Joseph J. Reilly Jr. '55

On Thursday, May 20, at the ALANA Baccalaureate Banquet, the Office of Multicultural Education presented to Joseph J. Reilly Jr. '55 a Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to Holy Cross.

From this year on, the award will honor two seniors who exemplify the ideals of Holy Cross and the caring and loving example of Joe Reilly. The two students will be chosen to receive this award each year at the Student Government Association awards banquet, held in May. This year's recipients were Ray Canada '01 and Kristin Misner '01.

Joe currently heads the Bishop Healy Committee, established in 1979. The committee works to assist the Admissions Office in recruiting and retaining a diverse population of students at Holy Cross. Their purpose is to “discover and implement means of alumni participation in efforts to foster interracial understanding, interaction and friendship within the Holy Cross community.”

The staff members of the Office of Multicultural Education presented Joe with the plaque which will display the names of the seniors chosen in his honor. Dr. Mary Ni, director, Veronica Meneses-Swift, assistant director, and Robert Principe, director of special projects and training, surprised Joe during the open microphone session of the ALANA banquet. This session is a tradition during the banquet which provides an opportunity for students, parents and staff to share thoughts on or give thanks for their experiences at Holy Cross.

The Joseph J. Reilly Plaque will be permanently displayed at the entrance to the Student Programs and Leadership Development Office in the Hogan Campus Center.

Joe Reilly '55 yearbook photoActive in the affairs of his class even before graduating, Joe was class president as a senior and was elected his class' lifetime president in 1985. Former director of human resources of the Hanson Co. in Worcester, Joe is also former director and president of the General Alumni Association (GAA).

He has served as president of the Holy Cross Club of Boston and was named Crusader of the Year in 1981. Joe was presented with the In Hoc Signo Award in 1987 in recognition of his generous time and talents donated to Holy Cross.

Joe can be seen around campus most everyday, meeting and greeting perspective students, researching former students, and aiding in overall campus activities. His Lifetime Achievement Award will stand as a lasting tribute to his dedication to and embodiment of the Holy Cross mission.

Six of Joe's seven children are Holy Cross graduates: Anne Reilly Ziaja '78, Joseph J. III '79, Kathleen '81, Brendan '82, Terry '83 and Gael '85.

The term ALANA refers to persons of African-American, Latino/a, Asian-American and Native American heritage.