Photo Blog

Members of the Holy Cross Ballroom Dance team pose with coach Gary Jacobik during a cancer research fundraiser held in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom. Jacobik owns an Arthur Murray Dance studio in Worcester, and founded the Holy Cross Ballroom Dance club about 20 years ago. The event raised close to $10,000. From left, Christopher Michaud ’13, Courtney Lyons ’12, Cecilia Carlowicz ’12, Jacobik, C. Dan Earley ’12, Kallen Bakas ’12, Samantha Hullihen ’13, and Allie Gitto ’14

Team captains Cecilia Carlowicz ’12 and C. Dan Earley ’12 enjoy the open floor following their performances.

Ballroom Dance team co-chairs Cecilia Carlowicz ’12 and Samantha Hullihen ’13 helped facilitate the “Dance for Hope” event, which raised close to $10,000 for cancer research.

Holy Cross graduates and professional ballroom dancers, Mike Creeden ’03 and Jessica Spink ’06 perform during the event.

Photography by Dan DeConinck ’13

Cancer Walk

Holy Cross students pose before the walk.

Fr. McFarland chats with students before the walk.

Rev. Greg Boyle, S.J., founder of Homeboy Industries and author of “Tattoos on the Heart” delivers a presentation titled “Barking to the Choir: Finding the Kinship of God” in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom. “Tattoos on the Heart” was selected as the first-year reading for the Class of 2015. Read more about the talk in the Telegram & Gazette.

Fr. Boyle signs books following his talk.

Photograph by J Kevin Crowley ’12

Participants in Holy Cross’ Odyssey Program help prepare classrooms at the Nativity School of Worcester on Aug. 24, 2011.  In addition to the Nativity School, students completed projects at the Worcester County Food Bank, Quinsigamond Village Community Center, Dismas House, the Worcester Tree Initiative, Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center, Worcester Youth Center, and the Regional Environmental Council.

Photograph by Matt Kennis

Faculty, administrators and alumni welcomed participants of Odyssey 2015 and their families at the opening dinner in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the program. Odyssey is a one-week program open on a voluntary basis to all first-year ALANA (African-American, Latin American, Asian-American, and Native American) and international students. During the week, the 61 participants took part in workshops, field trips, discussions, and volunteer and social programs. Since the program’s inception, 776 first-year students have participated in Odyssey.

Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president, welcomes Odyssey participants.

From left, Amadeus Javier ’11, Anthony Zelayandia ’11 and Gabriel Fernandez ’12.

Stephanie Montilla ’13 and Samantha Oliveira ’12 embrace.

Odyssey “grads” who attended the event pose for the camera. At far left is Esther Levine, director of the Odyssey Program.

Photography by Patrick O’Connor

On Aug. 11, Holy Cross hosted a pizza banquet and awards ceremony to celebrate the end of its six-week Middle School Success Institute.  In attendance were Sullivan Middle School students and their families, Holy Cross President Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., Worcester Mayor Joseph O’Brien, and Superintendent Melinda Boone.  In addition to recognizing the achievements of the middle school students, O’Brien presented each of the six Holy Cross student organizers with a key to the city.  Above, students enjoy pizza and Sullivan student Esther Oluokun shares her experiences as part of the program.

For six weeks this summer Holy Cross has operated a Middle School Success program with 21 students from Worcester’s Sullivan Middle School. The program has been led by six Holy Cross students and is funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Commonwealth Corps and the College.  The middle school students have participated in several service projects, including working with the Worcester Tree Initiative, a private, non-profit effort to reforest the city of Worcester and surrounding communities. On Aug. 2, Worcester mayor Joseph C. O’Brien joined the middle school students for a ceremonial planting of a cherry tree near Elm Park Community School.

Photography by Matt Kennis

Unusually hot temperatures brought Worcester brothers Prustide and Nathan to the Hart Swimming Pool at the College of the Holy Cross yesterday to cool off.  Holy Cross became a host site this year for Wheels to Water, a City of Worcester program that provides access for local children to area pools and beaches.  The College also donated $10,000 to support operational costs for the program. Youth from Autumn Woods Apartments in Worcester can swim for free at the Hart Swimming Pool on campus on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3-5 p.m.

Michael Collins ’77, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, presents honorary degrees to Autism Speaks founders Bob Wright ’65, and his wife Suzanne, at the university’s 38th commencement ceremonies.  “That all may know of our appreciation for your dedication to autism advocacy and the remarkable achievements of Autism Speaks, the University of Massachusetts Worcester confers upon you the Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa,” their honorary degree citation read in part.

Photograph by John Gillooly

Hannah McCormick ’14, left, and Kelly Dyer ’14 are surrounded with leftover items that students left behind after moving out of the residence halls for the summer. McCormick and Dyer are members of Eco-Action, a student-run environmental group at Holy Cross, which is holding its annual “Trash or Treasure” drive in which all unwanted belongings are collected and redistributed to Worcester-area organizations including the Salvation Army and Plumley Village.

A staffer tosses a bag of gently used clothing that was collected through “Trash or Treasure” into the Salvation Army truck. Last year, the discarded items filled up over three Salvation Army trucks and other smaller vehicles.

Photography by Nick Markantonatos