Author Alice McDermott to Receive Honorary Degree At Holy Cross Senior Convocation

WORCESTER, Mass. – Renowned novelist Alice McDermott will receive an honorary degree from the College of the Holy Cross on Jan. 24 at 4:30 p.m. in St. Joseph Chapel. The degree and academic hood will be presented to her by Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president of the College, and Stephen C. Ainlay, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College.

McDermott was originally scheduled to receive her honorary degree at the College’s May 2004 Commencement, but a family illness prevented her from attending that ceremony. The presentation will be part of the Senior Convocation program, an event designed strictly for students to reflect on their college careers and look toward the future after graduation from Holy Cross.

Earlier in the day, at 2:30 p.m., McDermott will deliver a talk titled "Suffering, Loss, and the Work of a Writer" in Rehm Library.

The author of five acclaimed novels, Alice McDermott has won critical praise and a devoted readership with her deft perceptions of love, loss, family and faith. Her debut novel, A Bigamist’s Daughter (1982), announced the arrival of an exciting new talent and her follow-up book, That Night (1987), was a finalist for the National Book Award, the Pulitzer Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. At Weddings and Wakes (1992), her third novel and New York Times bestseller, was called "a haunting and masterly work of literary art" by The Wall Street Journal. Charming Billy (1998) won the National Book Award. Her most recent novel, Child of My Heart, was published in 2002. McDermott received her bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Oswego, and a master’s degree in writing from the University of New Hampshire. She and her husband, research neuroscientist David M. Armstrong, have three children, Will, Patrick and Eames.

NOTE TO PHOTOGRAPHERS: Please call Nikolas Markantonatos at 508-793-2419 to make arrangements to attend either of these events.