Doing: Exploring and Learning

In Montserrat, students explore new environments and responsibilities that take them far beyond the classroom and residence hall. These are hands-on, experiential opportunities that are not only valuable in themselves, but may lead to internships or even career directions. In keeping with Jesuit values, Holy Cross students use their learning to be of service in the world. Montserrat encompasses programming, guided by the Chaplain’s Office, which encourages students to reflect on faith and participate in service and social justice projects.

Examples of activities and projects:

• Traveling to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston or the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
• Making an inventory of invasive plant species in a local park
• Visiting different religious sites or taking part in a Zen workshop
• Viewing the night sky in a remote locale without light pollution
• Conducting a memoir-writing workshop for local high school students
• Interviewing Southeast Asian-Americans in Worcester about their life histories
• Participating in a contemplative retreat with chaplains and faculty
• Touring the Emerald Necklace Conservancy in Boston
• Organizing a campus-wide Slow Food night or a local music festival
• Meeting the author of a book you read in your seminar at a post-lecture reception
• Attending a panel discussion on globalization, the war in Afghanistan, or some other real-world issue

Check out posters of some recent Montserrat events: