by Brittany Jaso | Dec 24, 2024
Merry Christmas Notre Dame Alumni Association Executive Director Dolly Duffy ’84 closes out our Advent series and shares our warmest wishes for a blessed Christmas season. As we welcome the birth of Christ this Christmas morning, I want to thank you for joining...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 23, 2024
Noah Salak For senior Noah Salak, steak sandwiches are sacred. When he joins the Knights of Columbus on gamedays to serve thousands of them, he’s doing more than just helping raise funds for South Bend charities; he’s taking part in a tradition that makes Notre Dame...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 22, 2024
Yaritza Padilla When sophomore Yaritza Padilla opened herself up to true, authentic friendship at Notre Dame, she found a support system like none other. “Away from my family, I realized I couldn’t only rely on them to care for me. Instead, I found friends who became...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 21, 2024
Pedro Ribeiro Pedro Ribeiro wasn’t looking for a new job. But when the president of Notre Dame called him out of the blue to invite him to campus for a visit and interview, his path was forever changed. “But that visit to Notre Dame transformed me. Spending the day...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 20, 2024
Lisa Bevington “Blindsided, I tripped and fell, finding myself in a shallow lake of rainwater. Nearby, a figure appeared — another person battling the storm.” A helping hand during a moment of need reminded Lisa Bevington that she’ll never be lost to her fears. “She...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 19, 2024
Ron Metoyer Others’ silent sacrifices often make the biggest difference in our lives — even when we don’t realize it at the time. The time and talent adults in Ron Metoyer’s life invested in him during his teen years expanded his future trajectory. Now, as Vice...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 18, 2024
Jack Szatkowski Senior Jack Szatkowski questioned his own faith following his father’s devastating medical diagnosis. But his Notre Dame family stepped up and helped him renew his belief with the power of community. “This journey has made me more compassionate and...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 17, 2024
Ellen (Bartindale) Castellini ’12 Winning isn’t everything. Ellen Castellini ‘12 and her teammates took home the trophy after the Fighting Irish women’s soccer team won the NCAA National Championship in 2010. But attending Mass at a church far from home before...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 16, 2024
Frank Baysore ’72 Frank Baysore ‘72 washed a lot of glasses to pay for his education while working as a dishwasher in South Dining Hall. There, he learned a lesson from a colleague that shifted his own perspective from glass half empty to glass half full.“...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 15, 2024
Wendy Garcia Sigala Just weeks after moving clear across the country to South Bend, Wendy Garcia Sigala and her husband learned she was pregnant with her first child. She felt excited but scared: would she have the support she needed in a new place? But Wendy’s new...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 14, 2024
Chris Kavanagh As the youngest of six kids, family and teamwork are everything to men’s lacrosse captain Chris Kavanagh. He followed in his older brothers’ footsteps to Notre Dame, and it was their family he looked for in the crowd as he and his brother Pat led the...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 13, 2024
Allison Schultz Like many first-year students, when junior Allison Schulz started at Notre Dame, it was her first time away from her family. In the midst of her homesickness and loneliness, she found a community that felt like family, one that loved her as she was and...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 12, 2024
Joy Agwu ’24 Joy Agwu’s grandmother called sunrises and sunsets “God’s painting,” and those works of art became a way for her to bookend each day with a moment of gratitude. On a trip to Mexico with her closest Notre Dame friends, one breathtaking sunset showed...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 11, 2024
Santiago Schnell Some of the best things in life happen just by saying “yes” to God’s call. Santiago Schnell’s journey to Notre Dame was more than a career move; it became a vocation. The William K. Warren Foundation Dean of the College of Science joined the faculty...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 10, 2024
Gabriella Searl A simple invitation to pray together with new friends on Sundays became a cherished weekly tradition for senior Gabriella Searl. “I had grown up praying the Rosary with my family, and I knew with so much space in our new room, I wanted us to host a...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 9, 2024
Melissa (Wochner) McGlinn ’89 Leaving Notre Dame can be hard. Melissa (Wochner) McGlinn ‘89 will never forget her last day on campus. Her dad pulled her aside for a powerful moment of prayer that helped her navigate the change ahead and has stayed with her...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 8, 2024
James Riley ’94 The perseverance, resilience, and heart for service of his aunt Goldie Ivory ’56 M.A., motivated James Riley ‘94 to uphold her legacy and make a difference in his community. “Inspiration to be a force for good often starts close to home. Aunt...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 7, 2024
Samantha Meyer How do you handle doubt about your life’s path? When her application to Notre Dame didn’t go exactly as planned, Sammi Meyer doubted her calling to South Bend. Then, she came across a long-lost bookmark that reminded her to trust in the plans God has...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 6, 2024
Admiral Christopher W. Grady ’84 You are never alone. More than twenty years after Admiral Christopher Grady ‘84, 12th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was a sophomore at Notre Dame, a story from his father made him realize that in the Notre Dame...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 5, 2024
Maria Fernanda Zamora After fleeing Nicaragua, senior Maria Fernanda Zamora found her voice at Notre Dame, and with it, the power to turn her fear into purpose: “Oppression in my homeland of Nicaragua taught me to hide, but Notre Dame showed me that my voice could...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 4, 2024
Ava Conklin ’22 Sometimes you need a sign from above to know that you’re in the right place. Feeling the presence of her great uncle John Nichols ‘45 after he died gave Ava Conklin ‘22 the sign that Notre Dame was exactly where she was meant to be: “Just over a...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 3, 2024
Heather Reynolds When Heather Reynolds first met her daughter, Olive, in Taiwan, everything changed. Through motherhood, Heather’s drive to help end poverty became a deeply personal calling that ultimately led her to the role of a lifetime at Notre Dame. “As she...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 2, 2024
TJ Walsh A routine email check led to an unexpected connection, one that impacted junior TJ Walsh’s life and demonstrated the power of God’s guidance in ways he’d never imagined: “On busy mornings, I usually skim the Gospel Reflection quickly, but on this day, I...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 1, 2024
Rev. Nate Wills, C.S.C., ’99, ’03 M.Ed., ’05 M.Div. Three simple words. That’s all it took for Rev. Nate Wills, C.S.C., ’99, ’03 M.Ed., ’05 M.Div., to unlock the power of belonging and togetherness on his first player walk as Notre...
by Brittany Jaso | Nov 30, 2024
Sofia Benigno Tune in to this Advent season’s Sacred Stories with junior Sofia Benigno: Hear her lifelong love story with the piano and how that musical talent has helped Sofia see herself through God’s eyes: “I cried instantly because in that moment, my father saw...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 24, 2023
Merry Christmas Executive Director of the Notre Dame Alumni Association Dolly Duffy ’84 closes our journey through Advent and opens another to the Christmas Season. It has truly been an honor to journey with 22 members of the Notre Dame family, from every walk...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 23, 2023
Megan Wrappe “Cradle-domer” Megan Wrappe has found the memory of her father alive and well in her encounters with the Notre Dame family. I applied to the Master of Nonprofit Administration program last September, and I was admitted to Notre Dame in...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 22, 2023
Deacon Mel Tardy ’86, ’90 MBA Deacon Mel Tardy ’86, ’90 MBA, couldn’t imagine the meaningful work that unfolded in his life after he said yes to God’s calling. I became a deacon in 2011 and it has transformed my marriage, my...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 21, 2023
Allan LaReau ’70 The Notre Dame community became a beacon of love and support for Allan LaReau ’70 following the loss of his young daughter. During my recovery, I was able to receive the care that I needed not only with family by my side but with my...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 20, 2023
Laisha Perez Participating in the Transformational Leaders Program not only transformed current junior Laisha Perez’s Notre Dame journey but also had a profound impact on her mother. The most beautiful blessing is that, because I have received so much support...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 19, 2023
Judy Hutchinson A series of health problems sent Notre Dame International’s Judy Hutchinson on a journey that revealed the unexpected ways God orchestrates our lives. During my recovery, I was able to receive the care that I needed not only with family by my...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 18, 2023
Eve Kelly Realizing the truth behind a cherished Notre Dame frame in Eve Kelly’s family history revealed a tale of faith and the enduring legacy of sacrifice. My grandpa was a person of deep faith. Even as he was battling cancer, he never fell into despair. He...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 17, 2023
Annie Wiese ’22 Through the challenges of life, Annie Wiese ’22 shares her journey of resilience, faith, and trust on the diving board. Every morning and afternoon, it was just me and the diving board. While my body was spinning through the air, my eyes...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 16, 2023
Rev. Bob Dowd, C.S.C., ’87 Discover the solace, strength, and inspiration Rev. Bob Dowd, C.S.C., ’87 found in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “This statue became a place of pilgrimage for me. Whenever I found myself struggling with a challenge or...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 15, 2023
Anna Briamonte Junior Anna Briamonte shares her unexpected encounter during World Youth Day, highlighting the warmth and unity of the Notre Dame family that transcends borders. “I am from New Jersey. Lisbon is very far from home. And yet, something about the...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 14, 2023
Larry Kavanagh ’64 Larry Kavanagh ’64 and his Sorin Hall roommates became volunteer altar servers for the charming and hermit-like Father John O’Brien, who lived on the fourth floor of the Administration Building. “Father O’Brien was a...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 13, 2023
Dr. Angela Logan From shy church speeches to teaching at Notre Dame, Dr. Angela Logan reflects on the power of investing in young lives. “Today, I always chuckle at my mother’s persistence and now see how it helped build my confidence that would lead to...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 12, 2023
Christian Quilon Notre Dame senior Christian Quilon reflects on the joy of being a sponsor, witnessing 16 students courageously deepen their faith through the sacrament of baptism. “In the Bible, St. Paul talks about how all Christians are buried into death...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 11, 2023
Theresa McKenna ’89 A chance encounter during a Houston thunderstorm led to 22 years of marriage for Theresa McKenna ’89. “My friends laughed at my goal of finding a Notre Dame boy because that was not a plentiful thing in Houston. The odds were...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 10, 2023
Connor Patrick ’23 Join graduate student Connor Patrick ’23 on a journey through the heart of Notre Dame’s Dillon Hall and the tradition of the Milkshake Mass. “These virtual liturgies reminded me of being crowded together in the real...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 9, 2023
Francis Lenox ’88 Weaving threads of love and spirituality, Francis Lenox ’88 completes his mother’s unfinished legacy, supporting the Congregation of Holy Cross. “Since leaving Notre Dame, I have been a public educator, spent my summers...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 8, 2023
Amanda Muhr Junior Amanda Muhr discovers unexpected blessings and enduring friendships on the “Holy Hike,” illustrating the profound impact of companionship and finding God during her college years at Holy Cross and Notre Dame. “I never expected to...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 7, 2023
Audric Estimé Notre Dame running back Audric Estimé finds strength in family and faith through the challenging but transformative experience of life as a student-athlete, emphasizing the intertwining of faith, academics, and football in shaping his journey....
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 6, 2023
Tim Sullivan ’93 Tim Sullivan ’93 spent years in a holy ritual of faith, lighting candles for his mother’s life at Notre Dame’s Grotto. “My mom lived for more than 25 years after that original cancer diagnosis, during which she...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 5, 2023
Paige Jackson From a chance ride in the rain to bonds of radical friendship, Paige Jackson’s journey at Notre Dame embodies the uncommon kindness and authentic connections of a family community that ripples with care. “As I settled into my role over my...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 4, 2023
Mike Moore ’68 Amidst a moment of despair, a chance encounter on Thanksgiving on Notre Dame’s campus rekindled hope, steering Michael Moore ’68 towards a fulfilling new chapter. “North Dining Hall had been my dining hall when I was a freshman...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 3, 2023
Haley Scott DeMaria ’95 A Notre Dame swim team tragedy brought Haley Scott DeMaria ’95 unexpected loss but also an unexpected moment of grace through a simple offer of prayer. “I couldn’t identify it at the time because I had just suffered immense...
by Brittany Jaso | Dec 2, 2023
Sydney Higgins Begin this Advent season with senior Sydney Higgins on her transformative journey of faith inspired by daily walks with a theology course professor and friend willing to journey together. “Throughout the semester, after each class, I would walk...
