Lighting The Way Together

Online Registration is now closed.  Please call the Office of Alumni Relations to register at 508-793-2418.

Schedule of Events

Friday, October 27

• 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  Bookstore Open 

• 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.  Lighting the Way Together Memorabilia Exhibit | College Archives, Dinand Library, 3rd floor
  Stop by to view a special display of items highlighting our life and times on the Hill

• 3:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.  Check-in | Hogan 3rd Floor Lobby
• 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.  Signs of the Times Exhibit | Hogan 320
  Memorabilia from the '70s (what we listened to, what movies we saw, what ads we consumed) plus some "behind the scenes" communication across the Holy Cross administration sets the cultural context in which coeducation took place.
• 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.  Viewing of Voices from 1972: Stories from the First Women of Holy Cross | Hogan Room 402
  30 women volunteered to share their Holy Cross "stories".  The highlight reel includes snippets from many of these interviews. 
• 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.  Wine, Women and Wisdom | Hogan, Suites B & C, 4th floor
  The women of ’74, ’75 and ’76 are invited to this special evening for moderated group conversations from 5-6:30 p.m. followed by a light dinner buffet.

Saturday, October 28

All events will take place in Hogan Campus Center unless otherwise noted.

• 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.  Check-in | Hogan 3rd Floor lobby
• 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.  Signs of the Times Exhibit | Hogan Dunn Lounge, 3rd floor
  Memorabilia from the '70s (what we listened to, what movies we saw, what ads we consumed) plus some "behind the scenes" communication across the Holy Cross administration sets the cultural context in which coeducation took place.
• 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.  Voices from 1972:  Stories from the First Women of Holy Cross | Hogan 328
  30 women volunteered to share their Holy Cross "stories".  The highlight reel includes snippets from many of these interviews.  The video will be running continuously with a final loop immediately following the dinner.
• 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  Bookstore open
• 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.  Lighting the Way Together Memorabilia Exhibit | College Archives, Dinand Library, 3rd floor
  Stop by to view a special display of items highlighting our life and times on the Hill! (Archives is closed Noon-1 p.m.)
• 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.  Continental breakfast | Hogan Ballroom
• 9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.  Welcome & Overview of the day | Hogan Ballroom
  Michele Murray, Senior Vice President for Student Development and Mission, will share welcoming remarks. 
• 10:15 a.m.  Panel discussion
  The panel discussion will feature faculty members, administrators, and student leaders from the 1970s sharing their memories and perspectives of what it was like to be there "from the beginning.”   Panelists include Suzanne Geaney '76,  Ruth Keefe Hingston '76, Theresa McBride, Ph.D. (Professor of History Emerita), Bill McCarthy, '76 (Rear Admiral, USN, Ret.), Frank Vellaccio, Ph.D. (Senior Vice President Emeritus) and Deborah Fulham Winston '74.  Moderator:  Vickie Langohr, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Program.
• 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.  Breakout Sessions | Hogan 4th floor
  More in-depth conversation on specific topics

  • Women's Athletics: The challenges for women's athletes in the early days of coeducation and Title IX: Mary Ellen Eagan '75, Ann Looney Elsaid '76 and Ruth Keefe Hingston '76

  • Women Who Made a Difference: Different paths to becoming "women for others": Mary Jane "MJ" Dinneen '74, Mary Donahue Quinlan '76, Mary Nolan Tully '76 and Maureen Varley '76

  • The Men of '74, '75 and '76: Coeducation's impact on the men who lived it:  Schone Malliet '74, Steve Rosseel '75 and Phil Zachary '76

• 12:30 p.m.  Buffet lunch | Hogan Ballroom
  Enjoy conversation and a hearty buffet with sandwiches and salads.  The Delilahs, Holy Cross' only all-female acapella group, will perform!
• 2 p.m.  Campus tours
  Join a faculty and/or student-led tour of one of the newest campus facilities.  Choose from:

  • Prior Performing Arts Center

  • The Luth Athletic Complex and Joanne Chouinard-Luth Recreation and Wellness Center 

  • Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. Integrated Science Complex   

• 4:30 p.m.  Mass | Mary Chapel
  A special liturgy will be concelebrated by Rev. Joseph O'Keefe, S.J. '76, Rev. Michael McManus '76, Rev. Keith Muccino, S.J., M.D. '74 and Deacon Daniel Romanello '75
• 5:30 p.m./6:30 p.m.  Lighting the Way Together Celebration Reception / Dinner | Hogan Ballroom
  Holy Cross President Vincent Rougeau will join us for this celebratory dinner.  The opening prayer will be offered by Lynn Vaccarelli Aiksnoras '76 and our keynote address will be given by Helen Boucher, M.D. ’86, the first woman Chair of of the Holy Cross Board of Trustees and Dean of Tufts University School of Medicine. Dinner includes a one-hour open bar reception with passed hors d'oeuvres, buffet meal and wine service. 

Hotel Information

Room blocks have been reserved for October 27-29 at the following hotels and are guaranteed until September 27. Click on the hotel to reserve online. If calling, make sure to mention Holy Cross  to receive the discounted rate.  For additional Worcester area hotels with discounted rates, click here.

Planning Committee

Co-Chairs:

Mary Ann Rettig-Zucchi ‘76 and Joan Sinopoli ‘76

Committee Members:

Lynn Vacarelli Aiksnoras ‘76
Carol Baffi-Dugan ’76, Subcommittee Chair
Linda M. Anderson ‘76
Rosanne Onorato Anderson ‘76
Betty Kling Bosler ‘76
Brian Boyce ‘76
Kathy Dougherty ’76, Subcommittee Chair
Paula Braman-Duarte ‘76
Joe Brennan ‘76
Carol Pinard DeBarba ‘76
Tom Casalino ‘76
Brenda Sheehan Diederich ‘76
Mary Dillon '76
Joe Drago ‘76
Margaret Dubois Daly ‘76
Ruth Ann Corinha Elias ‘76
Tom Healey ‘76
Ruth Keefe Hingston ‘76
Dominic Introcaso ‘76
Carol Marotta Kane Leonhard ‘75
Mary Ann Mahony ‘76
Pat Malgieri ‘76
John Mangyn ‘76
Frank Marsilli ‘76
Jim McCaffery ‘76
Paul McKenney ‘76
Paula Murphy ’76, Subcommittee Chair
Ann Marie O’Connell ‘76
Martha Johnson Polachi ’76, Subcommittee Chair
Jackie Tellier Penner ‘76
Mary Donahue Quinlan ’76, Subcommittee Chair
Irene Nicolich Richwine, ’76, Subcommittee Chair
Dan Romanello ‘75
Steve Rosseel ‘75
Marian Glynn Royer ‘76
Joe Sasso ‘75
Paula Cheney Talmadge ‘75
Maureen Varley ’76, Subcommittee Chair
Mary Dacey White ‘75
Mary Gibbons Whipple ‘76
Ellen Wilson ’76, Subcommittee Chair
Phil Zachary ‘76

Special thanks to:

Julie Eagan '24 and Grace Ryan '24