The Brother James McDonnell, CSC Scholars Program

Is your son ready for a unique challenge?
The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program
Crux Spes Unica – The Cross, Our Only Hope
The McDonnell Scholar will be offered an experience with challenges that will augment his AP/Honors curriculum.
• Seminar courses with intensive readings and discussions in a variety of areas including public policy, philosophy,
The story of the Brother James McDonnell Scholars Program began with a group of eager sophomore boys, excited about
their accomplishments as students and ready to take on whatever academic challenge might be in their future. After all, Holy
Holy Cross School is fully accredited by:
theology, ethics, history, and constitutional rights will challenge the scholars to read and analyze scholarly articles
The Louisiana Department of Education
from a variety of thinkers. Students will be asked to write a series of short papers and complete a research paper
Commission on Secondary & Middle Schools of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Cross had been challenging but not more than expected. The boys could only be described as “fearless.”
That would change dramatically on a warm August morning, after running across campus to make the climb to the fourth
each semester.
floor to English III Honors. It was only fitting that they would breathlessly take their seats and be addressed by a man in the
One of the elements of the seminar component is the Expert on
Campus. When possible, one of the writers whose work the scholars
have studied will come to campus and spend time teaching the seminar
and presenting other lectures, enabling the scholars to gain a true
Holy Cross School is a member of:
familiar garb of black slacks and black shirt with the white Roman collar. The moment he introduced himself, “Good morning,
The National Catholic Educational Association
I am Bro. James McDonnell”, they knew that this would be an extraordinary experience.
The National Middle School Association
Br. James spent the year challenging the boys to be scholars. They would be pushed to learn where to look for information
The National High School Association
and to never stop seeking it. He made sure that they thought, and wrote about what they thought. It was impossible to sit
understanding of the assumptions underlying the author’s thinking.
quietly in class because he would demand that they express themselves. Of course, he would challenge whatever they said.
Holy Cross School is sponsored by:
• Exposure to Classical Languages will be an additional benefit for the
Soon the school year ended. English IV Honors would mean a new teacher for the boys, and Bro. James would have a new
The Congregation of Holy Cross, South-West Province
group to cajole.
scholar. Latin I and II will be required of the scholars beginning the
program in 2013-14. In subsequent years, Latin II and III will be required,
Thirty years have passed since that group graduated from Holy Cross. If you asked them about Br. McDonnell’s class today,
with Latin I being a pre-requisite.
it is likely that they will be divided as to whether they believed all of the stories he told, or if they loved or hated him. They
ARE likely to agree, however, that he was a powerful figure in their intellectual growth and still influences their approach to
• Speech III and IV will be required of each scholar during the first two
scholarship and intellectual pursuit today.
years. These are honors-level courses where the student will learn
research, debate and argumentation, rhetoric, oratory, elocution, logic,
In recognition of the passion of this great teacher, Holy Cross is proud to offer The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars
and performance.
Program, an interdisciplinary program in the Humanities.
• The scholar’s classroom will have no walls. During the first and second
years, the scholar will meet with a number of individuals across a
Why offer this challenging program?
variety of disciplines who will give them a unique and often practical
look at some of the issues being discussed.
This will culminate in April of the second year when a city such as Chicago, New York, or Washington D.C. is chosen
The McDonnell Scholars Program is designed to give students an opportunity to explore a number of disciplines through
as a venue for an interdisciplinary experience. It is here that the scholars will have an opportunity to attend sessions
courses placing an emphasis upon written and spoken expression. Teachers in the program will demand that students think
HOLY CROSS SCHOOL
with university professors who will engage them in discussions germane to the topics they have discussed during
the Sophomore Seminar.
Brother james McDONNELL, C.S.C.
SCHOLARS PROGRAM
• Each scholar’s career will culminate with the Senior
Thesis Workshop where he will be required to work with
an expert/mentor on an area of interest and complete a
An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Humanities
thesis in April of the senior year. In May, a symposium
critically, write cogently, and express their ideas respectfully but without apology.
By the time the program is completed, the McDonnell Scholar will:
• have a sense of the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge;
• exhibit superior oral and written communication skills;
will be held where the seniors will present their work
• display superior research skills in many media;
publicly over a series of nights.
• possess an awareness and appreciation of the fine arts;
Holy Cross School
5500 Paris Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504) 942-3100
www.holycrosstigers.com
Holy Cross School is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students of varied cultural, ethnic and economic backgrounds.
The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, racial or ethnic origins in the administration of any of its policies or programs.
• have an acquaintance of the great books, ideas, and thinkers of western civilization,
and acknowledge and appreciate cultures other than his own;
• understand and critically assess current events;
• function intellectually at higher levels of thought;
• internalize and act upon a sense of moral and social responsibility; and
• master and apply leadership skills to help his community solve problems.
Is your son ready for a unique challenge?
The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program
Crux Spes Unica – The Cross, Our Only Hope
The McDonnell Scholar will be offered an experience with challenges that will augment his AP/Honors curriculum.
• Seminar courses with intensive readings and discussions in a variety of areas including public policy, philosophy,
The story of the Brother James McDonnell Scholars Program began with a group of eager sophomore boys, excited about
their accomplishments as students and ready to take on whatever academic challenge might be in their future. After all, Holy
Holy Cross School is fully accredited by:
theology, ethics, history, and constitutional rights will challenge the scholars to read and analyze scholarly articles
The Louisiana Department of Education
from a variety of thinkers. Students will be asked to write a series of short papers and complete a research paper
Commission on Secondary & Middle Schools of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Cross had been challenging but not more than expected. The boys could only be described as “fearless.”
That would change dramatically on a warm August morning, after running across campus to make the climb to the fourth
each semester.
floor to English III Honors. It was only fitting that they would breathlessly take their seats and be addressed by a man in the
One of the elements of the seminar component is the Expert on
Campus. When possible, one of the writers whose work the scholars
have studied will come to campus and spend time teaching the seminar
and presenting other lectures, enabling the scholars to gain a true
Holy Cross School is a member of:
familiar garb of black slacks and black shirt with the white Roman collar. The moment he introduced himself, “Good morning,
The National Catholic Educational Association
I am Bro. James McDonnell”, they knew that this would be an extraordinary experience.
The National Middle School Association
Br. James spent the year challenging the boys to be scholars. They would be pushed to learn where to look for information
The National High School Association
and to never stop seeking it. He made sure that they thought, and wrote about what they thought. It was impossible to sit
understanding of the assumptions underlying the author’s thinking.
quietly in class because he would demand that they express themselves. Of course, he would challenge whatever they said.
Holy Cross School is sponsored by:
• Exposure to Classical Languages will be an additional benefit for the
Soon the school year ended. English IV Honors would mean a new teacher for the boys, and Bro. James would have a new
The Congregation of Holy Cross, South-West Province
group to cajole.
scholar. Latin I and II will be required of the scholars beginning the
program in 2013-14. In subsequent years, Latin II and III will be required,
Thirty years have passed since that group graduated from Holy Cross. If you asked them about Br. McDonnell’s class today,
with Latin I being a pre-requisite.
it is likely that they will be divided as to whether they believed all of the stories he told, or if they loved or hated him. They
ARE likely to agree, however, that he was a powerful figure in their intellectual growth and still influences their approach to
• Speech III and IV will be required of each scholar during the first two
scholarship and intellectual pursuit today.
years. These are honors-level courses where the student will learn
research, debate and argumentation, rhetoric, oratory, elocution, logic,
In recognition of the passion of this great teacher, Holy Cross is proud to offer The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars
and performance.
Program, an interdisciplinary program in the Humanities.
• The scholar’s classroom will have no walls. During the first and second
years, the scholar will meet with a number of individuals across a
Why offer this challenging program?
variety of disciplines who will give them a unique and often practical
look at some of the issues being discussed.
This will culminate in April of the second year when a city such as Chicago, New York, or Washington D.C. is chosen
The McDonnell Scholars Program is designed to give students an opportunity to explore a number of disciplines through
as a venue for an interdisciplinary experience. It is here that the scholars will have an opportunity to attend sessions
courses placing an emphasis upon written and spoken expression. Teachers in the program will demand that students think
HOLY CROSS SCHOOL
with university professors who will engage them in discussions germane to the topics they have discussed during
the Sophomore Seminar.
Brother james McDONNELL, C.S.C.
SCHOLARS PROGRAM
• Each scholar’s career will culminate with the Senior
Thesis Workshop where he will be required to work with
an expert/mentor on an area of interest and complete a
An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Humanities
thesis in April of the senior year. In May, a symposium
critically, write cogently, and express their ideas respectfully but without apology.
By the time the program is completed, the McDonnell Scholar will:
• have a sense of the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge;
• exhibit superior oral and written communication skills;
will be held where the seniors will present their work
• display superior research skills in many media;
publicly over a series of nights.
• possess an awareness and appreciation of the fine arts;
Holy Cross School
5500 Paris Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504) 942-3100
www.holycrosstigers.com
Holy Cross School is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students of varied cultural, ethnic and economic backgrounds.
The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, racial or ethnic origins in the administration of any of its policies or programs.
• have an acquaintance of the great books, ideas, and thinkers of western civilization,
and acknowledge and appreciate cultures other than his own;
• understand and critically assess current events;
• function intellectually at higher levels of thought;
• internalize and act upon a sense of moral and social responsibility; and
• master and apply leadership skills to help his community solve problems.
Is your son ready for a unique challenge?
The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program
Crux Spes Unica – The Cross, Our Only Hope
The McDonnell Scholar will be offered an experience with challenges that will augment his AP/Honors curriculum.
• Seminar courses with intensive readings and discussions in a variety of areas including public policy, philosophy,
The story of the Brother James McDonnell Scholars Program began with a group of eager sophomore boys, excited about
their accomplishments as students and ready to take on whatever academic challenge might be in their future. After all, Holy
Holy Cross School is fully accredited by:
theology, ethics, history, and constitutional rights will challenge the scholars to read and analyze scholarly articles
The Louisiana Department of Education
from a variety of thinkers. Students will be asked to write a series of short papers and complete a research paper
Commission on Secondary & Middle Schools of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Cross had been challenging but not more than expected. The boys could only be described as “fearless.”
That would change dramatically on a warm August morning, after running across campus to make the climb to the fourth
each semester.
floor to English III Honors. It was only fitting that they would breathlessly take their seats and be addressed by a man in the
One of the elements of the seminar component is the Expert on
Campus. When possible, one of the writers whose work the scholars
have studied will come to campus and spend time teaching the seminar
and presenting other lectures, enabling the scholars to gain a true
Holy Cross School is a member of:
familiar garb of black slacks and black shirt with the white Roman collar. The moment he introduced himself, “Good morning,
The National Catholic Educational Association
I am Bro. James McDonnell”, they knew that this would be an extraordinary experience.
The National Middle School Association
Br. James spent the year challenging the boys to be scholars. They would be pushed to learn where to look for information
The National High School Association
and to never stop seeking it. He made sure that they thought, and wrote about what they thought. It was impossible to sit
understanding of the assumptions underlying the author’s thinking.
quietly in class because he would demand that they express themselves. Of course, he would challenge whatever they said.
Holy Cross School is sponsored by:
• Exposure to Classical Languages will be an additional benefit for the
Soon the school year ended. English IV Honors would mean a new teacher for the boys, and Bro. James would have a new
The Congregation of Holy Cross, South-West Province
group to cajole.
scholar. Latin I and II will be required of the scholars beginning the
program in 2013-14. In subsequent years, Latin II and III will be required,
Thirty years have passed since that group graduated from Holy Cross. If you asked them about Br. McDonnell’s class today,
with Latin I being a pre-requisite.
it is likely that they will be divided as to whether they believed all of the stories he told, or if they loved or hated him. They
ARE likely to agree, however, that he was a powerful figure in their intellectual growth and still influences their approach to
• Speech III and IV will be required of each scholar during the first two
scholarship and intellectual pursuit today.
years. These are honors-level courses where the student will learn
research, debate and argumentation, rhetoric, oratory, elocution, logic,
In recognition of the passion of this great teacher, Holy Cross is proud to offer The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars
and performance.
Program, an interdisciplinary program in the Humanities.
• The scholar’s classroom will have no walls. During the first and second
years, the scholar will meet with a number of individuals across a
Why offer this challenging program?
variety of disciplines who will give them a unique and often practical
look at some of the issues being discussed.
This will culminate in April of the second year when a city such as Chicago, New York, or Washington D.C. is chosen
The McDonnell Scholars Program is designed to give students an opportunity to explore a number of disciplines through
as a venue for an interdisciplinary experience. It is here that the scholars will have an opportunity to attend sessions
courses placing an emphasis upon written and spoken expression. Teachers in the program will demand that students think
HOLY CROSS SCHOOL
with university professors who will engage them in discussions germane to the topics they have discussed during
the Sophomore Seminar.
Brother james McDONNELL, C.S.C.
SCHOLARS PROGRAM
• Each scholar’s career will culminate with the Senior
Thesis Workshop where he will be required to work with
an expert/mentor on an area of interest and complete a
An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Humanities
thesis in April of the senior year. In May, a symposium
critically, write cogently, and express their ideas respectfully but without apology.
By the time the program is completed, the McDonnell Scholar will:
• have a sense of the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge;
• exhibit superior oral and written communication skills;
will be held where the seniors will present their work
• display superior research skills in many media;
publicly over a series of nights.
• possess an awareness and appreciation of the fine arts;
Holy Cross School
5500 Paris Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504) 942-3100
www.holycrosstigers.com
Holy Cross School is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students of varied cultural, ethnic and economic backgrounds.
The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, racial or ethnic origins in the administration of any of its policies or programs.
• have an acquaintance of the great books, ideas, and thinkers of western civilization,
and acknowledge and appreciate cultures other than his own;
• understand and critically assess current events;
• function intellectually at higher levels of thought;
• internalize and act upon a sense of moral and social responsibility; and
• master and apply leadership skills to help his community solve problems.
What courses will my son take?
Who’s Who in the Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program
While the program presents a number of unique opportunities for the students, Holy Cross remains cognizant of the need to
meet necessary requirements imposed by the State of Louisiana.
Most of the courses taken by the scholars will carry the distinction of either Honors (H) or Advanced Placement (AP).
Other courses will carry the rigor of our traditional college preparatory classes. The overall academic program for all of the
McDonnell Scholars will be as follows:
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
12th Grade
English II H
English III (H)
English IV (H/AP)
English V (H/AP)
Algebra I (H) / Geometry (H)
Geometry (H) / Algebra II (H)
Algebra II (H) / Pre-Calculus (H)
Prob & Stat (H/AP) / Calculus (H/AP)
Physical Science (H)
Biology (H)
Chemistry (H)
Science Elective
Religion
Religion
Religion
Religion
World History (H/AP)
Sophomore Seminar (H)
U.S. History (H/AP)
Civics (H) or US Govt. & Politics (AP)
Latin I* (H)
Latin II* (H)
Health / P.E.
P.E.
Speech III (H)
Speech IV (H)
Junior Seminar (H)
Senior Thesis Workshop (H)
*The scholars who begin the program in 2014-15 will have Latin I as a pre-requisite in the 8th grade, thus they will take Latin II and Latin III as part of their requirements.
Requirements for Completion
In order for the McDonnell Scholar to carry that distinction at the time of graduation he must:
•
•
•
•
•
complete a minimum of 15 courses designated as Honors or AP;
take two years of Latin at Holy Cross;
maintain honor roll status each year;
complete 140 hours of approved community service over the course of four years; and
complete an approved Senior Thesis.
How does my son secure a place in the program?
There is an admissions process and it is competitive. Minimum requirements for application to the program include:
•
•
•
•
•
completion of the 8th Grade at Holy Cross;
a satisfactory disciplinary history;
reading and verbal test scores in the 80th percentile;
recommendations from two teachers; and
a GPA of 3.0.
Those students meeting the minimum requirements will be subject to the following:
• a week-long academic session where students will have an opportunity to do work similar to that of the Program; and
• an interview with the Program Director.
Factors to be considered in determining admission:
•
•
•
•
•
•
grade point average;
standardized test scores;
performance at week-long academic session;
discipline record;
recommendations from teachers; and
interviews with Program Director.
The applications will be reviewed by a faculty committee that will in turn make recommendations to the Director who will
make the final decision on each application.
Byron Arthur
Founding Director of the Bro. James
McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program,
Holy Cross Class of 1983
Byron Arthur returns to his alma mater
to serve as the director of the Scholars
Program. Mr. Arthur has never been far
from education, having taught AP United States Government
and Politics, AP Comparative Government and Politics,
Speech, Reading, American History, World Geography,
Civics, Religion, Louisiana History, and Life Skills at a
number of schools in New Orleans including Jesuit, Stuart
Hall School for Boys, De La Salle, St. George’s Episcopal, and
most recently Holy Cross.
Coaching debate and speech has been one of the hallmarks
of Mr. Arthur’s teaching career. While at Jesuit, he coached
numerous state champions, countless city champions,
and teams that were consistently successful at national
tournaments. He was a well-travelled lecturer and instructor
serving on the institute staffs at American University,
Baylor University, University of Iowa, Loyola University,
Northwestern University (IL), and Stanford University. His
successes have been recognized by numerous entities
including the Gold Key Society of the Barkley Forum at
Emory University, the William Faulkner Fellows at the
University of Mississippi, the Blue/Green/Gold Society at the
Glenbrook Schools, and most recently the Jesuit High School
Forensics Hall of Fame.
Outside of education, Mr. Arthur has served as a consultant
and speech writer for a number of individuals including the
Honorable Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, The Honorable John
Shaddinger, the Honorable Paul Connick, the Honorable
Mitchell J. Landrieu, and the Honorable June Berry
Darensburg. In addition to these endeavors, he served as
the Press Secretary/Communications Director for Cynthia J.
Bridges, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of
Revenue.
Mr. Arthur holds a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola
University as well as a J.D. in Civil Law from the Loyola
College of Law where he was a member of the Trial
Advocacy National Team, Moot Court Sports Law Team, and
was named to the Order of the Barristers.
Advisory Board
The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program will
only be meaningful for our students if there is a commitment
to innovation and growth. To assist in that process, the
Director has assembled a diverse group of individuals across
a number of fields who lend their expertise as needed.
Cynthia Joseph Bridges
Director, Board of Equalization,
State of California
Cynthia Bridges is a native of Louisiana,
having received her degree from the
University of Louisiana-Lafayette. She
served for 12 years as the Secretary of the
Louisiana Department of Revenue serving in the cabinets of
Governors Foster, Blanco, and Jindal. Due to her leadership
and innovation, Louisiana became a national leader in tax
administration. Her accomplishments were well-recognized as
she was named National Tax Administrator of the Year for 2012.
Dr. Stephen Brossette
Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder,
MedSnap, Birmingham, Alabama, Holy Cross
Class of 1989
Dr. Stephen Brossette is a young man
who has accomplished a great deal in a
short period of time. A former debater
at Holy Cross, Dr. Brossette holds a B.S. in Physics from
Georgia Tech, a PhD in Computer Science from the University
of Alabama-Birmingham, and an MD from UAB as well.
Currently, he leads the team that develops the computer
vision and statistical techniques used in MedSnap systems.
Prior to co-founding MedSnap, Dr. Brossette co-founded
MedMined, Inc., which was acquired by Cardinal Health in
2006. He served as vice president at Cardinal Health until
2009. Dr. Brossette was honored by MIT’s Technology
Review as one of the world’s top 100 young innovators
in 2002 and is the author of a number of peer-reviewed
scientific papers.
Professor Michael Caplan
Associate Professor of Engineering,
Arizona State University
Professor Michael Caplan was born
and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana
graduating from Jesuit High School. Prof.
Caplan was graduated from The University of Texas at Austin
with a B.A. in Plan II (a liberal arts honors program) and a
B.S. in Chemical Engineering with honors. As a Whitaker
Foundation Graduate Fellow, he earned a PhD in Chemical
Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and did post-doctoral research at Duke University Medical
Center in Cell Biology.
Prof. Caplan joined the faculty of Arizona State University in
2003. Current research in his lab focuses on rational design
of bioactive materials. One major project seeks to develop
molecules that bind tightly to cancer cells (glioblastoma
multiforme – the most deadly form of brain cancer) but not to
normal brain cells.
Professor Erwin Chemerinsky
Dean, University of California-Irvine
School of Law
Professor Erwin Chemerinsky is the
founding dean and distinguished
professor of law at the University of
California, Irvine School of Law, with a
joint appointment in Political Science.
Previously, Prof. Chemerinsky taught at Duke Law School
for four years, during which he won the Duke University
Scholar-Teacher of the Year Award in 2006. Before that he
taught for 21 years at the University of Southern California
School of Law, and served for four years as director of
the Center for Communications Law and Policy. Prof.
Chemerinsky has also taught at UCLA School of Law and
DePaul University College of Law.
Prof. Chemerinsky’s areas of expertise are constitutional law,
federal practice, civil rights and civil liberties, and appellate
litigation. He is the author of seven books, most recently,
The Conservative Assault on the Constitution (October
2010, Simon & Schuster), and nearly 200 articles in top law
reviews. He frequently argues cases before the nation’s
highest courts, and also serves as a commentator on legal
issues for national and local media.
Prof. Chemerinsky holds a law degree from Harvard
Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern
University where he was a nationally-ranked championship
debater.
Mike Dabadie
President and Managing Partner,
Heart+Mind Strategies, Washington, D.C.,
Holy Cross Class of 1987
Mike Dabadie has spent the past two
decades using the disciplines of market
research, brand strategy, reputation
management, communications, and marketing to help clients
meet their objectives. He is the President and Managing
Partner of Heart+Mind Strategies, a Washington, D.C. fullservice strategic research consultancy that he co-founded
on the vision of restoring the principles of Reagan pollster
Dick Wirthlin coupled with advancing values-based research
methods.
Before founding Heart+Mind Strategies, Mr. Dabadie spent
more than a decade with Wirthlin Worldwide, was the CMO
at Community Coffee Company, and ran the Brand Strategy
group at Harris Interactive as its President.
Brands that Mr. Dabadie has helped to position and
reposition include AARP, the American Red Cross,
Community Coffee, Flavia, Paychex, Visa, Zyrtec, and the
Catholic Church. He has also served as pollster to Senator
Sam Brownback, Congressman Paul Ryan, and former
Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Mr. Dabadie holds a
B.S. in Political Science from Loyola University.
Dr. Glenn C. Dubroc, Jr.
Owner, Dubroc Orthodontics, Holy Cross
Class of 1982
Dr. Glenn Dubroc is a 1982 graduate of
Holy Cross School. He became a founding
member of the Pre-Dental Society at
Louisiana State University. Completing
his undergraduate pre-dentistry curriculum in just 3 years, he
proceeded to the LSU School of Dentistry. There he served
as president of Delta Sigma Delta dental fraternity for two
years. His dental school achievements include membership
in the C. Edmund Kells Honor Society and Omicron Kappa
Upsilon, the national dental honor society. At graduation
in 1989, he received the LSU Health Science Center’s
highest honor, the Chancellor’s Award. He then completed
a two-year residency program in orthodontics at LSU and
graduated in 1991. Dr. Dubroc then opened a private practice
of orthodontics in New Orleans, where his business has
remained for 21½ years.
Dr. Dubroc’s volunteer hours are numerous. He worked on
the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Dental Association
for 8 years, serving as President in 2003. He has served on
the Holy Cross School Board of Directors since 2007, chaired
the school’s Gold & Blue Gala fundraiser in 2010 and was
Chairman of the Board from 2010 to 2012.
Dr. Dubroc was the recipient of the J. Jerome Hebert Award,
presented by the Louisiana Association of Orthodontists,
and was inducted into the International College of Dentists in
2008. In 2009, he became the youngest recipient of the Honor
Dentist Award, the New Orleans Dental Association’s most
prestigious award.
Dr. Dubroc has been a part-time faculty member in the
LSUSD Department of Orthodontics since 1996 and was
recently promoted to Assistant Clinical Professor. In 2001,
he was awarded Diplomate status by the American Board of
Orthodontics.
Maj. Brandon C. Gregoire
United States Marine Corps
Maj. Brandon Gregoire is one of
New Orleans’ native sons whose star
continues to rise in the United States
Marine Corps. A graduate of Jesuit High
School, Maj. Gregoire went on to earn
a degree in Classical Latin from Harvard University. His
numerous assignments include serving on the immediate
staff of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. He also
worked on the staff of United States Senator Claire
McCaskill ( D-MO).
Brother Ernest J. Miller, F.S.C.
Doctoral Student, Holy Cross Class of 1987
A native of New Orleans, Br. Ernest
Miller is a member of the Brothers of the
Christian Schools, popularly known as
the De La Salle Christian Brothers.
Br. Ernest recently completed three years as the Associate
Director for Mission and Ministry in the District of Eastern,
the geographic region for all Lasallian educational
ministries in six states, Washington, D.C., and Ontario,
Canada.
Before taking up his most recent position in provincial
leadership, Br. Ernest served for two years as Director of
Education and Lasallian Mission Formation in the District of
Baltimore.
Previous to his service in District leadership, Br. Ernest
served on the faculty of Central Catholic High School in
Pittsburgh, La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, PA,
and West Philadelphia Catholic High School. His fields of
teaching include history, religion, government, international
affairs, and interdisciplinary studies.
While at Central Catholic, Br. Ernest served as founding
director of the David S. Baginski, FSC Scholars Program, an
interdisciplinary studies endeavor for honors-level students.
Patrick Dupré Quigley
Founder and Artistic Director, Seraphic Fire,
Miami, FL
Patrick Dupré Quigley is the Founder and
Artistic Director of Seraphic Fire and the
Firebird Chamber Orchestra, and has
been described by the Miami Herald as
“a musician with a constellation of qualities rarely found in
a single conductor: an enthusiastic and audience-friendly
personal style, a scholar’s instinct for rooting out obscure
but worthy music, a scrupulous and historically informed
approach to works that span a wide range of musical
periods, an ability to bring out the best in his talented
platoon…and a showman’s canny sense of how to appeal
to audiences.”
In 2012, Mr. Quigley was nominated for two Grammy
awards for his work with Seraphic Fire and the Professional
Choral Institute: Best Choral Performance for Brahms: Ein
Deutsches Requiem, and Best Small Ensemble Performance
for A Seraphic Fire Christmas.
A native New Orleanian, Mr. Quigley is graduate of Jesuit
High School where he was the 1996 NFL National Champion
in Prose Reading. He received his M.Mus in conducting
from the Yale School of Music and his B.A. in musicology
from the University of Notre Dame.
Fredericka Taylor Wicker
Manager of Special Projects, Recovery
School District
Fredericka Wicker is a New Orleans
native who has brought her energy and
talents back home to improve the lives of
the children of New Orleans.
This graduate of Louise S. McGhee earned a B.A. in French
and History from the University of Virginia. While at UVA,
she conducted a study on the relationship between a high
school diploma and the degree to which that education
increased employment opportunities for homeless
individuals.
Br. Ernest was graduated from Loyola University New
Orleans with a B.A. in Political Science; The George
Washington University with a M.A. in International Affairs;
La Salle University with a M.A. in Education; Georgetown
University with a M.L.S. (Master in Liberal Studies).
Immediately after graduation from UVA, Ms. Wicker
taught high school in France. In 2012, she earned a M.S.
with Honors in Social Policy from the London School of
Economics.
Currently, Br. Ernest is on a short sabbatical before
beginning doctoral studies at the Catholic Theological
Union in Chicago.
Ms. Wicker’s varied work experience includes SAT
preparation for high school students, education reform, and
charter school policy.
What courses will my son take?
Who’s Who in the Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program
While the program presents a number of unique opportunities for the students, Holy Cross remains cognizant of the need to
meet necessary requirements imposed by the State of Louisiana.
Most of the courses taken by the scholars will carry the distinction of either Honors (H) or Advanced Placement (AP).
Other courses will carry the rigor of our traditional college preparatory classes. The overall academic program for all of the
McDonnell Scholars will be as follows:
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
12th Grade
English II H
English III (H)
English IV (H/AP)
English V (H/AP)
Algebra I (H) / Geometry (H)
Geometry (H) / Algebra II (H)
Algebra II (H) / Pre-Calculus (H)
Prob & Stat (H/AP) / Calculus (H/AP)
Physical Science (H)
Biology (H)
Chemistry (H)
Science Elective
Religion
Religion
Religion
Religion
World History (H/AP)
Sophomore Seminar (H)
U.S. History (H/AP)
Civics (H) or US Govt. & Politics (AP)
Latin I* (H)
Latin II* (H)
Health / P.E.
P.E.
Speech III (H)
Speech IV (H)
Junior Seminar (H)
Senior Thesis Workshop (H)
*The scholars who begin the program in 2014-15 will have Latin I as a pre-requisite in the 8th grade, thus they will take Latin II and Latin III as part of their requirements.
Requirements for Completion
In order for the McDonnell Scholar to carry that distinction at the time of graduation he must:
•
•
•
•
•
complete a minimum of 15 courses designated as Honors or AP;
take two years of Latin at Holy Cross;
maintain honor roll status each year;
complete 140 hours of approved community service over the course of four years; and
complete an approved Senior Thesis.
How does my son secure a place in the program?
There is an admissions process and it is competitive. Minimum requirements for application to the program include:
•
•
•
•
•
completion of the 8th Grade at Holy Cross;
a satisfactory disciplinary history;
reading and verbal test scores in the 80th percentile;
recommendations from two teachers; and
a GPA of 3.0.
Those students meeting the minimum requirements will be subject to the following:
• a week-long academic session where students will have an opportunity to do work similar to that of the Program; and
• an interview with the Program Director.
Factors to be considered in determining admission:
•
•
•
•
•
•
grade point average;
standardized test scores;
performance at week-long academic session;
discipline record;
recommendations from teachers; and
interviews with Program Director.
The applications will be reviewed by a faculty committee that will in turn make recommendations to the Director who will
make the final decision on each application.
Byron Arthur
Founding Director of the Bro. James
McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program,
Holy Cross Class of 1983
Byron Arthur returns to his alma mater
to serve as the director of the Scholars
Program. Mr. Arthur has never been far
from education, having taught AP United States Government
and Politics, AP Comparative Government and Politics,
Speech, Reading, American History, World Geography,
Civics, Religion, Louisiana History, and Life Skills at a
number of schools in New Orleans including Jesuit, Stuart
Hall School for Boys, De La Salle, St. George’s Episcopal, and
most recently Holy Cross.
Coaching debate and speech has been one of the hallmarks
of Mr. Arthur’s teaching career. While at Jesuit, he coached
numerous state champions, countless city champions,
and teams that were consistently successful at national
tournaments. He was a well-travelled lecturer and instructor
serving on the institute staffs at American University,
Baylor University, University of Iowa, Loyola University,
Northwestern University (IL), and Stanford University. His
successes have been recognized by numerous entities
including the Gold Key Society of the Barkley Forum at
Emory University, the William Faulkner Fellows at the
University of Mississippi, the Blue/Green/Gold Society at the
Glenbrook Schools, and most recently the Jesuit High School
Forensics Hall of Fame.
Outside of education, Mr. Arthur has served as a consultant
and speech writer for a number of individuals including the
Honorable Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, The Honorable John
Shaddinger, the Honorable Paul Connick, the Honorable
Mitchell J. Landrieu, and the Honorable June Berry
Darensburg. In addition to these endeavors, he served as
the Press Secretary/Communications Director for Cynthia J.
Bridges, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of
Revenue.
Mr. Arthur holds a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola
University as well as a J.D. in Civil Law from the Loyola
College of Law where he was a member of the Trial
Advocacy National Team, Moot Court Sports Law Team, and
was named to the Order of the Barristers.
Advisory Board
The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program will
only be meaningful for our students if there is a commitment
to innovation and growth. To assist in that process, the
Director has assembled a diverse group of individuals across
a number of fields who lend their expertise as needed.
Cynthia Joseph Bridges
Director, Board of Equalization,
State of California
Cynthia Bridges is a native of Louisiana,
having received her degree from the
University of Louisiana-Lafayette. She
served for 12 years as the Secretary of the
Louisiana Department of Revenue serving in the cabinets of
Governors Foster, Blanco, and Jindal. Due to her leadership
and innovation, Louisiana became a national leader in tax
administration. Her accomplishments were well-recognized as
she was named National Tax Administrator of the Year for 2012.
Dr. Stephen Brossette
Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder,
MedSnap, Birmingham, Alabama, Holy Cross
Class of 1989
Dr. Stephen Brossette is a young man
who has accomplished a great deal in a
short period of time. A former debater
at Holy Cross, Dr. Brossette holds a B.S. in Physics from
Georgia Tech, a PhD in Computer Science from the University
of Alabama-Birmingham, and an MD from UAB as well.
Currently, he leads the team that develops the computer
vision and statistical techniques used in MedSnap systems.
Prior to co-founding MedSnap, Dr. Brossette co-founded
MedMined, Inc., which was acquired by Cardinal Health in
2006. He served as vice president at Cardinal Health until
2009. Dr. Brossette was honored by MIT’s Technology
Review as one of the world’s top 100 young innovators
in 2002 and is the author of a number of peer-reviewed
scientific papers.
Professor Michael Caplan
Associate Professor of Engineering,
Arizona State University
Professor Michael Caplan was born
and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana
graduating from Jesuit High School. Prof.
Caplan was graduated from The University of Texas at Austin
with a B.A. in Plan II (a liberal arts honors program) and a
B.S. in Chemical Engineering with honors. As a Whitaker
Foundation Graduate Fellow, he earned a PhD in Chemical
Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and did post-doctoral research at Duke University Medical
Center in Cell Biology.
Prof. Caplan joined the faculty of Arizona State University in
2003. Current research in his lab focuses on rational design
of bioactive materials. One major project seeks to develop
molecules that bind tightly to cancer cells (glioblastoma
multiforme – the most deadly form of brain cancer) but not to
normal brain cells.
Professor Erwin Chemerinsky
Dean, University of California-Irvine
School of Law
Professor Erwin Chemerinsky is the
founding dean and distinguished
professor of law at the University of
California, Irvine School of Law, with a
joint appointment in Political Science.
Previously, Prof. Chemerinsky taught at Duke Law School
for four years, during which he won the Duke University
Scholar-Teacher of the Year Award in 2006. Before that he
taught for 21 years at the University of Southern California
School of Law, and served for four years as director of
the Center for Communications Law and Policy. Prof.
Chemerinsky has also taught at UCLA School of Law and
DePaul University College of Law.
Prof. Chemerinsky’s areas of expertise are constitutional law,
federal practice, civil rights and civil liberties, and appellate
litigation. He is the author of seven books, most recently,
The Conservative Assault on the Constitution (October
2010, Simon & Schuster), and nearly 200 articles in top law
reviews. He frequently argues cases before the nation’s
highest courts, and also serves as a commentator on legal
issues for national and local media.
Prof. Chemerinsky holds a law degree from Harvard
Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern
University where he was a nationally-ranked championship
debater.
Mike Dabadie
President and Managing Partner,
Heart+Mind Strategies, Washington, D.C.,
Holy Cross Class of 1987
Mike Dabadie has spent the past two
decades using the disciplines of market
research, brand strategy, reputation
management, communications, and marketing to help clients
meet their objectives. He is the President and Managing
Partner of Heart+Mind Strategies, a Washington, D.C. fullservice strategic research consultancy that he co-founded
on the vision of restoring the principles of Reagan pollster
Dick Wirthlin coupled with advancing values-based research
methods.
Before founding Heart+Mind Strategies, Mr. Dabadie spent
more than a decade with Wirthlin Worldwide, was the CMO
at Community Coffee Company, and ran the Brand Strategy
group at Harris Interactive as its President.
Brands that Mr. Dabadie has helped to position and
reposition include AARP, the American Red Cross,
Community Coffee, Flavia, Paychex, Visa, Zyrtec, and the
Catholic Church. He has also served as pollster to Senator
Sam Brownback, Congressman Paul Ryan, and former
Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Mr. Dabadie holds a
B.S. in Political Science from Loyola University.
Dr. Glenn C. Dubroc, Jr.
Owner, Dubroc Orthodontics, Holy Cross
Class of 1982
Dr. Glenn Dubroc is a 1982 graduate of
Holy Cross School. He became a founding
member of the Pre-Dental Society at
Louisiana State University. Completing
his undergraduate pre-dentistry curriculum in just 3 years, he
proceeded to the LSU School of Dentistry. There he served
as president of Delta Sigma Delta dental fraternity for two
years. His dental school achievements include membership
in the C. Edmund Kells Honor Society and Omicron Kappa
Upsilon, the national dental honor society. At graduation
in 1989, he received the LSU Health Science Center’s
highest honor, the Chancellor’s Award. He then completed
a two-year residency program in orthodontics at LSU and
graduated in 1991. Dr. Dubroc then opened a private practice
of orthodontics in New Orleans, where his business has
remained for 21½ years.
Dr. Dubroc’s volunteer hours are numerous. He worked on
the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Dental Association
for 8 years, serving as President in 2003. He has served on
the Holy Cross School Board of Directors since 2007, chaired
the school’s Gold & Blue Gala fundraiser in 2010 and was
Chairman of the Board from 2010 to 2012.
Dr. Dubroc was the recipient of the J. Jerome Hebert Award,
presented by the Louisiana Association of Orthodontists,
and was inducted into the International College of Dentists in
2008. In 2009, he became the youngest recipient of the Honor
Dentist Award, the New Orleans Dental Association’s most
prestigious award.
Dr. Dubroc has been a part-time faculty member in the
LSUSD Department of Orthodontics since 1996 and was
recently promoted to Assistant Clinical Professor. In 2001,
he was awarded Diplomate status by the American Board of
Orthodontics.
Maj. Brandon C. Gregoire
United States Marine Corps
Maj. Brandon Gregoire is one of
New Orleans’ native sons whose star
continues to rise in the United States
Marine Corps. A graduate of Jesuit High
School, Maj. Gregoire went on to earn
a degree in Classical Latin from Harvard University. His
numerous assignments include serving on the immediate
staff of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. He also
worked on the staff of United States Senator Claire
McCaskill ( D-MO).
Brother Ernest J. Miller, F.S.C.
Doctoral Student, Holy Cross Class of 1987
A native of New Orleans, Br. Ernest
Miller is a member of the Brothers of the
Christian Schools, popularly known as
the De La Salle Christian Brothers.
Br. Ernest recently completed three years as the Associate
Director for Mission and Ministry in the District of Eastern,
the geographic region for all Lasallian educational
ministries in six states, Washington, D.C., and Ontario,
Canada.
Before taking up his most recent position in provincial
leadership, Br. Ernest served for two years as Director of
Education and Lasallian Mission Formation in the District of
Baltimore.
Previous to his service in District leadership, Br. Ernest
served on the faculty of Central Catholic High School in
Pittsburgh, La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, PA,
and West Philadelphia Catholic High School. His fields of
teaching include history, religion, government, international
affairs, and interdisciplinary studies.
While at Central Catholic, Br. Ernest served as founding
director of the David S. Baginski, FSC Scholars Program, an
interdisciplinary studies endeavor for honors-level students.
Patrick Dupré Quigley
Founder and Artistic Director, Seraphic Fire,
Miami, FL
Patrick Dupré Quigley is the Founder and
Artistic Director of Seraphic Fire and the
Firebird Chamber Orchestra, and has
been described by the Miami Herald as
“a musician with a constellation of qualities rarely found in
a single conductor: an enthusiastic and audience-friendly
personal style, a scholar’s instinct for rooting out obscure
but worthy music, a scrupulous and historically informed
approach to works that span a wide range of musical
periods, an ability to bring out the best in his talented
platoon…and a showman’s canny sense of how to appeal
to audiences.”
In 2012, Mr. Quigley was nominated for two Grammy
awards for his work with Seraphic Fire and the Professional
Choral Institute: Best Choral Performance for Brahms: Ein
Deutsches Requiem, and Best Small Ensemble Performance
for A Seraphic Fire Christmas.
A native New Orleanian, Mr. Quigley is graduate of Jesuit
High School where he was the 1996 NFL National Champion
in Prose Reading. He received his M.Mus in conducting
from the Yale School of Music and his B.A. in musicology
from the University of Notre Dame.
Fredericka Taylor Wicker
Manager of Special Projects, Recovery
School District
Fredericka Wicker is a New Orleans
native who has brought her energy and
talents back home to improve the lives of
the children of New Orleans.
This graduate of Louise S. McGhee earned a B.A. in French
and History from the University of Virginia. While at UVA,
she conducted a study on the relationship between a high
school diploma and the degree to which that education
increased employment opportunities for homeless
individuals.
Br. Ernest was graduated from Loyola University New
Orleans with a B.A. in Political Science; The George
Washington University with a M.A. in International Affairs;
La Salle University with a M.A. in Education; Georgetown
University with a M.L.S. (Master in Liberal Studies).
Immediately after graduation from UVA, Ms. Wicker
taught high school in France. In 2012, she earned a M.S.
with Honors in Social Policy from the London School of
Economics.
Currently, Br. Ernest is on a short sabbatical before
beginning doctoral studies at the Catholic Theological
Union in Chicago.
Ms. Wicker’s varied work experience includes SAT
preparation for high school students, education reform, and
charter school policy.
What courses will my son take?
Who’s Who in the Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program
While the program presents a number of unique opportunities for the students, Holy Cross remains cognizant of the need to
meet necessary requirements imposed by the State of Louisiana.
Most of the courses taken by the scholars will carry the distinction of either Honors (H) or Advanced Placement (AP).
Other courses will carry the rigor of our traditional college preparatory classes. The overall academic program for all of the
McDonnell Scholars will be as follows:
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
12th Grade
English II H
English III (H)
English IV (H/AP)
English V (H/AP)
Algebra I (H) / Geometry (H)
Geometry (H) / Algebra II (H)
Algebra II (H) / Pre-Calculus (H)
Prob & Stat (H/AP) / Calculus (H/AP)
Physical Science (H)
Biology (H)
Chemistry (H)
Science Elective
Religion
Religion
Religion
Religion
World History (H/AP)
Sophomore Seminar (H)
U.S. History (H/AP)
Civics (H) or US Govt. & Politics (AP)
Latin I* (H)
Latin II* (H)
Health / P.E.
P.E.
Speech III (H)
Speech IV (H)
Junior Seminar (H)
Senior Thesis Workshop (H)
*The scholars who begin the program in 2014-15 will have Latin I as a pre-requisite in the 8th grade, thus they will take Latin II and Latin III as part of their requirements.
Requirements for Completion
In order for the McDonnell Scholar to carry that distinction at the time of graduation he must:
•
•
•
•
•
complete a minimum of 15 courses designated as Honors or AP;
take two years of Latin at Holy Cross;
maintain honor roll status each year;
complete 140 hours of approved community service over the course of four years; and
complete an approved Senior Thesis.
How does my son secure a place in the program?
There is an admissions process and it is competitive. Minimum requirements for application to the program include:
•
•
•
•
•
completion of the 8th Grade at Holy Cross;
a satisfactory disciplinary history;
reading and verbal test scores in the 80th percentile;
recommendations from two teachers; and
a GPA of 3.0.
Those students meeting the minimum requirements will be subject to the following:
• a week-long academic session where students will have an opportunity to do work similar to that of the Program; and
• an interview with the Program Director.
Factors to be considered in determining admission:
•
•
•
•
•
•
grade point average;
standardized test scores;
performance at week-long academic session;
discipline record;
recommendations from teachers; and
interviews with Program Director.
The applications will be reviewed by a faculty committee that will in turn make recommendations to the Director who will
make the final decision on each application.
Byron Arthur
Founding Director of the Bro. James
McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program,
Holy Cross Class of 1983
Byron Arthur returns to his alma mater
to serve as the director of the Scholars
Program. Mr. Arthur has never been far
from education, having taught AP United States Government
and Politics, AP Comparative Government and Politics,
Speech, Reading, American History, World Geography,
Civics, Religion, Louisiana History, and Life Skills at a
number of schools in New Orleans including Jesuit, Stuart
Hall School for Boys, De La Salle, St. George’s Episcopal, and
most recently Holy Cross.
Coaching debate and speech has been one of the hallmarks
of Mr. Arthur’s teaching career. While at Jesuit, he coached
numerous state champions, countless city champions,
and teams that were consistently successful at national
tournaments. He was a well-travelled lecturer and instructor
serving on the institute staffs at American University,
Baylor University, University of Iowa, Loyola University,
Northwestern University (IL), and Stanford University. His
successes have been recognized by numerous entities
including the Gold Key Society of the Barkley Forum at
Emory University, the William Faulkner Fellows at the
University of Mississippi, the Blue/Green/Gold Society at the
Glenbrook Schools, and most recently the Jesuit High School
Forensics Hall of Fame.
Outside of education, Mr. Arthur has served as a consultant
and speech writer for a number of individuals including the
Honorable Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, The Honorable John
Shaddinger, the Honorable Paul Connick, the Honorable
Mitchell J. Landrieu, and the Honorable June Berry
Darensburg. In addition to these endeavors, he served as
the Press Secretary/Communications Director for Cynthia J.
Bridges, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of
Revenue.
Mr. Arthur holds a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola
University as well as a J.D. in Civil Law from the Loyola
College of Law where he was a member of the Trial
Advocacy National Team, Moot Court Sports Law Team, and
was named to the Order of the Barristers.
Advisory Board
The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program will
only be meaningful for our students if there is a commitment
to innovation and growth. To assist in that process, the
Director has assembled a diverse group of individuals across
a number of fields who lend their expertise as needed.
Cynthia Joseph Bridges
Director, Board of Equalization,
State of California
Cynthia Bridges is a native of Louisiana,
having received her degree from the
University of Louisiana-Lafayette. She
served for 12 years as the Secretary of the
Louisiana Department of Revenue serving in the cabinets of
Governors Foster, Blanco, and Jindal. Due to her leadership
and innovation, Louisiana became a national leader in tax
administration. Her accomplishments were well-recognized as
she was named National Tax Administrator of the Year for 2012.
Dr. Stephen Brossette
Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder,
MedSnap, Birmingham, Alabama, Holy Cross
Class of 1989
Dr. Stephen Brossette is a young man
who has accomplished a great deal in a
short period of time. A former debater
at Holy Cross, Dr. Brossette holds a B.S. in Physics from
Georgia Tech, a PhD in Computer Science from the University
of Alabama-Birmingham, and an MD from UAB as well.
Currently, he leads the team that develops the computer
vision and statistical techniques used in MedSnap systems.
Prior to co-founding MedSnap, Dr. Brossette co-founded
MedMined, Inc., which was acquired by Cardinal Health in
2006. He served as vice president at Cardinal Health until
2009. Dr. Brossette was honored by MIT’s Technology
Review as one of the world’s top 100 young innovators
in 2002 and is the author of a number of peer-reviewed
scientific papers.
Professor Michael Caplan
Associate Professor of Engineering,
Arizona State University
Professor Michael Caplan was born
and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana
graduating from Jesuit High School. Prof.
Caplan was graduated from The University of Texas at Austin
with a B.A. in Plan II (a liberal arts honors program) and a
B.S. in Chemical Engineering with honors. As a Whitaker
Foundation Graduate Fellow, he earned a PhD in Chemical
Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and did post-doctoral research at Duke University Medical
Center in Cell Biology.
Prof. Caplan joined the faculty of Arizona State University in
2003. Current research in his lab focuses on rational design
of bioactive materials. One major project seeks to develop
molecules that bind tightly to cancer cells (glioblastoma
multiforme – the most deadly form of brain cancer) but not to
normal brain cells.
Professor Erwin Chemerinsky
Dean, University of California-Irvine
School of Law
Professor Erwin Chemerinsky is the
founding dean and distinguished
professor of law at the University of
California, Irvine School of Law, with a
joint appointment in Political Science.
Previously, Prof. Chemerinsky taught at Duke Law School
for four years, during which he won the Duke University
Scholar-Teacher of the Year Award in 2006. Before that he
taught for 21 years at the University of Southern California
School of Law, and served for four years as director of
the Center for Communications Law and Policy. Prof.
Chemerinsky has also taught at UCLA School of Law and
DePaul University College of Law.
Prof. Chemerinsky’s areas of expertise are constitutional law,
federal practice, civil rights and civil liberties, and appellate
litigation. He is the author of seven books, most recently,
The Conservative Assault on the Constitution (October
2010, Simon & Schuster), and nearly 200 articles in top law
reviews. He frequently argues cases before the nation’s
highest courts, and also serves as a commentator on legal
issues for national and local media.
Prof. Chemerinsky holds a law degree from Harvard
Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern
University where he was a nationally-ranked championship
debater.
Mike Dabadie
President and Managing Partner,
Heart+Mind Strategies, Washington, D.C.,
Holy Cross Class of 1987
Mike Dabadie has spent the past two
decades using the disciplines of market
research, brand strategy, reputation
management, communications, and marketing to help clients
meet their objectives. He is the President and Managing
Partner of Heart+Mind Strategies, a Washington, D.C. fullservice strategic research consultancy that he co-founded
on the vision of restoring the principles of Reagan pollster
Dick Wirthlin coupled with advancing values-based research
methods.
Before founding Heart+Mind Strategies, Mr. Dabadie spent
more than a decade with Wirthlin Worldwide, was the CMO
at Community Coffee Company, and ran the Brand Strategy
group at Harris Interactive as its President.
Brands that Mr. Dabadie has helped to position and
reposition include AARP, the American Red Cross,
Community Coffee, Flavia, Paychex, Visa, Zyrtec, and the
Catholic Church. He has also served as pollster to Senator
Sam Brownback, Congressman Paul Ryan, and former
Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Mr. Dabadie holds a
B.S. in Political Science from Loyola University.
Dr. Glenn C. Dubroc, Jr.
Owner, Dubroc Orthodontics, Holy Cross
Class of 1982
Dr. Glenn Dubroc is a 1982 graduate of
Holy Cross School. He became a founding
member of the Pre-Dental Society at
Louisiana State University. Completing
his undergraduate pre-dentistry curriculum in just 3 years, he
proceeded to the LSU School of Dentistry. There he served
as president of Delta Sigma Delta dental fraternity for two
years. His dental school achievements include membership
in the C. Edmund Kells Honor Society and Omicron Kappa
Upsilon, the national dental honor society. At graduation
in 1989, he received the LSU Health Science Center’s
highest honor, the Chancellor’s Award. He then completed
a two-year residency program in orthodontics at LSU and
graduated in 1991. Dr. Dubroc then opened a private practice
of orthodontics in New Orleans, where his business has
remained for 21½ years.
Dr. Dubroc’s volunteer hours are numerous. He worked on
the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Dental Association
for 8 years, serving as President in 2003. He has served on
the Holy Cross School Board of Directors since 2007, chaired
the school’s Gold & Blue Gala fundraiser in 2010 and was
Chairman of the Board from 2010 to 2012.
Dr. Dubroc was the recipient of the J. Jerome Hebert Award,
presented by the Louisiana Association of Orthodontists,
and was inducted into the International College of Dentists in
2008. In 2009, he became the youngest recipient of the Honor
Dentist Award, the New Orleans Dental Association’s most
prestigious award.
Dr. Dubroc has been a part-time faculty member in the
LSUSD Department of Orthodontics since 1996 and was
recently promoted to Assistant Clinical Professor. In 2001,
he was awarded Diplomate status by the American Board of
Orthodontics.
Maj. Brandon C. Gregoire
United States Marine Corps
Maj. Brandon Gregoire is one of
New Orleans’ native sons whose star
continues to rise in the United States
Marine Corps. A graduate of Jesuit High
School, Maj. Gregoire went on to earn
a degree in Classical Latin from Harvard University. His
numerous assignments include serving on the immediate
staff of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. He also
worked on the staff of United States Senator Claire
McCaskill ( D-MO).
Brother Ernest J. Miller, F.S.C.
Doctoral Student, Holy Cross Class of 1987
A native of New Orleans, Br. Ernest
Miller is a member of the Brothers of the
Christian Schools, popularly known as
the De La Salle Christian Brothers.
Br. Ernest recently completed three years as the Associate
Director for Mission and Ministry in the District of Eastern,
the geographic region for all Lasallian educational
ministries in six states, Washington, D.C., and Ontario,
Canada.
Before taking up his most recent position in provincial
leadership, Br. Ernest served for two years as Director of
Education and Lasallian Mission Formation in the District of
Baltimore.
Previous to his service in District leadership, Br. Ernest
served on the faculty of Central Catholic High School in
Pittsburgh, La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, PA,
and West Philadelphia Catholic High School. His fields of
teaching include history, religion, government, international
affairs, and interdisciplinary studies.
While at Central Catholic, Br. Ernest served as founding
director of the David S. Baginski, FSC Scholars Program, an
interdisciplinary studies endeavor for honors-level students.
Patrick Dupré Quigley
Founder and Artistic Director, Seraphic Fire,
Miami, FL
Patrick Dupré Quigley is the Founder and
Artistic Director of Seraphic Fire and the
Firebird Chamber Orchestra, and has
been described by the Miami Herald as
“a musician with a constellation of qualities rarely found in
a single conductor: an enthusiastic and audience-friendly
personal style, a scholar’s instinct for rooting out obscure
but worthy music, a scrupulous and historically informed
approach to works that span a wide range of musical
periods, an ability to bring out the best in his talented
platoon…and a showman’s canny sense of how to appeal
to audiences.”
In 2012, Mr. Quigley was nominated for two Grammy
awards for his work with Seraphic Fire and the Professional
Choral Institute: Best Choral Performance for Brahms: Ein
Deutsches Requiem, and Best Small Ensemble Performance
for A Seraphic Fire Christmas.
A native New Orleanian, Mr. Quigley is graduate of Jesuit
High School where he was the 1996 NFL National Champion
in Prose Reading. He received his M.Mus in conducting
from the Yale School of Music and his B.A. in musicology
from the University of Notre Dame.
Fredericka Taylor Wicker
Manager of Special Projects, Recovery
School District
Fredericka Wicker is a New Orleans
native who has brought her energy and
talents back home to improve the lives of
the children of New Orleans.
This graduate of Louise S. McGhee earned a B.A. in French
and History from the University of Virginia. While at UVA,
she conducted a study on the relationship between a high
school diploma and the degree to which that education
increased employment opportunities for homeless
individuals.
Br. Ernest was graduated from Loyola University New
Orleans with a B.A. in Political Science; The George
Washington University with a M.A. in International Affairs;
La Salle University with a M.A. in Education; Georgetown
University with a M.L.S. (Master in Liberal Studies).
Immediately after graduation from UVA, Ms. Wicker
taught high school in France. In 2012, she earned a M.S.
with Honors in Social Policy from the London School of
Economics.
Currently, Br. Ernest is on a short sabbatical before
beginning doctoral studies at the Catholic Theological
Union in Chicago.
Ms. Wicker’s varied work experience includes SAT
preparation for high school students, education reform, and
charter school policy.
What courses will my son take?
Who’s Who in the Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program
While the program presents a number of unique opportunities for the students, Holy Cross remains cognizant of the need to
meet necessary requirements imposed by the State of Louisiana.
Most of the courses taken by the scholars will carry the distinction of either Honors (H) or Advanced Placement (AP).
Other courses will carry the rigor of our traditional college preparatory classes. The overall academic program for all of the
McDonnell Scholars will be as follows:
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
12th Grade
English II H
English III (H)
English IV (H/AP)
English V (H/AP)
Algebra I (H) / Geometry (H)
Geometry (H) / Algebra II (H)
Algebra II (H) / Pre-Calculus (H)
Prob & Stat (H/AP) / Calculus (H/AP)
Physical Science (H)
Biology (H)
Chemistry (H)
Science Elective
Religion
Religion
Religion
Religion
World History (H/AP)
Sophomore Seminar (H)
U.S. History (H/AP)
Civics (H) or US Govt. & Politics (AP)
Latin I* (H)
Latin II* (H)
Health / P.E.
P.E.
Speech III (H)
Speech IV (H)
Junior Seminar (H)
Senior Thesis Workshop (H)
*The scholars who begin the program in 2014-15 will have Latin I as a pre-requisite in the 8th grade, thus they will take Latin II and Latin III as part of their requirements.
Requirements for Completion
In order for the McDonnell Scholar to carry that distinction at the time of graduation he must:
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complete a minimum of 15 courses designated as Honors or AP;
take two years of Latin at Holy Cross;
maintain honor roll status each year;
complete 140 hours of approved community service over the course of four years; and
complete an approved Senior Thesis.
How does my son secure a place in the program?
There is an admissions process and it is competitive. Minimum requirements for application to the program include:
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completion of the 8th Grade at Holy Cross;
a satisfactory disciplinary history;
reading and verbal test scores in the 80th percentile;
recommendations from two teachers; and
a GPA of 3.0.
Those students meeting the minimum requirements will be subject to the following:
• a week-long academic session where students will have an opportunity to do work similar to that of the Program; and
• an interview with the Program Director.
Factors to be considered in determining admission:
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grade point average;
standardized test scores;
performance at week-long academic session;
discipline record;
recommendations from teachers; and
interviews with Program Director.
The applications will be reviewed by a faculty committee that will in turn make recommendations to the Director who will
make the final decision on each application.
Byron Arthur
Founding Director of the Bro. James
McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program,
Holy Cross Class of 1983
Byron Arthur returns to his alma mater
to serve as the director of the Scholars
Program. Mr. Arthur has never been far
from education, having taught AP United States Government
and Politics, AP Comparative Government and Politics,
Speech, Reading, American History, World Geography,
Civics, Religion, Louisiana History, and Life Skills at a
number of schools in New Orleans including Jesuit, Stuart
Hall School for Boys, De La Salle, St. George’s Episcopal, and
most recently Holy Cross.
Coaching debate and speech has been one of the hallmarks
of Mr. Arthur’s teaching career. While at Jesuit, he coached
numerous state champions, countless city champions,
and teams that were consistently successful at national
tournaments. He was a well-travelled lecturer and instructor
serving on the institute staffs at American University,
Baylor University, University of Iowa, Loyola University,
Northwestern University (IL), and Stanford University. His
successes have been recognized by numerous entities
including the Gold Key Society of the Barkley Forum at
Emory University, the William Faulkner Fellows at the
University of Mississippi, the Blue/Green/Gold Society at the
Glenbrook Schools, and most recently the Jesuit High School
Forensics Hall of Fame.
Outside of education, Mr. Arthur has served as a consultant
and speech writer for a number of individuals including the
Honorable Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, The Honorable John
Shaddinger, the Honorable Paul Connick, the Honorable
Mitchell J. Landrieu, and the Honorable June Berry
Darensburg. In addition to these endeavors, he served as
the Press Secretary/Communications Director for Cynthia J.
Bridges, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of
Revenue.
Mr. Arthur holds a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola
University as well as a J.D. in Civil Law from the Loyola
College of Law where he was a member of the Trial
Advocacy National Team, Moot Court Sports Law Team, and
was named to the Order of the Barristers.
Advisory Board
The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program will
only be meaningful for our students if there is a commitment
to innovation and growth. To assist in that process, the
Director has assembled a diverse group of individuals across
a number of fields who lend their expertise as needed.
Cynthia Joseph Bridges
Director, Board of Equalization,
State of California
Cynthia Bridges is a native of Louisiana,
having received her degree from the
University of Louisiana-Lafayette. She
served for 12 years as the Secretary of the
Louisiana Department of Revenue serving in the cabinets of
Governors Foster, Blanco, and Jindal. Due to her leadership
and innovation, Louisiana became a national leader in tax
administration. Her accomplishments were well-recognized as
she was named National Tax Administrator of the Year for 2012.
Dr. Stephen Brossette
Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder,
MedSnap, Birmingham, Alabama, Holy Cross
Class of 1989
Dr. Stephen Brossette is a young man
who has accomplished a great deal in a
short period of time. A former debater
at Holy Cross, Dr. Brossette holds a B.S. in Physics from
Georgia Tech, a PhD in Computer Science from the University
of Alabama-Birmingham, and an MD from UAB as well.
Currently, he leads the team that develops the computer
vision and statistical techniques used in MedSnap systems.
Prior to co-founding MedSnap, Dr. Brossette co-founded
MedMined, Inc., which was acquired by Cardinal Health in
2006. He served as vice president at Cardinal Health until
2009. Dr. Brossette was honored by MIT’s Technology
Review as one of the world’s top 100 young innovators
in 2002 and is the author of a number of peer-reviewed
scientific papers.
Professor Michael Caplan
Associate Professor of Engineering,
Arizona State University
Professor Michael Caplan was born
and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana
graduating from Jesuit High School. Prof.
Caplan was graduated from The University of Texas at Austin
with a B.A. in Plan II (a liberal arts honors program) and a
B.S. in Chemical Engineering with honors. As a Whitaker
Foundation Graduate Fellow, he earned a PhD in Chemical
Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and did post-doctoral research at Duke University Medical
Center in Cell Biology.
Prof. Caplan joined the faculty of Arizona State University in
2003. Current research in his lab focuses on rational design
of bioactive materials. One major project seeks to develop
molecules that bind tightly to cancer cells (glioblastoma
multiforme – the most deadly form of brain cancer) but not to
normal brain cells.
Professor Erwin Chemerinsky
Dean, University of California-Irvine
School of Law
Professor Erwin Chemerinsky is the
founding dean and distinguished
professor of law at the University of
California, Irvine School of Law, with a
joint appointment in Political Science.
Previously, Prof. Chemerinsky taught at Duke Law School
for four years, during which he won the Duke University
Scholar-Teacher of the Year Award in 2006. Before that he
taught for 21 years at the University of Southern California
School of Law, and served for four years as director of
the Center for Communications Law and Policy. Prof.
Chemerinsky has also taught at UCLA School of Law and
DePaul University College of Law.
Prof. Chemerinsky’s areas of expertise are constitutional law,
federal practice, civil rights and civil liberties, and appellate
litigation. He is the author of seven books, most recently,
The Conservative Assault on the Constitution (October
2010, Simon & Schuster), and nearly 200 articles in top law
reviews. He frequently argues cases before the nation’s
highest courts, and also serves as a commentator on legal
issues for national and local media.
Prof. Chemerinsky holds a law degree from Harvard
Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern
University where he was a nationally-ranked championship
debater.
Mike Dabadie
President and Managing Partner,
Heart+Mind Strategies, Washington, D.C.,
Holy Cross Class of 1987
Mike Dabadie has spent the past two
decades using the disciplines of market
research, brand strategy, reputation
management, communications, and marketing to help clients
meet their objectives. He is the President and Managing
Partner of Heart+Mind Strategies, a Washington, D.C. fullservice strategic research consultancy that he co-founded
on the vision of restoring the principles of Reagan pollster
Dick Wirthlin coupled with advancing values-based research
methods.
Before founding Heart+Mind Strategies, Mr. Dabadie spent
more than a decade with Wirthlin Worldwide, was the CMO
at Community Coffee Company, and ran the Brand Strategy
group at Harris Interactive as its President.
Brands that Mr. Dabadie has helped to position and
reposition include AARP, the American Red Cross,
Community Coffee, Flavia, Paychex, Visa, Zyrtec, and the
Catholic Church. He has also served as pollster to Senator
Sam Brownback, Congressman Paul Ryan, and former
Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Mr. Dabadie holds a
B.S. in Political Science from Loyola University.
Dr. Glenn C. Dubroc, Jr.
Owner, Dubroc Orthodontics, Holy Cross
Class of 1982
Dr. Glenn Dubroc is a 1982 graduate of
Holy Cross School. He became a founding
member of the Pre-Dental Society at
Louisiana State University. Completing
his undergraduate pre-dentistry curriculum in just 3 years, he
proceeded to the LSU School of Dentistry. There he served
as president of Delta Sigma Delta dental fraternity for two
years. His dental school achievements include membership
in the C. Edmund Kells Honor Society and Omicron Kappa
Upsilon, the national dental honor society. At graduation
in 1989, he received the LSU Health Science Center’s
highest honor, the Chancellor’s Award. He then completed
a two-year residency program in orthodontics at LSU and
graduated in 1991. Dr. Dubroc then opened a private practice
of orthodontics in New Orleans, where his business has
remained for 21½ years.
Dr. Dubroc’s volunteer hours are numerous. He worked on
the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Dental Association
for 8 years, serving as President in 2003. He has served on
the Holy Cross School Board of Directors since 2007, chaired
the school’s Gold & Blue Gala fundraiser in 2010 and was
Chairman of the Board from 2010 to 2012.
Dr. Dubroc was the recipient of the J. Jerome Hebert Award,
presented by the Louisiana Association of Orthodontists,
and was inducted into the International College of Dentists in
2008. In 2009, he became the youngest recipient of the Honor
Dentist Award, the New Orleans Dental Association’s most
prestigious award.
Dr. Dubroc has been a part-time faculty member in the
LSUSD Department of Orthodontics since 1996 and was
recently promoted to Assistant Clinical Professor. In 2001,
he was awarded Diplomate status by the American Board of
Orthodontics.
Maj. Brandon C. Gregoire
United States Marine Corps
Maj. Brandon Gregoire is one of
New Orleans’ native sons whose star
continues to rise in the United States
Marine Corps. A graduate of Jesuit High
School, Maj. Gregoire went on to earn
a degree in Classical Latin from Harvard University. His
numerous assignments include serving on the immediate
staff of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. He also
worked on the staff of United States Senator Claire
McCaskill ( D-MO).
Brother Ernest J. Miller, F.S.C.
Doctoral Student, Holy Cross Class of 1987
A native of New Orleans, Br. Ernest
Miller is a member of the Brothers of the
Christian Schools, popularly known as
the De La Salle Christian Brothers.
Br. Ernest recently completed three years as the Associate
Director for Mission and Ministry in the District of Eastern,
the geographic region for all Lasallian educational
ministries in six states, Washington, D.C., and Ontario,
Canada.
Before taking up his most recent position in provincial
leadership, Br. Ernest served for two years as Director of
Education and Lasallian Mission Formation in the District of
Baltimore.
Previous to his service in District leadership, Br. Ernest
served on the faculty of Central Catholic High School in
Pittsburgh, La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, PA,
and West Philadelphia Catholic High School. His fields of
teaching include history, religion, government, international
affairs, and interdisciplinary studies.
While at Central Catholic, Br. Ernest served as founding
director of the David S. Baginski, FSC Scholars Program, an
interdisciplinary studies endeavor for honors-level students.
Patrick Dupré Quigley
Founder and Artistic Director, Seraphic Fire,
Miami, FL
Patrick Dupré Quigley is the Founder and
Artistic Director of Seraphic Fire and the
Firebird Chamber Orchestra, and has
been described by the Miami Herald as
“a musician with a constellation of qualities rarely found in
a single conductor: an enthusiastic and audience-friendly
personal style, a scholar’s instinct for rooting out obscure
but worthy music, a scrupulous and historically informed
approach to works that span a wide range of musical
periods, an ability to bring out the best in his talented
platoon…and a showman’s canny sense of how to appeal
to audiences.”
In 2012, Mr. Quigley was nominated for two Grammy
awards for his work with Seraphic Fire and the Professional
Choral Institute: Best Choral Performance for Brahms: Ein
Deutsches Requiem, and Best Small Ensemble Performance
for A Seraphic Fire Christmas.
A native New Orleanian, Mr. Quigley is graduate of Jesuit
High School where he was the 1996 NFL National Champion
in Prose Reading. He received his M.Mus in conducting
from the Yale School of Music and his B.A. in musicology
from the University of Notre Dame.
Fredericka Taylor Wicker
Manager of Special Projects, Recovery
School District
Fredericka Wicker is a New Orleans
native who has brought her energy and
talents back home to improve the lives of
the children of New Orleans.
This graduate of Louise S. McGhee earned a B.A. in French
and History from the University of Virginia. While at UVA,
she conducted a study on the relationship between a high
school diploma and the degree to which that education
increased employment opportunities for homeless
individuals.
Br. Ernest was graduated from Loyola University New
Orleans with a B.A. in Political Science; The George
Washington University with a M.A. in International Affairs;
La Salle University with a M.A. in Education; Georgetown
University with a M.L.S. (Master in Liberal Studies).
Immediately after graduation from UVA, Ms. Wicker
taught high school in France. In 2012, she earned a M.S.
with Honors in Social Policy from the London School of
Economics.
Currently, Br. Ernest is on a short sabbatical before
beginning doctoral studies at the Catholic Theological
Union in Chicago.
Ms. Wicker’s varied work experience includes SAT
preparation for high school students, education reform, and
charter school policy.
Is your son ready for a unique challenge?
The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars Program
Crux Spes Unica – The Cross, Our Only Hope
The McDonnell Scholar will be offered an experience with challenges that will augment his AP/Honors curriculum.
• Seminar courses with intensive readings and discussions in a variety of areas including public policy, philosophy,
The story of the Brother James McDonnell Scholars Program began with a group of eager sophomore boys, excited about
their accomplishments as students and ready to take on whatever academic challenge might be in their future. After all, Holy
Holy Cross School is fully accredited by:
theology, ethics, history, and constitutional rights will challenge the scholars to read and analyze scholarly articles
The Louisiana Department of Education
from a variety of thinkers. Students will be asked to write a series of short papers and complete a research paper
Commission on Secondary & Middle Schools of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Cross had been challenging but not more than expected. The boys could only be described as “fearless.”
That would change dramatically on a warm August morning, after running across campus to make the climb to the fourth
each semester.
floor to English III Honors. It was only fitting that they would breathlessly take their seats and be addressed by a man in the
One of the elements of the seminar component is the Expert on
Campus. When possible, one of the writers whose work the scholars
have studied will come to campus and spend time teaching the seminar
and presenting other lectures, enabling the scholars to gain a true
Holy Cross School is a member of:
familiar garb of black slacks and black shirt with the white Roman collar. The moment he introduced himself, “Good morning,
The National Catholic Educational Association
I am Bro. James McDonnell”, they knew that this would be an extraordinary experience.
The National Middle School Association
Br. James spent the year challenging the boys to be scholars. They would be pushed to learn where to look for information
The National High School Association
and to never stop seeking it. He made sure that they thought, and wrote about what they thought. It was impossible to sit
understanding of the assumptions underlying the author’s thinking.
quietly in class because he would demand that they express themselves. Of course, he would challenge whatever they said.
Holy Cross School is sponsored by:
• Exposure to Classical Languages will be an additional benefit for the
Soon the school year ended. English IV Honors would mean a new teacher for the boys, and Bro. James would have a new
The Congregation of Holy Cross, South-West Province
group to cajole.
scholar. Latin I and II will be required of the scholars beginning the
program in 2013-14. In subsequent years, Latin II and III will be required,
Thirty years have passed since that group graduated from Holy Cross. If you asked them about Br. McDonnell’s class today,
with Latin I being a pre-requisite.
it is likely that they will be divided as to whether they believed all of the stories he told, or if they loved or hated him. They
ARE likely to agree, however, that he was a powerful figure in their intellectual growth and still influences their approach to
• Speech III and IV will be required of each scholar during the first two
scholarship and intellectual pursuit today.
years. These are honors-level courses where the student will learn
research, debate and argumentation, rhetoric, oratory, elocution, logic,
In recognition of the passion of this great teacher, Holy Cross is proud to offer The Brother James McDonnell, C.S.C. Scholars
and performance.
Program, an interdisciplinary program in the Humanities.
• The scholar’s classroom will have no walls. During the first and second
years, the scholar will meet with a number of individuals across a
Why offer this challenging program?
variety of disciplines who will give them a unique and often practical
look at some of the issues being discussed.
This will culminate in April of the second year when a city such as Chicago, New York, or Washington D.C. is chosen
The McDonnell Scholars Program is designed to give students an opportunity to explore a number of disciplines through
as a venue for an interdisciplinary experience. It is here that the scholars will have an opportunity to attend sessions
courses placing an emphasis upon written and spoken expression. Teachers in the program will demand that students think
HOLY CROSS SCHOOL
with university professors who will engage them in discussions germane to the topics they have discussed during
the Sophomore Seminar.
Brother james McDONNELL, C.S.C.
SCHOLARS PROGRAM
• Each scholar’s career will culminate with the Senior
Thesis Workshop where he will be required to work with
an expert/mentor on an area of interest and complete a
An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Humanities
thesis in April of the senior year. In May, a symposium
critically, write cogently, and express their ideas respectfully but without apology.
By the time the program is completed, the McDonnell Scholar will:
• have a sense of the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge;
• exhibit superior oral and written communication skills;
will be held where the seniors will present their work
• display superior research skills in many media;
publicly over a series of nights.
• possess an awareness and appreciation of the fine arts;
Holy Cross School
5500 Paris Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504) 942-3100
www.holycrosstigers.com
Holy Cross School is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students of varied cultural, ethnic and economic backgrounds.
The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, racial or ethnic origins in the administration of any of its policies or programs.
• have an acquaintance of the great books, ideas, and thinkers of western civilization,
and acknowledge and appreciate cultures other than his own;
• understand and critically assess current events;
• function intellectually at higher levels of thought;
• internalize and act upon a sense of moral and social responsibility; and
• master and apply leadership skills to help his community solve problems.