Conceptual rendering of the new Holy Cross Student Union.
Holy Cross College announced a $2.25 million commitment from anonymous benefactors supporting two transformative sacred spaces on campus: a new Residence Hall Chapel and the future Center for Campus Ministry within the upcoming Student Union. This gift was made in support of the College’s Courage to Act Campaign and is the largest gift from individual donors in the institution’s history.
The gift includes $750,000 designated for the Residence Hall Chapel and $1.5 million to support the Center for Campus Ministry in the new Student Union. Together, these spaces will strengthen the College’s mission to form students spiritually, intellectually, and personally, placing faith, accompaniment, and community at the heart of daily campus life.
“Sacred spaces matter because they shape how students live, pray, and grow together,” said President Marco Clark. “This extraordinary gift allows us to create places on campus where students can pause, reflect, and encounter Christ within a vibrant community rooted in the Holy Cross tradition.”
Located within a new residence hall, scheduled to open in August 2026, the chapel will provide students with an accessible, prayerful space woven directly into residential life. Designed as a place for quiet reflection, communal prayer, and liturgical celebration, the chapel reflects Holy Cross College’s commitment to meeting students where they are and inviting them into deeper relationships with their faith.
The Center for Campus Ministry, located in the new Student Union, will serve as a visible and welcoming home for spiritual life at Holy Cross College. The Center will support worship, retreats, pastoral care, service opportunities, and faith-based programming that accompany students throughout their college journey. While preliminary architectural renderings identify the Center’s placement within the Student Union, future design phases will further shape the interior space and programmatic vision.
While Holy Cross College has benefited from significant foundation and institutional grants over the years, including major support from the Lilly Endowment, this commitment represents the largest gift ever made by individual donors in the College’s 60-year history. The generosity comes during a period of unprecedented philanthropic momentum.
“The belief shown in Holy Cross College through this gift sends a powerful signal about the vitality of our mission and the strength of our trajectory,” said Senior Vice President of Advancement Lynn Hubert. “This generosity invites others to imagine what is possible when we invest together in the spiritual and personal formation of our students.”
The gift arrives as Holy Cross College continues to advance its long-term vision to be recognized nationally as a premier Catholic college rooted in community, accompaniment, and the Holy Cross tradition.
Committed to educating the whole person, Holy Cross College forms graduates with the competence to see and the courage to act for the benefit of the Church and the world.
