Rev. Michael McFarland

   On a typical day on Mount St. James, active sensations of eagerness and passion drive experiences and relationships between the students and faculty of the Holy Cross campus. Underneath it all, however, exists an underlying tone of tranquility, sincere generosity, and humbleness. The composition of the campus is in many ways parallel to Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. as a president, a Jesuit, and a person.

   On September 15, 2000, students, faculty, administrators, alumni, Worcester residents, and over 140 delegates from other colleges and universities joined together at the Hart Recreation Center to inaugurate Fr. McFarland as Holy Cross' 31st president. Eleven years later, Father fondly reminisced about the early days of his presidency during which he composed his two speeches for "The Feast of the Holy Spirit" mass, took part in his memorable inauguration ceremony, and participated in the fun run that took place the next morning.

   His inaugural address, which was entitled "A Glimpse of Transcendence," connected to the uplifting experiences that the students on the Hill have during their four years. Over his nearly twelve year presidency, this remarkable characteristic of having an awakening of passions and growth throughout "the totality of one's Holy Cross education" has become even more present to Fr. McFarland as he witnessed numbers of students return from immersion trips from around the country and the world, from spiritual exercises, or even from a course. All of these experiences challenged students to gain new insight on the world and themselves. One of the most "positive memories" for him as president has been hearing students' gratitude for the deeper values that they cultivated during their time at Holy Cross.

   Because Fr. McFarland's presidential term was three times the duration of a typical student's time in college, he reflects on his own "transcendence" during the time that he called Holy Cross as his home. "I've learned a lot," Fr. McFarland reflected. "It's one of the nice things of the job. You are always being forced to learn and grow and to encounter new situations. You learn about other people, about situations, and about yourself. I've learned how to deal with people better, I hope, and to appreciate the deep commitment that Holy Cross people have to learning, to service, and to the religious heritage here. It's something they experience and take with them."

   Therefore, the primary goal of his presidency, to learn, was certainly achieved. His other objectives consisted of remaining true to the school's Jesuit mission and keeping these values strong, as well as instituting more community-based learning outside of the classroom and extending academic growth--all of which have been accomplished tremendously. Additionally, an outstandingly high number of twenty-five new faculty members have been added during his term.

   A much discussed campus issue even today is Holy Cross' community relations. He observed, "Many people tell me that Holy Cross has become much more in touch with our community, and I think they're right. It is our mission. We aren't a bank that just gives out money; we like to be very involved in our projects. It is one thing to go to Appalachia, but we also want to have a positive relationship with our community that is our home." Throughout these past twelve years, the College has built low-income residential housing. It has also supported educational projects, children's projects that students run and the College supports, opened up Fitton Field to the Worcester Tornadoes, and also began the Nativity School.  

    One of Fr. McFarland's major contributions to campus has been the Integrated Science Complex, although the project was completely unforeseen when he first arrived on campus. In the next few years of his term, it became quite evident that Haberlin Hall was inadequate and needed updates for the upcoming generation of students. Because the sciences play such a crucial role here at Holy Cross, changes needed to be made. Fr. McFarland stated that: "It provides space that is equal to the people and the programs there. It facilitates the great work that the faculty and students do there. It is built not just for classroom work, but for faculty and student research, which has become increasingly popular in all disciplines. It has made the sciences visible so it is not hidden away in a corner of the campus anymore. People go down to that atrium because it is such an inviting place."

   Although it was a project that was imperative to improve the overall education that the College offers, Fr. McFarland, as a trained computer scientist, remembers the science complex construction as a particularly rewarding and fun experience. When the Academic Affairs committee did a walk-through of Haberlin Hall before the project, he strikingly remembers them saying, "We have to do this!" He warmly thinks of the dedication for the complex that brought Dr. Murray, our Nobel Peace Prize winning alumnus, and many generous donors to campus.

   During his tenure, Fr. McFarland facilitated the construction of two apartment-style residence halls. When he first came to campus, there were over six hundred students living off campus, which does not include those who study abroad. He remembered, "There were real problems in the neighborhood, nothing like we see now. It was quite clear to us, and some of the politicians also pushed this, that we needed to do something about that. We have been working to improve life on campus." Now, there are less than three hundred students who live off campus. In addition, there are also new outdoor athletic facilities under his leadership direction, such as the soccer stadium, turf/practice fields, and renovated tennis courts. He noted, "The next project is to work on new indoor space in the next ten years."