Photo Blog

For the first time, the Vatican held a conference on autism, “The Person with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Animating Hope,”  Nov. 21-22. Among the attendees and speakers was Autism Speaks co-founders, Bob Wright ’65 and his wife Suzanne Wright. To close the conference, Pope Francis held a special mass for attendees and families.

Pope Francis greets Bob and Suzanne Wright at the Vatican.

Wright participates in a panel during the conference.

Bob Wright and his wife Suzanne receive a standing ovation after delivering remarks at the conference panel.

Photography by Autism Speaks.

Sam Marth ’16 of New York talks to Holy Cross alumnus and Nielsen employee, on right, Sammy DeCoste ’14 of Chicago during the annual Career Fair in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom. More than 60 employers, graduate schools and volunteer organizations were in attendance and approximately 300 students attended the fair, according to Amy Murphy, director of the Career Planning Center, which sponsored the event. Many employers send alumni employed by the organizations to the fair.

From left, General Electric employees and Holy Cross alumni, Whitney Fremeau ’11, Richard DiMatteo ’12 and Angela Chaisson ’15 all talk to current Holy Cross students during the fair.

Photography by Tom Rettig

Rev. John Savard, rector and professor in the education program, douses Rev. James Hayes, S.J., associate chaplain for mission, as part of the ASL ice bucket challenge. Several members of the Jesuit community participated after accepting the challenge from the Holy Cross Admissions team. Participants included, from left, Rev. Thomas Murphy, S.J., ’81, a visiting lecturer in the history department last academic year; Rev. Paul Harman, S.J., vice president for mission; Fr. Savard; Fr. Hayes; Rev. Thomas McMurray, S.J., chaplain and director of mission and identity, Admissions at the Nativity School of Worcester; and Keith Maczkiewicz, S.J., assistant chaplain.

Fr. Hayes drenches Fr. McMurray. The Jesuit community will be making a donation to Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester to support the care of individuals with ALS.

Photography by Tom Rettig

New classmates and happy members of the class of 2018 gather at a send-off event hosted by the Holy Cross Club of Greater Boston. Nineteen students and their families were at the reception and were welcomed by alumni club leaders. According to Kristyn Dyer, director of alumni relations, 18 alumni clubs are hosting send-off events for the newest members of the Holy Cross community across the country this summer. “For this Boston gathering, the Alumni Office provided each family with a Holy Cross cookbook, and each student a Holy Cross cellphone ID wallet,” says Dyer.

The Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA) held its annual dinner on May 15 at the Westin Boston Waterfront, and three Holy Cross alumni were front and center: the MBA’s secretary, Christopher A. Kenney ’87 (left), keynote speaker Chris Matthews ’67 of MSNBC’s “Hardball” (center) and the MBA’s vice president, Christopher P. Sullivan ’71 P02 (right). 

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The College held its first-ever accepted Chinese students reception in Beijing recently at the Park Hyatt Beijing. According to Xiaofeng Wan, assistant director of admissions, the event was a hit with the students and their families, who commented that no other college or university where their children had been accepted had planned such a welcome. Hank Hulick ’11(in the center behind the banner), Nate Nault ’11 (on the right with yellow tie) and Nestor Santana ’04 (holding the tip of the pennant) hosted the reception.

Chris Matthews ’67, host of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” returned to campus to give a talk about his latest book “Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked” in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom.

Students, faculty, staff and members of the Worcester community fill the ballroom.

Neema Hakim ’14 and Natasha Giftos ’14, copresidents of the Student Government Association, enjoy his talk.

Matthews signs books following his talk.

Photography by Dan Vaillancourt

Alison Mangiero, lecturer of political science at the College of the Holy Cross, took her Constitutional Law II class to an oral argument at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. by Justice Clarence Thomas ‘71. The students were present for the opinion announcement in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission—the influential campaign finance decision that was handed down the week prior. After the argument, Justice Thomas met with the students to answer their questions, both about the argument and the Constitutional Law, as well as his time at Holy Cross.

Phil Beans ’13, a former captain of the College of the Holy Cross men’s basketball team, organized a viewing party at the Hidden Shamrock in Chicago to watch the men’s basketball team take on American in the Patriot League semifinal tournament game.

Even thought the men’s team didn’t win the game, more than 25 Chicago-area alumni donned their purple to come out for the event. “Everyone had fun and even though we couldn’t pull out the win, I think everyone wants to make this a yearly event,” said Beans.