College of the Holy Cross

As a liberal arts college, Holy Cross pursues excellence in teaching, learning, and research. All who share its life are challenged to be open to new ideas, to be patient with ambiguity and uncertainty, to combine a passion for truth with respect for the views of others. Informed by the presence of diverse interpretations of the human experience, Holy Cross seeks to build a community marked by freedom, mutual respect, and civility. Because the search for meaning and value is at the heart of the intellectual life, critical examination of fundamental religious and philosophical questions is integral to liberal arts education. Dialogue about these questions among people from diverse academic disciplines and religious traditions requires everyone to acknowledge and respect differences. Dialogue also requires us to remain open to that sense of the whole which calls us to transcend ourselves and challenges us to seek that which might constitute our common humanity.

The faculty and staff of Holy Cross, now primarily lay and religiously and culturally diverse, also affirm the mission of Holy Cross as a Jesuit college. As such, Holy Cross seeks to exemplify the longstanding dedication of the Society of Jesus to the intellectual life and its commitment to the service of faith and promotion of justice. The College is dedicated to forming a community which supports the intellectual growth of all its members while offering them opportunities for spiritual and moral development. In a special way, the College must enable all who choose to do so to encounter the intellectual heritage of Catholicism, to form an active worshipping community, and to become engaged in the life and work of the contemporary church.

Since 1843, Holy Cross has sought to educate students who, as leaders in business, professional, and civic life, would live by the highest intellectual and ethical standards. In service of this ideal, Holy Cross endeavors to create an environment in which integrated learning is a shared responsibility, pursued in classroom and laboratory, studio and theater, residence and chapel. Shared responsibility for the life and governance of the College should lead all its members to make the best of their own talents, to work together, to be sensitive to one another, to serve others, and to seek justice within and beyond the Holy Cross community.

We’re confident that once you come to Holy Cross, you won’t want to leave.

Our 89 percent first-year retention rate is among the best in the country.

We have received national recognition for the quality of our dining program.

93 percent of our students graduate within four years.

As a residential college in which more than 90 percent of students live on campus, Holy Cross promotes a multidimensional learning experience that transcends classroom studies. All first-year students live on campus. Each of our 11 coed residence halls features comfortable, fully networked spaces for living, learning, and socializing. Student resident assistants develop a culture of belonging through various activities that bring the residence hall together, such as field trips to Boston and outdoor barbecues. In turn, our students take advantage of opportunities to explore their interests and share their talents through student groups and organizations. The result is an intimate campus and a student body that feels like a second family.

Whether you’re looking to lead, write, reflect, sing, or advocate for others, you’ve come to the right place. With a spectrum of more than 100 clubs and organizations, there are unlimited ways to develop personally and professionally — while also having the time of your life.