$32.5 million towards the facility in 2015, the largest gift in College history.
Speakers at the event included Nathan Pine, director of athletics; Maeve Westover ’18, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative and member of the varsity swimming and diving team; John Mahoney ’73, chair of the Holy Cross Board of Trustees; Anne Fink ’85, P17, Become More campaign co-chair and College trustee; and Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president of the College. All expressed their sincere gratitude for the Luths’ generosity, and their excitement now that construction has started, as evidenced by the mountains of dirt in front of the Hart Center.
“This is the place where we refine our athletic skills, and now this space will be on par with the classrooms, labs and stages where we pursue our academic ambitions. It will be the home of Crusader athletics, and the cheers that will resound from this complex will be heard for decades,” remarked Westover to the enthusiastic applause of the purple-clad students, faculty, staff, alumni and trustees in attendance.
A varsity soccer player himself at Holy Cross, Luth has pushed for upgrades to the College’s athletics facilities for years. For him, seeing the project underway was both rewarding and exciting.
“This was one of the projects I was really passionate about,” reflects Luth, a former College trustee and current Advisory Board member. “It feels like the culmination of a lot of effort to see those piles of dirt. On the other hand, it also feels like a new beginning.”
At the podium, Dr. Chouinard-Luth, whose work focuses on nutrition and public health, acknowledged that students will use the complex to become more physically fit, and, as a result, more mentally fit. She added that in “feeling fit both physically and intellectually, you are to go forward and feel compelled to exponentially share it with others.”
The celebratory event concluded with the Luths accepting framed Holy Cross jerseys and, along with their family members, signing the beam that will become part of the building. All in attendance were invited to sign as well, including more than 500 student athletes.
Images from the event can be seen in the gallery above. For more information on the campaign, and the progress of construction, please visit the campaign website: www.holycross.edu/BecomeMore
Written by Rebecca Smith ’99 & Kim Staley ’99.
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