Leading the Holy Cross Way: An Executive Series with President Marco J. Clark, Ed.D. and

Holy Cross College concluded its fall Leading the Holy Cross Way series on Friday, November 21, with a campus address by Jennifer Newsome Martin, Ph.D., John J. Cavanaugh Associate Professor of the Humanities at the University of Notre Dame and director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture.
She was a member of the committee of scholars that prepared the positio in support of Saint John Henry Newman’s elevation to the honor of doctor of the Church.
Her talk, “A Pedagogy of Hope: Liberal Education and the Holy Cross Tradition,” will explore the formative power of liberal education and the distinctive contributions of the Holy Cross intellectual and spiritual heritage. An accomplished scholar of 19th–20th century Catholic and Eastern Orthodox theology, Dr. Martin’s work engages questions of tradition, beauty, and the renewal of culture.
 
Hosted by President Marco J. Clark, Ed.D., the Leading the Holy Cross Way series brings distinguished leaders and scholars to campus to consider how mission, values, and action shape transformative leadership.

Following his Mind and Heart Lecture on Nov. 10, 2025 at Holy Cross College, the St. Louis University professor answered questions from attendees.

Drawing from Thomas Aquinas' theological vision and contemporary experience, this Nov. 10 lecture explores mercy as both divine gift and human vocation, examining who preferential love for the vulnerable reveals authentic human flourishing in an achievement-obsessed culture. Though the governing metaphor of "mountains on the ocean floor," the lecture reveals how modern culture trains us to navigate on the surface of human experience, missing profound dignity hidden in every person's depth. 
 
Dr. Miguel J. Romero, ThD. is an Associate Professor at St. Louis University in the Department of Health Ethics
He earned his B.A. from Colorado College, his M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary, his Th.M. from Duke
University, and his Th.D. from Duke University in 2012. From 2012-2016 Romero was a postdoctoral research fellow and theology instructor at the University of Notre Dame. Romero’s research interests include moral theology, Catholic social
teaching, philosophical and theological accounts of disability and mental illness, and the theology of Thomas Aquinas. His written work includes:“Disability, Catholic Questions, and the Quandaries of Biomedicine and Secular Society,” National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Summer 2020): 277-310, “Mercy, Mental Illness, and the Moral Significance of Christian History: The Story of Fr. Juan Gilabert-Jofre, O.de.M.,” Journal of Disability & Religion, Vol. 22, No. 2 (May 2018), and “The Goodness and Beauty of Our Fragile Flesh: Moral Theologians and Our Engagement with Disability,” Journal of Moral Theology: Engaging Disability, Vol. 6, Special Issue 2 (2017): 206-25. Miguel is married to Dr. Heather Romero, a geriatric neuropsychologist and Alzheimer’s Disease researcher. Miguel and Heather have four children

Join President Marco J. Clark, Ed.D. for this week’s Leading the Holy Cross Way executive series. The guest speaker event continued Friday, November 7, as Iris Hammel, Holy Cross College trustee and Executive Director of Startup Moxie, leads a discussion on the entrepreneur’s mindset, exploring how innovation, collaboration, and purpose drive impact in today’s business and community landscape. Hammel will be joined by fellow trustee and entrepreneur, Matt Sheldon (GameDay Your Way), along with local founders Cat Edmonds (Connect574), and Riley Ellingsen (heARsight) for an engaging conversation on leadership, creativity, and building ventures that make a difference.

What does it mean to lead with light?Jeff Shuck — founder of More For Many, consultant to hundreds of nonprofits, and co-author of Leading With Light — joins Holy Cross College President Dr. Marco J. Clark to explore the art of conscious leadership and purpose in action.Through stories from decades in social impact and philanthropy, Shuck shares lessons on building movements, leading with heart, and helping others grow their capacity for good.Recorded live at Holy Cross College on October 3, 2025, as part of the Leading the Holy Cross Way series — conversations where leadership meets mission.

What does it mean to lead with light?Jeff Shuck — founder of More For Many, consultant to hundreds of nonprofits, and co-author of Leading With Light — joins Holy Cross College President Dr. Marco J. Clark to explore the art of conscious leadership and purpose in action.
Through stories from decades in social impact and philanthropy, Shuck shares lessons on building movements, leading with heart, and helping others grow their capacity for good.
Recorded live at Holy Cross College on October 3, 2025, as part of the Leading the Holy Cross Way series — conversations where leadership meets mission.

In this session of Leading the Holy Cross Way, Holy Cross College President Dr. Marco J. Clark welcomes Kevin Schmiegel — CEO of ZeroMils and retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel — for a compelling conversation on “Purpose-Driven Leadership.”
A mission-driven leader and founder of Hiring Our Heroes at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Schmiegel shares lessons from a career dedicated to strengthening communities, empowering veterans, and building purpose-centered teams across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. His leadership journey has raised over $100 million for national causes that have changed millions of lives.
🎓 Leading the Holy Cross Way is a speaker series highlighting accomplished professionals whose leadership embodies mission, values, and action.
📍 Recorded at Holy Cross College, Notre Dame, Indiana📅 October 17, 2025

What does it take to build a workplace where purpose and performance thrive together? In this installment of Leading the Holy Cross Way, entrepreneur and executive Donnie Downs joins Holy Cross College President Dr. Marco J. Clark to explore the principles behind high-performance cultures — from values-based leadership to the power of trust, alignment, and mission. A three-time CEO of the Year and co-founder of The Downs Foundation, Downs draws from decades of experience leading organizations through growth, change, and cultural transformation. Recorded live at Holy Cross College on October 10, 2025.

Holy Cross College launched the Fall 2025 Leading the Holy Cross Way series with Darren Smith and Pierre Koshakji of the Authentic Leadership Foundation. In this session, The Summit Strategy: Aligning Mission & Traction for the Climb to Greatness, they join President Marco J. Clark to explore how authentic leadership fosters connection, accountability, and transparency — transforming both organizations and lives.

Daniel Fitzpatrick, an extraordinarily successful CEO with over five decades of leadership experience in the food service industry, captivated students at Holy Cross College as part of President Marco Clark’s Lead 360 Executive Leadership Series on Dec 6. Learn more more: https://www.hcc-nd.edu/daniel-fitzpatrick-inspires-holy-cross-students-with-leadership-lessons-and-real-world-wisdom/