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Student Stories

Notre Dame endeavors to be a place where each student can grow individually in both mind and heart, and become a part of something larger than themselves. By celebrating the unique gifts each student brings to our shared community, student life is enriched immeasurably.

The stories below share just some of the ways Notre Dame students are celebrating and taking advantage of the wonderful diversity on our campus – through both scholarship and development and formation outside the classroom.

‘Ways of seeing and changing the world’: Gender Studies Program marks 30 years

Published: February 18, 2019

Carrie Gates

Three decades after its founding, the Gender Studies Program is thriving, with more than 70 students currently pursuing gender studies majors, supplementary majors, and minors at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as more than 50 associated faculty across campus. Hundreds of students have found a home in the program over the years — including Sarah A. Mustillo ’96, the...

An international student’s perspective: Tackling my first American football season

Published: January 31, 2019

Nicole Lee

Physics major Nicole Lee is a Greater China Scholar and Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar. Originally from Malaysia, she grew up in Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

New initiative, With Voices True, to collect and archive narratives on race

Published: January 25, 2019

Kevin Fye

The Klau Center for Civil and Human Rights has announced a new initiative, With Voices True, to collect and record the voices of the Notre Dame community on the topic of race.

Beyond the Dome: Notre Dame’s commitment to internationalization

Published: January 07, 2019

Colleen Wilcox, Notre Dame International

The University’s commitment to internationalization is demonstrated through the opening of the Keough School of Global Affairs in 2017, Notre Dame’s first new school in nearly a century; the development of diverse academic programs and study abroad opportunities; the recruitment of more international students and faculty; the financial support of collaborative and innovative faculty research abroad; and the deepening existing...

Grant to help Riley students develop affordable housing in South Bend

Published: December 18, 2018

Erin Blasko

The $125,000 grant will allow the students to build a home for a low- to moderate-income family in a part of the city where access to quality, affordable housing and financing is limited.

2018 Accessibility Awareness Day

Published: November 21, 2018

Rosalyn Wells

Accessibility Awareness Day is an annual event that offers architecture students the opportunity to explore accessibility issues in the built environment.

Statement by Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., on mass shooting of worshipers at Pittsburgh synagogue

Published: October 28, 2018

Notre Dame News

“In the days ahead, Notre Dame will look for ways to mourn in solidarity with our friends and to address the venomous hatred directed at them because of their faith and identity,” Jenkins said.

Bower Doctor of Musical Arts program empowers students to re-energize sacred music in church and academy

Published: October 23, 2018

Carrie Gates

Music has the power to inspire, to sustain, and to build community. And students and alumni of Sacred Music at Notre Dame’s Calvin M. Bower Doctor of Musical Arts program are playing a vital role in re-energizing the church and the academy through sacred music.

Notre Dame Provost Tom Burish addresses Notre Dame Club of India in Mumbai

Published: October 18, 2018

Ted Fox

While speaking to a gathering of approximately 60 members of the Notre Dame Club of India in Mumbai, Burish focused his remarks on the University’s interest in admitting more students from India, noting that they currently represent the fastest-growing group of international students at Notre Dame.

Master’s student awarded for human rights work in Uganda

Published: October 10, 2018

kroc.nd.edu

Victoria Nyanjura, a student in the Master of Global Affairs, International Peace Studies program, is a first place recipient of the Navarra International Solidarity Award. The award recognized Nyanjura’s work to advocate for women and children in Gulu, Uganda.

ND Law students host legal aid event for local veterans

Published: February 15, 2019

Denise Wager

A group of Notre Dame Law School students recently hosted a legal aid night for veterans at the Miller Veterans Center in South Bend. They met with homeless vets on February 12 to tell them about the services the Notre Dame Clinical Law Center provides and to answer legal questions.

Events planned to celebrate Black History Month

Published: January 31, 2019

Erin Blasko

Notre Dame will celebrate Black History Month with events including lectures, discussions and performances throughout February.

Notre Dame to provide new opportunity for incoming students to join Global Citizen Year

Published: January 23, 2019

Joyce Lantz

Global Citizen Year is an eight-month global immersion and leadership development program conducted during the year between a student’s graduation from high school and entering a university.

A life-changing education

Published: December 19, 2018

Joanna Byrne

Armando Sanchez, participant in the London Undergraduate Program and the London Internship Program, writes about how he gained a more global perspective and inspired future generations to pursue education.

Record number of Notre Dame students receive Gilman Scholarships to study abroad

Published: December 07, 2018

Colleen Wilcox

Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs. The program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies or internships abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness.

Notre Dame ranked No. 2 in the nation for study abroad participation

Published: November 13, 2018

Colleen Wilcox

By the time they graduate, 73.7 percent of Notre Dame undergraduate students will have participated in study abroad.

Latino spirituality through leadership: A road to the V Encuentro

Published: October 25, 2018

Lauren Melancon

As part of the Institute for Latino Studies’ Cross Cultural Leadership Program, sophomore Aaron Benavides took part in an eight-week summer service learning experience at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C.

Celebrating a half-century of Notre Dame Law in London

Published: October 23, 2018

Kevin Allen

More than 1,500 budding Notre Dame Lawyers have gone to England to deepen their understanding of the roots of American law, to explore international career opportunities, and to forge lasting bonds with classmates.

Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion announces inaugural events

Published: October 17, 2018

Chloe Mccotter

"Religions engage people where they live, affecting their sensibilities and attitudes toward migrants, the poor, politics, health, the family and more,” notes Scott Appleby, Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough School of Global Affairs.

Through her lens: Art alumna captures untold story in Kylemore

Published: October 01, 2018

Colleen Wilcox

Growing up in a traditional Irish and Catholic family, Mary McGraw was always fascinated by Ireland. During her sophomore year at Notre Dame, she applied to the Inside Track program, spending time at both the Dublin Global Gateway and Kylemore Abbey Global Centre. As an artist, she was drawn to the landscape and the story behind the Kylemore castle.

Father Jenkins announces Columbus murals committee

Published: February 14, 2019

Dennis Brown

The committee will deliberate and advise on the display of the mural images in the appropriate context, as well as on related issues, in accord with the framework set out in his Jan. 20 letter to the University of Notre Dame community.

Rita Moreno, legend of stage and screen, to discuss her career and issues facing Latinos in entertainment

Published: January 29, 2019

Institute for Latino Studies

Moreno — an American actress, dancer and singer of Puerto Rican descent — is the first and only Latina to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony (EGOT), and she will be the special guest of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies next month as part of its Transformative Latino Leadership Lecture Series.

Black Domers named U.S. Catholic Book Club’s January selection

Published: January 08, 2019

Kathryn Pitts

The series of 75 essays includes the first African American to graduate from Notre Dame in 1947 as well as a member of the class of 2017. .

Book club ‘elevates’ language for Spanish-speaking Catholic school students

Published: December 18, 2018

Erin Blasko

The book club is the latest in a long line of Notre Dame-backed programs and initiatives aimed at improving educational outcomes for primary and secondary students in the South Bend-Elkhart region.

With an eye on global health, student returns to parents’ homeland

Published: November 26, 2018

Rowland, Ashley

When Eunice Agyapong ‘19 traveled to Ghana for the first time as an adult, she didn’t expect to be surprised by what she saw in her parents’ homeland. But she was.

The ivory tower meets real-world dialogue about Latinos and immigration in ‘Life’s Loteria’

Published: November 12, 2018

Paloma Garcia-Lopez

Three renowned experts on immigration, and the social, political and cultural narratives about Latinos in the media will participate in a panel discussion titled "Life’s Loteria: Immigration Narratives in Academia, Journalism, and Media."

Letras Latinas director participates in the Dodge Poetry Festival

Published: October 25, 2018

Institute for Latino Studies

As part of the Institute for Latino Studies’ academic program, the Letras Latinas initiative provides scholarly activities, brings emerging writers to campus to engage with students, and often partners with other Notre Dame departments and national organizations.

Potawatomi Language and Culture Night

Published: October 22, 2018

Erin Blasko

Zada Ballew, a Potawatomi citizen and a senior in the College of Arts and Letters, said, “As both a member of the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi and a student at the University of Notre Dame, I am honored to have the chance to share my culture with my classmates.

Student Safety Summit draws nearly 100 to talk to local police

Published: October 11, 2018

Erin Blasko

The event featured Q&A with local law enforcement, covering topics such as safety on an open campus, bias in policing and blue-light emergency phones.

An international student's perspective: It began with an idea

Published: September 28, 2018

Nicole Lee

Nicole Lee, Greater China Scholar and part of the class of 2022, gives students around the world inspiring insight into the life of an international student.