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Staying Connected Through Sports: The WCHC Sports Podcast
A thumbnail from The WCHC Sports Podcast, a YouTube video podcast series created in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hello, readers!

Wow, it has been a long time since I’ve typed those words. I can honestly say that updating my Holy Cross student blog became much less of a priority once the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly all aspects of our lives, but I am back and (hopefully) better than ever!

Just to reintroduce myself for the sake of new readers, I am a junior psychology and sociology double major with a German minor. I am currently completing courses remotely from my hometown of Rochester, New York. My extracurricular activities include, most notably, serving as co-chair of WCHC Sports, as a member of Counseling Outreach Peer Educators (COPE), and as a tour guide for the admissions office.

Change has been the name of the game over the past six months, and I, as an individual who thrives on consistency, have encountered many obstacles in navigating the “new normal.” Toward the middle of this past summer, however, I realized the importance of continuing to capitalize on the opportunities that Holy Cross has presented. Since so much effort has gone into offering students an authentic Holy Cross experience in the midst of a remote semester, I figured that the least I could do was to change with the times to the best of my ability.

As such, I took a more active role as co-chair of WCHC Sports, the College’s sports broadcasting organization. Seeing as holding the Fall 2020 semester remotely meant there would be no sporting events to broadcast over the radio, my close friend, Rob Murray, and I began our own video podcast series, The WCHC Sports Podcast, to continue to pursue our passion for sports and sports broadcasting throughout the remote semester.

I can honestly say that recording this podcast every week has been a blast. At first, I was somewhat hesitant, as I am not particularly well-versed in sports outside of basketball. I quickly found, however, that recording the podcast offered me a fun, creative outlet to supplement my academic work, and I look forward each and every week to recording Sunday nights with Rob. Just the other day, we actually had our first guest appear on the show, as our good friend and Holy Cross athlete TJ Duggan stopped by to talk about the Celtics, Patriots, and Holy Cross Athletics on Episode 9.

Though nothing can quite compare to the excitement of calling a game live from press row, the podcast has been a highlight of my semester thus far, and I’m glad to have found such an engaging way to keep our organization active from afar. Throughout the next several months, I plan on writing about the many other ways Holy Cross has continued to show its (purple) colors in response to COVID-19.

Until next time, please be sure to check out our work on The WCHC Sports Podcast (linked above). Peace!
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The Trip of a Lifetime: Spring Break Immersion Program 2020

Hello again, readers! Welcome back to the blog. Due to personal loss and a jam-packed schedule, I have had a very difficult time posting regularly over the past few months, but I am determined to right (write) the ship throughout the rest of this spring semester. I am in a GREAT state of mind, as I returned just yesterday from a week-long trip to Ivanhoe, Virginia as part of Holy Cross’s Spring Break Immersion Program (SBIP). The trip was absolutely wonderful. I’d even go so far as to say that it was my best Holy Cross experience to date. Though I cannot express in writing how truly impactful the trip was to me, hopefully I can encourage others to step outside of their comfort zone and participate in such an experience.

A group of twelve Holy Cross students posing in front of a sign for Ivanhoe, Virginia on a sunny day
Saying goodbye to Ivanhoe was hard, but we couldn’t help but smile for one last group shot as we left town.

Our week began on Saturday with a 5:00 a.m. departure to Roanoke, Virginia by bus. Upon arriving at the Roanoke airport, over 100 students dispersed into smaller groups to travel to their designated sites across the Appalachian region. Ivanhoe, which is located 701 miles from Holy Cross, is a small rural community in Southern Virginia. My group of twelve students arrived in Ivanhoe late Saturday night. After spending Sunday in prayer, recreation, and exploration, our week of immersion truly began on Monday, as we began our week of labor, conversation, and reflection alongside the residents of Ivanhoe. Each day was spent in community with the townspeople, as well as with a group of students from Boston College, with whom we shared lodging at the Ivanhoe Volunteer Fire Department.

The experience is, admittedly, hard to put into words. Each day we worked hard, but laughed even harder. We met people who had suffered, yet who were hopeful beyond belief. Most importantly, in my mind, we had each other. A group of twelve Holy Cross students, most of whom had never even met one another, became a community far stronger than any group I’ve ever been a part of on campus. Every day in Ivanhoe was a blessing— a blessing that I already wish I could experience for just one more time. It was unbelievable. It was Appa Magic.

We had to say goodbye to our new friends in Ivanhoe on Friday afternoon, and arrived in Worcester early Saturday morning. Our Immersion had ended, yet was simultaneously just beginning. My group spent the entirety of Saturday night together —eating, bowling, dancing, and celebrating the experience we had shared. We also celebrated Mass on Sunday night as a group, alongside hundreds of fellow students who had participated in SBIP as well.

Group of 12 Holy Cross students dressed in pink at Spring Break Immersion Program bowling night
To honor Maxine Walker, a leader in the Ivanhoe Community, we chose to represent her favorite animal, the flamingo, at bowling night!

 

Special shoutout to MaryGrace (our fearless leader), Bridget, E.B.B., Emily, Emily (again), Isabella, Josue, Evelyn, Matt, Michaela, Sofie, and Rourke (our favorite B.C. student) for making the experience so unforgettable. I will never forget the smiles, laughs, tears, card games, and vibe checks from this past week.

That’s all for now! Once again, trying to put into words all that I experienced on Spring Break Immersion is truly an impossible task. I am grateful to the College, my group members, and the people of Ivanhoe for making this wonderful experience possible. I can only hope to carry half of the joy I experienced on this trip with me throughout the rest of my semester at Holy Cross.

-Aidan