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Lilly Endowment grant supports expansion of Robinson Center’s Talk With Your Baby program

2025-01-16T11:00:00-05:00

Notre Dame senior Lydia Liang works with a pair of preschoolers at the Robinson Community Learning Center in South Bend. (Photo by Barbara Johnston/University of Notre Dame)

The University of Notre Dame has received a $3.7 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. in support of the Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC) and its Talk With Your Baby program.

The grant will be used to scale and expand the parent education program based on four key objectives:

• Expand the existing parent curriculum from a single module of eight lessons to four modules with a total of 32 lessons delivered in English and Spanish.

• Develop a parallel curriculum specifically for early care providers and those responsible for preparing and licensing early care providers in both English and Spanish.

• Grow the program regionally through expansion into neighboring Elkhart, Marshall and La Porte counties, and across the state through the early care provider program.

• Develop a robust online platform to complement in-person learning.

The lump-sum grant is the largest ever awarded to the RCLC, significantly enhancing its capacity for community outreach within the context of the University’s strategic framework.

“We are deeply grateful for Lilly Endowment’s support of the Robinson Community Learning Center’s Talk With Your Baby program to promote language development for our youngest neighbors,” said Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. “We know that investing in early childhood programs can have a profound impact on children’s future learning outcomes. We are delighted to collaborate with local partners to expand access to these critically important resources.”

Managed by the RCLC since 2013, Talk With Your Baby educates parents and caregivers on the importance of frequent interaction with children through talking, reading and singing from birth to age 3.

91��Ƶ increasingly underscore the importance of such interactions for bonding, brain structure and function, language development, reading readiness and social and emotional development.

“From the outset, the RCLC has been committed to preK-12 and parent education as part of a holistic approach to early childhood development ... This commitment is part of a broader focus on the entire South Bend-Elkhart region, and is only possible through the generous support of individuals and organizations like Lilly Endowment and Early Learning Indiana.”

Classes cover a variety of topics and tips for new and expecting parents and are available in both English and Spanish.

“Thanks to Lilly Endowment’s ongoing support, the Talk With Your Baby program can expand its vitally important work of bolstering language development in young children,” said Susan Devetski, director of the RCLC. “Adults interacting meaningfully with young children promotes the development of essential language skills, nurtures social and emotional development and puts young children on the path to success in school. This grant will allow us to give more parents and caregivers in the South Bend-Elkhart area and beyond a playbook that they can use with their children to develop their young brains.”

This is the second major grant for Talk With Your Baby in as many years.

In 2023, Early Learning Indiana, with support from Lilly Endowment, awarded $500,000 to the RCLC to expand the program in partnership with the city of South Bend and other local stakeholders.

The grant, which was part of Early Learning Indiana’s Early Years Initiative, allowed the RCLC to hire a full-time coordinator and two part-time parent educators for the program, and to expand participation in the program from 125 to 400 parents annually.

Early Learning Indiana also supports the RCLC’s preschool program.

Robinson Community Learning Center

“From the outset, the RCLC has been committed to preK-12 and parent education as part of a holistic approach to early childhood development,” said Tim Sexton, associate vice president for public affairs at Notre Dame. “This includes Talk With Your Baby as well as a variety of multilingual after-school, evening and summer tutoring and enrichment programs, robotics and theater programs, and a high-quality preschool program geared toward fostering the social, emotional, physical, cognitive and creative development of every child. This commitment is part of a broader focus on the entire South Bend-Elkhart region, and is only possible through the generous support of individuals and organizations like Lilly Endowment and Early Learning Indiana.”

As a trusted local provider of early childhood care and resources, the RCLC partners with local organizations to deliver Talk With Your Baby to hundreds of parents and caregivers annually, with a focus on reading, emotional coaching and other aspects of good parenting.

Parents and caregivers learn to use books as a medium for imaginative interaction, verbal exploration, vocabulary building, receptive and expressive language skills, and emotional closeness, leading to better achievement in reading, school, relationships and other aspects of learning and life.

Building on the important work of the TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health, Talk With Your Baby was originally established as an initiative of Memorial Health Foundation, now Beacon Health Foundation, in 2009.

Since then, more than 3,000 parents and caregivers have participated in the program, along with more than 150 facilitators, the majority of them trained by the RCLC. More than 22,000 books have been distributed through the program.

The RCLC is an off-campus educational initiative of Notre Dame in partnership with Northeast Neighborhood residents, offering a variety of programs for children and adults as well as classes, clubs and lectures for seniors.

For more information, visit rclc.nd.edu.

Habitat partnership bears fruit for homebuyers in South Bend

2025-01-14T08:39:00-05:00

Joel Gibbs was about five years into his job as a maintenance technician at the University of Notre Dame when the message arrived in his inbox.

“Find out if you qualify to build a new home with Habitat,” read the headline in the March 7, 2023, edition of NDWorks Weekly, the weekly e-newsletter for Notre Dame faculty, staff, and their families.

Notre Dame, via its public affairs, treasury services, and University relations offices, had recently partnered with Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County to increase access to affordable housing in South Bend. Now, it was asking employees if they wanted to join with the local nonprofit too.

A single father, Gibbs was intrigued.

“I saw the post in NDWorks Weekly and thought, ‘Let’s give it a shot,’” he said.

Less than two years later, Gibbs is the proud owner of a new home on Turnock Street in South Bend, five blocks south of campus in the city’s Northeast Neighborhood, which encompasses Eddy Street Commons and the rapidly developing Indiana 23 corridor.

Read the story

As temperatures rise, research points the way to lower energy costs, better living conditions for low-income households

2025-01-02T15:00:00-05:00

Ming Hu, associate professor of architecture and engineering, and Siavash Ghorbany, doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering, collect several monitors from a home in South Bend. The monitors were used to collect data such as temperature, humidity and CO2 levels from the home. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

Due to poor and outdated housing infrastructure and lack of material resources, lower-income individuals are less prepared than those with higher incomes to weather the coming climate crisis — in particular, the increasing risk of heat-related death and illness from longer and hotter summers and more severe heat waves.

But with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), researchers at the University of Notre Dame — including Ming Hu, associate professor of architecture; Chaoli Wang, professor of computer science and engineering; Matthew Sisk, associate professor of the practice of data science; and Eugenio Acosta, senior associate director of the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate — are using data and analytics to lower energy costs and improve living conditions for those living in older, less efficient homes, starting in South Bend.

Ming Hu

Led by Hu, also the dean for research, scholarship and creative work within the 91��Ƶ of Architecture, the BUILT2AFFORD initiative is pairing advanced computational technology and strong community partnerships. The goal is to develop, test and validate a tool that uses machine learning and Google Street View to identify housing units suitable for low-cost passive retrofits — things such as improved insulation and air sealing, new windows, upgraded ventilation systems and exterior shading.

The group, which also includes faculty from the Center for Broader Impacts, is partnering with the city of South Bend, the Near Northwest Neighborhood (NNN), South Bend Heritage Foundation and Oldtown Capital Partners to target single-family homes and apartment buildings downtown and on the city’s near northwest side, an economically diverse area with pockets of wealth but high overall levels of poverty.

In lower-income neighborhoods especially, older homes tend to suffer from inadequate insulation; leaky ducts; cracked floors, ceilings and walls; drafty doors and windows; outdated HVAC systems; and other effects of age and disrepair, leading to higher energy costs and less safe and comfortable living conditions.

“We’re all living in the same housing stock. So when there’s research to come up with low-cost solutions to what are probably going to be common issues, it’s really very important to us because, a lot of times, it seems like if you’re trying to scratch the surface of energy efficiency in your home, you’re looking at a $50,000 or $60,000 bill.”

“Generally speaking, older buildings do not have the same thermal properties as newer buildings in terms of absorbing heat and resisting heat transfer from inside to outside and vice versa,” said Hu, who also is a concurrent associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and earth sciences. “So this can create higher risks for indoor heat exposure.”

Pregnant women and children, the elderly and those with respiratory or other health issues are especially vulnerable, Hu said, as are those living in traditionally colder climates, where buildings and other infrastructure are less resilient to extreme heat.

Hu noted that people spend about 80 percent of their time indoors. For elderly people, the number is closer to 90 percent. Our homes, she said, have an outsize influence on our health.

Kathy Schuth, a Notre Dame graduate in architecture, is the executive director of the Near Northwest Neighborhood Inc. She noted that, from a structural standpoint, the neighborhood looks much the same today as it did in the 1920s.

“We’re all living in the same housing stock,” Schuth said. “So when there’s research to come up with low-cost solutions to what are probably going to be common issues, it’s really very important to us because, a lot of times, it seems like if you’re trying to scratch the surface of energy efficiency in your home, you’re looking at a $50,000 or $60,000 bill.”

A data-driven approach

Part of the NSF’s Civic Innovation Challenge, the BUILT2AFFORD project involves the creation of representative layouts for thermal comfort simulations — essentially, models of relative comfort based on a home’s size, layout, location and orientation, among other factors.

To do this, researchers partner with property owners to collect and analyze data from a variety of housing types.

Leveraging multiple computer vision models developed by the team since 2023, they begin by using Google Street View to extract the physical characteristics of housing that influence energy use and indoor thermal comfort. These data points, combined with additional housing property data from open-source databases, form the foundation of the prediction tool BUILT2AFFORD.

To ensure the tool’s accuracy and robustness, the research team conducts field audits. These audits start with the creation of a 3D scan of the relevant house or apartment unit. Next, the team members take thermal images, measure for moisture content and document building materials and insulation. Finally, they place sensors around the house to measure temperature, humidity and air quality for one week.

The resulting data are then analyzed to identify problem spots, with the goal of creating an exposure model to predict risk across housing types.

“The idea is really around, what are low-cost solutions we can use to find where the problems are, and then low-cost solutions that we can use to help address those problems?”

So far, around a dozen property owners, including South Bend Heritage Foundation and Old Town Capital Partners, which owns the Mar-Main apartment building downtown, have agreed to participate in the project.

“The idea is really around, what are low-cost solutions we can use to find where the problems are, and then low-cost solutions that we can use to help address those problems?” said Sisk, the team’s data science professor who leads the Geospatial Analysis and Learning Lab within the Lucy Institute for Data & Society. “So it’s largely about targeting resources to the proper locations.”

As a resident of the Near Northwest Neighborhood, Sisk is well aware of the challenges that come with owning and living in an older home. His house, within the Chapin Park Historic District, was built in the late 1800s, before air conditioning, foam insulation and double-pane windows, among other modern materials and conveniences.

“I run into a lot of the same sorts of issues” as other homeowners, Sisk said, “like places that are ridiculously hot for no good reason, that the AC doesn’t do anything for, and it’s basically unmanageable in the summer.”

That said, every house is unique.

Siavash Ghorbany, a doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering, uses his cell phone to scan a data monitor at a home in South Bend. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

Early on in their research, Hu and her team collected data from two houses of similar size, age and location — one fully renovated, including new heating and cooling systems and added insulation; the other largely untouched — with surprising results: Compared with the renovated house, the unrenovated house performed much better in terms of temperature and air quality.

Among other things, Hu said, “this just tells us that the conventional wisdom, the conventional solution of just adding insulation everywhere in the house does not necessarily work.”

Reed Lyons is among the homeowners participating in the project, having learned about it during a presentation Hu gave to NNN residents in early October.

A software developer, Lyons lives with his wife and two children in a two-story house on Cottage Grove Avenue. The house was built around 1914. The NNN, as part of its affordable housing program, acquired and renovated the property in 2012. The Lyonses bought it in 2019.

“We’ve noticed some issues with efficiency and some issues with air quality, just knowing that it’s an older home,” Lyons said. “So we’re just curious to see what the data show.”

He said working with Hu and her team — which in addition to Sisk and Wang includes Lucy Graduate Scholar Siavash Ghorbany, a doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering; doctoral candidate in computer science Siyuan Yao; and multiple undergraduate research assistants — has been a breeze.

“It’s really been a low investment in terms of our time and resources, and they’ve been really easy and wonderful to work with,” he said.

Notre Dame has a long relationship with the NNN, having partnered with the organization on a number of projects in the past. Notably, the Notre Dame Lead Innovation Team has worked closely with the community development organization and de facto neighborhood association to reduce lead exposure in the neighborhood, particularly among children.

“The NNN is kind of optimal for these kinds of projects,” Sisk said. “They have an extremely engaged neighborhood organization, and their president is an architect by training. They’ve been a key partner for years in many grants and many projects with us.”

For the purposes of this project, Sisk said, the neighborhood is also “very representative” of a Rust Belt neighborhood — socially and economically diverse, with brick-lined streets of well-preserved homes in Craftsman, Tudor and Victorian styles next to “some of the most historically troubled blocks in the city.”

Ming Hu, associate professor of architecture and engineering, Siavash Ghorbany, doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering, and Matthew Sisk, associate professor of the practice at the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society, leave a home in South Bend after collecting a several monitors that were placed there the week before. The monitors were used to collect data such as temperature, humidity and CO2 levels within the home. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

Next steps

In collaboration with the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate, Hu and her team are already applying for a phase 2 NSF grant to validate their research, with plans to retrofit a certain number of homes and analyze the results. The grant would pay for at least 80 percent of the cost of the retrofits, with local programs potentially covering the rest.

The city of South Bend, in partnership with enFocus, currently pays for some energy upgrades as part of Greener Homes, a pilot program for low-income, elderly homeowners who are part of Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County’s Aging in Place Program. The program was established with support from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County.

Alexandro Bazán is the director of sustainability for the city.

Working from a lab at Walsh Family Hall of Architecture, Ming Hu, associate professor of architecture and engineering, and Siavash Ghorbany, doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering, analyze data as part of a project aimed at reducing energy costs for low-income households in South Bend. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

“The city of South Bend is looking forward to continued collaboration with Notre Dame,” Bazán said, adding, “This project is a great opportunity to advance our community’s goals on climate action.”

Using the indoor heat exposure model, Hu and her team ultimately plan to create an online tool, or dashboard, to quickly and easily identify housing units suitable for passive, low-cost energy upgrades based on design indications, energy efficiency and health risks — without the need to actually enter the homes and collect data.

“The dashboard will be tied to the indoor heat exposure model, so the indoor heat exposure predication is the key,” Hu said.

Separately, Hu is also collecting data outside of South Bend, in Chicago and elsewhere, so that once the dashboard is up, it can be adapted to other regions of the country.

“We’re also committed to a series of training workshops for policymakers, developers and residents to show them how to use the dashboard if they want to,” Hu said. “So that is continued training that is for South Bend and for Indiana in particular.”

Social responsibility

Hu’s research is incredibly timely.

According to the United Nations, by hitting the poorest hardest, climate change increases existing economic inequalities and causes more people to fall into poverty. A World Bank report estimated that an additional 68 million to 135 million people could be pushed into poverty by 2030 because of climate change.

From a public health perspective, a warming planet increases the risk of heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke — particularly among vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women and older adults. It also worsens air quality, which can lead to asthma attacks and other respiratory issues, and it contributes to unhealthy concentrations of ground-level ozone, which can damage lung tissue, reduce lung function and inflame airways.

“When I was trained, at least at Notre Dame, we were taught a lot about the social responsibility of architecture. The building is not merely an art piece; even when it aspires to be artistic, it serves as civic art, designed with a profound responsibility to its users, rather than existing as a mere monumental sculpture."

Heat even affects sleep, the most fundamental of human needs.

But it’s not just the heat — extreme cold is a concern as well.

“We all have to realize that things are going to be way more variable moving forward,” Sisk said. “We’re going to have weeks of 95-degree summer weather, but then also sub-zero weeks during winter, and we have to be prepared for both, which is super hard.”

According to Hu, the most recent climate report for Indiana predicts average temperatures in the state will rise by 5 to 6 degrees over the next 30 years, increasing the frequency, duration and intensity of heat waves. The average hottest day of the year is projected to increase to 105 degrees.

“Our infrastructure, including our housing, is not built for excessive heat. Our energy grid is not built to accommodate higher peak load during the summertime,” Hu said. “So what we’re worried about is the domino effect. If the grid goes out, there’s no cooling in those houses. What happens if that lasts a couple of weeks? Where do people go?”

A native of China, Hu holds multiple degrees in architecture from Notre Dame and elsewhere. She has a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Maryland.

Ming Hu, associate professor of engineering and architecture, and Siavash Ghorbany, doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering, collect monitoring equipment from a home in South Bend's Near Northwest Neighborhood, about a mile from campus. The equipment was used to record data such as temperature, humidity and CO2 levels in the home over the course of several days. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

Prior to joining the Notre Dame faculty, she spent several years in private practice, designing signature buildings for high-profile corporate clients and working on urban redevelopment projects around the globe. She also taught at Maryland as well as at Catholic University of America and the Rochester Institute of Technology.

She returned to Notre Dame, she said, out of a sense of social responsibility.

“When I was trained, at least at Notre Dame, we were taught a lot about the social responsibility of architecture. The building is not merely an art piece; even when it aspires to be artistic, it serves as civic art, designed with a profound responsibility to its users, rather than existing as a mere monumental sculpture,” Hu said. “So I always wanted to go back to social responsibility as a part of architecture, and I was always interested in how beauty actually functions. What is the experience of the occupants?”

That same philosophy — consistent with a fundamentally Catholic concern for the common good — animates the Lucy Institute as well.

“This is an ideal situation for a Lucy collaboration project, because we’re very deeply involved in the research part of it, but also in the ‘for societal good’ part,” Sisk said. “This kind of sums up those two sides of what we are designed to do.”

Alumna Jessica Ashman, doctoral candidate Maria Caterina Gargano named Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellows

2024-10-11T09:00:00-04:00

University of Notre Dame alumna Jessica Ashman and graduate student Maria Caterina “Cat” Gargano have been selected as Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellows for the 2024-25 academic year.

Established through bipartisan legislation in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, the Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship honors the legacy of the late civil rights leader and lawmaker, who served 33 years in the House of Representatives.

The fellowship, awarded to select Fulbright U.S. Student Program finalists, provides expanded learning opportunities to enable participants to enhance the reach and impact of their Fulbright experience, and to promote studies, research and international exchange on nonviolent movements that establish and protect civil rights around the world.

This inaugural group of fellows represents the diversity of the United States through their backgrounds and experiences, and as researchers in a range of academic disciplines. They will carry out research in 23 countries.

President Joe Biden announced the cohort during the Annual Legislative Conference of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

“I’m excited to announce tonight that we have selected the first class of Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellows, who will learn how to establish and protect freedom and justice and equity, not just at home but around the world,” Biden said.

Ashman graduated from Notre Dame in May with two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from the College of Arts and Letters, and a Bachelor of Arts in global affairs, with a concentration in international development studies, from the Kellogg Institute for International 91��Ƶ, which is part of the Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs. She minored in Latino 91��Ƶ.

Jessica Ashman

Originally from Maryland, Ashman is passionate about topics related to sociocultural identity and its intersections with human development. She strongly believes in the power of social science research to generate informed solutions to complex problems.

As an undergraduate, she conducted independent research into issues related to colorism, anti-Haitianism, national identity and education in the Dominican Republic with support from Karen Richman, director of undergraduate academic programs at the Institute for Latino 91��Ƶ and a Kellogg Institute for International 91��Ƶ faculty fellow. She also worked with Luis Felipe R. Murillo, assistant professor of anthropology and faculty fellow at the Notre Dame Technology Ethics Center, whose work is dedicated to the study of computing from an anthropological perspective.

As a Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellow, Ashman is exploring issues related to transnational Blackness and social inclusion in Ecuador. Beyond that, she plans to pursue a doctorate in sociocultural anthropology with the hopes of becoming a research-teaching professor.

Gargano is a doctoral candidate in peace studies and psychology in the Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs and College of Arts and Letters, respectively. Within Keough, she is part of both the Kellogg Institute for International 91��Ƶ and the Kroc Institute for International Peace 91��Ƶ. She is a former Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society Graduate Scholar.

Maria Caterina Gargano

Gargano received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a laurea magistrale in protection of human rights and international cooperation from Università di Bologna in Italy. Most recently, she worked with the Psychosocial Innovation Network, a Serbian nongovernmental organization, to found the Consortium of Refugees’ and Migrants’ Mental Health.

Gargano’s research focuses on migration, interpersonal violence and mental health. Her experiences in transit countries have made her particularly interested in developing interventions that are trauma-informed, culturally meaningful and feasible to apply in displacement and other low-resource contexts.

As a dual Fulbright-Garcia Robles and Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellow, she is conducting research in Tijuana, Mexico, in support of her dissertation, which focuses on temporal and spatial violence during migration, as well as the nascent psychological literature on transit. Through this, she hopes to deliver actionable insights from people who are migrating to policymakers, practitioners and researchers.

In the long term, she plans to continue her research and advocacy work in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, ideally as a professor of psychology or migration studies.

Ashman worked closely with the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE), and Gargano with the Graduate 91��Ƶ’s Office of Grants and Fellowships, in applying to the Fulbright program.

Emily Hunt is the assistant director of scholarly development at CUSE.

“Congratulations to Jessica and Cat,” Hunt said. “It is an honor for Notre Dame to have two students represented in the inaugural cohort of the Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellows program.”

Notre Dame juniors Faiza Filali, Angela Olvera named Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholars

2024-09-19T11:00:00-04:00

University of Notre Dame juniors Faiza Filali and Angela Olvera have been named to the third cohort of Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholars. They are Notre Dame’s second and third Voyager Scholars after senior Raleigh Kuipers, who recently returned from Latin America as a member of the second cohort.

Administered by the Obama Foundation with support from a $100 million gift from Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky, the Voyager Scholarship offers rising juniors who qualify for need-based financial aid the opportunity to pursue careers in public service through access to travel and education.

This year’s cohort consists of 100 students from 35 states and territories, representing 60 colleges and universities across the United States.

Selected for their strong academic record and commitment to public service, Voyager scholars receive as much as $50,000 in “last dollar” financial aid, plus a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing to pursue a summer work-travel experience.

Faiza Filali

Filali, who is from New Orleans, Louisiana, is a political science and peace studies major with minors in Korean and the Hesburgh Program in Public Service. She is a Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar and Glynn Family Honors Scholar. She speaks Arabic, Darija, French and Korean with varying degrees of proficiency.

Away from campus, Filali has served as an intern with the Borgen Project, a nonprofit dedicated to ending global poverty. She has also interned with the National Committee on North Korea, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula, through the College of Arts and Letters’ Washington Program. She will study abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul in the spring.

As a Voyager Scholar, Filali plans to travel between South Korea and Japan to research local opinions on nuclear proliferation in support of her senior thesis, which will focus on the political and societal effects of living in direct proximity to a nuclear state, such as North Korea.

She plans to attend law school after graduation, then work with policymakers through established international organizations such as the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs to bring an end to “nuclear anxiety.”

“I am so absolutely beyond grateful to have been selected for the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service,” Filali said. “The benefits of this award — including the scholarship, summer experience and being in a cohort of intelligent, talented and motivated students — makes my commitment to nuclear deterrence and nonproliferation all the more realistic and meaningful. I am beyond excited to engage with the cohort and push myself even further towards my goal of building nuclear peace.”

Angela Olvera

Angela Olvera is a political science major and Latino studies and constitutional studies minor from McAllen, Texas. She is a Latino 91��Ƶ Scholar and a cabinet member for national political engagement and gender relations for Notre Dame Student Government. She is a past research assistant with the Institute for Latino 91��Ƶ.

Away from campus, Olvera has served as an intern in the Office of the Vice President of the United States. She has also interned for the National Immigrant Justice Center through the Institute for Latino 91��Ƶ’ Cross Cultural Leadership Program, and for U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas through the Washington Program. She will study abroad through Notre Dame London in the spring.

As a Voyager Scholar, she plans to research citizenship processes while interning for the International Rescue Committee in Colombia, a nonprofit devoted to helping people whose lives are shattered by disaster or conflict.

She plans to attend law school after graduation, with the ultimate goal of helping to develop and implement immigration and other policy — and advise the attorney general and deputy attorney general on such policy — from within the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy.

"I am incredibly grateful to receive the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship and to be welcomed into a community truly dedicated to public service,” Olvera said. “I was born and raised in a border community in South Texas. I hope to make my community proud and work towards real change and empowerment of akin communities, domestic and globally.”

In applying for the Voyager Scholarship, Filali and Olvera worked closely with the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE), which promotes the intellectual development of Notre Dame undergraduates through scholarly engagement, research, creative endeavors and the pursuit of fellowships.

Elise Rudt-Moorthy is the associate director of national fellowships at CUSE.

“Working with Faiza and Angela was an absolute pleasure, and I am incredibly impressed with their accomplishments and drive as they are only just beginning junior year,” Rudt-Moorthy said. “They are both truly deserving of this award and will do amazing things on the global stage.”

For more on this and other scholarship opportunities visit cuse.nd.edu.

Notre Dame’s Eck Institute, partners to host pop-up health events for women and infants

2024-08-14T15:00:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame’s Eck Institute for Global Health will host two “Pop-Up Pregnancy & Family Village” events — one this month and one next month — as part of an effort to help improve maternal and family health in St. Joseph County, Indiana, and surrounding areas.

The first of the two events will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 17 (Saturday) at the Kroc Center in South Bend, and the second from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 28 (Saturday) at Battell Community Center in Mishawaka.

Funded by a Health First St. Joseph County grant provided by the Indiana Department of Health through the St. Joseph County Department of Health, and with support from Beacon Community Impact, the pop-up events are designed as “one-stop shops” for mothers and their families, providing access to care, resources and support addressing various health needs during and after pregnancy.

In addition to Beacon Community Impact and the St. Joseph County Department of Health, organizations including Saint Joseph Health System, Purdue University, Indiana Health Centers, the St. Joseph County Public Library, Mental Health Awareness of Michiana and many others will be on hand to answer questions and provide services in the following areas:

• Managing stress and building support

• Your health care connections

• Health insurance assistance

• Pregnancy and family health education

• Community connections and resources

• Family wellness, fitness and fun

There is no cost to attend.

Future events will be held in Elkhart County, as well, with support from Beacon’s Michiana Family Journey Program, which recently received a $5.4 million federal grant for maternal and infant health.

“The Pop-Up Pregnancy & Family Village is a collaborative effort uniting organizations, health care systems and the community to address the critical issues of maternal and infant mortality in St. Joseph County. By bringing together essential resources and support, our hope is to improve the health and well-being of mothers and families in our community,” Elizabeth Wood, co-investigator and associate professor of the practice at the Eck Institute, said. “All are welcome. This is a space designed for you, where every mother and family can find the care, support and connection they need.”

With several ongoing efforts to improve the health of mothers and children, the Eck Institute recently announced a Maternal, Newborn and Child Health working group that is mobilizing University researchers and campus partners to inspire maternal health advancements within the St. Joseph County community, consistent with the University’s strategic framework.

To learn more about upcoming events, visit the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health initiative.

Contact: Erin Blasko, associate director of media relations, eblasko@nd.edu, 574-631-4127

Alumnus Quinton Hayre named Notre Dame’s first Quad Fellow

2024-08-06T09:00:00-04:00

University of Notre Dame alumnus Quinton Hayre will pursue a master’s degree in epidemiology at Harvard University as one of 50 members of the second-ever group of Quad Fellows. The Seattle native is Notre Dame’s first Quad Fellow. Alumnus Drew Langford, a 2024 Hertz Scholar, was a finalist for the award in 2023.

Established in 2021, the Quad Fellowship sponsors students from the four Quad countries (U.S., Australia, India and Japan), plus the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the U.S. with the aim of strengthening ties between scientists and technologists.

Each Quad Fellow receives a $40,000 stipend to be used for academic expenses. They also have the opportunity to network and engage in programming with accomplished minds in STEM, government and society. Upon graduation, senior fellows join a growing alumni network dedicated to advancing innovation and research for positive impact.

Members of this year’s cohort — just the second since the program was established — represent 41 distinct areas of specialization across 16 fields of study at 22 institutes of higher education. They hail from 12 countries.

Hayre is a 2023 graduate of both the College of Science (pre-professional studies) and the Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs (international development). He minored in real estate. As a Luce Scholar, he spent the past year designing and analyzing wastewater pathogen surveillance programs in Thailand with the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Clinical Center.

Professionally, he aspires to mitigate disease emergence among vulnerable populations.

“I am honored to be named a 2024 Quad Fellow. Having access to the incredible Quad Fellowship cohort and network will certainly lead to many fruitful collaborations as I progress in my career as an epidemiologist,” Hayre said. “I am grateful to my Notre Dame faculty recommenders, Dr. Neil Lobo and Dr. Ellis Adams, and to the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE) for their support.”

Hayre worked closely with CUSE throughout the application process.

“Congratulations to Quinton for being named a 2024 Quad Fellow,” said Emily Hunt, assistant director of scholarly development at CUSE. “We enjoy when alumni choose to return to CUSE for assistance in the application process for opportunities that will help them achieve their goals.”

The Quad Fellowship is an initiative of the governments of Australia, India, Japan and the United States. It is the first multinational scholarship and educational fellowship program specifically supporting students in STEM. The Quad Fellowship is administered by the Institute of International Education, a global not-for-profit that manages many of the world’s most prestigious scholarship and fellowship programs.

For more on this and other scholarship opportunities, visit cuse.nd.edu.

$30 million Lilly Endowment grant to support new DTSB Tech and Talent Hub

2024-08-05T11:00:00-04:00

The former South Bend Tribune building in downtown South Bend (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

The University of Notre Dame has been awarded a $30 million grant from Lilly Endowment through its initiative, College and Community Collaboration (CCC). The grant will support a planned tech and talent district encompassing the former South Bend Tribune building in downtown South Bend.

The Downtown South Bend (DTSB) Tech and Talent Hub will include renovated research and innovation space centered in the historic former South Bend Tribune building on the northwest side of downtown, about two miles south of campus.

“The DTSB Tech and Talent Hub will not only enhance Notre Dame’s research capabilities, but also drive significant economic growth and community development in downtown South Bend,” University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., said. “This project exemplifies our commitment to integrating research and innovation with impactful community engagement, fostering both local and regional advancement. We are grateful to Lilly Endowment for its generous support.”

The project, informed by the experience of communities like Durham and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, envisions Notre Dame collaborating with industry to advance applied research in areas such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, and advanced computing.

The hub will offer community-facing programming in an adjacent, accessible venue through a partnership with South Bend City Church, as well as leadership and ethics training in collaboration with Holy Cross College. It will also offer drop-in services to local entrepreneurs as part of expanded University programming.

Notre Dame is one of 13 Indiana colleges and universities receiving grants through the latest and final round of the CCC initiative. The aim of the initiative is to encourage Indiana’s colleges and universities to work closely with community stakeholders to envision and jointly undertake significant community development efforts to create more vibrant places in which to live, learn, work and play.

“While varied in scope and reach, the proposed initiatives and projects reflect a commitment by stakeholders, inclusive of faculty, staff and students from these institutions, business leaders, government officials, and community leaders, to create vibrant communities where all residents can thrive,” said Jennett M. Hill, president of Lilly Endowment. “The Endowment looks forward to seeing all the projects in the CCC initiative evolve. We are enthusiastic about the prospects for both the institutions and communities and are eager to see these institutions and their community stakeholders collaborate to breathe life into their promising projects.”

“The sense of momentum in our community is fueled by a step-change in cross-sector collaborations at the local and state level,” said Shannon Cullinan, Notre Dame’s executive vice president. “We hope that this purposeful reinvention of a historic venue in downtown South Bend will further enhance the region’s bright future.”

The DTSB Tech and Talent Hub represents a major strategic investment in South Bend’s urban core, which is poised for as much as $1 billion in new public and private investment over the next several years, led by a variety of mixed-use apartment projects, a new medical tower and new performing arts space.

The city of South Bend recently launched a downtown planning process, Downtown 2045, to harness that momentum, with the aim of leveraging stakeholder input to establish a vision for the future of downtown and outline concrete steps to get there.

Consistent with that process, the DTSB Tech and Talent Hub seeks to promote a revitalized and recharged urban core — while at the same time advancing Notre Dame’s strategic framework, which, among other things, calls for further collaborations to promote the economic and social well-being of the South Bend-Elkhart region.

Downtown South Bend and the former South Bend Tribune building (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

“This transformational investment in the heart of South Bend will turbocharge our downtown and our regional economy,” South Bend Mayor James Mueller said. “I am grateful to our partners at the University of Notre Dame and Lilly Endowment for their commitment to a brighter future for our community.”

Notre Dame acquired the three-story former Tribune building — excluding the adjacent press building, which is owned by South Bend City Church — from Schurz Communications in October. The building has been vacant since 2019, when the newspaper, previously owned by Schurz, relocated elsewhere downtown.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion, and it maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

Alumnus Khan Shairani named US Department of State Critical Language Scholar

2024-07-30T13:00:00-04:00

University of Notre Dame alumnus Khan Shairani, who received his doctorate in peace studies and history from the Kroc Institute for International Peace 91��Ƶ in May, has been selected for the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship Program.

Shairani, who is interested in the intersection between religion and peace, completed his dissertation examining the intellectual legacy of two 18th-century Islamic scholars from the Mughal and Ottoman empires who transformed the epistemologies of classical Islamic thought in response to internal and colonial challenges. In particular, he explored how Muslims could navigate tumultuous times by reengaging and reviving their tradition.

His other research interests include colonialism and post-colonialism, Islamic theosophy and representations of Muslims in film.

Shairani received his undergraduate degree in Arabic and Chinese from Williams College and his master’s degree in Islamic studies from Harvard Divinity 91��Ƶ. While at Notre Dame, he was a translator and instructor for the Madrasa Discourses program. He also founded the Graduate 91��Ƶ club Film Lovers of International Cinema, which introduces intersectional and diverse cinema to students.

Shairani’s research has been supported by the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship as well as Notre Dame’s Nanovic Institute for European 91��Ƶ, Liu Institute for Asia and Asian 91��Ƶ and Kroc Institute for International Peace 91��Ƶ. He has also received the Qasid Annual Scholarship for the study of Quranic Arabic in Jordan.

As a Critical Language Scholar, he is currently studying Persian.

“The Critical Language Scholarship for Persian will help me advance my skill set and Indo-Persian texts, an important source for historical information on the Indian subcontinent,” Shairani said. “This will be essential for engaging critical sources for understanding and producing scholarship on the early modern period in South Asia.”

The Critical Language Scholarship Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. Students spend eight to 10 weeks abroad studying one of 13 critical languages. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.

This year’s cohort of approximately 500 scholars was selected from a pool of more than 5,000 applicants. Recipients come from all 50 U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and include students from more than 200 institutions of higher education, including public and private universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, military academies and minority-serving institutions.

“We congratulate Dr. Shairani on receiving this prestigious award that will expand his already impressive linguistic skills and disciplinary expertise,” said Michael Skalski, associate program director for the Graduate 91��Ƶ’s Office of Grants and Fellowships. “The Critical Language Scholarship Program, like other similar fellowships, helps our researchers not only to develop their professional skills, but also to become the sought-after experts in regional languages and cultures. Combined with the training Notre Dame offers, our alumni are well equipped to become a force for global good.”

For more on this and other scholarship opportunities, visit cuse.nd.edu (undergraduate students) or graduateschool.nd.edu/graduate-training/research-communication/the-office-of-grants-and-fellowships/ (graduate students).

Presidential Inauguration events to include weeklong Habitat project in South Bend

2024-07-23T10:11:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame will partner with Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County to break ground on five new homes in South Bend as part of events surrounding the official inauguration of Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., the University’s 18th president.

Public events and activities surrounding Father Dowd’s inauguration will kick off on Sept. 12 (Thursday) with a special symposium, the first in this year’s Notre Dame Forum series. The inauguration ceremony is open to the community and will be held in Purcell Pavilion on Sept. 13 (Friday) from 3 to 4:30 p.m. For a full list of events, visit president.nd.edu/inauguration-events/.

Work on the Habitat homes, involving framing and other tasks, will take place Sept. 16 to 20 (Monday through Friday) both on campus and along Harrison Street in South Bend, on the city’s near northwest side.

As many as 1,000 volunteers, including students, faculty and staff, will assist with the project, which aligns with the University’s commitment to community engagement as outlined in its strategic framework.

Kristen Cooper, wife of Notre Dame alumnus Christopher Cooper, participates in a Habitat for Humanity project on Turnock Street in South Bend in 2023.

The homes should be ready for move-in sometime next year.

“Notre Dame’s continued flourishing is inextricably linked to the vitality and prosperity of our local community and this region. An important part of that is ensuring that all people, regardless of background, have access to safe, decent, affordable housing and the financial, social and emotional benefits that come with it,” Father Dowd said. “I am pleased to join with the entire campus community in this important project, and look forward to further strengthening our partnerships in South Bend and surrounding communities in the future.”

Led by the Office of Public Affairs, the project also involves the Office of the President; the 91��Ƶ of Architecture, which is working with students to design the homes; and the Notre Dame student chapter of Habitat for Humanity, which will manage student participation in the project.

Based in South Bend, Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County is a nonprofit organization that works to build homes for low- to moderate-income individuals and families. Future homeowners must be able to pay an affordable mortgage and agree to partner with Habitat for Humanity by attending homeownership classes covering basic home maintenance, budgeting, financing and understanding local ordinances. Additionally, they work alongside volunteers to build their own homes.

“Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County has been helping individuals and families in the South Bend area realize the dream of homeownership for nearly 40 years,” said Tim Sexton, associate vice president for public affairs. “As we mark this next chapter in Notre Dame history, we are excited to join them in that mission.”

“We are honored to host Inauguration Build 2024 and look forward to many more years of partnership with (Notre Dame) to help make sure everyone in our community has a decent place to live.”

Notre Dame is a longtime supporter of Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County, both directly through land and other donations and indirectly as a source of volunteers.

Just last year, the University donated to the organization four lots south of campus, with two homes under construction there and two more planned. It also facilitated a $250,000 gift to the organization — $50,000 per year over five years — from an undisclosed alumnus.

The 91��Ƶ of Architecture, meanwhile, is in the middle of a five-year partnership with the organization to design and build affordable homes in South Bend and Mishawaka.

Jim Williams is the president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County.

“The mission principles of Habitat that call us to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ, advocate for affordable housing, promote dignity and hope and support sustainable and transformational development all align with the values of the Church and the University,” Williams said. “We are honored to host Inauguration Build 2024 and look forward to many more years of partnership with the University to help make sure everyone in our community has a decent place to live.”

Interns join neighbors to imagine new park space in South Bend

2024-07-17T11:00:00-04:00

From left: Sofia Frazee, Madelyne Moore, David Meininger and Paddy Chapman, summer interns at the Lucy Institute Civic Innovation Lab, stand in a proposed recreational space just west of the lab on West Washington Street in South Bend. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

South Bend’s Near West Side is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. Its tree-lined streets are dotted with large wood-framed homes in various architectural styles, alongside sprawling 19th-century granite and limestone estates with distinguished-sounding names such as Copshaholm and Tippecanoe Place.

Situated along historic West Washington Street, the neighborhood is home to a variety of museums and cultural institutions — The History Museum, Studebaker National Museum, Civil Rights Heritage Center, Notre Dame Civic Innovation Lab — and is just steps from downtown, with its many shops, restaurants and visual and performing arts venues.

Still, for all of its history and character, the neighborhood lacks an important amenity: park space.

Residents can wander the grounds of the Oliver Mansion or City Cemetery or head south along Chapin Street to the Kroc Center. Otherwise, the nearest public park is about a 20-minute walk away, on the other side of a busy street.

Feedback from a recent community meeting about a proposed recreational space near the Civic Innovation Lab. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

Inspired by recent planning efforts, however, residents are banding together to create green space in the margins of the neighborhood where none currently exists — and with an assist from the University of Notre Dame.

Since June, interns with the Lucy Institute Civic Innovation Lab, part of the Lucy Family Institute for Data and Society, have been seeking input from residents, both online and in-person, on a proposed park on vacant property in the 1100 block of West Washington Street, directly west of the Civic Innovation Lab.

South Bend Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit community development organization, owns the property, which comprises two separate, side-by-side lots measuring one quarter acre each. The land would be deeded to the city if it were to become a park.

As proposed, the park would be part of a larger greenway with benches, flower beds, comfort stations and other features and amenities, linking museums and other points of interest in the neighborhood along a linear path.

“The greenway is essentially a path that’s going to run from the Kroc Center to City Cemetery, and it’s kind of a series of projects that are recreational and privately owned but open to the public,” said Sofia Frazee, a rising sophomore studying comprehensive design at Indiana University Bloomington.

Frazee, of South Bend, is one of four interns on the project. The others are David Meininger, of Columbia, Missouri, a rising sophomore studying computer science at Notre Dame; Padraig Chapman, of South Bend, a rising senior at Riley High 91��Ƶ; and Madelyne Moore, of Osceola, Indiana, a rising sophomore studying health care management and policy at Indiana University Bloomington.

The group is working closely with the South Bend Greenway Conservancy, a nonprofit cofounded by Near West Side residents Andrea Crawford and Megyn Edmonson to advance the greenway and generate support and enthusiasm for the project among neighbors and community leaders.

A traffic-calming mural brightens the street in front of the Civic Innovation Lab on West Washington Street in South Bend. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

To that end, the conservancy, in partnership with the Near West Side Neighborhood Organization and with support from the city of South Bend, organized a recent mural/crosswalk project as a demonstration of the greenway and to build critical momentum for the project.

The mural, spanning the width of West Washington Street between the Civic Innovation Lab and Civil Rights Heritage Center, is meant to calm traffic, improve safety and improve connectivity in the area.

Dozens of volunteers, from the Civic Innovation Lab and elsewhere, joined with local artist Chris Silva to create the mural the weekend of June 8-9. Data collected before and after the project show it is working to slow traffic.

“It was a great relationship-building exercise between the city and community,” including the Civic Innovation Lab and other organizations, Edmonson said of the project, which is temporary until a permanent, raised crosswalk can be installed in the area.

So far, Frazee said, residents surveyed about the park have expressed support for the project, suggesting it include drinking fountains, benches and equipment designed to promote learning through play.

“One of the best things about South Bend is the network of people across all kinds of organizations that are committed to making things happen for the good of our city. Our interns get to spend a summer in the middle of that."

“We want to make sure that we’re really taking the time to get their feedback, build those strong connections with them and build their trust,” Frazee said of the residents.

The interns have also been researching the history of the proposed park property within the context of the surrounding neighborhood, which was a popular landing spot for Black men and women fleeing violence and discrimination in the South for security and economic opportunity in the North during the first half of the 20th century.

According to Moore, it’s about respecting the history of the neighborhood.

Jay Brockman talks with students at the Civic Innovation Lab. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

“Initially it was kind of sensitive talking to neighbors about what we could do with their land, especially with the history of it,” Moore said. “So that’s something we’re really trying to concentrate on when talking to neighbors, understanding that they may have had ties to whoever previously lived there.”

Looking ahead, the interns will survey residents more formally about the park, asking them to rate proposed features and elements on a scale of 1 to 5. The resulting data will be organized and incorporated into a final proposal for the park to be presented to the neighborhood association and others at the end of the month.

Jonathon Geels, principal landscape architect and president of the Troyer Group, is assisting with the design process as a consultant to the conservancy along with Dominic Catanzarite, a Ball State University student from South Bend who is currently interning with the Troyer Group.

“It’s been a really good experience,” Frazee said, “and I’m excited to see what comes of it.”

Established in 2018, the Civic Innovation Lab (formerly the Center for Civic Innovation) hosts dozens of students annually as part of its summer internship program. The students work closely with Notre Dame faculty and staff as well as local stakeholders to tackle pressing civic and industry issues in the South Bend-Elkhart community, with a focus on data-driven problem-solving.

This year’s cohort, consisting of both college and high school students, is working on a variety of issues related to community development, environmental sustainability and resilience, and transportation and walkability.

Jay Brockman, professor of the practice in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, is the director of the lab.

“One of the best things about South Bend is the network of people across all kinds of organizations that are committed to making things happen for the good of our city,” Brockman said. “Our interns get to spend a summer in the middle of that. Each of our intern teams learns how to use qualitative and quantitative data to make better decisions across a range of issues, but in the end, the most important thing they learn is how to do their part as a member of a community.”

For more information, visit lucyinstitute.nd.edu/cil/.

Contact: Erin Blasko, associate director of media relations, 574-631-4127, eblasko@nd.edu

Notre Dame philanthropy student secures ‘life-changing’ $50,000 grant for Corvilla

2024-07-01T09:00:00-04:00

University of Notre Dame rising senior Bobby Spence secured $50,000 in funding for Corvilla, a nonprofit that provides life-enhancing services to people with disabilities, at the Philanthropy Lab’s 2024 Ambassadors Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, in June.

As a Philanthropy Lab partner school, Notre Dame sends two students to the Ambassadors Conference each year.

Spence, a political science major from McLean, Virginia, attended alongside Madelyn Alford, an American studies (pre-law) major and rising junior from Edwardsburg, Michigan.

He is the first Notre Dame student to secure funding at the conference.

“I was fortunate to be able to pitch such an incredible nonprofit like Corvilla, and I can’t wait to watch them put the grant dollars to good use,” Spence said. “Corvilla cares for some of the most vulnerable and deserving people in the South Bend community and is staffed by a selfless, talented and humble team. I am grateful to Professor (Jonathan) Hannah for his guidance in class this past fall and to the Philanthropy Lab for making such a generous grant possible.”

Spence was part of a group of students that awarded $59,000 to local nonprofits — including $10,000 to Corvilla — in December as part of Philanthropy and the Common Good. The three-credit course, led by Jonathan Hannah, assistant director for operations at the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture, offers students the opportunity to engage with local nonprofits while learning about the history and role of philanthropy in the U.S.

The class, with support from the Philanthropy Lab and others, has awarded nearly $350,000 to local nonprofits since 2019.

“The Philanthropy Lab is inspiring the next generation of nonprofit leaders and philanthropists,” Hannah said. “Their annual student Ambassadors Conference is such a formative event for the students most dedicated to philanthropy, and the Notre Dame students who attend always learn so much and return even more inspired to make a difference.”

Founded in 1959 by a group of parents and with support from the Brothers of Holy Cross, Corvilla empowers people with disabilities to live with independence, create community, find employment and make and sell art and furniture while learning vocational skills.

Combined with the original $10,000, the $50,000 award represents a significant portion of the organization’s annual revenue from grants and contributions.

“We are very thankful for the investment and efforts of Bobby Spence and the University of Notre Dame along with the generosity of the Ambassadors Conference,” said Don Wierenga, Corvilla’s CEO. “These funds will go a long way to empower the people with disabilities in Michiana we serve through affordable, accessible housing at Corvilla. Public funding in this sector falls short, so grants like this are vital and life-changing for those with the greatest needs in our community.”

Philanthropy and the Common Good is offered through the Department of Political Science and the Hesburgh Program in Public Service and Constitutional 91��Ƶ Minor, with support from the Office of Public Affairs; the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government; the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture; the Sheedy Family Program in Economy, Enterprise and Society; and generous alumni and friends.

For more information, visit sites.nd.edu/philanthropy-and-the-common-good.

Contact: Erin Blasko, associate director of media relations, 574-631-4127, eblasko@nd.edu

Thirty-four students and alumni awarded Fulbright grants

2024-06-19T11:00:00-04:00

Nearly three dozen University of Notre Dame students have been named finalists, and another eight alternates, for the 2024-25 Fulbright U.S. Student Program. The finalists include 26 undergraduate students and eight graduate students.

Established in 1946, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers students and young professionals from all backgrounds the opportunity to study or teach abroad with support from the U.S. government.

In applying for the award, undergraduates work closely with the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE), and graduate students with the Graduate 91��Ƶ’s Office of Grants and Fellowships.

Jeff Thibert is the Paul and Maureen Stefanick Director of CUSE.

“On behalf of CUSE, I want to congratulate this year’s Fulbright finalists and alternates, while also acknowledging the dedication and hard work demonstrated by all of those who applied,” Thibert said. “Notre Dame is poised to have its 11th consecutive appearance on the Fulbright Top Producing Institution list in 2025, and I believe this sustained level of success has been possible because of the exceptional global opportunities provided by Notre Dame Global, the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures and globally oriented departments and programs; the outstanding teaching and tutoring experiences that students pursue through the Institute for Educational Initiatives, the Robinson Community Learning Center and other organizations; and the specialized Fulbright advising that students receive from the CUSE team, most recently from Elise Rudt, Emily Hunt and Mathilda Nassar.”

Mary Ann McDowell, professor of biological sciences and associate dean for professional development in the Graduate 91��Ƶ, said, “We are immensely proud of all of the Notre Dame students that have been recognized with a prestigious Fulbright award. The University of Notre Dame has consistently had the distinction of being a top producer of Fulbright students. Our continued success confirms that our students are outstanding and want to be a force for good throughout the world! I am grateful to the fantastic staff in the Graduate 91��Ƶ’s Office of Grants and Fellowships and in the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement that provide excellent support to our students as they navigate through the Fulbright submission process.”

The 34 finalists are:

Undergraduate

• Abigail Abikoye, biological sciences, English teaching assistantship to Spain

• Jessica Ashman, honors anthropology and global affairs (supplemental), study and research award to Ecuador

• Sarah Bender, political science and statistics (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to the Slovak Republic

• Meg Beuter, American studies and English, English teaching assistantship to Kenya

• Emily Braun, sociology, English teaching assistantship to Madagascar

• Lindsay Burgess, science-business and German (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Germany

• Sofia Casillas, political science and Latino studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Mexico

• Nick Clarizio, honors anthropology, study and research grant to Italy

• Bethany Cummings, honors sociology and Italian, study and research grant to Italy

• Jensen Enterman, economics and global affairs (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Spain

• Megan Fahrney, political science and global affairs (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Benin

• Clara Grillo, honors Chinese and economics, English teaching assistantship to Taiwan

• Chrís Hernandez, anthropology, English teaching assistantship to Mexico

• William Hurley, economics and global affairs (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Taiwan

• Cormac Huyen, preprofessional studies, study and research award to Mexico

• Isabelle Lukau, biochemistry and Africana studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Belgium

• Teddy Maginn, honors economics and applied and computational mathematics and statistics (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Colombia

• Katherine O’Neal, psychology, English teaching assistantship to the Czech Republic

• Paola Ortiz, political science and Latino studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Mexico

• Audra Pesko, honors economics and statistics (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Kosovo

• Erin Reilly, honors history and Chinese, English teaching assistantship to Taiwan

• Adam Salek, honors sociology, English teaching assistantship to the Palestinian Territories

• William Smith, theology, English teaching assistantship to the Slovak Republic

• Peter Tomei, economics, English teaching assistantship to Cambodia

• Victor Wicks, international economics, study and research award to Mexico

• Allie Wu, honors neuroscience and behavior, English teaching assistantship to Taiwan

Graduate

• Michael Averill, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to Colombia

• Lincoln Bargender, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to Germany

• Christopher Dean, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to the Czech Republic

• Erin Fennessy, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to France

• Maria Gargano, doctoral candidate in peace studies and psychology, study and research grant to Mexico

• Emma Hokoda, Master of Global Affairs, study and research grant to Guatemala

• Lauren Sinnock, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to Botswana

• Stephanie Truskowski, doctoral candidate in history, study and research grant to Austria

DeBartolo Performing Arts Center to host Juneteenth Celebration and Resource Fair Friday at Notre Dame

2024-06-11T11:00:00-04:00

The DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC), in partnership with the Center for Social Concerns, will host a Juneteenth Celebration and Resource Fair from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Friday (June 14) on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

The event, featuring locally owned businesses and nonprofit organizations, free food from local food trucks, music from Gino J of Mix 102.3 and giveaways, will take place outside the north entrance of DPAC, facing the DeBartolo Quad.

It is free and open to the public.

Now in its second year, the family-friendly event is designed to promote and support local businesses — including and especially Black-owned businesses — in conjunction with the federal Juneteenth holiday, which marks the end of slavery in the U.S. and falls on June 19 each year.

The event also offers members of the community the opportunity to explore campus via the newly established Arts Gateway — a collection of public-facing buildings, classrooms and outdoor spaces devoted to the visual and performing arts and architecture at Notre Dame.

And it marks the start of summer programming at DPAC, with a diverse lineup of performances and events including UZIMA! Drum and Dance Co.’s “Boundless: A Juneteenth Celebration” at 7 p.m. June 22.

According to Leigh Hayden, director of marketing and communications for DPAC, the event is part of DPAC’s mission to be “very visibly inclusive” with respect to both its programming and its approach to community engagement.

“With our location in the Notre Dame Arts Gateway and as part of an effort to bridge the gap between campus and community, the Juneteenth Celebration and Resource Fair is a way for us to bring additional visibility to Freedom Day and what it means to the African American community while adding to community celebrations,” said Hayden, who serves on DPAC’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee.

Visitors and vendors, including members of Uzima! Drum and Dance Company, enjoy the Juneteenth Celebration and Resource Fair at the University of Notre Dame in 2023.

Regina Williams-Preston, community justice program director with the Center for Social Concerns, said, “The relationship building, collaboration and celebration that happens at events like this is important for the community justice work we do at the Center for Social Concerns.”

Jamie Mckinstry, owner of Jetta’s Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn in South Bend, is among the returning vendors.

“I have done several vending events with Notre Dame and all have been successful,” Mckinstry said.

She thanked Notre Dame for including the community in its Juneteenth celebrations, noting of the holiday itself, “Juneteenth has been so important to me because it has given me the right to be free and equal to every human being. We are free to learn and grow and become who we are meant to be.”

Also on Friday, University Enterprises and Events will host a Juneteenth Celebration Through Food from 2 to 3 p.m. at Legends of Notre Dame, featuring barbecue and guest speakers.

The DeBartolo Performing Arts Center is the University’s leading presenter of world-class artistic programming. It is also an academic space devoted to enhancing the scholarship, teaching and practice of the performing arts. And it is a community space that welcomes more than 100,000 patrons annually, including hundreds of K-12 students in education and related artistic programs.

For more information, visit performingarts.nd.edu.

McKenna Center program opens doors for disadvantaged entrepreneurs

2024-06-04T09:27:00-04:00

While the word entrepreneur often conjures images of tech titans such as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the reality is much less glamorous, according to Michael Morris, a faculty member in the Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs’ McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business at the University of Notre Dame.

In fact, the majority of ventures across the globe are started by people in poverty and disadvantaged circumstances, Morris said, particularly when people operating within the informal, or underground, economy are included in the count.

And while data on such ventures is scarce, Morris noted that even within developed economies, they can be responsible for a meaningful percentage of economic output.

What’s more, he explained, a growing body of anecdotal research findings supports the idea of entrepreneurship as a route to financial independence.

Read the story

Notre Dame alumnus Andrew Langford named Hertz Fellow

2024-05-30T15:00:00-04:00

University of Notre Dame alumnus Andrew Langford has been named one of 18 Hertz Fellowship recipients for the 2024 application cycle. He is Notre Dame’s second Hertz fellow overall and first since 2010.

Presented by the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation, the Hertz fellowship identifies doctoral students with the extraordinary creativity and principled leadership necessary to tackle problems others cannot solve. The intensive selection process involves a written application and two rounds of technical interviews. It is among the most prestigious STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) graduate fellowships in the nation.

Hertz Fellows receive five years of funding, offering flexibility from the traditional constraints of graduate training and the independence needed to pursue research that best advances the nation’s security and economic vitality.

Former recipients of the award include Nobel Laureates and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipients. Hertz Fellows hold more than 3,000 patents, have founded more than 375 companies and have created hundreds of thousands of technology jobs.

Langford graduated from Notre Dame in 2022 with a bachelor of science in honors physics and concentrations in applied physics, advanced physics and astrophysics. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a Goldwater Scholar, a Sorin Scholar and a recipient of the Outstanding Senior Physics Major Award. As a senior, he was one of 11 Notre Dame students and alumni awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. He was a founding member and first director of research and development for IrishSat, a student-led small satellite and space technology team.

Langford pursued undergraduate research within the Department of Physics and Astronomy under Assistant Professor Lauren Weiss, Professor Peter Garnavich and astronomer Colin Littlefield, a Notre Dame alumnus. As a graduate student, he earned a master of philosophy in astronomy from the University of Cambridge Institute of Astronomy in England. There, his research focused on extending theories of planetary dynamics in multi-body gravitational environments, such as close-binary stars and the Pluto-Charon system.

He is currently pursuing a doctorate in astrodynamics from Purdue University, where his research focuses on applications of dynamical systems theory to understand the natural behavior of orbits and enhance spaceflight capabilities in multi-body gravitational environments. He intends to use his expertise to contribute toward a sustainable cislunar presence and deliver scientific and economic opportunity to Earth.

“I am fortunate to have had supportive mentors at Notre Dame provide me with guidance and freedom to develop original research as an undergraduate,” Langford said. “The breadth of opportunities gave me the exposure and inspiration to pursue my research interests to the fullest degree.”

Langford worked closely with the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE) in applying for the fellowship.

“The CUSE team has had the pleasure of working with Andrew since his sophomore year at Notre Dame, when he entered our Sorin Scholars program,” said Emily Hunt, the assistant director of scholarly development at CUSE. “In this program, we witnessed him develop both personally and professionally through his commitment to research, scholarship and giving back to his community. We were glad to have the chance to assist in his application to become a Hertz Fellow.

“We congratulate Andrew on this well-deserved honor, which is illustrative of the excellent STEM education students can receive at Notre Dame. We are incredibly proud of him and look forward to following his career.”

For more on this and other scholarship opportunities, visit cuse.nd.edu.

Alumnus Jackson Glynn named 2024 Yenching Scholar

2024-05-28T13:00:00-04:00

Newly minted University of Notre Dame alumnus Jackson Glynn has been named a 2024 Yenching Scholar. He is one of 107 total Yenching Scholars, representing 38 countries and regions and 77 universities around the globe.

Glynn graduated from Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters with a bachelor’s degree in Chinese. He minored in constitutional studies, Japanese and Russian. He is proficient in Chinese and semi-proficient in Japanese and Russian.

He participated in a four-month immersion program in Kyoto, Japan, in the fall of 2022 with the Council on International Educational Exchange, where he lived with a host family and exclusively spoke Japanese.

As an undergraduate, he was a member of the Chinese Culture and Singing Clubs, an officer with the Lacrosse Club, a student employee of the dining hall and a registered referee with USA hockey.

As a Yenching Scholar, he plans to examine whether or not China’s increase in anti-American rhetoric in Africa has positively or negatively impacted its goal of bringing African countries closer to China in the post-pandemic era.

“The relationship between the U.S. and China is incredibly complex and is constantly evolving in response to the rapidly changing world,” Glynn said. “By approaching this relationship from the perspective of Africa, I can challenge the notion that the U.S. and China are always competing with each other. Moreover, I hope to demonstrate that the contentious propaganda disseminated by both the U.S. and Chinese governments is causing more harm than good.”

Chosen through a highly competitive application process, Yenching Scholars participate in an interdisciplinary master’s degree program in China studies at the Yenching Academy of Peking University in Beijing, China, with tuition and other expenses fully covered.

Glynn is Notre Dame’s 11th Yenching Scholar overall and fifth in the last four years.

In applying for the award, he worked closely with the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE), which promotes the intellectual development of Notre Dame undergraduates through scholarly engagement, research, creative endeavors and the pursuit of fellowships.

”On behalf of CUSE, I’d like to congratulate Jackson on being selected as the University’s 11th Yenching Scholar,” said Jeff Thibert, the Paul and Maureen Stefanick Director of CUSE. “As a partner university of the Yenching Academy, we are grateful for the opportunity to continue to nominate excellent individuals like Jackson for interviews conducted by the Academy. We are also grateful to our partners at Notre Dame, most especially in this case the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian 91��Ƶ and the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, who provide the outstanding educational opportunities that enable our students to be competitive applicants for fellowship opportunities. I would also like to thank the CUSE Assistant Director of Scholarly Development, Emily Hunt, who works with our Yenching Academy applicants and provides expert guidance and support throughout the discernment and application processes. We look forward to working with more Yenching Scholars in the years ahead.”

For more on this and other scholarship opportunities, visit cuse.nd.edu.

Graduate 91��Ƶ degree recipients encouraged to embrace the future, take up baton of ‘saving the world’

2024-05-18T12:49:00-04:00

Keynote speaker Sabine Hadida encouraged students to embrace the future and take up the baton of “saving the world” during the Graduate 91��Ƶ’s annual commencement ceremony Saturday (May 18) at Notre Dame Stadium.

“Today is not just about looking back at what you have achieved; it’s about embracing the opportunities that the future brings. And don’t you worry, there will be many as long as you are willing to take up the challenge they present,” Hadida said.

That said, “As you get on with this next chapter of your life, remember the values you have learned as graduate students: integrity, humility and a commitment to excellence,” she said. “And never forget the support system that has brought you to this moment — your family, friends, mentors and colleagues who have supported you along the way.”

Hadida is senior vice president and San Diego site head at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, where she and her team have developed a variety of FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening disorder that damages the lungs and digestive system.

For her revolutionary work in drug discovery, she was a co-recipient, with Paul Negulescu and Fredrick Van Goor, of the 2024 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, as well as the 2023 Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences.

Not that it’s been easy.

Hadida recalled the cold response from the scientific community to her and her team’s early research theorizing that small molecules could restore the function of a mutant protein — a “crazy” idea at the time but one that ultimately would lead to the first medication to treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis.

“I remember presenting experimental data at a conference related to what ultimately became our first (cystic fibrosis) drug. I was, believe it or not, shouted off the stage because the experts did not believe in this approach,” Hadida said. “I thought that only happened in movies, but I guess my mother-in-law was right all along when she said: ‘If it happens on TV, it can happen in real life.’”

Fortunately, she said, she ignored the naysayers and followed the evidence.

“That experience taught me that there are no crazy ideas as long as they don’t violate the laws of physics or thermodynamics,” she said. “So the next time someone shrugs their shoulders about your idea, just tell them what I just told you.

“You must have faith in yourself,” she told the graduates. “After all, you are a graduate of Notre Dame.”

In introducing Hadida, John McGreevy, the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost at Notre Dame, referred to her as a “hero” and “innovator” who “uses her expertise to fight for patients who have been fighting for every breath.”

Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., left, hands a diploma to a Graduate 91��Ƶ student Saturday (May 18) at Notre Dame Stadium. (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

Following Hadida’s remarks, Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., conferred degrees on the students before delivering his final charge to the class. Father Jenkins will step down from his role as president at the end of the academic year, making way for his successor, Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.

"As I step down from the presidency, I am most proud of the progress Notre Dame has made in research and graduate school education in recent decades, as a university traditionally known for undergraduate education increasingly takes its place among the distinguished graduate programs in the world,” Father Jenkins said. “This growth is due not only to our distinguished faculty and academic leaders, but also to the scholarly contributions you, our graduates, have made and will make. We are so proud to call you our graduates."

In addition to Hadida, McGreevy and Father Jenkins, Saturday’s ceremony featured Michael Hildreth, associate provost and vice president for graduate studies and dean of the Graduate 91��Ƶ, and Prashant Kamat, the Rev. John A. Zahm Professor of Science at Notre Dame, among others. Hildreth opened the convocation, welcoming students, faculty, staff and visotors and introducing the platform party. Kamat, one of two winners of this year’s Rev. James A. Burns, C.S.C., Award, delivered the invocation.

Commencement activities conclude Sunday (May 19) with undergraduate commencement, at which Hadida will be recognized as one of four honorary degree recipients. For more information, visit commencement.nd.edu.

Eleven Notre Dame students, alumni awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

2024-05-01T09:00:00-04:00

Eleven current or former University of Notre Dame students have been awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowships, with an additional nine singled out for honorable mention for the award.

Established in 1952, the Graduate Research Fellowship Program provides financial and other support to students in NSF-backed STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) disciplines to participate in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs at accredited institutions in the U.S.

Applicants work closely with their advisers to create compelling personal statements and research plans.

Notre Dame students can also consult with experts from the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE) or its counterpart, the Office of Grants and Fellowships, in the Graduate 91��Ƶ.

“On behalf of CUSE, I’d like to congratulate the Notre Dame students and alumni recognized this year by the NSF GRFP. I’d also like to express my gratitude to their mentors and advisers, especially Emily Hunt, the assistant director of scholarly development in CUSE, who serves as our primary undergraduate and alumni fellowships adviser for the NSF GRFP,” said Jeffery Thibert, the Paul and Maureen Stefanick Director of CUSE. “I hope that the continued recognition of Notre Dame applicants by the NSF GRFP inspires any future students or alumni applying for a graduate degree in the social sciences, sciences or engineering fields to also consider applying for the NSF GRFP, as the funding provided through the program means that they won’t be limited to working with mentors who have funding available, and the network provided through the program can offer an early boost in their careers.”

Mary Ann McDowell, associate dean for professional development in the Graduate 91��Ƶ, said, “On behalf of the Graduate 91��Ƶ, I congratulate all the Notre Dame students and alumni who received recognition from the NSF. I thank the Graduate 91��Ƶ Office of Grants and Fellowships, particularly assistant directors Kayla Hurd and Michael Skalski, for their ardent recruitment of students to apply for NSF GRFP awards and tireless work advising students on their applications. These efforts have been enormously successful, resulting in a nearly 25 percent success rate with 29 awards and 15 honorable mentions for Notre Dame graduate students over the last five years. A highlight this year was that two ND-PREP scholars were recognized with NSF GRFP awards. The ND-PREP program is an NIH-supported one-year post-baccalaureate experience for individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. I am enormously grateful to the Grants and Fellowships team for assisting the ND-PREP scholars with their submissions and congratulate them on a 50 percent success rate. I look forward to seeing Notre Dame’s continued success in the future.”

The fellows are:

Undergraduate

• Jack Kalicak (mechanical engineering)

• Michelle Kwok (particle physics)

Undergraduate alumni

• Kevin Angell (political science)

• Erin Neu (biomedical engineering)

• Fiona Neylon (mechanical engineering)

• Sarajane Smith (anthropology)

• James Zwierzynski (developmental biology)

Graduate

• Dominique Gramm (bioengineering)

• Daniela Parra (cognitive psychology)

• Rebecca Warren (cognitive psychology)

• Khirsten Wilson (psychology, research and experimental)

The honorable mentions are:

Undergraduate

• Evan Bursch (plasma physics)

• Sydney Coil (nuclear physics)

• Anousha Greiveldinger (astronomy and astrophysics)

• Quinn Mackay (chemical oceanography)

• Jonathan Tittle (mechanical engineering)

• Jessica Wysocki (nuclear engineering)

Undergraduate alumni

• Nicholas Crnkovich (nuclear engineering)

• Charlotte Probst (ecology)

Graduate

• Menglin Jiang (environmental engineering)

Medicinal chemist Sabine Hadida to deliver Graduate 91��Ƶ Commencement address

2024-04-22T09:00:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame Graduate 91��Ƶ will hold its annual commencement ceremony at 9 a.m. May 18 (Saturday) at Notre Dame Stadium. Sabine Hadida, a renowned medicinal chemist, will deliver the keynote address. University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., will confer the various master’s and doctoral degrees.

“I am very excited to have Dr. Hadida address our graduates,” said Michael Hildreth, associate provost, vice president for graduate studies and dean of the Graduate 91��Ƶ. “Her career is a shining example of using advanced training and basic research to derive breakthrough treatments, providing hope to millions of people suffering from debilitating disease. She is an inspiration to us all, and a great role model for our graduates as they launch their own careers.”

Hadida serves as senior vice president and San Diego site head at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. She gained international recognition as the leader of the chemistry team that discovered FDA-approved medicines Kalydeco, Orkambi, Symdeko and Trikafta as well as nine medicines in clinical development and two in preclinical development.

For her revolutionary work in drug discovery, Hadida was a co-recipient, with Paul Negulescu and Fredrick Van Goor, of the 2024 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, as well as the 2023 Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences.

Prior to joining Vertex in 2002, Hadida was a research scientist at CombiChem Inc. and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh. She holds more than 60 U.S. patents and is the author of many peer-reviewed articles published in scientific journals. Hadida earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in pharmacy from the University of Barcelona in Spain.

In addition to delivering the Graduate 91��Ƶ commencement address, Hadida will receive an honorary doctor of science degree at the 179th University Commencement Ceremony on May 19.

“Earning a graduate degree is no small feat, and for each of this year’s graduates, I am confident that their time at the University of Notre Dame will represent an important part of the journey toward making an impact on the world,” Hadida said. “I am honored to have the opportunity to speak to this year’s graduating class, celebrate their accomplishments, and share some of the lessons I’ve learned throughout my career of applying medicinal chemistry to discover therapies for cystic fibrosis.”

The Graduate 91��Ƶ has also announced the following student, faculty and alumni awards for the 2023-24 academic year.

Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award: Michael Davern (’99 Ph.D.), executive vice president and chief research officer for the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

James A. Burns, C.S.C., Award: Prashant V. Kamat, the Rev. John A. Zahm Professor of Science in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Rebecca Ann Wingert, the Elizabeth and Michael Gallagher Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and director of graduate studies in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Dick and Peggy Notebaert Award: William A. Phillip, the Rooney Family Collegiate Chair of Engineering and director of graduate studies in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

Eli J. and Helen Shaheen Award in Engineering: Ryan R. Posh, doctoral candidate in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.

Eli J. and Helen Shaheen Award in Humanities: Anne Elise Crafton, doctoral candidate from the Medieval Institute.

Eli J. and Helen Shaheen Award in Science: Carlos Misael Madrid Padilla, doctoral candidate in the Department of Mathematics.

Eli J. and Helen Shaheen Award in Social Sciences: Natán Ezequiel Skigin, doctoral candidate in the Department of Political Science.

Social Justice Award: Camille “Cam” Mosley, doctoral candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences.