Holy Cross naming science complex after Fauci

Edited from a New England Council (newenglandcouncil.com) report:

“TheCollege of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, is renaming its Integrated Science Complex after its alumni, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci graduated from Holy Cross in 1962 and has since gone on to help guide top federal officials through the coronavirus pandemic. Now, he is serving as chief medical adviser to President Biden.

“Fauci was one of the lead members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force under then- President Donald Trump in the early days of the pandemic. He has served as an adviser to every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan and has been director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. The newly named Anthony S. Fauci Integrated Science Complex will officially be dedicated to the physician during his 60th Holy Cross class reunion weekend.

“We are thrilled to celebrate Dr. Fauci in such a public and enduring way,” said Holy Cross President Vincent Rougeau, in a written statement. “It’s fitting that Dr. Fauci’s name will adorn a complex designed to foster integrated learning across multiple academic disciplines – the kind of broad, collaborative and holistic thinking one needs to manage health crises such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola and Zika, or the current COVID-19 pandemic.”

Holy Cross gets $2.5 million for race, gender, social-justice programs with Shakespeare thrown in

At Holy Cross; Fenwick Lawn, with Commencement Porch of Fenwick Hall in the foreground and the chapel beyond.

Edited from a New England Council (newenglandcouncil.com) report.

“The College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, recently received a $2.5 million gift to be used to establish an endowed chair and lecture series focused on race, gender and social justice.

“The gift comes from Eric Galloway, who graduated from Holy Cross in 1984, and named this lecture series, the Helen M. Whall Lecture Series, an endowed chair position to honor Helen M. Whall, who served as Galloway’s adviser. Whall taught at the college as an English professor from 1976 to her retirement in 2017. History Prof. Rosa Carrasquillo has been selected as the inaugural Helen M. Whall Chair in Race, Gender and Social Justice. The bi-annual lecture series in Whall’s honor will host Shakespearean scholars to come on campus and speak on issues of diversity and equity.

“‘I am honored to acknowledge Helen Whall as an inspiring professor, mentor, and friend to me and other minorities during a sometimes challenging and, ultimately, rewarding time at Holy Cross,’ said Eric Galloway.”

Walk into 'collective memory'

“Memory Gates,’’ by Syrian-born Kevork Mourad, at the Cantor Art Gallery of the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, through April 11.

The gallery says:

“Using his signature style of spontaneous drawing and printmaking techniques, artist Kevork Mourad created the site-specific immersive installation ‘‘Memory Gates ‘‘ during a residency at the Cantor Art Gallery in February. The work, a series of doors and passageways that visitors can pass through, explores themes of cultural plurality and collective memory. Co-sponsored by the Cantor Art Gallery and Arts Transcending Borders.’’

Anthony S. Fauci: What I learned at Holy Cross

At Holy Cross: O'Kane Hall and clock tower. The 175-acre campus has an irregular layout on a steep hill named Mount Saint James, which offers a panoramic view of Worcester.

“Knowledge goes hand-in-hand with truth — something I learned with a bit of tough love from my Jesuit education at Regis High School in New York and then at the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester.’’

— Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984

Our Gilded Age's 'haves' and 'have nots'

‘‘Grey Workers’,’ from “New Gilded Age: A Theatrical Installation,’’ by B. Lynch, through Feb. 5, in the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery of the College of the Holy Ghost, Worcester.

The gallery explains:

“The fictional world of the ‘Reds’ and the ‘Greys,’ as imagined and constructed by Boston-based artist B. Lynch, is where a cast of characters play out their roles on life's stage as the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots. ‘New Gilded Age ‘ is an immersive installation including puppets, sets, props, paintings, prints and videos scripted, shot and scored by Lynch. Visit the dedicated exhibition website at newgildedage.holycross.edu’.’

Bittersweet in jeans at Holy Cross

“1980 In My Calvins’’ ( recycled denim and thread), by Murphy Grady, in the College of the Holy Cross’s (in Worcester)2020 Senior Concentration Seminar Exhibition, moved online by COVID-19.

The exhibit is titled "énouement," chosen by the students to represent the bittersweet feeling of having arrived at the future and wishing to tell one's past self what that future would entail.

Children's Hospital to study COVID-19 mystery; Assumption College holds to plan to train PA’s

Boston Children’s Hospital

From The New England Council (newenglandcouncil.com):

As our region and our nation continue to grapple with the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, The New England Council is using our blog as a platform to highlight some of the incredible work our members have undertaken to respond to the outbreak.  Each day, we’ll post a round-up of updates on some of the initiatives underway among Council members throughout the region.  We are also sharing these updates via our social media, and encourage our members to share with us any information on their efforts so that we can be sure to include them in these daily round-ups.

You can find all the Council’s information and resources related to the crisis in the special COVID-19 section of our Web site.  This includes our COVID-19 Virtual Events Calendar, which provides information on upcoming COVID-19 Congressional town halls and webinars presented by NEC members, as well as our newly-released Federal Agency COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses page.

Here is the April 29 roundup:

Medical Response

• Boston Children’s Hospital Launches Study on COVID-19 in Pediatric Patients – To better understand why few children infected with COVID-19 become severely ill, Boston Children’s Hospital has initiated a national study of 800 infected children. The study will examine patients with varying levels of symptoms to identify what protects children from severe symptoms that older patients lack. WBUR has more.

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Deploys 100 Employees to Support Boston Response – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) is re-assigning 100 of its employees to aid Boston’s response to the pandemic. Workers from BCBSMA will support the city’s contact tracing efforts and care efforts at Boston Hope field hospital. Read the press release here.

• Massachusetts General Hospital Partners with Boston to Identify Asymptomatic Residents – Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the City of Boston have partnered to launch new initiative to evaluate community exposure to COVID-19 using antibody testing and. MGH and the city will randomly select residents in the hardest-hit parts of Boston to guide future allocation of resources. Read more from WBUR

Economic/Business Continuity Response

• Assumption College Continues Developing Physician Assistant Program – Despite the pandemic suspending most plans, Assumption College is moving forward with its new physician assistant program. Leaders of the new program are hoping the outbreak can even inform the new program’s focus on care during a pandemic. The school is still planning to enroll students in January 2021 while awaiting accreditation and building clinical partnerships. Read more in MassLive.

• Partners HealthCare Requires Rapid COVID-19 Testing on Admission in Hospitals – At all of its acute care hospitals, Partners HealthCare is requiring all admitted patients to undergo a COVID-19 test. The new regulation is designed to gather data about the spread of the virus within the provider’s facilities to inform decisions surrounding protective equipment orders and floor layouts—as well as to protect patients and staff. Read more from WBUR.

Community Response

• Tufts Health Plan Announces $345,000 in Funding for Relief Efforts – As part of its commitment to support relief measures targeting older people, Tufts Health Plan has pledged $345,000 to organizations focusing on housing insecurity in New England. The organization is also accelerating payments to current community partners and matching employee donations, raising an additional $55,000 for the organizations. Read more.

• Holy Cross Uses Day of Giving Funds to Support Students Affected by Pandemic – The annual day of giving at the College of the Holy Cross raised $2.47 million to support current students and staff at the school. The school community prioritized donations to causes—such as its Emergency Relief Fund to offset short-term costs for unanticipated technology, housing, and travel costs for students—that will support those at the school most significantly impacted by the pandemic. Read more here.

Stay tuned for more updates each day, and follow us on Twitter for more frequent updates on how Council members are contributing to the response to this global health crisis.

View of the entry to Assumption College and of the Blessed Virgin from the La Maison building

Update from New England Council on region's response to COVID-19 crisis

Headquarters building of the Stop & Shop supermarket chain, in Quincy, Mass. The company is donating food to health-care workers.

Update from The New England Council (newenglandcouncil.com):

As our region and our nation continue to grapple with the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, The New England Council is using our blog as a platform to highlight some of the incredible work our members have undertaken to respond to the outbreak.  Each day, we’ll post a round-up of updates on some of the initiatives underway among council members throughout the region.  We are also sharing these updates via our social media, and encourage our members to share with us any information on their efforts so that we can be sure to include them in these daily round-ups.

You can also check our COVID-19 Virtual Events Calendar for information on upcoming COVID-19 related programming – including Congressional town halls and webinars presented by NEC members.

Here is the April 2 roundup:

Medical Response

• Northeastern University Models Used in White House Response to Virus – The White House coronavirus response team has been using models produced by the Network Science Institute (NSI) at Northeastern University to project how varying mitigation strategies could “flatten the curve” of COVID-19. The models allow policymakers and members of the response team to visualize the effects of policies being considered, such as specific travel restrictions and staggered school closings. Read more.

• Boston Scientific Begins Work to Produce Ventilators, Protective Equipment – To confront the growing need for medical equipment, Boston Scientific is collaborating with public and private partners to bring necessary devices to market. From making more affordable and portable ventilators to producing face shields and reusable protective equipment, the company continues to use innovation to address some of the most pressing problems facing healthcare workers. Read more.

• Abiomed Expands Remote Training for Medical Providers – Medical device manufacturer Abiomed is expanding its utilization of its online physician community to provide expanded physician education and training. The company has plans to launch its largest interactive educational site in its history in April. More information can be found here.

Economic/Business Continuity Response

• Proctor & Gamble Increases Production During Crisis – In the wake of shortages of some of its most common products—including napkins, paper towels, and diapers—P&G has increased production of all paper goods at its factories. The company is also manufacturing face masks to help alleviate the increasing demand of protective equipment. USA Today has more.

• M&T Bank Provides Hardship Assistance – M&T Bank has created an impact form for its clients to identify their need for a variety of assistance options, including late fee suppression and changes to loan payment plans. In addition to case-by-case measures, the bank is offering unsecured personal loans, suspending negative credit reporting, and more. More information can be found here.

Community Response

• Stop & Shop Donates Daily Meals to Healthcare Workers, $500,000 for Research – Using its expansive food production and delivery network, Stop & Shop (owned by Ahold Delhaize) will provide 5,000 meals daily to health-care providers in the greater New York City and Boston areas. In addition to the daily meals, the grocer is providing $500,000 to Boston Children’s Hospital for research on a potential vaccine. Read the press release here.

• DraftKings Announces New Charity Initiative, $500,000 Donation – DraftKings has created its own charity initiative, #DKRally, to mobilize sports fans to donate to relief efforts. In addition to an initial $500,000 donation, the betting service will match up to a total of $1 million from contributors. The donations to the initiative will be distributed to United Way to support relief efforts across the country. US Betting Report has more.

• Holy Cross Student-Run Nonprofit Raises Over $23,000 for Response Fund – Working for Worcester, a student-run nonprofit founded at the College of the Holy Cross, has raised more than $23,000 for the Worcester Together COVID-19 emergency response fund. The money was raised in just five days as part of a blitz from the school’s alumni and students. The Worcester Together fund provides money for immediate needs and to support local community organizations. The Worcester Business Journal

Stay tuned for more updates each day, and follow us on Twitter for more frequent updates on how Council members are contributing to the response to this global health crisis.

Jungle in the Bronx

“New York Botanical Garden (in the Bronx)’ ‘ (gelatin silver print), by Peter Moriarty, in his show “Peter Moriarty: Warm Room,’’ at the Iris & B. Cantor Art Gallery, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, through Feb. 29.

The gallery says:

”With his portfolio of gelatin silver prints, Peter Moriarty explores the architecture and collections of a series of historic European and American greenhouses. Taken over the course of more than 20 years, Moriarty's evocative works explore the interactions of familiar architectural forms with the lush, exotic, organic, and often disorienting collections housed within.’’

The gallery says:

”With his portfolio of gelatin silver prints, Peter Moriarty explores the architecture and collections of a series of historic European and American greenhouses. Taken over the course of more than 20 years, Moriarty's evocative works explore the interactions of familiar architectural forms with the lush, exotic, organic, and often disorienting collections housed within.’’

WPI prettier than Holy Cross

Boynton Hall, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Travel + Leisure magazine has declared the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, to have the most beautiful college campus in Massachusetts. I havealways found it windswept ( it is on a high hill) and forbidding. Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s campus is considerably more inviting.

-- Robert Whitcomb

Rely on your mind's eye

"More Than Meets the Eye,'' by Caroline O'Day, at the Cantor Art Gallery, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, in the "Senior Concentration Seminar Exhibition.''