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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.

Notre Dame Law School event highlights the need to protect the Jewish community amid the rise of antisemitism on U.S. college campuses

Published: December 14, 2023

Notre Dame Law School

On November 30, Notre Dame Law School’s Religious Liberty Initiative hosted the event, "The Rising Tide of Antisemitism on American Campuses and Beyond" at the McCartan Courtroom.…

Join the Office of Institutional Transformation for cookies, coffee, and conversation

Published: December 01, 2023

Cidni Sanders

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to stop by the Office of Institutional Transformation’s holiday open house on Thursday, December 7, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in Suite 217 of the Main Building.

November is Native American Heritage Month

Published: November 27, 2023

diversity.nd.edu

Dance and drum performance among many opportunities for Notre Dame’s students, faculty, and staff to expand their knowledge and understanding of Native and Indigenous communities.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

Published: November 20, 2023

NDWorks

In honor and celebration of Native American Heritage Month, the Notre Dame Initiative on Race and Resilience, in collaboration with its artist-in-residence, David Martin, hosted a Native American dance and drum performance in DeBartolo Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The program featured songs and dance…

What is the Transformational Leaders Program?

Published: November 20, 2023

Shannon Rooney

Academic support, mentorship, community building, competitive funding for academic materials and experiences, and much more—these are just a few…

Abercrumbie and Morrow recognized as ACC UNITE Award recipients

Published: November 16, 2023

Athletics

JP Abercrumbie,…

Notre Dame International to celebrate International Education Week Nov. 13-17

Published: November 12, 2023

Colleen Wilcox

International Education Week (IEW) is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.…

Law School veterans reflect on God, Country, Notre Dame

Published: November 10, 2023

Libbey Detcher

Notre Dame Law School extends heartfelt gratitude to our faculty, staff, and students who have dedicated themselves in service to our country. In honor of Veterans Day, we are honored to showcase profiles of a few of these remarkable individuals. Each was invited to share their reflections on what…

Answering why: For Laura Burdick ’10, the question is not what you may think

Published: November 05, 2023

Notre Dame Magazine

Considering everything that had already gone wrong that day, no one would have blamed Laura Burdick ’10 if she hadn’t followed through on her plans — particularly the…

Institute for Latino Studies presents ‘Transformative Latino Leaders in Hollywood,’ featuring Mark Consuelos, Nicholas Gonzalez and Wilmer Valderrama

Published: November 02, 2023

Notre Dame News

The discussion takes place at 5 p.m. in the Carey Auditorium of the Hesburgh Library and will focus on elevating overlooked voices in the entertainment industry.

The DEI Podcast with Max Gaston Season 2 Episode 2: Perspectives of Black Men in Law School Part 1

Published: December 11, 2023

Jonathan Bailey

Black men make up less than 5% of lawyers in the United States. Though drastically underrepresented in the legal profession, Black men are overrepresented…

Rare Books and Special Collections exhibit explores emancipation during the 19th century

Published: November 29, 2023

Becky Malewitz

Making and Unmaking Emancipation in Cuba and the United States explores the fraught, circuitous and unfinished course of emancipation over the 19th century in Cuba and the United States. It will remain on display in 102 Hesburgh Library, Rare Books and Special Collections through December 15.

Creating pathways of opportunity for future Black domers

Published: November 27, 2023

Maura Sullivan Hill '11

Kendra Washington-Bass ’94 uses her expertise in education to empower Black students at Notre Dame as the board chair of the Black Alumni of Notre Dame.

Walking in the footsteps of Father Augustus Tolton

Published: November 20, 2023

ThinkND

This November, in recognition of Black Catholic History Month, ThinkND and the Medieval Institute published…

MSM voice student wins first place in upper advanced classical category at National Association of Teachers of Singing student auditions

Published: November 19, 2023

SMND

Soprano Uche Aghulor, a first-year student in the MSM voice studio, won first place in the Upper Advanced Classical category…

Leading the way toward a more inclusive entertainment industry

Published: November 13, 2023

Cidni Sanders

Institute for Latino Studies Leadership panel – Transformative Latino Leaders in Hollywood: Actors, Producers, Change-Makers – features Mark Consuelos, Nicholas Gonzalez and Wilmer Valderrama.

Serving (in) Milan: Finding the marginalized in the heart of Europe

Published: November 12, 2023

Bryan Fok

Bryan Fok ’25 is a junior studying global affairs and history. During the summer of 2023, he traveled to Milan, Italy, as part of the Serving (in) Europe program, supported by the Nanovic Institute for European Studies. This program offers opportunities to engage in service work addressing the most critical areas of need within local communities.

Learning in service to justice: The poverty studies interdisciplinary minor

Published: November 07, 2023

Elizabeth Prater

Notre Dame’s mission statement calls for the creation of “a sense of human solidarity…

Master of global affairs graduate advocates for LGBTQ+ perspectives

Published: November 05, 2023

Josh Stowe

Matthew Bocanumenth works as a gender, peace, and security fellow at Outright International in New York as part of his field experience. The nongovernmental organization addresses human rights abuses against LGBTQ+ people. For him, the role is an opportunity to help the international community work more inclusively with his community.

Celebrating our Native American alumni

Published: November 02, 2023

Allie Griffith '17, '19 M.Ed.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the Notre Dame Alumni Association looks back at some of our outstanding Native American alumni who have dedicated their professional and personal lives towards being a force for good in the world.

Senior Kendra Lyimo named 2024 Marshall Scholar

Published: December 11, 2023

Erin Blasko

University of Notre Dame senior Kendra Lyimo will study in the United Kingdom next year as a member of the Marshall Scholars class of 2024. Lyimo is the 11th Marshall Scholar in Notre Dame’s history. With the award, she will continue her education in London, with a focus on the art of the African diaspora.

Former ND-GAIN research associate brings food systems into focus at UN climate summit

Published: November 27, 2023

Renée LaReau

Later this month, more than 70,000 participants will attend the UN climate summit in Dubai. In the months leading up to the summit, known as COP28, Mohammed Farrae, a Master of Global Affairs graduate (2022) from the Keough School…

ND Journey: Sophia Ochoa ’25 expresses creativity, builds community

Published: November 27, 2023

Shannon Rooney

Sophia Ochoa first heard about Notre Dame when she was a senior in high school. Her uncle talked up Notre Dame so much that, since Ochoa couldn’t get to the States from her hometown of Manila in the Philippines due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, she decided to attend an online information session hosted by the director of international recruitment.

Envisioning greater accessibility

Published: November 20, 2023

Jack Rooney

By the time Danny Fritz ’22 M.S. and Riley Ellingsen ’22 M.S. graduated from the 11-month ESTEEM master’s program at Notre Dame, they had co-founded a start-up, earned seed money to start developing their innovative product, and now dedicate themselves to expanding accessibility options for people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Foreign Language Teaching Assistant spotlight: Dayana Velasquez

Published: November 17, 2023

Luke Van de Walle

Located north of Ecuador’s capital Quito, the region of Otavalo is home to rich indigenous cultures that are recognized globally for their iconic clothing, textiles, and handcrafts. Dayana Velasquez, 2023–2024 Quechua FLTA, is proud to represent her home and Otavaleña culture in South Bend, as it has held a deep significance throughout her life.

Notre Dame workshop explores the connection between names and identity

Published: November 12, 2023

Mary Hendriksen

FLTA Stuti Benal “Names are a very good beginning in efforts for inclusivity.” When Fulbright…

Law School launches experiential learning program to serve parents of children with disabilities

Published: November 12, 2023

Denise Wager

Notre Dame Law School is launching a new experiential learning program aimed at supporting parents in the wider South Bend, Indiana area as they advocate for services, accessibility, and accommodations required for their children diagnosed with physical and mental disabilities The program will also provide ND Law students the opportunity to work with families to ensure their child’s access to...

Daniel Hu attends 2023 ACS Presidential Safety Summit

Published: November 06, 2023

Rebecca Hicks

Daniel Hu, center, with members of the summit steering committee Daniel Hu, a 5th year graduate student in…

Kellogg PhD affiliates develop program of Catholic leadership and service in Africa

Published: November 03, 2023

Kellogg Institute for International Studies

“We have heard the long-expressed hope – spoken with great passion by popes, bishops, and other Church leaders, especially in the West – that the future of the Catholic Church is in Africa,” said …

A&L language majors, minors flip for fully funded Foreign Language Internship Program

Published: October 30, 2023

Beth Staples

Victoria Gordon-Brown, a junior Italian and biochemistry major from London, studied climate change in Italy. Reid Ragsdale, a junior Spanish and Arts & Letters pre-health major from Nashville, Tennessee, interned with a physician in Costa Rica. Through the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures' inaugural Foreign Language Internship Program (FLIP), they and nine of their Notre Dame peers...