Diversity at Notre Dame // Diversity at Notre Dame

Father Jenkins makes staff changes in president’s office

2012-02-21T16:00:00-05:00

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. president of the University of Notre Dame, has made three staff changes in his office, effective over the next month.

Frances L. Shavers, chief of staff and special assistant to the president, has been appointed to the newly created position of chief diversity officer; Ann M. Firth, most recently associate vice president and counselor to the president and previously associate vice president for student affairs, will become chief of staff; and Rev. William M. Lies, C.S.C., executive director of the Center for Social Concerns, will take on the new position of vice president for mission engagement and church affairs.

“In my inaugural address in 2005, I spoke about a profound rationale for embracing diversity at Notre Dame – a belief that ‘every human being possesses the dignity of being made in God’s image, and every culture reflects God’s grandeur,’” Father Jenkins said. “We have made progress in this area, with our continuing increase in the number of underrepresented students and the creation of our Diversity Advisory Committee and Moreau Academic Diversity Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. I have continued to look for ways in which progress can be sustained and even accelerated. I have worked closely with Frances for over six years and am confident that her leadership in this new position will lead to substantive improvements.”

In her new role, Shavers will work in Human Resources to focus on diversity of the staff, convene those who head up diversity efforts with students and faculty, and advise Father Jenkins on ways in which the University can continue to make progress in this area.

Shavers earned her doctoral and master’s degrees in administration, planning and social policy with a concentration in higher education from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Notre Dame. Prior to working in the president’s office, Shavers worked for Aetna Life and Casualty Co., at Notre Dame in both the Alumni Association and Department of Athletics, and at the University of Southern California. While in athletics, she was instrumental in establishing the Life Skills Program, which is now known as Student Athlete Welfare and Development. During her time in the president’s office, she also has been responsible for supporting the planning for the Notre Dame Forum, serving as a liaison with senior leadership, co-chairing diversity efforts, and helping manage various special projects such as the game-day report initiative.

Firth joined the president’s staff last semester after serving for 26 years in student affairs as director of the Office of Residence Life, executive assistant to the vice president and associate vice president. In the latter position since 2004, she was responsible for strategic planning and assessment for the division, ensuring student welfare and safety, managing crisis communications, leading efforts aimed at better integration of academic and student life, and oversight of the Career Center and Campus Ministry. She was instrumental in establishing both the Office of Alcohol and Drug Education and the Gender Relations Center.

Firth earned her bachelor’s and law degrees from Notre Dame and practiced law in Chicago before returning to her alma mater in 1985.

In the Office of the President she will manage the staff; serve as a liaison with the Board of Trustees; work with the Budget Working Group, the Faculty Board on Athletics and the President’s Leadership Council; and plan for the University Commencement Ceremony. She and Shavers will take on their new responsibilities March 5.

In his new role, Father Lies will take on some key responsibilities previously assigned to the Office of the Counselor to the President, which Rev. James McDonald, C.S.C., led in recent years. He also will coordinate and strengthen the many ways in which Notre Dame serves the Catholic Church, connecting with Church leaders and working to sustain and enhance the critical contribution of the Congregation of Holy Cross to Notre Dame. He also will have specific responsibility for the ecclesial role of the University’s Tantur Ecumenical Institute.

Under Father Lies’ direction for the past 10 years, the Center for Social Concerns doubled its financial and human resources and, together with the Institute for Church Life, relocated to Geddes Hall. He has maintained the center’s longstanding commitment to integrate Catholic social thought and deepen academic disciplinary content throughout programs, seminars, research and courses. He teaches in the Department of Political Science and is a faculty fellow of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies and the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies.

Father Lies earned his bachelor’s degree in English with minors in French and philosophy from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minn. He received his master of divinity degree from Notre Dame and his doctorate in political science from the University of Pittsburgh. He entered the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1987, finished his theological training in 1993, and was ordained a year later at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

Father Lies will begin his duties in the president’s office on a limited basis March 19 and continue directorship of the center through June. A search will begin soon for his successor.

Originally published by Dennis Brown at newsinfo.nd.edu on February 21, 2012.

Notre Dame to celebrate International Festival Week Feb. 25 to March 4

2012-02-17T14:00:00-05:00

For more than 40 years, the Office of International Student Services and Activities (ISSA), in conjunction with other campus departments and organizations, has hosted International Festival Week at the University of Notre Dame. International Festival Week 2012, which will celebrate Notre Dame’s international community, will take place Feb. 25 through March 4 (Saturday through Sunday).

The following events are open to the public:

At 5:30 p.m. Feb. 25 (Saturday), the Filipino American Student Association will present Fiestang 2012: Dahil Tayo’y Pilipino (Because We Are Filipino) in the Stepan Center. This celebration of Filipino culture will include a dinner and performance. Tickets will cost $10 at the door.

Join ISSA and the Graduate Student Union for the International Festival from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 29 (Wednesday) in the LaFortune Student Center Ballroom. In addition to sampling free desserts from around the world, attendees may enjoy a variety of international student performances and activities such as henna, origami and a sale of Nepalese handicrafts.

Fischer O’Hara Grace Graduate Residences (FOG) and Rev. Martin Nguyen, C.S.C., will host a free dinner, tour of Nguyen’s art studio, and dessert on March 2 (Friday) as part of Fragments: Spiritual and Cultural Inspirations of a Vietnamese-American Artist. Dinner will take place at 6 p.m. in the FOG Community Center, followed by a 7 p.m. art studio tour in the Holy Cross Annex.

The Kellogg Institute for International Studies and the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center will present the 2012 Asian Film Festival on March 2 and 3 (Friday and Saturday). The festival will focus on contemporary Indian cinema. For a complete schedule as well as ticket information, click here.

ISSA and University Village Apartments will host the International Children’s Festival from 2 to 4 p.m. March 3 (Saturday). Children of all ages are invited to make international arts and crafts and play games at the University Village Community Center.

The DeBartolo Performing Arts Center will host the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble as part of its visiting artist series at 2 p.m. March 4 (Sunday) in the Leighton Concert Hall. The ensemble will perform Odissi, the oldest of India’s classical dance forms in a program titled “Sri yah – A Decade of Dance Making.” For ticket information, click here.

For more information as well as a complete list of International Festival Week events, click here.

Contact: McKenna Pencak, mpencak@nd.edu

Originally published by McKenna Pencak at newsinfo.nd.edu on February 17, 2012.

Martin Luther King Jr. Series for the Study of Race to begin Jan. 25

2012-01-16T16:00:00-05:00

The University of Notre Dame’s 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Series for the Study of Race will feature four consecutive Wednesday night discussions led by prominent athletes, coaches, university athletic directors and sports scholars.

All the conference discussions, collectively entitled “Playing with Fire: Race and Sport in American Culture,” will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Legends nightclub each Wednesday night from Jan. 25 through Feb. 15. The series is open to the public.

Now in its third year, the Martin Luther King Jr. Series is hosted by the University’s Multicultural Student Programs and Services to encourage conversation and scholarship about the historical, cultural and psychological impact of race in social life in America and at Notre Dame.

On Jan. 25, the discussion leaders will be Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, former Notre Dame All-American and professional football player; Dwight “Doc” Gooden, former major league pitcher; and Briann January, former Arizona State University and current WNBA Indiana Fever basketball player.

On Feb.1, the discussion leader will be Jay Alexander, head coach of the Eastern Michigan University Eagles baseball team.

On Feb. 8, the discussion leaders will be David Williams, vice chancellor for university affairs and athletics, at Vanderbilt University; Ingrid Wicker-McCree, director of athletics at North Carolina Central University; and Kathy Beauregard, director of athletics at Western Michigan University.

On Feb. 15, the discussion leaders will be Pam Oliver, Fox Sports reporter; Dr. Richard Lapchick, director of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports and of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports; and Earl Smith, professor of sociology and director of the American Ethnic Studies Program at Wake Forest University.

Contact: Tobias Blake, 574-631-8503, tblake@nd.edu

Originally published by Michael O. Garvey at newsinfo.nd.edu on January 16, 2012.

Martin Luther King to be honored by Notre Dame prayer service

2012-01-12T16:00:00-05:00

Martin Luther King Day will be observed at the University of Notre Dame with a prayer service Monday (Jan. 16) at 11:30 a.m. in the Main Building rotunda.

Notre Dame’s president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., will lead the “Prayer Service to Honor the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Other participants will include Rev. Hugh Page, dean of Notre Dame’s First Year of Studies and associate professor of theology and Africana studies and community leaders from the Michiana area. Music will be provided by Notre Dame’s Voices of Faith Gospel Choir.

A reception will follow the event, which is open to the public.

Contact: Tobias Blake, 574-631-6841, tblake@nd.edu

Originally published by Michael O. Garvey at newsinfo.nd.edu on January 12, 2012.

The challenge and blessing of Latino Catholicism

2012-01-11T16:00:00-05:00

Statisticians quibble, but it is widely agreed that most Americans identify themselves as Christians, and it is inarguable that the Catholic Church is the largest of the Christian churches in the nation. More than half of the Catholics in the United States who are under the age of 25 are Latinos, and, due to birthrates and immigration, a majority of American Catholics will be Latinos by the year 2050. As Peter Steinfels, former religion writer for the New York Times summarized, “Latino Catholics will not just have a place at the table, they are likely to be the hosts at the table.”

Timothy Matovina, professor of theology and director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame, has for years had a scholarly interest in this swelling and, as yet, uncrested current of Catholic and American history. His new book, “Latino Catholicism: Transformation in America’s Largest Church,” published by Princeton University Press, closely considers the five-century-long history of Latino Catholics in America and how that history has affected them and their Church. “It’s an important story because Latino Catholics are changing the Church and the Church is changing them,” Matovina says.

Matovina’s study itself is changing, or at least challenging, the conventional narratives of American Catholic history, which tend to concentrate on the experiences of the European Catholic immigrants of the 19th century and the gradual assimilation of their descendants into middle class American life. The predominance of these “Euro-Americans,” not only in the history, but also in the contemporary leadership of the Catholic Church—its bishops, priests, ministers, educators, and active laity—can obscure the facts that large numbers of Spanish-speaking Catholics have lived within today’s national borders for twice as long as United States history, and that Catholic dioceses had been established and Marian shrines were attracting pilgrims here long before the landing of the Mayflower and the establishment of the colony at Plymouth Rock.

In addition to its assessment of the Latino Catholic past in America, Matovina’s book concerns Latinos’ contemporary efforts in living out and celebrating their faith, and the nationwide effects that these efforts have had in Catholic parishes and ministries as well as on social movements, politics and voting patterns. As an expanding and largely working class Latino population makes its presence increasingly palpable and its voice increasingly audible in the life of the Catholic Church in America, the familiar disagreements between “progressive” and “traditionalist” Catholics will be given a new context. According to Matovina, the concerns of Latino Catholics “reveal that in addition to the widely discussed split between the right and the left, another prominent divergence in U.S. Catholicism is one along class and cultural lines…From perspectives on the Catholic past, to current ecclesial life, to faith-formation for the Catholic adults of tomorrow, Hispanics’ viewpoints are more akin to those of European immigrants of yesteryear than to present day Euro-Americans.”

Matovina nevertheless notes that Latino Catholics are themselves affected by such current issues as the pressure of a secularized American culture, the rising popularity of Pentecostal and evangelical religion, the national controversies over immigration and the ongoing scandal of clergy sex abuse. He insists that these challenges merely underline the crucial responsibility of the Catholic Church to strengthen its Hispanic pastoral ministries, arguing that “ongoing support and development of such ministries is indispensable for the future of U.S. Catholicism.”

Rev. Joseph Corpora, C.S.C., who directs Notre Dame’s Catholic School Advantage campaign, an effort to increase the percentage of Latino children enrolled in Catholic schools, has jokingly suggested that Latino Catholics, “might even be God’s last-ditch effort to keep the American Catholic Church truly catholic, sacramental and diverse.”

Matovina would likely agree. “Latinos have much to offer U.S. Catholicism,” he writes. “Their youthfulness is a source of revitalization for Catholic faith communities. Their leadership has extended Catholic involvement in faith-based community organizing and activist efforts that expand grassroots participation in civil society. Their ritual and devotional traditions incite embodied prayer and faith.”

Matovina’s account emphasizes that the rise of Latino Catholics confronts the Catholic Church in America with a profound and tumultuous challenge, but it also illuminates that challenge and reveals it as a blessing.

Contact: Timothy M. Matovina, 574-631-3841, Matovina.1@nd.edu

Originally published by Michael O. Garvey at newsinfo.nd.edu on January 11, 2012.

Notre Dame survey of African American Catholics offers important insights

2011-11-17T16:00:00-05:00

A new, unprecedented national survey of African American Catholics by University of Notre Dame researchers reveals several significant insights into individual religious engagement and identifies several notable demographic trends facing the church.

The survey was sponsored by the National Black Catholic Congress and Notre Dame’s Institute for Church Life and Office of the President.

Notre Dame social scientists Darren W. Davis and Donald B. Pope-Davis, who co-authored the report, set out to test the validity of anecdotal accounts that African American Catholics were becoming increasingly disengaged from their religion. Although the primary focus of the survey is on African American Catholics, the researchers utilized a significant comparative component with white Catholics, which resulted in several notable findings about both groups of Catholics.

The survey also is historic in that it represents the largest sample of African American Catholics ever surveyed on their faith.

Among the key findings of the survey are:

• On almost every measure of religious engagement, African American Catholics are considered stronger in their faith than white Catholics. For example, when asked how well their parish meets their spiritual needs, 78 percent of African American Catholics say their needs are being met, while 68.7 percent of white Catholics responded similarly. When asked if their parish meets their emotional needs, 75.7 percent of African American Catholics say their needs are being met, compared to 60.4 percent of white Catholics.

• One major difference in the religious engagement between African American Catholics and white Catholics is the importance each group attaches to social networks in the parish. On a question that asked about how important it was that friends attended their church, 28.9 percent of African Americans considered it important, while only eight percent of white Catholics considered it important.

“This finding also shows up among African American Catholics who attend predominantly black parishes,” Davis said. “A greater sense of community that comes from worshipping with others who share cultural heritage heightens religious engagement.

“Whatever forces are working against white Catholics’ religious identity and engagement were set in motion decades ago and those forces do not appear to be working against African American Catholics.

“Thus, it is quite possible that understanding African American Catholicity may inform us about the religious challenges of white Catholics. Too often we approach questions of religiosity in a vacuum. Comparable studies of religiosity are critical.”

Two key survey findings of the quality of religious service and religious engagement were:

• On the often-used measure of Church attendance, 48.2 percent of African-Americans attend church at least once per week, compared to only 30.4 percent of white Catholics.

• While there is generally high satisfaction with various aspects of Mass and church service, such as preaching, music, readings and prayers, Catholics’ (both white and African Americans) level of satisfaction with these aspects of Mass are noticeably lower than Protestants.

“This finding is interesting because we often hear anecdotal complaints about the Catholic Mass as quiescent, but most Catholics do not share this view,” Pope-Davis said. “But, relative to the components of Protestant church service, Catholics are not as satisfied.”

Despite their high level of religious engagement, African American Catholics are not completely satisfied with the scope of racial inclusiveness in the Church:

• About one in four African American Catholics perceive racism in their parish. A total of 31.5 percent say they are uncomfortable because they are the only person of color in their parish, 25.9 percent say that fellow parishioners avoid them because of their race, 23.6 percent say that fellow parishioners reluctantly shake their hands and 24.9 percent say they have experienced racial insensitivity toward African Americans from their priest.

• African American Catholics see room for growth in the racial positions of the Catholic Church. A total of 36.6 percent are satisfied with the targeting of black vocations, 38.1 percent are satisfied with the Church’s emphasis on black saints, 39.9 percent are satisfied with promoting black bishops, 40.2 percent are satisfied with the Church’s support for issues like affirmative action, 44.2 percent are satisfied with the Church’s position on problems in Africa, and 45.1 percent are satisfied with the promotion of racial integration in the Church.

• At the same time, however, 22.9 percent of African Americans consider the Catholic Church racist against African Americans.

“Asking questions about abstract racism in the Church breaks down somewhat when asked about specific elements of the Church,” Davis points out. “This is not that unusual in survey research. But, it is clear that while there are still challenges for many African American Catholics in their parishes, the views of the institutional Church are more jaundiced or jaded.”

The survey also uncovered notable national demographic trends that are evident within religious denominations that have great consequences for the future Church.

• A total of 52.6 percent of African American Catholics and 53.3 percent of African American Protestants are at least 45 years-old, compared to 63.2 percent of white Catholics and 62 percent of white Protestants.

• There are also huge racial differences in the percentage that are married, reflecting another national trend. A total of 39.9 percent of African American Catholics and 34.8 percent of African American Protestants are married, compared to 53.9 percent of white Catholics and 13.9 percent of white Protestants.

• A larger percentage of African American Catholics have college degrees than African American Protestants. But overall, a larger percentage of Catholics are college-educated.

“It is clear that moving forward, Church leaders should pay closer attention to the demographic shifts in society and understand that because of race, a multifaceted approach would probably work best,” Pope-Davis notes. “The forces that shape white Catholicity are different from the forces that shape African American Catholicity.”

Contacts: Darren Davis, 574-631-1030, darren.davis@nd.edu; Don Pope-Davis, 574-631-5716, dpd@nd.edu

Originally published by William G. Gilroy at newsinfo.nd.edu on November 17, 2011.

Stephen Ponzillo appointed director of Notre Dame TRIO program

2011-07-08T13:00:00-04:00

Stephen Ponzillo, director of community services and public policy for United Way of Tampa Bay in Tampa, Fla., has been appointed director of the University of Notre Dame’s TRIO programs, which currently include Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound.

A 1998 Notre Dame alumnus, Ponzillo also earned a master of nonprofit administration degree from the University in 2010. Following his graduation from Notre Dame, he worked in St. Petersburg, Fla., as an AmeriCorps volunteer, teaching students from low-income families in a middle school and managing a Samaritan Inns transitional home for formerly homeless and addicted men. He has worked for United Way of Tampa Bay since 2005.

TRIO is a set of federally funded college opportunity programs that motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their pursuit of a college degree. The programs provide academic tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other supports necessary for educational access and retention. Notre Dame’s TRIO program serves first generation and low-income students from the South Bend Community School Corp.

Contact: Stephen Ponzillo 727-479-5976

Originally published by Michael O. Garvey at newsinfo.nd.edu on July 08, 2011.

Execs from major corporations to speak at Notre Dame Diversity Conference

2011-04-05T14:58:00-04:00

Executives from McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, Bank of America and other major companies will be talking about what diverse individuals and teams contribute to their businesses when they address the fourth annual Notre Dame Diversity Conference April 8 and 9 (Friday and Saturday) at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business.

Organized by Notre Dame MBA students and presented by ACS, a Xerox company involved in business-process outsourcing and IT services, the conference is free and open to the public. However, attendees must register online, and the deadline is April 6 (Wednesday). About 150 people are expected to attend.

The opening reception and dinner will start at 6 p.m. on April 8, in the Notre Dame Stadium press box. All other events will take place in Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. Click here for the full agenda.

The theme of this year’s conference is Capacity for Global Interaction. Speakers will focus on the processes in place to improve an organization’s ability to handle a diverse set of business issues and what diverse individuals and teams contribute to an organization with the increased importance of global interaction.

Keynote speakers will be Deborah Elam, vice president and chief diversity officer for General Electric; and Jeff Noel, corporate vice president for communications and public affairs at Whirlpool Corporation.
The panel topics Saturday will be Leveraging Diversity as a Competitive Advantage and Business Ethics: Challenges and Opportunities in BRIC Nations.

In addition to ACS, the other conference sponsors are Ernst & Young, Diversey cleaning products; the McGraw-Hill publishing companies, Skanska construction, Bank of America and Whirlpool.

Contact: Dan Scafe, MBA student, 574-520-2085; or Patrick Perella, director of MBA Career Development, 574-631-1722

Originally published by Ed Cohen at newsinfo.nd.edu on April 05, 2011.

Notre Dame to celebrate International Festival Week

2011-03-22T00:00:00-04:00

For more than 40 years, the Department of International Student Services and Activities (ISSA) at the University of Notre Dame has hosted International Festival Week, a celebration of international heritage and culture. International Festival Week 2011 will take place from March 25 through April 2. Highlights include:

Asian Film Festival & Conference – On March 25 and 26 (Friday and Saturday), the Kellogg Institute for International Studies and DeBartolo Performing Arts Center will present the 2011 Asian Film Festival and Conference. This year’s film festival will showcase recent animated films from Japan, as well as pay tribute to internationally acclaimed director Satoshi Kon, who passed away in 2010. For more information, visit the Kellogg Institute website.

International Festival: A Sweet World – Join ISSA on March 29 (Tuesday) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the LaFortune Ballroom to sample desserts from around the world. In addition to indulging on sweet treats, attendees may participate in various international activities, including acupuncture, henna, a sale of Nepalese handicrafts, and performances by campus groups.

Latin Expressions 2011 – On April 1 (Friday) at 7 p.m., Latin history and culture will come to life at the South Bend Century Center for “Orígenes: Regresando a Nuestras Raíces,” a one-night-only spectacular of dance, song and ritmo presented by La Alianza. Tickets will be available at the door or the LaFortune Student Center box office during International Festival Week.

International Children’s Festival – ISSA and University Village Apartments will host the International Children’s Festival on April 2 (Saturday) from 2 to 4 p.m. Children of all ages are invited to make international arts and crafts, get their faces painted and play games at the University Village Community Center.

Other International Festival Week events include an international breakfast, Spanish Mass, red-hot chili pepper eating contest, International Street Food Festival, and tour of the Snite Museum of Art’s Meso-American exhibits. For a complete schedule of events, please visit http://issa.nd.edu. All events are open to the public.

International Festival Week is presented by ISSA and co-sponsored by The Career Center, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, Fischer O’Hara-Grace Graduate Residences, Kellogg Institute, La Alianza, Snite Museum of Art, and University Village and Cripe Street Apartments.

ISSA was established in 1969 to advise and support the international student community at the University of Notre Dame.

Contact: McKenna Pencak, mpencak@nd.edu

Originally published by McKenna Pencak at newsinfo.nd.edu on March 22, 2011.

Father Jenkins receives Champion of Diversity Award

2011-01-20T10:00:00-05:00

Indiana Minority Business Magazine (IMBM) has honored Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, with a 2011 Champion of Diversity Award. Father Jenkins was one of 14 individuals, institutions and companies recognized by the magazine at a ceremony Jan. 14 in Indianapolis.

Father Jenkins and the other award recipients were cited as “leaders in their respective fields, not only because they excel at what they do, but also because they are inclusive,” according to Shannon Williams, president and general manager of IMBM. “This year’s esteemed group of awardees has promoted diversity with their hiring practices, outreach programs or have individually transcended racial or gender barriers.”

Now in his sixth year as Notre Dame’s president, Father Jenkins recently has acted upon the recommendations of two university committees to enact a series of initiatives designed to enhance support for a diverse faculty.

“The intellectual interchange that is essential to a university requires, and is enriched by, the presence and voices of diverse scholars and students,” Father Jenkins said last year. “Beyond the benefits diversity brings to all universities, we hold this commitment also because Notre Dame is a Catholic university.”

The initiatives, based upon reports prepared by the Diversity Advisory Committee and the University Committee on Women Faculty and Students, include:

The appointments of Don Pope-Davis, vice president, associate provost and professor of psychology, and Susan Ohmer, William T. and Helen Kuhn Carey Associate Professor of Modern Communication and assistant provost, to oversight roles for University efforts related to faculty of color and women faculty, respectively. Their work involves close coordination with deans, department chairs and others involved in faculty recruitment, hiring, retention, mentoring and development.

The creation of the Moreau Academic Diversity Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, which is a two-year research, teaching and mentoring initiative for scholars who meet one or more of the following criteria: represent populations that are historically underrepresented in American higher education, including women and minority groups; conduct research focusing on gender or ethnic groups; engage in interdisciplinary research projects that aspire to enhance cultural competency and diversity within the American educational landscape with an interest in exploring the implications of such work for liberal education in the Catholic tradition; and/or have track records of involvement in initiatives aimed at promoting diversity in higher education through teaching.

The Dual Career Assistance Program, which assists the spouses of recently hired full-time faculty and staff identify with potential employment opportunities in the area or at Notre Dame, now is available to spouses of current faculty.

A professor of philosophy, Father Jenkins was elected president-elect of the University by the Board of Trustees on April 30, 2004, and became the University’s 17th president on July 1, 2005.

More information on diversity initiatives at Notre Dame is available at http://diversity.nd.edu.

Originally published by Dennis Brown at newsinfo.nd.edu on January 20, 2011.

Martin Luther King to be honored by Notre Dame events

2011-01-13T11:59:00-05:00

Martin Luther King Day will be observed at the University of Notre Dame with a prayer service Monday (Jan. 17) at 11:30 a.m. in the Main Building rotunda.

Notre Dame’s president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., will lead the “Prayer Service to Honor the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Other participants will include Rev. Hugh Page, dean of Notre Dame’s First Year of Studies and associate professor of theology and Africana studies, and community leaders from the Michiana area. Music will be provided by Notre Dame’s Celebration Choir and members of the Notre Dame Folk Choir. A reception will follow the event, which is open to the public.

In addition, the University’s Multicultural Student Programs and Services will commemorate the civil rights leader slain 42 years ago in a series of five discussions collectively entitled “The Martin Luther King Jr. Series for the Study of Race.” The discussions will take place in Room 136 of DeBartolo Hall at 6 p.m. each Thursday evening from Jan. 20 to Feb. 17. Beginning with a Jan. 20 keynote address by Notre Dame’s president emeritus Rev. Edward A. Malloy, C.S.C., the discussions will offer Notre Dame students and faculty historical, cultural, moral and psychological considerations of race in America and at Notre Dame.

Other discussion leaders include Jason Ruiz, assistant professor of American Studies; Richard Pierce, chair of Africana Studies and associate professor of history; Agustin Fuentes, professor of anthropology; Irene Park, assistant professor of psychology; and May Kim, doctoral student in psychology.

More information about the discussion series is available here.

Contact: Tobias Blake, 574-631-6841, tblake@nd.edu

Originally published by Michael O. Garvey at newsinfo.nd.edu on January 13, 2011.

Blake recognized for contributions to computer science and technology

2010-12-16T14:53:00-05:00

M. Brian Blake, associate dean for research and professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Notre Dame, has been named a Distinguished Scientist by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and selected as one of the “50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology” by San-Francisco-based publisher eAccess Corporation.

Each year the ACM recognizes a select few of its members, those with a minimum of 15 years of professional experience who have made significant contributions to both the practical and theoretical aspects of computing and information technology. Blake is among the 41 members so honored this year.

He also was included on the recent list of the “50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology.” The list, now in its 11th year, recognizes innovators, executives, educators and public policymakers who have made a noteworthy impact on the global technology scene. Honorees typically participate in a technology symposium, which will be held in Washington, D.C., in January.

A faculty member since 2009, Blake’s expertise encompasses the areas of software engineering, Web services, e-commerce and related services. He has published more than 110 journal articles, book chapters and refereed conference papers based on his investigations in service-oriented computing, agents and workflow technologies; enterprise integration and electronic commerce; software process and life cycles; and software engineering education.

His administrative responsibilities in the Office of the Dean include strategic research administration, the development of faculty and graduate student recruitment and diversity strategies, as well as interaction with corporate and foundation partners with respect to research and external initiatives. In this capacity he works closely with Peter Kilpatrick, the McCloskey Dean of Engineering and professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Graduate School and individual departments within the College of Engineering. He also teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in software engineering and eTechnology.

Prior to joining the University, Blake served as department chair and director of graduate studies in computer science at Georgetown University. He also has served as adjunct professor at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and as consulting director of services computing and research for Cleared Solutions Inc., supporting the U.S. Department of Defense. He has worked as an expert-level system architect and software engineering consultant for organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Justice and various legal firms and has served as a software architect and expert developer at companies such as General Dynamics, General Electric, Lockheed Martin and The MITRE Corporation.

Blake is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society and a member of the National Society of Black Engineers.

He currently serves as associate editor-in-chief for IEEE Internet Computing and associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Services Computing, two of the top journals in his specialty. Blake has served as committee member or organizer for four National Academies Studies, served on the National Science Foundation’s Computer Information Systems and Engineering Advisory Committee and as general or program chair for five of the most recognized research conferences in his field.

Blake received his doctorate in information and software engineering from George Mason University (2000); his master’s in electrical engineering — with a minor in software engineering — from Mercer University (1997) and his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology (1994).

Originally published by Nina Welding at newsinfo.nd.edu on December 16, 2010.

Notre Dame-sponsored Hispanic career expo opens in Chicago

2010-12-13T14:35:00-05:00

The largest career expo for Hispanic job-seekers opens Oct. 21 (Thursday) at the McCormick Place in downtown Chicago, with the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business serving as the lead academic sponsor.

The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) expects attendance of more than 300 companies and organizations and 8,000 MBA professionals, students and academics during the three-day NSHMBA Conference and Career Expo.

“We chose an optimistic theme this year – ‘Winds of Opportunity’ – because it describes our view of the future possibilities available to the Latino community,” said Patrick Perrella, director of MBA career development at Notre Dame. “During the expo, we look forward to strengthening our partnerships with NSHMBA and the talented group of students it represents.”

NSHMBA serves 32 chapters and 8,000 members in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Founded in 1988, it exists to foster Hispanic leadership through graduate management education and professional development.

The NSHMBA Conference and Career Expo, sponsored by Humana, State Farm Insurance and Notre Dame, offers a number of receptions and networking events, as well as a wide range of workshops in topics including career development, marketing integration strategy and global management. Notre Dame is sponsoring a career management center, where participants can seek help with resumes, mock interviews, elevator pitches and job searches. On Friday, the ribbon-cutting ceremony will feature brief speeches from Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley; Lou Nanni, vice president for University relations at Notre Dame; Manny Gonzalez, NSHMBA CEO and others. The Notre Dame Band and cheerleaders also will be part of the festivities.

On Saturday, the closing day of the conference, Mendoza College Dean Carolyn Y. Woo will accept the 2010 Brillante Award for Educational Excellence in recognition of the College’s work to support the educational advancement and recognition of Hispanics and Hispanic communities across the nation.

The NSHMBA Conference and Career Expo is open to the public, with reduced fees for NSHMBA members. For more information or to register online, visit http://www.nshmba.org/.

Notre Dame has a long-term commitment to fostering an understanding of the U.S.-Latino experience and deep ties to the Latino community. In 1999, the University established the Institute for Latino Studies, which supports interdisciplinary initiatives in Latino studies as a key component of the Notre Dame academic mission by advancing research, expanding knowledge and strengthening the community. The Institute supports the research activities of the Inter-University Program for Latino Research (IUPLR), a national consortium of university-based centers dedicated to the advancement of the Latino intellectual presence in the United States.

Notre Dame commissioned a national task force to study the trend of Hispanics failing to gain access to great educational opportunities. In December 2009, the task force launched a campaign to improve those opportunities for the next generation of Hispanics by expanding their access to Catholic schools. The long-term goal of the "The Catholic School Advantage: The Campaign to Improve Educational Opportunities for Latino Children”:http://catholicschooladvantage.nd.edu/ is to enroll one million Hispanic students in Catholic schools by 2020.

The Mendoza College of Business has served as a member of the NSHMBA University Partner Program for more than a decade. College departments and programs have partnered with Hispanic groups for the purposes of education, diversity conferences and other community projects. The Notre Dame Nonprofit Executive Programs recently signed an agreement with the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation to provide executive education to Hispanic business leaders. Hispanic Magazine consistently ranks Notre Dame on its list of the top 25 colleges for Latinos.

For more information about the Notre Dame MBA program, call 574-631-8488 or e-mail.

Originally published by Carol Elliott at newsinfo.nd.edu on October 18, 2010.

Department of Education grant to fund Asian studies at Notre Dame

2010-12-13T14:34:00-05:00

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the University of Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute for International Studies an Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Languages Program (UISFL) grant of approximately $180,000 to advance Asian language and area studies at the University.

“We are committed to creating a vibrant and distinctive interdisciplinary program in Asian studies that carries the Notre Dame stamp of excellence and supports the University’s mission to internationalize the curriculum, the intellectual life, and the spirit of the campus,” said Jonathan Noble, the provost’s advisor for Asia initiatives, who will serve as chair of the project’s faculty steering committee.

Program components include new courses in Asian language and area studies with a special focus on innovative language learning and assessment, professional and curriculum development opportunities for faculty, and regional mini-conferences to bring Asian studies experts from around the Midwest to explore common academic interests.

“Receipt of the grant validates our efforts to continue to enhance Asian studies at Notre Dame,” Noble said. “We anticipate a significant impact on the University, our community, and our relationship to Asia.”

The grant also will fund Asia-specific library resources and a new outreach initiative to provide Asia-specific curriculum resources to teachers in elementary and secondary schools in Indiana, Michigan and Illinois.

The award represents the culmination of an unusually large collaborative effort that has been under way for several years. Collaborators include the Notre Dame’s Center for Asian Studies, Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, and Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, as well as faculty in anthropology, business, theology, and film, television and theatre.

Project co-directors are Sharon Schierling, associate director of the Kellogg Institute, and Howard Goldblatt, director of the Center for Asian Studies and research professor of Chinese.

Contacts: Jonathan Noble, provost’s advisor, Asia Initiatives, 574-631-1786, jnoble@nd.edu; and Sharon Schierling, associate director, Kellogg Institute, 574-631-8524, sschierl@nd.edu

Originally published by Elizabeth Rankin at newsinfo.nd.edu on September 29, 2009.

Notre Dame launches global research project on Catholic, Muslim, secular interaction

2010-12-13T14:29:00-05:00

The University of Notre Dame, in partnership with scholars and educators from around the world, is inaugurating a major cross-cultural research project: “Contending Modernities: Catholic, Muslim, Secular.”

The following public launch events will take place in New York on Nov. 18 and 19 at the Sheraton New York, 811 7th Avenue (53rd Street).

At 4 p.m. on Nov. 18 (Thursday), Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., Notre Dame’s president, will introduce the keynote speakers: Shaykh Ali Gomaa, Grand Mufti of Egypt; Jane Dammen McAuliffe, president of Bryn Mawr College and past president of the American Academy of Religion; and John T. McGreevy, professor of history and dean of Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters.

At 10 a.m. on Nov. 19 (Friday), a panel discussion titled “Women, Family, and Society in Islam and Catholicism” will feature Ingrid Mattson, past president of the Islamic Society of North America; M. Cathleen Kaveny, professor of law and professor of theology at Notre Dame; Shahla Haeri, associate professor of cultural anthropology and director of women’s studies at Boston University; and Jacqueline Moturi Ogega, director of the Women’s Mobilization Program at Religions for Peace.

Designed to unfold over several years, “Contending Modernities” will generate new knowledge and understanding of the ways in which religious and secular people and institutions interact, for good and ill, says Scott Appleby, professor of history, director of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and director of “Contending Modernities”.

“The problem of religious violence and tensions among religions and between the religious and secular forces are more sharply defined than ever,” Appleby says. “Our vision with this research project is to harness the power of ideas to chart a way forward across religious and secular divides to address the greatest challenges of the 21st century.”

Dozens of Catholic, Muslim and secular scholars and public intellectuals will be involved in the project, which in the future will expand to engage all major world religions.

RSVPs to these events are not required, but questions may be directed to Barbara Lockwood at 574-631-8500.

More information about the research project is available at kroc.nd.edu or by contacting Patrick Mason, associate director for research, at 574-631-7695.

Originally published by Joan Fallon at newsinfo.nd.edu on October 12, 2010.

Islam and Catholicism

2010-12-13T14:15:00-05:00

Ingrid Mattson, director of the Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at the panel discussion “Women, Family, and Society in Islam and Catholicism” at the inauguration of the Kroc Institute research project “Contending Modernities” in New York City.

Originally published by Matt Cashore at newsinfo.nd.edu on November 19, 2010.

Notre Dame to celebrate International Education Week Nov. 15 to 19

2010-12-13T14:15:00-05:00

What do Asian dancers, Salvadoran papusas and a documentary about South African street soccer have in common? Each will be part of International Education Week (IEW), presented by International Student Services and Activities (ISSA) at the University of Notre Dame. Events are open to the public and will be held Nov. 15 to 19 (Monday to Friday).

IEW is a national event coordinated by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to celebrate and promote global exchange between the United States and other countries.

ISSA will kick-off IEW on Monday at 5:30 p.m. with a free dessert reception followed by a screening of the documentary film “Streetball” at 6:30 p.m. in Geddes Hall. The film follows eight South African homeless men – former convicts, gangsters, orphans and recovering drug and alcohol addicts – who win the chance to represent their home country at the Homeless World Cup finals in Australia and Italy. After years of neglect, abuse and rejection by society, these players seize the opportunity for a better future and defy the odds. Mike Mastrocinque, associate producer and operations manager of the non-profit From Us With Love (FUWL) that produced the film, will host a question and answer session after the screening.

Local international restaurants will showcase their cuisines at the International Taste of South Bend in the LaFortune Student Center Ballroom on Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend this event.

The Asian Association of Notre Dame will present Asian Allure, celebrating various cultures with song, dance and other performances on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. Admission is $7.

Monday through Friday, ISSA will sponsor a sale of goods and handicrafts from the fair trade retailer Ten Thousand Villages, which provides vital, fair income to Third World people by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America. Ten Thousand Villages will sell products in the Hesburgh Library Atrium from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Ten Thousand Villages, which is a non-profit program of the Mennonite Central Committee, works with artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed, providing sustainable income that pays for food, education, health care and housing.

In addition, ISSA will host an International Cooking Class on Thursday and a Late Night Salsa Nightclub in conjunction with Legends of Notre Dame on Friday for Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students.
All IEW events will support the St. Joseph County chapter of the American Red Cross, which became an authorized refugee resettlement agency in 2010. Between Oct. 1, 2010, and Sept. 30, 2011, the local Red Cross chapter expects to resettle 80 displaced refugees from around the world. Many of these refugees, who have been displaced from their home countries due to persecution for religion, race, nationality or political opinion, arrive in the United States with only the clothes on their backs. As a result, the Refugee Resettlement Program is in need of everyday household items to provide the refugees, including furnishings, linens and unused, unopened toiletries. ISSA will host donation collection boxes at all IEW events.

IEW co-sponsors include the Center for Social Concerns, Graduate Student Union, Legends of Notre Dame, and the Office of International Studies.

Contact: McKenna Pencak, mpencak@nd.edu

Originally published by McKenna Pencak at newsinfo.nd.edu on November 10, 2010.

New director of Native American Iniatives named

2010-09-10T09:14:00-04:00

Laurie Arnold (Colville), assistant director of the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, has been named directorof Native American initiatives. Arnold’s appointment comes in response to growing interest in Native American studies and topics at Notre Dame. An enrolled member of the Colville Confederated Tribes, Arnold previously served as associate director of the D’Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies at the Newberry Library in Chicago. “Notre Dame has a long history with Native Americans, starting with the Potawatomi Indians who greeted Father Sorin upon his arrival,” Arnold says. “Native American students, like other students, need to find cultural connections in order to be comfortable at a university. Notre Dame is well-situated, both in terms of region and mission, to provide that cultural home.”