Senior vice president talks about need for new science complex in video

You’ll find many people on the Hill who love Holy Cross, but few display the same type of enthusiasm as Frank Vellaccio.

In the second of three videos about the integrated science complex now under construction, the senior vice president speaks passionately about his more than 30 years at the College — the majority of which were spent as a professor in the chemistry department — and the critical need for new science facilities on campus.

The new building, the Linda and Park B. Smith Laboratories, will carry on traditions that Vellaccio, who has a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has seen flourish throughout his tenure at the College — strong student-faculty interaction, exemplary teaching and research, and deep commitment to mission.

“I just fell in love with the place,” says Vellaccio, recalling his early days at Holy Cross. “It was everything that I was looking for. It really gave me the opportunity to work closely with students, who are incredibly motivated and fun-loving. In addition, it valued teaching and research, and the integration of the two. It was very supportive of the faculty and very supportive of students. I also became emotionally and spiritually connected with the mission of the College.”

In the video, Vellaccio points out that 22 percent of all students are majoring in science or have a concentration in premedical or predental programs, and that the remaining 78 percent also need science instruction as part of their required course work at Holy Cross.

The quality of the faculty is one of the reasons Holy Cross alumni have experienced enormous success in the field of science, says Vellaccio. With state-of-the-art facilities, the new complex will ensure that the College continues to attract high-caliber professors.

“Science isn’t easy to learn,” he says. “You need faculty to teach it to students. We’ve always attracted professors who make that commitment to teaching. This new facility will strengthen our appeal to nationally-renowned instructors. Student and faculty researchers will be able to work together more effectively, and the opportunities for more collaboration and the sharing of sophisticated equipment will increase as well.”

Watch Frank Vellaccio's video.

Related Information:

• In a series of video messages, Holy Cross administrators talk about new science complex