain, serving

24, 2020, at 84. Mr.

of the O’Callahan Society; he was also

his service as a captain. He worked in

as a medical officer in San Antonio,

affiliated with Naval ROTC. Mr. Schell

the insurance industry for more than

and he worked for more than 25 years

literature at Holy Cross and later sup-

is survived by one brother, Lawrence H.

40 years and served as an insurance ex-

at the Federal Aviation Administration

ported the College as a member of the

Schell ’54; and eight children and their

aminer for the state of Florida for many

and Indiana State Board of Health in

Holy Cross Lawyers Association. Before

families, including 13 grandchildren. He

years. Mr. Daughan is survived by his

Indianapolis. Dr. Marone is survived by

graduating from Albany Law School,

was predeceased by his wife, Claire; and

wife, Maurine; two sisters; one brother-

his wife of 57 years, Trudy; four children

he taught English at Brooklyn Prep and

one sister.

in-law; and many nieces and nephews.

and their families, including eight

George Washington Junior High School

grandchildren; two “bonus grandchil-

in Kingston, New York. He practiced law

dren”; and one brother, one sister and

for over 55 years, first as an associate

Francis S. “Frank” Gi-

their families. He was predeceased by

at The David Corwin Law Firm, then

Edgardo “Ed” Capot,

glio Jr., of Dartmouth,

his parents; one brother; and one sister.

as a partner at Tully and Melbert Law

M.D., of Cary, North

Massachusetts, died

Carolina, formerly of

on Jan. 17, 2021, at

Southern California,

85. Mr. Giglio studied

1958

Edgardo Capot, M.D.

Francis S. Giglio Jr.

March 7, 2021, at 85.

Martin F. Tully

85. Mr. Schell studied accounting and

Tully studied English

Offices in New Paltz, New York. Mr. Tully

Stanley V. Orzech

is survived by his wife, Jeannine; three

Stanley V. Orzech, of

children and their spouses; one grand-

history at Holy Cross and earned a

Middlebury, Vermont,

daughter; one sister and her spouse; two

at 87. Dr. Capot graduated from Holy

master’s degree from Bridgewater

died on Nov. 17,

brothers, including William D. Tully ’54;

Cross with a degree in biology, after

State University. A veteran of the U.S.

2020. Mr. Orzech

one brother’s spouse; one sister-in-law;

attending Brown University for a short

Army Reserves, he taught and served

studied sociology at

and 10 nieces and nephews, including

time. He then served in the U.S. Army

as an administrator in the Warren and

Holy Cross and graduated cum laude.

Pamela M. Tully ’94 and William D. Tully

during the Korean War and graduated

Barrington, Rhode Island, public school

He is survived by two sisters. He was

Jr. ’98. He was predeceased by his par-

from Seton Hall College of Medicine

departments before becoming the

predeceased by his parents; six siblings;

ents; one brother; and one sister-in-law.

(now New Jersey Medical School, also

director of guidance at Barrington High

and one stepbrother.

known as Rutgers New Jersey Medical

School for 34 years. He also served as an

School). He began his medical practice

assistant swim coach at the Barrington

at The Permanente Medical Group in

YMCA and Barrington High School for

Richard H. “Dick”

John E. Cavagnaro,

Oakland, California, and later worked

17 years. Mr. Giglio is survived by his

Surrette, of Hampton,

of Chatham, Massa-

at Mullikin Medical Center in Artesia,

wife of 28 years, Karen; two sons and

New Hampshire,

chusetts, died on Dec.

California; he also spent one year in

their wives; two stepchildren and their

formerly of Arlington

22, 2020, at 83. Mr.

Lincoln, Nebraska, and three years

spouses; nine grandchildren; and many

Heights, Illinois,

as chief of medicine at Sarat Abidah

extended family members and cousins,

and Fitchburg and Lancaster, Mas-

died on Oct. 24, 2020,

1959

Richard H. Surrette

John E. Cavagnaro

Cavagnaro graduated from Holy Cross with a degree in

IN MEMORIAM / ALUMNI NEWS / 89

IN MEMORIAM business, having majored in accounting.

William M. Burke, M.D.

his wife; one daughter and her husband;

He began his career at his family’s store

William M. “UB”

four grandchildren; one sister and her

in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and later

Burke, M.D., of West

husband; and one brother and his wife.

worked for the state of Massachusetts as

Roxbury, Massachu-

a social worker at the Holyoke City Hall;

setts, died on Feb. 21,

he retired from the state, working as a

2021, at 82. Dr. Burke

1962

Robert P. Donahue Sr. Robert P. “Bob” Donahue Sr.,

Gary M. Nelson Gary M. Nelson, of

of Bellingham, Massachusetts, died

field supervisor out of the Northampton,

studied premed at Holy Cross and later

Plano, Texas, died

Massachusetts, office. Mr. Cavagnaro is

supported the College as a regional club

on Feb. 22, 2021,

Mr. Donahue studied marketing at Holy

survived by one stepdaughter and her

career counselor and member of the

at 82. Mr. Nelson

Cross and participated in Band, Glee

husband; and six grandchildren. He was

1843 Society, career advisor network

studied economics at

Club and ROTC; affiliated with Naval

predeceased by his wife, Patricia “Pat”;

and Class Reunion Committee. He at-

Holy Cross, and, upon graduation, was

ROTC, he later supported the College

his parents; one brother; two stepchil-

tended the University of Vermont School

commissioned into the U.S. Air Force,

as a member of the HOIAH Marching

dren; and one grandson.

of Medicine, completed an internal

where he served for 21 years, retiring as

Band Alumni and O’Callahan Society. He

medicine residency at the University of

lieutenant colonel. He flew numerous

served in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant

Kentucky Medical Center and continued

missions and for his valor received many

in both the Pacific and Atlantic fleets. A

John J. “Jack”

his training to specialize in addiction

awards and recognitions, including the

member of the Bellingham Historical

Whelan, of Northville,

medicine. For many years, he was a pro-

Distinguished Flying Cross, Vietnam Ser-

Commission, he was co-founder of the

Michigan, died on

fessor at the University of Massachu-

vice Medal with 5 Bronze Service Stars,

Bellingham Friends of Music and served

Feb. 3, 2021, at 83.

setts Medical School and then went on

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with

on the Bellingham School Committee, as

Mr. Whelan studied

to work at United Health Care in West-

Palm, Republic of Vietnam Campaign

well as other school-related committees.

English at Holy Cross and participated in

borough. He served in the U.S. Army as

Medal, the National Defense Service

Mr. Donahue is survived by his wife of

ROTC; he also played basketball. Upon

a doctor in Vietnam and was awarded

Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary

57 years, Maryanne; two sons, including

graduation, he was commissioned as

the Bronze Star. Dr. Burke is survived

Medal, Combat Readiness Medal (2 oak

Robert D. McDonagh ’90; one daughter;

a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine

by three sisters; and three nieces, one

leaf clusters), the Air Medal (13 oak leaf

one son-in-law; two daughters-in-law,

Corps and he served on active duty for

nephew and their families, including

clusters), Air Force Commendation Med-

including Joan M. McDonagh, M.D.,

three years at MCB Quantico, Virginia,

six grandnieces and grandnephews. He

al, Air Force Organizational Excellence

’91; and five grandchildren. He was

and Camp LeJeune, North Carolina,

was predeceased by his parents; two

Award, Small Arms Expert Marksman-

predeceased by one brother. His alumni

as a communications officer. He then

brothers-in-law; and one nephew.

ship Ribbon, Meritorious Service Medal

relatives also include his niece, Anne

(1 oak leaf cluster), Air Force Longevity

Marie Budowski ’89; and his brother-in-

Service Ribbon (4 oak leaf clusters), Air

law, the late Lawrence M. O’Connor ’64.

John J. Whelan

joined the Ford Motor Company and worked in labor relations for 34 years.

Donald D. Colistra

on Feb. 4, 2021, at 80.

He supported the College as a member

Donald D. Colistra,

Force Outstanding Unit Award (2 oak

of the O’Callahan Society and Varsity

of New Hyde Park,

leaf clusters), Air Force Outstanding Unit

Club; he was affiliated with Naval ROTC.

New York, died on

Award with V Device and the National

Thomas F. “Tom”

Mr. Whelan is survived by his wife of 62

Dec. 29, 2020, at 82.

Defense Service Medal. After retirement

Holden, of Worcester,

years, Joyce; six children and their fami-

Mr. Colistra studied

from military service, he went to work

died on March 26, 2021, at 80. Mr.

Thomas F. Holden

lies, including 21 grandchildren and six

accounting at Holy Cross and was in

for Watkin-Johnson Company, a designer

great-grandchildren; one brother-in-law;

the College’s dance band; he graduated

and manufacturer of electronic devices,

and five nieces. He was predeceased by

cum laude. He was drafted into the U.S.

systems and equipment. Mr. Nelson is

nomics at Holy Cross, and he later sup-

his parents; one sister; and one nephew.

Army, where he worked in the First

survived by his wife of 60 years, Karen;

ported the College’s women’s basketball

Armored Division Finance Section. He

one son, two daughters and their families,

program and served as an admissions

earned an MBA in taxation at Pace Col-

including 12 grandchildren and nine

advisor. Affiliated with Naval ROTC, he

lege, and his career included positions

great-grandchildren; two sisters; one sis-

was a member of the O’Callahan Society

James J. “Jeff”

as senior accountant at Touche Ross

ter’s spouse; one sister-in-law; and many

and served in the U.S. Army Reserve. He

Brennan, of Glenn

Bailey and Smart, assistant tax manager

nieces and nephews. He was predeceased

earned his master’s degree in educa-

Mills, Pennsylvania,

at James Talcott, Inc., tax manager at

by his parents; and one brother.

tion from Worcester State College and

formerly of Newark,

Slick Corporation (later U.S. Filter) and

Delaware, and The

Diamond International, and director of

1960

James J. Brennan

Holden studied eco-

worked as an elementary school teacher

Hon. Richard L. Sippel

in Worcester and in Sutton; as a claims

Villages, Florida, died on April 28, 2020.

tax research and planning at American

Hon. Richard L.

representative, supervisor and liability

A cum laude graduate of Holy Cross, Mr.

Brands. Mr. Colistra is survived by his

Sippel, of Kensington,

unit head for Travelers Insurance; and as

Brennan was a member of the Varsity

wife, Miriam; one son; one daughter-in-

Maryland, died on

an ABE and GED teacher for the Worces-

Club. He served in the U.S. Army and

law; and two grandsons.

Sept. 8, 2020, at 82.

ter County House of Correction, from

At Holy Cross, Mr.

which he retired as director of education.

Army Reserves, and had a 30-year career as a systems analyst at Dupont.

Paul E. Devin

Sippel studied history and participated

After retirement, Mr. Holden worked as

He is survived by four children and their

Paul E. Devin, of Leominster, Mas-

in Band; he later supported the College

a clerk for Home Depot, an English tutor,

families, including 11 grandchildren

sachusetts, died on Jan. 11, 2021, at 84.

as a member of the Holy Cross Lawyers

an adjunct professor of developmental

and three great-grandchildren; and one

Mr. Devin received his undergraduate

Association and HOIAH Marching

math at Quinsigamond Community

sister. He was predeceased by his wife of

degree in chemistry from St. Anselm

Band Alumni. He was an administrative

College and as a GED examiner and

39 years, Judy; one brother; his father,

College and his master’s degree from

law judge for 34 years at the Labor

Accuplacer proctor. He is survived by

William B. Brennan ’30; and his mother.

Holy Cross, and he had a long career in

Department and then the Federal

his wife of 56 years, Jean; one daughter

His alumni relatives also include his

sales and marketing. He is survived by

Communications Commission, where he

and her husband; one grandson; and two

nephew, M. Brendon Sullivan ’86.

his wife of 61 years, Janet; one son and

retired as chief judge.

sisters and their husbands.

9 0 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

1963

William R. Balderson Jr.

ander; three children and their families,

parents; one brother; and one sister.

including 10 grandchildren; and seven

Francis J. Covelli,

siblings, including Joseph I. Matthews,

M.D., of Maitland,

M.D.,’65, Edwin R. Matthews ’66 and

Florida, died on Feb. 12, 2021, at

William R. “Bill” Balderson Jr., of

Francis J. Covelli, M.D.

friends. He was predeceased by his

Kevin MacCarthy

North Dartmouth,

Kevin MacCarthy,

Brian C. Matthews ’74. His alumni rela-

Massachusetts, died

of New York

tives also include his cousins, Sanford J.

on March 5, 2021, at

City, formerly of

Matthews Jr. ’77, Walter I. McDonough

studied premed at Holy Cross before

79. At Holy Cross, Mr. Balderson studied

Washington, D.C.,

Jr. ’66 and William P. Kelly Jr. ’71; his

attending the University of Bologna

political science and participated in

died on Dec. 3, 2020,

niece, Tara A. Matthews, M.D., ’90; and

School of Medicine in Bologna, Italy.

78. Dr. Covelli

ROTC. Upon graduation, he joined the

at 79. Mr. MacCarthy graduated from

his nephew, Edwin R. Matthews Jr. ’93.

He co-founded a medical practice with

U.S. Navy and served aboard the USS

Holy Cross with a degree in modern

He was predeceased by his father, John

his brother in Central Florida; working

Searcher. He served in Vietnam during

languages, and he later supported the

A. Matthews Jr. ’34; his mother; and two

with their father, it became known as

the early years of the war and was pro-

College as a member of the Holy Cross

sisters. His deceased alumni relatives

the Covelli Clinic. He also worked at

moted to the rank of lieutenant. After his

Lawyers Association. After graduation,

also include his uncles, Donald C. Mat-

numerous hospitals in the Orlando,

tour, he earned his law degree from the

he taught English at a high school

thews, S.J., ’53, Sanford J. Matthews,

Florida, area, including Winter Park

New England School of Law and main-

in Metz, France, for a year. He then

M.D., ’47 and Peter L. Matthews ’57; and

Memorial Hospital, where he served on

tained a law practice in New Bedford,

became a special agent in the FBI and

his cousin, Thomas L. Beetle ’74.

multiple committees and as president of

Massachusetts, for more than 30 years.

obtained his law degree from The

He supported Holy Cross as an admis-

Catholic University of America; he later

sions advisor and Class Bequest chair

founded his own firm, Kevin MacCarthy

as well as a member of the 1843 Society,

Associates, in New York City, which

Hon. Kevin E.

career advisor network, O’Callahan

specialized in international law. He

Booth, of Niantic,

Society and Holy Cross Lawyers As-

also served as the NYC-based manager

Connecticut, died

sociation. Mr. Balderson is survived by

of the French companies, Métalliers

on Feb. 27, 2021,

Daniel W. “Dan” Daly

his wife of 51 years, Ann; one daughter,

Champenois and Atelier Gohard, which

at 78. At Holy

III, of Houston, died

Margaret B. Kabat ’92, one son and their

recreated the original Bartholdi torch

Cross, Mr. Booth studied economics,

on Jan. 15, 2021, at 78.

families, including four grandchildren;

and flame of the Statue of Liberty.

participated in the Rugby Club and was

Mr. Daly graduated

several nieces and nephews, including

In addition, he was responsible for

a member of Air Force ROTC, serving

Lloyd P. LaFountain III ’84; and many

engaging the International Herald

as commander of the Arnold Air Society

a degree in political science and later

cousins, including James J. McGonigle

Tribune in making a second flame,

and graduating as a distinguished

received his Doctor of Jurisprudence

’87. He is predeceased by his parents;

identical to the one on Liberty Island,

military graduate. He later supported

from the University of Oklahoma Law

and three cousins and their mother.

and presenting it to the French people.

the College as a member of the Holy

School. He worked for the Internal

Mr. MacCarthy is survived by his

Cross Lawyers Association. Mr. Booth

Revenue Service as an estate tax

wife, Mireille; two daughters; three

attended Columbus School of Law at

attorney, and then as an advanced

Thomas H. “Tom”

grandchildren; and two brothers,

the Catholic University of America and

underwriter for American General

Kieren, of New

including Shane MacCarthy ’60.

later did postdoctoral work in tax law

Insurance Company. He later joined

at the University of Missouri in Kansas

Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Johnson

City. Following law school, he entered

& Williams, where he served as partner

John A. “Jack” Mat-

the U.S. Air Force as a judge advocate.

and co-head of the Estate Section,

Mr. Kieren studied economics at Holy

thews III, of South

First stationed at McCord Air Force

before launching Jenkens and Gilchrist

Cross and later supported the College

Orange, New Jersey,

Base, he then transferred to Richards-

P.C. in Houston, where he was managing

as a member of the Career Education

died on Feb. 26,

Gabaur AFB, where he was director of

attorney. He then joined Brown

& Resource Committee. He earned an

2021, at 79. At Holy

military justice worldwide for the U.S.

McCarroll L.L.P. as a partner and later

Thomas H. Kieren

Jersey, formerly of Wisconsin, died on March 7, 2021, at 79.

John A. Matthews III

the medical staff. Dr. Covelli is survived

1964

by one brother; three children; and eight

Hon. Kevin E. Booth

grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Giuseppina; and one sister.

Daniel W. Daly III

from Holy Cross with

MBA in marketing at the University of

Cross, Mr. Matthews studied history

Air Force Communication Service.

practiced law at Oaks, Hartline & Daly

Chicago Graduate School of Business

and philosophy and participated in the

He was a certified military judge,

L.L.P. Mr. Daly supported the College as

and was president and managing

following activities: Glee Club, intra-

attaining the rank of captain at the

a member of the Holy Cross Lawyers

partner of the Manhattan Consultant

mural sports, Junior Prom Committee,

time of his discharge. Mr. Booth later

Association. He is survived by his wife

Group Inc., which specialized in

Senior Ball Committee, St. Thomas

joined the New London, Connecticut,

of 25 years, Paula; three children and

industry specific performance and

More Society, yearbook photography

law firm of Conway, Londregan, Leuba

their spouses; three stepchildren and

due diligence studies for private

and CCD teacher. He later supported

& McNamara before opening the Law

their spouses; three siblings and their

equity investment firms, merchant

College Athletics and was a member of

Office of Booth and Mattern in Niantic.

spouses; and nine grandchildren.

banks and industrial corporations.

the President’s Council and Holy Cross

He was subsequently appointed a judge

Later, he attended the International

Lawyers Association. Mr. Matthews at-

of the Superior Court of Connecticut,

Center of Photography in New York

tended Seton Hall Law School while be-

where he served in the Hartford and

Ronald T. “Ron”

City and became the founder and lead

ing an investigator at the Essex County

New Haven judicial districts. Following

Maheu, of Mashpee,

photographer of Architectural, Interiors,

Prosecutor’s office. After graduating law

his retirement, he continued to practice

formerly of Andover,

Landscape and Product Photography.

school, he was an assistant prosecutor,

law as a consultant and mediator. Mr.

Massachusetts, died

Mr. Kieren is survived by his companion

finishing his career as chief of organized

Booth is survived by his wife of 54

of 30 years, Venus Suksomnil, and her

crime and racketeering at the State At-

years, Gayle; two daughters and their

at 78. Mr. Maheu studied economics

son; several nieces and nephews and

torney General’s office. He is survived by

families, including three grandchildren;

and accounting at Holy Cross, played

their families; other relatives; and many

his wife of 56 years, Judith Anne Alex-

and one sister.

football and participated in the German

Ronald T. Maheu

on Jan. 31, 2021,

IN MEMORIAM / ALUMNI NEWS / 91

IN MEMORIAM Club. He served as a captain in the U.S.

and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology

to the families and children of the com-

well as a member of the following: 1843

Marine Corps during the Vietnam War

from the University of Illinois,

monwealth, retiring as a deputy com-

Society, Leadership Council of New York,

and earned degrees from Bentley Col-

Champaign-Urbana. He taught for 40

missioner of the Department of Social

President’s Council, Alumni Admissions

lege and Boston University’s Graduate

years at the University of Connecticut,

Services. He is survived by his wife of

Committee, Alumni Board Senate, Bish-

School of Management. He worked

where he served as director of the

51 years, Mary; three children, including

op Healy Committee and Class Reunion

for many years at Price Waterhouse

Clinical Training Program; he published

Sheila Y. Blum ’95, and their spouses;

Committee. He earned an MBA from

Coopers, where he was a senior partner.

over 100 books and articles and

seven grandchildren; four siblings; and

Rutgers University and a Juris Doctorate

Mr. Maheu supported the College as a

received multiple research and teaching

many nieces and nephews, including

from Seton Hall University. He was a CPA

class agent and class chair, and he was a

awards. He supported the College as

Meredith H. Greene ’94 and Andrew J.

and partner at Price Waterhouse Coo-

member of the Varsity Club, President’s

a class agent and member of the 1843

Rogers III, M.D., ’98, and their spouses.

pers. Mr. Gaughan is survived by his wife

Council and O’Callahan Society, as well

Society, President’s Council and career

He was predeceased by five siblings.

of 38 years, Margaret Duffy; cousins;

as the Campaign Regional, Class Re-

advisor network. Mr. Allen is survived

union, Class Reunion Gift, HC Startup,

by his wife of 54 years, Lynne; one son,

In Hoc Signo and Reunion Gift commit-

one daughter and their spouses; and

tees. Affiliated with the Holy Cross Fund

four grandchildren. His alumni relatives

Cornelius J.P. “Neil”

Scholarship and Naval ROTC, he was

include Samuel W. Bowden ’95.

Sullivan Jr., M.D., of

the recipient of the In Hoc Signo Award,

his wife’s siblings, in-laws, nephews and

1966

Cornelius J.P. Sullivan Jr., M.D.

Northport, Alabama,

nieces, including Nancy M. Kelly ’97; and friends. He was predeceased by his first wife, Arlene; and his parents.

1968

the Holy Cross Alumni Association’s

John A. Cook

died on Dec. 19, 2020,

highest honor, in 2017. Mr. Maheu is sur-

John A. Cook died in December 2015. Mr.

at 76. Dr. Sullivan

vived by his wife of 49 years, Jane; three

Cook studied classics at Holy Cross. He

studied philosophy and premed at Holy

glicki, of North Ber-

children and their families, including

is survived by family, including his son

Cross and also graduated from the

gen, New Jersey, died

four grandchildren; and two nieces. He

and grandson.

Medical College of Wisconsin. He began

on March 26, 2021, at

was predeceased by one sister.

Daniel J. Moynihan Jr.

Joseph J. Ryglicki Joseph J. “Rick” Ry-

73. Mr. Ryglicki stud-

his medical career as a doctor in the

Ernest J. Guay Jr.

U.S. Army and served for 14 years. After

ied political science at Holy Cross before

Ernest J. “Ernie” or

his honorable discharge, he created a

enlisting in the U.S. Army. After his hon-

Daniel J. “Dan”

“Joe” Guay Jr., of East

private pulmonary medical practice in

orable discharge, he attended Fordham

Moynihan Jr., of

Greenwich, formerly

Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he spent

University School of Law and obtained

Shrewsbury, Mas-

of Greenville, Rhode

the bulk of his career. Dr. Sullivan is

his Juris Doctorate. He began his legal

sachusetts, died on

Island, died on Feb. 2,

survived by his wife, Barbara; four

career as an associate at Milton, Keane

Dec. 14, 2020, at 79.

2021, at 77. Mr. Guay studied mathemat-

children and their families, including

and DeBona. Subsequently, he began his

Mr. Moynihan studied sociology at Holy

ics at Holy Cross and participated in

seven grandchildren; and four siblings,

first law firm of Ryglicki & Pompliano,

Cross and participated in ROTC. After

ROTC, crew and WCHC (radio station);

including Christopher P. Sullivan ’71.

before setting off on his own. His career

graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy

affiliated with Naval ROTC, he was a

He was predeceased by his parents;

in public service spanned over five

for many years, in both active duty

member of the O’Callahan Society. He

his stepmother; and two brothers. His

decades, beginning with working for the

and reserve; he retired as a captain in

went on to receive two master’s degrees

alumni relatives also include his in-law,

Maintenance Department of the town-

the USNR. He later earned his master’s

in electrical engineering and math-

Louis A. Lobes Jr., M.D., ’66.

ship of North Bergen, and ending with a

degree in social work from Boston Col-

ematics, one from Northeastern and

lege School of Social Work, and had a

one from the University of Wisconsin

lengthy career at the Worcester Housing

– Madison. Mr. Guay was a Cold War

John J. Sullivan III, of

nicipal public defender for North Bergen,

Authority, where he served as assistant

veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving five

St. Augustine, Florida,

and as the municipal attorney for the

executive director. He supported the

years aboard the USS Thomas Jefferson

died on Feb. 21, 2021,

North Bergen Board of Education, the

College as a class agent and member of

as lieutenant and communications offi-

at 78. Mr. Sullivan

Weehawken Board of Education, the Pa-

the O’Callahan Society; he was affiliated

cer. He was a software engineer, working

studied political

terson Board of Education, the Hoboken

with Naval ROTC. Mr. Moynihan is sur-

at Bryant University, NEC Technologies,

science and played basketball at Holy

Board of Education and the township

vived by his wife of 55 years, Jane; one

Fleet Bank and, most recently, GTech

Cross; he was a member of the Varsity

of Weehawken. Mr. Ryglicki is survived

son, Daniel J. Moynihan III ’88, and his

before retirement. Mr. Guay is survived

Club. He had a lifelong career with the

by his wife, Frances Mansfield; two sons

wife; one daughter; one son-in-law; and

by two children and their families, in-

Port Authority of New York and New

and their wives; two grandchildren; one

six grandchildren. He was predeceased

cluding three grandchildren; one sister;

Jersey. He is survived by his wife, Diane;

brother, Walter P. Ryglicki ’71; one niece;

by his parents; one daughter; one son-

and his ex-wife, Sheila Guay.

one son; one daughter-in-law; one sister;

and three nephews.

in-law; and three siblings.

1965

John J. Sullivan III

term as the surrogate of Hudson County. As an attorney, he served as the first mu-

one brother; and three grandchildren.

John A. York John A. York, of

George J. Allen

Needham, Massachu-

1969

1967

Eugene F. Gaughan

William T. Murphy William T. Murphy, of

George J. Allen,

setts, died on Feb. 28,

Eugene F. “Gene”

Plantation, Florida,

of Mansfield,

2021, at 77. Mr. York

Gaughan, of New

died on Jan. 20, 2021,

Connecticut, died on

studied sociology at

York and Quogue,

at 73. Mr. Murphy

Jan. 4, 2021. Mr. Allen

Holy Cross and later supported College

New York, died on

studied sociology and

Athletics. He obtained his Master of

March 21, 2021. Mr.

studied economics, history and biochemistry at Holy Cross

philosophy at Holy Cross and graduated

Social Work from Boston College and

Gaughan studied history at Holy Cross

and participated in the Fencing Club

cum laude; he also played lacrosse. He

spent his more than 35-year career

and later supported the College as a

and Sailing Club; he later supported the

then earned his M.A. at Boston College

ensuring quality child welfare services

class agent and Alumni Board director as

College as a member of the Holy Cross

92 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

Lawyers Association. He is survived by

Industrial, Buhler Industries and Potters

his partner of 34 years, Joseph P. “Joe”

and as a member of the Class Reunion

his wife, Karen; four children and their

Industries, where he was employed for

O’Keefe; one sister and her husband;

Committee, Varsity Club, Varsity Club

families, including seven grandchildren;

over 20 years. Mr. Clark is survived by

one nephew, two nieces and their

Board and career advisor network; he

his first wife, Lynn Bonneau, and

his wife of 50 years, Linda; two sons and

families, including two grandnieces;

also supported the College’s football

her spouse; four stepchildren and

their families, including four grandchil-

numerous cousins; and lifelong friends.

and women’s basketball programs. Mr.

their families, including seven step-

dren; and two siblings and their families.

grandchildren; his mother-in-law;

He was predeceased by two brothers,

his stepmother-in-law; one sister and

including Paul C. Clark ’71.

Plamondon was an educator and most

1974

her spouse; one brother-in-law and his spouse, two sisters-in-law; one sister-in-law’s spouse; and aunts, uncle,

recently worked as a substitute teacher

Marc D. Silver

1973

Edward C. Duggan

at Burncoat High School in Worcester; Marc D. Silver, of

he also caddied at Pleasant Valley Coun-

West Hartford,

try Club. He is survived by one brother;

Connecticut, died

two nephews; and one nephew’s wife. He was predeceased by one sister.

cousins, nieces and nephews. He was

Edward C. “Eddie”

on Jan. 23, 2021, at

predeceased by his father, Joseph

Duggan, of Roslin-

68. At Holy Cross,

D. Murphy ’33; his mother; and one

dale, Massachusetts,

Mr. Silver studied history; he later sup-

brother, Joseph D. Murphy Jr. ’68.

died on Dec. 26,

ported the College as a member of the

2020, at 69. Mr. Dug-

LGBTQ Alumni Network. He spent most

John E. McDonough,

gan graduated from Holy Cross with a

of his professional life in the financial

of Bloomfield, Con-

degree in history. He worked for many

industry, first for Connecticut National

necticut, died on Jan.

Wayne A. Beugg, of

years as a taxi driver for Veterans Cab in

Bank, then as head of transportation for

21, 2021, at 67. Mr.

St. Louis, died on

Newton, Massachusetts, and for Newton

the Hartford branch of Bank of America,

Jan. 25, 2021, at 72.

Yellow Cab. From the time he was a

and then for several mortgage compa-

English at Holy Cross and graduated

Mr. Beugg studied

student at Holy Cross until recently,

nies. Mr. Silver is survived by his wife,

cum laude; he later supported the Col-

economics at Holy

he worked as a part of the press box

Beverly; one stepdaughter; two sisters

lege as a class agent. While he began his

Cross and later supported the College as

crew during the Crusaders football

and their husbands; four nephews; and

acting career at The Plum Cake Players

a member of the career advisor network

season. Mr. Duggan is survived by his

one great-nephew. He was predeceased

Children’s Theater and the Mystic

and Class Reunion Committee. He

twin brother; one sister; two nieces; one

by his parents; and one brother.

Marine Life Aquarium, he also started

earned an MBA at St. Louis University

cousin; and friends.

1970

Wayne A. Beugg

and began his career in finance at Tower Grove Bank, before moving into invest-

Gregory P. Gordon

1976

John E. McDonough

McDonough studied

the Weatogue Fossil Fuel Company,

1975

delivering coal. He was a member of

Jeffrey M. Jansson

the Shivram Shinola Memorial Clown

ments at Stifel Nicolaus, EF Hutton, AG

Gregory P. Gordon, of

Jeffrey M. “Jeff”

Troupe and Hartford Stage Company as

Edwards and St. Louis Capital Manage-

Wolcott, Connecticut,

Jansson, of Charlton,

well as co-founder of the Amelia Earhart

ment. Later, he moved to Santiago, Chile,

died on Feb. 5, 2021,

Massachusetts, died

Memorial Men’s Club and Company One

to teach photography and English at the

at 69. At Holy Cross,

on March 13, 2021,

Theater, among other artistic pursuits.

Benedictine Schools of the Manquehue

Mr. Gordon studied

at 69. Mr. Jans-

A street performer, storyteller and nar-

Apostolic Movement, and he started

history and participated in WCHC (radio

son studied French at Holy Cross and

rator, he recorded hundreds of audio

Wayne’s World of Cameras, a photo-

station); he later supported the College

later completed an associate degree in

books, including those for author Jan

graphic equipment company. Mr. Beugg

football team and was a member of the

respiratory therapy at Quinsigamond

Karon. He also starred in the revival of

is survived by three children and their

1843 Society. He was a member of the

Community College. For 41 years, he

the Captain Kangaroo television show,

spouses; seven grandchildren; his former

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Mr. Gordon

was employed as a respiratory therapist

and appeared as the Captain in several

wife, Joanne Vollmer Beugg; one brother

is survived by one cousin; his very close

at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Mr.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades. Mr.

and his spouse; one niece; one nephew

friend, Barbara Hill; and other friends.

Jansson is survived by his wife of 31

McDonough is survived by one sister;

years, Robin; three children; four sib-

one brother, William H. McDonough ’61;

lings; one sister-in-law; several nieces,

and two nieces, four nephews and their

and his spouse; his former Vollmer inlaws, nieces and nephews; five cousins;

Martin F. Zajac

one great-niece; two great-nephews; and

Martin F. “Marty”

nephews and extended family members;

families, including several grandnieces

other family members and friends.

Zajac, of Worcester,

and many friends and colleagues.

and grandnephews. He was predeceased

died on Feb. 15,

1972

2021, at 70. Mr. Zajac

Gary C. Clark

studied English at

by one sister; and one brother-in-law.

Ronald P. Plamondon

His father was the late George F. Mc-

Ronald P. “Ron”

Donough ’29.

Gary C. Clark, of

the College and was a member of the

Plamondon, of

Westlake, Ohio, died

Holy Cross Lawyers Association. He

Millbury, Massa-

on Jan. 29, 2021, at

earned his law degree from St. John’s

chusetts, formerly

Enrique A. Vicéns-

70. Mr. Clark gradu-

University and began his career as an

of Worcester, died

Rivera, of Cutler

ated from Holy Cross

attorney at the Massachusetts Public

on Jan. 13, 2021, at 67. Mr. Plamondon

Bay, Florida, died

with a degree in chemistry and went on

Defenders Committee, moving on to

studied history at Holy Cross and played

on March 20, 2018,

to earn a master’s degree in science/

become an assistant district attorney in

basketball and football. A recipient of

metallurgical engineering from Cleve-

the Worcester County District Attorney’s

the Philip E. O’Connell Memorial Award,

Rivera studied economics at Holy Cross

land State University and an MBA from

Office of the Middle District. Later, he

he also participated in the Liturgical

and later supported the College as an

Baldwin Wallace University. He worked

opened his law practice in Uxbridge,

Committee, Purple Patcher, student

admissions advisor and member of the

in research, international marketing

Massachusetts, where he practiced

newspaper and Worcester House (day

1843 Society, career advisor network

and sales at such organizations as TRW,

criminal, probate and family law for

students). He later served the College

and Holy Cross Lawyers Association. He

Foseco, McGean-Rohco, Brunswick

over 35 years. Mr. Zajac is survived by

as a class agent and admissions advisor,

obtained his Juris Doctor degree from

Enrique A. Vicéns-Rivera

at 63. Mr. Vicéns-

IN MEMORIAM / ALUMNI NEWS / 93

IN MEMORIAM John G. Mulvihill

Georgetown University Law Center and

Lehberger studied political science and

his master’s degree in health services

participated in swimming at Holy Cross.

John G. Mulvihill,

lawyer in Worcester County. He worked

administration from the University of

He later supported the College as an

of Medfield,

as an assistant district attorney, special

Puerto Rico’s medical sciences campus.

admissions advisor, regional club career

Massachusetts, died

prosecutor, state and federal public

CEO of HealthSouth Rehabilitation

counselor and member of the career

on March 6, 2021,

defender, and in private practice as

Hospital of Miami, he previously served

advisor network and Varsity Club. He

at 63. Mr. Mulvihill

a litigator for over 30 years; he also

as CEO of HealthSouth Manati in Puerto

worked for 25 years in the RV industry.

studied chemistry at Holy Cross. He

served as a selectman in Lunenburg.

Rico and chief operating officer and legal

Mr. Lehberger is survived by his wife

is survived by his wife, Veronica; and

Mr. Cronin is survived by his wife of

counsel for the Damas Hospital Founda-

of 41 years, Lois (Palmer) Lehberger

three children.

35 years, Jacquelyn “Jacquie” ’83;

tion in Puerto Rico. Mr. Vicéns-Rivera is

’78; three children and their spouses;

survived by his wife of 40 years, Gisselle;

four grandchildren; one sister, Ingrid

two daughters; and two granddaugh-

E. Richard ’83, and her husband; many

ters. His alumni relatives include his

nieces and nephews; and numerous

Dennis M. Plante,

in-law, including N. Myles Maguire ’85

sister, Maria Vicéns Vassallo ’83; and his

other relatives and friends.

M.D., of Woodway,

and Kathleen M. Maguire ’85; several

Texas, died on Feb.

nieces and nephews; and many friends.

8, 2021. Dr. Plante

He was predeceased by his mother. His

studied chemistry at

alumni relatives also include his cousin,

three children; his father; four siblings,

1980

Dennis M. Plante, M.D.

brother, Michael J. Vicéns ’78.

1979

1978

Donald E. Froude

University and had a career as a trial

Paul J. Capano

including Eileen M. Cronin ’84, and their families; many sisters- and brothers-

Paul J. Capano, of

Holy Cross and graduated cum laude;

Donald E.

League City, Texas,

he later supported the College as a class

“Don” Froude,

died on Jan. 20, 2021,

agent. He was a major in the U.S. Army

of East Dennis,

at 63. Mr. Capano

for many years, having served in Desert

Massachusetts, died

graduated from Holy

Storm. Dr. Plante attended Boston

Kathleen S.

Cross with a degree in chemistry and

University School of Medicine before

“Kathie” Bowes, of

65. Mr. Froude studied sociology and

later obtained his Ph.D. in inorganic

starting his medical career in Texas. His

Philadelphia, died

participated in the Rugby Club at Holy

chemistry at the University of Texas in

many roles there include educator and

on Jan. 13, 2021,

Cross. He later supported the College

Austin. He began his career as a senior

chief of the Emergency Department/

as an admissions advisor, regional club

research and development chemist

Residency Program at Fort Hood,

studied English at Holy Cross and was

career counselor and member of the

at Dupont Company in Wilmington,

assistant professor in the Department

a member of the College Choir. She also

following: 1843 Society, career advisor

Delaware, where he worked for 25

of Internal Medicine at the Texas

participated in the Jesuit Volunteer

network, Holy Cross Fund Scholarship,

years and retired as a global technical

A&M Health Science Center College of

Corps and taught in the South Bronx,

Leadership Council of New York,

marketing consultant. He then worked

Medicine, and attending physician and

before moving to Philadelphia and

President’s Council, Class Reunion Gift

for Kuraray America in Texas for four

director of the Emergency Department

working as a pre-K teacher at the

Committee and Holy Cross Leadership

years as a senior technical marketing

at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center.

Greene Street Friends School for 19

Council of New York Dinner Committee.

consultant. Mr. Capano is survived

At the time of his death, he was an

years. She is survived by her husband

Mr. Froude worked in the financial

by his wife of 37 years, Thresia; two

attending physician in the Providence

and partner, Andrew “Andy” Van

services industry for 37 years, holding

children; one sister and her husband;

Hospital Emergency Department

Kleunen; two children; five siblings,

such leadership roles as partner and

eight nieces and nephews; and many

in Waco, an attending physician at

including James K. Bowes ’93; several

co-head of the Private Client Business

other family members and friends. He

Sublime Care Emergency Room in the

in-laws, including Kristin Frost ’96,

at Alex. Brown & Sons, president &

was predeceased by his parents.

greater Houston area, and owner of

nieces and nephews; and many friends.

Paragon Aesthetics Medical Spa, where

She was predeceased by her parents;

he practiced with his wife. Dr. Plante is

and one brother.

on Feb. 16, 2021, at

CEO of Quick & Reilly, and member of the Executive Leadership Team and

Charles S. Hourihan

Richard T. Bowe ’71.

1987

Kathleen S. Bowes

at 55. Ms. Bowes

president of the Personal Advisors

Charles S. “Charlie”

survived by his wife, Kristie; two sons;

Group at Ameriprise Financial. He is

Hourihan, of

two daughters; one granddaughter; one

survived by one daughter; one son,

North Easton,

brother and his wife; and one sister and

Cherie Gingras

Andrew B. Froude ’09; one son-in-law;

Massachusetts, died

her husband. He was predeceased by

Fitzsimmons,

one daughter-in-law; one grandson;

on Feb. 23, 2021, at

his father; and his mother.

of Monroe,

Cherie Gingras Fitzsimmons

Connecticut, died

one granddaughter; his former wife

63. At Holy Cross, Mr. Hourihan studied

and children’s mother, Nancy Kiely

physics and played football; he later

Fermano; his former wife, Kimberly

supported the College as a regional

Froude; one sister; one brother-in-law;

club career counselor and as a member

Daniel W.

Holy Cross with a degree in economics/

one nephew; one niece, Lesley J. Costa

of the career advisor network and

“Dan” Cronin,

accounting and later supported the

’11, and her husband; and numerous

Varsity Club. He had a career in sales.

of Lunenburg,

College as a class agent. She then

close friends.

Mr. Hourihan is survived by his wife

Massachusetts, died

became a Certified Public Accountant

of 30 years, Michelle; two sons; one

on Jan. 17, 2021, at

and worked at General Reinsurance

daughter-in-law; two brothers, two

60. At Holy Cross, Mr. Cronin studied

for 27 years, where she served as vice

Reinhold H. “Reinie”

sisters and their families; one brother-

political science, made the dean’s list,

president. Mrs. Fitzsimmons is survived

Lehberger, of Milford,

in-law and his wife; his father-in-law

played hockey and participated in

by her husband, Daniel “Dan”; one

formerly of Ashland

and his wife; and his mother-in-law. He

YOYO (off-campus students); he later

brother and his wife; one sister and her

and Springfield,

was predeceased by one sister-in-law.

supported the College as a member of

husband; her father- and mother-in-

Massachusetts,

His alumni relatives include his cousin

the Holy Cross Lawyers Association.

law; two brothers-in-law and their

George E. Malley ’87.

He earned a law degree from Tulane

wives; and 10 nieces and nephews.

Reinhold H. Lehberger

died on Feb. 12, 2021, at 64. Mr.

9 4 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

1982

on Dec. 23, 2020, at

Daniel W. Cronin

55. Mrs. Fitzsimmons graduated from

ASK MORE 1992

ford, Massachusetts, died on Jan. 17,

Lori A. Hamlin

2021, at 33. Mrs. Royce graduated Lori A. Hamlin,

cum laude from Holy Cross, major-

of Reading,

ing in political science and peace

Massachusetts,

and conflict studies, and completing

died on Jan. 15,

a year of studies at Trinity College

2021, at 50. Mrs.

in Dublin. She received a Master of

Hamlin graduated from Holy Cross

Public Policy degree at American

with a degree in economics and later

University and was employed as

earned her MBA from Northeastern

a manager at Unified Champion

University; during her career,

Schools, at Special Olympics, Wash-

she worked in business analytics

ington, D.C. She is survived by her

and management consulting. She

husband, Thomas; one daughter;

supported the College as a class

her mother; one sister; several

agent, admissions advisor and

aunts, uncles and their families; and

regional club career counselor; she

many cousins, nieces, nephews and

also was a member of the career

friends. She was predeceased by her

advisor network and Class Reunion

father; and her four grandparents.

Committee. Mrs. Hamlin is survived by her husband, Bradley “Brad”; two

FRIENDS

daughters; her parents; one sister;

Bruce Brennan 53; Mildred

one brother-in-law; two nephews;

Brooks, sister of the late Rev.

and several aunts, uncles, cousins

John E. Brooks, S.J., ’49 and aunt

and friends.

of Maureen Brooks Shambo ’84; Bruce C. Haapanen 69; Andrew

1993

F. Keegan 14; Fr. David B. Knight

Stephen D. Kraus

51; Lisa Minassian Kogut, wife of

Stephen D. Kraus,

Thomas F. Kogut ’82; Genevieve

of Bedford, New

A. Larievy, mother of Arthur F.

Hampshire,

Larievy ’70 and Donnamarie

formerly of

Larievy ’78; Robert A. “Bob”

Medfield, Massa-

Leclerc 67; Gerald I. Locklin 62;

chusetts, died on March 18, 2021, at

Stanislav Lutsyshen, father of

49. At Holy Cross, Mr. Kraus studied

Viktor Lutsyshen ’23; Therese M.

economics/accounting and premed;

McGovern, mother of Thomas J.

he graduated cum laude and later

McGovern ’78, Patricia McGovern

supported the College as a member

Hill ’82, William E. McGovern

of the HC Startup Committee. He

’85, Maj. Robert P. McGovern

began his career as a CPA and later

’89 and the late Jack McGovern

transitioned to marketing, working

’80; mother-in-law of Peter Hill

as the vice president of marketing

’82; grandmother of Timothy R.

for Cogito Corp and, more recently,

McGovern ’11 and Lindsay Hill

as the head of marketing at Hi Mar-

’12; and sister of Rev. Earle L.

ley. Mr. Kraus is survived by his wife

Markey, S.J., ’53; John R. “Jack”

of 22 years, Maryellen; two children;

McSunas 53; William J. Mostyn

his mother; one sister; two brothers;

Jr., father of William J. Mostyn

one brother-in-law; one sister-in-

III ’69 and Richard Mostyn ’72; J.

law; his mother- and father-in-law;

Albert Nitche, father of Jonathan

one sister-in-law and her husband;

A. Nitche, D.M.D., ’97; Eugene K.

and nieces, nephews, extended fam-

“Gene” O’Shea 54; Julia Oyer,

ily members, including his cousin,

sister of Molly Oyer ’21; Denise

Stephanie H. Ward ’79, and friends.

F. Polit, wife of Joseph J. O’Hara

He was predeceased by his father.

’70 and mother of N. Alexander O’Hara ’13; Timothy F. Sloan 71;

2009

Kerry (Honeycutt) Royce

Robert Smithson, father of Sara Smithson ’84 and father-in-law of

Kerry (Honeyc-

Ellen Keohane ’83; Marie Spinale,

utt) Royce, of

mother of Rev. Kevin Spinale, S.J.,

Fort Washing-

’00; Mary Teebagy, grandmother

ton, Maryland,

of Patrick Teebagy ’11, Brendan

formerly of Med-

Teebagy ’15 and Sean Teebagy ’17. ■

The Women of Mount St. James

ext year marks the 50th anniversary of co-education at Holy Cross, and we are already brainstorming ways to commemorate the milestone in these pages. Is there a story you would like us to

pursue? Who are the unsung Holy Cross heroines we should honor? What stories have gone untold and should be shared today? We welcome all story ideas from you, the women who lived it. Email hcmag@holycross.edu. ■

Were You a Pub Rat?

re you commemorated on the walls of The Pub via caricature? Do you know how the tradition began and when? We’re gathering information for a potential Pub Rats story, and we can’t find any concrete information on when the signature artwork

first hung on the walls. The earliest mention we can find is from a Senior Weekend brief in a 1989 Crusader, which notes: “Pub Rats gathered early, eager to be artistically preserved on The Pub walls by artist Neil Portnoy.” Can you help us track down the origins of the caricatures? Email hcmag@holycross.edu. ■

Did You Name Your Child Fenwick?

ave you continued your love for Holy Cross by naming your child after a location on campus that held special significance

to you? What about a dog named Iggy? Have you passed down the name of a family member who was also a Crusader? Email hcmag@holycross.edu. ■

IN MEMORIAM / HOW TO REACH US / 95

EXAMINE

Are You a Good Witch? The Root of Evil in Popular Villainesses BY ERICA MCC RYSTA L ’ 0 8

Arthur “Art” Martin ’70, first president of the Black Student Union, following the 1969 walkout of the majority of Black students at Holy Cross.

9 6 \ H O LY CROS S M AG A ZINE \ SUMMER 2021

MEMO84

ark and brooding, maniacal and heartless — villainesses in popular culture stir controversy, create tension and serve as stark contrasts to the heroes. Their sinister schemes and paths of destruction may leave audiences wondering how someone could be so bad. Often — especially in fairy tales and Disney classics — the root of evil is not in question, but accepted as an innate characteristic of the villainess. But, in contrast to the original or traditional stories, many modern retellings of classic tales offer backstories that complicate the stark contrast between good and evil. Backstory narrative offers justification for a character’s turn toward villainy and may also position evil as a social construct. The Wicked Witch of the West, the Evil Queen of Snow White fame and Sleeping Beauty’s Maleficent serve as the manifestation of evil in their original tales. Their nefarious nature seems to be intrinsic, and when they are offended, it gushes forth in fits of rage and bursts of flames. But in Robert Stromberg’s film “Maleficent” (2014), Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis’ ABC TV series “Once Upon a Time” (2011–2018), and Gregory Maguire’s novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” (1995) — and “Wicked,” its 2003 musical adaptation by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman — evil is not simply accepted as a part of the witches’ genetic makeup. Instead, it arises as a result of dire circumstances. Despite succumbing to their drives for vengeance, at times, in these modern versions their humanity is not obliterated. These modern villainesses are portrayed as more realistically human with troubled pasts that may cause us to feel sympathy for them. The four works above show that the witches are capable of redemption for their perceived evilness. In the Broadway musical “Wicked,” a reimagined version of Frank L. Baum’s 1900 novel “The Wonderful Wizard

of Oz,” Glinda (later known as The Good Witch) asks a key question: “Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” Both the novel and the musical provide Elphaba (later known as The Wicked Witch) with an origin story that contradicts the supposition that evil is innate. Elphaba is shunned at birth for her green skin, which suggests that evil is, in fact, a social construct. She is an innocent until the persona of monster is assigned to her based on her physical appearance. As Elphaba gets older, she fights for social justice but is publicly shunned and labeled evil. Ultimately, she accepts the persona of the Wicked Witch and satisfies the prescribed image of embodied evil. But this is a ruse; she never sacrifices her moral compass, remaining an underground humanitarian and Animal welfare advocate. Her backstory may raise social awareness to readers and audience members regarding the real-world problems that stem from imposing identities upon others. Modern adaptations of classic Disney films also provide narrative explanation for the villainesses’ wiles. In these new versions, the character has been wronged by a greater evil, so the audience can sympathize with her struggles as a victim rather than abhor her as a victimizer. Though she may eventually turn to villainous activity, someone else is culpable for her shift in character. In “Once Upon a Time,” Regina’s mother, Cora, murders Regina’s love interest. After the devastation of such a loss, Regina temporarily loses her capacity for love and happiness, and becomes the Evil Queen. When Regina learns to love again after adopting a son, she slowly recovers her buried goodness and eventually joins the heroes against larger threats. Her nature was not sinister, but developed out of agonizing circumstances and, ultimately, her goodness was reclaimable. Likewise, in “Maleficent,” Maleficent’s friend Stefan betrays her trust for his

own selfish gains to rise in power and become king. Deceived by the one she loved, Maleficent loses faith in love and therefore has no qualms about cursing the innocent baby Aurora. Over time though, she gains maternal affection toward Aurora and, like Regina, regains her capacity to love. These villainesses are victims of circumstances, rather than intrinsically evil. Their backstories provide a fresh approach to their characters and cause the audience to reconsider how we perceive others. Narrative explanation cautions us not to judge others before we know the whole story. As writers continue to imagine ways to resurrect classic villains, readers and audiences may gain new appreciation for the characters by better understanding the motivations behind their actions. Readers and audiences clearly enjoy the twists and turns of plot that become available with a retelling version of a classic fairy tale. Backstory narrative has also given us the opportunity to look inward at our own preconceived notions of others. It reminds us that there is often more to an individual’s story that triggers and motivates particular behavior. Bad is not necessarily just bad for bad’s sake but may be layered, misconceived, or assigned. Wonderfully powerful, backstory narrative gives others a chance for redemption and gives us a chance to rethink our own judgments. ■

Erica McCrystal is an assistant professor and a graduate director in the education and mathematics department at Centenary University. In her podcast, Villains 101, she analyzes iconic literary and film villains from various critical perspectives. Her new book, “Gotham City Living: The Social Dynamics in the Batman Comics and Media,” was published in April 2021. BE THE NEXT EXAMINE AUTHOR

Help us view subjects in a new light! If you have personal or professional expertise on a topic and would like to share your perspective, email hcmag@holycross.edu.

ARE YOU A GOOD WITCH? THE ROOT OF E VIL IN POPUL AR VILL AINESSES / EX AMINE

HOLY CROSS MAGAZINE

ONE COLLEGE STREET

WORCESTER, MA

01610-2395

NBA Hall of Fame point guard Bob Cousy ’50 sees his statue unveiled in downtown Worcester, his adopted hometown for the past 74 years. Depicting the New York native throwing his signature behind-the-back pass, the statue was unveiled June 18 in front of the DCU Center. “Worcester is my place,” said Cousy, who moved to the city in 1946 to attend Holy Cross. “I love this city. Whatever I have given to it, it has given me much more.”

MATTHEW WRIGHT

Holy Cross Magazine - Summer 2021

Articles inside

Class Notes 84 In Memoriam

For and With Others

Crusader Life

Solved Photo

Yolanda Rabun ’90 is Not Done Yet

Creative Notes

How Do You Tell the Story of Your Life?

Syllabus

Headliners

On The Hill

Who We Are Contributors

Editor’s Note

Spotlight

How To Reach Us

Dear HCM

From the President