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Move-In Day: An incoming freshman’s perspective

Robbie Carter, an incoming first-year student from Tampa, Fla., took some time to reflect on the craziness and community that is Holy Cross Move-In Day.


August 24 had finally arrived and only one single thought was continuously running through my head: Move-in Day at Holy Cross! Driving up Mount St. James for the first time as a student, I experienced a unique mixture of fear, excitement, nervousness, and joy as I approached Mulledy, my home for the next year.

The very second I pulled into the parking spot, however, all feelings of anxiety melted away as I was swarmed with a blur of blue “Holy Cross Move-In Day 2013” T-shirts and smiling faces, each one greeting me with a genuine (and loud) “WELCOME TO HOLY CROSS!”  The move-in crew instantly unloaded my car and brought my bags up to my room. They clearly knew the drill. My roommate followed shortly behind, and within a mere hour my room was all set up.

Having nothing else to do until the closing Mass of the Holy Spirit at 4 p.m., I decided to squeeze in a workout at the field house. There, I bumped into two of my future upperclassmen teammates on the rowing team who were in the middle of their workout. They instantly introduced themselves and seemed genuinely excited to have me on the team for the upcoming Fall and Spring season. Even more, they stuck around for an extra half hour to watch and cheer me on during my workout.

Those 30 minutes epitomized my Holy Cross move in experience: the instantaneous acceptance and genuine excitement displayed by all the students towards the incoming freshmen was simply incredible. There was no apparent hierarchy of class rank that distinguished the students from one another; it was simply one big happy family that was there to help support their newest siblings as they began their journey through Holy Cross.

After only a few hours on campus, I had knew I made the right choice on where I would build my home for the next four years of my life.

For the full Move-In Day experience (without actually doing it!), click here: Holy Cross Move-In Day
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Why Holy Cross? Because it’s Spring in New England

Having moved back East after four years of living a stone’s throw from the beach in Los Angeles, people often ask me, ”Why would anyone leave California for Massachusetts?”  To me, the answer is simple:

There is absolutely nothing like spring in New England.

You can smell its approach in the air.  After an arguably “character-building” winter, the first scent of spring is nothing short of amazing.  It’s an indescribable mix of soil and daffodils, mineral-y spring water,  and unadulterated joy.  And the second that scent matures into sunshine, and the temperature ticks above fifty degrees,  the air buzzes with a new sense of excitement.   The flip flops come out,  the window screens descend, the birds are chirpety chirping, Youk is up to bat, and all is right with the world.

New England’s four seasons instill in its patrons a unique sense of appreciation…an appreciation  for the characteristics and rhythms that each season presents, and an appreciation  for how quickly one season is engulfed by the next.  We learn to appreciate every day as it comes.   We watch the multi-colored leaves dancing overhead as we head to the game. We snuggle up and study with hot cocoa after tray-sledding.  We savor every last inch of spring sunshine from blankets on the quad.  We eat lobstah’ and chowdah’ with sunburned noses, and then we get excited to do it all again.

Julia Sanders
Assistant Director of Admissions
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The New Science Complex

SuzanneTimmons.BLOG2Every spring, I find myself at college fairs speaking with students about Holy Cross. During my conversations,  I can’t tell you the number of times students inquire about becoming involved in the sciences while on our campus.  A few weeks ago our staff took a personal tour of the new science complex on campus. Below are some photos from the experience:

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A side view of the Integrated Science Complex.

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Senior Owen Fenton works on chemistry as part of his Fenwick Scholar presentation entitled “Chemical Body Armor: A Study on Phosphorus.”

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The new labs are designed specifically to promote hands – on exploration.

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The Complex makes high-level science “visible” by utilizing an abundance of glass and natural light in interior and exterior construction.

Suzanne R. Timmons
Assistant Director of Admissions
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Purple IS Green: Environmental Sustainability at Holy Cross

SuzanneTimmons.BLOG2I can’t begin to tell you the number of times I’ve had students ask me about the Environmental Studies major at Holy Cross. On these occasions, I typically can easily rattle off the number of majors we have on campus and the requirements of the program. Today though, I learned some even more important facts and statistics about the way in which Holy Cross is pursuing environmental sustainability. Listed below are a few things that I took away from this professional development opportunity:

 

  • Holy Cross has adopted a green building policy, with the intent of meeting LEED silver certification standards with all new major construction and renovations.

 

  • The College manages an active composting program (using leaves, hedge clippings, etc.) that generates approximately 700 yards of compost for use in the College’s flower/plant beds. Additionally, the College has purchased and employs mulching mowers for the 100+ acres of lawns.

 

  • Kimball Main Dining Hall went “trayless” in March 2009. It is expected that 25 to 50 percent less food will be wasted, and up to a half gallon of water will be saved per tray not washed, saving 900 gallons of water a day.

 

  • Beginning in the spring of 2009, the College began growing vegetables and fruits in a community garden adjacent to the Hart football practice fields. Faculty, staff, and students are involved in this collaborative project.

 

So, if you are considering Holy Cross and wonder if we plan to “go green”, the answer is, we already have! For updates on our sustainability, keep an eye on our sustainability website.

 

Suzanne Timmons

Assistant Director of Admissions
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Open House Part Deux

SuzanneTimmons.BLOG2Thank you to all of you who attended our Open House on Sunday, October 4, 2009. After almost three weeks of work travel, it was my first time back on campus and it was a great opportunity to meet with prospective students.

Open House serves as a great “one stop shop” for experiencing life at Holy Cross. We’ll provide you with opportunities to talk with our students, faculty and staff. You will be able to attend information sessions about the admission process or talk with professors about our various majors on campus. Interested in athletics or student clubs or organizations? We’ll connect you with our coaches and club representatives. And perhaps most importantly, you will leave campus with your stomach full of some world famous Holy Cross Mac and Cheese.

If you’re sold on any or all that I have just mentioned, join us for our second Open House of the season. Register here for the November 8, 2009, Open House

Suzanne R. Timmons
Assistant Director of Admissions
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Have You Scheduled Your Day Visit Yet?

alyssa-tIt is already October and I am sure a day off from school sounds like a good idea right about now.  What could be better than skipping some classes and coming up to Holy Cross for a day and living the life of a current Crusader?  You might have to make-up some AP course work upon your return but I promise you it will be worth it.  Day Visits are offered to seniors in high school and take place Monday through Friday.  All you have to do is call our office, share your interests, and we will take care of the rest.  At Holy Cross we work hard to try and pair you up with one of our volunteers that match either your academic or extracurricular interests.  We ask that prospective students arrive to Admissions at 8:30 a.m. where they meet up with their host.  During the day most students will have the opportunity to attend a few classes, have a meal at Kimball, hang out in their host’s dorm, and you can even have an interview in Admissions.  There is no better way to get a true feel of what life is like on Mt. Saint James.

So what are you waiting for?

Alyssa Trometter
Admissions Counselor
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It’s time for summer tours!

lauren-tSummertime is finally here!
While many of you are probably ecstatic that your final exams are wrapping up and you can finally relax, lie in the sun and enjoy your summer vacation, we here in the Admissions Office are conducting our summer tours.  With the official beginning of summer and the sun finally (barely!) gracing us with its presence, comes our full schedule of summer tours.  Making the visit to campus and going on one of our summer tours is a great way to get to know more about Holy Cross. Summer tours are offered Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 2:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.  We do not require pre-registration which makes popping in for a tour easy especially if you happen to be driving on I-290, heading on your family’s summer vacation!  If the ease of visiting Holy Cross this summer and your sheer curiosity about our campus is not enough to convince you, here are our top five reasons for visiting:

  1. See firsthand what is unique and special about Holy Cross.
  2. Admire our 174 acre hillside campus which in Princeton Review’s 2009 college rankings was placed in the top ten for “Most Beautiful College Campuses” (and increase your stamina by climbing our plethora of stairs).
  3. Feel the strong sense of community and discover more about our Jesuit traditions.
  4. Learn why studying liberal arts prepares you for all aspects of life.
  5. Hear from our current students about their experiences while on Mount St. James (and why they bleed purple).

Please see our Web site for  more information on campus tours.
Hope to see YOU on campus this summer!

Lauren D. Thornton
Admissions Counselor