The Sanctae Crucis Awards

The Sanctae Crucis Award for Distinguished Professional Achievement is given to those who, as leaders in business, professional or civic life, live by the highest intellectual and ethical standards and whose private business or professional affairs are imbued with hard work and integrity.

The Sanctae Crucis Award for Outstanding Community Service honors those who seek to exemplify the long-standing Jesuit dedication to intellectual life, service of faith and promotion of justice.

Those who receive the Sanctae Crucis Award bring honor to the College and show the wider world the very best of what Holy Cross has to offer. 

Sanctae Crucis award recipients have accepted the legacy of sacrifice and salvation, hope and love, and joy and humility that Jesus bequeathed to the world through his Holy Cross.

To participate in the life of Holy Cross is to accept an invitation to join in dialogue about basic human questions:

• What is the moral character of learning and teaching?
• How do we find meaning in life and history?
• What are our obligations to one another?

Read the full Mission Statement.

Dave Hinchen ’65

Dave Hinchen’s journey after graduating from Holy Cross in 1965 was shaped by a short stint in the Peace Corps in Chile, which led him to join the Jesuits. His 25 years with the Jesuits included assignments in Peru, Chile, Honduras, and the U.S. He helped found the Jesuit Volunteer Corps: East, established the Father McKenna Center in Washington, D.C., ran a hiker’s hostel and house of prayer in rural North Carolina, and supported basic Christian communities in Honduras.

After leaving the Jesuits in 1991, Dave married Karen in 1994. They’ve made a warm and welcoming home in Roslindale, MA. Dave worked for 17 years in Volunteer Services at Boston Medical Center and co-founded the Ignatian Volunteer Corps New England, now in its 16th year. He also spent time flipping pancakes at Shelter, Inc. in Cambridge. Dave and Karen have walked both the Ignatian Camino and the Portuguese Camino de Santiago. At Holy Cross, Dave co-founded and co-captained the college’s first soccer team.

Mary Ann Ormiston Scali ’90

Mary Ann Ormiston Scali, a 1990 graduate of Holy Cross, is the executive director of the Gault Center: Defenders of Youth Rights. After graduation, she joined the Jesuit International Volunteers, teaching English and Math in Micronesia. She later worked at the Vatican with Jesuit Refugee Service before earning her JD and MSW from Loyola University Chicago, where she co-founded the Public Interest Law Reporter and was a CIVITAS Childlaw Scholar.

Mary Ann met her husband, Matt Ormiston, through Jesuit Volunteer Corps connections, and they began their careers in youth advocacy and education. She began defending youth in Baltimore’s juvenile court system and, in 2000, joined what would become the Gault Center. Over the past 25 years, she has supported legal professionals nationwide advocating for the rights of youth. Mary Ann and her colleagues focus on creating a future where all young people are free to thrive through legal training, policy reform, and strategic partnerships.

Don Morrissey ’65

Don Morrissey, born in 1944 in Quincy, MA, formed life-long friendships during his time at Holy Cross, including through his participation on the HC Club Hockey Team. He joined the Air Force ROTC program and was selected for pilot training, receiving his wings in 1966. That same year, he met Sandra, who would become his wife in 1967. Don served as a B-52 pilot and later as a helicopter pilot in Thailand during the Vietnam War, logging 98 missions.

After the war, Don’s career included assignments across the U.S. and advanced training at all three Air Force officer schools. He achieved the rank of Colonel in 1986 and later commanded the 1st Helicopter Squadron at Andrews AFB. After retiring in 1989, Don and Sandra settled in Gilford, NH. He held several leadership roles at Lakes Region Community College and remained deeply involved in community service and veteran advocacy. A devoted volunteer, Don continues to support STEM and leadership programs and enjoys boating on Lake Winnipesaukee with his family.

Fr. Joseph Bruce, SJ ’73

Fr. Joseph Bruce, SJ, grew up in Springfield, MA, and graduated from the Clarke School for the Deaf in 1965. After high school and Holy Cross—where he earned a BA in English in 1975—he completed an MS in Special Education for the Deaf at Canisius College. In 1975, he entered the Jesuits, made his first vows in 1976, and was ordained in 1981 at St. Joseph Chapel on the Holy Cross campus.

Fr. Bruce has spent his ministry serving deaf communities in dioceses across the U.S., as well as in Guatemala. He worked in parishes and supported deaf Catholic outreach throughout his career. In 1987, he founded the Deaf Studies Program at Holy Cross and donated materials to launch the Deaf Catholic Archives. Since 2013, he has continued this archival work in Dinand Library, preserving an essential history of Catholic ministry in the deaf community.