The Notre Dame Alumni Association announced its 2023 Domer Dozen cohort, honoring 12 graduates ages 32 and younger for excellence in their contributions in faith, service, learning or work — the core pillars of the Alumni Association’s mission.
The Domer Dozen program is the signature initiative of YoungND, the Alumni Association’s young alumni group. The 2023 honorees have displayed extraordinary dedication to the Alumni Association’s mission and have excelled in public service, health care, immigration, church life and entertainment, among other areas. They were chosen by a selection committee consisting of the YoungND board, University officials and Alumni Association staff, which considered 182 nominees this summer and evaluated them based on a weighted ranking system and their contributions in their respective fields.
“Even in this fifth year of the Domer Dozen initiative, I continue to be amazed by the incredible achievements of our young alumni in such a short time since their time here at Notre Dame,” said Dolly Duffy, executive director of the Alumni Association and associate vice president for University Relations. “This year’s Domer Dozen cohort is just the latest example of the ‘Force for Good’ ethos that drives so many Notre Dame graduates to make a difference in the world. We could not be more proud of these honorees for their dedication to this effort, whether their work uplifts the marginalized, cures the sick, inspires renewed faith or promotes justice for all.”
The 2023 Domer Dozen honorees are:
Ansel Nalin ’14, M.D., Ph.D. — Putting faith into action to cure cancer
Ashley Kyalwazi ’18 — Empowering the next generation of health care professionals from underrepresented backgrounds
Bryan Dimas ’14 — Increasing Latino representation in the entertainment industry
Elizabeth Wood ’14 — Fighting to help marginalized youth gain legal status in the United States
Garrett Blad ’15 — Advocating for environmental, social and economic justice
Ihuoma Nwaogwugwu ’15, ’16 — Leading and serving the Notre Dame family in San Diego
Kyle Witzigman ’16 — Creating a brighter future for the Vietnamese community at home and abroad
Lizzie Heilmann ’15 — Working to promote better health care and prevention in Africa
Margaret McMahon ’17, ’20 M.Div. — Responding to God’s call to serve the Church
Melissa Riordan ’18 — Inspiring the next generation of public servants in international security
Tony Guidotti ’20 MGA — Developing public policy solutions to advance holistic human development
Lt. Walker Embrey ’17 — Serving the nation through exceptional leadership in public military service
The honorees are invited back to campus this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 1 and 2) for a special recognition weekend. The Domer Dozen will meet with current students and University leaders, be celebrated during an awards dinner with the YoungND board and Alumni Association staff members and be recognized in Notre Dame Stadium during the football game against Tennessee State University.
Domer Dozen honorees will share brief talks about their life and experiences since graduating from Notre Dame during “Lunch and Learn: An opportunity to connect with the 2023 Domer Dozen honorees” at 12:30 p.m. Friday (Sept. 1) in Duncan Student Center, Meeting R. 1 South W106. Students, faculty, staff and visitors are invited to attend the event, which is free and open to the public.
Originally published by at news.nd.edu on August 31, 2023.