College of the Holy Cross | Holy Cross Magazine

With 42 regional clubs across the country, the General Alumni Association offers Holy Cross alumni a wide variety of ways to stay connected to the College. Given that activities can range from the yearly President’s Reception to building a Habitat for Humanity house, graduates are certain to find an activity that keeps them in touch with other alums—and in touch with the Holy Cross tradition of being men and women for others.

Events run the gamut from volunteer activities like participating in area cleanups and food pantries to sponsoring summer fellowships for Holy Cross students. Career networking with other Catholic colleges, monthly luncheons, evening lecture series, trips to sporting events, golf tournaments, and holiday parties are just some of the activities that regional clubs across the nation have organized.

In the summer of 2003 alone, Holy Cross alumni gathered for an evening lecture on U.S. Middle East policy in Boston, a Pawtucket Red Sox baseball game in Rhode Island, a clambake in Arizona, and a boat cruise in Philadelphia. The Long Island club hosted its President’s Reception, as did the Northern California club.

“Each regional club has its own spirit and focus,” says Paula Sasso ’78, chair of the GAA’s Regional Clubs Committee. “President’s Receptions are a commonality, but after that, each club is as different as night and day. Some of the differences are due purely to geographic and demographic issues. One thing is constant, though—the alumni enthusiasm across the country.”

Staying connected
As president of the Northeastern New York Club in Albany, Elaine Dimase ’84 is an example of someone who got involved with her regional club, and stayed involved. After graduation, Dimase regularly attended the annual President’s Reception hosted by the Pioneer Valley Club in Springfield, Mass. When she and her husband moved to Albany in 1996, Dimase became active in the Northeastern New York club.

While serving as vice president, Dimase received an unexpected phone call in spring 2001: the club’s president was marrying and moving to Basking Ridge, N.J. “Needless to say, I was taken aback but wished him well and thanked him for his service to our club,” she recalls. Dimase then assumed the role of club president.

Dimase’s involvement in regional clubs is approaching the 20-year mark, with no end in sight. “I continue to remain involved with the club because I loved the time I spent at Holy Cross,” she says. “Being involved makes me feel connected to the College.”

In her role as club president, Dimase welcomes the opportunity to meet and collaborate with other alumni. These alums are successful, highly motivated professionals who have a genuine desire to help others, she says.

“Their commitment to others is evident in their eagerness to increase our scholarship fund so that we can help more students attend Holy Cross,” Dimase says. “They are willing to help a current student or recent grad find a summer internship or permanent job. And they’re willing to help me plan the club’s annual events!”

New and renewed
Most organizations go through periods of both dormancy and renewal, and the regional clubs are no different. Club activities can be cyclic, and sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective to get the wheels turning again.

Now the immediate past president of the New York City club, Jenn Burns ’96 faced some significant challenges when she took over as club president in 2001. The coffers were low and the first major event to be planned was the President’s Reception. She had to re-energize younger alumni. In addition, the bombing of the World Trade Center in September 2001 devastated the New York area and claimed the lives of seven alums.

In planning events, Burns says she operated under a Jesuit model of programming that she learned at Fordham University. It incorporates six elements, including educational, physical, cultural and spiritual. One event that she planned early in her tenure—a Mass of Remembrance for the victims of the World Trade Center—attracted 1,000 attendees.

As immediate past president, Burns will stay on the board, helping with the transition to the new president. She’ll do events on an as-needed basis. Her time as president may have been very busy, but Burns enjoyed the experience. “I’m very glad I did it,” she says.

Houston is a few thousand miles from New York as the crow flies, but a determined group of alumni is introducing the Holy Cross Crusader to the Lone Star State. A native of the Northeast, Lou Ricciardello ’47, moved to Texas to be closer to his daughters. When he learned his granddaughter’s Catholic high school wasn’t sending any students to Holy Cross, he decided to get involved and raise the Cross’ profile in south Texas.

After contacting the Admissions Office, Ricciardello began representing Holy Cross at college fairs, and over the past couple of years, the school has seen an increase in the number of students from Texas applying for admission. “I’m happy to bring awareness of Holy Cross to the Houston area,” Ricciardello says.

Ricciardello is also working to establish a regional club for the approximately 160 or so alumni who live in south Texas. Working with the College’s Alumni Office, Ricciardello contacted area alums, as well as parents of current Holy Cross students. An April gathering was “very positive,” he says, with members of different classes sharing their pieces of Holy Cross’ history.

As the Houston club takes its first steps forward, Ricciardello has assumed the role of liaison between Texas alums and the College. He is collecting e-mail addresses and says the alums enjoy learning tidbits of information about the College, such as SAT scores and the number of male and female students.

Going forward
During a GAA Regional Club conference call this winter, regional club presidents shared their thoughts and pooled their ideas. All of the clubs are continually looking to recruit new members, especially younger alumni, because club structures can range from full boards of directors to just a few people running the show.

Sasso encourages all graduates to become involved in their local regional club. “Regional clubs offer Holy Cross alumni the opportunity to meet fellow alums and share the Holy Cross experience in their own communities,” she says. “The college’s Web site is a great resource for people looking to reconnect with alumni in their region.”