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Architect Doug Marsh, ‘most impactful builder in Notre Dame’s history,’ to retire after 30-year University career

2024-10-11T13:00:00-04:00

University of Notre Dame Executive Vice President Shannon Cullinan has announced that Doug Marsh, vice president for facilities design and operations and University architect, will retire May 31, 2025, after a 30-year career at the University.

“Over the past three decades, Notre Dame’s campus has experienced tremendous growth, and Doug has been at the forefront of ensuring that we have world-class facilities to support the teaching, research and community-building that are at the heart of the University’s mission,” President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., said. “His deep appreciation for the beauty, functionality and safety of the campus is unrivaled, and we could not be more grateful for his invaluable contributions.”

During Marsh’s tenure, campus has grown by 55 percent, from 7.3 million to 11.3 million square feet, and 60 major buildings were opened including new research facilities, academic spaces, residence halls, sacred spaces and student life facilities. Twenty-five smaller structures that support campus infrastructure and operations have also been built since 1995.

“Doug is arguably the most impactful builder in Notre Dame’s history,” Cullinan said. “He has led with exceptional wisdom, humility and a true servant’s heart. His legacy on our physical campus, our culture and our spirits will be felt for years to come.”

Marsh led the drafting of the University’s original Campus Plan in 2002 and updated it in 2008, 2017 and, most recently, 2024. This plan provides a framework to accommodate Notre Dame’s future aspirations and details the Seven Tenets of Planning to preserve the qualities that uniquely reflect Notre Dame.

The Campus Plan also informed the development of the University’s new Arts Gateway at the southern edge of campus, as well as the University’s engagement in the Northeast Neighborhood and the creation of Eddy Street Commons, which now offers a vibrant college town environment in easy walking distance from campus.

In addition, Marsh led the 800,000-square-foot Campus Crossroads project, the largest construction project ever undertaken by the University. Corbett Family Hall, Duncan Student Center and O’Neill Hall opened in 2017 and added classroom, research, student life, media, performance, event and hospitality space.

“I am extremely humbled and grateful to have walked alongside a legion of friends, colleagues, leaders, benefactors, scholars, students, alumni and mentors who have all shared a deep love for this extraordinary place,” Marsh said. “Notre Dame has blessed me and my family in profound and countless ways, and we will be forever thankful.”

Marsh’s impact on Notre Dame has been also felt abroad as he led projects including the design and construction of academic centers and student residences in Rome, London and Dublin.

Safety and sustainability have been hallmarks of Marsh’s career. The relocation of Angela Boulevard and of Edison, Juniper and Douglas roads 20 years ago, all projects led by Marsh, allowed the University to improve pedestrian safety, enlarge the campus core by 400 acres and reshape the eastern part of campus.

Inspired by the University’s commitment to the environment, Marsh and his team have significantly advanced Notre Dame’s transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. Notre Dame’s carbon emissions are down 48 percent compared to 2005, and the University is on target toward its goal of 65 percent reduction by 2030. The centerpiece of this transformation is the addition of 2,400 geothermal wells throughout campus and the construction of a new geothermal plant north of the Joyce Center. Nearly a third of all campus buildings will be LEED-certified when the buildings currently under construction are completed.

A South Bend native, Marsh returned to the University in 1995 after 13 years of working as an architect. He received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Notre Dame and worked in private practice prior to joining the University’s staff. He and his wife, Pam, have two sons: Adam, a 2011 Notre Dame alumnus, and Alex, a 2014 Notre Dame alumnus.

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Media contact: Sue Ryan, sue.ryan@nd.edu

Notre Dame expands military support with mental health and leadership courses in partnership with the Military Spouse Advocacy Network

2024-10-10T15:05:04-04:00

Honor, service and commitment to mission are values shared by the University of Notre Dame and the United States military. This fall, the University’s long history of support for the armed forces, veterans and their families will be extended to a new partnership with the Military Spouse Advocacy Network (MSAN), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to create stronger military families through education, empowerment and support.

Notre Dame faculty and its military-connected community are working with MSAN to offer two online courses for military spouses — one focused on ethical leadership skills in support of professional development and the other on developing skills to promote resilience and mental health, which is the latest in a series of significant commitments the University has made to fighting the nation’s mental health crisis.

Courses will be developed and presented by faculty of the William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, the Veldman Family Psychology Clinic and the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership, who are partnering with Notre Dame Learning’s Office of Digital Learning on the design of effective online content.

“For generations, Notre Dame has valued its commitment to and support of the men and women who serve in the armed forces, and we are honored to expand our relationship through this program,” University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., said. “This new partnership allows us to share our scholarship and research to support service members and their families who sacrifice so much for our country.”

MSAN will administer and launch the not-for-credit courses beginning in the spring of 2025 to an anticipated cohort of 50 military spouses.

The mental health course series aims to support military spouses in dispelling mental health myths, identifying mental health risks that are more common in military communities, and developing skills to promote wellness for themselves, their families, friends and peers. In doing so, military spouses will develop skills to practice and model self-care, support emotional resilience and act in times of stress.

The ethical leadership series reflects the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership’s mission to inform, equip and inspire values-based leadership, and will cover topics such as conflict management, voicing values at work and honesty and empathy in decision-making. In covering these skills, the aim is for military spouses to become leaders who foster resilient and flourishing communities.

“In alignment with our strategic framework commitments on ethics and mental health, Notre Dame faculty are honored to design and deliver the material for both courses responding to emergent military family needs,” said John T. McGreevy, the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost. “This is a tremendous opportunity to provide cross-disciplinary expertise to help address the immediate and pressing issues facing service members and their families.”

In 2017, the University launched the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs (OMVA) to expand its support for Notre Dame-enrolled veterans and their families, active-duty and ROTC students and those who are dependents of service members. Ken Heckel, a 23-year veteran and retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, serves as OMVA’s director and has helped to facilitate Notre Dame’s partnership with MSAN.

“Inspired by Notre Dame’s mission to remain a global force for good, our colleagues across the University have come together, in partnership with MSAN, to design a comprehensive program that will greatly benefit our nation’s military spouses and families,” Heckel said. “Our goal is to help empower military spouses to be ethical leaders in their communities, and to also serve as mental health advocates and positive agents of change.”

The Notre Dame-MSAN partnership is a multidisciplinary campus project. It involves faculty and staff from 10 organizations who are developing the partnership and the logistics of course creation and delivery. The project is being spearheaded and resourced by Notre Dame Research with the support of OMVA, the College of Arts and Letters, the Mendoza College of Business, Notre Dame Learning’s Office of Digital Learning, the Office of Public Affairs and Communications, the William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership, the Veldman Family Psychology Clinic and the Mental Health Initiative.

Media contact: Sue Ryan, sue.ryan@nd.edu

Two Notre Dame student-focused programs receive funding from Educating Character Initiative

2024-09-03T09:00:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame has received a three-year, $1 million Institutional Impact Grant from the Educating Character Initiative (ECI) at Wake Forest University to expand programs focused on student character formation. The grant will be shared between two programs — one designed to integrate character education across pre-professional programs on campus and the other focused on fostering character development and personal transformation in undergraduates participating in a three-year fellowship program.

Notre Dame’s Character and the Common Good program, based in the Center for Social Concerns (CSC), will work with pre-professional programs across campus to integrate character education as a core outcome in nearly 50 existing courses, incorporate character education into college-wide, first-year gateway classes and develop a senior seminar for students from across the schools to ascertain how a commitment to the common good might be actualized in different career pathways. The program will also implement additional faculty-focused character education tools, including establishing a campus working group and hosting annual workshops.

The Character and Common Good program is expected to reach nearly 80 percent of Notre Dame’s undergraduate student population. It will be led by principal investigator Suzanne Shanahan, the Leo and Arlene Hawk Executive Director of the Center for Social Concerns. She will be assisted by David Go, vice president and associate provost for academic strategy and Viola D. Hank Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and Megan Levis, assistant professor of the practice in the Center for Social Concerns and the College of Engineering.

"The pursuit of justice and the common good requires virtuous citizens so character education has always been central to our work at the Center for Social Concerns," said Shanahan. "Through Virtues & Vocations we're now bringing faculty together from around the country to think about how we cultivate character across pre-professional and professional education. We're already putting what we're learning into practice with the College of Engineering Character and Engineering working group started by David Go and Megan Levis and are excited to expand the collaboration to include other pre-professional programs at Notre Dame."

The Ethics Research Fellowship program based in Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good will share in this funding. Sitting at the intersection of intellectual and moral formation, this program focuses on integrating ethical character-building skills and leadership traits to help students with a passion for research and the common good to develop a clear sense of purpose and a passion for thoughtfully tackling ethically significant issues. The grant will allow the Institute to expand and enhance the program, transforming it from an existing one-year student experience to a more comprehensive, deeply engaging three-year experience.

The three-year fellowships will be offered to more than 40 students and incorporate seminars, workshops, mentoring and experiential learning opportunities, culminating in a senior thesis project that connects their chosen discipline with key concepts in ethics.

The Ethics Research Fellowship program is guided by Meghan Sullivan, Notre Dame’s Wilsey Family College Professor of Philosophy who also directs the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good and the University’s Ethics Initiative. She is assisted by Jeff Tolly, assistant director for the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good and the Institute’s lead for undergraduate fellowship opportunities.

“We’re thrilled to use this grant to expand our undergraduate Ethics Research Fellowship program,” Sullivan said. “Notre Dame students are hungry for the opportunity to study complex research questions in ethics, and to prepare to be the types of leaders who are able to move society forward on these issues. This program will push students out of their comfort zones both intellectually and as leaders, and we cannot wait to see how they grow through the three-year program. ”

This work will play an essential role in advancing the University-wide Ethics Initiative emerging from Notre Dame 2033: A Strategic Framework. The Ethics Initiative aims to establish Notre Dame as a premier global destination for the study of ethics, offering superb training for future generations of ethicists and moral leaders, a platform for engaging the Catholic moral tradition with other modes of inquiry and an opportunity to forge insights into some of the most significant ethical issues of our time.

With support from Lilly Endowment Inc., the ECI awarded $15.6 million in grants to 24 projects among 29 colleges and universities seeking to undertake a substantial and sustained effort to educate character in undergraduate populations across their institutions.

Other universities receiving grants from Wake Forest’s ECI include Harvard University, Purdue University, University of California at Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania and others.

Historic celebration of Inauguration of Notre Dame’s 18th President, Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.

2024-08-28T09:00:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees invites the public to join the historic celebration of the Inauguration of Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., the University’s 18th president.

A series of events will begin Sept. 12 (Thursday), culminating with Father Dowd’s investiture ceremony Sept. 13 (Friday). The community is welcome to attend several events over two days of celebration, including the Notre Dame Forum events on Sept. 12 and the Convocation and investiture ceremony in the Purcell Pavilion on Sept. 13.

The Inauguration Notre Dame Forum on Sept. 12 will include four “fireside chats” with distinguished leaders in global development, technology, philanthropy and foreign affairs. Each of the four conversations, open to the public, will take place in the Leighton Concert Hall of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

Since its establishment in 2005, the Notre Dame Forum has each year invited campus-wide dialogue about an issue of importance to the University, the nation and the world. This year’s theme, “What do we owe each other?” chosen by Father Dowd, invites reflection on our responsibilities to one another. In a world where ideological and cultural divisions seem to have deepened, the Forum aims to bring people together across differences to face the most pressing challenges of our times.

The Forum schedule on Sept. 12 is as follows:

11 a.m.-Noon

Arvind Krishna, chairman and CEO of IBM: “The Future of Responsible Tech”

Conversation partner: John Veihmeyer, former global chairman of KPMG and chair of Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees

1-1:45 p.m.

Sanda Ojiambo, assistant secretary-general, CEO and executive director of the United Nations Global Compact: “Business as a Global Force for Good”

Conversation partner: Anne Thompson, chief environmental affairs correspondent for NBC News

2-3 p.m.

David Rockefeller Jr., philanthropist and environmentalist: “A Legacy of Giving Back”

Conversation partner: Jack Brennan, former CEO and chair of Vanguard and former chair of Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees

3:15-4:15 p.m.

Adm. Chris Grady, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Joe Donnelly, former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican and former U.S. senator: “Advancing Peace in a Fractured World”

Conversation partner: Father Dowd

Inauguration Day on Sept. 13 commences at 10 a.m. with Father Dowd presiding at Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Mass will also be livestreamed.

Later in the day, the University’s Board of Trustees, Church dignitaries, distinguished guests from peer institutions and some Notre Dame faculty, staff and students will process from the Main Building to Purcell Pavilion for the Convocation and Inauguration Ceremony.

Father Dowd’s investiture will be the highlight of the convocation, which begins at 2:45 p.m. Several guests will offer remarks, including Veihmeyer, who will present the Presidential Medal and University Mace, symbolizing the office and its authority, to Father Dowd.

At the ceremony, Father Dowd will deliver his inaugural address and also receive a blessing from Presidents Emeriti Rev. Edward A. “Monk” Malloy, C.S.C., and Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.

Following the Inauguration Ceremony, several private events will be held on campus for Father Dowd’s family, guests, faculty, staff and students.

In December 2023, the University’s Board of Trustees elected Father Dowd as Notre Dame’s 18th president, effective June 1.

A native of Michigan City, Indiana, Father Dowd graduated from Notre Dame in 1987, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and economics, and entered Moreau Seminary in the fall of that year to explore his vocation to religious life and priesthood. During his time in the seminary, he asked to be assigned to East Africa and spent 18 months there. After professing final vows in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1993 and being ordained a priest in 1994, he worked in Campus Ministry at Notre Dame, serving as associate rector of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and as an assistant rector in one of the University’s residence halls.

He earned a Master of Arts in African studies in 1998 and a doctorate in political science in 2003, both from UCLA. In 2004, Father Dowd joined Notre Dame’s political science department as a member of the faculty.

Specializing in comparative politics, his research has focused on how Christian and Islamic religious communities affect support for democratic institutions, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Prior to being elected president, Father Dowd served as vice president and associate provost for interdisciplinary initiatives, was a member of the President’s Leadership Council and oversaw several institutes, centers and other academic units. He also served as religious superior of the Holy Cross priests and brothers at Notre Dame.

Father Dowd was previously an assistant provost for internationalization with Notre Dame Global, where his primary responsibilities included overseeing the Dublin Global Gateway and Kylemore Abbey Global Centre in Ireland and the São Paulo Global Center in Brazil, and establishing an office in Nairobi, Kenya, to promote and support Notre Dame’s research and educational partnerships in Africa.

He is the founder of Notre Dame’s Ford Family Program in Human Development 91��Ƶ and Solidarity, which, in keeping with Catholic social teaching, is dedicated to forging community-engaged research partnerships in the Global South. He is a fellow of the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion, the Kellogg Institute for International 91��Ƶ, the Kroc Institute for International Peace 91��Ƶ, and the Nanovic Institute for European 91��Ƶ in the University’s Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs.

Father Dowd’s research has focused on African politics, identity politics and religion and politics. His research has also explored the effects of religious beliefs and institutions on the integration of migrants/refugees in Europe and the effects of faith-based schools on citizenship and civic engagement in Africa. He is the author of the book “Christianity, Islam, and Liberal Democracy: Lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa.”

Since 2020, Father Dowd has served as a Fellow and Trustee of the University. He has also ministered to students on campus for many years as a priest-in-residence in Dillon, St. Edward’s and Cavanaugh Halls. Father Dowd also serves as a trustee of Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, and a board member of Brother Andre Hospital in Nairobi.

As the University’s 18th president, Father Dowd is the fourth person to serve as president in the last 70 years. Father Dowd’s Presidential Inauguration is just the third in Notre Dame’s 182-year history, following those for Father Malloy in 1987 and Father Jenkins in 2005. Father Malloy’s was the first Notre Dame Presidential Inauguration as he was the first president elected by the University’s Trustees following the transference of governance in 1967 from the Congregation of Holy Cross to a predominantly lay board. Prior to that transition, the presidency was an assignment of the provincial superior under religious obedience.

More information about Father Dowd’s Inauguration is available online.

New men’s residence hall to be named for alumni John and Jill Coyle

2024-08-27T15:00:00-04:00

John and Jill Coyle from Greenwich, Connecticut, have made a significant leadership gift to the University of Notre Dame for the construction of Coyle Hall. The new men’s residence hall on the south side of campus will honor the family’s long and generous philanthropy to Notre Dame.

Coyle Hall, currently under construction, will be located on the site of the former Fisher Hall, which was decommissioned at the end of the spring 2024 semester. The University expects to welcome the first residents of Coyle Hall in fall 2026.

“John and Jill are tremendous leaders for Notre Dame, having supported the University with their time, treasure and talent for many years. By making possible the construction of Coyle Hall and the creation of a residential community that will serve generations of students, they have taken yet another step in ensuring that Notre Dame, in keeping with its distinctive mission, continues to offer every student a superb education, one that prepares compassionate, capable leaders for our nation, and the world,” University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., said. “The Coyles are inspiring role models, having been shaped by their own experiences at Notre Dame, and we could not be more grateful for their generosity, leadership and dedication to the University and its students.”

The Coyles served as co-chairs of the University’s Gift Planning Advancement Committee and are members of the Cavanaugh Council and Badin Guild. John Coyle serves on the University Board of Trustees and Wall Street Leadership Oversight Committee and Jill Coyle serves on the Advisory Council for Undergraduate Experience, For Good Cabinet, and is a member of Notre Dame Hesburgh Women of Impact.

In addition to the lead gift for Coyle Hall, the family has made transformational gifts to the President’s Circle and numerous scholarship funds, including endowing the Coyle Mission Professorship to provide support for the recruitment and hiring of Catholic intellectuals. Their support of the University also includes the Coyle Endowment for Excellence, the Coyle Excellence Fund for African American Scholars and the Coyle Family Scholarship, which benefits low-socioeconomic or first-generation students and the Student Emergency Relief Fund.

Jill Coyle graduated from Notre Dame in 1989 with a bachelor of science in electrical and computer engineering, and John Coyle graduated from Notre Dame with a bachelor of arts in economics in 1988. He went on to receive an MBA from Columbia Business 91��Ƶ in 1994. The Coyles’ three children also chose Notre Dame in their pursuit of higher education. Emmet graduated in 2019, Olivia in 2021 and George in 2023.

“As a family of Notre Dame graduates, the Coyles know first-hand the importance of a residential experience that is rooted in the holistic development and formation of our students,” said Rev. Gerry Olinger, C.S.C., vice president for student affairs. “We are so grateful for their generosity, and especially their commitment to the on-campus communities we believe are an essential component of a Notre Dame education.”

Outside of her service to Notre Dame, Jill Coyle serves as the Board Chair for the American Red Cross Greater New York Region and serves on the Red Cross Tiffany Circle National Council and American Red Cross Chairman’s Council. She has also served on the boards and given her time to the Breast Cancer Alliance, Horizons, the National Theatre, and the Coyle Blood Donor Center.

John Coyle is a partner of Permira Advisors, a member of the firm’s executive committee, and leads Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Prior to joining Permira Advisors in 2008, he was the global head of the Financial Sponsor Group at JP Morgan Securities where he worked for 20 years. He is a board member of Cambrex Corporation, Cielo, DiversiTech and Reformation.

“The University of Notre Dame has inspired and impacted our lives in countless ways and we are passionate believers in Notre Dame’s mission of being a powerful means for good,” John Coyle said. “Jill, Emmet, Olivia, George and I feel blessed to be able to support future generations of families who will be learning, living, and thriving on campus.”

“I’ve always cherished the sense of community and belonging that Notre Dame fosters. Supporting the construction of this new residence hall is our family’s way of giving back to a place that has given us so much,” Jill Coyle said. “Building on the best of the traditions of Fisher Hall, we are very excited about the future of Coyle Hall.”

The new men’s residence hall will reflect the collegiate gothic campus architecture represented in other newly constructed residence halls. It will be 82,728 square feet and include 258 beds for undergraduate students. Coyle Hall will feature a variety of room types, community and study spaces, kitchens, laundry, a chapel, fitness space and a basement with storage.

Mike Seamon named Vice President for University Operations, Events, and Safety

2024-08-22T13:00:00-04:00

University of Notre Dame Executive Vice President Shannon Cullinan has announced that Mike Seamon, who previously served as vice president for Campus Safety and University Operations, will take on a new role as vice president for University Operations, Events, and Safety. This brings together two divisions and creates opportunities for enhanced integration, service levels and operational effectiveness.

In this expanded role, Seamon will continue to oversee campus safety, including the Notre Dame Police and Fire Departments, Risk Management and Safety, the Sustainability Office, St. Michael’s Laundry, Cedar Grove Cemetery and several key operational units. In addition, he will take on oversight of campus dining and catering operations; planning and execution of a wide range of University events from commencement to concerts, including operations and events around football games; and lead university enterprises such as the Morris Inn, McKenna Hall, the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore and licensing.

“Mike is an exceptionally talented leader with a wide breadth of experiences and relationships across the University, which will certainly help drive the future impact of this new division,” Cullinan said. “He is also deeply passionate about advancing Notre Dame’s unique mission and representing our highest values in all he does. I am immensely grateful to have Mike serving in this critical role.”

In his 27 years of serving the University, Seamon has led several key initiatives and events. He began his role with Campus Safety and University Operations in March 2019 and was instrumental when Notre Dame reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing leadership of the University’s COVID Response Unit. He also helped oversee the opening and move into the Campus Crossroads facility in 2017. In 2009, Seamon was charged by then-President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., to oversee the inception of Game Day Operations. Seamon led multiple major events in Notre Dame Stadium, including the NHL Winter Classic and the first international friendly soccer match between Liverpool and Dortmund in 2019. He also oversaw the first major concert, featuring Garth Brooks, to be hosted in Notre Dame Stadium in 2018.

“I’m honored, humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve the University in this new leadership capacity. I am also excited to be working alongside such a talented and mission-oriented team that is dedicated to the service of Our Lady’s University,” said Seamon.

Over the course of his career at Notre Dame, Seamon has served in various leadership roles across the University including the Office of the Executive Vice President, Event Management, University Relations, the Finance Division and the Business Operations Division.

A 1992 graduate of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree in management, Seamon served as head student manager his senior year for the Notre Dame football team under Lou Holtz. Seamon went on to earn his MBA from the University in 1994 while serving as an intern for the Notre Dame athletics director. He has served his alma mater since 1997 after previously working as director of sales and marketing for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays of Major League Baseball.

A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Seamon resides in South Bend and is involved in a variety of community activities. He currently serves on the Logan Center’s Board of Directors. He is a graduate of the South Bend/Mishawaka Leadership Program, has served as the chair of the Logan Center’s Foundation Board of Trustees and on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County.

New women’s residence hall to be named for Therese Mary Grojean

2024-07-26T13:00:00-04:00

Therese Mary Grojean Hall

The family of Thomas F. Grojean Sr., a member of the University of Notre Dame’s class of 1960, has made a significant leadership gift for the construction of Therese Mary Grojean Hall, a women’s residence hall on the south side of campus, that will honor the legacy of their beloved wife and mother.

Grojean Hall replaces Pangborn Hall, which was decommissioned at the end of the spring 2024 semester. The University expects to welcome the first residents of Grojean Hall in fall 2026.

"We could not be more grateful to the Grojean family for their extraordinary generosity, " University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., said. "We are delighted that this new residence hall for women will bear the name of Terri Grojean, a beloved member of the Notre Dame community who embodied compassion, kindness and faith. Residential life is central to the education we offer, and it is most fitting that generations of students will call Therese Mary Grojean Hall their campus home.”

Therese “Terri” met Tom Grojean in Chicago while he was a Notre Dame student, and they were married in 1961, soon after his graduation.

Terri and Tom Grojean

"Terri was an extraordinary woman who embodied love, faith, and community. Her dedication to family, friends, and countless acts of volunteerism highlighted her generous spirit," said Lou Nanni, vice president for University Relations. "She was deeply devoted to her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, always putting family first and creating a home filled with warmth and affection. A steadfast supporter of Notre Dame, where she is laid to rest, Terri's life was filled with joy, unwavering faith, and a love that inspired all who knew her."

Tom Grojean began his career as a senior accountant for Price Waterhouse, and then became a chief financial officer for Southern Airways. He was the chief financial officer, chief operating officer and president for Tiger International, whose businesses included Flying Tigers, the first scheduled cargo airline in the United States. Tom and his family built a group of national truckload carriers as part of their family business, Grojean Transportation.

He is a Knight of Malta and a Knight Commander of the Papal Order of St. Gregory the Great. Tom and Terri Grojean have four children who graduated from Notre Dame in four consecutive years: Tom Jr. in 1984, William “Bill” in 1985, Janet (Seidl) in 1986 and Elizabeth “Beth” (Healy) in 1987. They have 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Grandsons Ryan, 2014, and Grant, 2018, are also alumni.

“The construction of this newest residence hall is yet another example of the Grojean family’s ongoing commitment to student life at Notre Dame."

“The construction of this newest residence hall is yet another example of the Grojean family’s ongoing commitment to student life at Notre Dame,” said Rev. Gerard J. Olinger, C.S.C., vice president for student affairs. “In 2018, the family generously contributed to the creation of the Thomas and Therese Grojean Family Loft inside the Duncan Student Center, where our students often come together to share their thoughts, ideas and insights. To further this connection among our students inside the residence halls is inspiring, and I’m grateful to Tom for choosing to uphold Terri’s legacy in such a meaningful way.”

The Grojean family’s financial support of the University is broad-ranging and compelling, and includes the Tiger International Scholarship, Francis and Veronica Grojean Scholarship, Grojean Family Fellowship in the Mendoza College of Business and the Thomas and Therese Grojean Family Professorship in Accountancy and Finance. Tom is also a long-standing Mendoza College of Business Advisory Council member, and this year marks his 50th year of service on the council.

With 83,416 square feet and three stories, Grojean Hall will include a variety of room types, community and study spaces, kitchens, laundry, a chapel, fitness space and a basement with storage. It will serve as the home of undergraduate students and include 275 beds. Additionally, the hall will feature a tower to mark its entrance.

The blessing and groundbreaking for Therese Mary Grojean Hall took place July 25 — also the date of Tom’s 86th birthday.

Notre Dame joins STARS College Network to support small-town and rural prospective students

2024-07-24T13:09:30-04:00

The University of Notre Dame has joined the STARS College Network, which partners with top colleges and universities to ensure students from rural and small-town America have the information and support they need to enroll and graduate from selective institutions.

Notre Dame is one of 16 institutions joining the STARS (Small Town and Rural Students) College Network this year, as the organization doubles its membership to include 32 of the nation’s most prominent schools.

“Notre Dame is honored to partner with STARS in its mission to increase access to exceptional higher education for students from small-town and rural communities,” said Vice President for Undergraduate Enrollment Micki Kidder. “Students from rural communities flourish at Notre Dame, contributing their unique talents and perspectives, enriching our vibrant campus community and benefiting from a Notre Dame education.”

In 2023, its inaugural year, the STARS College Network opened doors to higher education for more than 288,000 students with 16 member institutions. It is supported by a $20 million gift from Trott Family Philanthropies. New STARS member institutions this year, along with Notre Dame, are Amherst College; Auburn University; Dartmouth; Duke University; Georgia Institute of Technology; Southern Methodist University; Spelman College; Stanford University; University of Alabama; University of Arizona; University of Arkansas; University of California, Berkeley; University of Denver; University of South Carolina; and University of Texas at Austin.

An estimated $7.4 billion will fund STARS’ mission over the next decade, which includes the financial aid provided directly by participating institutions to students and expanded support for the initiative from foundations, nonprofits and new funding from governmental agencies. Trott Family Philanthropies will build on its initial gift with an additional investment of more than $150 million over 10 years in programs that prepare, recruit and support rural students.

This extraordinary growth follows a year in which STARS outreach connected with 1.6 million people, including students, families, educators, administrators, foundations, legislators, companies and other organizations.

“STARS’ first year demonstrated that there is an appetite and imperative for our nation’s leading universities and colleges to better serve the massive talent pool in our small towns and rural regions,” said Byron D. Trott, chairman and co-CEO of BDT & MSD Partners. “STARS and its affiliated programs are opening doors in higher education for high-achieving rural students they might not have found otherwise, and the students, campuses and our economy will all be the better for it.”

Students from rural America often face unique obstacles to attending college. Although students in small towns and rural communities graduate high school at roughly the same rate as students in metro areas, they are only half as likely to graduate from a selective college or university.

“As a driven and motivated individual from a rural community, Notre Dame has allowed me to finally pursue countless career opportunities that are often inaccessible within rural areas,” said sophomore Madison Cunningham, a political science major from Otis, Colorado. “Notre Dame has given me the confidence and resources I need to hopefully serve as an attorney for marginalized individuals in the future. I have truly been fulfilled in ways I never imagined possible.”

STARS simultaneously addresses a variety of obstacles that contribute to this disparity. Because of distance and cost, college admissions offices may bypass small towns and rural communities. Students in those areas are less likely to encounter college-related ads or attend events on campuses.

In alignment with Notre Dame’s belief that every student, regardless of background, should have access to a transformative education, the University intends to thoughtfully engage and invest in students from small towns and rural areas across the country.

The Notre Dame Enrollment Division plans to

visit high schools in rural communities and develop partnerships with rural community-based organizations
expand Notre Dame’s Midwest Visit Day to bring students from rural areas to experience Notre Dame’s campus
fund rural student participation in summer pre-college programs
strengthen relationships with rural school counselors via an advisory board

College counselors in rural high schools are often overburdened, if the school even has a counselor. The average national caseload for rural counselors is 310 students, with a high of 574 in Michigan. This means that students may have less access to educators and college access professionals who have broad experience and familiarity with the full spectrum of college opportunities.

Importantly, these students may not think they can afford college. Many do not have the networks and resources to help them understand the financial aid and other support available to them.

STARS founding members are Brown University, California Institute of Technology, Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, University of Chicago, University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Southern California, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vanderbilt University, Washington University in St. Louis and Yale University. STARS is led by the University of Chicago and Vanderbilt, and headquartered at the University of Chicago.

$2.5 million Lilly Endowment grant will support Raclin Murphy Museum of Art research, conservation and acquisitions

2024-07-22T11:00:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame has been awarded a $2.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to enable the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art to continue to deepen engagement and scholarship on religion, spirituality and faith. The grant was made through Lilly Endowment’s Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative, which aims to improve the public understanding of religion and in doing so foster greater knowledge of and respect for diverse religious traditions.

The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art opened in December 2023 as a new, 70,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility featuring 23 galleries and numerous public spaces including classrooms, a chapel, a cafe and a bookshop. Situated at the corner of Eddy Street and Angela Boulevard, the museum serves as the entrance to the University’s Arts Gateway and encompasses more than 30,000 objects.

“We are deeply appreciative of this Lilly Endowment grant, which will help advance our mission as the leading global Catholic research university,” said John T. McGreevy, Notre Dame’s Charles and Jill Fischer Provost. “It aligns with many of the goals in our strategic framework, including University-wide research initiatives in the arts and global Catholicism and a commitment to deepen our engagement with South Bend and the region. This generous support for the museum will enhance the lives and well-being of others across campus and throughout our community.”

This is the second grant the University has received from Lilly Endowment through its national Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative. A nearly $2.5 million grant in 2020 helped support the University’s strategic efforts to explore the role of religion, spirituality and faith in its extensive collection of art and artifacts.

This new grant will allow Notre Dame to expand the Raclin Murphy’s capacity to engage its core constituencies in exploring, deepening and challenging ideas of religion and spirituality through its collections and exhibitions. The museum will do so with three key objectives in mind: strengthen and diversify holdings related to religion and spirituality through strategic acquisitions; provide opportunities for research and scholarship on museum holdings related to religion and spirituality; and conserve existing museum holdings related to religion and spirituality. A primary component of the grant will be used to support the acquisition of new objects.

“On behalf of all at the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, I am profoundly grateful to all those at Lilly Endowment who have made this extraordinary grant possible,” said Joseph Antenucci Becherer, the museum’s director and curator of sculpture. “With great care and insight towards the understanding, scholarship and growth of our collections, this grant spotlights critical areas for the museum, including research, conservation and strategic acquisitions.”

With origins that date to 1875, the Raclin Murphy’s collection has grown into one of the most significant and extensive collections of any academic museum in the country, with works representing many of the principal cultures and periods of world art history. Its paintings, sculptures, ceramics, prints, drawings, textiles, baskets and decorative arts offer visitors a broad view of global proportions. The museum will celebrate its sesquicentennial in 2025.

“We’ve witnessed how important conservation is and what astonishing things can result,” Becherer said. “We’ve also committed ourselves to significant acquisitions in the sesquicentennial campaign, 150 for 150, and this gives us a great boost. We’ve also recognized the need for research support to live out this aspect of our being, and this is our first necessary step forward.”

Admission to the museum is free for all guests. For more information on hours of operation, exhibits and special events, visit raclinmurphymuseum.nd.edu.

Graham family makes lead gift for new men’s residence hall

2024-06-20T10:00:00-04:00

Tracy and Kerie Graham of South Bend have made a significant leadership gift to the University of Notre Dame for the construction of Graham Family Hall, a men’s residence hall currently under construction on the northeast side of campus.

“I could not be more grateful for the vision, leadership and generosity of Tracy and Kerie. In keeping with our Catholic mission, we have long prized offering a Notre Dame education that extends beyond the classroom, laboratory and studio to the experience of inclusive community in the residence halls,” said University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. “With the addition of this new hall, we are able to ensure that generations of students will experience that sense of belonging and responsibility at the heart of our residential system, as we seek to prepare compassionate, capable and ethical leaders.”

Tracy Graham is the founder and managing principal of Graham Allen Partners, a private equity firm that specializes in investing in and building technology and technology-enabled companies. Prior to founding Graham Allen Partners, he collaborated with the Chicago private equity firm Jordan Industries to co-found GramTel, a data center company that grew to be the largest privately held data center provider in the Midwest until its sale to Cincinnati Bell in 2007.

A member of the University’s Board of Trustees since 2021, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Notre Dame and attended the Indiana University Graduate 91��Ƶ of Education. Tracy, who has a long history of community service, has served Notre Dame as a member of the University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council. He has also served on the boards of Beacon Health System, the Center for the Homeless, South Bend Career Academy, the Stanley Clark 91��Ƶ, Family & Children’s Center, South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership, 1st Source Bank and LCI Industries.

Kerie Graham is a native of Chicago. She serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of St. Joseph County and South Bend Venues, Parks and Arts. Kerie was previously on the board of the Center for History. The Grahams are the parents of three daughters.

In recent years, the University has taken significant steps to provide quality residential space for all Notre Dame students. Following the announcement of a six-semester residency requirement for undergraduate students, the University constructed several halls and extensively renovated others.

Rev. Gerard J. Olinger, C.S.C., vice president for student affairs, said, “Our residence halls have long stood at the heart of what differentiates a Notre Dame undergraduate education. We are incredibly grateful to Tracy and Kerie for the addition of Graham Family Hall to support our commitment to the growth and formation of our students in the communities they call home.”

The four-story, 79,000-square-foot residence hall is in East Quad, between Johnson Family Hall and the East Campus Research Complex, which is home to McCourtney Hall, where construction is also currently underway for a second interdisciplinary science and engineering research building.

Integrating elements of Notre Dame’s collegiate gothic campus architecture style and cherished residential traditions, the hall will house approximately 255 students and is expected to open at the start of the 2024-25 academic year. An arched opening through the first floor will serve as a unique feature incorporating a walkway through the building and allowing pedestrians east-west passage via an existing sidewalk. The first-floor level will feature communal areas on one side of the floor and quiet study spaces, a reading room and the hall chapel on the other side.

“The friendships and traditions that are developed in residential halls are at the heart of the Notre Dame experience,” Tracy Graham said. “Kerie and I are thrilled to have an impact on many future generations of students in what will become their home away from home while on campus.”

Graham Family Hall will have a mix of student room types including singles, doubles, quads and six-person rooms. Each floor will feature a community lounge with kitchens or kitchenettes, and fitness, laundry and additional facilities will be located on the lower level. An outdoor patio will be featured on the west side of the building.

As with each of Notre Dame’s 33 undergraduate residential communities, Graham Family Hall will have its own unique character and traditions that generate loyalty and connection among residents.

Sabine Hadida: 2024 Graduate 91��Ƶ Commencement address

2024-05-20T12:24:00-04:00

Thank you, Provost McGreevy.

Good morning, everyone! I am deeply honored to be here today to share this memorable moment with you all. I want to start by thanking President Rev. John Jenkins and the selection committee for bestowing on me an honorary degree and the opportunity to speak at this commencement ceremony at this prestigious University. I am especially excited since this is my first ever commencement! I graduated from the University of Barcelona, in the northeast of Spain, and we actually don’t have commencement ceremonies when we finish our degree. Based on that I never thought I would have the opportunity to be on stage and receive a degree like I have seen so many times on TV.

Today marks a really important milestone for everyone here — members of the class of 2024, their spouses, children and parents, families and friends who have supported the graduates through this journey and the faculty members who are finally able to kick their graduate students into the real world. Let’s give a big round of applause for all the 2024 graduates!

If you did it right, your time as graduate students would have been characterized by dedication, determination, and intellectual curiosity. If not, take your degree and run. I hope after years of digging deep into your chosen fields while challenging the existing paradigms, you have emerged as experts in your respective subjects. Now, I pass on the baton of saving the world to you all, so don’t mess it up, please! 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 for as long as you are willing to take up the challenge they present.

While I am standing here with everyone’s attention, I am also going to share some life and professional lessons which may help you in your career. However, do remember there is more than one way to skin a “you know what” so my experience is for reference only and there is no money back guarantee!

Although I am not a big soccer fan, I am always reminded of the words by the famous Brazilian soccer player Pele: “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” For those who have no idea who Pele is, just Google it otherwise you can imagine the Taylor Swift of soccer. Perhaps it is not the best quote to use since I am giving away my age with it but Pele was at the pinnacle of soccer for so many years so he must have some good insights in how to succeed.

I graduated with a Ph.D. in pharmacy, many years ago, in the last millennium. I was where you are today except without the nice “cap and gown,” and I asked myself what I wanted to achieve in my life. I made the decision to do a postdoc at the University of Pittsburgh during which I dove into the unknown and began a challenging experience to develop the new field of fluorous chemistry. One thing that I learned is there is no guaranteed success, particularly when you try something completely new, because there is no roadmap to follow. When faced with an unprecedented challenge, always go back to the basics, and ask the critical questions. Slowly, one step at a time, you will be able to draw your own map. This is the first important lesson I learned and that I am sharing here with you today. This is an approach I applied throughout my career, and it has gotten me out of trouble, many, many, many times!

I had the aspiration to make medicines since I was very small, so the next logical chapter of my career was to employ organic chemistry to design and synthesize small molecules for therapeutic application. Once again, I was in the same shoes as some of you, I was looking for my first industrial position and let me tell you it was not easy at all. So don’t get discouraged, the right opportunity will present itself at the right time.

About 20 odd years ago, I began the journey at Vertex Pharmaceuticals in San Diego as part of a team that strived to develop therapies for people with cystic fibrosis. The idea was to use high throughput screening to identify starting molecules and then apply new computational and synthetic methodologies to design and prepare novel organic compounds that could eventually be developed into drugs. Sounds really simple, right? Well, lesson number two, there are no shortcuts in drug discovery or in any scientific venture. If it was easy, it would have already been done and ChatGPT would be able to tell you about it.

Cystic fibrosis, or CF for short, is a fatal genetic disease that affects nearly 100,000 children and adults in the world. The disease is caused by mutations in the CFTR gene. CFTR stands for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene. Within the CF patient population, there are reports of over 2,000 different mutations. These mutations lead to a faulty gene, the ion transport across epithelial tissues is impaired. To simply put it, thick and sticky mucus clogs the airway, making it hard to breath and setting the stage for lung disease. This ultimately leads to a life expectancy in the mid-thirties. In other words, cystic fibrosis is as tough an opponent as a Notre Dame lineman.

When our journey started in CF, the idea that small molecules could restore the function of a mutant protein was considered both revolutionary, and also crazy. I remember presenting experimental data at a conference related to what ultimately became our first CF drug. I was, believe it or not, shouted off the stage because the experts did not believe in this approach. 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. However, despite this episode, our team trusted the data which eventually guided us to the solution. That experience taught me that there are no crazy ideas as long as they don’t violate the law of physics or thermodynamics. So next time someone shrugs their shoulders about your idea, just tell them what I just told you. Remember, you must have faith in yourself, after all you are a graduate of Notre Dame.

And that takes me to lesson number 3, let the data be your guiding light. That’s the beauty of science. Do not let preconceived notions cloud your judgment or limit your imagination. As a famous sailor said: "You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

The past 20 plus years have been both enjoyable and exciting in my professional career. I have had the honor to be part of the team that proved that our ideas could work, which has translated into the discovery of multiple medicines that target the underlying cause of CF. Over the years our team converted a dream into medicines that have the potential to treat approximately 90 percent of people with cystic fibrosis. So, lesson four, it is all about teamwork.

It takes a village to discover new medicines and get them to patients. This is why we often say that “drug discovery is the ultimate team sport.” Unless you are a theoretical mathematician who only needs a pencil and piece of paper, good teamwork is paramount to modern day success.

But success comes with a sense of responsibility. I remember when we discovered our first CF medicine — it required incredible collaboration and was a very exciting time for our team. However, we knew that it would only work for a small fraction of people with CF, and that we needed to find therapies that could work for everyone with the disease.

That brings me to lesson 5: be relentless. It took over 20 years to finally discover a triple combination therapy that has the potential to treat 90 percent of people with CF. Our team had to design and synthesize over 25,000 unique compounds. Each compound had to be purified, characterized, and tested, and the data from each compound had to be integrated into the design of the next one. Our company, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, empowered our diverse teams of scientists to “make the impossible possible,” discover these medicines, progress them through preclinical and clinical studies, and reach patients with the utmost sense of urgency. Let me tell you: discovering one drug is hard, two is even harder, so discovering three drugs that work together was almost unimaginable. And yet, we were determined to succeed.

And we are still not done. There are still approximately 10 percent of patients who do not respond to our CFTR modulators and require nucleic acid therapies, so we will continue this journey until we have a therapy for all people with CF. That is what being relentless means.

This experience made me realize that success is much bigger than what one individual can achieve in their career; it is the impact individuals have on the world around them. So never underestimate the power of your actions to shape the course of history whether it is through pursuing groundbreaking research, leading transformative change, or striving to make a difference in your community. As you get on this next chapter of your life, remember the values you have learned as graduate students: integrity, humility, and a commitment to excellence. 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.

Thank you, and congratulations again to the Notre Dame Graduate 91��Ƶ class of 2024! Now go forth and conquer! Let’s go Irish!

Sabine Hadida: 2024 Graduate 91��Ƶ Commencement address

2024-05-20T12:24:00-04:00

Thank you, Provost McGreevy.

Thank you, and congratulations again to the Notre Dame Graduate 91��Ƶ class of 2024! Now go forth and conquer! Let’s go Irish!

Claire Babineaux-Fontenot: 2024 Laetare Medalist Address

2024-05-19T11:59:00-04:00

Congratulations graduates, families, friends, faculty and staff. When I learned that I would have the honor of speaking to you today, I was forced to confront a dilemma—I neither knew why I was chosen for the Distinguished Laetare Medal nor what I would say about it. What I did know was that this honor was not for the reason so kindly communicated by my own friends and family. I did not earn it. I am too quick to speak, too slow to hear, too strident. I’ve missed— even ignored—-opportunities for kindness and compassion.

In my struggle to find meaning in this honor, I realized a critical mistake in my approach. I’d hoped for guidance without praying for it.

My prayers for clarity began as I left a hospital where I visited an ailing family member, one imminently facing his mortality. While in prayer for him and for a better understanding of my assignment here, I drove past the church in his community where we’d celebrated many sacraments during my earlier visits there. I noticed for the first time that the church hall was named for Thea Bowman. This revelation felt somehow connected to my prayer—but how?

As I began to learn about Mary Thea Bowman, there were profound ways that our life stories converged and very clear divergences, as well. And, within my quest to know more about her life, I came to better understand my role today.

Around the same age that I, as a young girl, declared to my father that I would become a lawyer when I grew up, she declared to hers that she would become Catholic. And, at 15, when I was most interested in fashion trends and popularity, she was called to enter the convent of Franciscan Sisters of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Sister Thea, as she was affectionately known, proceeded to live a life filled with service. As she opened her whole self to others (including her identity as a black, Catholic woman), she unlocked and embraced the fullness of those around her. She was, at her core, a bridge builder across human-made divides. This would not prove to be my path—I did become a lawyer, though. But, our stories did somehow converge.

When Sister Thea entered her 50s she learned that she had breast cancer. So did I. She was also the recipient of this remarkable medal. But, her medal was presented posthumously. She died at 43, shortly after the announcement.

With no knowledge of Mary Thea Bowman, when I was 52, I was allowed a pivot. My cancer woke me and led me to Feeding America where I’ve been blessed to be of service and to serve alongside extraordinary people. People who, even in the face of a global health pandemic with significant risk to their own health, chose to provide meals to nearly 60 million people in 2020 alone. And, boy did they provide-6.7 billion meals. And, my work at Feeding America has led me here.

So, here I am. Isaiah 6:8 put to music by Dan Schutte rings in my heart and ears today. “Here I am Lord. Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go Lord. If you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.”

I am here. What will it mean to the world that you are here too? What will we, together, choose to be in the world?

I’m called to close my comments, with words that Sister Thea was known to have said. My hope is that these might be the ones she would’ve chosen, had she been here physically today. I think she knew that at moments like this we set superhuman expectations for ourselves. She knew, in ways that I still struggle that perfection is neither attainable nor, apparently, required.

In her words:

I think the difference between me and some people is that I'm content to do my little bit. Sometimes people think they have to do big things in order to make a change. But if each one would light a candle we'd have a tremendous light.

Let’s go light a candle!

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.: Charge to Class of 2024

2024-05-19T11:10:00-04:00

Graduates, the only thing to add, is the charge – to go forth and be a great force for good in the world. Just remember, whatever joys or struggles, whatever happiness or triumphs, remember always that you are in our prayers here at Notre Dame.

And wherever you go, whatever happens in your life, you always have a home at Notre Dame to renew your heart and refresh your spirit.

And now it's my great pleasure to introduce some special guests who will help us close out this celebration with their wonderful music. The High Kings are a world-renowned Irish folk group. We were delighted to see them perform in Dublin last August when Notre Dame played Navy, and so enjoyed their music that we invited them here to campus for this very special weekend. Please join me in welcoming the High Kings ---Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Darren Holden and Paul O’Brien.

John McGreevy: 2024 Honorary Degree Citation for Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.

2024-05-19T10:07:08-04:00

The University of Notre Dame confers the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa on a son of Omaha, Nebraska who has spent his life in service of the Church and his beloved alma mater, including for the last 19 years, as the 17th president of Our Lady’s University. As president he devoted himself to the work of building a “bigger and better Notre Dame”, a preeminent Catholic research university that is a “healing, unifying, enlightening force for a world deeply in need.” Because of the innumerable ways the University has flourished under his leadership, it is now widely regarded as on a par with, but by virtue of its Catholic mission, distinct from the world’s best private universities. Admired on campus and beyond for his wisdom, compassion, and principled leadership, his is an influential voice on the issues of our time, including free speech, civil discourse, and integrity in college athletics. For his extraordinary leadership of this University as its president and his tireless efforts to proclaim the Gospel through word and deed, on Reverend John Ignatius Jenkins, C.S.C., Notre Dame, Indiana.

Notre Dame mourns death of student

2024-03-03T10:30:00-05:00

University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., joined with the campus community in mourning the passing of sophomore Spencer Vermeule from Cambridge, Massachusetts, who died Saturday (March 2) in a car accident in Elkhart County.

“We are deeply saddened by Spencer’s tragic death,” Father Jenkins said. “On behalf of the entire Notre Dame community, I extend our deepest sympathies to the Vermeule family, and offer prayers of comfort and peace to Spencer’s family, friends and all who knew and loved him.”

The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the accident.

The University Counseling Center and Campus Ministry are both available to offer their support to students and others within the Notre Dame community. A memorial mass will be held Tuesday (March 5) at 9 p.m. in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Father Jenkins will preside, and Assistant Vice President for Campus Ministry, Rev. Pete McCormick, C.S.C., will preach. All are welcome to attend. For those who wish to attend virtually, the Mass will be live-streamed and can be viewed here.

Notre Dame receives Lilly Endowment grant for advancement of Science of Reading curriculum

2023-12-12T16:00:00-05:00

The University of Notre Dame has received a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative Advancing Science of Reading in Indiana to support the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) in its teacher preparation program.

Lilly Endowment launched the Advancing Science of Reading in Indiana initiative in 2022. It complements a statewide effort undertaken that year by the Indiana Department of Education to improve reading achievement in K-12 schools by helping current teachers implement Science of Reading-aligned principles in their classrooms. Science of Reading is interdisciplinary research that informs how students become proficient in reading and writing, with a focus on phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

At Notre Dame, the grant will directly impact ACE Teaching Fellows enrolled in the two-year, master’s degree-granting teacher preparation program, which integrates graduate-level coursework with immersion as full-time teachers in under-resourced Catholic elementary and secondary schools in 35 cities throughout the United States.

“Nothing matters more for the life chances of students than developing a lifelong passion for reading,” said John T. McGreevy, the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost at Notre Dame. “We’re honored to receive support for this effort to help students through evidence-based research on what works to improve reading fluency.”

Led by Kati Macaluso, academic director of the ACE Teaching Fellows program, the new effort at Notre Dame will integrate Science of Reading methodology through three strategies, including revising reading methods curricula and incorporating Science of Reading principles in other subject area and methods courses; redesigning and scaling ACE’s summer practicum programming to create clinical experiences that offer practice in all five components of effective reading instruction, which impacts both ACE students and the Indiana-licensed classroom teachers mentoring them; and using Notre Dame’s undergraduate-to-ACE teacher preparation program pipeline to offer pre-training preparation in Science of Reading fundamentals.

“We are so grateful to have been entrusted by our friends at Lilly Endowment to enhance our teacher preparation efforts in ways that will make lasting differences in the literate lives of children,” Macaluso said. “The faculty and teachers of the Alliance for Catholic Education look forward to taking next steps in improving reading achievement through this project that rests at the intersection of teacher formation, cognitive science and an ethical imperative to deliver on the promise of every child’s right to read.”

Beyond Notre Dame students, Macaluso anticipates ACE’s faculty and the licensed teachers in Indiana Catholic schools who serve as clinical partners will increase their expertise and credentials in Science of Reading-aligned methods, ensuring that educators at all levels of the program are able to advocate for this approach.

“It is imperative that more of Indiana’s elementary students learn to read proficiently, and it is essential that current teachers and the next generation of teachers are prepared to use proven principles to teach reading in their classrooms,” said Ted Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education. “We are pleased therefore to help Indiana colleges and universities strengthen the use of these research-based principles to teach reading in their teacher preparation programs.”

Notre Dame is one of 28 Indiana colleges and universities that received grants from Lilly Endowment to support efforts that integrate Science of Reading-aligned principles into teacher preparation programs. In 2022, the Endowment made a $60 million grant to the Indiana Department of Education to support that work with school districts and teachers across the state.

Fighting Irish ‘come home’ to Dublin for Aer Lingus College Football Classic

2023-08-21T08:00:00-04:00

From the nickname Fighting Irish to the leprechaun mascot to its acclaimed Irish studies institute, the University of Notre Dame has long been synonymous with all things Ireland. This week, tens of thousands of Americans will flock to Dublin to watch Notre Dame take on the Navy Midshipmen and kick off the college football season in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 26.

But the trip is more than just a football game for Fighting Irish faithful. In the spirit of Shamrock Series games, Notre Dame will be hosting various events leading up to the game to bring a taste of the South Bend experience on the road in what is being dubbed a sort of homecoming to its Irish roots.

Beginning Thursday, Aug. 24, daily Mass and tours will be offered at Newman University Church, the historic church that opened in 1856 and has since become an iconic landmark in Dublin’s City Centre. Notre Dame-Newman Centre for Faith and Reason staff will highlight St. John Henry Newman and share information about the University’s involvement in the church since 2017.

Some additional events open to the public include (all times listed are local Dublin time, five hours ahead of EDT):

Thursday (Aug. 24)

10-11:30 a.m. — Hesburgh Libraries Walk in Dublin’s City Centre

This event begins in the Maharry Theatre at Trinity Business 91��Ƶ and connects Hesburgh Libraries collections with the beauty and history of Dublin. Musicians from Trinity College Dublin’s Traditional Music Society will perform selections from the Francis O’Neill Collection and Hesburgh Libraries staff will share stories of books that connect the Hesburgh Libraries with this historic part of Dublin. The 30-minute presentation will be followed by a walking tour from College Green to Merrion Square.

4-6:30 p.m. — Film screening, “Nets of Memory,” Trinity College

Hosted by the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish 91��Ƶ, “Nets of Memory” is a poignant look at the most vital link between Ireland and America — the people who left one land for another. The film, directed by Notre Dame faculty members William Donaruma and Ian Kuijt, explores immigration and memory through the materials created and used by traditional fishermen on the west coast of Ireland. Join Kuijt, a professor of anthropology, for a viewing of this beautifully evocative film that connects the past with the present and America with Ireland. Register here.

Friday (Aug. 25)

10 a.m.-2 p.m. — Notre Dame Alumni Association service project

Fans and guests will serve the greater Dublin community and those in need at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital as well as two nearby agencies that serve unaccompanied minors and the elderly. Projects will vary depending on each location’s needs.

5-7 p.m. — Taizé Prayer and Social

Musicians and staff of the Notre Dame-Newman Centre for Faith and Reason invite all to participate in an evening of song and prayer. After the prayer service, there will be time for fellowship.

Saturday (Aug. 26)

11 a.m.-Noon — Mass, Dublin Castle courtyard

Notre Dame will offer a large, open-air Mass at the historically important site of Dublin Castle. Mass will take place in the upper courtyard of the complex and no seating will be provided. Watch a livestream of the Mass here.

Following Mass, the trumpet section of the Notre Dame Marching Band will perform the alma mater and guests can then line the street and follow the band to Dame Street, which will officially be temporarily renamed “Notre Dame Street” in the lead-up to the game. Fans can enjoy a band performance at approximately 12:30 p.m. at Central Plaza. Notre Dame Street will be free and open to all guests. Streets will be closed to vehicular traffic from noon to 5 p.m. Aer Lingus College Football Classic official merchandise will be available for purchase at a pop-up store.

For a complete listing of Dublin events, retail locations and links to game information, visit experience.nd.edu.

Pedro Ribeiro appointed vice president for public affairs and communications

2023-08-18T12:00:00-04:00

Pedro Ribeiro, senior vice president for communications and public affairs at the Association of American Universities (AAU), has been appointed vice president for public affairs and communications at the University of Notre Dame, University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., announced today. Ribeiro will assume his new duties on Oct. 2.

“We are excited to welcome Pedro, an accomplished professional with proven expertise in global, national and local communication; public affairs; marketing; government relations; and crisis communications,” Father Jenkins said. “He combines extensive experience in local and federal government with a deep knowledge of research universities gained through his leadership role with the Association of American Universities.”

During his tenure at the AAU, Ribeiro managed and directed the association’s communications, advocacy, campaign and public outreach activities and strategies. He was responsible for advising the AAU president, board and member presidents and chancellors on advocacy strategies to highlight and strengthen the public service missions of AAU member institutions.

“I am honored and deeply humbled to be chosen by Father John to join the leadership team of one of the most remarkable institutions in higher education,” Ribeiro said. “Notre Dame is a special and unique university — a world-class research institution inspired and guided by its Catholic faith. My family and I are eagerly looking forward to joining the Notre Dame and South Bend communities.”

In his role at the AAU, he convened and advised the association’s communications and public affairs leaders while developing and implementing strategies to address pressing and emerging public perception issues impacting higher education. He also founded and co-directed the AAU public opinion survey project, which monitors, tracks and analyzes the public’s views on higher education and America’s leading universities.

A graduate of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Ribeiro served previously as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs and senior adviser for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and as assistant director of public affairs for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He also served as press secretary and a member of the senior executive team for the mayor of the District of Columbia and as a senior adviser on Capitol Hill, holding several positions in the U.S. House of Representatives.

As vice president, Ribeiro will provide strategic communications and governmental relations advice to the president and other senior University leaders, communicating about and advocating for the mission and priorities of Notre Dame. He will oversee the offices of public affairs, University communications and Notre Dame Magazine.

Beth Grisoli named assistant vice president of strategic communications

2023-07-14T13:27:00-04:00

Leadership in the Office of Public Affairs and Communications at the University of Notre Dame announced that Beth Grisoli, formerly executive director of multimedia services and strategic resources, has been promoted to assistant vice president of strategic communications, effective July 1.

Grisoli now manages Notre Dame’s brand content, internal communications and media relations teams and works closely with campus partners on strategic planning and collaboration. She continues to produce Notre Dame’s award-winning “What Would You Fight For?” series, the two-minute segments that air during Fighting Irish home football game broadcasts on NBC and showcase the work, scholarly achievements and global impact of Notre Dame faculty, students and alumni.

In her position, Grisoli leads departments that represent Notre Dame to various audiences — including faculty, staff and students — on owned website channels, in external news media and on social media. Her teams are responsible for seeking new and creative approaches to storytelling and increasing engagement across University communications channels, such as Notre Dame’s social media accounts and web properties including ND.edu, news.nd.edu and NDWorks.nd.edu, and through earned and paid media placements.

Grisoli previously served as Notre Dame’s director of multimedia services where she led the University’s award-winning photography and videography teams. She and her teams earned numerous Telly Awards, Emmy Awards and top photography awards from the University Photographers’ Association of America.

Grisoli holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies and a master’s in communication arts from Notre Dame and has worked in the University’s communications division for 16 years. In the local community, she is involved with initiatives to support those with intellectual disabilities.

Prior to returning to Notre Dame, she worked as a television producer, public relations director and freelance writer in New Orleans. She was previously the director of communications for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.