Fall First Year Student Orientation

St. Joseph Chapel was filled to capacity on the evening of August 30, as the newest members of the student body gathered for the Fall First Year Student Convocation. The assembly marked the culmination of the Gateways Orientation experience and the threshold of full matriculation into the College Community.

As students found their seats in the chapel, they were asked to reflect on the unique gifts that each of them brings to Holy Cross, and how they plan to use their gifts to make the most of their time at the College. Each student wrote their gifts on slips of paper, which were collected in a basket at the end of the Convocation. The basket will be displayed at major Class of 2008 events during the next four years, as a reminder of the diverse qualities that each students brings to the community.

Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., Holy Cross president, addressed the Class of 2008, speaking about the important roles that discernment and reflection will continue to play in shaping how they take advantage of the many opportunities available to them at Holy Cross and beyond.

"Freedom," he said, "is about making choices; and you have a lot of them facing you. Who will you take for your friends? How will you allocate your time? What will you do to relax? Will you use alcohol or drugs, and how much? What activities will you be involved in, and what will be your level of commitment? Whose advice will you listen to? How committed will you be to learning? Will you be faithful in carrying out all your responsibilities? What will your major be? What courses will you take? What kind of career are you interested in and how will you prepare for it? The choices you make here will help shape the person you become and the future that opens for you."

Fenwick Scholar, Mark Ferraguto '05,then talked to students about how the choices he made allowed him to pursue his interest in music in a most challenging, creative and meaningful way. He reflected on how the people he met at Holy Cross and the academic and social opportunities available to him helped shape his goals and aspirations. As this year's Fenwick Scholar, one of the highest academic honors the College bestows, Ferraguto will pursue a year-long research project titled "Reading the 'Program' in Beethoven's Instrumental Music."

The convocation concluded when four members of the Class of 2008 (pictured above: Ariana DeAngelis William King, Sarah Jensen, Jason Tartaglione) and four members of the administration shared their gifts and reflections publicly. After a formal procession out of the Chapel, the first year class gathered for the President's Banquet in Kimball Dining Hall.