Author: Sarah Gale

Neither cold snow nor heavy rain nor summer’s heat keeps our Holy Cross students from the thorough and pleasant completion of their guided tours of Mt. St. James!

Throughout the year, our office greets visitors from all over the world. We are so lucky to have a great group of dedicated students who make the time to meet with our guests and take them around campus. Not to brag, but I believe that our tour guides are especially eloquent, thoughtful, and enthusiastic people. They offer prospective students a glimpse into the special Holy Cross student experience and show visitors campus through their interesting perspective–we are incredibly grateful for them!

Giving tours on humid July afternoons or on chilly January mornings is not always the easiest job, but it is one for which we receive so much positive feedback. To show our appreciation for all of our tour guides, our tour guide coordinator, Laura Boyle, arranges all kinds of special treats. This summer she hosted a breakfast-for-lunch feast!

Cheers to our fantastic tour guides!

As I walked to work this morning, I noticed that the sky seemed a different shade of blue. I also noticed a slight chill in the air, and I saw more people walking around campus than I had in weeks past. It finally feels like fall: another new school year and another admissions cycle! It has been an incredibly busy time for all of us in admissions at Fenwick Hall, as we prepare for the arrival of the Class of 2020 and switch gears to focus on the Class of 2021. I for one am very excited to jump into the recruitment season, so I wanted to give you a preview of what’s to come:

 

– Perspectives: From Saturday, November 5th through Monday, November 7th we are hosting prospective students on campus for our annual Perspectives Program!  This opportunity is open to culturally aware high school seniors, and it’s a great way to learn more about the Holy Cross student experience.  We plan all kinds of fun activities for participants as well as provide room and board, free of charge to participants.  The last day to apply is Monday, September 26th at 5PM EST.  Please click on this link for the online application.

– Travel: Throughout the months of September and October, admissions representatives from Holy Cross will be travelling all over the country to visit high schools and attend college fairs.  We seek to share information about what makes Holy Cross special, as well as meet prospective students in their home areas!  Please stay tuned for our office travel schedule, which will be made available on the site over the coming weeks.

– Open House: Two Sundays in the fall (October 2nd and November 6th), we invite prospective students and their families to visit campus and explore all that the College of the Holy Cross has to offer.  Guests may preregister by clicking on this link or sign up the day of the event.  We provide a light breakfast and lunch, as well as tours, info sessions, panels, and more!

– Day Visits: High school seniors will be matched with a current Holy Cross student host and have the chance to shadow him/her to see what’s it’s like to be a Crusader!  Students may request a day visit by clicking here.

– Interviews: As we discuss in the blog, we highly encourage prospective students to interview with Holy Cross.  Thus we offer opportunities both on- and off-campus for high school seniors to meet with us and share their high school experiences. To arrange for an on-campus interview, please call the Admissions Office at least two weeks in advance at 800-442-2421; we look forward to meeting you!

– For students who cannot make it to campus, please visit the alumni interview request form to request an alumni interview. Requests for alumni interviews are accepted until Dec. 1.

– For students who would like to attend one of our alumni interview night programs, please visit the off-campus interview request form to request an interview and see this year’s dates.

Of course, please do follow us on Twitter and Facebook with more updates about these and other events.  Happy Fall!

It’s a beautiful Friday afternoon, and as I sit to type this, I cannot help but look out the window at the lovely green grass, the somewhat-cloudy-but-still-pretty-clear blue skies, and the bright leaves softly rustling in the big trees.  Thank goodness it’s almost the weekend–I plan to spend some time outside and enjoy this wonderful New England weather!

For me, summer is such a great time to catch up on books.  It feels so nice to jump into a story while relaxing at the beach or hanging out in the park, so I try to take advantage as often as I can.  As a student, I always enjoyed receiving the list of books that I had to complete by the end of August.  In middle school, I would even help my cousin with his reading requirements: he promised me that I would be able to read to him a chapter of Harry Potter if I read to him a chapter of his summer reading.  What a great deal!

Now, one of my favorite questions to ask during interviews is, “So what are you reading?”  It interests me to see which classic stories will be covered and which contemporary tomes are being added to the list.  Just today a student told me that she was enjoying Wuthering Heights, and another student earlier this week mentioned how much he liked Catcher in the Rye.

As I’m almost finished my book club’s pick for July, I thought it might be worthwhile to see what other good options might be out there.  First I came across this list on our new site called HC 100 Books.  Apparently back in the ’80s a group of faculty members chose books that they considered great classics (you can read the list here).  After skimming the list, it surprised me to find that I have only read three!

Other choices for summer reading: works by Holy Cross alumni.  Billy Collins ’63 served as the US Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2003 and the New York Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006.  Some of his books include Aimless Love, The Trouble with Poetry, and Nine Horses.  Another Holy Cross alumnus, Edward P. Jones, graduated in 1972 and wrote All Aunt Hagar’s Children and Lost in the City.  Jones went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2004 with his novel, The Known World.

Between the 97 classics by historic authors and the award-winning works by these notable Crusaders, it looks as though I have my work cut out for me this summer!

 

After asking our tour guides about their favorite places on Mt. St. James, we decided to find out where they go when they want to explore Worcester! Below are their responses:

Sara: Canal Street Farmer’s Market, Birch Tree Bread Company, & Crompton Collective

One of my favorite places to go for brunch in Worcester is Birch Tree Bread Company.   Located on Green Street, in Kelly Square, Birch Tree has a special atmosphere with a wide variety of homemade bread and pastries, as well as locally grown food and produce. Also, right next store is Crompton Collective, a one-of-a-kind store with many vendors (many of whom are on Etsy!), selling items ranging from antiques to jewelry to clothing. On Saturday mornings, there is a Farmers’ Market where fresh produce, homemade bread, and henna are sold.

Flav: Elm Park

My favorite spot in Worcester would have to be the historic Elm Park, which is about a ten-minute drive from Holy Cross. I like going on runs around the outer edge of the park (which covers around ¾ of a mile). There are many great walking paths and beautiful bridges which traverse the park. Throughout the year, Elm Park plays host to various concerts, festivals, and great family events, all which help to foster and strengthen community ties.

Yen: Greenhill Park

One of my favorite spots growing up in the Woo is Greenhill Park! It’s truly a beautiful and well-kept place, perfect for a stroll in the park, a run, or a picnic. It’s not far from Shrewsbury Street, which is another great area Holy Cross students and locals love. In the summer, you can go canoeing (for free!), which is always a plus. I also really like the beautiful golf course and their small farm that offers a petting zoo.

Joanna: Shrewsbury Street

Of all the great places in Worcester, I would have to say that my favorite is Shrewsbury Street; it is the place to go whenever you have an empty stomach, or if you just want to grab a quick coffee. This mile-and-a-half long street is home to 32 amazing restaurants and eateries from which to choose, ranging from classic Italian to tasty Asian bistro!

Joe A.: Volturno

I get hungry a lot, so I’m always on the prowl for something good to eat. Typically I find myself at Volturno, an awesome Italian restaurant. Located right on Shrewsbury Street, it’s only about a five-minute drive from campus. All the food is great, but the wood-fired pizza is what keeps me coming back for more…especially on Mondays and Tuesdays when pizza is two-for-one! This pizza is the real deal and comes with creative toppings, such as pistachio pesto.

Joe C.: InHouse Coffee

One of the best places in Worcester is InHouse Coffee. It is definitely a hotspot for Holy Cross students to study, hang out, and especially get that crucial caffeine pick me up. InHouse is located on Shrewsbury Street, so it is only a five-minute drive from campus! The local feel of InHouse really makes it better than your average Panera or Starbucks. The staff is extremely friendly and you will most likely run into fellow Holy Cross students there as well! InHouse has incredible homemade coffee and chai teas along with tasty pastries to help you get through the day. Also back on campus, everyone will be jealous of you sporting the signature InHouse Coffee cup!

Kailey: Dell’Ovo’s Kitchen

My favorite spot in Worcester is an old school Italian restaurant on Shrewsbury Street. The food is absolutely delicious and they have a different creative special for lunch every day! Along with the great food, the staff is awesome and so personable. My favorite dish is the chicken parm and I can never get enough of it!

Kat: Baba Sushi

As someone who grew up in the Worcester area, I can confidently say that Baba Sushi is the single greatest place in Central Massachusetts. It’s about ten minutes from the Holy Cross campus, and they have an extensive menu of signature, handmade sushi rolls. Baba is a great place for groups as they have a very open and zen back room as well as a more intimate front space which is ideal for a cute weekend date. It is complete and utter sushi indulgence!

 

Kailey Verni: My favorite place on campus is Fenwick Hall…most notably in the fall when the ivy begins to change color. Fenwick is my favorite spot because not only did my first visit campus begin there, but also a huge portion of my HC experience was in this hall. Having been an English and Philosophy double major, many of my classes and professors’ offices were here. I frequented the second and third floors, spending hours talking with professors and learning more about my particular interests. During my time as a tour guide, I spent my fall and winter breaks familiarizing myself with the first floor. Fenwick Hall holds a special place in my heart as a central part of my Holy Cross experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emily: My favorite spot on campus is definitely Cool Beans 2. As an International Studies major, many of my classes are in the humanities, so I definitely spend a lot of time in Stein! CB2 is a great spot to grab coffee with friends, catch up on some homework, or meet for a group project. There are a ton of nice places to sit — I usually try and snag one of the high-top round tables! My favorite thing to get is absolutely their vanilla latte!

 

 

 

 

 

Joanna: My favorite spot on campus is definitely the Hoval, located conveniently behind Hogan Campus Center. It’s a great place to take a quick study break or hang out with friends! There’s always something going on, whether it’s bouncy houses during Spring Weekend, or free food trucks on Fridays. The Hoval is where I like to catch up with friends over lunch and lay underneath the tree for a reading break, making it my favorite spot on campus!

 

 

 

 

Joseph: There are many reasons why Cool Beans is my favorite spot on campus. Most importantly they have some of the best milkshakes and smoothies I have ever tasted! I made it a goal my first year to try each and every smoothie and I have no regrets. Aside from the shakes, ice cream, and awesome ice tea, another reason I like Cool Beans so much is because I always meet up with friends there. Since the shop is in our campus center I see so many people walk by and I’m bound to meet up with one of my friends.

 

 

 

 

Sara:  In addition to Cool Beans, my favorite spot on campus is the Hart Center Lawn (especially at sunset).  The Hart Center, which is currently being renovated, is at the top of the Hill and has one of the best views of Worcester.  At Fall Orientation, the Mass of the Holy Spirit is held on the Hart Lawn and marks the beginning of one’s time at Holy Cross.  I love to take walks around campus, especially during the summer, as it is not only relaxing, but you experience campus in a new way each time.  The view from the back of Hart, at the soccer field, also offers a beautiful outlook into Auburn.