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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 Crucifix Initiative announces winners of inaugural student art competition

Published: April 16, 2024

Kate Garry

Through a campus-wide contest, the University of Notre Dame’s Crucifix Initiative has selected two original pieces by student artists to add to its permanent collection. The winning…

Global Health graduate researcher Henry Kamugisha works to reduce malaria in the Ethiopian Highlands

Published: March 07, 2024

Christine Grashorn

Although two hundred years have passed since the development of the first antimalaria treatment and over 140 years since…

Feminist Foreign Policy: Perspectives from Madrid and Barcelona

Published: March 01, 2024

Raleigh Kuipers

Raleigh Kuipers ’25 is a global affairs and Spanish double major with minors in civil and human rights and European studies. During winter break of the 23-24 academic year, she traveled to Spain with help from a Nanovic Institute undergraduate…

Notre Dame makes $68 million commitment to fighting mental health crisis; scalable solutions could become national model

Published: February 28, 2024

Notre Dame News

The University of Notre Dame is making a historic commitment to fighting the national mental health crisis by bringing together a coalition of benefactors, foundations and other funders who have committed more than $68 million over the past year to develop innovative solutions and expand access to…

Keynoter for the 2024 Student Peace Conference Announced

Published: February 26, 2024

Lisa Gallagher

Sa’ed Atshan, an associate professor of peace and conflict studies and anthropology at Swarthmore College, will present “Sexualities and Queer Imaginaries Across the Middle East and North Africa” on the afternoon of Friday, April 12—the first day of the two-day conference.

Putting 'the South' in South Bend

Published: February 19, 2024

The IDEA Center

In honor of Black History Month, the IDEA Center is highlighting four black entrepreneurs from the South Bend-Elkhart community who have worked with and helped the IDEA Center and are paving the way for future underrepresented entrepreneurs. …

ND Founder Profile #150: Latinos’ lack of access to capital inspired this founder to launch a fast-growing angel group

Published: February 14, 2024

Melanie Lux

Born in Gary, Indiana, in 1972 to immigrant parents from Puerto Rico, David Olivencia had a typical American childhood. He attended Catholic school. Played football, including his high school’s state champion team. He also enjoyed math and computers. One thing was different, however. All of his grandparents mainly spoke Spanish, and his extended family was bilingual. They’d come to his games...

Ninth Annual Walk the Walk Week events to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Published: January 22, 2024

Notre Dame News

The University of Notre Dame’s ninth annual Walk the Walk Week will take place Jan. 15 (Monday) through Jan. 22 (Monday).

ND Founders Profile #148: Motivated by his brother, this founder is commercializing vitally needed sensor technology for heart failure patients

Published: January 17, 2024

Melanie Lux

RAY FRASER Company Founded: Vital View Technologies, Inc. Year …

Notre Dame earns 2024 NCAA diversity and inclusion award

Published: January 08, 2024

Athletics

Big change starts small. That, in part, is the hope behind Notre Dame’s Together Irish program, which has served as a redefinition of the athletics department’s commitment to social…

RSVP for Notre Dame Law School's annual interfaith dinner

Published: March 19, 2024

Notre Dame Law School

The campus community is invited to join together on March 26 dinner in honor of Ramadan, Passover, Easter, and Riḍván.

Mental health affects "everything"

Published: March 04, 2024

Allie Griffith '17, '19 M.Ed.

Lisa Kelly '88 has found a way to use her skills to impact the communities of St. Joseph and Elkhart counties, serving as the co-founder and executive director of Mental Health Awareness of Michiana.

IRR & SG collaborate for The Color Purple book club and dinner

Published: February 29, 2024

Aurea Hernandez-Webster

The Initiative on Race and Resilience’s student leader Chloe Miller and Luzolo Matundu, Director of Diversity & Inclusion: Race and Ethnicity, Student Government led a lively discussion of Alice Walker’s enduring classic The Color Purple last evening in the Sojourner Truth Commons as…

Notre Dame celebrates Black History Month

Published: February 27, 2024

Media Relations

The University of Notre Dame is celebrating Black History Month throughout February with a number of events.

My Notre Dame wasn’t your Notre Dame

Published: February 24, 2024

Notre Dame Magazine

When people learn I’m a Notre Dame alumnus, most “ohh” and “ahh” about how lucky, how smart, how well off I must have been to go there. The reality was quite the opposite. My experience of Notre Dame was different — very different — from that of 99.9 percent of my classmates.

From prison to employment: Solar partnership advances Notre Dame’s mission, values

Published: February 15, 2024

Erin Blasko

When the University of Notre Dame breaks ground on a new solar project later this year, it will be a full-circle moment for Patrick Regan, whose company, Crossroads Solar, is supplying the panels for the project — and helping formerly incarcerated men and women transition from prison to employment in the process.

Faculty, staff, students, and alumni welcome the Year of the Dragon

Published: February 09, 2024

Cidni Sanders

Expand your understanding of Lunar New Year with a fun toolkit as well as events on campus and in the community.

Empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals

Published: January 22, 2024

Maura Sullivan Hill '11

Ashley Kyalwazi '18 is determined to help build and advocate for equitable systems of care, with a clear focus on improving health outcomes among marginalized communities.

Father Jenkins given keys to South Bend, Mishawaka at MLK Day event

Published: January 16, 2024

Erin Blasko

University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., was presented with keys to the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka during the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Recognition Breakfast on Monday in South Bend.

Creative Writing MFA Alumni Spotlight: Sami Schalk ('10)

Published: January 05, 2024

Paul Cunningham

Dr. Sami Schalk's ('10) second book, Black Disability Politics, was published by Duke University Press in 2023. Kimberly Springer (author of Living for the Revolution: Black Feminist Organiztaions, 1968-1980) argues that Dr. Schalk's latest book challenges " myriad assumptions about disability activism and Black social movements."

Campus events highlight the voices, experiences, and contributions of women

Published: March 07, 2024

diversity.nd.edu

A number of events for students, staff, faculty, and the community will take place on campus throughout the month of March.

Notre Dame International’s Global Citizenship Series: March 2024

Published: March 01, 2024

Mary Hendriksen

In this third installment of the 2024 Notre Dame International series on how all of us in the Notre Dame community can cultivate our global citizenship skills, we feature several performances, lectures, and activities that, during the month of March, open up the world to us right here on the Notre Dame campus.

ND Law alumnus Kevin Warren '90 J.D. presented with two awards over Super Bowl weekend

Published: February 28, 2024

Notre Dame Law School

Photo credit: MaryKate Drews Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren ‘90 J.D. received two prestigious awards…

Resources and organizations to explore this Black History Month

Published: February 27, 2024

diversity.nd.edu

Each February, the United States celebrates Black History Month, a time to reflect on the legacy and accomplishments of Black Americans. There are many ways to expand your knowledge of Black history in the U.S. and join in commemorating this month.

When Jackie Robinson came to campus

Published: February 20, 2024

Notre Dame Magazine

It was 70 years ago — on February 10, 1954 — that baseball great Jackie Robinson came to Notre Dame and South Bend to speak about brotherhood, cooperation and eliminating prejudices. He declared that slow but steady progress was being made in race relations.

In the presence of Giants

Published: February 14, 2024

Carrie Gates

Decades before Jackie Robinson became the first Black man to play in the major leagues, the Foundry Giants—a team of Black players working in the Studebaker factory’s foundry—were making a name for themselves as one of the strongest independent baseball teams in the Midwest. The South Bend team played in Studebaker’s otherwise all-white industrial league in the 1920s and 1930s...

Black Alumni of Notre Dame kick off Black History Month with Black Domers 2 webcast

Published: February 08, 2024

Cidni Sanders

Month-long series will explore the experiences of Black alumni and students, imagine the future of social justice, convene Black entrepreneurial and business trailblazers, nurture Black well-being, and enhance Black spirituality.

Inspirational leaders encourage justice, perseverance, compassion and courage during Walk the Walk Week events

Published: January 22, 2024

Notre Dame News

As part of Walk the Walk Week, a diverse group of leaders in science, engineering and technology offered words of encouragement to over 250 students, faculty and staff on Wednesday (Jan. 17).

The Troublemaker

Published: January 15, 2024

Notre Dame Magazine

As a biopic introduces Bayard Rustin to a new generation, take a look back at the civil rights activist’s stint as a Notre Dame trustee.

Exposure to the venture capital world: Janaeé Wallace's ESTEEM experience

Published: January 01, 2024

Notre Dame ESTEEM

Janaeé Wallace, an ESTEEM alumna, shares how the program equipped her with valuable skills in business, technology, critical thinking, networking, and pitching, enabling her to succeed as a technical product manager and angel investor, and empowering her to drive change in the Bahamas.