Holy Cross receives $2.5M to focus on racial and social justice

Photo | Courtesy of Holy Cross Hellen Whall, a retired English professor at Holy Cross, will be honored with a lecture series and endowed chair position.

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By Katherine Hamilton

Thanks to a $2.5 million gift, the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester is establishing an endowed chair position and lecture series focused on race, gender, and social justice.

The Helen M. Whall Lecture Series and three-year endowed chair position are being created in recognition of the contributions made by English professor emerita Helen Whall, who taught at the college from 1976 to her retirement in 2017.

The $2.5-million gift comes from Eric Galloway, who graduated from Holy Cross in 1984 and co-founded the philanthropic Galvan Foundation, based in New York. During Galloway’s time at Holy Cross, Whall served as Galloway’s advisor.

“I am honored to acknowledge Helen Whall as an inspiring professor, mentor, and friend to me and other minorities during a sometimes challenging and, ultimately, rewarding time at Holy Cross,” said Galloway in a written statement.

History Professor Rosa Carrasquillo has been selected as the inaugural Helen M. Whall Chair in Race, Gender, and Social Justice. The bi-annual lecture series in Whall’s honor will host Shakespearean scholars to come on campus and speak on issues of diversity and equity.