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Community Based Learning

 

          Community Based Learning (CBL) is an incredible program at Holy Cross and I think best represents the mission of the school. It gives students the opportunity to connect what is being taught in the classroom to the outside community, and incorporate the Jesuit mission of “Men and Women for and with others”. A professor can choose to make their course a CBL course which means the students are required to participate in a range of projects and direct service opportunities that meet community identified needs right here in Worcester. These courses are offered in a wide variety of disciplines and almost all students participate in a CBL course during their time at Holy Cross.

         I have participated in many different CBL courses which has opened my eyes to a whole other aspect of my education, and has allowed me to be more integrated in the Worcester community. During my first year at Holy Cross, one of my Spanish courses had a CBL component. Each week I would go to a high school in Worcester that had a large ESL (English Second Language) student population. Using my Spanish, I would help students with their homework and classwork. It was an opportunity to put my Spanish into practice, and to see the opportunities and value that come with studying Spanish. I ended up declaring the Spanish major at the end of this course

         As a sophomore, I took a Social Ethics course, which again, had a CBL component. For this course I went to Mercy Centre, an organization for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through Catholic Charities. I then completed a project connecting what I had learned at Mercy Centre to what I had learned in class. Thanks to this class, I continued to attend Mercy Centre throughout my time at Holy Cross. It opened my eyes to a whole new community in Worcester and allowed me to continue to incorporate the work of Mercy Centre into the goals of my other courses. This semester (2nd semester of senior year), I am in a Seeking Justice course. It is a course with a focus on the Jesuit mission of seeking justice during our time at Holy Cross. A lot of what we discuss and our experiences stem from our participation in CBL. This program has been one of the most impactful programs I have participated in during my time at Holy Cross.

 

Shannon Quirk ’20

 

Hi! I’m Shannon Quirk from Kensington, MD. I am a senior Economics and Spanish double major at Holy Cross. In addition to being involved in admissions as a Senior Interviewer and a Tour Guide, I am also involved in the Pre-Business program, a program outside of my majors to prepare for a career in business. I volunteer at the Mercy Centre through our Community Based Learning program, and I am the co-chair of the Women in Business Club. One of the highlights of my Holy Cross experience was spending my junior year studying abroad in León, Spain, fully immersed in the Spanish language and culture. I have loved my four years here, not only because of the incredible education and opportunities I have received, but also because of the community here on campus.
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Choosing a Major

 

Hi everyone! My name is Michaela Lake, I am a sophomore Psychology major at the College, working as a Social Media Intern for the Admissions Office.  I have noticed through talking to prospective students and parents, and working our Open House, that a lot of students are curious about the process of declaring a major, and what exactly that process looks like here at Holy Cross. I know personally that choosing a major can be stressful, and looks different from college to college, so I thought I would share more of what the process looks like here.

All first-year students come into Holy Cross their first semester undeclared. This allows students to explore different academic disciplines across departments, helping solidify an academic interest, ultimately helping plan the next three years at the College. Personally, I found this to be very beneficial to my academic track, and relieved some of my stress about my first year. Coming in undeclared allowed me to feel less pressure and constraint on what I could study, and allowed me to take a variety of classes across my different interests. In my first semester on the Hill, I was able to take an Education course, as well as a Political Science class, and get a better sense of what I was passionate about, and what classes and academic track that would fit my passion. Even though coming in undeclared can seem overwhelming, it is actually a really nice benefit for first year students, not having to stay on one track from the onset of their first semester through graduation.

At the beginning of their first semester, first-year students consult and meet their first-year advisors. First-year advisors are an awesome resource for students, especially when it comes to deciding a major; they are here to get to know you and your interests, and are there to help facilitate your academic track. Advisors check in throughout the semester, and are available to answer any questions or concerns about classes, alleviate any stress, and talk to students about their interests. First-year advisors can direct students’ questions to other departments if they are unsure of an answer themselves, and can recommend what classes to take or professors to talk to going forward at Holy Cross. I can safely say my first-year advisor was a great resource for me, answering my questions about different classes and programs, and made me feel confident going forward in my academic track at Holy Cross.

Classes first semester of freshman year are a great way to guide any sort of interest a student would have. A part of why I personally chose Holy Cross was the liberal arts education, something that gave me the most academic freedom. As I wrote earlier, I took a variety of classes my freshman year, and this was a great way for me to decide on my academic track at Holy Cross. Part of the beauty of the Liberal Arts curriculum is that students can take a variety of courses while also fulfilling course requirements for graduation. Taking a breadth of courses across disciplines, especially in a student’s first year, satisfies the requirements of our liberal arts curriculum, while also providing the opportunity to explore what exactly they want to major in.

Going to college allows for students to pursue their academic interests with more freedom for the first time, something that can seem overwhelming. 

My advice to incoming students at Holy Cross is to take introductory-level courses that spark your interest. For example, if you are considering majoring in Economics, take a 100-level course and get a sense of what an academic track as an Economics major would like. Loved your French class in high school? Take a French class! Enroll in classes that spark your interest, and this will help facilitate a sense of what you would like to take going into the rest of your experience at Holy Cross. 

The best advice I could give to prospective and incoming students regarding selecting a major is do not feel like there is a rush to declare. Students at Holy Cross can declare as early as their second semester freshman year, and can change their major at any point through the end of their second semester of their sophomore year. The best thing students can do to solidify what major they should pursue is to take their time, explore any possible interests, communicate with their advisors, and keep an open mind heading into their college experience. Enjoy your academic freedom, and an academic track will become clear!

 

Michaela Lake ’22