Dear Members of the Holy Cross Community,
I am pleased to announce that Holy Cross will recognize two individuals with honorary degrees this coming May. Abraham Verghese, MD, MACP, an infectious disease physician, best-selling author, and professor of medicine at Stanford University; and Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., former president of Holy Cross, will receive honorary degrees at the College’s 176th Commencement on May 27. Dr. Verghese will deliver the commencement address.
As a physician, Verghese is known for his advocacy for the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship and for the value of the discerning bedside exam as a complement to and a way of more judiciously using expensive diagnostic technology. He is also the author of “My Own Country,” a 1994 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist, and a Time Magazine Best Book of the Year that was also made into a movie directed by Mira Nair; “The Tennis Partner,” a New York Times Notable Book; and, most recently, the novel “Cutting for Stone,” which spent a year on the New York Times bestseller list and was picked as one of Amazon’s “A Hundred Books To Read in a Lifetime.”
Fr. Boroughs is well known to many of you. He was the 32nd president of Holy Cross, and led the college in a number of transformative projects, including The Jo and the Prior Performing Arts Center. He also led many efforts to make Holy Cross a more diverse and inclusive campus, including the creation of the offices of International Students, Title IX Initiatives and Equal Opportunity, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Our two honorees share a deep commitment to work that advances knowledge, celebrates the dignity and worth of individuals, and reflects vividly our Jesuit values as people for others. We are honored that they will participate in these special events for our graduates and their families. The Commencement ceremony will be live-streamed so that all may participate, and I hope that you will join us in hearing Dr. Verghese’s inspiring message of hope and perseverance.
You can read more about these two distinguished honorees in the announcement on our website. We will be sharing more details on this year’s Commencement in the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Vincent D. Rougeau
President